King County Reparations Project Screening on Thursday 6/20/24

I joined the King County Reparations Project team back in the Fall of 2023. Led by the Black Dollar Days Task Force, this documentary and community education project explores housing discrimination and displacement in Seattle’s Central District and South End from the 1950s to today. I helped bring the project to life with my colleagues at Cascade PBS Creative Works and this week we are finally ready to show our proof-of-concept film.

The film explores five policy category areas that have been used to discriminatorily gentrify Seattle’s South End over the years:

• Redlining, bank redlining

• Subprime Lending 

• Imminent Domain , Urban Renewal, "Teen Dance Ordinance"

• Weed & Seed - Abatement Laws

• Regressive Tax Policy in State of WA

This is a true passion project that has to potential to inspire immense and overdue positive community impact. I have never been so proud to be part o something. With this proof-of-concept, we hope to raise funds to continue filming and develop a five-part docu-series exploring each category more in-depth— further capturing the width breadth of displacement stories of Black families and businesses in Seattle.

Following the film screening will be a panel discussion on the policy areas, making of the film, and our pursuit of reparations. Featured on the panel will be:

• John Houston, Community Member & Activist 

• Angela Moorer, KCRP Director, Cascade PBS Creative Works

• Larry Gossett, Former Member of the King County Council

• Stephanie Johnson-Toliver, Black Heritage Society

• Rev. Carl Livingston, Seattle Central College

Screening admission is free but pre-registration is requested. Register here.

Watch a trailer of the film below and learn more at kingcountyrp.org.