The Roundup: Fight Fascism With These Book Recs

From the Editor

What's up, South End?

As summer starts to wind down and we head into fall (my favorite season), it's time for us to prepare. And the best way to get ready for fall is to stock up on a few good books to curl up with when the weather changes.

I wanted some tips on new reading material, so I reached out to a South End bookstore for suggestions. And if you've been keeping up with the national news — specifically, the president taking over the Washington, D.C., police department and deploying federal agents into neighborhoods — then I think you'll understand why I reached out to Doreen McGrath, the branch organizer for the Seattle Freedom Socialist Party's bookstore, Clara's Books, which is located in Columbia City.

Doreen suggested three books to add to your fall reading list, all of which are available at Clara's Books.

The Fight against Fascism and the Far Right: Voices from the front lines, edited by Alison Thorne ($20)

"This is a book that was published in Australia by our sisters and brothers there, who have been fighting the right for a long, long time. These just came in, and I'm really excited about it. Some of the articles in here I've read, but given what's going on in this country, fighting fascism is something we have to constantly hone in on and learn how to do successfully. I don't think we're in a fascist state, but I feel like Trump is really paving the road for that kind of government."

Women Workers: Spark Plugs of Labor by Megan Cornish and Heidi Durham ($7.75)

"It was written by Megan Cornish and Heidi Durham in the late 1990s. It studies the economic role of women in the workplace and it pulls out the special role of Women of Color and how the labor movement needs women, especially Women of Color, to lead the fight. And they do so with economic data. One of the Radical Women members was really excited about the book, but thought it needed to be updated, so they just updated it, and this just came out."

Ida B. the Queen by Michelle Duster ($10)

"This book is a young adult book. It's just a good, short piece on Ida B. Wells, who is one of my heroes in history. She was somebody who knew that publishing information about what was really going on was so important, and that's what she fought to do her whole life — get information out."

The Roundup Rundown

As Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic Returns to the Central District, What's New for South End Families?

I'll admit it … When I first heard that the Odessa Brown Children's Clinic (OBCC) was going to reopen in the Central District, it was bittersweet. I know the history the clinic has with the Central District, but I thought it meant we might lose the Othello location.

But we have good news: Odessa Brown will now have two locations, and doctors will transfer back and forth between them, so all patients will be able to continue their care with current physicians.

Emerald contributor Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero reports that 75% of Odessa Brown patients now live in the South End and South King County, but Dr. Shaquita Bell, senior medical director of OBCC, says the clinic will "never forget" where it came from. OBCC will proudly serve both neighborhoods.

You can get the full story in Jacquelyn's latest article.

South End Life: A Late-Night Tea Shop Serves Up Community, Creativity, and Wellness

One of the best ways to experience the South End is through the eyes, and travels, of Emerald editor and columnist Yuko Kodama.

In the latest edition of her column, South End Life, Yuko takes a trip to Cedar Tea House, a late-night South End gathering space on the west side of Rainier Avenue South near South Genesee Street.

Open from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m., the establishment offers meditation spaces, movement classes, and plenty of nooks and pillowed crannies where people can read, chat, or just chill.

For tea lovers, there are plenty of tasty options, and the business is sobriety-friendly, so no alcohol, and it has a menu of trendy mocktails.

Learn more about Cedar Tea House, and see Yuko's photos, in her latest column.

OPINION | Seattle's Affordable Housing System Is Crumbling. 'Roots to Roofs' Will Make It Worse.

One of my favorite things we do at the Emerald (and yes, I'm obviously biased as the editor of this section) is allow space for voices from the community.

This week, I received an op-ed from a group of elders in the Central District who have strong opinions on Council Bill 121011, aka the "Roots to Roofs" pilot.

I know that a lot of people think the bill, sponsored by Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck, looks good on paper. But for this group of Black, elder homeowners hoping to hold on to their homes in the Central District (and possibly allow more Black folks to return), Roots to Roofs follows a pattern they've seen fail far too many times.

You can read the op-ed from the trio 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.