May Newsletter
I have been feeling so much anticipation this month, and all the progress we’ve made since last fall has become visible and tangible! For those of you who are no longer following the traditional school calendar, I hope you’re still able to connect with the joy that younger you felt as summer approached. It can be a magical time, the end of the school year, the start of summer.
As we look ahead to June I highly recommend directing your attention to the vibrant energy of kids around you– all the excitement and impending freedom they’re feeling– and if not youth in your community, it’s a beautiful time to tend to your inner child. What kind of summer play did they love? What can you explore this summer to bring out their joy? How can we access that carefree energy that’s still inside of us?
Stay tuned for more information about our Give Big Campaign, 2025 Annual Report, Freedom Schools, and more. Take care and happy exploring, y’all!
In this newsletter:
2025 Annual Report
Give Big Thank You
Community Events & Resources
2025 Annual Report
We are so excited to share our 2025 Annual Report with you all!
In 2025, we deepened our school partnerships, expanded youth leadership through programs like Junior Circle Keeper Academy, strengthened restorative practices across school communities, and continued creating spaces where Black and brown youth can thrive.We hope the milestones and stories in this report offer a vision of what becomes possible when young people, families, educators, and community come together to build spaces of belonging, healing, joy, and action across Seattle schools and neighborhoods.
We invite you to read, reflect, and celebrate with us. Thank you for continuing to walk alongside our community and our young people.
Give BIG for Freedom Schools 2026
Thank you to each and every one of you who donated, together you've raised $2,740 for Freedom Schools 2026!
Your generosity will directly fund 4 Rainier Beach pop ups, and provide 74 bags of fresh produce & groceries through the summer!
Some of you GIVE BIG every year, many of you are giving for the first time, a couple of you signed up to be monthly donors, each one of your donations makes a difference. THANK YOU!
If you haven't already made a gift, it’s never too late to make a gift! Dollars raised through May will directly support meals, books, resources, and giveaways for Freedom Schools families in Rainier Beach.
Here is what your dollars look like in action:
✨$10 - Supplies fresh produce & groceries for one family
✨$50 - Provides fresh produce & groceries for five families
✨$150 - Secures fresh produce, groceries, hot meals, books, and giveaways for 10 families
✨$500 - Powers one full pop-up event: bringing food, books, joy, and connection to scholars and their families.
Can't donate? Like, share, repost, from our Instagram and tell your friends about Freedom Schools.
As always, thank you for showing up for us and our scholars, especially in moments of uncertainty. We couldn't do this work without YOU!
Community Events & Resources
QT-Parties | Young Women Empowered (Y-WE)
An affinity space for queer-identifying young women, trans, non-binary, and gender-expansive youth ages 13–19. The gatherings will be facilitated by @ebobarton. Food and snacks will be provided at both gatherings. For safety, specific times and locations will be shared directly with folks who sign up.
Gathering 1 • Sunday, May 31
Picnic day with crafting, collaging, painting, community chats, and food together
Gathering 2 • Sunday, June 7
Youth Pride movie night with dinner, popcorn, candy, journaling, reflection, and conversation.
Reach out to makayla@y-we.org with questions or for more information.
Sign up: bit.ly/yweupcoming
BEYOND THE RAINBOW: PROTECTING BLACK WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP
Monday, June 15 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Byrd Barr Place, Seattle
Pride is more than celebration it’s a moment to ask who is actually being protected, and what real safety looks like for Black LGBTQ women and Black women in leadership.
Join us for an honest, urgent conversation bringing together community leaders, advocates, and policymakers focused on accountability, care, and real change beyond visibility.
Presented by the NAACP Alaska, Oregon, Washington State Area Conference @naacp_aow, Byrd Barr Place @byrdbarrplace , @wwconverge @poverty_action Action Network, and @solid_ground_wa
Featuring:
Council president Joy Hollingsworth
Councilwoman Dionne Foster @cmdionnefoster
Dominique Stephens, @ddynastysighting Special Advisor for LGBTQ Affairs, City of Seattle
Jaelynn Scott, @votejaelynn Executive Director, Lavender Rights Project
Moderated by: @nigiovanna_
A conversation centered on moving beyond symbolism and into real protection, real systems, and real accountability for Black women in our communities
Register HERE
REVIVAL Juneteenth | Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle
Saturday, June 20 from 12 - 5pm | Midtown Square Plaza
On behalf of Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle’s @checodistrict, @artenoirnow, and @kexp: we invite all our friends in King County to come outside and kick it with us for what promises to be a classic Summer event! Join us to celebrate Blackness in all its forms as our city's premier creatives, culinary greats, and esteemed entrepreneurs unite to showcase their talents!
REVIVAL Juneteenth pulls down the curtains & addresses a very often hidden truth: supporting our own people was *MADE* to be difficult.
Black-Owned Business are often dispersed throughout cities and are less likely to receive external funding to promote or develop their companies. This annual event was created to completely eliminate those barriers by platforming local Black visionaries and providing a space for our community to spread love in the beautiful outdoors!
There will be food on the grill, music in the air, and endless opportunities to connect with local businesses & community members!!
Volunteer Days | Indigenous Creatives Collective
Join us every Friday from 10 AM to 2 PM at 9674 51st Ave S
All ages and abilities welcome! Here are just some of the activities you can participate in:
Outdoors:
Prepping garden beds for spring planting
Pulling ivy and blackberry from meadow and pathways
Exploring and learning about local plants and birds
Picking up any trash on the land
Playing on the swings
Crafting at the outdoor table with our supplies like beading, painting, cyanotype, drawing or bring the projects you are working on.
Indoors:
Helping to organize spaces like our seed library or tools
Labelling and sorting medicinal plants and seeds
Lounging in the living room
Reading books in our library
Using our office supplies to print out resumes, get help on your artist bio, or take photos of your art
Cozy up to co-work in our space
Our space is equipped with Wi-Fi, temperature control, a printer, snacks, drinks, air purifiers, an ADA-accessible bathroom, and art supplies. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at info@indigenouscreatives.com!
Central District Legacy: Black Power. Black Panthers | Arte Noir
Opening Reception May 16th, 2-4PM | Exhibit May 6 - Aug 2nd, 2026
Curatorial Statement: Rooted in legacy, endowed with power, and unmistakably Black, Central District Legacy: Black. Power. Black Panthers. honors the Seattle Black Panther Party and the enduring cultural force of Seattle’s Central District (CD). As the first Black Panther Party chapter established outside California, the Seattle chapter—founded in spring 1968—worked to protect, preserve, activate, and sustain revolutionary resolve in the pursuit of resources, dignity, and self-determination for Black people. The chapter endured until 1978, leaving an imprint that continues to shape civic life, cultural memory, and community care in Seattle and beyond. Keep reading HERE
Join us in celebrating an exhibition that invites viewers to see, imagine and embody Blackness. Power, and the history of the Black Panthers. Individually and Collectively, the works created by Charles Conner, toni Toney, Thadeus Hunnicutt, Tasanee Durrett, Ed LaMar Petion, Xenobia Bailey, and others offer a visual narrative of youth solidarity; activism by any means necessary; the vibrancy of color; the enduring charge of the raised Black Power fist; and the panther itself - an emblem of protection, prowess and uncompromising Blackness.
Free and open to the public. Light refreshments served.
QTL Kids Camp | Queer the Land & Braided Seeds
July 15th at Heron’s Nest, July 22nd, 29th & Aug 5th at Beacon Food Forest | 10am-4pm
Unleash your inner green thumb and spark your creativity at Queer the Land's Kid Garden Camp, designed for kids aged 5-10! 🌻Join us for 4 weekly sessions of unforgettable fun, learning, and adventure from 10am-4pm at community partner locations in south Seattle. With support from Braided Seeds, we'll dive into exciting activities that blend stewardship, play, and community-building each week, creating a vibrant and enriching summer experience.
Register HERE
