Community news! September 2023
People's Economy Lab - 2023 Community Wealth Building Pilots: Building & Retaining Wealth Among African American Legacy Homeowners in Seattle
"Uplift Investment’s community outreach initiative represents the wealth retention and asset building programs strategy. Their target audience includes African American legacy homeowners, their children and grandchildren in Seattle neighborhoods that were previously redlined. During the pilot, they aim to reach and educate 100 to 300 people, as well as partner with two to ten homeowners to guide them through a customized wealth-building process."
Read the blogpost here.
Black Money: An Interview with Dion Cook, Denykem Co-op
Watch the African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs' Justin Minott in conversation with Dion Cook, CEO of Denkyem Co-Op, and an Associate member of the Alliance, about furthering economic liberation in the Black community.
Community matters: These neighbors are the heartbeat of Seattle’s Chinatown-International District
"Everyone in Seattle's Chinatown-International District has a story that contributes to the neighborhood’s rich historical and multicultural significance. While it isn’t possible to catalog every individual story that makes up this place, we curated a series of profiles that showcase the layers of life that exist in this place."
Read the intro story here and the series of profiles below:
For family-run businesses in Seattle's Little Saigon, the next generation holds the keys
Listen: Exploring the meaning of community in Seattle's Chinatown-International District:
"The [KUOW] Soundside team has spent months in the Chinatown-International District, working with journalists from International Examiner to get to know the community better. Our hope is that you’ll come away with a deeper picture of what makes this neighborhood such a vital part of the city — and what the hopes and challenges are for the people here." Listen here.
Urban League Of Metropolitan Seattle Acquires Prime Property For Affordable Housing And Future Headquarters
"On Mon., The Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle (ULMS), a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering African Americans and other underserved communities, announced the acquisition of a 1.19-acre site in Seattle’s North Rainier Urban Village for $14.35 million. This strategic move will not only serve as the future headquarters for the Urban League but also pave the way for the development of approximately 275-300 affordable apartment homes targeting low- to middle-income individuals and working families earning around 60 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI)."
Read the full story here.
New RBACast Episode out now!!
This episode features an interview with Danielle Jackson, founder of CHAMPS and Event Coordinator for the last 10 years of the Rainier Beach Back2School Bash!
Listen here!
South Seattle Emerald - PHOTO ESSAY | Walk the Block 2023
"Hundreds of people attended the third annual Wa Na Wari Walk the Block. The annual fundraising event that covers multiple blocks in the Central District from Union to Cherry Street and 23rd to Martin Luther King Jr. Way features visual art, live music, and performances in Wa Na Wari’s neighbor’s yards and businesses. This year’s event was bigger than ever. Probably the biggest problem most people encountered was that there was so much great art, music, and dance happening that it was impossible to see it all."
See all the photos here.
The Power of Place: Reclaiming Vacant Lots, Corner Stores, and Whole Blocks for BIPOC Communities.
"More impact investors and philanthropic groups need to take big bets on projects that take a holistic approach to the economic needs of a community—shifting power and control of neighborhoods to those who live and work there. Since these projects can seem complicated from the outside, mixing legal structures, layering financing options, and utilizing a wide range of programs to increase the impact of their projects, we want to ensure funders have a better understanding of why these projects are built the way they are and exactly how their investments will impact the communities they serve."
Read the full post by Common Future here.
Governing Power: Movement Strategies in the US and the Global South
Governing Power: Movement Strategies in the US and the Global South
"Around the world, people pushed to the margins are organizing together to win power in government and the economic institutions that shape our lives. Communities are building frameworks and models to co-govern with elected officials, and transform public institutions to shape public policy and help drive implementation. From Brazil to Minneapolis to Washington state, hear from three leaders who are utilizing co-governance strategies to build a more equitable and just future for all."
Speakers included Faduma Fido, Lab Leader at the People’s Economy Lab.
Watch the panel here or at the link above.
Key ingredients help immigrant entrepreneurs find success
““Between these fees and the other costs of starting up a food business — including commercial kitchen rent or building out your own commercial kitchen,” Carbary says, “finding enough funding can be a huge challenge — especially for those who might not have built up credit here in the United States.”
That’s where organizations like Global to Local come in; their Food Innovation Network incubator program offers support to low-income entrepreneurs in South King County. When choosing businesses, they give preference to refugees, immigrants and BIPOC chefs. “Along with business training and business coaching through our incubator, we also have a shared commercial kitchen space at Spice Bridge, which program participants can use for subsidized lower-than-market rate rent,” she says. “We work to help lower the barriers to opportunities for these businesses, by helping with marketing connections as well as the basic requirements of running a food business in King County.”