West Seattle, Washington
28 Sunday
9:07 PM: The Everyday March activist group’s Evening March is back in West Seattle tonight, sixth time in a little more than two weeks. On July 24th and August 3rd, they went to City Councilmember Lisa Herbold‘s home in Highland Park; July 27th, to Council President Lorena González‘s home in The Junction; July 30th, to County Executive Dow Constantine‘s home in west Admiral; August 2nd, to City Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda‘s home in North Delridge. Each of those nights, the elected officials came outside and spent up to an hour talking with the march’s leaders, mostly about police “defunding.” Tonight is the eve of the City Council’s final vote on initial cuts to the SPD budget (nowhere near the 50 percent this group and others want). We don’t yet know tonight’s destination, but the Evening March asked participants – including the car and bike brigade that block traffic as they march – to meet at West Seattle High School, which they just left. Updates to come; if livestreamers are with them tonight, a stream is likely t turn up here.
9:17 PM: Chanting and drumming, the marchers and their car/bike escorts are southbound on California, inviting spectators ‘march with us.’
(Video courtesy John Bennett)
9:45 PM: Still southbound, approaching The Junction.
10 PM: They’re arriving in CM Gonzalez’s neighborhood now. (And yes, there’s a stream – follow the link above.)
10:08 PM: She has come out to speak with them, while cautioning that she’s feeling “a little under the weather.”
10:46 PM: They’re still talking, with the group seated on the ground and González on the stairs (for audio, you’ll have to switch over to the Evening March’s Instagram live feed), but it’s focused more on technicalities, from “out-of-order” layoffs to the consent decree to future SPD contract negotiators. …. A few minutes, it grows emotional as they berate her for not listening years earlier.
11:14 PM: After more than an hour, and other topics including education funding, the conversation has concluded. Organizers have told marchers they’ll caravan back in cars, rather than walking back to WSHS. (Added: One of tonight’s streamers, PCOMG, has the march video archived here – the conversation begins 1 hour in.)
8:53 PM: For the fifth time in 11 nights, the Evening March protest group is in West Seattle again tonight. Last night, they were in North Delridge, outside City Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda‘s home; before that, dating back to Friday, July 24th, they’ve been to the homes of City Councilmembers Lisa Herbold in Highland Park and Lorena González in The Junction, as well as County Executive Dow Constantine in west Admiral. Each of those elected officials came out to talk with them. Tonight, they gathered at and just left from Highland Park Elementary, which might mean a return to Herbold’s home. A livestreamer with them is being featured here. Updates to come.
9:13 PM: They’ve been winding through side streets, cars and marchers, about 100 strong per tonight’s streamer. Headed toward 9th/HP Way south of Holden.
9:22 PM: They are at Herbold’s house and she is coming out to talk with them – for the second time in a week and a half.
9:42 PM: She’s seated on the pavement talking with the group’s leaders. Main topic is what happened when armed neighbors blocked them from going to SPD Chief Carmen Best‘s house in Snohomish last Saturday night. (added) Herbold noted that in her work as a community organizer in other states many years ago, she had organized protests at the homes of “people in power.”
10:03 PM: The conversation turned to the council’s proposed SPD cuts/changes and Herbold is explaining why they can’t cut as drastically and quickly as activists want. (added) As other councilmembers have told the group, the process of determining next year’s budget starts in six weeks, and that’s where they might be able to do more.
10:24 PM: The conversation has wrapped up.
10:55 PM: They’re now marching back to the school, where they started the evening. (Cars and bikes caravan with them.)
ADDED: Here’s the video that Malcontentment Tango streamed, including the conversation with Herbold.
(WSB photo)
9:44 PM: The Evening March – a group that protests somewhere in Seattle every night – is back in West Seattle for the fourth time in 10 nights. They’ve gone to the homes of Councilmembers Lisa Herbold and Lorena González and County Executive Dow Constantine; all three came out to talk with the group. This time they’re in North Delridge, talking with Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, who chairs the Select Budget Committee, which meets again tomorrow morning to continue discussing police-budget cuts.
10:21 PM: They’re still talking with her – you can see it live here. The protest leaders expressed disappointment that the council isn’t proposing a full 50 percent cut for this year; Mosqueda says they’re trying to do what they can but it does not seem possible, while she has reminded them that the budget cycle for next year starts in six weeks.
10:40 PM: The conversation has wrapped up after almost an hour. Tomorrow’s Budget Committee meeting is set to start around 10 am; the potential SPD-budget amendments, including the ones discussed Friday, are here. Online registration for public comment (via web or phone) starts at 8 am; the process is explained here.
9 PM: Back on Monday night, we covered a protest – the Every Day March – as participants rallied outside Madison Middle School and marched south to City Council President Lorena González‘s neighborhood in The Junction, where she came out to talk with them. Tonight, the group is back in West Seattle – thanks for the tips that they were gathering at Bar-S Playfield in Alki. Last night they went to Councilmember Andrew Lewis‘s neighborhood in Queen Anne; this time, they might be headed to Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda‘s neighborhood in West Seattle. We’ll be updating. (You can also look for a stream here.)
(Photo by Mike Jensen – marchers’ advance bicyclists blocking Alki ahead of them)
9:30 PM: They are eastbound on Alki Avenue.
(Photo by Colin, from comments)
10:02 PM: Texter says they’re now on Admiral Way, uphill from Alki.
10:33 PM: As commenters point out, the march is in King County Executive Dow Constantine‘s west Admiral neighborhood.
10:37 PM: He’s now speaking with them, about juvenile justice/incarceration.
11:04 PM: The conversation has concluded.
11:45 PM: We returned to HQ but have been monitoring via the stream (linked above). They’re on the move again. For context on the conversation with Constantine: The county’s new juvenile detention center has been a target of the “No New Youth Jail” movement for years. He recently announced that he wants to see it phased out by 2025, though this group wants that to happen now. He said he set the 2025 date as a way of “challenging the actors in the system” to make that change possible, describing the ‘actors” as judges, prosecutors, public defenders, etc. They challenged him to go into the facility and meet the youth who are held there.
9:52 PM: Thanks for the tips. We are at Madison MS, where a group of protesters is headed south, in vehicles and on foot, after rallying. We are trying to find out if this is the same group that’s been going to City Councilmembers’ houses late at night. Updates to come.
10:13 PM: The protesters are headed toward The Junction, where Council President Lorena González lives, though we don’t know if that’s where they were headed.
We asked about their destination as they were leaving Madison, but they would not answer, and told our photographer to leave. We drove ahead of what we guessed would be their route. They have chanted “Whose lives matter? Black lives matter” and calls for Mayor Jenny Durkan to resign.
10:28 PM: They’re now on California passing Genesee, SB. We count about 40 on foot, plus vehicles.
10:36 PM: As they continue down California, one man broke away to yell at an apartment building that everyone should call the council about Wed’s big budget meeting. (SPD-related proposals will be on the agenda).
10:42 PM: The group has turned off California and is now in the councilmember’s neighborhood.
11:27 PM: González just spent about half an hour talking with and listening to the group. “Thank you for bringing the action to me.” she told them.
11:50 PM: Now that we are back at HQ, we are adding photos and a few more notes. González expressed support for the group, reiterated that SPD cuts will be on the table when the council meets Wednesday as the Select Budget Committee, and said this is the time for community members to let councilmembers know what they want to see. She also urged involvement in the participatory budget process next year.
ADDED WEDNESDAY NIGHT: A reader provided this video of most of the dialogue between Councilmember González and the protesters:
All from the WSB inbox (thank you!)
DISCUSSION – ’13TH’: If you’ve seen Ava DuVernay‘s film “13th,” or have time to watch it (above) before 8 pm tonight, Admiral Church is hosting an online discussion – get the link here.
DEMONSTRATIONS: Scott from Puget Ridge Cohousing, partnering with Hate-Free Delridge, is organizing two more streetcorner demonstrations this week, this time at 16th and Holden, 4-6 pm Tuesday and Thursday: “Come show support for BLM and ending systemic racism. Hold signs, meet neighbors and stand for racial justice. Signs available.”
BAKERS AGAINST RACISM: Baked in The Admiral District is selling a selection of treats to raise money for Black Lives Matter SKC and Creative Justice. Pre-order through tomorrow, curbside pickup (2604 California SW) Saturday. Go here to order.
DISCUSSION/PRESENTATION: From West Seattle Democratic Women chair Karen Chilcutt:
This Thursday July 23rd, West Seattle Democratic Women will hold its second in a series of three meetings on Racism. It’s an evening meeting via Zoom from 6:00 pm-8:00 pm. We’ll complete our first day’s focus on Ijeoma Oluo‘s book, So You Want To Talk About Race, begin determining just what Institutional Racism is and how to recognize it, and thirdly, will have Dr. Theresa McCormick, WSDW member and Professor Emeritus of Iowa State University (where she taught for 20 years multicultural and gender studies) speaking on “Then and Now, The Ebb and Flow of the Social Justice Movement”.
If you wish to register for the Zoom meeting to obtain Zoom codes or should you have questions, please email wsdwomen@yahoo.com or call Karen 206-920-2231. The deadline for registering is Thursday, July 23rd at 4:00 pm.)
Two previews in the ongoing community support for Black lives:
(Last Friday)(June photo)
OVERPASS VIGIL: It’s Friday, and organizers again invtte you to be part of this:
Please join us to show support for our Black friends, family, and neighbors, to #SayTheirNames, and remind each other that people are still suffering injustice.
What: #SayTheirNames
When: Friday, July 17th, from 5:30-6:30 pm
Where: Pedestrian overpass on Delridge at the Delridge Community Center/Youngstown Cultural Arts Center.Please remember to wear your masks!
JUNCTION MURAL WORK: Last month, we wrote about the plan for on-street Black Lives Matter mural art in The Junction. This Sunday, while the street is closed to vehicles for the West Seattle Farmers’ Market, the work begins at California/Alaska, with stenciling 10 am-2 pm. The project is led by West Seattle Artists for Social Justice; this update on the WS Art Walk website has more details, including how you can support the project.
(Texted photo)
3:30 PM: Thanks to everybody who let us know about this – Worldwide Rollout Day, human-powered anti-hate demonstrations around the globe. Among them – a Seattle group on wheels that headed from the Seacrest vicinity to Alki Statue of Liberty this past hour. More photos to come.
ADDED 5:27 PM: From our photographer:
And thanks to Carolyn Newman for this view from above:
(Seen in 4500 block of 40th SW)
Another Delridge overpass vigil later today. From organizer Nancy:
With the release of the transcripts from Mr. Floyd’s murder and the news he said he couldn’t breathe more than 20 times, it’s critical we continue to show up to stand up against racism.
Please join us to show support for our Black friends, family, and neighbors, to #SayTheirNames, and remind each other that people are still suffering injustice.
What: #SayTheirNames
When: Friday, July 10th, from 5:30-6:30 pm
Where: Pedestrian overpass on Delridge at the Delridge Community Center/Youngstown Cultural Arts Center
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Please remember to wear your masks!We stand with Hate-Free Delridge and encourage you to join them on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4:30 to 6:30 pm at Delridge/Orchard
(Part of the #SayTheirNamesMemorial at Seacrest; photo by Stewart L.)
More than a month after the first streetcorner demonstrations in West Seattle as part of the nationwide movement to show support for Black lives, the demonstrations are continuing. The announcement is from Scott:
Tuesday, July 7, 4 to 6 p, corner of Delridge SW and SW Orchard
Thursday, July 9th, 4-6 p, corner Delridge SW and SW Orchard
Come show support for BLM and ending systemic racism. meet neighbors, and stand for racial justice. Scott at Puget Ridge Cohousing, endorsed by Hate-Free Delridge. Signs available.
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New on the fence by Seacrest – #SayTheirNamesMemorial. Thanks to the texter who sent these photos:
Carolyn also sent photos including this interpretive sign:
Searching the hashtag on Instagram brings up similar displays in Portland and Dallas.
Until about 5:30 pm, that #SayTheirNames show of support – as previewed here – continues on the Delridge/Oregon pedestrian/bicycle overpass.
WHAT’S NEXT: We received this announcement today from Hate-Free Delridge:
Hate-Free Delridge is again partnering with Scott and Puget Ridge Cohousing for two demonstrations next week:
Tuesday and Thursday, June 30 and July 2.
Where – The corner of 16th Ave. SW and SW Holden St. again.
Time – 4 pm to 6 pm
Bring your signs.
And your mask.
(Last Friday)
Another #SayTheirNames show of support on the Delridge/Oregon overpass this weekend – the announcement is from Nancy:
Please join us on the 51st anniversary of Stonewall to show support for our Black LGBTQ friends, family, and neighbors and to #SayTheirNames
What: #SayTheirNames
When: Sunday, June 28th, 4:30-5:30 pm
Where: Pedestrian overpass on Delridge at the Delridge Community Center/Youngstown Cultural Arts Center.
Please remember to wear your masks!
(Photo sent by Susanna Niederberger)
The message can be large, like on the skyline (above) or the street (below) ,,,
(Photo sent by Scott, street mural on 18th north of Myrtle)
… or simple, like a sign you hold. You have two chances to do that this week – Scott (who also sent the street-mural photo above) sends this announcement – he and neighbors at Puget Ridge Cohousing are organizing Black Lives Matter sign-waving events at 16th/Holden this Tuesday and Thursday (June 23 and 25), 4-6 pm both days.
Two vigils for racial justice and equity in West Seattle today:
North Delridge neighbors lined the pedestrian overpass at Delridge/Oregon, and the sidewalk beneath it, for a #SayTheirNames vigil this evening.
Organizer Nancy planned it to be “a quiet and respectful demonstration of support for our African American neighbors, friends, and family.”
Earlier, a nine-minute vigil outside Providence Mount St. Vincent:
This was part of a national elder-care initiative calling for “a time of reflection and awareness building of racism as a public health crisis.”
Just this week, the King County Board of Health passed a resolution making that declaration.
(WSB photos/video)
Juneteenth arrives this year after weeks of demonstrations against racism and for justice and equity, and the day began in the shadow of the West Seattle Bridge, with a march – hundreds strong – from the ILWU Local 19 hall, headed to Terminal 46 and then to the Corrections Department Day Center, planning rallies at both stops. Here’s our video of the march’s start:
Motorcycles led the way as the march headed north on East Marginal, first on the frontage road and then to the open road:
The longshore workers’ union also stopped work up and down the West Coast during the day shift today in observance of Juneteenth, as noted in our preview.
WHAT’S AHEAD IN WEST SEATTLE: Both of these are open to all:
Providence Mount St. Vincent (4831 35th SW), noon – Along 35th, kneeling for 9 minutes as “Providence Elder Place West, a PACE program (Program for All Inclusive Care for the Elderly), located on-site at The Mount, is joining the national PACE organization for a time of reflection and awareness building of racism as a public health crisis.” (Just this week, the King County Board of Health officially declared it to be one.)
Delridge/Oregon overpass, 5:30 pm – A #SayTheirNames vigil, as previewed here.
(WSB photos)
After almost three weeks, demonstrations against racism and for justice and equity continue in West Seattle. Until about 6 pm, Hate-Free Delridge is out on the corners at Delridge and Orchard.
As previewed earlier this week, the specific reason for this gathering is “to support Justice for Rayshard Brooks, George Floyd, and all Black Lives.”
Tomorrow is Juneteenth, and we’ve received word of at least three events – two already previewed, and this one outside Providence Mount St. Vincent (4831 35th SW):
Providence Elder Place West, a PACE program (Program for All Inclusive Care for the Elderly), located on-site at The Mount, is joining the national PACE organization for a time of reflection and awareness building of racism as a public health crisis. The gathering will be Friday, June 19th at 12:00 along 35th in front of The Mount.
All from the community are invited to join and kneel for 9 minutes, then continue to take a stand against racial injustice.
Sent by Nancy:
Neighbors will be gathering this Friday evening at 5:30 for a #SayTheirNames vigil at the pedestrian overpass across Delridge at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center.
People are invited to come with a sign with one name of an African American who has been a victim of either direct or indirect police violence. I will also have names printed out that people can use.
I would like this to be a quiet and respectful demonstration of support for our African American neighbors, friends, and family.
Also coming up this week:
*Hate-Free Delridge demonstration, 4-6 pm Thursday at Delridge/Orchard
*ILWU Local 19 march, 9 am Friday from Spokane/E. Marginal to downtown
Have you listened yet to “All Ways West Seattle”? It’s a semi-new podcast by longtime West Seattle resident Keith Bacon, and he’s just published a new episode that he tells WSB is:
… focused on the March for Black Lives and BLM protest in the Junction. Highlights are interviews with two of the youth speakers at the Junction event: 12-year-old Ericka, who read her poem “Monsters, Criminals, and Liars,” and 15-year-old Coco, who was also one of the event organizers. Plus an extended talk with regular contributor Kisha Vaughan, reflecting on the event (which she also spoke at) and the days surrounding it.
This is the seventh episode of “All Ways West Seattle” – the others have included a wide range of topics, from the West Seattle Bridge to how COVID-19 has changed lives and businesses in West Seattle. Keith (photo left) launched the podcast back in March, just before the pandemic changed everyone’s world. He describes himself as “a writer and producer who lives in (and loves) the Alaska Junction” and is producing new episodes every two weeks or so. The podcast was something he had been thinking about for a while before launching it, and with the challenges posed to our peninsula from both the pandemic and the bridge closure, he says, “I feel like the opportunity to do something good for my neighborhood has become more important and valuable.” So give it a listen and let Keith know what you think – you can offer feedback via social media.
The next major rally/march near our area will be on Friday, for Juneteenth, commemorating the abolition of slavery in the U.S. – Seattle’s ILWU Local 19 has announced a march during a West Coast-wide work stoppage:
This Friday, June 19th, members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) will cease operations for the day shift along the entire US west coast, including Seattle, comprising 29 ports from Bellingham to San Diego, in observance of Juneteenth.
At the vacant Terminal 46 downtown, ILWU longshore workers will host a Rally and March to Stop Police Brutality and end Systematic Racism. The event will begin 9:00 a.m. at the ILWU Local 19 Union Hall – 3440 E Marginal Way S (corner of Spokane and East Marginal). Longshore workers will march as part of the coast-wide work stoppage and with other local labor, community, and faith leaders, including leaders from MLK Labor.
Participants will march (or car-caravan) to Terminal 46 for a rally and show of solidarity before continuing on to the WA Department of Corrections (DOC) Day Reporting Center, 1550 4th Ave S. This rally will call attention to victims of the criminal justice system while incarcerated. Recent concerns have been raised about incidents of retaliation by the DOC against incarcerated laborers, who requested PPE and appropriate safety measures to protect against COVID-19 infection.
(WSB photo, June 3rd)
Two weeks after leading two streetcorner demonstrations, Hate-Free Delridge plans another one – here’s the announcement:
Please join us for another peaceful protest in the neighborhood. Since the recent protests that our group organized on June 3rd and 5th, we have received a lot of positive feedback, and requests for more events like this, so we want to keep the momentum of our message going strong! See our message and the details below and bring your friends and family!
We mourn the murder of George Floyd and of so many other Black Americans at the hands of police in America. We sadly add to the list Rayshard Brooks, murdered in Atlanta this week. We want change in the systems of policy that are racist and oppressive. We want justice for Black Lives. Our goal is to keep our message alive and in the streets. Please join Hate-Free Delridge for another peaceful gathering in West Seattle and bring signs with your messages for justice! For everyone’s safety, masks are required and please maintain 6 feet of distance between each family group. Thank you for staying engaged and we will see you there!
WHO: Hate Free Delridge
WHAT: A gathering to support Justice for Rayshard Brooks, George Floyd, and all Black Lives
WHEN: Thursday, June 18th, 4-6 pm
WHERE: The intersection of Delridge Way SW and SW Orchard St.
The group was formed almost four years ago.
2:06 PM: We are at Walt Hundley Playfield, where West Seattle’s next protest march is about to start. Organizers just told us they plan to go west on Myrtle, north on 35th, east on Morgan/Sylvan, then on Delridge to Boren STEM K-8. Updates to come.
3:05 PM: After several speeches (added: some video above, including Karen Taylor singing the Black National Anthem), the march is about to leave the playfield.
3:17 PM: Headed out, NB on 35th.
3:47 PM: Approaching Delridge.
3:54 PM: Now on Delridge, stopping just north of the precinct, chanting “no justice, no peace, no racist police” and “Black rights are equal rights.” Also, “Say his name/George Floyd.”
(added) And an invitation for the police whose building was yards away:
4:07 PM: The hundreds of marchers have now headed northbound for the endpoint, Louisa Boren STEM K-8. The organizers were a group of 5friends who say they just came up with the idea less than a week ago because they thought there should be more marches “in more urban communities.’
4:37 PM: The march is over; some participants are still rallying in the Boren parking lot.
(Photo courtesy Alex)
More photos later.
6:01 PM: We’ve added some photos above. Still to come: Video from just before the march. The speakers had many messages, including this one that was repeated by multiple speakers: Marching is not enough. “You have to put in the work,” said Amanda Scott. “There’s so much work to be done.”
(WSB photos)
Just south of the now-empty West Seattle high bridge sits Pigeon Point. That’s where, this morning, dozens of Pigeon Pointers of all ages showed up for a neighborhood march to affirm that Black Lives Matter.
As reported here on Friday, this is also a response to the defacing and removal of a support banner that had been hung in the neighborhood.
P.S. This was the first of two West Seattle events announced for today – the next is at 2 pm at High Point Community Center, with an announced plan to march to Delridge Community Center.
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