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Assessing the state of Africatown amid rapid Central District redevelopment

k-wyking-garret

K. Wyking Garrett speaking during the Black Wall Street event. (Image: CHS)

In the struggle to forge a neighborhood identity in the same vein as the Chinatown/International District, Africatown has come to represent a movement as much as neighborhood — a movement to create more black institutions, businesses, and influence in the the Central District.

For K. Wyking Garrett, one of Africatown’s leading advocates, the question over Africatown’s struggle to establish itself gets to a much broader question.

“It’s like asking ‘why is it that African identity and contributions to America and the world aren’t lifted up and valued?’” Garett said. “It seems that many people brought their identity from their mother country into the Americas, but there was an erasure when it comes to Africans that were brought here.”

Garrett will be discussing that and more during the third annual State of Africatown event on Saturday afternoon at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center at 17th and E Yesler.

Africatown has made some promising strides over the past year.

The Africatown Center for Innovation and Education, cofounded by Garrett, finally found a home at MLK Jr. Way and S Alaska. In November, the center received an honorary award at the Annual Human Rights Day Celebration. A cultural district designation for the area is also in the works at City Hall and a new tech incubator initiative called Hack the CD launched this past summer.

Along with his father, fellow Africatown activist Omari Garrett, Wyking was also cofounder of the Umoja P.E.A.C.E. Center at 23rd and Spring. Addressing the “educational crisis” among African American students in Seattle Public Schools is central to the mission of Umoja and Africatown Center. The organizations spend much of their resources on offering a variety of after school programs and activities.

Both institutions have also been integral to promoting Africatown and the primary force behind the fight for a more Afro-centric neighborhood in the CD. It’s a fight that has come up against some major road blocks. For one, the CD’s rapidly chaining demographics. While the soul of Seattle’s African American community may still hover around 23rd and Union, the heart beats further south. By some estimates, Central District property could be less than 10% black within a decade.

Africatown activists have occasionally butted heads with the City and neighbors. In 1985, Omari Garrett was part of a group that occupied a Seattle school to advocate for an African-focused museum in the Central District. His efforts eventually lead to the creation of the Northwest African American Museum.

It wouldn’t be the last time Garrett made headlines through occupying a school building. In 2013, both father and son were part of a group that occupied the Horace Mann building in hopes of establishing a permanent home for the Africatown Center, prior to its move to Rainier Ave.

As Garrett sees it, new development has conspired with the demographic shifts to push black families out of the area. Garrett grew up just a few blocks from the Midtown Center property at 23rd and Union. In June, the entire city block went up for sale. The future of what happens there will be crucial to defining the area, and Garrett knows it.

(Image: Kidder Matthews)

(Image: Kidder Mathews)

Last year, Garrett was joined by Dr. Sharon Sutton from the University of Washington School of Architecture to present ideas for a “Black Wall Street” at the property. Dr. Sutton’s undergraduate architecture class was tasked with considering how to reestablish African identity in light of the gentrification happening across the city within the confines of the original architectural plans of 23rd and Union.

Property owner Tom Bangasser said he is open to working with the community, but community groups may soon have to convince a new owner.

Beyond the Midtown property, the area around 23rd and Union has seen some dramatic changes in recent years. The arrival of Uncle Ike’s has been a flashpoint among some in the African American community, who say a legal pot shop on that particular corner is a slap in the face to the many people of color who have been arrested over the years for illegally selling marijuana at the same location. Uncle Ike’s is a CHS advertiser.

On the horizon? Seattle real estate development giant Vulcan is eyeing 23rd and Jackson for its next big investment.

In an effort to help ensure Africatown/Central District continues to be fertile grounds for creativity, City Council members are is currently working to create a Central Area Arts and Cultural District. The designation comes with a $50,000 dollar grant, in addition to a “Creative Placemaking Toolkit,” which includes of a number of mechanisms and programs that can be implemented. The designation legislation is now working its way through City Council.

“I think there’s positive momentum and people are starting to see this is a opportunity for not just one community but all communities to benefit,” Garrett said. “Africatown is about maintaining and developing the beauty and brilliance of the Africa diaspora so that it can be shared with Seattle as a whole.”

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RWK
RWK
8 years ago

I’m not so sure it’s development/gentrification and/or demographic shifts which are “pushing” black families out of the CD (that word implies there is some kind of conspiracy). This exodus has been going on for years, well before the redevelopment wave we are currently experiencing. I think it has more to do with the relentless increase in property values throughout the city, and that some black property owners have taken advantage of that and moved elsewhere.

jack
jack
8 years ago
Reply to  RWK

Or can’t afford the new higher taxes.

Titop42
Titop42
8 years ago
Reply to  jack

Is there any actual evidence of long time residents “forced out” due to increased property taxes? I’ve lived in CD for nearly 15 years. Of the dozens of African – American homeowners I know who’ve sold their houses – a few moved to suburbs (w/ comparable tax rates) and every other case involved an elderly resident moving to senior housing by necessity (or passing away & their children selling the house). Reality is the tax bill on a long-owned him wo/ major renovations would’ve increased about $100 a month at the high end over past 15 yrs. Not saying that doesn’t make a difference, but unlikely that would be reason someone sells house. (Plus there are prop tax discounts for seniors). I’m not discounting the broader issues, but Ive seen little evidence of home owners being “forced” out, rather not being replaced by younger generation of African American home owners when they chose to sell homes or pass away

Greg M
Greg M
8 years ago
Reply to  Titop42

$100/month for 15 years is an increase of $18000.

CD_Dave
CD_Dave
8 years ago
Reply to  Greg M

A very small increase when you consider the increase in property values over the same period. A large increase when you consider the value you would get in return for the $18k the way the city and county spend it.

Titop42
Titop42
8 years ago
Reply to  Greg M

Umm, no! Your math is way off. $100 a month is the rough total difference from 2000 prop tax and 2015 prop tax. Assuming increases have been fairly steady that’s about a $6.50 monthly increase each year. 15 year total is about $8600

shamwow
shamwow
8 years ago
Reply to  Titop42

did you forget about the black renters that have been pushed out?

Ryan on Summit
Ryan on Summit
8 years ago
Reply to  RWK

Bob, you are adorable. I wish I was so blissfully naive as to be blind to the impact of racially motivated zoning decisions that have been in place for decades.

Also, what do you imagine to be the impact of the gap in home loan approval rates between black applicants and white applicants?

THT
THT
8 years ago
Reply to  Ryan on Summit

But Bob does contribute to the discussion without being a condescending jackass. Unlike you.

bb
bb
8 years ago
Reply to  THT

spot on.

Tom
Tom
8 years ago
Reply to  THT

Kind of like Ben Carson?

H Wilson
H Wilson
8 years ago

I salute Mr. Garrett and others working on the Africatown project. While the rapid pace of development won’t likely be slowed, a voice for cultural preservation and ongoing vibrancy of an African American presence (including business and property owners) in the central district is necessary and raises all boats.

Observer
Observer
8 years ago
Reply to  H Wilson

I’m with you. The creative efforts of Wyking, David, and many others to not only preserve and restore a strong black community but also make the central district attractive to new investment by black entrepreneurs, artists, and families is invaluable.

Naarrp
Naarrp
8 years ago
Reply to  Observer

I disagree. I’ve lived a block away from the Umojafest Peace garbage dump for a few years.

Omari Garrett is a mooching menace and an aggressively racist kook.

Remember when he confronted the guy outside Liberty Bank and ranted in his face about Asians and yadda-yadda?

And apparently everyone has forgotten that when they took over the Mann school there were threats of a sniper and explosives, before arrests were made and they got cleared out.

Naarrp
Naarrp
8 years ago
Reply to  Naarrp

link to the video of Omari’s angry racism in action. The guy has been demonstrably violent and unstable for years and years in the CD.

bb
bb
8 years ago
Reply to  Naarrp

Not to mention his assault of Paul Schell, mayor of our city with a bullhorn along with a litany of other offenses.

https://africatown.wordpress.com/2013/11/25/activist-arrested-in-schell-assault-has-used-violence-before/

Paul on Bellevue
Paul on Bellevue
8 years ago
Reply to  Naarrp

Isn’t this the guy who hit Paul Schell with a bullhorn years ago?

Paul on Bellevue
Paul on Bellevue
8 years ago

Whoops, missed the most recent comment. Yup, I thought I recognized the name.

dog walker
dog walker
8 years ago

I think there are many factors that play into the rapidly changing dynamics of the central area. To say that Blacks are being systematically pushed out is a little unfair. I bought my house here in the CD in ’85 when the “white flight” was underway. Being white, I was not exactly welcomed with open arms. But over the years my Black neighbors and I become close friends. MY Black
neighbors next door and the two houses across the street have since passed-on or moved onto nursing facilities. In all three cases the children have chosen to sell and move on. I hope that the Mid-towne Center can survive as a center for the Black communtiy, but other than the Garretts, where are the supporters? Come on guys, time is running out.

Naarrp
Naarrp
8 years ago
Reply to  dog walker

Right now the Mid-Towne Center is being supported by the drug dealers who hang out there all day and night.

Have you seen the shrine/graffitti expo they’ve established near the old post office, apparently to honor one of their dead homies?

Johnny88
Johnny88
8 years ago

Sounds like a big blaw, blaw, blaw to me.

Cordelia
Cordelia
8 years ago

Is there anyone other that Omari (and now his son) who promotes the Africatown idea or designation? If so, who?

The AA museum was a long time ago but I recall – correct me if I’m wrong – that Omari was booted from involvement with that project. Or am I thinking of someone else? I’d love to get behind some of these ideas but with the figurehead being a violent and very vocally racist person, it’s difficult.

yippie
yippie
8 years ago

“Creative Placemaking Toolkit” – Orwell would be proud.

daleallen
daleallen
8 years ago

I read the article about Africatown and the Garretts.If the leaders of the Africatown movment are really serious about stopping gentrification,the let them become the owners of property that goes up for sale.As for the complaint about Uncle Ikes pot shop “being a slap in the face”of people of color,no.When pot was totally illegal you knew that if you got caught selling you would pay the price.Neighborhoods change you can’t stop that.