Pioneer Square is the historic heart of the Seattle. Long before the city was founded, this area was home to Dzizdilalich, a Coast Salish village where the Suquamish, Duwamish, and Muckleshoot peoples gathered to trade, socialize, and harvest shellfish. From Ballast Island to present-day Chief Seattle Club, Native people have… [ Keep reading ]
Churches play a critical role in the story of Black Seattle. They are places of worship, community gathering spaces, organizing hubs, and cultural anchors through decades of change and displacement. In recognition of this significant history, the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods launched Black Sanctuaries in Motion, a multimedia storytelling project… [ Keep reading ]
Stanley Tsao joined the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods staff as the Community Liaison Program Manager in April 2019. However, prior to officially joining the staff, he served as a Community Liaison himself, supporting various projects in multiple City departments. Stanley grew up in Hong Kong and moved to Vancouver, Canada… [ Keep reading ]
Award Nomination Form | Mẫu Đơn Đề Cử Giải Thưởng | 獎提名表 | 奖提名表 |Pormularyo ng Nominasyon | Formulario de nominación para el Premio | Foomka Magacaabista Abaalmarinta | On May 2, the Department of Neighborhoods (DON) kicked off a yearlong celebration to mark our 35th Anniversary. The recognition began… [ Keep reading ]
We recently connected with Joselynn Tokashiki, manager of the Heron’s Nest, to learn about the project, how it has been supported by the Food Equity Fund, and the important role food plays in building community and connecting to the land. About Heron’s Nest The Heron’s Nest is a 3.56-acre land care project and community hub in the West Duwamish Greenbelt that preserves… [ Keep reading ]
On Saturday, March 21, people of Seattle gathered in South Park for the first Best Day Ever event, a day of service, storytelling, shared meals, and community connection co-created by the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods and the Seattle Chamber of Connection and local partner Cultivate South Park. Best Day Ever is a community-powered celebration designed to strengthen civic belonging while spotlighting the people,… [ Keep reading ]
This story originally appeared as an opinion piece in the NW Asian Weekly. by Linda Li, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Community Liaison Traveling has always been my greatest passion. In November 2025, I visited Lugu Lake in southwest China, home to the Mosuo people and their centuries-old matrilineal culture. Surrounded… [ Keep reading ]
We connected with Karen Ko, a Lions Club member and coordinator for the Seattle Sensory Garden, a project supported by the Neighborhood Matching Fund to learn about the origins of the garden, how Small Sparks grants aided the process, and why community-led projects are so important right now. Can you… [ Keep reading ]
“Fighting the Flames of NIMBYism since 1970” Submitted by Environmental Works Seattle in the late 1960s was a city in transition. It was grappling with the Vietnam War, civil rights struggles, environmental degradation, and economic instability after Boeing layoffs. Plans for new freeways threatened to fracture established neighborhoods, older buildings… [ Keep reading ]
On Saturday, March 21, people of Seattle gathered in South Park for the first Best Day Ever event, a day of service, storytelling, shared meals, and community connection co-created by the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods and the Seattle Chamber of Connection and local partner Cultivate South Park. Best Day Ever is a community-powered celebration designed to strengthen civic belonging while spotlighting the people,… [ Keep reading ]
