>>> MAYOR DURKAN WILL KICK US
OFF WITH OPENING REMARKS.
WE WILL HEAR FROM CASSIE CHEN
DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
THE MUSEUM AND WE WILL HEAR
FROM VIVIAN PHILLIPS FORMER
COMMISSIONER OF THE ARTS [
INAUDIBLE ] FROM LANGSTON
HUGHES, IS THAT CORRECT?
I'M SEEING A KNOT.
I DID NOT HAVE MY NOTES IN
FRONT OF ME, APOLOGIES TO
EVERYONE HERE.
AS USUAL WE WILL HAVE A Q&A AT
THE END OF OUR SESSION TODAY,
AND I WILL BRING IN THE PRESS
CORPS.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK A
QUESTION, PLEASE SEND ME A NOTE
OR RSVP IN THE CHAT BOX.
>> THANK YOU, ANTHONY AND THANK
YOU FOR BEING IN FOR YET
ANOTHER VIRTUAL PRESS
CONFERENCE.
I HAVE TO SAY TWO THINGS.
ONE, IT'S SO GREAT TO BE IN
2020 OR TO ANNOUNCE SOMETHING
THAT IS PURE JOY AND GOOD NEWS.
WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SO
DEDICATED TO OUR COMMUNITY AND
WE HAVE A PATH FORWARD TO
IMPROVING OUR COMMUNITY, SECOND
YESTERDAY, SAYING THAT PEOPLE
GET THE FIRST VACCINES GAVE ME
HOPE.
IT WILL BE A WHILE BEFORE
EVERYONE IN SEATTLE CAN GET
VACCINATED BUT IT DOES SHOW US
THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO RETURN
TO OUR LIVES AND OUR FRIENDS
AND OUR FAMILIES, AND IN PERSON
PRESS CONFERENCES, SOMETIME AT
THE END OF THE YEAR.
TODAY, WE ARE REALLY EXCITED TO
ANNOUNCE THE CREATION OF A NEW
PUBLIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.
THE FIRST ONE IN SEATTLE IN
OVER 40 YEARS AND, IT'S ONE OF
THE WAYS OUR CITY PULLS TOGETHER
TO PRESERVE OR INSURE THOSE
THINGS THAT MATTER TO THE HEART
AND SOUL OF OUR CITY.
WE DID IT FOR THE PIKE PLACE
MARKET AND TODAY WE ARE DOING
IT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, AS WE
COME OUT OF COVID, THAT WE NOT
ONLY PRESERVE BUT WE PROTECT
THAT PART OF OUR CITY THAT
REALLY IS THE SOUL, THE ARTS
AND CULTURE AND WE MAKE SURE
THAT WE DO IT IN A WAY THAT CAN
BE MORE EQUITABLE AND THAT OUR
RECOVERY IS ONE THAT ACTUALLY
DOES RICH THE GAP TO PROSPERITY
FOR EVERYONE.
THE COMBINATION OF CRISES THAT
WE FACED THIS YEAR FROM THE
PANDEMIC TO THE ECONOMIC
DOWNTURN TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS
RECKONING THAT WE ARE STILL IN
THE MIDST OF, TO WILDFIRE,
SMOKE IN THE WEST SEATTLE
BRIDGE, THERE ARE ALL OF THESE
CHALLENGES BEFORE US BUT UNLESS
WE ACT WITH INTENTION, WE KNOW
THAT COMING OUT OF COVID-19,
THOSE DISPARITIES THAT WERE
SHOWN TO BE SO VERY STARK
DURING THIS PANDEMIC CANNOT BE
ERASED OR CHANGED UNLESS WE ARE
VERY INTENTIONAL WITH THEIR
ACTIONS.
THIS CULTURAL SPACE PDA IS ONE
OF THE THINGS WE CAN DO FOR A
BETTER SEATTLE IN THE FUTURE.
IT IS DESIGNED TO COMBAT THE
DISPLACEMENT AND DISPARITIES
THAT WE'VE SEEN BY LEVERAGING
THE CITY'S INVESTMENT AND TO
HELP CULTURAL COMMUNITIES
PARTICULARLY COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR ACQUIRE AND DEVELOP REAL
ESTATE IN SEATTLE.
THIS IS CRUCIAL TO CREATING
WEALTH, BUT ALSO CRUCIAL TO
CREATING SPACE.
WE HAVE TO ACT NOW TO PRESERVE
THE CITY SOUL.
FOR DECADES, WE'VE BEEN DEFINED
BY OUR CULTURE, SO MANY GREAT
ARTISTS, BOTH PERFORMING
ARTISTS, AND VISUAL ARTIST,
HAVE COME FROM SEATTLE OR COME
TO SEATTLE AND CREATED GREAT
ART.
WE'VE SEEN SOME OF THE MOST
ICONIC ARTISTS IN AMERICA BUT
DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC, WE
HAVE SEEN HOW OUR COMMUNITY CAN
BE JUST PUMMELED.
NOT JUST BY THE PANDEMIC AND
THE ECONOMIC CRISIS, BUT THE
CIVIL RIGHTS RECKONING COMING
FROM THAT, CHALLENGING US TO DO
BETTER, TO BE THE BETTER CITY
THAT WE CAN BE.
AND THIS CULTURAL SPACE AGENCY
CAN COMBAT THE EFFECTS OF THE
PANDEMIC AND LEAD THE WAY TO AN
EQUITABLE RECOVERY BY
DEVELOPING CULTURAL REAL ESTATE
PROJECTS IN A WAY THAT REFLECTS
THE NEEDS AND DESIRES OF
COMMUNITY THAT HAVE BORNE THE
BURDEN OF INSTITUTIONAL RACISM,
BUILDING COMMUNITY WEALTH AND
SUPPORTING ARTS AND CULTURAL
ORGANIZATIONS, SMALL BUSINESSES
AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, THE
CULTURAL SPACE AGENCY IS ALSO
PART OF OUR BROADER WORK TO
BUILD COMMUNITY WEALTH THROUGH
TRANSFERS, RECENTLY WE
TRANSFERRED BERBER PLACE, FIRE
STATION 6 TO COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS, THIS PDA IS IN
THE SAME SPIRIT THAT JUST A
DIFFERENT WAY, IT WILL BUILD TO
TRANSFER PROPERTIES TO STOP
DISPLACEMENT AND EMPOWER
COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN
IMPACTED BY SYSTEMIC RACISM TO
REALLY HAVE ACCESS TO THE TRUE
PATHWAYS IN SEATTLE.
I WANT TO CONGRATULATE RANDY
AND HIS ENTIRE TEAM AT ARTS,
PARTICULARLY MATTHEW RICHTER
WHO'S BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR
SO LONG, THIS IS TRULY A GREAT
EFFORT RANDY'S WHOLE TEAM SO
RANDY, PLEASE THANK EVERYONE ON
MY BEHALF.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK CASSIE,
TIM AND VIVIENNE FOR JOINING US
TODAY, BUT EVEN MORE THAN THAT,
FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO THE
ARTS AND CULTURE OF THE CITY IN
SO MANY WAYS.
VIVIAN HAS SERVED AND PROBABLY
EVERY RULE THERE IS TO HELP
THINGS MOVE FORWARD, TIM IS, AND
WING LUKE, CASSIE, AS YOU KNOW,
I THINK ONE OF THE TRUE
TREASURES OF SEATTLE.
SO, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING
HERE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMITMENT TO THE VISION OF
SEATTLE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMITMENT TO MAKING SURE THAT
WHEN WE RECOVER, WE COME BACK
BETTER, WE COME BACK STRONGER
AND MORE EQUITABLE BUT WE DO IT
INTENTIONALLY, TO ACTUALLY
RESERVE THOSE PLACES FOR ARTS
AND CULTURE AND WITH THAT, I
TURN IT OVER TO RANDY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR,
WOW, IN EIGHT YEARS IN THIS
JOB, THIS HAS GOT TO BE ONE OF
THE PROUDEST MOMENTS THAT I
THINK THAT WE HAVE HAD, OR THAT
I'VE HAD, THIS IDEA ABOUT
CULTURAL SPACE INTERMEDIARY, A
MORE ACTIVE VEHICLE TO CREATE
AND FOSTER AFFORDABILITY AND
COMMUNITY WEALTH BUILDING,
THAT'S BEEN AN IDEA SINCE
MATTHEW RICHTER WALKED INTO HIS
FIRST INTERVIEW OVER SEVEN
YEARS AGO.
I CAN'T OVERSTATE THE
OPPORTUNITY THAT THIS
ORGANIZATION HAS TO STABILIZE,
UPLIFT AND EXPAND OUR CULTURAL
SECTOR ESPECIALLY ARE
COMMUNITIES OF COLORS WHICH ARE
SOME OF THE MOST TALENTED
INNOVATORS IN OUR CITY.
IT WAS BORN OUT OF THE CULTURAL
SPACE PROGRAM WHICH WAS
LAUNCHED IN 2013, IT IS THE
FIRST AND ONLY PROGRAM OF ITS
KIND IN THE UNITED STATES AND
THE PDA BUILDS ON THIS LEGACY
AND IS REALLY THE MOST ADVANCED
TOOL THAT HAS COME OUT OF THIS
CONCEPT.
THE CULTURAL SPACE PROGRAM
EXIST TO PRESERVE CREATE AND
ACTIVATE CULTURAL SQUARE
FOOTAGE THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
WE WORK WITH ARTISTS TO
STRENGTHEN THEIR ROLE IN
CHARTING THE FUTURE OF THEIR
CREATIVE SPACES AND WORK WITH
DEVELOPERS AND BUILDERS TO
INCORPORATE ARTS AND CULTURE
INTO NEW PROJECTS.
ULTIMATELY, IT'S ABOUT CREATING
A SENSE OF AGENCY OR CONTROL
OVER THE FUTURE OF CULTURAL
SPACE IN THE FASTEST GROWING
CITY IN THE UNITED STATES.
THIS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN
EVER AS WE CONTINUE TO FACE THE
COVID PANDEMIC AND A NATIONAL
RECKONING AROUND THE RACIAL
CRISIS.
THE PDA WILL BE AN IMPORTANT
TOOL FOR OUR CITY'S ECONOMIC
RECOVERY AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
SEEING HOW WE REBUILD TOWARDS
AND EQUITABLE FUTURE ADIMORA
GOOGLES FUTURE.
I'VE GOT TO GIVE IT UP TO
MATTHEW RICHTER, FOR THE MAYOR,
AND SENIOR DEPUTY MAYOR WHO
BELIEVED IN THIS PROJECT FOR
THE LAST 3 1/2 YEARS AND FOR
EVERY STAFF MEMBER AND EVERY
ARTS COMMISSIONER THAT TOUCHED
THIS.
THANK YOU.
AND THERE'S NO COMMISSIONER WHO
HAS CARRIED THIS PROJECT
FURTHER AND CONTRIBUTED MORE TO
IT THAN CASSIE CHAN THE DEPUTY
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE EXAM
OF THE ASIAN AMERICAN [
INAUDIBLE ] WHILE THIS PROJECT
GOT INCUBATED, DEVELOPS,
SCULPTED, FORMED AND BROUGHT
INTO THE WORLD, CASSIE, THANK
YOU SO MUCH AND I TURN IT OVER
TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU, RANDY, AND THANK
YOU MAYOR DURKAN FOR THIS
INCREDIBLE MOMENT AND
OPPORTUNITY . I'M GRATEFUL TO
HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE
STAFF AT THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND
CULTURE, MATTHEW RICHTER, AS
WELL AS ARTS COMMISSION
FACILITIES AND EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE ON THE
CULTURAL SPACE AND THE PDA FOR
OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS AND
MORE.
IT'S HARD TO TAKE IN THOSE
MOMENTS, AFTER SUCH A LONG
JOURNEY BUT, BEING HERE WITH
YOU ALL, AND SEEING IT COME TO
FRUITION RIGHT NOW IS
INCREDIBLY REWARDING AND
OVERWHELMING.
I SAY THAT BECAUSE THE PDA WAS
CREATED IN CONVERSATION AND
PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR REGIONS
CULTURAL COMMUNITIES, OVER THE
COURSE OF MANY YEARS.
THESE COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS
WERE INTEGRAL IN CREATING THE
PDA AS A VALUE SPACE
ORGANIZATION.
AND I WANTED TO SHARE THE
FOUNDATION OF THE PDA AND THESE
VALUES.
THERE ARE FIVE.
THE FIRST ONE IS TO KEEP RACE
IN THE ROOM, TO CENTER THE
NEEDS OF COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
SECONDLY, AS MAYOR DURKAN
MENTIONED WE WANT TO BUILD
COMMUNITY WEALTH BY CREATING
STRUCTURES THAT SUPPORT THE
LITERAL PROPERTY OWNERSHIP BY
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND
ORGANIZATIONS. THIRDLY,
GOVERNMENT IS CREDIBLY KEY AND
WE WANT TO CREATE, WHERE POWER
FLOWS FROM COMMUNITY TO
ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP.
WE ESPECIALLY NOTED AND WORKING
WITH COMMUNITIES OF COLOR THAT
ASSETS ARE NOT ALWAYS FINANCIAL.
OUR COMMUNITIES BRING A WEALTH
OF INCIDENT INTERGENERATIONAL
KNOWLEDGE, SWEAT EQUITY,
CULTURAL TRADITIONS, SOCIAL
NETWORKS AND OTHER NONFINANCIAL
ASSETS THAT ARE FOUND AND WE
WANT TO LIVE THOSE UP AS WELL.
AND THEN, IT'S IMPORTANT,
FINALLY IN THIS JOURNEY TO
ALWAYS BE LEARNING.
WE NEED TO QUESTION DOMINANT
CULTURAL ASSUMPTIONS AND BE
INQUISITIVE, OPEN AND HUMBLE IN
THIS PURSUIT.
AS MENTIONED, THIS MOMENT HAS
BEEN YEARS IN THE MAKING, AND
SUPPORTING STRUCTURE IS A
COMMUNITY INFORMED PROCESS THAT
HAS BUILT A HYPER LOCAL
SENSITIVITY TO COMMUNITY NEEDS.
THAT SAID, WE ARE ABLE TO
CREATE THIS RIGHT IN THE MOMENT
THAT IT'S MOST NEEDED.
IT WILL MOVE THIS WORKAROUND
CULTURAL SPACE, EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT INTO ITS NEXT PHASE.
WE EACH CONTRIBUTE TO ADVANCING
EQUITY IN THE MOMENTS AND
OPPORTUNITIES WE ARE GIVEN AND
I'M GRATEFUL TO HELPING STUART
THIS WORK.
AND NOW IT'S MY PLEASURE TO
INTRODUCE MY FELLOW CHARTER
SIGNATORY, ALSO LONGTIME
ADVOCATE AND LEADER WITHIN
CULTURAL SPACE AND COMMUNITIES
OF COLORS WITH IN SEATTLE.
TIM GLENNON.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CASSIE,
I'M TIM LENNON, EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF LANGSTON WHERE WE
CULTIVATE BLACK BRILLIANCE IN
THE HEART OF SEATTLE'S
DISTRICT.
I GOT INVOLVED IN THE PDA
BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY
SHOULD BE AS MUCH A PART OF THE
SOLUTION TO REVERSING
GENTRIFICATION AND THE
PREDICTABILITY OF WHO BENEFITS
AND WHO LOSES OUT AS IT HAS IN
IN THE PAST TO CONTRIBUTING TO
THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES.
THE PDA IS ABOUT CREATING
COMMUNITY WEALTH BUILDING
OPPORTUNITIES FOR BOTH IMMUNITY
BASED ORGANIZATIONS, SMALL
BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS AND
COMMUNITY AND OWN SHARES OF
PROPERTY.
WE CAN SCALE THIS FROM BLOCK TO
NEIGHBORHOOD TO DISTRICT TO
REGION AND REALLY ENSURE THAT
OUR ARTISTS AT OUR CULTURAL
WORKERS CAN REMAIN HERE FOR THE
LONG HAUL.
I PROPOSED THE CHARTER BECAUSE
I CARE ABOUT BLACK, INDIGENOUS
POC COMMUNITIES, ARTISTS AND
CULTURAL BUSINESSES.
I WANT TO SEE THEM THRIVE IN
THE CITY THAT I CALL HOME AND I
WANT US TO GROW TOGETHER, ON
THAT NOTE, I REALLY WANTED TO
KICK THIS OFF TO A REAL SEATTLE
ICON CERTAINLY WHOSE SHOULDERS
I HAVE STOOD ON FOR AS LONG AS
I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE ARTS
IN THIS TOWN, JUST A BEAUTIFUL
FRIEND, MISS VIVIAN PHILLIPS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, TIM,
THANK YOU MAYOR, THANK YOU
RANDY, CASSIE.
I HAVE TO START OFF BY SAYING
THAT EVEN THOUGH I'M NO LONGER
ON THE SEATTLE ARTS COMMISSION,
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WILL
CARRY WITH ME FOREVER, IS
RANDY'S ENCOURAGEMENT TO THINK
ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO AND TO
MOVE BEYOND WHATEVER BARRIERS
THERE ARE, I JUST WANT TO SAY
THANK YOU TO YOU, RANDY FOR
THAT CONSTANT ENCOURAGEMENT.
I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO ALL OF
YOU AND PARTICULARLY MATTHEW AS
WELL FOR CARRYING US THROUGH
THIS AND SHOWING US WHEN.
I AM A PRODUCT OF SEATTLE
CENTRAL AREA.
I GREW UP, I LIVE HERE RIGHT
NOW.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I
LEARNED, AS A YOUNG PERSON
GROWING UP, WATCHING MY MOTHER,
WHO WAS A COMMUNITY ADVOCATE,
AND HER COLLEAGUE AND FRIEND,
SO THE TWO WOMEN, DOLORES
BRADLEY AND DELPHIA PHILLIPS,
WHERE THE COFOUNDERS OF ONE OF
SEATTLE'S EARLIEST COMMUNITY
COUNCILS, THE JUDKINS REJECTED
COMMUNITY COUNSEL AND WHAT THEY
FOUGHT FOR WAS TO STOP THE PLAN
TO CHOKE OFF THE SEATTLE
CENTRAL AREA FROM THE I-90
EXPANSION, THERE WAS NO PLAN
FOR AN EXIT INTO THE CENTRAL
AREA.
WHAT I LEARNED FROM THAT, AND
FROM THE RESULTS OF THEIR WORK,
IS TO THAT, YOU NEED TO ALWAYS
BE IN THE DRIVERS SEAT, IF
THERE WAS EVER A TIME WHEN
PEOPLE CAN PULL YOU OUT OF
CONTROL, UNLESS YOU ALLOW THEM
TO.
SO WHAT THE CULTURAL SPACE
AGENCY MEANS TO ME AND MEANS TO
THE COMMUNITY, I BELIEVE, IS
THAT OUR STEWARDSHIP PUTS US
BACK IN THE DRIVERS SEAT.
IT ALLOWS US TO RETURN THE
VITALITY AND THE CULTURE AND
THE BEAUTY THAT NURTURES
ABSOLUTELY EVERY PART OF THE
CITY, WITH OUR STEWARDSHIP, SO
I'M JUST SO EXCITED THAT WE ARE
NOW MOVING FROM CONCEPT AND IDEA
TO POLICY.
AND WHILE POLICY IS NOT ALWAYS
BEING EQUALLY DISTRIBUTED,
PARTICULARLY AMONG AFRICAN
AMERICANS, I'M CONFIDENT THAT
THIS POLICY WILL AGAIN PUT US
IN THE DRIVERS SEAT, EXCUSE ME,
AND HELP US TO SUSTAIN OVER A
LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
THE CULTURAL SPACE AGENCY IS
SOMETHING THAT TRUST THE WISDOM
AND THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF
SEATTLE'S CULTURAL COMMUNITIES
WHO BUILT THE CITY.
AND WHO INVENTED ITS VALUE OUT
OF THEIR OWN CREATIVITY, THEIR
PASSION AND THEIR LABOR.
AND THE CULTURAL SPACE AGENCY
SEEKS TO RETURN SOME OF THAT
VALUE TO THE COMMUNITIES, FROM
WHICH IT HAS BEEN STRIPPED.
IT'S A PROPOSED SOLUTION, AND I
THINK IT WILL BE A SOLID
SOLUTION TO THE DISPROPORTIONATE
RACES AND THE EXPLOITIVE GROWTH
THAT HAS DRIVEN THE CITY FOR
MORE THAN A CENTURY.
IT'S AN INVESTMENT IN OUR
CITIES CONTINUED CULTURAL
RELEVANCE AND A SHARED
CELEBRATION OF OUR CULTURAL
RICHNESS, AND IT DIRECTS
RESOURCES THAT COME ALONG WITH
ACTUALLY SOLIDIFYING AND
ILLUSTRATING VALUE.
SO, WE ARE REALLY PLEASED TO
HAVE THIS DAY BE HERE, IN 2020!
WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT WE
WOULD HAVE GOOD NEWS LIKE THIS
IN 2020 AS WELL.
SO, THANK YOU ALL AND THANK
YOU, MAYOR.
>>
>> THANK YOU EVERYBODY, FOR
YOUR WONDERFUL WORK THIS
MORNING, MAYOR DURKAN WOULD YOU
LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING BEFORE WE
START Q AND A?
>> I THINK YOU SEE HER THIS
MORNING WHY THIS IS SO
IMPORTANT AND WHAT THE VITALITY
OF THIS MEANS FOR OUR CITY.
I DID HEAR COMMENTS IN RECENT
WEEKS THE PEOPLE SAYING YOU
KNOW, IS THIS THE KIND OF THING
THAT YOU SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON,
WE'VE GOT TO DO THIS FOR THE
PANDEMIC OR WE HAVE TO DO THIS,
THIS IS EXACTLY THE RIGHT TIME
TO BE DOING THIS.
THIS IS WHEN WE ARE BUILDING
FOR THE FUTURE OF SEATTLE, AND
WE HAVE LOST SO MUCH AS VIVIAN
HAS NOTED, THIS IS THE TIME FOR
US TO DOUBLE DOWN ON OUR VALUES
AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE
INVESTMENTS, SO I COULDN'T BE
MORE THRILLED TO BE HERE.
>> WONDERFUL.
THIS MORNING WE HAVE ONE
QUESTION SO FAR, RSVPED, IF YOU
WOULD LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION
DROP A NOTE IN THE CHAT AND WE
WILL TRY AND GET YOU IN BUT
FIRST AND ONE OF OUR REGULARS,
WE WILL TURN OVER TO AMARI
SALISBURY.
>> GOOD MORNING, I WANT TO SAY
THIS IS GREAT NEWS IN 2020,
VERY HAPPY TO HEAR IT.
SECOND OF ALL I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE HARD WORK MR.
RANDY ENGSTROM AND THE TIME AND
WORK THAT HE IS PUT IN THAT.
WE WILL MISS HIM.
HAVE A QUESTION, MAY BE
DIRECTED FOR MAYOR DURKAN AS
WELL AS TIM LENNON, SO, WE HAVE
THIS CULTURAL SPACE AGENCY, AND
I'VE HEARD EVERYBODY KIND OF
TALK ABOUT IT IN THE LARGER
SENSE BUT LIKE ON AN EVERYDAY
SCALE, YOU KNOW, HOW DO I
TRANSLATE WHAT I JUST HEARD
HERE TWO PEOPLE IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD, WHAT IS THIS
GOING TO LOOK LIKE, WHAT IS THE
STRUCTURE PROJECT GOING TO LOOK
LIKE, IN TRANSFERRING AN
EXISTING BUILDING AND REPURPOSE
THING IT, IS IT GETTING SOME
LAND AND BUILDING A STRUCTURE,
CAN YOU DRILL DOWN JUST A
LITTLE BIT, I KNOW YOU DON'T
HAVE THE EXACT SCHEMATICS AND
DETAILS BUT MAYBE YOU COULD PUT
A LITTLE MORE SKIN ON THE
BONES.
>> I'M GOING TO LET TIM AND
CASSIE GO FIRST BECAUSE THEY'VE
BEEN WORKING ON THIS, AND
VIVIAN, AND I WILL FOLLOW WITH
IT FROM THE CITY'S POINT OF
VIEW BUT THIS IS COMMUNITY
GROWN AND I THINK WE NEED TO
HEAR THE COMMUNITY VOICE FIRST.
>> I WILL GO AHEAD AND JUMP IN,
AMARI, I APPRECIATE THE
QUESTION AND I ALWAYS
APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU
DO.
I THINK BASICALLY WHAT WE ARE
LOOKING AT, TO ANSWER YOUR
QUESTION DIRECTLY, IT'S A
LITTLE BIT OF ALL OF THE ABOVE.
THE STRUCTURE OF THE PUBLIC
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ALLOWS
THE ENTITY TO TAKE TRANSFERS OF
PROPERTY FROM THE CITY, FROM
THE STATE, FROM THE COUNTY BUT
ALSO ALLOWS THE ORGANIZATION TO
RAISE FUNDS FROM PRIVATE
INVESTORS, FROM YOU KNOW,
PHILANTHROPY TO ACQUIRE
PROPERTY OUTRIGHT.
SO, WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IN
TERMS OF THE ORGANIZATION'S
COMMUNITY-BASED COUNSEL THAT
CAN EVALUATE OPPORTUNITIES,
WORK WITH FOLKS WHO ARE ALREADY
ON THE GROUND AND WHO HAVE
PROJECTS IN MIND, OR HAVE SPACE
NEEDS, THERE ARE SO MANY OF US
WHO ARE STRUGGLING JUST TO KEEP
OUR CULTURAL BUSINESS IS GOING
THIS IS BOTH NONPROFIT AND FOR-
PROFIT ENTERPRISES, SO THE
VISION IS FOR THOSE WHO ARE
ALREADY DOING THE WORK ON THE
GROUND TO IDENTIFY
OPPORTUNITIES TO SECURE
PROPERTY, OBTAIN PROPERTY, TO
EXPAND, TO PARTNER WITH OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS DOING WORK WITH
COMPLEMENTARY SPACE NEEDS, IN
ADVANCE LARGER GOALS OF THE
COMMUNITY THROUGH MEETING THEIR
SPACE NEEDS.
>> THIS IS CASSIE, I WOULD JUST
ADD, AND I WANT TO GIVE
APPRECIATION TO THE BUILD ARTS
BASE AND GOOD ABILITY, WE ARE
STARTING OUR THIRD YEAR, THIS
CUMULATIVE INCLUDES OVER 70
ARTISTS, ROOTED IN LACK AN
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE COMMUNITIES,
THEY'VE BEEN DIVING INTO ISSUES
RELATED TO KEEPING AND CREATING
CULTURAL SPACE WITHIN OUR
COMMUNITIES, AS WELL AS
SURFACING ALL OF THESE
OPPORTUNITIES, THEY WILL FORM
THE CONSTITUENCY BASE FOR THE
PBA TO HELP SURFACE ALL OF THE
OPPORTUNITIES AND THE IDEAS THAT
TIM MENTIONED, AS POTENTIAL
PROGRAMS AND PROPERTY
INVESTMENTS FOR THE PDA.
IT ANYWHERE RANGING FROM
TEMPORARY POP-UPS, WHICH WE KNOW
HAVE BEEN REALLY EXCITING TO
SEE WITHIN OUR CITY, TO
ACTIVATE SPACE, ALL THE WAY
THROUGH THE SPECTRUM OF
DEVELOPMENT TO SAY, QUARTER
DEVELOPMENTS, SO THERE'S A
WHOLE RANGE OF UP TO 90, REALLY
EXCITED TO USE COMMUNITY
EXPERTISE TO BE ABLE TO HELP
DIRECT AND PUT THINGS UP.
>> AMARI, IF I COULD JUST ADD A
COUPLE OF POINTS.
I THINK THAT THING FOR ME IS
THE FOCUS ON THE LAST WORDING,
PUBLIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.
AND IT IS THE AUTHORITY THAT
THIS CULTURAL SPACE AGENCY HAS
TO BE SELF-DETERMINED, AS IT
RELATES TO HOW THE CULTURAL
SPACES IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE
MANAGED, SECURED, AND CARED
FOR.
AND I THINK, IF WE THINK ABOUT
OTHER PUBLIC DEVELOPMENT
AUTHORITIES LIKE PIKE MARKET,
AND THERE'S ALSO PACIFIC TOWER
IS A PUBLIC DEVELOPMNT
AUTHORITY, THERE'S SKIP IN THE
DISTRICT THAT IS A PUBLIC
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, IT'S
EXACTLY WHAT WE NEEDED TO BE
SELF-GUIDED AND SELF-DIRECTED
BUT WITH AUTHORITY ALSO COMES
RESPONSIBILITY.
AND I THINK THAT THOSE TWO
THINGS ARE MOST IMPORTANT, PDAS
ALLOW US TO EXTEND RESOURCES AS
WE SEE FIT AND I THINK THAT IS
THE BIGGEST PIECE FOR ME,
AROUND, WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT
AMARI, I WOULD ADD TO THAT YOU
HEARD ME SAY BEFORE MAYORS COME
AND GO AND WE KNOW THAT'S EVEN
MORE TRUE THIS WEEK, AND WHAT
WE HAVE TO HAVE, IF YOU WANT TO
REPLACE SYSTEMS THAT ARE
INHERENTLY INEQUITABLE OR
RACIST, YOU HAVE TO REPLACE IT
WITH SYSTEMS THAT ARE DURABLE
AND EQUITABLE, AND AS LONG AS
THIS IS JUST IN A TASK FORCE
AND THINKING PHASE, THESE
PEOPLE HAVE IN WORKING ON THIS
FOR SO LONG, IT DOESN'T GIVE IT
DURABILITY BUT WHEN YOU CREATE
A PDA, INTEGRATE CREATES THAT
AUTHORITY JUST AS VIVIAN SAYS,
AND OUTLASTS WHOEVER THE MAYORS
OR COUNCILMEMBERS MAY BE.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DECIDED
WE WANT TO MAKE IT A PERMANENT
FEATURE OF OUR CITY AND OUR
VALUES, AND I THINK FOR THE
EVERYDAY PERSON THAT YOU ASKED
ABOUT, I THINK TIM SAID IT
WELL, ALL OF THE ABOVE.
IT'LL BE SUPPORTING THE ARTIST
THEMSELVES, IT'LL BE CREATING
SHARED SPACES, AND MOST
IMPORTANTLY, I THINK IT WILL BE
TAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ACTUAL
REAL ESTATE DEVOTED TO THIS IN
COMMUNITY HANDS FOR THE FUTURE
OF OUR CITY.
WE GREW WAY TOO FAST AND WAY
TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
DISPLACED FROM SEATTLE.
SEATTLE BECAME A PLACE OF THE
MOST AFFLUENT AND THE GREATER
AND GREATER DISPARITIES.
COVID PUT A QUICK BREAK ON
EVERYTHING.
NOW, AS WE ARE MOVING FORWARD,
WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES ON EVERY
FRONT TO THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE
MAKE SURE THAT IN THE NEXT
STAGES OF GROWTH AND RECOVERY,
THAT WE ARE DOING IT IN A WAY
THAT ACTUALLY ADVANCES EQUITY
AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR,
PARTICULARLY OUR BLACK
COMMUNITY IN THE CENTRAL
DISTRICT HAVE A PLACE FOR THEIR
FAMILIES AND THE CULTURAL
SPACES.
>> THANK YOU MAYOR, AND AMARI,
THANK YOU FOR THE KIND WORDS
AND AGAIN FOR THE WORK THAT YOU
DO.
TO PUT A COUPLE OF REALLY
SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS
IN REAL TIME IN THE CITY THAT
WE ARE THINKING ABOUT, ONE
THING I WOULD OFFER IS EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE WHICH IS
ONE OF THE STANDOUT PROGRAMS
I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF
ENGAGING WITH IN MY CAREER.
FUNDS, A NUMBER OF PROJECTS
EACH YEAR.
THE PDA COULD BE A PARTNER TO
HELPING ONE OR MORE OF THEM
ACTUALLY PUT TOGETHER THE REAL
ESTATE DEAL NECESSARY TO BRING
THEIR PROJECTS TO FRUITION.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE, OUR ALICE
OFFICE OF HOUSING DOES
INCREDIBLE WORK AND THERE ARE
DOZENS OF PROJECTS IN THE
PIPELINE, ALL OF WHICH WILL
HAVE GROUND FLOORS OF
COMMERCIAL SPACE, WHO, THE END-
USER IS YET UNKNOWN, COULD THE
PDA COME IN AND PURCHASE THOSE
GRAND FLOOR UNITS AND MAKE
AVAILABLE EITHER LONG-TERM
AFFORDABLE OR CONDO OR OWNERSHIP
OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL
BUSINESSES AND CULTURAL
INSTITUTIONS AND CREATE EITHER
LONG-TERM STABILITY OR LONG-TERM
OWNERSHIP CAPACITY OR LOCALLY
OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND ANOTHER IS, YOU KNOW, WE
HAVE CITIES, BUILDINGS THAT THE
CITY OWNS, AND WE COULD BE
TALKING ABOUT TRANSFER OF THOSE
PROPERTIES, LARGE AND SMALL,
AND WE COULD ALSO BE TALKING
ABOUT LONG-TERM LEASING OF
THOSE SPACES LIKE THE SECOND
FLOOR AT KING STRING STATION
BELOW THE OFFICE THAT WE JUST
CUT THE RIBBON ON LAST YEAR.
OR WE CAN BRING TOGETHER A
NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS WITH A
COMMON MISSION, TO MEET A
COMMUNITY NEED BY THE PBA MASS
RELEASING THAT FLOOR AND BEING
ABLE TO ALLOW COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS LONG-TERM
STABILITY AND RENT CONTROL IN A
SPACE LIKE THAT, SO THOSE ARE A
FEW TANGIBLE EXAMPLES OF WHERE
WE THINK THE PDA CAN SOLVE
PROBLEMS OR SEIZE OPPORTUNITIES
THAT EXIST RIGHT NOW IN THE
CITY.
>> THANK YOU RANDY AND THANK
YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR REPORT ON
THIS.
AMARI, YOU HAVE A FOLLOW-UP?
>> WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY
THAT I THINK IT'S GOOD THAT THE
CITY IS MOVING IN THIS DIRECTION
IT'S COMPRISED OF ARTISTS THAT
ARE OUT OF WORK AND THINGS LIKE
THAT, SO THIS IS DEFINITELY
GOOD NEWS COMING OUT OF THE
CITY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I'M
NOT SEEING ANY ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS OR HAND RAISED, THAT
CONCLUDES THE Q&A PORTION OF
TODAY'S CONFERENCE, MAYER OR
ANYONE ELSE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
SAY SOME CLOSING REMARKS?
>> I THINK MY CLOSING WORDS ARE
ALSO THANKS TO RANDY, IT IS
BITTERSWEET TO SEE HIM LEAVE
THE CITY, WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE
THE NEXT CHAPTER AND WE KNOW
HE'S NOT GOING AWAY BUT HIS
COMMITMENT TO THE ARTS, CULTURE
AND EQUITY IN THE CITY IS NOT
SURPASSED BY ANYONE, SO I JUST
WANT TO THANK YOU, RANDY, FOR
ALL YOUR ENERGY,'S FOR MAKING
SURE THAT YOU ARE EMPOWERING
COMMUNITY EVERY STEP OF THE
WAY.
EVERY CONVERSATION STARTS AT
THAT BASELEVEL, SO WE ARE GOING
TO MISS YOU AS A CITY EMPLOYEE,
I SEE MAYBE THREE PEOPLE ON THE
SCREEN THAT MIGHT BE THE NEXT
YOU, BUT, THANKS FOR ALL OF
YOUR WORK.
DON'T YOU BE TURNING AROUND,
TIM, OKAY VIVIAN, I SEE YOU
THERE.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR
WORK AND THANKS FOR ALL THE
YEARS OF LABOR THAT IT TOOK TO
GET HERE, WHEN YOU HEAR IT
DESCRIBED IT'S ALMOST LIKE
GIVING BIRTH TO A TEENAGER, AND
HERE WE GO
>> THANK YOU MAYOR AND THANK
YOU ALL FOR JOINING US TODAY,
THAT CONCLUDES TODAY'S PRESS
CONFERENCE.