It’s a part of the community that can bring people together The Olympia-Rafah Mural is more than a big, pretty tree on the side of a building in downtown Olympia, Washington. Much more. Each leaf on that huge olive tree was created for an organization or individual to speak out…
Posts published by “Desdra Dawning”
An olive branch for peace: First in a series Desdra Dawning Did you know that in the very heart of Olympia, Washington lives an olive tree of peace and justice, whose branches reach out to us, growing leaves as diverse and colorful as the world in which we live? Did…
Kyle Taylor Lucas offers a Native perspective, government experience, and unflagging dedication Desdra Dawning Kyle Taylor Lucas is running to retain her seat as a Council Member for the City of Tumwater. Having seven months ago been unanimously appointed to a vacant seat, she is now hoping to secure her…
For the past 18 years at the Olympia Procession of the Species, we animals have been silent witness to the joyful exuberance of our human counterparts. So very many of you—of all ages—have come together in playful abundance, animating the Community Studios, up to your elbows in multi-colored batik dyes,…
The Procession of the Species, a yearly, dearly-loved event that happens in tandem with Earth Day and Arts Walk, has many supporters in the Olympia community. At The Evergreen State College, educators Cynthia Kennedy and Terry Setter are integrating it into their class, Awakening the Dreamer. They recently asked…
I would like to apologize to Works In Progress readers for an incorrect statement I made in the article “The Truth About GMOs”, published in the February online version of WiP. In my list of what we know about GMO’s I made the following statement: “The USDA Organic label ensures that the…
As an integral part of Olympia’s celebration of Earth Day, it has a very “fragile” life The Procession of the Species, Olympia’s yearly one-of-a-kind celebration of the natural world, held in conjunction with Earth Day and Arts Walk, is in preparation for its 19th year of both joyful revelry and…
I recently saw a photo of a little girl holding a sign protesting the presence of GMO’s in her food supply. It said “I am not a science experiment.” The next thought I had was, “well, unless we totally feed ourselves from what we grow and raise at our…
Homelessness in America, these days, comes dressed with many different faces, and the stories of how those brothers and sisters of ours ended up on the streets, are rich, poignant, and broad in scope. The stories that follow go further yet. They speak not only to how a couple of…