Jamaar Smiley, Spoken Word Artist, Poet, Educator and Author

On January 25, 2020, current and past residents of Seattle’s Central District neighborhood gathered at Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute to share their stories on how the African-American community has been impacted by the drastic changes in the Central District and how the loss of community and culture has affected their lives.

The event was hosted by Central District Forum for Arts & Ideas, Northwest African American Museum, New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, and Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. Seven City of Seattle department directors were in attendance to listen to and engage with the community.

Watch a video of the event below: