#EmeraldLove: Lola Peters
"The Emerald is about telling the deep stories of what matters to the folks in the South End."
October 18th – October 25th is the Emerald's inaugural Giving Campaign where we will raise essential support to keep bringing you the news, commentary and culture you care about!
Lola Peters reads South Seattle Emerald because it tells a deeper, more complete story than found in other local media.
"It's about filling out the story of Seattle," she says. "And for me, that means particularly the voices of the People of Color – the Black community that traditionally lives in this community."
Peters also believes the Emerald is bringing attention and awareness to important issues neglected by mainstream media outlets. "When you talk to people about some of the stuff that happens in this city, particularly around oppression…[and] people respond, 'Well, we just didn't know.'; "You have to ask the question, why didn't they know?" She goes on:"If it's the responsibility of the media to tell people, to inform people, and people are saying, 'We weren't informed,' then you have to ask the question why."
For Peters, The Emerald is filling in this "information gap", alerting residents to issues of oppression and injustice such as police brutality, the new youth jail, and the police bunker. The Emerald is stepping up and filling the gap left by traditional media that seeks to make us unaware of issues that matter to us.
Peters is a poet and essayist currently residing in West Seattle. She is an active member of Seattle's African American Writers' Alliance. Now "retired", Peters spent her career pursuing social justice and anti-racism in many different realms.
Please join Lola Petersby showing your #EmeraldLove andsupporting the Emerald! With your help, we will continue tofill the information gap!
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📸 Featured Image: Original photo by Naomi Ishisaka, adapted for this campaign.