The skanner., June 08, 2011, Image 21

www . theskaNNer . COm
J uNe 8, 2011
s eattle , w a
V Olume XXXIII, N O . 32
25
CeNts
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Car n
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C hallenging P eoPle to S haPe a B etter F uture n ow
folklife gospel
Course
explores
Identity
UW students look at
mixed cultural
heritage, histories
By Laurel christensen
uW news Lab
Photo By susan frIed
I
the rev. allen a. Belton joined members of the total experience Choir, university Presbyterian Gospel Choir, wings of
Grace, the Oliver Family Generation of Faith and several other gospel groups in the grand finale of the gospel show,
monday, may 30, at the 40th annual Northwest Folklife Festival. the four-day festival featured a wide array of music,
dance and the arts representing a variety of cultures.
washington to add New District
Commission considers citizen needs in deciding congressional lines
By Brian stimson
of The Skanner News
W
ashington State will
soon be getting a new
representative
in
Congress.
Every 10 years after a US
Census, the Washington State
Redistricting Commission is
charged with the task of making
sure congressional districts are
equally distributed. In the last
10 years, the state has gained
nearly 1 million new residents.
Commission Chair Lura
Powell, Ph.D., said commis-
sioners must balance a number
of different factors in reworking
the congressional map – from
demographics, to maintaining
“communities of interest” (more
on this later), to geography, to
the wants and needs of con-
stituents.
“All input is taken into
account,” she said.
And that’s why it’s more
important than ever for your
voice – and your community’s
voice – to be heard. Powell says
it’s important to know where
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communities lie, so they aren’t
inadvertently broken up when
district lines are moved around.
Many of these communities –
sometimes called communities
of interest – are not as obvious
as a township or county line.
They may neighborhood associ-
ations or areas connected by
shared culture, economic inter-
est or history.
The commission is made up of
two Democratic and two
Republican appointees, as well
as the nonpartisan, nonvoting
chair. For any plan to be
approved, three of them must
decide that is fair enough for
either party.
Powell, who is a non-voting
member of the commission,
says that there really is no way
of telling where the new con-
gressional district will be
squeezed into the map. While it
might seem obvious to some
that the urban areas of the state
– which have seen the most
growth over the decade – would
receive the new district, Powell
says it could be a big new dis-
see dIstrIct on page 3
n a new course offered this year at the
University of Washington, students
spent three quarters exploring the issues
surrounding people of mixed-heritage,
which can include anything from interracial
relationships, families and experiences to
transracial adoptees, multiethnic back-
grounds, and diverse cultural histories.
Intergenerational roots: A Mixed Heritage
Family Oral History Project was a 1-credit,
independent study course offered through
the University of Washington’s school of
social work that asked students from a vari-
ety of backgrounds to discuss what it means
to be of mixed heritage and how best to
bring what they learned to the community.
“We’re not film or art students,” said
Gabbie Duncalf, an undergraduate student
in the course all three quarters. “We come
from so many different disciplines: Social
Work, Communications, Scandinavian
Studies, Museology, etc.—but we’re mak-
ing a film and an exhibit even though a lot
of us haven’t done this sort of thing before,
and it’s really exciting.”
Designed to span three quarters, the
course was largely student driven, incorpo-
rating multiple graduate and undergraduate
perspectives into a discourse about the oral
histories of underrepresented communities.
The course culminated Thursday, June 2
at The Ethnic Cultural Center in the
Udistrict,SP with an interactive community
event showcasing the students’ work this
quarter. Installations in the lobby invited
attendees to tell their own stories and actors
from Memory War Theater performed
Below U.S. – a dramatic play that depicts
the “hybrid identity” of people involved in
multi-cultural environments. The event also
featured a partial screening of the class’
still-in-progress documentary, “Beyond the
Spiel,” leaving time afterward for feedback
from the audience.
see course on page 3
City Builds low-Income housing for Youth
Homeless, former foster children will receive support to age 25
T
he Low Income Housing Institute is
developing 50 units of housing in the
University District for formerly
homeless youth and those transitioning out
of foster care. A new home for the
University District Food Bank will be locat-
ed on the first floor. LIHI recently pur-
chased the 13,600 S.F. site located at 5019
Roosevelt Way N.E., which is next door to
the University Branch Library.
Runberg Architecture Group will design
the four-story building where residents, age
18 to 25, will receive support to finish their
education and pursue employment. LIHI
will partner with two experienced non-prof-
it service providers, YouthCare and Sound
Mental Health, to provide counseling,
employment services and other supportive
services.
“The studios will be 425 square feet and
will provide a safe home for a population
that in many cases has been abused, neg-
lected or abandoned,” stated LIHI
Executive Director Sharon Lee.
The University District Food Bank has
been searching for a new home as it has out-
grown its existing space. “We are excited to
partner with LIHI on this important proj-
see youth on page 3