Month: September 2019

Sound Transit has recently announced publically the implementation phase of its Link Light Rail’s forthcoming expansion to the East King County area. They have already begun preparations, and here is what riders need to know.

Rather than shut down service entirely during new track construction, Sound Transit will implement its Connect 2020 plan: over ten weeks in January 2020, trains will run at a reduced frequency of every 12 minutes, and riders continuing through downtown Seattle will need to switch trains at Pioneer Square Station. Passengers will experience longer delays between trains, crowding, and increased travel times.

This major transit line will serve riders to and from East King County at a total of 10 new stations and be operational in 2023. In addition to these changes, to prepare for the aforementioned construction, Sound Transit needs to reduce Link service for three weekends this fall. On the weekends of October 12-13, October 26-27, and November 9-10, there will be no Link service between SODO-Capitol Hill. Trains will run from Angle Lake-SODO and UW-Capitol Hill, and free buses will connect the six stations in between. To learn more, click here to read Sound Transit’s blog post.

*Photo credit: Aaron Kunkler with Redmond Reporter, October 9, 2018.

September 11. This date is tragic for those who lived in the United States in 2001 and those who lived in Chile in 1973. These historical events are distinct, yet they share a commonality: extreme patriotism that violates human rights.

Our country was shaken up on and decades following September 11, 2001, when four planes targeted the World Trade Center complex and the Pentagon as part of al-Qaeda’s terrorizing plot. This mass murder claimed 2,997 innocent lives; for that, we offer our deepest sympathy for the victims’ loved ones. We also want to change the rhetoric that surrounds 9/11.

We rebuilt our country on one of its worst days. Let us not forget the resilience, kindness, and service that characterized our country’s finest hour and started its healing process. Thank a first responder or recovery worker. Talk to or check in with someone who might be struggling. Befriend someone who does not look like you. Instead of “never forget,” let us remember how our communities united in solidarity in the face of trauma, grief, and xenophobia.

On September 11, 1973, Salvador Allende was assassinated by a coup, ushering in 17 years of dictatorship under Augusto Pinochet’s rule. Allende co-founded Chile’s Socialist Party and was democratically elected as president in 1970. He was also known for his commitment to improving Chile’s conditions for the poor, workers, peasants, and women because they comprised the minority group.

Allende inherited political unrest and an economic crisis, which led the military to overthrow him. A group of the Chilean refugee community escaped from the coupe and arrived in Seattle where the Mexicano/Chicano community and multiracial partners were peacefully occupying the Beacon Hill School. Our Chilean friends were instrumental partners in developing El Centro de la Raza’s infrastructure because of their experience running their home country. In honor of the Chilean refugees, we named a room after Salvador Allende at El Centro de la Raza.

On both occasions, crimes were committed against humanity. International humanitarian laws and human rights were compromised. We civilians endured the fear of armed conflict. To heal a country’s factions requires peace, freedom, and solidarity – all of which can achieved by legal justice, defense of human rights, and measured and fair responses. That is why there is a struggle for justice. That is why we build the Beloved Community.

Historically known as the Beacon Hill School, the building that is now owned by El Centro de la Raza was built in two phases and later renovated in 1931. The architecture was ahead of its time and remains mostly intact today. However, the school was forced to vacate and relocate to a more modern facility because of the growing student population. At the same time that was happening, people of color experienced limited access to education and other community resources because of cultural and political factors.

There was no longer a commitment to the War on Poverty. Students at South Seattle College whose English as a Second Language classes were defunded by the Nixon Administration then took action. What that looked like was a peaceful multiracial occupation of the abandoned building. This event pivoted the Chicano/Mexicano movement to the forefront of the minds of local elected officials and school district personnel. Our building quickly became a symbol of Seattle’s Chicano/Mexicano movement. The resulting direct connection with the Chicano/Mexicano community was recognized as a significant contribution to Seattle’s history. It is an honor to be listed as one of the most significant buildings in American history. This recognition helps preserve our building for future generations of which to be a part. Our building’s symbolic value is a timeless representation of multiracial unity during times of peril and prosperity.

We are a thriving hub for all communities to engage in civic action, celebrate culture through art, and increase community sustainability through transit-oriented, mixed-use development. Our 43 programs and services span across five major areas: Child & Youth, Human and Emergency Services, Education and Asset-building, Housing and Economic Development, and Community Organizing and Advocacy. Our on-site amenities include a dual language childcare center, 112 affordable housing units, commercial spaces, and a cultural center available to the community for rental. Visit us and tour our building. We would be happy to share more rich history with you and show our historic building’s murals that narrate the Chicano/Mexicano community’s movement over time.