Yesler2014 Teens Present at Great Cities Initiative Brown Bag at GGLO!

Seattle Housing Authority Helps Get Yesler2014 Started!

In its third year, the Yesler2014 Summer Youth Program was a presenter at the Great Cities Initiative's Brown Bag Lunch Presentations, facilitated by Diana Vinn and Nate Cormier. A big thanks to Yesler2014 summer staff Cynthia Padilla for setting this up and making what we feel was an historic presentation for the Yesler youth!

SHA's Al Levine, Anne Fiske-Zuniga, Brian Sullivan, and Brett Houghton were present to help introduce, support, and listen to the youth's summer activities. It was a great opportunity for the youth, as well as a wonderful chance for the local planning, design, and architect professionals to see that Yesler is producing some highly talented, engaged, and diverse future professionals!

Presenters covered their summer program outline, some basics of the planning process at Yesler, and the most important element for the summer; The EIS and its importance at the Yesler Terrace Redevelopment this year.

Teens provided some insight into their thoughts about redevelopment, conceptual ideas and designs about what they would like to see at Yesler, as well as some personal feedback about their experience with the program. It was motivating to see many of the youth who were challenged with the program to standout and take the lead during this groundbreaking program presentation.

A Great 2010 Summer Program COMPLETED!

Thanks to Great Cities and GGLO for a FANTASTIC opportunity to have the Yesler2014 youth present their ideas and work in front of Seattle Housing Authority, industry professionals, and each other! It was a very proud moment for the staff, and those who attended.

Yesler2014 Big Day at GGLO!

Next Brown Bag: Yesler2014 - Youth and the Redevelopment of Yesler Terrace

Where: GGLO Space at the Steps, 1301 First Ave., Level A
Date: Thursday, August 26, 2010
Time: 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm
Enter through door located about 1/4 of the way down the Harbor Steps (click for map)


The Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) is currently working on its plans to redevelop Yesler Terrace, a public housing community located south of Harborview Medical Center and east of Pioneer Square along Yesler Way. The redevelopment of Yesler Terrace is now in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process.
This presentation will focus on Yesler2014, a cooperative effort between SHA and Creatives4Community (C4C), a non-profit organization whose objective is to provide youth with a wide range of skills to impact and improve their local communities. The Yesler2014 program consists of 12 teens who reside in Yesler Terrace. The youth, guided by the counseling of C4C staff, spent several weeks during the summer examining Yesler Terrace's redevelopment and understanding the proposed schemes and process. This year's focus for the program is two-fold: understanding the EIS process and examining open space. This presentation, led primarily by the youth, will summarize what they've learned, including some preliminary design and visioning ideas by the youth in addition to a summary of additional spaces, places, and organizations throughout Seattle that Yesler2014 has visited for inspiration.

Presenters - C4C Staff:

Edward Hill is the founding director of C4C. He has worked locally and nationally to influence local green policies and practices, and to help drive cultural and ethnic diversification of urban agriculture, urban planning and community food systems development in the Northwest. Hill is completing his Masters in Urban Planning & Design at UW's College of Built Environment and has a Bachelors in Urban Studies and Education. He is currently managing 60 youth and 14 staff in four programs, providing an introduction to urban agriculture and urban ecology as well as stewarding over 6 acres of urban land.

With a team of other planning, design, and educational professionals, Hill started a successful urban sustainability certification program called GroundUp Organics, and has helped broker community land use agreements with local agencies for increased composting and food production in Seattle.

Heather McKee is the project lead for Yesler2014. Heather graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Community, Environment and Planning. Throughout high school until the present she has been focused on community engagement through the arts and education. She started working at Yesler with the Youth Tutoring Program three years ago and this is her second summer with Yesler2014.

Daniel Kastoryanoe, a staff counselor for Yesler2014, grew up in Geneva, Switzerland. He has worked with teens in a variety of countries and settings, as a facilitator for training peer health educators in Mali, and as a member of outreach teams working with behaviorally-challenged adolescents in Worcester, Massachusetts and in Geneva. In 2010, Daniel earned a Masters of Urban Planning degree from the University of Washington, with a focus on stormwater management, decisions-making hierarchies, community outreach, and hazard mitigation. Aside from his experience in the field of planning, he has experience in marketing, transportation planning, and international microfinance. Daniel believes that when working with adolescents, there is never a dull day, which is what makes such work extremely interesting.

Cynthia Padilla is a staff counselor for Yesler2014 and a registered architect with 12 years of experience in the Philadelphia area. She has recently earned a Master of Urban Planning with a Certificate in Urban Design from the University of Washington, and is currently a principle partner in a small Seattle area planning and design firm. Although this is her first year as a Yesler2014 counselor, Cynthia has extensive experience with youth through mentoring students in architecture/urban design in addition to several years of coaching soccer, basketball, and softball.

Mary Roderick is pursuing an Interdisciplinary PhD in Urban Planning and Design at the University of Washington. After careers in literacy education and non-profit management, followed by IT development and consulting in Germany, she returned to the US to advocate socially-oriented and ecologically-sensitive planning. She provided staff support and content development for Yesler 2014, and is currently a staff counselor for the organization.

Presenters - C4C Youth:
Jamila Abdi, Madrona K-8, 8th grade
Najma Abdirahman, Ingraham High School, 10th grade
Abdulahi Adan, Roosevelt High School, 12th grade
Zemzem Ahmed, Garfield High School, 10th grade
Kalkidan Bedada, Garfield High School, 10th grade
Andrea Brown, Garfield High School, 9th grade
Nelley Dorbor, Seattle Central, 2nd year
Nimo Farrah, Nathan Hale High School, graduate
Fatuma Mahmud, Garfield High School, 9th grade
Guadalupe Ordonez, Garfield High School, 10th grade
Edgar Rivas, Garfield High School, 10th grade
Maria Delos Angeles Rivas-Garcia, South Seattle Middle College

To become a member of Great City, see our website for member levels and methods of payment. We appreciate your support!

		About Great City We are environmentalists, neighborhood leaders, business people, and citizens working together to enhance our quality of life, help preserve our region’s natural beauty, and make Seattle a model of economic and environmental sustainability. Great City P.O. Box 599, Seattle, WA 98111-599 www.greatcity.org www.facebook.com/greatcity

2010 Yesler2014 is Making a Plan! Youth Reporting in Seattle!

Yesler2014 Team with Architect Brian Sullivan, AIA LEEP AP

Yesler2014 Team for 2010 Takes On the EIS Process!!

We are 4 weeks into the Yesler2014 Summer Program for 2010 and things are starting to take shape.

This year's program is focusing on the EIS: Environmental Impact Statement, and Yesler2014, now in it's third year, is deep in the tours, site visits, community interactions, and design concept query.

The material this year is dense to say the least. It is well known that the layers of knowledge required to understand even the basics of the EIS process is challenging. These 12 High School students currently residing in Yesler Terrace are the third class of summer interns learning some of the foundational principals of urban planning, design, architecture, and community building. 

Using materials developed from Youth Planning Network affiliates, partners, and programs, the Yesler2014 Program is working to build youth leadership and participation in civics, local government process, and urban redevelopment.

Open Space, Closed Space. Inside Private, Outside Public. Transition spaces, hybrid spaces, and multi-use spaces. How much space is enough? How does income and class come into play when considering design? 

There are District Energy discussions, environmental considerations, and concerns about equity, balance of uses, and a slew of questions yet to be answered about this historically rich neighborhood.

Here are updates via our documentary team sponsors: http://www.pugetsoundoff.org/blog/king/12290 

Keep up with our updates and stick with us, Yesler2014 is going places! 

It Happened on Yesler's Hill (part 2 of 2)

It Happened on Yesler's Hill (part 1 of 2)

Yesler 2014 is in 3rd Year!!

JOIN US!!! VIDEO PRODUCTION! CITY TOURS! STIPEND! BUILDING COMMUNITY!!

Yesler Terrace is in the early stages of a historic redevelopment. The community is in the process of facing the most major changes since Yesler was built in 1939-1941. To prepare for these changes SHA and its community partners have committed to develop training, education, and career path opportunities for its youth and young adult residents.

The Yesler2014 Project is a hands-on youth planning engagement project connecting teens and young-adults to civics, urban planning, design, and pre-professional experiences using the current Yesler Terrace Redevelopment as a way to examine how personal, family, and community changes affect our lives and the City at-large.

The Yesler2014 Project provides stipend positions to 12 Yesler community youth aged 14-19 years old and uses “Pop Culture”, news headlines, social and economic issues, and social networking to spark ideas, commentary, and engagement around the redevelopment process.

The program focus is on direct teaching, hands-on activities, and discussions around issues concerning urban planning, urban design, public health, and city government and civics as they impact or affect Yesler Terrace and the surrounding community.

Yesler 2014 in its 3rd Year!

This year the program is focusing on the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), a critical part of any planning process and important to development or building projects. This summer youth will be visiting City Departments and talking to specialists, getting to know the workings of the EIS process, touring parks, streets, open spaces, high-rise buildings, construction sites, and design studios.

Yesler2014 is in its 3rd year of operation and the project goals to provide youth employment as well as job development training, is continuing to focus on life-skills improvement, professional and vocational career exposure, and a face-to-face with leaders in civics and community-capacity building.

“See - Think - Engage - Plan -Talk - Act”

Everyone participating in Yesler2014; staff, interns, and contractors, prepare themselves for a future of engaged citizenship, productive employment and academic opportunities, increased personal integrity, and an environmental awareness to tackle the challenges that lay ahead as we help build an equitable, healthy neighborhood for the residents, the City of Seattle and beyond.

COMMUNITY CHALLENGE!!!!

Reduce Waste and Win!
Approximately 200 tons of garbage are collected from Seattle households every day – the equivalent of 50 elephants! Much of this garbage could have been recycled, or better yet, not created in the first place.

To promote community-wide waste reduction, CleanScapes is piloting a Neighborhood Waste Reduction Rewards program in central Seattle. (See map for pilot project neighborhoods.)

Does your neighborhood need public benches, a pocket park, an information kiosk, public art or other improvements? Team up with your neighbors to reduce waste and win a $50,000 community improvement project selected by the community and installed and maintained by CleanScapes, the City-contracted garbage and recycling service in central Seattle.

To win, simply reduce the amount of garbage, recycling and yard waste set out for collection by households in your neighborhood collection area. The neighborhood with the greatest percentage reduction between Fall 2009 and Spring 2010 wins. Community councils representing the winning area will choose a community improvement project from a list of options worth $50,000. The winning area will be selected in early spring 2010, so spread the word and reduce waste now!

How to Win:
1. Find your neighborhood collection area.

2. Stop waste before it happens:
REDUCE purchases of disposable items
REUSE or DONATE products you already have
COMPOST at home

3. Get the word out and start organizing your neighborhood!

Visit www.cleanscapes.com for more ideas on how to reduce waste and win.

Candy Castellanos
Waste Diversion Project Manager
CleanScapes, Inc.
5939 4th Ave S
Seattle, WA 98108
www.cleanscapes.com

Please don't print this e-mail unless it's necessary

Announcement: The Freedom School

AFSC & People's Institute NW bring you the 2009 Winter:

Tyree Scott Winter Freedom School
December 28-30, 2009
10am to 4pm @ Cannon House
113 23rd Ave S
Seattle, WA 98144-2384

Why are people poor?
Why are so many ?people of color? in prison?
Why do our schools teach us lies?
Know your rights with the police.
Organize against racism...and much more!

Freedom School is for youth ages 15-21 to learn about racism and organize to undo it.

We take field trips around the city, learn anti-racist community organizing skills, and listen to community elders.

We learn about why people are poor and break down the education system, the media, and the criminal justice system.

We come together to create change and share culture.

To participate in the Freedom School, fill out the attached APPLICATION and mail to the address on the application by
*** DECEMBER 10, 2009! ****

Questions? Call or email Dustin Washington 206-632-0500 x 14 or dwashington@afsc.org or John Page at 206-250-7737.

GREEN EXPO in Georgetwon!! October 9th....

Save the Date!!!

Green Expo at Georgetown Campus
Friday, October 9

Greetings PSIEC Coalition Members -

Join OSPI Superintendent Randy Dorn, electric car owners, biofuel
experts, Cool Schools and your colleagues at the second annual Green
Industrial Business and Career Expo, Friday October 9, at South Seattle
Community College's Georgetown Campus.

To Register Click
Here<http://cmpgnr.com/r.html?c=1525202&r=1523861&t=1777315801&l=1&d=91206989&u=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2eregonline%2ecom%2fCheckin%2easp%3fEventId%3d760139&g=0&f=-1>

Learn more: go to the Expo web site at www.greenexpo-wa.com

I look forward to seeing you at the event.

Joe Hauth
Director, Puget Sound Industrial Excellence Center

Georgetown Campus, South Seattle Community College
6737 Corson Avenue South
Seattle, WA 98108
(206) 764-5838
http://georgetown.southseattle.edu/

STOP METRO REDUCTIONS/SHOW UP!

ANNOUNCEMENT - ALERT
BRING A PLAN! BRING YOUR VOICE!

----From CCEJ!
Please consider attending King County's Public Transit Forum next Wednesday
evening at the Rainier Vista Boys and Girls Club, 4520 Martin Luther King Jr
Way S, reception at 6 pm, program at 6:30. This video is the County's official
public invitation, with a fairly objective presentation of what they intend to
say. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuYavsoq90A

Environmental Justice organizations elsewhere, especially in Los Angeles and
Atlanta, have identified access to public transit as an issue of Environmental
Justice.

While CCEJ has focused on other issues here, the same questions arise
in this case:

• How fairly will the cuts be distributed?
• Will Metro try harder to retain the rich suburban riders from Redmond than they do the poor urban and suburban people from Seattle and South King County?
• Will their slick new Light Rail train displace the neighborhood service that poor people need to get around?

Please attend this forum and voice your own questions and concerns.
Thanks!
Jonathan Betz-Zall, CCEJ Board Member

Housing Levy Support Needs Your Help!!!

A message to all members of Seattle Network, or Folks who would be if you knew about us...

Hi Great City supporters,

I’m writing to let you know about an upcoming phone banking event on behalf of the Yes on Prop 1 campaign (aka the Housing Levy). The event runs from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm and is being hosted at GGLO on September 23rd at 5:00 (tomorrow evening). This is a great cause, so please help spread the word!

Event Details:

GGLO
1301 First Ave, Suite 301
GGLO Harbor Steps (enter through door located about ¼ of the way down the Harbor Steps)
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

If you can help out, please RSVP with Pricilla:
priscilla@yesforhomes.org
206.307.9252

Thanks,

Paul Chasan

Information about the Housing Levy follows:

VOTE YES! ON PROP 1 TO RENEW THE HOUSING LEVY!

For 28 years, the Seattle voters have provided a critical housing safety net for thousands of our city's most vulnerable through the Housing Levy. Your vote to renew the Housing Levy will:
Provide 1,850 affordable homes serving thousands of families and individuals over the next 50 years.

Continue to help our most vulnerable neighbors including seniors, people with disabilities, victims of domestic violence and working families.

Prevent over 3,000 families and individuals from becoming homeless and get them back on their feet for the long term.

Build on a successful investment that creates over 4,000 jobs and brings in additional funds to our community.

Visit Seattle Network at: http://seattlegreatcitynetwork.ning.com

--
To control which emails you receive on Seattle Network, go to:
http://seattlegreatcitynetwork.ning.com/profiles/profile/emailSettings

Youth Charette Hits Mark

Youth engaged in planning, education, and leadership at Yesler Terrace.

The Yesler 2014 summer teen team hit it big at their "Yes for the Best & Nothing Less!" community charette event! Held at the Yesler Terrace Community Center on August 13th, the 8-teen team activated their training, experience, and committment to do their best at the event.

Seattle Housing Authority provided the food, fruit, and water...(no high frutose, soda, or cookies allowed). And a range of city partners on the project provided interactive information tables from their respective departments.

Seattle Department of Transportation Director Grace Crunican surprised the teens and staff with working the SDOT booth herself handing out bike maps, safety info, coloring books, crayons, and advise on the upcoming Seattle streetcar project.

Mark Troxel from Planning and Development answered Center City questions and introduced kids to green building and design process. It is a hard topic to translate into fun but Mark made it fun, entertaining at times, and added his wit to the event. Vince Lyons from the Design Review Program showed up also and was excited about the impact of the program. Martha got grilled on design process and she shot back with "How can we influence how the redevelopment looks on the outside? What about signage?"

Attendance was good with about 35 youth under 10 years old and about 15 teens between 13 and 19. It was thought that events in the future should have more "entertainment" with local performers covering topics like social, economic, and environmental equity and equality. The pizza was great, but some of the more costier "draws" for teens could not happen this time. Yesler 2014 teens are preparing for a food summit event in October and are planning to make sure they have more "Bang"!

A report of their findings and design suggestions will be submitted to the SHA Board of Commimssioners and SHA/CollinsWoerman staff in October for inclusion in any public record opinion on the upcoming redevelopment.

The teens did an exemplary job and their plans and ideas helped to make this event a success!

YT2014 Summer 2009: Youth Mind on Design

Welcome Back for 2009!

The Yesler2014 program applications are being moved around the neighborhood and teens from 15 to 19 years old are responding to the call for participants. This year is all about DESIGN. "Youth Mind on Design" is the program theme and we are looking forward to starting on Monday July 6th.

The program was given some energy when two staff members went to the American Planning Association Conference in Minneapolis in April to meet and absorb information on the front-lines of planning and youth engagement programs around the country.

Workshops and Speaker Sessions with representatives from Growing Power in Milwaukee, WI, AIA Youth Design Program, and others.

Our program this year is linking with other teen and young adult training programs being started through partnerships between Seattle Housing Authority and community partners centered around "Green" job development, training, and entrepreneur incubation.

Look forward soon to updates and exciting details!!!

First Lady Michelle Obama Goes Urban Gardening

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/white_house_garden

WASHINGTON – The White House is getting a new garden.

First lady Michelle Obama is scheduled to break ground Friday on a new garden near the fountain on the South Lawn that will supply the White House kitchen.

The Planning - Step 2

The past few weeks have been focused on refining the curriculum that was formalized by Marcia Arunga from Arunga & Associates.

Her work with the project last year gave it its necessary guidance on the mother-teacher analysis and process. Marcia balanced the planners, architect, and social services angles that were at the table and what came out of it was a great pilot project and the opportunity to stabilize the program at Yesler Terrace for at least five years is fantastic.


The inclusion of University of Washington and Seattle University students with experience (and some without) working in minority and marginalized communities is going to be in interesting learning experience, however it will also improve staff process, ensure team teaching at all times, and free-up the site manager and supervisor (new positions this year) for administration and community/schedule coordination.

Some of the staff from last year will be back this year, and we are also only recruiting from Yesler Terrace youth this year to refine and build a community youth leadership core for summer youth leader positions next year and so on...

This years focus is on design. The consulting firm, Collins-Woerman, that is developing the Yesler Terrace alternative site concepts will be the lesson tools to guide the teens through design planning, site planning, model building, community engagement, and design considerations. Though these are professional level skills development, this was found to be a way to empower teens with an understanding of government process, rights, responsibilities, and ways to explain and see more clearly what the source and meaning of the change going on around them.

This year the activities will be more hands-on and less talky. Last year we talked too much, there wasn;t enough outside time, old school design time, talking and reflection, survey and recording of their voice. That also is one of the areas of change this year.

Environmental Racism from the Top

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson -- Lisa Jackson, the first African American administrator of the EPA, will appear today on the Tavis Smiley broadcast and explain her views on environmental racism.

http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/archive/200903/20090317.html (Link for more information)
http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/broadcast/ (Link to check for
local listing schedule)

2009 Summer Project is a GO!!

2009 is ON!

After months of negotiation the 2009 Yesler 2014 Program has been approved and budgeted for funding from the Seattle Housing Authority's Executive Board!!!

This years program will begin recruiting in April and applications will be posted at the Yesler Terrace Management Office as well as the Community Center.

This year's program will focus on DESIGN. This means that focus will be placed on community assessment, skills development around design, drawing, model building, and assessing, planning, and learning the tool required for the design process.

This year the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), Department of Planning and Development (DPD), Seattle University, University of Washington, the Urban Land Institute (ULI), American Planning Association (APA), and DK Architects will be working with Creative Community Builders, LLC to make this year better, more engaging, and enjoyable for all that participate.

There are only 8 positions this year for new enrollees, but there are two Intern spots for older teens to work and learn management skills!!

We are excited and look forward to getting the process started for recruitment.

Changes in the Hood': ID 2030 Presentation!!

Anticipating significant zoning changes to South Downtown the International District community produced a plan to guide and shape growth, ID Vision 2030.

Please join us at GGLO on March 12 for a brownbag lunch presentation on ID Vision 2030 by Tom Im, hosted by Seattle Great City Initiative.

Tom Im has been a community organizer and planner for InterIm Community Development Association in the ID for the last 11 years.

-------------------------------
Find details here
Time: March 12, 2009 from 12pm to 1:30pm
Location: GGLO Harbor Steps
Street: 1301 First Ave – Enter at GGLO Level A-off of the steps.
Event Type: brown, bag, lunch

SE Community Event!

We are excited to discuss the Transit Oriented Communities Bill HB 1490 with you and hear your ideas. Here’s the proposed agenda for tomorrow’s meeting. We are looking forward to a productive discussion. If you need to reach me tomorrow, my cell phone is 206-619-3903

Agenda

2:00 pm – Welcome and introductions
2:10 - 2:30 pm -Transit Oriented Communities HB 1490: An overview
2:30 – 3:15pm – Discussion and feedback – Addressing community ideas and concerns about the bill
3:15 pm – Next steps
3:30 pm - Adjourn

Thank you for giving up your Saturday afternoon to be with us!

Details:
WHEN: February 14, 2:00 - 3:30 pm
WHERE: Rainier Vista Center, WAMU Room, 4410 29th Ave South, Seattle, WA 98108

Light refreshments will be provided.

Thanks
Shefali and the staff at Transportation Choices Coalition and Futurewise

Shefali Ranganathan
Director of Education and OutreachTransportation Choices Coalition
Phone: 206-329-2336; Fax: 206-329-2705www.transportationchoices.org