The Roundup: 'Sinners' Stake a Claim in South Seattle

From the Editor

What's up, South End?

I’m going to start this week by giving you a minor spoiler alert: I'm about to talk about the movie Sinners.

If you haven't seen this movie by now … and you're reading this newsletter … I'm disappointed in you. But that's ok. You can still see Sinners in theaters. Unfortunately, you can’t see it at Ark Lodge (RIP), but it is still showing in Renton at The Landing.

But I won’t give away any major plot points here.

I saw Sinners in IMAX and it was the best in-theater experience I've had in years. Director Ryan Coogler (Black Panther, Fruitvale Station) deserves all the flowers for creating this film, which is essentially a tribute to Black music masquerading as a vampire flick. It does have all the elements you need for horror — blood, gore, creepiness. Yet, Coogler found a way to set the neck-biters to the side and portray a vivid depiction of the Jim Crow-era Mississippi Delta set to a soundtrack of the blues.

The images in this movie are stunning — and the reason why so many of us flocked to the IMAX. The landscapes, the sharecroppers picking cotton, the chain gang, the people. You could watch this movie on mute and it would still work. But, you would miss the best part: the music.

The best scene in this movie takes place in a juke joint. The lead-up to this moment in the film is what makes it special, but I promised not to spoil the plot. What happens in this juke joint is a blending of every era in the history of Black music. It starts as a performance of the blues, but morphs into a meta-melting-pot that transcends time and space to bring the entire diaspora together on one dance floor, from traditional African dance to jazz, ballet, early hip-hop with turntables, and breakdancing, all the way up and through modern-day rap.

It was breathtaking. It was inspiring. And it got me thinking. If I wanted to tap into the blues in the South End, where would I go? So, I put on my Lola E. Peters hat and went and found some answers.

Here are a couple of places in the South End where you can hear live blues.

The Royal Room
5000 Rainier Ave. S.

You can hear live music at The Royal Room on six nights of the week.

Black & Tan Hall
5608 Rainier Ave. S.

Black & Tan Hall is rocking with live music Thursday through Sunday.

The Roundup Rundown

After Federal Funding Cuts, United Way of King County Says Sustaining Programs Will Be a 'Struggle'

As a reporter, I've heard many leaders of nonprofit organizations use versions of the phrase "When the government fails, foundations step in."

But Sara Seelmeyer, associate director of Ending Hunger at United Way of King County, told Emerald reporter Lauryn Bray that the recent federal funding cuts sustained by the group are so large that it's "a struggle to imagine philanthropy being able to fully fill those gaps."

These cuts have impacted shelters and food banks and threatened programs like Summer Meals, which serves 20,000 King County youth daily during summer months.

For all the details on these federal funding slashes and how they will impact South Seattle and South King County, read Lauryn's full report.

Everything Is Political … in South Seattle: Political Integrity, With Extra Anchovies

The Seattle City Council wants to do away with ethics rules banning councilmembers from voting on matters in which they have a direct financial interest.

Yes — you read that right. The Council wants to amend rules so that members of the Council are allowed to vote on legislation that would directly affect the financial interests of said councilmembers.

That sounded like word salad. Here's an example (courtesy of Emerald founder Marcus Harrison Green). This would allow a landlord on Council to vote against renter protections or a restaurant owner on Council to vote against minimum wage increases.

Needless to say, the Governance, Accountability & Economic Development Committee meeting where this was discussed was wild. Emerald columnist Tobias Coughlin-Bogue described it as a "slugfest."

For all the juicy details on the latest drama from City Council, check out Tobias' snarky — yet extremely informative — column.

OPINION | Seattle Public Schools Has Long Failed South End Students — Now Is the Time for Change

I'm bumping up this op-ed from Vivian van Gelder at Southeast Seattle Education Coalition (SESEC) for two reasons. One — it's a good read and dives into why Seattle Public Schools has been failing students in the South End. And two — because SESEC just won an award!

The Alliance for Education honored SESEC with an award for public education advocacy, saying in a statement that SESEC "has stood as a trusted convener and a powerful force for change, advocating for students and families in Southeast Seattle and beyond. Their mission—to rally communities of color and ensure all children receive an excellent, equitable education — aligns closely with the values and vision of the Alliance."

I want to congratulate SESEC and let y'all know you can read their latest op-ed right here.

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.