• August 28
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• Tumwater

Diamonds in the Ether: Tuning In To Northwest Radio History

Look—and listen—back to the people, stations, and stories that made radio broadcasting a vital part of the culture of the Pacific Northwest. Innovations in technology, programming, and business as far back as the 1920s made radio in this remote corner a little bit different than the rest of the United States, and connected the people […]

• August 26
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• Shelton

The Pine and the Cherry: Japanese Americans in Washington

In the lead-up to World War II, Japantown in Seattle featured grocery stores, cafes, and native-language services, as well as labor and music clubs. Trading companies imported Japanese goods, and restaurants served the familiar sukiyaki, tofu, and miso soup. In Eastern Washington, Japanese farmers prospered. Then came Executive Order 9066. Those born in Japan, as […]

• August 21
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• Clarkston

The High Road: Fighting Selfishness through Dialogue

Many of us fall into habitual patterns of selfishness when speaking with others: interrupting, not listening, and constantly shifting the conversation to ourselves. Living in such a “me-centered” version of reality leaves little room to accommodate divergent perspectives. Dialogue is a special partnership–based on mutual respect–that that is the central method for discovering and exploring […]

• August 10
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• Curlew

What It Means to be Human: A Conversation About Our Origins

Deep caves, adorned with representations of long extinct animals and strewn with the ashy remains of ancient hearths and stone tools, are portals to knowledge of our selves. As more age-old dwellings and remains of our ancient inhabitants are discovered, the story of what it means to be human becomes more intriguing and complex. Author […]

• August 8
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• Friday Harbor

Sasquatch: Man-Ape or Myth?

Throughout the Northwest, people have been reporting encounters with the Sasquatch—a hairy, eight- to ten-foot-tall hominid—for hundreds of years. Yet aside from a collection of large footprint casts and a sizable assemblage of eyewitness accounts, some attributable to the earliest humans in the Northwest, no scientifically accepted evidence has been offered to establish this being’s […]

• August 7
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• Clarkston

Feminism and Popular Culture

Over the past few years, the question “Are you a feminist?” has become the new litmus test for young female celebrities. Their responses—which vary from Lady Gaga’s “I’m not a feminist. I hail men, I love men,” to Madonna’s “I’m not a feminist, I’m a humanist”—indicate a lack of clarity on what the term means, […]

• August 7
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• Burlington

Emerald Street: Race, Class, Culture, and the History of Hip Hop in the Northwest

From its beginnings in 1979, to Sir Mix-a-lot’s “Posse on Broadway,” to Macklemore, Northwest hip hop has been informed by local history as well as the diversity that defined the scene. Discover the history behind not only the Northwest’s Grammy-winning rappers, but its world champion break dance crew, its internationally read hip-hop magazine, the producers […]

• July 29
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• Everett

The Pine and the Cherry: Japanese Americans in Washington

In the lead-up to World War II, Japantown in Seattle featured grocery stores, cafes, and native-language services, as well as labor and music clubs. Trading companies imported Japanese goods, and restaurants served the familiar sukiyaki, tofu, and miso soup. In Eastern Washington, Japanese farmers prospered. Then came Executive Order 9066. Those born in Japan, as […]

• July 25
• |
• Des Moines

Emerald Street: Race, Class, Culture, and the History of Hip Hop in the Northwest

From its beginnings in 1979, to Sir Mix-a-lot’s “Posse on Broadway,” to Macklemore, Northwest hip hop has been informed by local history as well as the diversity that defined the scene. Discover the history behind not only the Northwest’s Grammy-winning rappers, but its world champion break dance crew, its internationally read hip-hop magazine, the producers […]

• July 25
• |
• Clallam Bay

Feminism and Popular Culture

Over the past few years, the question “Are you a feminist?” has become the new litmus test for young female celebrities. Their responses—which vary from Lady Gaga’s “I’m not a feminist. I hail men, I love men,” to Madonna’s “I’m not a feminist, I’m a humanist”—indicate a lack of clarity on what the term means, […]