The Roundup: Other Than Protesting, How Can I Help?
From the Editor
What's up, South End?
It's been a long week. Sending love to everyone and hoping that y'all survived the heat — both in weather and the streets.
People around the country have been protesting President Trump's mass deportation orders and ICE raids.
Here in Seattle, we had the "ICE Out of Seattle" demonstration on Wednesday, starting at Cal Anderson Park and concluding at the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building downtown.
This past weekend, the "No Kings" protests took place on June 14 — President Trump's birthday — in hundreds of cities around the country. In Seattle, the demonstration started with a rally at Cal Anderson Park, followed by a march to Seattle Center.
The "No Kings" demonstrations are expected to lead to even more protests in the coming days. June 14 is not only the President's birthday, it also marks the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, and it's Flag Day.
If you want to know more about "No Kings," you can read it straight from the source. Here is a link to the webpage of the 50501 Movement, the event's organizer.
I'm not here for that. I'm here for you.
Over the last week, I've been in many conversations with people. Fellow parents, friends, neighbors — everyday people who are worried. They are reading and watching the news, or scrolling social media feeds and seeing people being arrested, detained, and deported. And, not all of the people being arrested and detained are in the country illegally. It's a scary time.
I've heard from people who want to help but don't want to participate in protests. That's understandable. At the rally in Seattle on Wednesday, which reports have described as mostly peaceful, eight people were arrested.
So, the question is: What can people do to support the movement, without protesting?
Honestly, I wasn't sure myself. So, I reached out to the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network.
WAISN is the largest immigrant justice group in Washington. It fights for the rights of immigrants and refugees statewide. It provided the following info for people wanting to know what they can do to support immigrants without joining protests:
Advocate for stronger state policies that protect immigrants and advance immigrant justice. You can contact your representatives to support the Keep Washington Working Act and other legislation that protects immigrant communities.
Report sightings of immigration enforcement activity. You can call or text the WAISN Deportation Defense Hotline Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., if you see ICE activity or people being detained. It's the only statewide hotline that serves all Washingtonians regardless of immigration status.
Join a WAISN Rapid Response network. Become a community witness to provide crucial support to families during immigration enforcement actions. You can attend the WAISN Rapid Response virtual training on June 26 and consider hosting a watch party.
Print and share the "4 Deportation Defense Actions You Can Take Today" flyer. Share these tips and other public resources throughout your communities.
Donate. One of the strongest resources you have is your wallet. There are statewide and local organizations doing the work of supporting immigrants. Find them and make donations, large or small, to help them continue working.
Follow the ACLU of Washington online for educational materials and an upcoming training about how to engage in actions safely and nonviolently.
Stay safe, South End. I'll see y'all next week.
The Roundup Rundown
The "ICE Out of Seattle" demonstrations were the big story in Seattle last week. Emerald contributor Chloe Collyer was on the ground.
For all the details on Wednesday's protest, and a collection of images from throughout the events of the day, read Chloe's article.
Shifting gears, Juneteenth is this week.
This is the last time I’ll have your attention before the holiday next Thursday, so I want to make sure y’all have a chance to make your plans.
Emerald contributing arts reporter Jas Keimig compiled a list of South End events worth checking out. There’s a lot going on, but here are a few highlights:
Blacker Than Blue: A Juneteenth Celebration. This event is at Black & Tan Hall and celebrates with live music from around Puget Sound. I’m sure all the music will be good, but I strongly recommend you check out King Youngblood. They have a dope afropunk sound, and the band’s frontman, Cameron Lavi-Jones, is a star in the making.
Juneteenth Kickback With DJ Sassy Black. I’ll never stop showing love to the Central District, and I’ve been a supporter of Wa Na Wari for years. This event is definitely worth attending. Sassy Black, formerly a member of the (sadly) defunct hip-hop group THEESatisfaction, is one of my favorite artists in the city (for those of y’all who don’t know, my first gig in journalism was reporting on local music). Sassy Black will be spinning tunes as DJ, but I’m sure some of her records will slip into the mix. This will be a treat.
For Jas’ full rundown on Juneteenth events, read their full article.
I don’t know if y’all have noticed … but the South End gets hot.
Technically, the whole city has been hot, and just like everywhere else on earth, it keeps breaking former records for heat.
Here’s the problem in our neck of the woods. During summer heat waves, the South End can be up to 10 degrees hotter than the North End. And it’s not happening by sheer coincidence.
The tree canopy in the North End keeps neighborhoods over there cooler than over here — where we have fewer trees.
Tom McEnery is an educator in South Seattle, and he has started a petition to plant 10,000 trees in the South End to combat climate injustice.
You can read Tom’s full article, and find a link to sign his petition, 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.
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