“If it were not for our community being self-managed, and maintaining the same rent since inception, there would be no way I could afford to live in this area.” That’s the happy situation of Peggy Searce, a 71-year-old retired nurse and resident of Hidden Village. A community of homes, not…
Posts published in “Issue: January 2021”
Our theme for January picked up on a statement by James Baldwin: “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” It seemed to us facing a few big things in 2021 could be the first step toward changing them. We made a “to do” list.
The City of Olympia gave developers millions in property tax exemptions ♦ Remember when Trump said he could shoot someone in downtown New York and nothing would happen? ♦ Speaking of investigations ♦ A Police Department at risk! ♦ Another arrest
An aspect of becoming radicalized that I think is under attended to is the grief that, for some, comes with it. As I learned more of history, more of the theory, more of the experiences of people who have the least to gain from our system, the more I had…
WIP has received a grant designated for including book reviews in 2021. How will it work? Each month we’ll publish a list of books we’d like to see reviewed. If you’re interested in reading and writing a review of one of the books, contact us at olywip@gmail.com. We will buy…
We see that sparks of hope are igniting against this war which is the same around the world. From distant geographies we turn toward each other, toward the struggle for life, which forms a language through which we recognize one another. From all of us at School for Chiapas, we…
We are here for each other Contributions from local donors allowed Olympia’s Sustaining fund to award generous grants to two projects that address food needs. The Winter Grant Cycle for the Community Sustaining Fund of Thurston County (CSF) was special this year. In addition to funds received through the “Round…
If there is anything that COVID-19 has shown us, it’s that building real-world models that allow everyone to thrive via strong community safety nets is imperative in an economy that requires human beings to properly function.
The real work It’s November 7, and Joseph Biden is projected to become the 46th president of the United States. The day has been an emotional roller coaster, as I reconcile my relief, jubilation, and disbelief: Donald Trump’s presidency is coming to an end. The sensation is palpable. I feel…
Working with couples who are at odds brings into clearer, sharper relief the existential struggle to have a dialogue outside the framework of “The Argument Culture” which is all over Cable News, Fox, and everywhere. In the Argument Culture, no one wins; there’s no person-to-person affirmation; no genuine affection building…
First elect progressives, then hold them accountable At our house, we’ve been watching cooking shows to help us weather the pandemic. My recent favorite actually involved very little cooking, however. The cook. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. forgot about her “salmon-cream-pasta situation” as she broke down what ordinary people need to know as…
POINT OF VIEW Advocates with Washington Community Action Network (CAN) gathered in Olympia on December 9 to mourn the lives of incarcerated people lost to COVID–19, and to raise awareness for prison reform. Noreen Light, a local activist whose son has been in prison for the last 18 years, said…
In her diary, Nurse T. offers a first person account of working in a public hospital as the initial wave of coronavirus swept through NYC. The diary describes the personal, physical and emotional toll on the staff as they face overwhelming conditions each day.
Rachid Benkhalti was born in Marrakesh, Morocco, on September 4, 1955. He passed away at home in Olympia on November 27, 2020. We have lost a great soul, father, brother, uncle, and so much more. Rachid was a man of great spirit, with a ready smile and generosity.
Last issue, we listed some citizen initiatives that would have contributed to more stable and healthy lives for families and communities. We went back to see which ones won and which ones lost: Housing San Franciscans notched up the tax on real estate transfers to put money into affordable housing,…
Dan Leahy The Small Business Administration (SBA) has released names of entities awarded Paycheck Protection Program forgivable loans of less than $150,000 under the CARES Act. In Olympia, 1,680 entities received these loans. The chart shows only the 115 recipients of loans above $100,000. These 115 loans totaled $14,321,642. The…
I hate to spell out gloom and doom, but the fact is that the presidential election demonstrated how politically dangerous is the situation in the United States. Sure, we succeeded in voting Donald Trump out of office (though at the time of writing he’s trying to avoid leaving), but only…
California’s Mulford Act prohibited anyone outside of law enforcement officers (and others explicitly authorized to do so) from carrying loaded firearms in public. It was enacted largely in response to the militant activities of the Black Panther Party.
The very phrase “American Dream” comes from [the Great Depression], and was coined in 1931 by historian James Truslow Adams in his book, The Epic of America.
Donald Trump loves executive orders as a tool of dictatorial power, avoiding the need to work through Congress. But that works both ways, making it relatively easy for President Biden to reverse many of Trump’s most disastrous decisions. Here are ten things Biden can do as soon as he takes…
This fall, Capital High School’s Climate Club proposed a “climate fiction” challenge for local students. Club VP Karina Greenlee said they had invited students to paint their vision of the world in the context of climate change. Published here are two of many "Cli-Fi" stories submitted.
Your first breath took mine away.
Stories of Resilience: Graduate Micro-Business Showcase ♦ Annual Arab Festival for online viewing ♦ Leonor R. Fuller Gallery Postcard Exhibition ♦ FairVote Washington ♦ Regional Housing Action Plan Forum ♦ Glen’s Parallax Perspectives ♦ Educate, Agitate, Organize ♦ Thurston County Food Bank