May 1, 2019 The Skanner Portland & Seattle Page 5
News
Events & Announcements
Community
Calendar 2019
cont’d from pg 4
Seattle Metro
FRIDAY, MAY 3
SEATTLE ART MUSEUM TEEN NIGHT OUT: Enjoy a night at the mu-
seum featuring live music, art tours, and hands-on workshops
at the Seattle Art Museum. This event is for youths ages 19 and
under. Free, 7 p.m. - 10 p.m., Seattle Art Museum, 1300 1st Ave.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 8
PHOTO BY SUSAN FRIED
THE DETENTION LOTTERY: AN IMMERSIVE THEATER EXPERIENCE:
‘The Detention Lottery’ is a play based on the actual experiences
of immigration lawyers in Seattle. Organizers will randomly se-
lect audience members to take part in the performance and role
play as detainees and their loved ones. A discussion and Q&A
will follow the play. Free (register online), 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.,
Temple Beth Am, 2632 Northeast 80th Street.
SATURDAY, MAY 4
NAAM Youth Curators
Akilah Franklin talks about the experience she had being involved in the 2019 Dr. Carver Gayton Youth Curators program during the
celebration of the completion of their project April 27 at the museum. This year’s program explored the legacy of Jimi Hendrix, to
coincide with the Northwest African American Museums exhibition entitled “Bold as Love: Jimi Hendrix at Home.” The youth worked on
a project called “Scuse Me, Do You Know Jimi” where they created a public service announcement about the legacy of Jimi Hendrix in
Seattle. The eight curators earned school service hours and a stipend.
Briefs cont’d from pg 4
PHOTO COURTESY: PELLE CASS
Pelle Cass Exhibits Crowded Fields at
Camerawork Gallery
Pelle Cass presents “Crowded Fields,” a series of composite
photographs that mash hours of action into a single photograph.
The Camerawork Gallery will showcase Pelle Cass’
Crowded Fields exhibit beginning May 4.
Crowded Fields is a collection of composite photo-
graphs capturing athletic competition across a spec-
trum of sports including tennis, basketball, softball,
lacrosse, hockey and more.
Pelle Cass is a photographer from Brookline, Mas-
sachusetts. Cass’ work is in the collections of the Fogg
Art Museum, the Addison Gallery of American Art,
the Polaroid Collection, the DeCordova Museum, the
Peabody Essex Museum, the MFA, Houston and oth-
ers.
The exhibit will run from May 4 through May 31.
Camerawork Gallery is located at   301 N. Graham
Street. Learn more about the Camerawork Gallery at
https://thecameraworkgallery.org/.
Seattle News Briefs
City Council
Confirms Mariko
Lockhart as
Permanent
Director of the
Seattle Office for
Civil Rights
Mayor Jenny A. Durkan
issued the following
statement on the 8-0 vote
Mariko Lockhart
by the City Council to
confirm Mariko Lock-
hart, her nominee to serve as the permanent director
of the Seattle Office for Civil Rights (SOCR):
“Mariko has built a career around promoting equi-
ty and will continue to do this for the people of Seat-
tle. Under her leadership, the Seattle Office for Civil
Rights has made critical contributions to ensuring
civil rights and advancing race and social justice
in our work at the City,” said Mayor Durkan. “With
Mariko leading SOCR, I am confident that the City
will continue to center the voices of the most vulner-
able and expand opportunities for all.” 
“It is truly a privilege to be confirmed today as Di-
rector of the Seattle Office for Civil Rights by the Seat-
tle City Council. After 16 months serving in an inter-
im capacity, I’ve been humbled by the scope and scale
of the charge of the department. The team at SOCR
has inspired me with their creativity, skills, and com-
mitment to anti-racist values and civil rights,” said
Lockhart. “Moving forward, I plan to strengthen re-
lationships with and seek from guidance from com-
munity partners as SOCR develops our strategic plan
and implements any future changes.”
Mayor Durkan Announces
City of Seattle’s New “Renting
in Seattle” Program Providing
Centralized Resources for Renters
and Landlords
Renting in Seattle includes a new plain language website, 
www.seattle.gov/rentinginseattle
Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced the official
launch of the City of Seattle’s new “Renting in Seat-
tle” program, a centralized resource for renters and
landlords to find information, services, and help
with navigating the rules and regulations of renting
in the City of Seattle. This follows the passage of two
pieces of historic eviction prevention legislation by
the Washington State Legislature that allow tenants
14 days (instead of 3) to catch up on late rent before
losing their homes, allow eviction court judges to use
discretion and consider extenuating circumstanc-
es such as job loss or hospitalization, expand a mit-
igation fund to ensure landlords receive judgement
payments promptly while giving tenants more time
to pay, and limit the attorney fees tenants can be re-
quired to pay. An additional bill provides more notice
of rent increases by requiring 60 days’ notice of rent
increases instead of 30.  
Historically, rental housing resources were spread
across several City departments and various com-
CINCO DE MAYO CELEBRATION: El Centro de la Raza is hosting its
annual Cinco de Mayo party featuring traditional cuisine, a pa-
rade, outdoor market, performances and live music throughout
the event. Free, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Centilia Cultural Center at El
Centro de la Raza, 660 South Roberto Maestas Festival Street.
munity partners, making it challenging for people to
identify where to find help. After deep consultation
across departments, and with community, SDCI iden-
tified the need for a dedicated, centralized resource.
Renting in Seattle consolidates information incor-
porating direct outreach and education to advance
awareness of the City’s rental regulations. 
  The Seattle Department of Construction and In-
spections is now partnering with the Seattle Office
for Civil Rights (SOCR) offering quarterly trainings,
referrals, and technical assistance to tenants and
landlords about their fair housing rights and obliga-
tions under City laws. SOCR remains the enforcement
agency of the City’s expansive housing discrimina-
tion laws. Renters may experience housing discrim-
ination while seeking assistance with rental regula-
tions, and landlords might have questions about how
to comply with the rental regulations while trying to
develop a reasonable accommodation policy. This ap-
proach creates better alignment for both tenants and
landlords accessing Seattle’s rental laws.  
Renting in Seattle includes a new plain language
website,  www.seattle.gov/rentinginseattle, that or-
ganizes information on laws, tips, and resources,
across various stages of the renting experience. The
City has added a dedicated helpline at (206)-684-5700
to connect renters and landlords to information and
resources and to take complaints about problems in
rental housing.  
The Renting in Seattle program is:  
Administering more than $600,000 in grants to
community partners who provide assistance to rent-
ers such as education, counseling, and legal services
for eviction defense.  
Expanding capacity with outreach efforts to help
renters and landlords understand their rights and
responsibilities. Over 50 outreach and educational
events are planned for 2019. 
Partnering with Seattle Housing Authority (SHA)
to attend their weekly Housing Choice Voucher pro-
gram (Section 8) orientations to bring vulnerable and
low-income  renters  information about the program
as they begin to look for housing.   
Using social media and advertising to distribute in-
formation, including a 30-second video for both land-
lords and tenants narrated in 13 languages.  
The program recognizes that landlords, particu-
larly small landlords, have a vital role in preserving
affordable rental housing in Seattle.  A portion of
the website is written specifically to a landlord audi-
ence, providing information, best practices, and tips.
Renting in Seattle is providing quarterly trainings to
help landlords understand Seattle’s laws. Landlords
and property managers are also encouraged to call
the helpline with questions and guidance on how to
navigate complex situations. Enhancing the rental
relationship through education of both landlords and
tenants about their mutual rights and responsibili-
ties is an important goal of the program.