COLUMN: What does Black representation mean when the institution itself remains unchanged? Gennette Cordova argues that Shon Barnes' departure should prompt Seattle to focus on police accountability, misconduct, and community safety — not symbolism. Read more: soseaem.org/4pYFIHC #Seattle

COLUMN | 'Black Faces in High Places' Won't Transform Seattle Policing

A Black police chief does not guarantee safer Black communities. Gennette Cordova calls on Seattle to demand accountability beyond representation.

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More than 140 animal species live in Seward Park. Feeding wildlife, disturbing habitats, and using rodenticides can put them at risk. Caroline Guzman finds out how visitors can enjoy the park while being better neighbors to its year-round residents: soseaem.org/4w0Vy61 #Seattle

Nine South Seattle sites are serving free weekday meals through Aug. 21. Children ages 1 to 18 can receive breakfast, lunch, and snacks — no paperwork, ID, or proof of residency required. Eligible families may also get $120 per child in SUN Bucks. Read more: soseaem.org/453X5gU #Seattle

Katie Wilson named Chief Andre Sayles to the position after accepting the resignation of former Chief Shon Barnes days after a shooting. After the shooting, Barnes faced scrutiny over his travel, while some questioned Wilson's leadership:

As Mayor Chooses Interim Police Chief, She Faces Questions About Accountability

Katie Wilson named Chief Andre Sayles to the position after accepting the resignation of former Chief Shon Barnes days after a mass shooting left three dead and several injured. After the shooting,…

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What does grief feel like in the body — and what are we ready to put down? Built from nine months of interviews with Black women across generations, Jade Solomon Curtis' "Keeper of Sadness" comes to Union Station Aug. 1 and 2. Read here: soseaem.org/45vxUnp #Seattle

COLUMN: Seafair delivers a summer spectacle on Lake Washington. South Seattle gets the jet noise, pollution, traffic, and neighborhood disruption. Glenn Nelson asks why communities of color are still expected to carry the cost of Seattle's traditions: soseaem.org/4ftczkr #Seattle

COLUMN: The victims of the Seattle Center shooting deserve the city's grief and attention. So do the South End families who have endured years of overlooked violence. Marcus Harrison Green examines whose grief becomes a civic emergency — and whose does not: soseaem.org/4x7A9ZT #Seattle

COLUMN | Gun Violence Didn't Move to Seattle Center. Our Attention Did.

Seattle rallied when gun violence struck its "civic living room." Marcus Harrison Green asks why South End deaths have so rarely received the same urgency.

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OPINION: Proposition 1 would fund seven more years of Seattle library services, collections, and building maintenance — including a seismic retrofit at the Columbia Branch. Tali Hairston makes the case for voting yes by Aug. 4: soseaem.org/4xtl2KL #Seattle #Elections

A casual Spanish-language exchange that started in West Seattle is now bringing neighbors together in White Center. The informal "intercambio" welcomes fluent speakers, beginners, and everyone in between for conversation, food, and drinks. Read more: soseaem.org/4fypLmM #Seattle

After strong public opposition, three Seattle City Councilmembers are backing a new proposal to fund universal school meals for Seattle students starting this fall. The shift comes one day after the council voted to delay the program by a year. Read here: soseaem.org/4fgmFFg #SeattleNews

Seattle City Councilmembers Reverse Course on Universal School Meals

Seattle's universal school meals plan is back on the table after public outcry, with a key committee vote set for Aug. 4.

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REVIEW: Arte Noir's latest exhibit honors Seattle's Black Panthers through Black art and Central District testimony, spotlighting community programs, displacement, and a legacy that endures. Read the full review here: soseaem.org/4wd8FC4 #Seattle

Somali and Oromo parents and childcare providers helped create "Rooted in Culture, Raised With Love," a new early learning toolkit grounded in ancestral wisdom. Read more here: soseaem.org/3Tbi66x #SeattleNews #EarlyLearning

South Seattle and Federal Way advocates say fear of ICE is changing how some immigrants seek health care, from delaying hospital visits to avoiding prenatal care. Community leaders warn the consequences can be life-threatening. Read more: soseaem.org/4yA1mWL #SeattleNews #FederalWay

Fear of ICE Is Changing How Local Immigrants Seek Health Care

Local advocates say fear of ICE is reshaping health care choices for immigrant families, from skipped prenatal visits to delayed emergency care.

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At a Rainier Beach public safety forum, residents pushed back on city funding cuts to Community Passageways, raising concerns about youth safety ahead of the school year. Connor Nash reports here: soseaem.org/4vC2qXl #SeattleNews

Rainier Beach Forum Turns Tense Over Community Passageways Cuts

A Rainier Beach public safety forum turned emotional as neighbors questioned cuts to Community Passageways and what they mean for South Seattle youth.

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Why can making friends feel so difficult in Seattle? Therapists Jordan Alam and Gloria Huh discuss how race, anxiety, and vulnerability shape the "Seattle Freeze" — and how people can choose connection instead. Read here: soseaem.org/44u6eyU #Seattle

Seattle has moved to restrict new data centers. But just beyond the city limits, 18 already operate in one Tukwila industrial park. The Emerald toured one DataBank facility and examined the company's claims about water, electricity, AI, and the grid: soseaem.org/4yltRHC #SeattleNews

COLUMN: Seattle went all of June without a homicide for the first time in 56 years. Marcus Harrison Green argues the milestone should prompt humility about public safety — and a closer look at the prevention work that often goes unseen and underfunded. Read here: soseaem.org/4p9N2Ql #Seattle

Washington could face more than $90 million in added costs if it cannot lower its SNAP payment error rate below 6%. Read the full story here: southseattleemerald.org/news/2026/07... #Seattle

Seattle boxer Kayla Floyd starts many days at 4 a.m., training in Rainier Beach while working a day job enrolling people in Medicaid. Her goal: USA Boxing’s development team. Her fuel: the city and community that raised her. Read here: southseattleemerald.org/community/20... #Seattle

"This Room Is Ours" centers the Black figure in all its complexity — joy, rest, quiet, celebration and exploration. The group show at King Street Station features #Seattle-based Black artists working across painting, sculpture, textiles and more. Read more:

At Pier 62, Indigiqueer Festival turned Seattle's waterfront into a space for Indigenous and 2SLGBTQIA+ joy, visibility, and connection. Festival founder Hailey Tayathy said the vision was simple: gathering as a way of achieving joy. Read here: southseattleemerald.org/community/20... #Seattle

Shops near Lumen Field stocked up, staffed up, and planned for Seattle's World Cup crowds. But some Chinatown-International District businesses say tourists are bypassing the neighborhood while regular customers avoid downtown. Read here: southseattleemerald.org/news/2026/07... #Seattle

The Georgetown Steam Plant once backed up the region's power grid. Today, a community coalition is working to reimagine the historic South End landmark as a campus for arts, science, climate resilience, and public memory in the Duwamish Valley. Read here:

OPINION: Ahead of a July 1 hearing, advocates argue CB 121215 would push SEPA appeals into costlier forums, making it harder for communities to challenge inadequate reviews before major zoning decisions. Read here:

After years of delays and a canceled permit, Nickelsville's Brighton Village is set to open in Rainier Valley this July. The self-managed tiny house village will provide shelter for 14 people on Rainier Avenue South. Read more: southseattleemerald.org/news/2026/06... #SeattleNews

Seattle police officials say a projected $1.7 million budget shortfall could slow hiring, even as officer staffing continues to grow. The latest briefing also examines training bottlenecks, overtime spending, and response times: southseattleemerald.org/news/2026/06... #SeattleNews

A new free zine maps early Seattle hip-hop landmarks, from Judkins Park to Garfield High School — and raises questions about the South End spots left off the route: southseattleemerald.org/arts-culture... #Seattle

COLUMN: What stories help kids feel like they belong — and what happens when young people get to write them? Through AHSHAY's Storybook Project, 20 local youth became children's book authors in seven weeks: southseattleemerald.org/community/20... #Seattle

Mayor Wilson's plan for Little Saigon and North Beacon Hill pairs expanded policing with $1.1 million for outreach, overdose response and community activations. Residents and organizers say they are hopeful — but want accountability and results. Read more: southseattleemerald.org/news/2026/06...

Seattle Expands Policing, Services in Little Saigon and North Beacon Hill

Seattle is pairing expanded policing with outreach and overdose response in Little Saigon and North Beacon Hill, but residents are watching for real results.

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From Rainier Beach and Judkins Park to Renton and Kent, Juneteenth events this week honor Black freedom, culture and community. Lauryn Bray's 2026 guide has dates, times, and what to expect: southseattleemerald.org/community/20... #Juneteenth #Seattle