Podcasts about central area

The Seattle Black Fire Fighters Association has achieved a significant legal victory in their ongoing effort to retain a historic property in Seattle's Central Area. A King County Superior Court judge determined that the executive board's sale of the property contravened a prior court order, holding the defendants in contempt and imposing financial penalties. The final decision on whether to annul the sale will be made later this month, representing a critical step in the endeavor to maintain the landmark within the Black firefighters' community who established its legacy.

The historic property owned by the Seattle Black Fire Fighters Association has long stood as a symbol of heritage and community in Seattle's Central Area. Recently, the sale of this property has incited outrage among retired members and community leaders, who argue it was sold improperly and without proper consent. The legal battle over the property persists, with delays in court decisions exacerbating the frustration of those striving to retain it as an asset of the Seattle Black Fire Fighters Association. Clarence Williams, retired firefighter and former SBFFA President, and attorney Yohannes Sium are addressing this issue on the Seattle Medium's Rhythm & News podcast.

The Boys Are Back in Town—No, Not Thin Lizzy!Steve Lillis reunites with his former BoxNation colleague Alex Steedman, alongside the ever-reliable John Evans, for another episode of Bell 2 Bell. This week, the trio tackles six captivating topics, each debated within a strict three-minute window.In the aftermath of this weekend's dramatic events, the team delves into the burning questions: Just how good is Galal Yafai? Did his performance send Sunny Edwards tumbling from world level, or is Galal already proving himself a top-tier fighter? They also examine Lawrence Okolie's move to heavyweight—how will he fare in the formidable division?Additionally, the concept of a ‘drawn round' gives some food for thought: should boxing incorporate more drawn rounds? The guys reflect on the Central Area showdown between Kane Gardner and Reece MacMillan, where razor-thin margins left some rounds almost impossible to call.Catch all this and more in the latest episode of Bell 2 Bell, featuring top horseracing and boxing broadcaster Alex Steedman.

Rhythm & News podcast with Larry Gossett sharing details for the upcoming Juneteenth Celebration on Saturday, June 15th from 1pm to 2:30pm at the Washington State Labor Council Building in the Central Area of Seattle. Interview by Chris B. Bennett. 

Rhythm & News Podcast interview with Dian Ferguson, Director of the Central Area Senior Center, to share information about the Central Area Senior Center's Summer of Service and Events. Interview by Chris B. Bennett. 

Feliks Banel's guests on this live broadcast of CASCADE OF HISTORY include Dr. Quintard Taylor, founder of BlackPast.org, Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington, and author of “The Forging of a Black Community,” in an archival interview from the old COLUMBIA CONVERSATIONS podcast; and Joseph Pentheroudakis, board member of the Key Peninsula Historical Society about the new exhibit “Road Show” opening on February 24, 2024. Also on this episode, a look and listen back to early history radio broadcaster (and author) Nard Jones. This LIVE broadcast of CASCADE OF HISTORY was originally presented at 8pm Pacific Standard Time on Sunday, February 18, 2024 via SPACE 101.1 FM and streaming live via space101fm.org from studios at historic Magnuson Park – formerly Sand Point Naval Air Station - on the shores of Lake Washington in Seattle.

This week, we're examining the Seattle Police Department and the communities they serve. And that relationship with people in the Central Area and Rainier Beach has been complicated. With or without the police, people have taken positive steps to improve safety in their neighborhoods.

Rhythm & News Podcast interview with Antwanette Lyons, Manager of Community Health Programs and Advocacy at Seattle Children's Odessa Brown Children's Clinic, about Odessa Brown's recent opening of a new Central Area location.

This edition features stories on Airmen participating in a multi-national training exercise, which included the first deployment of F-22 Raptors to the Air Force's Central Area of Responsibility (AOR) from Langley Air Base, the Air Force's first three dimensional (3D) commercial shown during a special screening of the movie Avatar at Randolph Air Base, exercise Max Thunder, where the U.S. Air Force and the People's Democratic Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) simulate the planning and scenarios of real combat, the new Airmen's Activity Center opening at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, a group of Airmen at Yakota Air Base staffing a hot line that allows children to call and tell Santa their holiday wishes, and the 31st Medical Support Squadron receiving more energy efficient equipment due to new initiatives. Hosted by Airman 1st Class Alina Richard.

Rhythm & News Podcast interview with the Central Area Senior Center's Executive Director, Dian Ferguson, about their upcoming entertainment series event at the Green Dolphin Lounge on Friday, April 21st at 6pm, and more. Interview by Chris B. Bennett.

When the US Post Office in the Central Area shut down, The Postman Seattle — and the United States Postal Service — opened shop on MLK and Union to give the community a place to pack, ship, and get their mail through the ongoing changes in the neighborhood. After the tragic loss of her husband in 2022, D'Vonne Pickett Jr., Keanna has continued their family's legacy through her grief to ensure that the community she loves continues to thrive and receive the services they deserve. Location: Central District (Seattle, WA) FB & IG: @thepostmanseattle Website: www.thepostmanseattle.com Share your thoughts and feedback on Social Media (FB, IG, or Twitter) and #BUILD206 or @BUILD206 in your posts. Follow BUILD for more events, activities, and information at linktr.ee/build206

When the US Post Office in the Central Area shut down, The Postman Seattle — and the United States Postal Service — opened shop on MLK and Union to give the community a place to pack, ship, and get their mail through the ongoing changes in the neighborhood. After the tragic loss of her husband in 2022, D'Vonne Pickett Jr., Keanna has continued their family's legacy through her grief to ensure that the community she loves continues to thrive and receive the services they deserve. Location: Central District (Seattle, WA) FB & IG: @thepostmanseattle Website: www.thepostmanseattle.com Share your thoughts and feedback on Social Media (FB, IG, or Twitter) and #BUILD206 or @BUILD206 in your posts. Follow BUILD for more events, activities, and information at linktr.ee/build206 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/build206/message

Seattle's Central Area (or as some people know it, the Central District) is the historic home of the city's African American community. Although skyrocketing real estate prices have forced many to leave the neighborhood, city planners are working hard to try to restore the Central Area to its roots. As head of Seattle's Office of Planning and Community Development architect Rico Quirindongo plays a key role in this work. Quirindongo is a Central Area native who returned to his hometown to help recreate a city that everyone, especially BIPOC residents, can call home.

Rhythm & News interview with Dian Ferguson, Executive Director of the Central Area Senior Center, about the upcoming events and community service projects. Interview by Chris B. Bennett.

Rhythm and News podcast interview with retired seattle firefighter Clarence Williams about the fight for the Central Area property. Interview by Chris Bennett.

Rhythm & News Podcast interview with CACE21 (Central Area Cultural Ecosystem 21st Century) project lead Inye Wokoma about the gentrification of Seattle's Central Area and how their intiative helps Black families keep their homes. Interview by Chris Bennett. 

During a special devotional broadcast to Latter-day Saints in Europe in early 2022,  President Russell M. Nelson said that at a time when some feel that religion is dying in Europe, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has “an unparalleled future” because of its faithful members. “You have access to the power — God's power — that will literally change the future of Europe,” he said during the event on Sunday, Jan. 23. “As you keep your covenants with increasing precision, you are the hope of Europe and you are the hope of Israel.” Elder Massimo De Feo, a General Authority Seventy and president of the Church's Europe Central Area, joins this episode of the Church News podcast to talk about this important area of the world — which is impacted by a political conflict, a refugee crisis and secularism. The Church News Podcast is a weekly podcast that invites listeners to make a journey of connection with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the globe. Host Sarah Jane Weaver, reporter and editor for The Church News for a quarter-century, shares a unique view of the stories, events, and most important people who form this international faith. With each episode, listeners are asked to embark on a journey to learn from one another and ponder, “What do I know now?” because of the experience. Produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rhythm & News interview with Diane Ferguson about the Central Area Senior Center Seafair Patio Party happening on Sunday July 24. Interview with Chris Bennett July 22.

Home Partners of America's Business Development Manager and podcast host Safiyah Basir provides pro tips twice a month for agents and residents. This mini-episode gives tips to agents and prospective residents on how to be successful when working with Home Partners of America. Emma's Pro-tips: For clients: make sure to upload your income documents as a PDF Pro-tip for agents: make sure your client is approved before going to see homes Seema's Pro-tips: Pro-tip for agents: getting to know our website and reading, watching all the informative videos and podcasts so it's more clear, and saving the Guides onto their desktops as URLs and not as PDFs, so they can get the most updated information which they can pass on to their clients. Subscribe: https://campsite.bio/homepartners/ https://twitter.com/homepartners?lang=en https://www.instagram.com/homepartnersofamerica/?hl=en https://www.youtube.com/c/Homepartners https://www.facebook.com/Home-Partners-of-America-298554257630842 50% Application fee code welcome21 Expiring 7/01/22

Home Partners Business Development Manager and podcast host Safiyah Basir sits down with Business Development Managers Emma Damico of the Southeast, Ryan Grail of the Southeast and Seema Jamil of the Central area. We'll be speaking with Seema, Ryan and Emma about their roles as Business Development Managers, the metros they cover, and tips for the residents as well as agents. Subscribe https://campsite.bio/homepartners/ https://twitter.com/homepartners?lang=en https://www.instagram.com/homepartnersofamerica/?hl=en https://www.youtube.com/c/Homepartners https://www.facebook.com/Home-Partners-of-America-298554257630842 50% Application fee code welcome21 expires on 7/01/2022

Rhythm & News interview with Dian Ferguson of the Central Area Senior Center about their upcoming COVID-19 vaccination event. Interview by Chris B. Bennett.

The November elections are over, but there's still a political battle brewing in one district, where the only socialist Seattle City Council member, Kshama Sawant, is the target of a December 7 Recall Election. Technically it's a contest over three formal charges that Sawant broke the law, but for many voters in District 3, which includes Capitol Hill and the Central Area, it's a referendum on Sawant's politics and her political style.

In this episode of Caring as Communities, Paula Blackwell, MBA and Allison Robinson, MPH discuss with Dr. Enrique Enguidanos the increasing importance of community health workers in supporting individuals with social determinants of health—as well as the value of having advocates with "lived experience" to help build trust between healthcare providers and communities. Guests Paula Blackwell, MBA, Executive Director, Central Area on Health Education (AHEC) Allison Robinson, MPH, Associate Program Director of the Maryland AHEC Program at the University of Maryland School of Medicine Department of Family & Community Medicine  

From the 1950s through the 1970s, blue-collar Filipino Americans, or Pinoys, lived a hardscrabble existence. Immigrant parents endured blatant racism, sporadic violence, and poverty while their U.S.-born children faced more subtle forms of racism, such as the low expectations of teachers and counselors in the public school system. In this collection of autobiographical essays, acclaimed novelist and short-story writer Peter Bacho centers the experiences of the Pinoy generation that grew up in Seattles multiethnic neighborhoods, from the Central Area to Beacon Hill to Rainier Valley. He recounts intimate moments of everyday life: fishing with marshmallows at Madison Beach, playing bruising games of basketball at Madrona Park, and celebrating with his uncles in Chinatown as hundreds of workers returned from Alaska canneries in the fall. He also relates vivid stories of defiance and activism, including resistance to the union-busting efforts of the federal government in the 1950s and organizing for decent housing and services for elders in the 1970s. Sharing a life inextricably connected to his community and the generation that came before him, this memoir is a tribute to Filipino Seattle.

Rhythm and News interview with Mr. Charles Jackson about his many years of volunteer service to youth in Seattle's Central Area. Interview by Chris B. Bennett.

A new grocery store has opened at 23rd and Jackson: Amazon Fresh. It's on the same spot in Seattle's Central Area neighborhood where the Red Apple grocery store used to stand. The Red Apple was a popular spot where neighbors ran into each other and said ‘Hi.' Its closure and demolition became a sore spot for people who felt they were losing the soul of their neighborhood.

Rhythm & News interview with Taylor Hoang, Senior Manager of External Affairs with Amazon, about Amazon's recent donation of $1 million with non-profit organizations that serves communities of color in Seattle's Central Area. Interview by Chris B. Bennett.

Ryan Wilusz and Calvin Mattheis forecast what growth could look like in Old North Knoxville, the Broadway-Central corridor and Happy Holler over the next three years — everything from housing opportunities to new types of businesses. Which of North Knoxville's big developments could have even bigger impacts down the road? And what is missing from the area? Spoiler alert: Not beer. "The Scruffy Stuff" is presented by knoxnews.com. 

Rhythm & News interview with Paul Patu about a coalition of community groups that have come together to make the Central Area, West Seattle and Southeast Seattle safe for all residents. Interview by Chris B. Bennett.

"Black love looks like that photo of James Baldwin and Maya Angelou dancing; euphoric, delightful and free." Elisheba Johnson is a curator, public artist and administrator. Johnson, who has a BFA from Cornish College of the Arts, was the owner of Faire Gallery Café, a multi-use art space that held art exhibitions, music shows, poetry readings and creative gatherings. For six years Johnson worked at the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture on capacity building initiatives and racial equity in public art. Johnson is currently a member of the Americans for the Arts Emerging Leaders Network advisory council and has won four Americans for the Arts Public Art Year in Review Awards for her work. She currently co-manages Wa Na Wari, a Black art center in Seattle's Central Area that uses the arts to build community and resist displacement. Cash App: $WaNaWari

2020 has changed education forever - and has exacerbated inequalities already present in our education system. In this re-broadcast of an interview with Seattle Times education reporter Dahlia Bazzaz, Crystal and Dahlia delve into how inequality in Seattle Public Schools impacts students, and provide context for our current education landscape. A full text transcript of the show is available below, and on the Hacks & Wonks blog at https://www.officialhacksandwonks.com/post/inequality-in-seattle-public-schools. Find the host, Crystal Fincher on Twitter at @finchfrii and find today's guest, Dahlia Bazzaz, at @dahliabazzaz. More info is available at officialhacksandwonks.com. Articles referenced: Reactions to Seattle schools chief Denise Juneau's resignation are mixed by Dahlia Bazzaz, Hannah Furfaro, and Joy Resmovitshttps://www.seattletimes.com/education-lab/reactions-to-seattle-schools-chief-denise-juneaus-resignation-are-mixed/  Schools confront ‘off the rails' numbers of failing grades by Carolyn Thompsonhttps://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/northwest/schools-confront-off-the-rails-numbers-of-failing-grades/   Seattle's wealth boom and disparity, as told through its public schools by Dahlia Bazzazhttps://www.seattletimes.com/education-lab/seattles-wealth-boom-and-disparity-as-told-through-its-public-schools/  Find more work by today's guest, Dahlia Bazzaz, at https://www.seattletimes.com/author/dahlia-bazzaz/ Full Transcript:   Lisl Stadler, Producer: [00:00:00] Inequality in Seattle Public Schools has been a hot topic for some time, but never more so than now. Just this week, the superintendent of Seattle Public Schools, Denise Juneau, announced her departure amid calls for her resignation from community activists claiming she has contributed to worsening inequality in Seattle Public Schools.   This happens amid the district's ongoing struggle to manage the emergency that is education during COVID-19. In this episode of Hacks and Wonks, Crystal speaks with Seattle Times education reporter, Dahlia Bazzaz, and discusses the effects of income inequality on education. When this was recorded in late 2019, prior to the pandemic, student inequality was already a problem. Now, schools face record numbers of failing grades as students struggle with distance learning, particularly low-income students, English language learners, and disabled students. Seattle Public Schools struggle with inequality is not going away. For up-to-date and more in-depth information about the Seattle education landscape from today's guest, follow her on Twitter at, @dahliabazzaz. That's @dahliabazzaz, or find her work in the Seattle Times.   Crystal Fincher: [00:01:28] Welcome to Hacks and Wonks. I'm your host, Crystal Fincher. On this show, we don't just talk politics and policy, but also how they affect our lives and shape our communities. As we dive into the backstories behind what we read in the news, we bring voices to the table that we don't hear from often enough.   Before Hacks and Wonks, I hosted the show, The Fifth Estate, which dealt with similar themes and stories. This episode was initially recorded for The Fifth Estate at KVRU 105.7 FM in the Rainier Valley in Seattle.   Public schools are involved in every issue we face as a society. If you spend a few minutes just Googling Seattle education news, you see reporters, commentators and community members struggling with issues from substance abuse to hate crimes to safely dealing with anti-vaxxers. Our education system has to deal with it all.   Some facts about Seattle Public Schools. They teach 53,627 students and it includes 104 schools with over 5,800 educators and 8,961 full-time staff. One out of every 5 SPS students come from non-English speaking backgrounds and 1 out of every 10 are English language learners. Almost 1 out of every 20 students is experiencing homelessness. That's about one per class. There are 154 countries of origin among students, speaking 155 languages and dialects.   Today, we talk to Seattle Times reporter Dahlia Bazzaz, who has written articles on almost every education issue in our area. In this conversation, we focus on the changing demographics within Seattle. Just as our city has been gentrifying, so has our school system. Where does that leave students whose families are struggling with the rising cost of living in Seattle? How do schools meet the needs of students - sometimes in the same schools whose family situations range from affluence to homelessness. This is one of many conversations we'll have about education on Hacks and Wonks as it's of such vital importance to our society.   Thank you for joining us.   Dahlia Bazzaz: [00:03:37] Thank you for having me again.   Crystal Fincher: [00:03:38] Just starting out with the composition of the district now - it has changed. Gentrification is certainly an issue. The district isn't separate from that - looking at the amount of students who are in poverty - has declined in the district. And a lot of people might just look at that and go, Hey, things are great, things are wonderful. There are fewer students in poverty. But that's not the whole story, is it?   Dahlia Bazzaz: [00:04:03] It's actually not, yeah. So I wrote a story a few days ago that charted time since 2009 and it looked at the declining poverty rate over that past decade. And over even in the last six years, the number of students receiving free and reduced lunch declined by 16%, which is pretty significant. And I got a lot of feedback when I wrote that story, about, What if it is just economic mobility? What if a bunch of students did actually rise out of poverty, because the time period does span recovery from the great recession. But when I looked at the racial demographics that have changed at the district in that timeframe, it became very clear to me that it is a result of gentrification. So that decline in the poverty rate coincides with a decline in the number of students of color in the district. And students of color make up 88% of students in poverty at Seattle Public Schools. At the same time, you also have a surge of white students, a surge of 25% in the last decade.   And so it was pretty clear to me, and it was pretty clear to some folks at the district who were talking to me when I had seen that chart - I was floored by it, although I shouldn't have been. And so, a lot of families are getting pushed out and it has to do with the rising cost of raising kids here and the rising cost of living here. So economic mobility might be some of it, but it's certainly not all of it. I would say most of it is gentrification.   Crystal Fincher: [00:05:48] Absolutely. And this has been part of a larger conversation we've been having in the cityand we've seen it ourselves. We've seen the Central District, which started out as a Black area because Blacks weren't allowed to go anywhere else, but had been known as that. And it has changed - largely because of the same types of factors that you saw in the work that you just did - where it's really an issue of displacement. We've all seen it with our own eyes. We've all seen people of color, oftentimes, being displaced further south. And a lot of areas that were traditionally, predominantly areas of color now are no longer. The district actually has ways that they can influence or manage or work within that. How have they been doing that?   Dahlia Bazzaz: [00:06:40] So there are a variety of ways that the district influences the larger gentrification of the city. And one of them is through their drawing of school boundaries. And so for the most part, these school boundaries have reinforced the divide between the North and South of the city, which is caused by these racist housing covenants. And so, one of the things that the district has tried to do - they had a five-year plan that they just approved recently, and it focuses on students farthest away from educational justice, and with a specific focus on African-American male students , 40% of whom attend schools in Southeast Seattle. So they've selected a group of about a dozen schools and they want to focus on literacy for the first year and want to pull more resources, do more community partnerships, have more culturally responsive teaching at those schools, hire more teachers of color, to focus in on the population of students of color who have, who are remaining in the city for the time being.   So I talked to a school board member, Brandon Hersey, who represents South Seattle and he works in Federal Way. He's a teacher down there and he said the issues that Seattle are dealing with are kind of interesting because Federal Way has gotten a lot of the families that Seattle has pushed out. And he said, in Federal Way, we're dealing with a lot of these issues because we have a high poverty, lots of students of color in our district. And in Seattle, the challenge there is trying to maintain that diversity in the district, and keep those students of color around and thriving. And so there's an inherent power imbalance when you have more affluence coming into the district. Because then those measures to try and maintain the diversity, and this is what district officials are telling me, are harder to defend, or they're harder to convey. And so they're trying to find ways to communicate - this focus is beneficial for the whole system.   Crystal Fincher: [00:08:56] So I mean to put it pretty bluntly, affluent white people are resistant to diversity in their schools. Because there's an association in a lot of their minds between lower quality schools and a lower quality education and the presence of people of color. It's been an issue, much like the issue of zoning overall, and more affluent, single family neighborhoods are resistant to more density and more different people being in their community. The same resistance is there in the schools that they attend and they're very vocal about that. And so there's been a large amount of affluent white people moving in who don't have diversity as a priority for their kids and their families. And it just makes addressing the issue even harder.   Dahlia Bazzaz: [00:09:55] It does. And it also, it stratifies the needs that they have to meet. One district official told me that, at the same time that we're getting a lot of affluence coming into the district, we're also seeing poor students become poorer. So there was a recent surge in homeless students being served at the district. And I wouldn't say this is a sight you would see very often because of the way that the city is stratified by race and income. But in some schools, for example, I think the example given was, it was a school in the Central Area that sort of border, I believe it's an elementary school. It has a homeless shelter nearby, and then it's also sort of in the gentrified Central District. And so you have some students, this is a school board member telling me this image, you have some students getting dropped off in front of this school in taxis and they're either homeless or they're foster kids. And then in the back parking lot, you see a Tesla. And so the spectrum of needs that the district has had to serve and concentrate on is really divided. So that makes for some interesting political divides for which schools and which areas of the district are going to get money and resources for their schools.   Crystal Fincher: [00:11:21] Right. And we've seen for a long time, this has been a long-standing discussion about the disparity in resources that schools in the South End versus schools in the North End have typically received. It's been predominantly skewed towards kids on the North End for decades. And so the district has an initiative to potentially try and do something about that and make it more equitable.   Dahlia Bazzaz: [00:11:51] Yeah, they've experimented in recent years with a sort of equity - they call it an equity lens or an equity scoring or tier. There are a lot of different, there's a lot of different terminology, but essentially what it breaks down to is that they have a list of these projects that they want to get done in the schools and it can range from maintenance to major reconstruction. Rainier Beach, for example, is due for a major renovation or new school. And so what they've started to do is look at the demographics of the schools that are on the project lists and trying to move them up. And so that's what they've tried to do recently, but there's also been criticism in the most recent round of when they were trying to decide how to spend some construction tax money. There was some criticism of their methodology for deciding that. But they're trying to address it. But there are some other issues that you can't really address with a construction levy like the disparity in teacher experience across the district.   So North End schools or schools with more affluent student bodies tend to have teachers with more experience. And that's pretty true across the country. The turnover at Title I schools, or schools with a high number of low-income students, tend to have higher turnover. Research suggests it's because it's a lack of administrative support sometimes. And so that directly affects the quality of education.   Our South End schools are offering really great programs. I don't want that to come across as those schools are of poor quality in any way, but it does create instability when you have teacher turnover at a higher rate. And then coupled with that, South End schools tend to have lower enrollment than schools in the North End, or at least that's according to what the district says. And so every year we see some sort of adjustment where, for example, a school like Rainier Beach will lose one or two instructors.   Crystal Fincher: [00:13:59] Right. And we've seen protests about that - about South End schools bearing the brunt of staff changes and that instability, because of those enrollment differences. Those enrollment differences aren't happening in a vacuum. Those are people who've been displaced, effectively, and who are no longer in the city. It's not like they just disappeared, but they can no longer afford to live there, because we've all seen what's happened with housing prices.   So when you have an area that's been disproportionately hit by increases that are unsustainable for people who live there - I mean, we're talking doubling of rents and a number of situations. And salaries and wages certainly have not doubled. And the cost of living is increasing and more than just housing costs. So they're losing students and a lot of times the more affluent people replacing them are not participating in the public school system. And so we're seeing enrollment decrease there. And all of the challenges that come with that, in terms of more instability, more inexperienced teachers, fewer resources available, fewer parents there for PTAs and fundraisers, if they're even available to do that in the first place. So a lot of the advantages that we see in some other areas of the city just don't exist there. And there really is no - there hasn't traditionally been an effort to account for that and to make that disparity lessen and look at a more equitable share of resources, but it sounds like they're actually looking at doing that now.   Dahlia Bazzaz: [00:15:52] I think as a result of focusing on African-American male students, you have to focus on South End schools. And we don't know what the result of this focus is going to be. All I have is what they're trying to do, some of the programs they have, but this is the first year of their five-year plan. So there's not really much I can report back about how successful these measures are.   Crystal Fincher: [00:16:18] You're listening to Hacks and Wonks with your host Crystal Fincher on KVRU 105.7 FM.   We're joined today by Dahlia from the Seattle Times who has done an excellent job of reporting on education here in the city and state from a variety of different angles. I encourage you to read more of her work to get a better idea of just what's going on. So we were just talking about some things that are happening in the district that they're trying to address. What else do they have going on in the district?   Dahlia Bazzaz: [00:16:56] I mean that strategic plan is essentially most of what they talk about now. I mean, that's the lens through which they're making all of their policy decisions. They say, how is this going to affect students, and this is their phrase - farthest away from educational justice. And so those initiatives cover a broad cross-section of things. And things that are identified as really important to keeping students of color engaged in the school system, things that they've failed to do thus far - getting students of color reading by third grade, having a teachers' staff that reflects the diversity of their students.   Crystal Fincher: [00:17:36] Which actually increases the academic performance of students. When they have a teacher that looks like them, they do better.   Dahlia Bazzaz: [00:17:45] Yeah. I mean, teacher expectations factor into a lot of how successful students are in the long run. Because if you have, if you have a teacher, and this is shown to be somewhat correlated with race, if you have a teacher that is, that shares your racial background, their likelihood of being referred to college or enjoying a wide variety of academic opportunities is much higher. And students of color are facing a teacher force that is largely white women.   Crystal Fincher: [00:18:18] I am the mother of a son who is now in his twenties, but certainly, what you were just talking about resonated with me and so many other parents of color in districts where, if we came upon a challenge - I mean, there's one situation I remember where my son was having a challenge in one particular subject. And so we wanted to be proactive and, Hey, it looks like he's starting to have a challenge. What can we do to - is there extra time, extra support, extra tutoring, what programming, what resources are there? And being met with almost shock that I was interested in intervening and an expectation almost that he would struggle.   I will never forget that they said, "Well, at least he's not failing." And so if it - there's a reason why I remember that clearly. And so it's - if the expectation for some kids is just not failing while other kids are being talked to about college and beyond and other opportunities, which you see filter through to programs like Running Start or advanced placement classes or the gifted programs. I know there's an impression that parents and kids get from teachers and school administration - that they're more invested in some kids, some types of kids, than they are with others.   Dahlia Bazzaz: [00:19:49] That community disenfranchisement that Seattle has dealt with is something that they want to address, that's something that they've, that's sort of their cultural responsiveness part of their strategic plan. And again, we're in the first year, I don't know how successful that is, but that's something that the district has been aware of for decades .   Crystal Fincher: [00:20:13] Well, and I will say it absolutely has been a problem for decades and major problem for decades. And it is heartening to see them attempt to tackle it, because we've certainly heard talk about the problem for a long time and ideas. But now that something is actually in place and in process, and we'll see where it leads and some parts of it may work well and other parts may not, but at least we're trying something and can retool as we go and learn lessons and make things better. But I think it is time for action in all facets of education for all kids, especially kids who need it most, whether they're immigrants, or non-English speakers, or kids of color, or foster kids, or kids from low-income households, that they are viewed as kids just the same as everyone else - full of the same kind of potential that everyone else has. And so I am happy to hear that that's happening from the district and I'm looking forward to reading your coverage on how that proceeds.   And so one thing that I just mentioned that you've written about recently is talking about how the gifted program is administered. And I guess I probably have a personal opinion on this too, as a kid who went through a gifted program. It just never actually seemed to me that it was that the kids were extraordinary.   Speaking in just my experience, I can't speak for Seattle, but they just taught in a much more relevant way and made connections that they weren't making in other ones. And I'm not saying that your kids are not gifted. There are tons of wonderfully talented kids, but I think it is interesting to consider that maybe if they looked at expanding that type of opportunity to more kids, to different types of kids, that they might potentially see the same kind of achievement by expanding, by looking beyond what they typically view as being gifted or talented or being full of potential. That that is typically looked a very specific way and has typically not looked other specific ways. And I think that's misguided and I'm happy to see that they're at least considering changing that, but it also looks like they're in the middle of that consideration and we don't know what's going to happen with that.   Dahlia Bazzaz: [00:22:47] Yeah. I mean, it's very much in flux right now. To give some folks some background, Seattle Public Schools has had a gifted program since about the 1960s. And that came with a wave of national recognition that there are some students that need to be grown and invested in and nurtured in a different way than other students. It really comes out of the space race. And so it all starts with intelligence testing. And districts like Seattle start piloting these programs where they administer IQ tests to students. And they then use a cutoff - they say 98 percentile and above get to be in this particular program. And they experiment with how to accelerate these students maybe one year or two years of instruction. And over time, and this is sort of a unique thing for Seattle, although a few other districts had tried it - in the 1970s and 80s, as the district was trying to racially integrate schools with bussing, they used gifted programs to try and attract white families to predominantly Black and Brown schools in the district because they had identified that these gifted programs were really popular with white families.   And so there's part of the history that Seattle is dealing with - it includes that sort of racial integration part of their gifted program, or the sort of roots there. And so as a result, there's the current model that Seattle Public Schools uses to deliver gifted instruction - is a cohort where students attend schools in separate classrooms. Students who are designated as gifted - in separate classes as the rest of the general school population.   So you have schools like in Washington Middle School, or Garfield High School, or Thurgood Marshall Elementary School - I'm talking about Central District and South End schools because that's where the divide becomes more obvious, but you'll have classrooms of predominantly Black and Brown students who are in the gen ed population - that's how they're referred to. And then you'll have the HCC, the highly capable cohort students who are predominantly white and Asian in these schools. And the reason I gave that history bit is that a lot of the same schools that were targeted to have gifted programs are the same schools that have these cohorts today. And they have separate classes just like that historical bussing initiative worked. And so the district has said, Okay, we're going to try to do away with these cohorts. We still have to deliver services for gifted students under state law - that's a requirement - but we want to have these gifted services delivered in a way where they're integrated with the rest of the general education population at the school. And that's caused quite a bit of uproar. There's a lot of debate about whether the cohort, these self-contained is what they call them, self-contained cohorts where all the gifted students are in one place, whether they're necessary to ensure that student's needs are met. And so a lot of the pushback has been around well, Can you still offer the same level of academic service if you get rid of this? And so that's - I think that the district believes that it's part of their plan to address students farthest away from educational justice - to remove this cohort model because it sort of steeped in that larger bussing problem.   Crystal Fincher: [00:26:41] 'Cause that's where it originated and it still looks just like that.   Dahlia Bazzaz: [00:26:44] This structure, for sure, yeah. And so that's been one of the largest debates for the district, I would say, in the last decade or so. And it's really bubbling up now and they just had a task force bring together a bunch of recommendations for how the district could reform its practices and the district is expected to issue a proposal for how to reform in the spring of next year.   Crystal Fincher: [00:27:13] Well, we will definitely be keeping our eye on that one too. And I'm sure there will be a lot of heated and colorful conversation from parents and other stakeholders involved in that. But I'm glad they're having the conversation - very happy you gave us that history, because that's important to know similar to the redlining conversation.   So many conversations that we're having in Seattle about where things originate and how they still look the same, but it's easy for a lot of people to forget how they came to be that way. So again, sincerely appreciate your work and you joining us today.   Thank you for listening to Hacks and Wonks. Thank you to KVRU 105.7 FM in Seattle, where we record this show. Our chief audio engineer is Maurice Jones Jr and our Producer is Lisl Stadler. If you want more Hacks and Wonks content, go to https://www.officialhacksandwonks.com, subscribe to Hacks and Wonks on your favorite podcatcher, or follow me on Twitter @finchfrii. Catch you on the other side.   All opinions on Hacks and Wonks represent only the opinion holder and in no way represent the opinions and beliefs of KVRU as a whole.

In Episode #34 I was actually interviewed by Vivian Philips who is a Seattle-based communications, arts consultant and arts advocate. Vivian's career transitioned from broadcasting to public relations work and she began supporting local arts in the 1980's working with the Langston Hughes Cultural Arts Center. She then joined the team that would restore the Paramount Theatre, and in 1998 she was recruited to serve as Mayor Paul Schell's Director of Communication. In that capacity, she was also a member of the Emergency Operations Team managing communications for WTO. In 2011, Vivian rejoined the Seattle Theatre Group team as Director of Marketing and Communications, managing these functions for all activities at the Paramount, Moore and Neptune Theatres. Vivian has produced theater and television, curated African performing arts programs, and served as an adjunct professor in Seattle University’s MFA Arts Leadership program. She is co-founder of the Hansberry Project, and the Historic Central Area Arts and Cultural District, and a founding advisor to the Arts Ecosystem Research Project. Vivian served 6 years on the Seattle Arts Commission, 3 years as Chair and she has served in leadership board positions in a number of organizations including ArtsCorps, CD Forum, Langston, Seattle Theatre Group, and the Africa Contemporary Arts Consortium. She currently serves on the boards of 4Culture, KUOW and the University of Washington Foundation. As a consultant, Vivian co-authored A Community Centered Roadmap Towards an Equitable and Inclusive Creative Economy in Seattle, for the City of Seattle, and Expanding Arts, Cultures and Heritage Profile in Olympia (2018). She is author of the Midtown Arts Plan and is a consultant to the Oregon Community Foundation/Creative Heights grantees. Vivian is a native of Seattle and resides in the Central Area.

We had the opportunity to catch up with Gerald Bradford and not only hear about the amazing work he is doing, but also his journey that led to the reentry work he does at Renton Technical College and his non-profit, Fresh Start PS.  A little about Gerald from Gerald... My name is Gerald Bradford; I am from the Central Area of Seattle. I graduated from Garfield High School and University of Washington. Over the last 25 years I have been working in the community to promote education as a ladder to economic success. I currently work as the Re-entry Manager/DOC at Renton Technical College. In addition, I am part of a Non-Profit called Fresh Start PS, which works with System Impacted person transitioning from incarceration back into the community. Fresh Start PS currently provides Diversion programming of King County Juvenile, transition groups at YWCA Passage Point and Green Hill school. I am truly committed to working with under-served persons. During my professional journey I had the opportunity to work at SVI (2005-2012) as a Recruiter and Planning and Placement Officer. At this time, I started to do Re-entry service for King County Jail, I started to talk with men about continuing their education and finding a career, not a J.O.B. (JUST OVER BROKE). Contact Gerald at: gbradford@rtc.edu --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week we catch up with the Boxing Don of Doncaster; trainer, manager and promoter Stefy Bull. Stefy, who held a Central Area title back in his boxing days, has brought so many fighters through the ranks with his latest star being new WBC Super Featherweight champion Terri Harper who followed in Jamie McDonnell’s footsteps to a world title. But there’s Area champs, English, British, Commonwealth and European champs too as well as good, honest away corner warriors. He’s been there and done it all and has plenty of stories to tell.

In 1970, Mr. Milton Simons and Mrs. Martha W. Smith establish a Christian Science Reading Room in Seattle’s traditionally Afro-American district, the Central Area, with the support of the area Churches of Christ, Scientist. Takes place at 1134 34th Avenue East in Seattle, with inciting events at The Mother Church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston. Special mention of branch churches in Tulsa, Oklahoma; Los Angeles, California; Houston, Texas; and events in Little Rock, Arkansas. Also includes mention of Marietta Thomas Webb, Lulu M. Knight, Melba Pattillo Beals, Major Robert H. Lawrence, and Lt. Col. Guison S. Bluford Jr.  Click here for Review draft text of this chapter. Feedback welcome!  Visit CindySafronoff.com to learn more about Dedication: Building the Seattle Branches of Mary Baker Eddy's Church, A Centennial Story. Facebook: @DedicationCentennialStory

The Fight Disciples are joined in studio by Jay 'Bam Bam' Carney whose belated journey into professional boxing has been anything but a straight road. From white collar boxing to the British Boxing Board of Control, via a career-threatening heart murmur, an Olympian and a serial world title contender... And all he's really after is a Central Area belt! *Please leave a review on iTunes http://apple.co/2wijpC1 *Follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/fightdisciples *Follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/fightdisciples *Follow us on Instagram www.instagram.com/thefightdisciples *Subscribe on YouTube www.youtube.com/fightdisciples

Just days away from the World Boxing Super Series super-middleweight finale, FD's Merseyside radio show looks ahead to Callum Smith's huge world title opportunity against George Groves, when both the WBA Super and Ring magazine belts will be on the line in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Heavyweight David Price also calls in to discuss his fighting future after spending time with his family, plus we celebrate this weekend's 'other' big title clash that's happening a little closer to home, when the Central Area belt and more goes down at the Liverpool Olympia. Primary school teacher Adam Farrell calls in to discuss his pro debut on the undercard. *Please leave a review on iTunes http://apple.co/2wijpC1 *Follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/fightdisciples *Follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/fightdisciples *Follow us on Instagram www.instagram.com/fightdisciples *Subscribe on YouTube www.youtube.com/fightdisciples

Champion turned coach Derry Mathews returns to the studio to preview the third coming of heavyweight David Price, who makes his comeback in Dagenham this weekend. He also makes a case for why British boxing needs Bellew-Fury. And discusses his plans to turn promoter in 2018 - with the dream of staging a Central Area title fight in a local sports center!  *Please leave a review on iTunes http://apple.co/2wijpC1 *Follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/fightdisciples *Follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/fightdisciples *Follow us on Instagram www.instagram.com/fightdisciples We are pleased to announce our new clothing partnership with www.luke1977.com Please use DISCOUNT CODE FDLR15 in the checkout to receive 15% off your total purchase. #Derry Mathews #MTK #DavidPrice #SamMaxwell #BellewFury #Merseyside #Boxing #Liverpool

On Sunday evening, June 8, we hosted our Area (North Central Ohio) Pastors and church members as we held a special service for Pentecost Sunday. Special Guest Doug Clay, General Treasurer of the Assemblies of God, brought a message about a blind man that Jesus healed to demonstrate how we need God to touch us a second time, to be refilled. When ti comes to the Holy Spirit, refills are FREE!

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Chicago's Central Area Action Plan April 20, 2010 Over the past decade, the central six square miles of Chicago have undergone a dramatic transformation with unprecedented growth in both the residential and educational sectors as well as the construction of new public facilities and museums (most notably the opening of Millennium Park and the modern wing of the Art Institute on the north side of Grant Park). The 2003 Central Area Plan provided a broad framework for new infrastructure and open space projects as well as a basis for Zoning Reform in 2004, and the 2009 Central Area Action Plan builds on this framework. The public projects are prioritized and quantified and growth projections updated to reflect current market conditions. The CAAP takes as a given that the majority of new construction will be by the private sector, but that key public improvements will facilitate this investment and improve the quality of life for everyone who lives, works, or plays in the core of this world city. Benet Haller from the City of Chicago presented this plan and discussed the impact of the global economy and other factors on the final recommendations.