by Mark Van Streefkerk
We hope you'll come out for the South Seattle Emerald's Ninth Birthday Celebration this Saturday, Aug. 12, in front of the Rainier Arts Center from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. There will be live music, Q&As with the Emerald newsroom, and an introduction to our new managing editor, Rosette Royale. Many thanks to our birthday party sponsors: Trial & Error Productions, Rainier Avenue Radio, KVRU, Real Change, and Mizz Tish Productions.
The Emerald has come a long way since its founding in 2014. Wanting to create a counternarrative to how mainstream local media often portrays South Seattle, Marcus Harrison Green founded the South Seattle Emerald in his parents' Skyway home nine years ago. Driven by the belief that the brilliance of South Seattle is often diminished by or missing entirely from other media outlets, Green initially ran the Emerald as a one-man show, with Phillip "Papa" and Cynthia "Mama" Green in supporting roles. Mama Green worked alongside Marcus, providing an editorial eye on story drafts.
Since then, the Emerald has only expanded, enlisting the trusted partnerships of community members and organizations as well as collaborating with other local news outlets that cover the stories of communities often underrepresented in media. Today, the Emerald has a core team of assigning editors, copy editors, and web producers, as well as a roster of over 150 contributing writers, photographers, and video producers.
The growth of the Emerald is proof that South Seattle — and South King County — is home to a diversity of people and cultures who find themselves reflected in our emerging media. For us, that's both an honor and responsibility.
With gratitude, we hope you'll continue to be a trusted partner of the Emerald for many, many years to come! You can help sustain the Emerald by giving a donation today or becoming a Rainmaker recurring donor. The Emerald will never put our content behind a paywall, but we cannot continue to publish without your help.
Read on for reflections and birthday wishes from some members of our newsroom.
Mike Davis, Voices Editor and Interim Managing Editor:
Happy 9th birthday to the Emerald! Salute to 9 years of highlighting the beauty and brilliance of our neighborhood, and cheers to keeping this tradition going!
Michael McPhearson, Executive Director:
The Emerald is where I can go to see the beauty, diversity, and brilliance of South Seattle in print. One day this summer in the discount store Ross, while waiting in line to check out, I was blown away by the diversity around me. There were Buddhist monks, African immigrants, Hispanics, Asians, African Americans, European Americans, children and adults of all shapes, sizes, and complexions, more than likely primarily working-class people. I marveled at the several languages spoken around me. I was amidst the people who keep our city moving and vibrant. It made me smile and feel warm inside. This was my on-the-ground experience of South Seattle. No other publication vividly and consistently portrays the rich mosaic that is South Seattle.
I wish the Emerald great prosperity and increasing readership of the next nine years.
Lola Peters, Operations Administrator:
The Emerald has reinforced my dedication to building a pipeline of writers within Black and Brown communities committed to presenting our priorities as viewed through our varied lived experiences. It has shown me how much amazing talent goes untapped by mainstream media while challenging me to find new ways of doing things that won't replicate those same outcomes. So many literary and arts projects are vanity projects meant to benefit a small group of friends or colleagues. It's a joy to be part of something where people have put their egos aside to serve the needs of our communities.
Just a thank you to Marcus Harrison Green, Devin Chicras and the Emerald board, Michael McPhearson, and the Core Team for expanding the vision and putting their hearts, minds, and futures on the line to make it happen.
Megan Christy, Lead Content Manager:
The Emerald helped me find community as well as giving me so much information about Seattle — as a transplant, I feel like I know more about all the South End's true "heart and soul" from reading the Emerald.
[One funny moment I remember at the Emerald:] When I was working on getting an article ready to publish, I once sneezed so hard that I accidentally hit the "publish" button and published our Emerald article template! So embarrassing!
It's amazing to see how far we've come! From our lovely first anniversary cake and gif-laden post to now!
Cheers to the Emerald and here's to many, many more years of telling stories by community for community!
Phil Manzano, Interim News Editor:
Working for the Emerald has given me a deeper appreciation for the diversity of the 98118 and reflects what my daily experience is living in the South End. Here in South Seattle, I consistently get words and affirmations of appreciation from people I meet who have engaged with the Emerald. If I had a birthday wish, it would be for more resources for writers, editors and photographers/videographers, and a vibrant platform worthy of this beautiful community.
Mark Van Streefkerk, Arts, Culture, and Community Editor:
Happy Ninth Birthday to the Emerald! Wishing many more years of fostering new and emerging writers, and expanding our coverage to encompass more artists, culture-shapers and makers, and communities on the South End. I am honored to be part of this incredible team and our extended Emerald family!
Mark Van Streefkerk is a South Seattle-based journalist, freelance writer, and the Emerald's Arts, Culture, & Community editor. He often writes about restaurants, LGBTQ+ topics, and more. Visit his website and follow him on Twitter at @VanStreefkerk.
📸 Featured Image: (Photo: Hannah Letnich)
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