FREE EACH VOLUME 30 MONTH ISSUE 5 A community-based newspaper serving the Puget Sound area since 1981 May 2011 Articles translated into six languages TheTheThe newspaper VoiceVoice of Neighborhood House Senate, House $400 You can call it a comeback million apart on Following financial 2011-13 state budget tumult, the Tenants Union BY TYLER ROUSH of Washington regroups, The Voice editor continues advocacy work The State Senate and House of Rep- BY TYLER ROUSH resentatives have each passed their own The Voice editor versions of the two-year state budget. But the two chambers of the state This is a comeback story that anyone Legislature are a ways apart in their ver- with an interest in housing advocacy will sions of the state budget — $400 million appreciate. apart, to be exact. In two years, the Tenants Union of The House budget proposal slashes Washington has emerged from the brink state spending by $4.4 billion, including of financial crisis to a renewed vitality. $485 million in cuts to higher education Behind Executive Director Jonathan Grant, and another $1.2 billion by not funding the Tenants Union is already nearing the education initiatives related to pay in- other side of a major rebuilding effort. Al- creases for teachers and classroom-size ready, the organization has taken the lead reductions. on a major tenant-organizing campaign in The plan also cuts all Disability Life- a low-income building in Seattle, and has line cash grants, for about $100 million contributed to housing policy efforts in in savings, but preserves the state’s Basic Seattle and the state of Washington. Health Plan. The group is also ramping up its ten- The proposal would also privatize ant education program, following a brief state liquor distribution, generating $300 PHOTO BY TYLER ROUSH million in revenue. Jonathan Grant, the new executive director of the Tenants Union of Washington, has Please see “Tenants Union” on Page 5 helped stabilize the organization following a period of turmoil. Please see “Budget” on Page 5 ‘In Black and White’: Memories of Seattle’s civil rights movement New book reveals the Valentine sounds familiar, it is because she Supermarkets did not employ blacks as Supermarket, CORE organized a “shop- served on the Seattle Housing Authority grocery workers, even in stores located in in.” People filled their grocery carts with local struggle for equality Board of Commissioners before retiring black neighborhoods. nonperishable items, especially those that in 2006. Against this backdrop of racism and are difficult to reshelve. and opportunity On Sunday, April 3, all four authors segregation, the Seattle Congress of Racial When the shoppers got ready to check BY LYNN SEREDA gathered in the Microsoft Auditorium of Equality (CORE) formed in 1961, with out, they asked about the store’s hiring Section 8 Voucher Holder the Seattle Central Library to discuss the the underlying belief that nonviolent pas- policy and discriminatory practices. When book and answer questions, before a stand- sive resistance is a potent force for social they received unsatisfactory answers, they Seattle’s civil rights history brilliantly ing-room only crowd. change. would leave the carts still full of items and came alive last month with the release of Valentine spoke of arriving in Seattle The local chapter started by raising walk out of the store, saying they wouldn’t “Seattle in Black and White: The Congress from Texas in 1959. She described the funds to support both the Freedom Rid- shop at a store that practiced discrimina- of Racial Equality and the Fight for Equal racism in Seattle as seemingly polite and ers in the South and its own operations in tory hiring. Opportunity.” The book, which surveys benign, but nevertheless present. Seattle. Benefit fundraisers were headlined These tactics were very successful Seattle history during the turbulent 1960s, Noticeably, blacks and whites lived in by the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, James — sixteen months after the protests were is co-authored by Joan Singler, Jean Durn- separate segregated neighborhoods. As Baldwin and Dick Gregory. organized, the Safeway at 23rd and Union ing, Bettylou Valentine and Maid Adams far as employment was concerned, blacks Seattle CORE identified three areas had 28 black employees. and published by the University of Wash- mostly worked odd jobs. on which to concentrate their efforts: In 1963, CORE led the first city-wide ington Press. Even African-American professionals, housing, education and employment op- civil rights march, this one focusing on The four women, all activists in Seattle’s such as lawyers and doctors, could only portunities. equal employment in downtown Seattle. Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, bring open offices in the Central District, and Pickets were organized at the Safeway At this time, CORE also stepped up their the stories in the book alive through their their practice was strictly limited to their at 23rd and Union, demanding that the first-hand experience. If the name Bettylou own race. supermarket hire blacks. At the A & P Please see “Civil rights” on Page 3 Neighborhood House Nonprofit org. In this issue Jesse Epstein Building U.S. postage PAID 905 Spruce Street Seattle, WA Health Notes Page 2 Seattle, WA 98104 Permit #8887 LOW-VISION EXPO One to grow on Page 3 PLANT COOL-WEATHER GREENS THIS SUMMER Mental health symposium Page 4 DISCUSSING TREATMENT SOLUTIONS Translations Page 8 2 – locAl AND NAtIoNAl NewS MAY 2011 Health Notes Starbucks employees share A column devoted to your well-being the joy of reading Expo will highlight support services for the blind and visually impaired BY VOICE STAFF with these vendors about their services. A full list of participating vendors and more On Saturday, May 21 from 9 a.m. – 3 information about how to register can be p.m., Sight Connection, formerly known found at http://csbps.com/Insight2011. as Community Services for the Blind html. and Partially Sighted, will be sponsoring The event will include keynote pre- “Insight: A Low-vision Expo” at the Lyn- sentations on the topics of nutrition and nwood Convention Center. vision and regenerative medicine for the The event is open to the public and at- eye, presented by Russell Van Gelder, tendance is not limited to the blind or par- MD, PhD and director of UW Medicine tially sighted. If you are new to vision loss, Eye Institute. this is a very informative event to attend. There will also be three breakout ses- It will be a great way to get introduced to sions that will cover such topics as fall PHOTO BY CORBIN GOODMAN the area and vision service agencies that prevention, driving and unexpected emer- After reading time, Aneshia Coward leads a group of Head Start children in a sing- are available. Eye-care professionals or gencies. Presenters include Susie Star- along of the hokey-pokey. others working in a field related to vision rfield with Snohomish County Long Term are encouraged to attend. Friends and Care & Aging, Marty Richards Affiliate BY CORBIN GOODMAN Yesler Terrace Head Start teachers Shel- family who have questions or are simply Assistant Professor UW School of Social The Voice intern ley Seely and Dawn Wood could not stress seeking more information about any of the Work, and Debbie Goetz with the Seattle enough the importance that reading has on topics are also welcome. Office of Emergency Preparedness. What do children love more than stories? a young child’s life, saying how “reading to There is a $20 suggested donation, but A learning lab with accessible com- Adults coming to their classrooms and read- children is the single most important thing anyone unable to donate is still welcome to puter devices will also be open throughout ing them stories. you can do for young children.” come. A box lunch will be provided, and the event. The purpose of the assistive Last month, Head Start Reading Week Commenting on the Head Start program, part of the $20 donation goes to covering technology learning lab will be to help did just this, as Starbucks employees came they said that “having someone read to this cost. people who are using computers and have to read to preschool students in each of (the children) shows them the importance A fair will take place throughout the to learn new software. Neighborhood House’s four Head Start of reading, and hearing it from someone morning as organizations involved with Event sponsors include Value Vil- sites, at High Point, NewHolly, Rainier beside the teacher, is especially great. assisting the blind and visually impaired lage, Northwest Lions Foundation, D.A. Vista and Yesler Terrace. “We can only believe (and hope) the im- will be available to answer any questions Davidson & Co., King County Mobility With infectious smiles that would bright- pact on the volunteer is as satisfying.” those in attendance may have. Visitors Coalition, and Charter Private Bank. en any Seattle day, the children warmed Many of these children do not have are encouraged to walk around and talk immediately to their visitors. sufficient access to books and libraries, so One such volunteer, Aneshia Coward, the program delivers a greatly appreciated said she had a wonderful experience read- need. ing to the children at Yesler Terrace, who That said, once a person volunteers their Conference-call training available to housing and other issues at the federal range from three to five years old. time once it is not hard to see why many advocates and other leaders level, while also clarifying its differences “It is fun and really good to help people, come back again. from state level advocacy. especially little kids,” she said. Both the staff and students at Yesler This month, resident leaders and other To register, call or email the Housing Coward, who came to read on multiple Terrace were extremely welcoming to advocates will have the opportunity to Alliance’s Federal Policy Coordinator, days, spoke of how “(the kids) are very their visitors, which is a testament to the participate in a unique training, spon- Alouise Umess, at 206-442-9455 ext.