What's up, South End?
This week, I want to talk about a topic that's always top of mind in Seattle politics: public safety.
But I want to do it in a different way. I don't want to have the conversation from the lens of policing, city budgets, or security cameras — which have had a lot of time in the news this week. I want to do it from the perspective of a longtime grassroots nonprofit — a Rainier Beach organization that does work that sometimes doesn't even look related to public safety, yet through community activations, volunteer efforts, and events, it's on the ground every day making the neighborhood safer.
Here’s what you need to know: Rainier Beach Action Coalition, better known as RBAC, is hosting its 23rd annual Back2School Bash this Saturday at the Rainier Beach Community Center.
Here’s why it's important: On its face, this event is a place for kids in the South End (and beyond) to get free backpacks and school supplies for the upcoming school year. And at the event, kids will get necessary items to set them up for September. However, the roots of the event go deeper than easing the financial burden of families.
RBAC founder and managing strategist Gregory Davis, a man known in the neighborhood as "the mayor of Rainier Beach," explained how in 2010 he reviewed a study by a group of University professors about high-crime areas in Seattle.
"The data showed that 50% of the crimes were at 5% of the places," said Davis. "The theory was, if we activate those 5%, will that decrease the incidents by 50%?"
Davis took the data one step further. RBAC put an overlay of the data on Rainier Beach and then activated the five locations in the neighborhood that had the highest incidents of youth crime, starting with its corner greeting program, which led to a decrease in incidents at those locations.
This week, I spoke with Davis as well as RBAC Continuous Quality Improvement Specialist Safiyat Bayo, who co-produced the Back2School Bash with Davis. We discussed the event, what it means to the community, and how hosting these types of programs promotes public safety.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
MD: This is the 23rd year of the Back2School Bash. That's a long legacy. Over the years, how have the needs of the community changed, and how has the event pivoted to meet them?
SB: I went to a lot of the South End schools. I attended Graham Hill Elementary, Aki Kurose Middle School, and Rainier Beach High School. I think things really changed when I started going to Rainier Beach. There needed to be space for youth to be present, for youth to be heard, thought of, considered. Throughout my years of high school, there has been a lot of gun violence. I've lost many classmates to gun violence. There wasn't a year where someone didn't pass away from gun violence, so in terms of how the needs of the community have changed, a lot of young lives are being lost. I feel like here at RBAC, the youth are a part of that change. Here is where youth realize they have a voice and can make change. The needs of the community have changed with a lot of deaths that have happened in recent years.
MD: I have a follow-up on that thought. I know the event is about giving kids school supplies, but hearing what you just said, what else do you hope they can take with them?
SB: A sense of community. They know they can come together and enjoy the event. They know they can get supplies for themselves, for their siblings, for other family members that they have. Knowing they can make positive memories in the Rainier Beach Community Center Plaza.
GD: When we did the public safety town hall, the young people led that event. One of the workshops was asking the folks where they had positive activities in the neighborhood, and they charted the answers on a map. We had 60 contributions, and they charted a different narrative of the neighborhood. So the Rainier Beach Community Center Plaza, as much as what has happened around it, it is still seen as a place for gathering and a place for safety.
MD: That's a good point. What role do events like the Back2School Bash play in community safety?
GD: In 2010, we looked at a study that George Mason University did on the city of Seattle. It was looking at community safety and incidents that contributed to youth crime or adult crime by street segment, and the data showed that 50% of the crimes were at 5% of the places. The theory was, if we activate those 5%, will that decrease the incidents by 50%? We saw an overlay of that concept on Rainier Beach.
We asked them to find the five locations in the neighborhood that had the highest incidents of youth crime. It was the light rail station, Rainier and Henderson, Rose Street, the Lake Washington Apartments, and Safeway. We found the time of day and the day of week that those incidents happen at the highest rate, and we sought to activate those spaces at those given times.
The incidents at those locations decreased by 40% the first year, and then held over the last 10 years, at about 30% to 40%. So the science says that when you activate a space, it contributes to the reduction of incidents that create youth crime. So that's how an event like the Back2School Bash will contribute to public safety.
Public safety has been a major talking point in Seattle forever. Or at least for my entire adult life. Councilmember Eddie Lin has proposed a solution. It comes with a $500,000 price tag.
The corner of 23rd and Jackson used to be a community hub (I know, this is the Central District, but a lot of us Black South Enders have roots here). Recently, it has only made headlines for closures, with Starbucks' exit being a major blow. For years, we've heard rumors a cafe would return. Now, it may actually be happening.
From good eats to hair care, here are seven Rainier Beach businesses you should know about.
The Emerald will be tabling, so be sure to come say hello. This is a free community celebration in Columbia Park with live entertainment, activities for kids, and community resources, including free art supplies and groceries.
The film follows a 19-year-old Anthouny Bourdain as he goes on a chaotic adventure in Provincetown, a summer that sets the course for the rest of his life.
This is an abbreviated version of The Roundup newsletter. To get the entire newsletter, including a weekly list of events to check out and my shout-out to South End Gems, subscribe here. See you next week!
Mike Davis is the newsletter editor and Voices editor at the South Seattle Emerald. Born and raised in Seattle's South End, Mike is a longtime journalist who's covered everything from arts and culture to sports to politics.
We're building a newsroom rooted in community, not corporate backing. Help us raise funds to hire our first-ever full-time reporter and grow our capacity to cover the South End. Donate today.