Well, it is finally here!  The People’s Academy for Community Engagement (PACE) kicked off its second year on September 11. At this orientation, the 26 PACE participants were welcomed aboard by Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Director Bernie Matsuno, Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, and former DON Director, Jim Diers, as well as Neighborhood District Coordinators Thomas Whittemore, Christa Dumpys, and Ed Pottharst. 

PACE 2013-14 students

PACE is a civic leadership development program to build the skills of emerging community leaders in a multicultural participatory learning environment.  Over the next eight months, PACE participants will learn hands-on strategies in community organizing, community-building, neighborhood planning, leadership, and outreach. They will also collaborate on, design, and implement six community projects throughout Seattle. The first PACE session held on September 17 featured local community leaders from Columbia City – Ben Hunter, executive director of Community Arts Create and Vu Le, executive director of Vietnamese Friendship Association – who facilitated a discussion on different approaches to leadership.  We are looking forward to getting to know our new cohort this year and another fabulous year of engaging Seattle’s emerging leaders in their communities.