Behind the Lens at the Nation’s Capitol: January 6 2021

Since 2015, local photographer, Nate Gowdy has been working on a personal project to document the Trump era’s political campaigns and culture.  On January 6, 2021, he was in Washington DC to document the atmosphere around the Congressional confirmation of electoral votes for Rolling Stone.  The day was interrupted by a mob attack on the country’s capitol building.  Gowdy shared his experiences with KBCS’s Yuko Kodama within a week after the event.

(more…)

Traumatic Effects of the Buffalo Mass Shooting

KBCS reporter, Kevin P. Henry interviewed two, local, Black mental health counselors. They discuss how Black communities and communities of color can be emotionally impacted and traumatized in hearing about these racially motivated incidents. Find out how this may play out among friendships and co-workers, and some suggestions on how to help. (more…)

The Green Book Exhibit

The Washington State Historical Society hosts the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibit of the Negro Motorist Green Book Exhibit in partnership with the Black Historical Society of Washington State 

The Black Historical Society of Washington State and Washington State Historical Museum  hosts an Author Talk and Book Signing with Candacy Taylor, Leading Green Book Scholar and Cultural Documentarian accompanied by the African American Writers Alliance on May 19, 6-8 pm.

The interview announced an event to come at Wa Na Wari centered around the Green Book in Washington State.  You can for that on their site for information on upcoming events.

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women 3 – A Story of a Missing Mother

Carolyn DeFord is an enrolled Puyallup member and is from Nisqually and Cowlitz descendants. Her mother, Leona Lee Clare Kinsey has been missing for over 20 years. DeFord shares what she’s come away with from this tragedy with KBCS’s Yuko Kodama (more…)

Muslimahs Against Abuse Center

MAAC or Muslimahs Against Abuse Center is an organization dedicated to assisting victims of gender based violence.  Listen in on how this group can fill in spaces for those in need in our community. 

Other leaders to assist people who are going through domestic abuse are Somali Family Safety Task Force in Seattle’s Rainier Valley and Mother Africa in Kent.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, you can call, chat and text the National Domestic Violence Hotline 800.799.SAFE (7233).

Producer: Firdous Khezrian (Special thanks to the South Seattle Emerald for inspiration for this story)

Photo: courtesy of Rahma Rashid

The Power of the BTS/ARMY Relationship

BTS, the South Korean music group has taken the global music scene by storm, breaking records in numbers of albums sold and spun, twitter follows, number of fans, sold out concerts and much more. 

Their influence has been noted by many, including governmental officials who have tried to suppress BTS’s reach and image in public. This story looks at who they are, their work and social reach in partnership with their fanbase, ARMY.

Reuters graph of BTS/ARMY fundraising for Black Lives Matter

Producer: Yuko Kodama – special thanks to Sam Sullivan, Christine Marasigan, Nancy Yang, Candace Epps-Robertson, Laura Mundt, Angela Young and Sherry Lynn Reynolds Anderson

Photo: Ashley[epidemic]

Update from the Southern US Border

On the Ground in Poland to help Ukrainians Fleeing War

What’s happening on the ground in Poland where Ukrainians are fleeing to by the thousands? A local Sammamish resident and his brother are there to help.

Here is information on their project, Suitcases for Ukraine.

Producer: Yuko Kodama

Photo Credit: Lance and Thury Foster

In a Dense City Landscape, Can Trees and Development Coexist?

Supporting Families Through the Pandemic

Gerald Donaldson is a Family Support Worker at Leschi Elementary School in the Seattle Public School System. He assists families who need help, so the children at Leschi can thrive in school.

Donaldson describes the challenges through the pandemic (from our interview with him last spring), and gives a more recent update of where many of his families are in their support needs now.