Catch Up on Our Community Interviews

We've had the great privilege of interviewing several people from the greater Seattle area doing important and interesting social justice work for our newsletter this year. If you've missed any of them, we encourage you to read the interviews on our blog to learn more about their work and how to support them.

Dr. Tanmeet Sethi

Tanmeet is an integrative medicine doctor and author of the book, Joy is My Justice. She spoke with us about how her son's fatal medical diagnosis led her to question the nature of happiness, and ultimately to a deep understanding of joy. Dr. Sethi invites us to learn more why joy is so important, especially when the world feels hard. She explains, "The practice of joy is reclaiming how to be safe in a moment, even when the world is not safe."

Jo Cosme

Jo is an artist from Puerto Rico who invites us to reflect on how we view colonized lands as tourism destinations, and to question who "paradise" is really for. Her art installations span multiple mediums, from lenticular prints to interactive board games, aiming to both educate and convey the weight of colonialism. She asks, "Why does the native population of a place never get to call or see it that way [paradise]?"

Estella Ortega

Estella is Director of El Centro de la Raza, which translates to "The Center for People of All Races." She walks us through the organization's history, from its origins to today, where it serves over 20,000 individuals a year across approximately 43 programs ranging from emergency human services to affordable housing. Estella reminds us of the vital role community plays in creating lasting change, "In terms of organizing, no one person or group of people is going to do it alone. You have to have community support...That old saying that it takes a village? Well, certainly that's what it does."

Kade Krichko

Kade is a journalist, founder of Ori Magazine, a "travel magazine with a conscience," and Executive Director of Ori Artists Collective. He works to amplify stories told by people rooted in their own communities from around the world. Their nonprofit arm is currently piloting a journalism program with students at Garfield High School. Kade explains, "I think it helps to...show them that their stories matter…things that they have been curious about for a long time but hadn't had time to dive into in their own backyards. Not only is that valid, that is something other people want to know about."

We are excited to bring you more stories from our extended community. If you know of a person or organization doing important social justice work in your community, we would love to hear about it! Please contact Judy at judy.lee@culturesconnecting.com!