A New Era Begins at the Emerald — With My Deepest Thanks

First, I want to congratulate Florangela Davila on becoming the new executive director of the South Seattle Emerald team. I’ve known Florangela for about a year and a half, during which we have built a trust and respect that I genuinely value. I am excited and grateful that she is succeeding me. Florangela is the perfect person at the right time for the Emerald, and I will do everything I can to ensure she has what she needs from me.

I want to express my deep gratitude to everyone for their support during my time with the South Seattle Emerald. Thank you to the Emerald board for hiring me and allowing me to continue serving the community I live in. I also appreciate the Emerald readers, supporters, and donors. They are the reason the Emerald exists.

While working for the Emerald, I met many incredible people. I can’t name everyone, but I must give a shoutout to the two managing editors I worked with, who, without their support, I would have had a nervous breakdown. Collaborating with the amazing and multitalented Vee Hua assured me from the start that I had someone I could rely on. I can’t say enough about my trust and confidence in the current managing editor, Rosette Royale. I was lucky and grateful they applied to our job search. Their professionalism, sense of humor, and eye for news elevate the Emerald to greater heights.

I was fortunate to have friends and mentors like Lola Peters and Sharon Maeda, who listened to my frustrations and offered guidance when necessary. Their wisdom and friendship helped me stay on track.

The newsroom has intelligent, hardworking reporters and editors dedicated to serving the South End with truthful, thoughtful reporting that uplifts our communities by helping us navigate our challenges and see our brilliance and beauty. Thank you for your dedication and long hours.

The Emerald’s contributors are fantastic. You are of the community and for the community. You are why the Emerald is by the community. You give the Emerald its strength and vitality. Thank you for lending your talents, hearts, and souls to the Emerald.

Of course, there is the Green family. Thank you to Mama and Papa Green for your support. I am honored to have helped advance your rich and deep community legacy. I offer a big hug and thanks to Marcus Harrison Green, who knows how to be a leader without overshadowing others. Often, organization founders struggle to let go or stay and ensure that new leadership succeeds. I can’t express enough how much grace and class Marcus exhibits.

Finally, let me address these times and explain why I left my position as the Emerald's executive director and returned to Veterans For Peace (VFP). After Donald J. Trump won the presidential election, I struggled with how to respond and what to do. VFP had been without an ED for some time. Before the election, a member half-jokingly asked me if I would apply. I emphatically said no. I had no desire to leave the South Seattle Emerald. But weeks after the election, I spoke to the same person again. That's when I decided to apply.

The decision to leave was challenging. It came after much consideration and prayer. I love the Emerald; it is a unique organization providing vital and impactful community service. I was blessed to collaborate with wonderful and talented people on the Emerald team. I know that the Emerald makes a difference in people’s lives because they tell us. I also know that building solidarity and community is more crucial today than it has been in decades, and the Emerald is built for these times.

We always live in historic times. History is made every day. However, what we see today is unlike anything most people alive have ever experienced. The rise of hate and the willingness to disregard people’s humanity has spread far and wide, reaching levels not seen since the Jim Crow era. I had to choose the right place to do the most I can right now. In this period, my oath to the Constitution and my belief in this country's promise compelled me to use my identity as a military veteran to engage in the struggle for democracy and contribute to efforts to build a peaceful and just nation and world. So, while I’m not leaving the Emerald family — no one ever really does — I must engage in public discourse and activism in a different way.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve the South End community as the executive director of the South Seattle Emerald. It has been both an honor and a blessing.

—Michael McPhearson