Seattle, WA. The Seahawks Players Equality & Justice for All Action Fund confirmed its beneficiaries for the $500,000 they pledged last June. (Photo above courtesy of Rod Mar and the Seattle Seahawks. ‘We Want Justice’ t-shirt remains front and center for the Seahawks as they confirm their recipients for $500,000 worth of grants against injustice.) The funds are being donated as a response to the systemic racism in the United States and the heart-wrenching deaths of Black Americans at the hands of law enforcement. Half of the money is going to organizations, which will be using it to fight against social injustice and support local disadvantaged youth. The other half of the funds will be going directly towards scholarships for students of color who have overcome adversity within their own lives.
Creating opportunities for youth of color is imperative in changing the dynamics of disenfranchised communities, from the bottom-up. This is why the Seahawks have chosen to provide scholarships to students who need it most and donate to the following six organizations:
Click each of the links above to find out more about each local organization and how you can help them achieve their goals. There’s no justice without equality and opportunity for all.
Learn more and donate directly to the Seahawks Players Equality & Justice for All Action Fund here. From the Seattle Seahawks:
In June, as Seahawks players, like so many people around the country, tried to come to grips with the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, the Seahawks Players Equality & Justice For All Action Fund pledged to donate $500,000 in grants that would go to local organizations working toward social injustice causes and supporting our local youth. Go ‘Hawks!
Seattle, WA. Three Dollar Bill Cinema‘s video production and media literacy program, Reel Queer Youth, will be held online this summer from August 3rd through August 7th. During the program, LGBTQ+ youth and allies ages 13-18 will explore filmmaking and make documentaries using whatever tech and media they have available at home.
Three Dollar Bill Cinema launched Reel Queer Youth many years ago and the program has since reached more than 100 students. “This year will probably be a little different,” says Kathleen Mullen, Three Dollar Cinema’s interim executive director. Due to COVID-19, Three Dollar Bill Cinema is partnering with Northwest Film Forum to offer Reel Queer Youth virtually. The program will include daily Zoom meetings and opportunities for one on one mentorship. Participants will have the chance to explore what they want to say about themselves in the media and build connections with other LGBTQ+ and allied youth and filmmakers.
2019 Reel Queer Youth participants at Kaladi Brothers Coffee
According to Mullen, with the Black Lives Matter movement and the pandemic going on, “it’s a really important time to talk about media literacy.”
In a letter to Three Dollar Bill Cinema’s supporters, Mullen and Clay Warner, the president of Three Dollar Bill Cinema’s Board, wrote “Three Dollar Bill Cinema’s mission is to strengthen, connect, and reflect diverse communities through queer film and media. We will continue this work and do better to work towards a more equitable, pluralistic, and decolonization framework.” Reel Queer Youth plays a role in this mission by connecting a diverse group of LGBTQ+ youth and allies and arming them with the skills to decide how they want to represent themselves in media.
Last year, program participants worked with professional industry mentors to create documentaries about local LGBTQ+ non-profits
Carter and Dakota, ages 13 and 16, created Three Dollar Bill Cinema, a short film, included below, about Three Dollar Bill Cinema, and how it works to make LGBTQ+ lives visible through film and video.
Registration for Reel Queer Youth is still open to LGBTQ+ & Ally Youth, ages 13-18 who are interested in filmmaking.
From Three Dollar Bill Cinema:
We provide access to films by, for, and about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ2+) people and their families, and a forum for LGBTQ2+ filmmakers to share and discuss their work with audiences. We curate themed screenings throughout the year and produce programs in partnership with other arts, cultural, and service delivery organizations in the Greater Seattle area.
Seattle, WA. Skate Like a Girl Seattle will conduct its summer skate camp online for 2020. Chapter co-director Soph Elden says that “since COVID-19 hit, [the organization] decided to switch to an at-home virtual skate camp.” The camp now gives skaters of all skill levels a variety of online tools to improve their skating and connect with mentors from the comfort of their homes. Skate Like a Girl is a nonprofit organization empowering individuals, especially young women, to become strong, confident leaders who promote and implement equity through the vehicle of skateboarding.
Each camp session is a week-long (Monday to Friday) and features a daily opening and closing “circle time” with fellow campers and counselors via video conference. Campers receive skate skill videos designed for their distinct skill level, as well as supplemental challenge worksheets and a camper t-shirt. There is an average one counselor to five camper ratio so campers may receive individualized check-ins with counselors and more personalized instruction.
Here’s a video about the virtual summer program for 2020.
A flyer for Skate Like A Girl Seattle’s At-Home Summer Camp
The summer camp offers classes for skaters of all gender identities, as well as weeks exclusively designated for women and/or queer and trans people of all ages. The camp cost is $129 and there are scholarships that skaters can apply for to ensure that the camp is as accessible to as many people as possible. And if you don’t have a skateboard, helmet, or padding, Skate Like a Girl Seattle can help with that! Campers can reach out to Skate Like a Girl Seattle via e-mail to borrow skate gear through drop-off or pick-up services.
Skate Like a Girl Seattle also provides additional skateboarding programs and activities for people of all skill levels, ages, and gender identities year-round. The organization offers weekly women and trans skating sessions, after school programs, and 12 years and under skating clinics during the school year at All Together Skate Park, located at 3500 Stone Way North in Seattle. In addition to at-home summer camp, Skate Like a Girl is continuing its women and trans skating sessions virtually through Zoom.
Instructors and skaters for Skate Like A Girl’s women and trans skating sessions
In light of the recent Black Lives Matter protests for racial justice, Skate Like a Girl Seattle has been vocal on social media about the significance of continually supporting Black lives now and moving forward. According to Elden, Skate Like a Girl’s messaging “prioritizes social justice.” Elden says that Skate Like a Girl Seattle has recently utilized social media to encourage people to take specific actions to support Black lives, including providing followers with “swipe-up” links on Instagram stories to “sign petitions and get donations matched.” Elden states that Skate Like a Girl Seattle plans to “listen to and follow Black-led causes and organizations” and “celebrate and elevate Black trans people and Black women.” Skate Like a Girl Seattle also supports defunding the police and “reallocating funds to programs like health care, education, and other resources, particularly in Black communities and Black-led organizations.”
Through its dedication to social justice, Skate Like a Girl Seattle plans to continue empowering all skaters in the Seattle community virtually until in-person programs may resume.
From Skate Like A Girl:
Skate Like a Girl is a nonprofit organization empowering individuals, especially young womxn, to become strong, confident leaders who promote and implement equity through the vehicle of skateboarding. We believe that skateboarding is a tool to build confidence, resilience, and foster inclusive community. Our mission is to create an inclusive community by promoting confidence, leadership, and social justice through the sport of skateboarding. Founded 17 years ago, we currently operate chapters in Seattle, Portland, and the San Francisco Bay Area.We value experiential learning and civic participation, by providing opportunities to be involved in the skateboarding community.
Snohomish County, Wa. YWCA has opened a small library aimed at helping educate people about African/ African American women and their history. The library is located at 6027 208th St. S.W., Lynnwood. YWCA Seattle, King, Snohomish is focused on helping and lifting up women, so this new library is right up its alley. “YMCA wants to give people of color more opportunities and with housing and education, to break down barriers,” explained a YWCA Pathways the staffer.
Brand New Library, Filled With Books Written and About African American Women.
YWCA’s mission has always been to eliminate racism and empower women, so recent events and protests over the murder of George Floyd has resonated with members of the organization. On June 4th a letter to the community was issued explaining that “YWCA stands in solidarity with Black Americans, who are disproportionately incarcerated, assaulted and killed.” When it comes to public protests YWCA is not new to these showings of strength, annually the organization holds an event called “STAND AGAINST RACISM.” This event provides the “opportunity for communities across the United States to find an issue or cause that inspires them to takes a stand”.
Recent “Stand Against Racism” event hosted by YMCA.
YWCA works to make an impact on communities, to uplift women by giving opportunities and resources to help better themselves as well as the people around them. To learn more about YWCA and its work, visit its website, where you will find opportunities to help volunteer and events hosted by YWCA.
MISSION STATEMENT:
YWCA is on a mission to eliminate racism and empower women. A healthy community transformed by racial and gender equity, where women and girls of color have equal access to opportunity, and there is social justice for all people.
The YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish helps women and families find shelter, safety, stability & success. Dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women.
Headquartered in Seattle with 20+ locations, our YWCA serves 49,000 women, men and children in the region each year with a diverse array of housing, economic empowerment, health, domestic violence and youth development programs.
Seattle, WA. Velocity Dance Center is offering online dance classes to the public and plans to continue doing so until its annual summer festivals starts on July 12th. Communication manager Vladimir Kremenović explains that Velocity is “offering a variety of online classes through Zoom.” There are classes on Velocity’s website for dancers of every skill level, from beginners to professionals. Single classes can be purchased, or packages of multiple sessions. (Photo above from pre-pandemic performance.)
Dancers explore floor work at Velocity Dance Center before the Covid pandemic.
Velocity Dance Center is located at 1621 12th Ave. in Seattle. It’s one of the largest centers for adult dancers in the Seattle area and acts as a source of creation for many individuals throughout the Pacific Northwest. Velocity’s resources include classes, workshops, performances, residencies, discussions, screenings, as well as two annual international festivals: Strictly Seattle and Seattle Festival of Dance Improvisation. When Washington governor Jay Inslee announced the stay-home order throughout the state, many dance studios closed, and Velocity Dance Center was no exception. According to Velocity’s communications manager Vladimir Kremenović, Velocity staff “realized that to protect [their] community [they] needed to close down studios.”
Promotional photo for Seattle Festival of Dance Improvisation 2018
Following its closure, Velocity partnered with local artists to stream its works online as a way to connect with the community remotely. These streams included commentary and conversations with artists via Zoom about their creative processes.
Velocity also offers classes for an array of dance genres including modern, contemporary, hip-hop, improvisation, and more. Payment for these classes is donation based. Kremenović states that it didn’t “make sense to charge for classes since many community members have lost their jobs” due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Velocity not only supports its community by providing access to dance resources but also through aiding local activists. Velocity Dance Center is located in Capitol Hill, a Seattle neighborhood amid Black Lives Matter protests. A couple of blocks from Velocity is the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP), otherwise known as the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ). CHOP is one of the main sites of protests for the Black Lives Matter movement that ignited throughout Seattle following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. Kremenović shares that Velocity “wanted to provide resources for people on the street” to support the activism transpiring throughout Seattle and the United States. In early June, Velocity opened its lobby to provide activists with access to restrooms, charging outlets, and water fountains. Velocity recognizes that they are a predominantly white-led organization and as a result decided to take a step back from self-promotion on Instagram to amplify anti-racist sentiment and highlight the voices of BIPOC activists and artists. Additionally, Velocity has partnered with Northwest Film Forum to stream the films, Avivaand Cunningham,through the next month. All proceeds from June film screenings will be donated to organizations that empower Black lives.
Through Velocity’s transition to remote work, Kremenović reports that the organization is “really proud and happy to have so many teachers in their community willing to make the jump” to online teaching. Through online classes and festivals, Kremenović wishes for Velocity to continue making dancers “come together, dance, and create beautiful art.”
From Velocity Dance Center:
There are many ways to support Velocity Dance Center now and throughout the summer. People can sign up for Velocity’s online classes, as well as register for its online summer festivals. Both Strictly Seattle and Seattle Festival of Dance Improvisation will be conducted online this year. However, Velocity recognizes that there are more important organizations to spotlight other than its studio at the moment. Velocity encourages people in its community to direct donations towards cultural organizations that support Black lives.
Velocity is Seattle’s center dedicated to contemporary dance, and an essential incubator for new dance in our region. With artist-driven, community-responsive programming, Velocity provides vital resources and advocacy for one of the most active dance communities in the nation. Velocity’s programming includes classes, workshops, residencies, performances, discussions, and two annual international festivals.
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