Author Archives: Zachary DeWolf

About Zachary DeWolf

Zachary (Pullin) DeWolf is the President of the Capitol Hill Community Council and serves with many organizations that challenge inequity, and pursue justice and opportunity for marginalized people. He contributes a monthly column highlighting topics of vital interest to our community and neighbors. Twitter @zacharybob and on Facebook @zdewolf

Hill Wonk | Listening at the Capitol Hill Community Council Winter Open House

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We’ve asked Zachary (Pullin) DeWolf, Vice President of the Capitol Hill Community Council, to contribute to CHS about community civics and politics on a monthly basis. If you’re an expert and want to share with the community in a recurring CHS column, we’d like to hear from you.

Like so many in our neighborhood and across the country, I sat at home watching the live feed of St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch deliver the reasoning behind the grand jury’s decision not to indict police officer Darren Wilson in the murder of  unarmed teenager, Michael Brown.

The news compelled people to do something, to speak out, and to implore us all to listen. In these moments, we are challenged to truly understand that a more complex reality exists. We are challenged to listen rather than default to putting our own lens and experience before others.

The Capitol Hill Community Council Winter Open House is Thursday starting at 6:30 PM in the Cal Anderson Shelterhouse -- CHS wrote here about the party and chance to talk with city officials about Capitol Hill issues

The Capitol Hill Community Council Winter Open House is Thursday starting at 6:30 PM in the Cal Anderson Shelterhouse — CHS wrote here about the party and chance to talk with city officials about Capitol Hill issues

When we allow our hurt to deafen our ears to the hurt of others, we are invited to maintain perspective and recognize our hurt relative to that of others. Fundamentally, we desire validation, and when we hurt we want someone to notice, and to listen. Listening is a critical point of orientation in a world of possibility because listening that results in hearing is possible when we aren’t most in love with our voice over any other.

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Hill Wonk | Geography — and affordability — defines community of place

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We’ve asked Zachary (Pullin) DeWolf, Vice President of the Capitol Hill Community Council, to contribute to CHS about community civics and politics on a semi-regular basis. If you’re an expert and want to share with the community in a recurring CHS column, we’d like to hear from you.

550190_10151496017543696_1846920479_nThe historic draw of Capitol Hill, its evolution into the nucleus of LGBTQ culture, is rooted in its mantle as a neighborhood that families moved away from. Housing was affordable, LGBTQ services were convenient, and jobs in downtown Seattle were close-by. Recently, however, our neighborhood is known for its skyrocketing rents, displacement of longtime residents, a sanitized culture, and rapid development.

When urban areas and inner-cities are “rediscovered,” with their high walkability and mixed-use development, naturally the complex and challenging conversation comes back to gentrification. Many Seattle neighborhoods see gentrification evolve over decades, framed as the revitalization of neighborhoods. On the exterior, it is positive, rapid growth meeting the demands of substantial population surge.

But, one person’s view of our neighborhood as revitalized may be another person’s characterization of our neighborhood as gentrified. Frankly, revitalization, reinvestment, or renewal of a neighborhood is not inherently bad, but unchecked gentrification challenges us to reflect on how our role in gentrifying a neighborhood transforms it, detrimentally.

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Hill Wonk | Community — and curiosity — reason enough to vote

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We’ve asked Zachary (Pullin) DeWolf, Vice President of the Capitol Hill Community Council, to contribute to CHS about community civics and politics on a semi-regular basis. If you’re an expert and want to share with the community in a recurring CHS column, we’d like to hear from you. This is his first post for CHS.

550190_10151496017543696_1846920479_nIn the August 2014 primary, roughly 29% of registered voters in our legislative district actually voted. It troubles me that a majority of people — especially registered voters — apparently have no motivation to vote.

As an enrolled member of the Chippewa Cree tribe of Rocky Boy, Montana, I’m only the second generation with the right to vote. In 1924, Native peoples were granted citizenship, but in many states — including Washington — keeping Native people from voting persisted. Barriers to voting included: culture tests, unreachable polling places, and registrars unwilling to accept voter registration of Native peoples. In our state, the phrase “Indians not taxed,” in Article 1 of the Constitution, justified the exclusion of Native peoples from voting until the Supreme Court ruled that all Native people could vote, in 1948.

When we don’t appreciate the power of our vote, the history of voting, and the impact voting has on real people and neighbors in our community, only 29% of us turn out to vote. Continue reading →