Families from Seattle’s historic Jackson Place neighborhood and the greater Central District area will gather in a day filled with free art, live music and community building. The occasion; the Jackson Street Jam in Lavizzo Park celebrating the Central District’s rich history of jazz, funk, soul, and hip hop; much of which took place in the music clubs that used to line Jackson Street. Many of the musicians are still alive and active in our community- this event is to pay homage to their contributions in a family-festive environment.

In 2011 a coalition of community groups and businesses led by the Jackson Place Community Council collaborated to produce The Jackson Street Music History Project; part public art installation, youth education, and historic preservation of the black music tradition and culture in the Central District. Local students were matched with local artists to create four installations celebrating jazz, funk, soul/gospel, and hip hop on a vacant lot on Jackson Street.  A free opening celebration that June at Blanche Lavizzo Park brought together hundreds of CD residents to hear performances by some of the bands featured in the art installations. The event featured performances by bands from the Central District; Wheedle’s Groove, 206Zulu hip hop artists, and many other musicians. The Seattle Times published an article on the project and concert.

This success led to another public art program on Jackson Street in 2012 and yet another planned celebration of the cultural vitality of the Central District.  A Department of Neighborhoods Matching Fund Grant is funding the Jackson Street Mural Program; a series of music themed murals are being painted on Jackson Street businesses previously targeted by graffiti taggers.  Youth from the King County Juvenile Detention Center are working with professional muralists to complete the murals.  On July 7th Blanche Lavizzo Park will once again be host to a huge community building event and music concert featuring a wide array of talent from the CD.  The Office of Arts and Culture provided a smART grant and Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center is partnering with the JPCC to host the event.  This is another opportunity for youth and new residents to learn of and experience the rich tradition of music in the Central District.

from 1-7 PM. The afternoon will feature performances from funk/soul artists from the Wheedle’s Groove collective, a hip hop showcase from 206 Zulu Nation, DJ Seabefore, jazz musician Lance Randall, and local hip artist Amos Miller. Lavizzo Park is located half a block southwest from E. Yesler Way and 22nd Ave S. This event is free and open to all ages.

Performance Schedule:

1:00 PM Zulu DJs spinning funk, soul, and hip hop

1:30 PM Lance Randall Jazz

2:30 PM Amos Miller

3:30 PM Wheedle’s Groove!

5:00 PM 206 Zulu Nation Hip Hop showcase

With support by The Seattle Office of Arts and Culture, Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, Pratt Fine Arts Center, 206 Zulu, Jackson Place Community Council, Jackson Street Corridor Association, Low Income Housing Institute, Field Roast Company.

For more information visit:

www.jacksonplace.org/history

Facebook Event Page:

www.tinyurl.com/c2do4pa

Contact:

[email protected] and [email protected]

If you live, shop, work, or learn in the Jackson Place neighborhood please join us for our annual BBQ followed by our summer quarterly meeting. 

The BBQ begins at 6 PM at the Jackson Place Cohousing, 800 Hiawatha Place South.  Seattle Councilmember Sally Bagshaw will join us at 7 PM.  Lyle Bicknell from Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development will also have a short presentation on the I-90 light rail station planning, which will include a station between Rainier and 23 Ave on I-90.

We will also be hosting the 2012-13 JPCC Board elections during the meeting.

The JPCC Board and Casa Latina volunteers took a chance on the weather Saturday and painted two coats of sky blue on the NW Tofu Inc. restaurant.  The restaurant on 20th and Jackson has been victim of a rash of gang tags recently.  According to SPD beat patrol on Jackson St. the the restaurant has received a lot of graffiti from Rainier Beach gang members coming up to the CD to tag. 

NW Tofu Inc. is owned by a brother and sister who have developed a strong base of loyal customers over the years coming in for a dim sum lunch or to buy tofu and fresh soy milk.  They are committed to staying vigilant on the graffiti and are even talking to the muralist, Derke Wu, who painted the Pratt mural across the street about painting another mural on their business as a deterrent to less skilled taggers.

Who knows, maybe 20th and Jackson will become a urban public art gallery this summer.

DESC is planning to use the building at 1600 S. Lane St.  to be a Crisis Solution Center. Essentially that means it will be a facility for nonviolent adults in King County who are in psychiatric or substance abuse related crises. This place would be somewhere they could go for clinical stabilization in lieu of being jailed or spending time in a hospital.

There are three programs:

1. Crisis Diversion Facility that will hold people for 72 hours — there are 16 beds in this section

2. If people are homeless and need longer term support they move to the Crisis Interim Services that holds them for up to 2 weeks — there are 30 beds in this program.  

3. A mobile crisis team that goes out into the community to determine if a person is a good candidate to come to the center.

They plan on having a group of 85 health professional (social worker, behavioral/mental help, etc.) on site and about 8/9 administrative staff. There will be no security, but all of their employees will be trained.

How it works: Medic 1s or Police Officers from around King County assess people in substance abuse / psychiatric crisis when picked up and if they fit criteria, are transported by police car or ambulance to the Crisis Solution Center. Some folks may be handcuffed or strapped to gurneys, but all are there voluntarily admitted and are released when they request it. Otherwise if they are present in the program they are not allowed to leave the premise until their time is up, or they have found lasting support / housing.  A fence is planned for the front of the facility to block the sight of people being admitted.

There are very few centers like this across the country. DESC has expressed that they want to hear community concerns and would  make the changes unless they conflict with their mission. One thing that he expects is that the Project Manager they hope to hire December 1st will be participating regularly with the Jackson Place Community Council.

There will be a public meeting on Tuesday, November 9th at 6:30 PM and location TBD.

All residents of Jackson Place are welcome to come meet neighbors, learn about city and community issues, and organize to improve our community.  This quarter’s meeting is full of good topics. 

The Hiawatha Artist Lofts have generously provided their community room for the meeting.  The lofts are located at 843 Hiawatha Place, just of Rainier.  Deserts and refreshments are provided.

AGENDA:

1. New Co-chair introductions and review of our annual priorities and committees
2. Jackson St. Business Improvement Association proposal (karen Selander. Office of Economic Development)
3. New affordable housing project on 20th and Jackson and possible temporary community arts project (Michale Woo, LIHI)
4. DPD’s new tree ordinance (Brennon Straley, Department of Planning and Development)
5. Review of major initiatives on this November’s ballot (Halei Watkins, Win/Win Network)

Judkins Park- Park website

Romeo and Juliet, Friday the 16th at 7PM

As You Like It, Sunday the 18th at 7PM

http://www.greenstage.org/files/image/2010/2010summerprogram.pdf

2150 S Norman St, Seattle, Wa 98144 – MAP
Visitor Center 206-386-4236

We perform at the Amphitheater near the center of the park.

From Seattle Parks website: “Judkins is a multipurpose park corridor in the Central Area. Its six-block strip of green enlivens the Rainier Valley with picnic, play and sports areas – and with grass, grass, and more grass.”

Pratt Fine Arts is undertaking a mural project on the South wall of the Orange Studio building in an effort to beautify Pratt’s Jackson St. presence and they need your help! Spend two weeks working alongside artist Derek Wu and learn techniques in aerosol arts and  the creative process of the mural.  This would be a great opportunity to learn a variety of painting techniques from a seasoned graffiti artist who has worked around the country.

Contact Lily Hotchkiss, Youth Art Works Coordinator, with any questions [email protected] or 206-328-2200 x 224

Take a look at the mural mock up here.

http://www.centraldistrictnews.com/2010/07/15/curlove/pratt-jackson-st-mural/pratt_mural-mockup_web_02.jpg