>>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
THE MAY 25th, 2022 MEETING OF
THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,
TECHNOLOGY AND CITY LIGHT
COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BEGIN.
IT IS 9:30 IN THE MORNING.
I AM SARA NELSON, CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM THE
OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ON THEIR 2021 RACE AND SOCIAL
JUSTICE INITIATIVE
ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
BEFORE WE TAKE ROLL, I WOULD
LIKE TO NOTE THAT VICE CHAIR AND
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ HAS BEEN
EXCUSED FROM THIS MEETING.
WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE?
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> PRESENT.
CHAIR SEVEN
>> PRESENT.
WE WILL MAKE SURE WE ANNOUNCE
WHEN COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD WILL
JOIN US.
OKAY, NOW WOULD BE THE TIME FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT NO ONE
SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
>> IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION,
THE AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED.
AND I SEE NO OBJECTION.
ALL RIGHT, SO MOVING RIGHT
ALONG, WE ARE NOW READY TO
PROCEED TO OUR ITEMS OF
BUSINESS.
TODAY WE WILL BE JOINED BY THE
OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
INTERIM DIRECTOR MARKHAM
McINTYRE AND HIS TEAM TO
PRESENT THEIR RSJI
ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR 2021.
I WILL LEAVE IT TO INTERIM
DIRECTOR MARKHAM McINTYRE TO
INTRODUCE HIMSELF AND THE OTHER
MEMBERS THAT WILL BE PRESENTING
.
>> THANKS, COUNCILMEMBER NELSON.
PHILLIP SIT WILL DRIVE OUR
POWERPOINT.
PHILIP, IF YOU COULD LOAD THAT
UP, WE WILL GET GOING.
BEAUTIFUL.
THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.
HAPPY WEDNESDAY.
MY NAME IS MARKHAM McINTYRE AND
I IN THE INTERIM DIRECTOR FOR
THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER NELSON
TO SHARE THIS PRESENTATION WITH
YOU.
THIS IS MY FIRST PRESENTATION
TO COMMITTEE SINCE STEPPING
INTO THE ROLE 12 WEEKS AGO, SO
I AM VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE
AND THANKS TO COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT AND STRAUSS FOR JOINING
US THIS MORNING.
TODAY WE WILL PRESENT TO YOU
OUR RACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
INITIATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
FROM 2021.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO
ALSO IS START WITH A WHO WE ARE
AND WHAT WE DO TO GIVE YOU A
SENSE OF HOW OED IS CHANGING
UNDER MAYOR HAROLD'S NEW
ADMINISTRATION AS WELL AS THE
CHANGING ECONOMIC CONDITIONS.
SO, WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO DO
AND WHO ARE WE TRYING TO
BECOME?
THEN WE WILL TALK ABOUT HOW
RACIAL EQUITY AND HOW OUR RSJI
PRINCIPLES RELATE TO ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, A LITTLE AND HOW
WE ARE PUTTING THIS INTO ACTION
AND TALK ABOUT OUR COMMITMENTS
FOR THE FUTURE.
I WILL START OFF BY GIVING YOU
THE PREAMBLE AND I WILL
INTRODUCE OUR TEAM MEMBERS TO
TALK ABOUT OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
OVER THE LAST YEAR.
I WILL NOTE THAT WHILE WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT THE RACIAL EQUITY
TOOLKITS, WE WILL TALK MORE
BROADLY ABOUT OUR COVID
RESPONSE AND HOW RACIAL EQUITY
WAS A KEY PART IN HOW WE DROVE
SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS.
IT IS A LITTLE MORE BROAD THAN
WHAT WE WERE TASKED TO DO, BUT
YOU WILL HEAR A GOOD STORY AND
SET US UP FOR FUTURE
CONVERSATIONS.
>> I AM SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT
WE HAVE BEEN JOINED BY
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> WELCOME, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE,
PHILIP.
SO, WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY IN
FRONT OF US EMERGING FROM THE
PANDEMIC AND HAVING HAD OUR
ECONOMY AND CERTAIN INDUSTRIES
AND CLASSES OF WORK DESECRATED.
AS WE THINK ABOUT WHAT IS NEXT,
IT IS NOT A RECOVERY BACK TO
SOMETHING.
IT IS TRYING TO BUILD SOMETHING
NEW. WE ARE TRYING TO THINK
ABOUT WHAT IS THE OED IDENTITY
AND ROLE NOT JUST IN THE
SEATTLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
SYSTEM BUT HOW DO WE MAKE SURE
THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY PLAYING A
PARTICULAR PART IN LEVERAGING A
LOT OF OUR PARTNERS THROUGH
PARTNERSHIP, RATHER THAN
PERATING IN A SILO, WHICH HAS
SOMETIMES BEEN THE RISK OF WHAT
SEATTLE HAS DONE IN THE PAST.
OUR MISSION AND WOULD LIKE TO
SEE IS BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE
ECONOMY WHERE EVERYONE IN
SEATTLE CAN FULLY PARTICIPATE
AND OUR ROLE IS DRIVING
ECONOMIC GROWTH THROUGH
STRATEGIES AND INVESTMENTS THAT
OPEN DOORS AND REMOVE BARRIERS
TO INDIVIDUAL, BUSINESS, AND
COMMUNITY WEALTH BUILDING
OPPORTUNITIES, PARTICULARLY
COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN
SYSTEMATICALLY EXCLUDED FROM
ECONOMIC PROSPERITY.
THIS IS JUST OUR MISSION AND
HOW WE ARE OPERATING TO MAKE
SURE WE ARE HEALING IMMUNITIES
THAT HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED FROM
WEALTH BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND THIS IS JUST TO SHOW THAT
WE DO A LOT OF WORK WITH A LOT
OF DIFFERENT FOLKS.
WE HAVE A BROAD SPAN OF
INFLUENCE.
WE ARE NOT JUST WORKING WITH
BUSINESSES.
WE ARE NOT JUST WORKING WITH
WORKERS.
BUSINESS DISTRICTS, A LOT OF
PEOPLE AND A LOT OF
ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE WORK WITH.
AS WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE,
IT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO THINK OF
HOW WE ARE WORKING WITH THOSE
FOLKS, WHICH IS WHERE THE REAL
DIFFERENCE IS.
NEXT SLIDE, PHILLIP . REALLY
WHAT WE NEED TO BE IS AN
ORCHESTRATOR.
WE NEED TO BE A CATALYST WITHIN
THE REGIONAL ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM. WE ARE NOT
GOING TO BE THE BIGGEST FUNDING
CITY AT ANY TABLE, NOR WILL WE
BE ANY BIGGEST PLAYER AT ANY
GIVEN TABLE.
WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO IS
THINK ABOUT HOW WE DRIVE
ALIGNMENT AND HOW WE HUNT FOR
MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES.
IF WE ARE MAKING A PLAY, WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
LEVERAGING THAT AGAINST OTHER
PUBLIC, PRIVATE, OR
PHILANTHROPIC DOLLARS WERE
EFFORTS. WE DON'T NECESSARILY
-- AGAIN, WE ARE NOT BRINGING
THE BIG DOLLARS IN, BUT WE
COULD BE THE TEAM THAT BRINGS
IT TOGETHER AND CATALYZE A NEW
IDEA OR BRING NEW VOICES TO THE
TABLE IN A UNIQUE OR INNOVATIVE
WAY. AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, WHAT
WE REALLY WANT TO DO IS HAVE A
SET OF STRATEGIES FOR
BUSINESSES THAT COME TO US
NEEDING HELP, SO WE ARE
RESPONDING TO THEM AND HELPING
CONNECT OUR RESOURCES.
WE NEED TO HAVE ENOUGH CAPACITY
AND SPACE TO INITIATE NEW
THINGS, TO REALLY BE PROACTIVE
AND THINK AROUND THE CORNER AND
HUNT FOR THOSE OPPORTUNITIES
AND PUT TOGETHER DEALS AND
PROJECTS THAT MIGHT NOT
OTHERWISE HAPPEN IN A REACTIVE
MODE, SO WE NEED TO HAVE THE
PROACTIVE AND REACTIVE
STRATEGIES BUILT OUT.
I WILL GIVE A QUICK EXAMPLE.
HOPEFULLY YOU THOUGHT RECENTLY
THE WORK OUR TEAM DID IN
COOPERATION WITH THE STATE, THE
PORT.
MANY OTHERS HAVE HELPED SAVE THE
SEATTLE MARITIME ACADEMY, A
HUGE WORKFORCE TRAINING TOOL
FOR OUR INDUSTRY.
AGAIN, WE WEREN'T NECESSARILY
THE BIG MONEY, BUT WE COULD
CONNECT THE DEATHS AND PULL
THE PIECES TOGETHER TO MAKE
SURE THAT GOT OFF THE GROUND
AND STAYED AS A KEY PIECE OF
OUR INDUSTRY.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
A LOT OF THIS LEADS TO HOW
RACIAL EQUITY IS TO THIS WORK.
THIS QUOT IS SOMETHING THAT
DR. BOSTIC SAID IN THE WAKE OF
GEORGE FLOYD'S MURDER, WHICH
TODAY IS THE UNFORTUNATE
ANNIVERSARY OF.
HE SAID, "SYSTEMIC RACISM IS A
YOKE THAT DRAGS ON THE AMERICAN
ECONOMY.
THIS COUNTRY HAS BOTH A MORAL
AND ECONOMIC IMPERATIVE TO END
THESE UNJUST AND DESTRUCTIVE
PRACTICES."
WE HAVE THIS MORAL AND ECONOMIC
IMPERATIVE.
AS WE THINK OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, THAT SHOULD BE ONE
OF OUR NORTH STARS.
IT IS DRIVING OUR WORK AND IF
WE ARE DOING IT RIGHT, WE ARE
CREATING MORE OPPORTUNITY AND
MORE WEALTH CREATION THROUGHOUT
OUR LOCAL AND REGIONAL ECONOMY
THAN IF WE WERE JUST GOING BACK
, RECOVERING BACK TO SOMETHING
THAT WAS. AGAIN, TRYING TO
REALLY THINK OF WHAT AN
INCLUSIVE ECONOMY IS AND
BRINGING TOGETHER INDIVIDUAL
WEALTH, BUSINESS WEALTH, AND
COMMUNITY WEALTH IN A UNIFIED
WAY IS REALLY, REALLY
IMPORTANT.
THIS IS OUR NORTH STAR AS WE
THINK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE GOING
NEXT FOR OED AND THE
PARTNERSHIPS WE WILL BUILD AND
HOPEFULLY THE WINS WE GET FOR
THE CITY AND THE REGION.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, AS WE ARE THINKING ABOUT
DOING THAT, THERE ARE
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES.
WE ARE LIMITED IN WHAT WE CAN
DO AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPERS.
THERE ARE OTHER STATES AND
CITIES AND REGIONS THAT HAVE
MUCH MORE DIRECT TOOLS. WE HAVE
LIMITS IN OUR STATE, SO WE HAVE
GOT TO BE CREATIVE ON HOW WE
NAVIGATE AROUND THOSE.
WE'VE ALSO GOT -- AND I WILL BE
FRANK, BUT WE HAVE HAD FIVE
DIRECTORS IN FIVE YEARS AT OED.
WE HAVE HAD A HUGE AMOUNT OF
STAFF TURNOVER.
WE ARE TRYING TO FILL
VACANCIES.
WE HAVE INTERNAL CAPACITY
ISSUES WHICH WE REALLY NEED TO
ADDRESS SO WE CAN GET OUT OF
THAT REACTIVE CYCLE AND INTO
THAT PROACTIVE THINKING ON HOW
TO BUILD TOWARD A FUTURE.
WE'VE GOT ISSUES WITH HOW WE
ARE COMMUNICATING WHAT WE DO,
THIS LANGUAGE ACCESS ISSUE THAT
IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO
GET RIGHT BECAUSE WE CAN BUILD
THE BEST PROGRAMS IN THE WORLD,
BUT IF THEY ARE NOT REACHING
POPULATIONS THAT WE REALLY WANT
TO TRY TO WORK WITH, WE ARE
DOING IT WRONG.
THAT IS A HUGE CHALLENGE AS WE
LOOK AHEAD AND THINK OF
BUILDING TOWARD THE FUTURE.
AS I MENTIONED, SOME OF THE
OPPORTUNITIES -- THERE IS A
LACK OF REGIONAL ALIGNMENT. WE
CAN BE A LEADER IN THAT
REGIONAL CONSTRUCT.
WE CAN GENERATE GOOD IDEAS AND
GOOD PROJECTS THAT LEVERAGE
FEDERAL DOLLARS, THAT WORK WITH
THE STATE AND OTHER PUBLIC,
PRIVATE, AND PHILANTHROPIC
PARTNERS TO FILL UNIQUE AND
INTERESTING MODELS.
ONE OF THE INTERESTING ONES WE
BUILT BACK AT THE CHAMBER WAS
THE HOUSING CONNECTOR GROUP,
WHICH HAS SPUN OFF INTO ITS OWN
SELF-SUSTAINING NONPROFIT.
THEY'VE DONE REALLY GOOD WORK
GETTING PEOPLE HOUSED AND THAT
EXIST AS A PUBLIC-PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIP AND THAT IS SO KEEN
. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS WE
CAN DO FOR ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT.
THE FINAL OPPORTUNITY I WILL
HIGHLIGHT IS STORYTELLING.
WE HAVE INCREDIBLE BUSINESSES
AND WORKERS HERE IN THE CITY.
OED WANTS TO BE THE CHIEF
STORYTELLER TO LIFT UP THOSE
STORIES AND MAKE SURE WE ARE
HIGHLIGHTING THE CHALLENGES BUT
ALSO CELEBRATING THOSE
SUCCESSES.
ONE I WILL MENTION, WE RECENTLY
LAUNCHED OUR SEATTLE RESTORED
úPROGRAM WHICH IS HELPING BIPOC
BUSINESS OWNERS AND VACANT
SPACES DOWNTOWN AND THE TASK
DOWN CLOSE TO THE STADIUMS IN
THE PIONEER SQUARE AREA, GOING
DOWN THERE AND VISITING WITH
THE BUSINESS OWNER AND LEARNING
HOW SHE IS DOING AND HOW
EXCITED SHE IS TO HAVE THIS
SPACE, AND HER ABILITY TO
IMPORT GOODS FROM AFRICA AND
SUPPORT ENTREPRENEURS BACK
THERE WHILE ALSO SUPPORTING
HERSELF AS AN ENTREPRENEUR IS A
GREAT STORY.
HOW DO WE TELL MORE OF THOSE
AND LEFT THOSE UP WHICH CAN
INSPIRE FUTURE GENERATIONS?
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS KEEN
ON OUR MIND AS WELL.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE, PHILLIP .
HERE WE ARE TALKING AGAIN. WE
ARE TRYING TO REORGANIZE
OURSELVES AND REBUILD OUR TEAM
CULTURE.
WE HAVE A SKELETON CREW RIGHT
NOW, AS I MENTIONED.
THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT.
THERE IS SENSITIVITY AROUND
MAKING SURE PEOPLE FEEL
INCLUDED, MAKING SURE PEOPLE
FEEL THAT THERE IS TRANSPARENCY
AND THEY BELONG IN THE GROUP.
WE'VE GOT REAL WORK TO DO,
ESPECIALLY AS WE TALK ABOUT
RACE AND RACIAL ISSUES ON OUR
TEAM.
FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE BOTH OF
OUR TEAM LEADS OUT ON EXTENDED
LEAVE RIGHT NOW.
ONE OF THE NEAR-TERM
OPPORTUNITIES FOR US IS TO
REBUILD OUR CHANGE TEAM AND
INVITE SOME OF OUR NEW STAFF IN
AND MAKE SURE PEOPLE FEEL
INCLUDED AND LIKE THEY BELONG.
WE NEED TO BE CLEAR AND DIRECT
ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND NOT SHY
AWAY FROM THEM.
THIS WILL BE A HUGE CULTURE
BUILDING MOMENT FOR US AS WE
ADD NEW TEAM MEMBERS IN AND AS
WE TALK ABOUT RACE AND SOCIAL
JUSTICE ISSUES, THIS SHOULDN'T
BE A SIDELINE THING BUT COURT
OUR IDENTITY.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THAT REALLY LEADS US TO LOOKING
BACKWARD AT OUR RACIAL EQUITY
WORK LAST YEAR.
WE WILL START OFF TALKING ABOUT
SOME OF OUR RACIAL EQUITY
TOOLKIT HIGHLIGHTS AND I AM
VERY PLEASED TO INTRODUCE SCOTT
PLUSQUELLEC FROM OUR TEAM WHO
WILL TALK ABOUT THE SHOP TO THE
BEAT PROGRAM, IT'S ORIGIN, AND
WHERE IT IS GOING NEXT.
SCOTT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO
YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DIRECTOR
MARKHAM McINTYRE AND GOOD
MORNING, CHAIR NELSON AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO PRESENT TO YOU TODAY.
MY NAME IS SCOTT PLUSQUELLEC
AND I AM THE NIGHTLIGHT
BUSINESS ADVOCATE AND PROGRAM
MANAGER FOR THE SHOP TO THE
BEAT PROGRAM.
I WILL BE HIGHLIGHTING THE
RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT THAT
INFORMED AND CONTINUES TO BE IN
PROGRESS ON THE SHOP TO THE
BEAT PROGRAM.
NEXT SLIDE, PHILLIP . THANK
YOU.
SO, I WANTED TO GIVE A LITTLE
BACKGROUND ON THIS.
A WEBINAR THAT I AND MY
COLLEAGUE ATTENDED BACK IN
AUGUST OF 2020 ON RACISM AND
THE NIGHTTIME ECONOMY SPONSORED
BY A GROUP CALLED 24 HOUR
DALLAS.
IT INCLUDED ADDRESS CODES OR A
GUEST LIST DESIGNED TO KEEP
PEOPLE OF COLOR OUT OF CERTAIN
ESTABLISHMENTS AND VENUES.
INCOME DISPARITY BETWEEN
MUSICIANS AND ARTISTS, BIPOC
ARTISTS AND WHITE ARTISTS AND
CULTURAL EXPLOITATION.
THIS IS BY WHITE OWNED VENUES,
WHICH INCLUDED SORT OF USING
BIPOC MUSICIANS AND ARTISTS IN
A CERTAIN WAY TO PROMOTE THEIR
VENUES. SO, THIS RAISES THE
OBVIOUS QUESTION TO US.
IF THIS IS HAPPENING IN DALLAS,
THIS CLEARLY MUST BE HAPPENING
IN SEATTLE AND WHAT DOES THAT
LOOK LIKE?
FOR A LITTLE BACKGROUND
INFORMATION ON THE CONTEXT OF
WHAT'S HAPPENING, THE CURRENT
CLOSURES THAT HAVE HAPPENED
WITH ALL OF THE VENUES SHUTTING
DOWN THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY HAD
BASICALLY STARTED SPURRING
CONVERSATIONS ON WHAT IS
BUILDING BACK MUSIC ECOSYSTEM
MORE EQUITABLY LOOK LIKE?
THE INDUSTRY WAS NOT EQUITABLE
PRIOR TO THE CLOSURES.
TAKING THIS TIME -- HOW DO WE
TAKE THIS TIME TO ACTUALLY LOOK
AT THAT AND WORK TOWARD A MORE
EQUITABLE INDUSTRY?
AND THIS INCLUDED BOTH LOCALLY
AND NATIONALLY, THE WANMA AND
NIVA TO GENERATE HIS
CONVERSATIONS AS WELL, SO IT
WAS CLEAR TO US WE NEEDED TO
GATHER INFORMATION AND START
TALKING AND ENGAGING WITH
STAKEHOLDERS AND FIGURING OUT
HOW TO USE THE INFORMATION THAT
WE HAD RECEIVED TO INFORM CITY
POLICYMAKING AND HOW WE DESIGN
PROGRAMS. NEXT SLIDE.
WE DECIDED TO START HAVING
THESE CONVERSATIONS AND WE
WANTED TO START SMALL. I'M
SORRY, I CAN SEE CHAIR NELSON,
YOU HAVE A QUESTION?
I'M SORRY, YOU ARE ON MUTE.
>> YEAH, I HAD A SPECIFIC
QUESTION ABOUT THIS INDUSTRY
SECTOR, SO BEFORE WE PROCEED
PAST THIS.
I WILL LET YOU FINISH AND THEN
I WILL ASK THAT QUESTION.
THANKS.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU.
AGAIN, WE DECIDED TO START
FAIRLY SMALL.
WE REACHED OUT TO BIPOC
INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS IN
SEATTLE TO HAVE ONE ON ONE
CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM AND TO
LAY THE GROUNDWORK AND GET A
SENSE ON A PERSONAL LEVEL OF
WHAT THEIR EXPERIENCES WERE.
THESE FOLKS RANGED FROM
PROFESSIONALS INCLUDING
PROMOTERS, PRODUCERS, ARTISTS,
MUSICIANS THEMSELVES, MANAGERS,
AND TECHNICIANS. WE ASKED THEM
SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS, NOT
LIMITED TO THESE QUESTIONS BUT
THIS WAS THE BASIS FOR OUR
CONVERSATION AROUND SENSIBILITY
AND WHAT IT WAS LIKE FOR THEM
WORKING IN THE INDUSTRY.
ANY MICRO AGGRESSIONS OR
INSTANCES OF RACISM?
AND INCOME DISPARITIES FOR THEM
, OR THE ABILITY TO MONETIZE
THEIR WORK.
WE ASKED HOW THE SEATTLE
INDUSTRY COMPARED TO OTHER
CITIES.
THEN WE STARTED LOOKING AT,
OKAY, WE KNEW WE WANTED TO HAVE
LARGER CONVERSATIONS BEYOND
THESE, SO WHO ELSE SHOULD BE AT
THE TABLE?
WHAT DOES THE CHANGE LOOK LIKE?
HOW CAN OR SHOULD THE CITY LEAD
OR SUPPORT THIS WORK?
LIKE, ARE WE THE PEOPLE TO BE
ABLE TO COMPLETE THIS?
NEXT SLIDE.
WHILE WE HEARD MANY OF THE
SIMILAR THINGS WE HEARD DURING
THE DALLAS WEBINAR, WE ALSO
HEARD THINGS THAT WERE VERY
SPECIFIC TO SEATTLE ITSELF AND
THE INDUSTRY HERE.
ONE OF THE TOP THINGS WAS THE
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES THAT
SEATTLE NIGHTLIFE AND
ENTERTAINMENT LANDSCAPE HAD
BEEN GOING UNDER, WHICH
PRECEDED COVID.
THIS WASN'T JUST BECAUSE OF THE
LOSS OF THE VENUES DUE TO THE
PANDEMIC, BUT THERE IT ALREADY
BEEN A SYSTEMIC LOSS OF VENUE
CLOSURES, COMMUNITY SPACES, AND
CULTURE.
WE HEARD HOW IN SEATTLE, THINGS
LIKE DAY PARTIES OR HOUSE
PARTIES WERE A CHANCE FOR
COMMUNITY LEAD AND COMMUNITY
BUILT FOLKS COULD COME TOGETHER
IN PERFORMANCES AND SHARE
EXPERIENCES.
THOSE HAD DIMINISHED AND IT
DISAPPEARED AND A LOT OF THAT
HAD TO DO WITH GENTRIFICATION,
LOSS OF SPACE, WITH PEOPLE BEING
CROSSED OUT OF THE CITY, LACK
OF OPPORTUNITIES WHICH WAS
DRIVING FOLKS TO OTHER CITIES
TO PURSUE THEIR CAREERS.
WE ALSO LEARNED THAT NIGHTLIFE
AND ENTERTAINMENT RELATIONSHIPS
ARE REALLY REFERENCE BASED.
IT IS ABOUT WHO YOU KNOW. IF
YOU DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO
GET IN ON THE GROUND FLOOR, IF
YOU DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO
NETWORK, IF YOU DON'T HAVE
ACCESS TO NETWORKING SYSTEMS,
THEN YOU ARE KEPT OUT.
AND THEN ANOTHER HIGHLIGHT OF
IT WAS DUE TO THAT, THERE WAS A
BIG OPPORTUNITY AND NEED FOR
FURTHER INDUSTRY AND MENTOR
SHIPS TO BUILD UP THAT
NETWORKING MUSCLE. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE.
SO, WE HAD A PLAN THAT WE WERE
GOING TO OBVIOUSLY HAVE LARGER
CONVERSATIONS ON THIS, BUT THAT
RAISED QUESTIONS FOR US. AGAIN,
IS THE CITY RIGHT FOR THIS?
SHOULD WE BE THE LEAD ON THIS,
OR SHOULD WE JUST BE A SUPPORT
SYSTEM THAT HELPS FACILITATE A
CONVERSATION THAT COMES
ORGANICALLY?
WHO SHOULD BE AT THE TABLE?
HOW DO WE REACH THEM?
HOW DO WE BRING THEM IN?
ANOTHER BARRIER TO MOVING
FORWARD WAS WE FELT VERY, VERY
STRONGLY THAT WE NEEDED TO
COMPENSATE PEOPLE FOR THEIR
TIME.
IF WE WERE TO BE THE LEAD, WE
WOULD NEED TO GET A FACILITATOR
FROM THE COMMUNITY TO LEAD THAT
AND WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO PAY
THEM. THERE WERE CONSTRAINTS WE
NEED TO IDENTIFY WHERE THAT
MONEY WOULD COME FROM AND HOW
WE WOULD IDENTIFY THAT.
AND FINALLY, OF COURSE BECAUSE
OF COVID, HOW WOULD WE CONVENE
LARGE GROUPS OF PEOPLE DURING
THE PANDEMIC IN A WAY THAT WAS
MEANINGFUL AND ALLOWED FOR A
MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION?
WHILE WE WERE COMING TO AN
AGREEMENT ON WHERE AND HOW THIS
WOULD ALL HAPPEN, THE ARBOR
FUND STARTED HAPPENING AND WE
WERE BEING ASKED TO SUBMIT
IDEAS FOR HOW TO USE THOSE
FUNDS AND HOW TO GET THEM OUT
INTO THE COMMUNITY.
OUR FORMER COLLEAGUE HAD THIS
IDEA THAT EVENTUALLY BECAME THE
SHOP TO THE BEAT PROGRAM, WHICH
WAS WE HAVE THESE TWO SECTORS,
RETAIL BUSINESSES AND MUSICIANS
THAT HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY HARD-
HIT BY THE PANDEMIC.
HOW DO WE MATCH THEM TOGETHER
AND SUPPORT BOTH AT THE SAME
TIME?
SO, WHEN THAT CAME OUT AND WE
STARTED EXPLORING THAT, WE
REALIZED THIS WAS A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY TO UTILIZE SOME OF
THOSE CONVERSATIONS WE HAD
ORIGINALLY HAD AND SOME OF THE
INFORMATION THAT WE HAD HEARD
AND HOW DO WE USE THAT TO
INFORM AND CREATE THIS PROGRAM
TO BE AS EQUITABLE AS POSSIBLE
AND TO REALLY ADDRESS SOME OF
THOSE ISSUES?
SO, GIVING YOU A LITTLE
OVERVIEW ON SHOP TO THE BEAT
ITSELF, WHAT IS IT? IT IS A
PROGRAM WE PAY OUR MUSICIANS TO
PERFORM LIVE MUSIC IN
NONTRADITIONAL VENUES, SUCH AS
RETAIL STORES, GYMS, COFFEE
SHOPS, JEWELRY SHOPS, FURNITURE
STORES. SO, PLACES YOU WOULDN'T
BE EXPECTING A MUSICIAN TO BE
PLAYING.
YOU WALK IN AND THERE IS
SOMEBODY THERE IN THE
BACKGROUND.
THE IDEA HERE WAS HOW DO WE
ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES
THAT WE HEARD?
SO, ADDRESSING LACK OF VENUES
BY CREATING NEW VENUES.
ADDRESS A LACK OF ACCESS TO
VENUES BY REMOVING THAT
MIDDLEMAN AND BEING PRODUCERS
OURSELVES AND PLACING THEM IN
THE VENUES.
PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO THE
COMMUNITY THAT WAS LOST BY THOSE
PARTIES THAT WE HAD HEARD ABOUT
BY PLACING MUSICIANS REALLY
DIRECTLY INTO THE COMMUNITY AND
ADDRESSING ISSUES OF THE
ABILITY TO PERFORM AND THE
ABILITY TO MAKE MONEY.
WHAT WE DID WAS WE PARTNERED
WITH AN ORGANIZATION THAT RUNS
THE MUSIC AT THE AIRPORT PROGRAM
THAT I THINK YOU MIGHT ALL BE
FAMILIAR WITH.
THEY ARE IN A POSITION TO PLACE
MUSICIANS.
WE, THE CITY, ARE PAYING THE
MUSICIANS TO PROVIDE FREE
PERFORMANCES FOR THE VENUES
WITH THE HOPE THAT THAT WOULD
DRIVE FOOT TRAFFIC AND DRIVE
RETAIL SALES FOR THOSE
BUSINESSES.
THOSE ARE THE OVERALL GOALS WE
WERE LOOKING TO SET HERE.
WE BROKE THIS INTO TWO PROGRAMS
BECAUSE WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO
PROVE THE CONCEPT.
WE DID A PILOT PROGRAM IN THE
HOLIDAY SEASON, DURING THE
HOLIDAY SHOPPING SEASON. WE HAD
27 PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES
INCLUDING QUEEN CARE IN THE
CENTRAL DISTRICT, BLACK POPPY
NORTHWEST IN BALLARD. WE HAD A
PRETTY GOOD GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
ACROSS THE CITY IN TERMS OF
WHERE OUR BUSINESSES WERE AND
OF THE 27 BUSINESSES, WE DID
HAVE 10 LOCATED IN WHAT OED
IDENTIFIES AS HIGH-PRIORITY
NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE SET A TARGET OF PROMOTING
AND TARGETING BIPOC BUSINESSES
AND I THINK IN LOOKING AT THE
PROGRAM, WE REALIZED WE DIDN'T
QUITE HIT THAT GOAL AND THAT IS
AN AREA WE NEED TO IMPROVE ON.
WE ARE COMING BACK THIS SUMMER
WITH A LARGER PROGRAM THAT WILL
CONTINUE THIS.
WE WILL USE THE AREA IN BETWEEN
FOR MUSICIANS AND BUSINESSES TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT WORKED, WHAT
DIDN'T WORK, AND WHAT WE NEED
TO IMPROVE.
WE DID START A PRIORITY OF
TARGETING A MAJORITY OF THE BY
PARK BIPOC PARTICIPANTS.
WE HAD 60% WHO IDENTIFIED AS
BIPOC PARTICIPATING IN THE
PROGRAM.
SO, WE CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD
TO CONTINUING THIS.
AS I SAID, THIS R.E.T.
IS IN PROGRESS BECAUSE WE LOOK
AT THE PROGRAM AND TWEAK IT AND
WE LOOK FORWARD TO COMING BACK
IN THE SUMMER, PARTNERING.
THERE WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY
THAT WAS MISSED PARTNERING WITH
OTHER OFFICES IN THE CITY, WITH
THE OFFICE OF ART AND CULTURE,
OR THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS.
THAT WILL HELP US WITH OUR
OUTREACH AND BRING IN A GREATER
RRAY OF SMALL BUSINESSES.
NEXT SLIDE?
I JUST WANTED TO LEAVE YOU HERE
FROM A COUPLE OF QUOTES FROM
OUR PARTICIPANTS.
MICHAUD SPOKE TO THIS AND ALSO
WENDY, WHO WAS SUPER
ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE PROGRAM
NOT ONLY FOR HERSELF BUT IN HER
ABILITY TO PROMOTE ARTISTS.
SHE NEVER HAD SOMETHING LIKE
THIS FOR HER BUSINESS HERSELF,
SO SHE REALLY APPRECIATED IT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT ON THIS
R.E.T.
.
>> THANK YOU, SCOTT.
SCOTT ALSO HOSTED A MEET AND
GREET WITH THE MUSIC COMMISSION
JUST LAST NIGHT.
WE HEARD A LOT OF THESE SAME
THEMES FROM THE FOLKS THAT
SHOWED UP, ON HOW DEEPLY
IMPACTED THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH
COVID, ESPECIALLY WITH VENUES
SHUTTING DOWN AND BEING SLOW TO
REOPEN, SO A PROGRAM LIKE THIS
WHERE WE CAN REALLY OPEN DOORS
FOR MUSICIANS, CREATE THAT
VIBRANCY AND GET THOSE
MUSICIANS PAID GIGS AND
INCREASING RETAIL SALES.
IT'S REALLY SMART AND A GOOD
EXAMPLE OF IT GENERATING
ECONOMIC ACTIVITY ACROSS THE
CITY, SO THANKS A LOT, SCOTT.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
WE WILL TRANSITION AND TALK A
LITTLE ABOUT OUR COVID-19
RESPONSE BECAUSE THIS OBVIOUSLY
WAS A LARGE BULK OF THE WORK WE
DID AT OED AND THERE WAS A
SPECIFIC FOCUS ON RACIAL EQUITY
FOR A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE
DID. YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE
THINGS, THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE
DID.
THEN I WILL TURN IT OVER TO
HEIDI HALL WHO WILL TALK ABOUT
REALLY INNOVATIVE WAYS THAT WE
ARE GETTING MONEY OUT ON THE
GROUND TO SUPPORT OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS.
HEIDI, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO
YOU.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU. AGAIN, MY NAME IS
HEIDI HALL FROM THE
NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICT
TEAM AT OED, ALSO KNOWN AS ONLY
IN SEATTLE . AS WE ALL KNOW,
THE PANDEMIC HAS BEEN EXTREMELY
DISRUPTIVE WITH DISPROPORTIONATE
IMPACTS EXPERIENCED IN OUR
BLACK AND INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
AS WELL AS SMALL BUSINESSES. IT
IS WELL DOCUMENTED IT
NATIONALLY AND WAS TRUE IN
SEATTLE AS WELL.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY
CLOSELY WITH OUR PARTNERS TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE
EXPERIENCING IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS.
TO ME, DISTRICT PARTNERS AND
SMALL BUSINESSES WHERE THEY
ARE.
THIS INCLUDES GETTING ACCESS TO
PPE, BEING A CONDUIT FOR TIMELY
INFORMATION, HELPING THEM
NAVIGATE FEDERAL AND STATE
RELIEF RESOURCES AND GETTING
THOSE TO BUSINESSES IN NEED. WE
HAVE HAD DEEP ENGAGEMENT WITH
OUR PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THE
PANDEMIC AND THE NEEDS THEY
RECEIVE IN THEIR DISTRICTS AND
IN HEARING FROM THEIR SMALL
BUSINESS HAS REALLY INFORMED
THE ECONOMIC NEIGHBORHOOD
RECOVERY FUND THAT I WANT TO
SHARE WITH YOU TODAY.
THIS WAS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT
STRATEGIES FOR ECONOMIC
RECOVERY AND WAS DESIGNED IN A
WAY TO INTENTIONALLY FOCUS ON
RACIAL EQUITY.
SO, WE INVESTED NEARLY $6
MILLION OF THE FEDERAL RELIEF
FUNDING TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD
ECONOMIC RECOVERY AS OUTLINED
IN THE SEATTLE RESCUE PLAN.
INVESTMENTS WERE ALLOCATED
THROUGH DIRECT GRANTS TO
NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICT
ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS A
PUBLIC REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS TO
FUND COMMUNITY DRIVEN IDEAS FOR
ECONOMIC RECOVERY.
I WILL FOCUS MORE ON THIS.
119 PROPOSALS WERE RECEIVED
FROM THE RFP REQUESTING $9
MILLION IN FUNDING.
WE PRIORITIZED COMMUNITIES MOST
IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC, AS I
HAVE HIGHLIGHTED HERE.
WE WORKED WITH OUR COLLEAGUES
TO WORK ON AN INTERDEPARTMENTAL
DATA ANALYSIS WHICH INFORMED
OUR EQUITY CRITERIA.
THIS OVERLAID THINGS LIKE COVID
CASE RATES AND JOB LOSSES WITH
THE CITY'S RECENT EQUITY INDEX
AND DISPLACEMENT RISK INDEX AS
ONE WAY TO IDENTIFY THOSE AREAS
MOST IMPACTED.
WE HAVE LEVERAGED THOSE
PARTNERSHIPS. A LOT OF THE
LANGUAGE ACCESS WORK WE HAD
DONE FOR PANDEMIC RESPONSE,
COMMUNICATIONS TO TARGET
OUTREACH TO COMMUNITIES MOST
AFFECTED AND WE ALSO INSTITUTED
A REVIEW PROCESS THAT INCLUDED
A COMMUNITY REVIEW PANEL TO
BRING IN A BROADER PERSPECTIVE
AS WE WERE EVALUATING THE
PROPOSALS. SO, 25
ORGANIZATIONS WERE FUNDED
THROUGH THE RFP, WHICH
REPRESENTS $1.35 MILLION . JUST
AS A QUICK HIGHLIGHT ON SOME OF
THE OUTCOMES OF THAT PROCESS,
85% OF THE FUNDING WAS INVESTED
IN OUR EQUITY DISTRICTS, WHICH
WE USE TO DEFINE OUR HIGH
DISPLACEMENT RISK
NEIGHBORHOODS, THOSE THAT HAVE
BEEN HISTORICALLY REDLINED OR
THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED
INSTITUTIONAL RACISM.
SO, 52% OF OUR GRANTEES ARE
BLACK OR INDIGENOUS
ORGANIZATIONS. 28% OF
ORGANIZATIONS ARE LED BY
PERSONS FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES
OF COLOR. THE OTHER INVESTMENT
STRATEGY, OUR DIRECT GRANTS
WERE ANOTHER 28 GRANTS AND
THOSE PRIORITIZED COMMUNITIES
MOST IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC
WITH HIGHER DIRECT GRANTS
AWARDED TO OUR EQUITY DISTRICTS
AND OUR OTHER DISTRICTS
PRIORITIZING OUTREACH AND
SUPPORT FOR BIPOC BUSINESSES.
ABOUT 60% OF THE DIRECT GRANT
FUNDS WERE AWARDED TO EQUITY
DISTRICTS, WHICH WAS ANOTHER 11
GRANTS. COMMUNITY GRANTEES
IMPLEMENT A VARIETY OF
ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS THAT
HELP SMALL BUSINESSES,
COMMUNITIES, AND LOCAL
ECONOMIES RECOVER FROM THE
PANDEMIC.
MANY OF THE PROPOSED PROJECTS
FOCUS ON ACTIVATION AND
BRINGING FOOT TRAFFIC AND
CUSTOMERS INTO THE DISTRICT TO
SUPPORT NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSES
AS WELL AS PUBLIC GROUND
IMPROVEMENTS, CULTURALLY
RELEVANT AS MS. OUTREACH AND
SUPPORT.
JUST AS A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES,
WE CAN'T GO THROUGH ALL OF THEM
NOW BUT JUST A COUPLE OF
EXAMPLES I WANTED TO SHARE, THE
CITY LAUNCHED A BUSINESS
INCUBATOR IN THE ARTS AND
CULTURAL SPACE INCLUDING A POP-
UP MARKET FOR BIPOC FARMERS.
THEY ARE EXPANDING THE MARKET
STREET FOR EIGHT WEEKS DURING
THE SUMMER, PROVIDING OUTDOOR
SEATING AND INCREASED REVENUE
FOR ADJACENT BUSINESSES.
WE DID FIND A LOT OF OUR SMALL
BIPOC BUSINESSES WERE NOT ABLE
TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF
THOSE STREET USE PERMITS. THIS
IS ONE EXAMPLE OF OUR BUSINESS
DISTRICTS TAKING ELITE ORGANIZE
THESE OUTDOOR SEATING AREAS SO
THAT BUSINESSES CAN SEE SOME OF
THE BENEFITS OF THAT AND DO
SOME PROMOTION AS WELL.
THEY HAVE A TRAINING PROGRAM IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE REFUGEE
PROGRAM. THAT IS ONE EXAMPLE.
WE HAVE MULTIPLE VENDOR MARKETS
BEING SUPPORTED, INCLUDING
RETAIL PROJECTS FOCUSED ON
SHOWCASING AND PROMOTING THE
WORK OF BLACK ARTISTS AND BIPOC
BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE CENTRAL
DISTRICT.
THEY ARE ALSO PULLING FROM
SOUTHEAST SEATTLE AS WELL.
THERE WILL BE MULTIPLE
ACTIVATIONS CELEBRATING, YOU
KNOW, THE CULTURE AND HISTORY
OF THE DISTRICT AS WELL AS
SUPPORTING GROUND IMPROVEMENTS
AND PARTNERING TO BRING
CUSTOMERS INTO THE DISTRICT AND
SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES.
THE WAY THOSE ACTIVATIONS ARE
STRUCTURED AND SUPPORTED AND
PROMOTED, REALLY THINKING ABOUT
BRINGING IN CUSTOMERS TO THE
NEIGHBORHOODS, SUPPORTING LOCAL
BUSINESSES AND HELPING THEM BE
MORE SUSTAINABLE.
AND IN CLOSING, FOR 2022, WE
WILL PARTNER WITH OUR GRANTEES
TO SUPPORT BUSINESSES.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
OPPORTUNITIES TO LEVERAGE THE
COMMUNITY INITIATIVE
INVESTMENTS INCLUDING THINGS
LIKE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE,
WHICH WILL BE ROLLING OUT NOW
INCLUDING THINGS LIKE
COMMERCIAL SPACE ASSISTANCE,
FINANCIAL HEALTH. ALSO AN
EXPANSION OF RESTORE. WE ARE
GOING THROUGH THAT RIGHT NOW,
SO WE WILL PRESENT THAT NEXT
YEAR.
YEAH, A LOT OF GOOD THINGS AND
HOPEFULLY WE CAN COME BACK WITH
OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO TALK
MORE ABOUT THE PROJECTS AND
ACTIVITIES.
I WILL HAND IT BACK TO DIRECTOR
McINTYRE.
>> THANKS, HEIDI.
AS WE THINK ABOUT GETTING
SMARTER THROUGH ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT , CERTAINLY WE WANT
TO LOOK OUTSIDE OF OURSELVES
AND OTHER CITIES, MAYBE EVEN
INTERNATIONALLY AND TRY TO
STEAL THE BEST IDEAS POSSIBLE
THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A BALANCE
OF LIFTING UP THE IDEAS AND THE
THINKING IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
I THINK THIS RFP IS SUCH A
GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT.
FROM A CITY PERSPECTIVE, AS WE
THINK ABOUT HELPING BUSINESSES
AND COMMUNITIES BUILDING
WEALTH, IT STARTS WITH
LISTENING AND BUILDING TRUST.
THIS RFP, WE ARE INVESTING IN
COMMUNITY-BASED IDEAS, HELPING
ACTIVATE AND GENERATE THE
VIBRANCY.
WE NEED MORE THAN THAT.
DON'T BE SURPRISED IF YOU SEE
IN THE BUDGET PROPOSAL MORE
FUNDING FOR THIS TYPE OF
ACTIVITY.
IT'S CRUCIAL FOR OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS AND TURNING THE
CORNER FROM EMERGENCY RELIEF TO
FUTURE PROSPERITY TO OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS.
THANKS AGAIN, HEIDI.
NEXT SLIDE, PHILLIP . NOW WE
WILL TURN TO A REALLY COOL
PROGRAM.
THIS ONE IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE
OF GENERATING A WIN-WIN. IT IS
OUR YOUTH WEB DESIGN PROGRAM.
WE JUST REOPENED THE NEXT ROUND
FOR THIS PROGRAM.
IT IS HELPING YOUTH GET NEW
TECHNICAL SKILLS FOR WEB DESIGN
AND HELPING GENERATE WEBSITES
FOR PARTICULARLY FOR BIPOC
BUSINESS OWNERS.
ANISA KHOSHBAKHTIAN FROM OUR
KEY INDUSTRIES AND WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT TEAM WILL TALK TO
YOU ABOUT IT.
I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS
BECAUSE IT IS A GREAT EXAMPLE
OF GETTING A WIN-WIN.
ANISA KHOSHBAKHTIAN, TAKE IT
AWAY .
>> THANK YOU.
AS DIRECTOR McINTYRE MENTIONED,
I AM ANISA KHOSHBAKHTIAN, THE
CREATIVE WORKFORCE ADVOCATE ON
THE KEY INDUSTRIES AND
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TEAM AT
OED.
I WILL START OFF BY SAYING IT
IS REALLY NO SECRET THAT THIS
REGION HAS BEEN GREATLY
INFLUENCED BY THE GLOBAL TECH
INDUSTRY , WHICH IS WHY IT HAS
BEEN OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO
INVEST IN TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS
AND EFFORTS THAT ARE TRULY
ROOTED IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY,
SUCH AS THE YOUTH WEB DESIGN
PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM NOT ONLY
TEACHES YOUNG PEOPLE TECHNICAL
SKILLS THAT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY
SUPPORT THEIR CAREER GROWTH,
BUT IT ALLOWS THEM TO EARN
MONEY AND LEARN AT AN EARLY AGE
THAT THEIR WORK IS REALLY
GREATLY VALUED AND TRULY MAKES
A DIFFERENCE.
SO, IN LATE 2020, THE PROGRAM
WAS PILOTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
THE METROPOLITAN SEATTLE AS A
REACTION TO TWO SPECIFIC NEEDS
THAT WE THOUGHT WERE GREATLY
EXACERBATED BY THE PANDEMIC.
ONE, YOUTH EMPOWERMENT. YOUTH
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR
SUSTAINABLE CAREER DEVELOPMENT
WERE GREATLY IMPACTED DUE TO
THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER. AND
SECOND, THE NEED FOR SMALL
BUSINESSES TO HAVE A WEB
PRESENCE, ESPECIALLY MINORITY
OWNED BUSINESSES, MAINLY BIPOC
AND IMMIGRANT OWNED.
WE KNOW THAT THE MOST
MARGINALIZED BIPOC INDIVIDUALS
AND COMMUNITIES IN THE REALM OF
WORKFORCE AND SMALL BUSINESS
EXPERIENCE A LACK OF
OPPORTUNITIES.
WHAT THIS PROGRAM IS AT A HIGH
LEVEL I HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
SO FAR WE HAVE BEEN WORKING
WITH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO
MOST, IF NOT ALL IDENTIFY AS
AFRICAN OR AFRICAN AMERICAN.
THEY HAVE BEEN CREATING A
PROFESSIONAL WEBSITE FOR A
LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS AND THE
YOUNG PEOPLE RECEIVE A STIPEND
FOR THEIR WORK.
I WANT TO NOTE THAT WE ALSO
COVER THE EXPENSES FOR THE
WEBSITE AND THE DOMAIN FOR A
YEAR. AND THIS YEAR, WE ARE NOW
EXPANDING THIS PROGRAM TO
PROFESSIONAL CREATIVE'S AS WELL
TO SUPPORT OUR CREATIVE
INDUSTRIES GOALS AND HELP LOCAL
CREATIVE GAIN GIG WORK AND THIS
REALLY CONNECTS TO THE
CREATIVE'S THAT SCOTT GOT TO
WORK WITH THROUGH SHOP TO THE
BEAT.
THE GOALS FOR THE YOUTH
WORKFORCE, TO EQUIP YOUNG
PEOPLE WITH INDUSTRY-STANDARD
SKILLS, MAINLY CODING, HTML,
JAVA. THEY CAN EARN THEIR
TECHNICAL CERTIFICATION AND
THEY ALSO ARE PROVIDED PAID
LEARNING OPPORTUNITY AND
PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT.
THEY RECEIVE SKILLS THAT HELP
THEM ESTABLISH THEMSELVES.
A POTENTIAL CAREER IN TECH OR
IN A CREATIVE FIELD OR
ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
IT ALLOWS THEM TO BE EMPOWERED
IN THEIR CAREER TRAJECTORY AND
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, IT ALSO
GIVES THEM LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND
CONFIDENCE IN KNOWING THEY CAN
CREATE SOMETHING PROFESSIONAL
AT A REALLY YOUNG AGE.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, A
MAJORITY OF THE PARTICIPATING
STUDENTS IDENTIFY AS BLACK,
AFRICAN, AND OR AFRICAN AMERICAN
AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO
EMPOWER THEM TO BE COMPETITIVE
IN CAREER FIELDS THAT BIPOC
IMMUNITIES ARE HIGHLY
UNDERREPRESENTED IN. FOR THE
SMALL BUSINESS GOALS, IT REALLY
IS TO GET SMALL BUSINESSES
ONLINE WHO HAVE LITTLE TO NO
WEB PRESENCE. WE HAVE BEEN
PRIORITIZING OUTREACH TO BIPOC
SMALL BUSINESSES, PARTICULARLY
THOSE IN EQUITY DISTRICTS AND
THE GOAL IS TO SUPPORT
BUSINESSES WITH THE HIGHEST
DIGITAL ACCESS BARRIERS. FOR
THE CREATIVE PROFESSIONAL,
WHICH I MENTIONED IS A NEW
ADDITION TO THIS PROGRAM
STARTING THIS UPCOMING COHORT,
WE REALLY WANT TO ENSURE WE ARE
SUPPORTING THOSE WHO HAVE NO
WEBSITES OR HAVE LIMITED WEB
PRESENCE AND WE WANT TO HELP
THEM PROCURE WORK.
AND SOME LESSONS LEARNED --
SOME CHALLENGES AND LESSONS
LEARNED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS
OF THIS PROGRAM, ONE OF THE
BIGGEST ONES HAS BEEN OUTREACH
AND CASE MANAGEMENT FOR SMALL
BUSINESSES.
AND TO ADDRESS THAT, WE
RECENTLY HIRED A CANVASSER WHO
HAS BEEN VISITING BIPOC
BUSINESSES, PRIORITIZING EQUITY
DISTRICTS, AND GOING DOOR TO
DOOR TO SPREAD WORD ABOUT THIS
PROGRAM AND SUPPORTING BUSINESS
OWNERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP AND
REQUIRE MORE ONE-ON-ONE
SUPPORT.
WE ARE CONTINUING TO LOOK AT
WAYS TO MEET THESE BUSINESSES
WHERE THEY ARE AT AND LASTLY,
IT'S IMPORTANT TO SHARE THAT
THE YOUTH WEB DESIGN PROGRAM HAS
RECEIVED AN INVESTMENT, WHICH
IS ALLOWING US TO SCALE THIS
AND ADD ADDITIONAL ELEMENTS TO
THE PROGRAM SUCH AS COVERING
THE WEBSITE AND DOMAIN COSTS
FOR TWO TO THREE YEARS,
POSSIBLY ADDING A SOCIAL MEDIA
AND MARKETING ELEMENT TO IT.
WE ARE LOOKING AT EXPANDING
THIS TO OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS,
SUCH AS RANIER BEACH HIGH
SCHOOL.
WE ARE WORKING WITH SEATTLE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO SEE HOW WE
CAN HELP THE YOUNG PEOPLE EARN
CREDITS AND WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
THIS YEAR, WHICH DIRECTOR
McINTYRE MENTIONED, WE HAVE A
COHORT COMING UP IN THE SUMMER
AND IN THE FALL AND I THINK
THAT'S IT.
I REALLY THANK YOU FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE ABOUT THE
WEB DESIGN PROGRAM.
I WILL HAND IT BACK TO DIRECTOR
McINTYRE.
>> THANKS, ANISA . AGAIN, JUST
A SHINING EXAMPLE OF A WIN FOR
THE YOUTH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
, INDIVIDUAL ACCESS, AND
BUILDING TRUST IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE URBAN LEAGUE.
AGAIN, REALLY TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT HOW WE SCALE THESE THINGS
TO CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES IN
ALL OF THOSE BUCKETS. NEXT
SLIDE PLEASE, PHILLIP . SO,
WRAPPING THIS UP, OUR FINAL
PRESENTER IS THE MAN WHO HAS
BEEN DRIVING THIS PRESENTATION,
PHILLIP SIT , WHO WILL TALK
WITH US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME
OF THE ACTIVATION WORK THAT WE
DID IN 2021.
PHILLIP, TAKE IT AWAY.
>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR McINTYRE
PURE GOOD MORNING CHAIR AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
MY SLIDES ARE A REFLECTION OF
THE PARTNERSHIPS WE DID IN 2021.
STARTING OFF, IN COLLABORATION
WITH THE OFFICE OF CULTURE,
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS,
PARKS AND OTHERS, AROUND MAY
AND JUNE, WE STARTED THINKING
ABOUT REACHING THE MILESTONE OF
BEING ONE OF THE FIRST MAJOR
CITIES TO OBTAIN 70%
VACCINATION RATES.
DOWNTOWN WAS HIT WITH A DOUBLE
WHAMMY OF WORKFORCE NOT BEING
PRESENT AND HOW DO WE ELEVATE
PEOPLE TO COME BACK TO DOWNTOWN
AND TO SUPPORT SMALL
BUSINESSES?
WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNITY
PARTNERS AS LISTED HERE, WE DID
A SERIES OF ACTIVATIONS ACROSS
THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
OED WANTS TO ELEVATE DOWNTOWN
BECAUSE OF THE ANTI-ASIAN BIAS
OCCURRING ACROSS THE REGION AND
THE COUNTRY.
WE WANTED TO FOCUS ON THE
DOWNTOWN CORE AND CENTER CITY.
OED WAS TASKED TO SUPPORT
PIONEER SQUARE. WE PARTNERED
WITH AN ORGANIZATION THAT
HIGHLIGHTS AND SPOTLIGHTS OUR
BIPOC SMALL BUSINESSES ACROSS
THE CITY AND AS THE ACTIVATION
WAS TAKING PLACE, WE RAN
PROMOTIONS TO HIGHLIGHT
BUSINESSES THAT I WOULD SAY ARE
THE HIDDEN GEMS OF OUR CITY.
WE WERE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK
DURING THE PANDEMIC AND WE
DIDN'T HAVE NECESSARILY A
VISIBLE PRESENCE ON DIGITAL
MEDIA, SIMILAR TO WHAT ANISA
WAS SAYING . IN TERMS OF OUR
FULL REPORT ON THE DOWNTOWN
RECOVERY ACTIVATION, WE HAD
ABOUT 500 BUSINESSES THAT WERE
SUPPORTED DIRECTLY OR
INDIRECTLY FROM CAMPAIGN
DOLLARS.
80% OF BUSINESSES WERE
IDENTIFIED AS WOMEN OR MINORITY
OWNED.
WE REGULARLY EMPLOYED 200
CREATIVES IN JUNE, JULY, AND
THE FALL.
90% OF THOSE CREATIVE TYPES,
GOING BACK TO SCOTT'S
PRESENTATION, 90% OF THOSE THAT
WERE HIRED WERE SELF IDENTIFIED
AS BIPOC.
SO, GREAT SET OF EVENTS
OCCURRED IN 2021 AND AS HEIDI
WAS MENTIONING, OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENTS HAVE
STARTED FROM THE WELCOME BACK
EVENTS IN 2021.
FOR OUR PARTNERS IN SOUTH
SEATTLE AND WEST SEATTLE, THEY
WERE PROVIDING NEIGHBORHOOD
GRANTS. IT WAS AN ACTIVATION IN
THE BUSINESS CORRIDOR.
SECONDLY, HOW WERE WE ABLE TO
DO AN OUTDOOR GATHERING OF THAT
SIZE?
IT'S BECAUSE AS I MENTIONED, WE
WERE ONE OF THE FIRST CITIES TO
HIT THE 70% VACCINATION RATE.
IN COLLABORATION WITH KING
COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE
STATE, WE RECOGNIZED THERE WERE
A LOT OF FOLKS WORKING TWO JOBS
THAT MAY BE DID NOT HAVE DIRECT
ACCESS TO SCHEDULE AN
APPOINTMENT FOR THE VACCINES
THAT WERE AVAILABLE IN OUR
REGION, SO WE WERE TASKED BY
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO SET UP 15
DIFFERENT VACCINATION POP-UPS
IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND AT EVENTS
WE COULD REACH COMMUNITY
MEMBERS WHERE THEY WERE.
WE HAD GREAT COLLABORATIONS AND
PARTNERSHIPS WITH SMALL
BUSINESSES. IN WEST SEATTLE, WE
GAVE AN ICE CREAM GIVEAWAY AND
WE HAD 125 PEOPLE GET THEIR
VACCINATIONS IN APRIL AND MAY
DURING THAT TIMEFRAME.
YOU CAN SEE THE IMAGE OF THE
DISCOUNT AND WE WERE ABLE TO
PROVIDE ICE CREAM FOR THE FIRST
50 PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT,
SUPPORTING A BIPOC ICE CREAM
SHOP.
ALL IN ALL, THOSE WERE GREAT
EVENTS. WE WERE ABLE TO REACH
COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHERE THEY
WERE AND MAYBE IT IS A FARMERS
MARKET, COMMUNITY EVENT, OR
JUST SHOWING UP WHERE EMPLOYEES
WERE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK
IN PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO.
PIVOTING A LITTLE BIT, THIS WAS
A MULTI-DEPARTMENT INITIATIVE
TO SPRUCE UP THE CITY AS WE ARE
REOPENING INTO PHASE FOUR.
OED RECEIVED A PORTION OF THE
FUNDING IN COLLABORATION WITH
SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES AND
PARKS AND S..
LOOKING THROUGH AN EQUITY LENS,
OED HAS HAD A LOT OF CAPACITY
AND THEY WERE DOING A LOT OF
BIG WORK DURING THE PANDEMIC.
MOST OF THEM HAVE SOME SERVICE
TO DO PRESSURE WASHING OR
REMOVAL. WE MADE A DECISION, A
STRATEGIC ONE TO ALLOCATE SOME
OF THE FUNDING TO THE EQUITY
DISTRICTS JUST SO THEY COULD GET
SOME OF THAT ON THEIR PUBLIC
REALM. WE PARTNERED WITH A
NONPROFIT CALLED UPLIFT
NORTHWEST.
SOME OF YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR
WITH THAT ORGANIZATION.
THEY EMPLOY FOLKS RETURNING
BACK TO THE WORKFORCE.
WE WERE PLEASED TO PROVIDE
ALLOCATIONS TO UPLIFT NORTHWEST
SO THEY CAN PROVIDE CLEAN
SERVICES FOR THIS REOPENING
PERIOD OF THREE TO FOUR MONTHS.
THIS WAS FOR 18 NEIGHBORHOODS
OUTSIDE OF THE ECOSYSTEM.
ALL IN ALL, 50 INDIVIDUALS WERE
PAID MARKET RATE IN TERMS OF
THIS PROGRAM IN ORDER TO DO SOME
OF THE PUBLIC WORK.
THIS IS A HOLISTIC RECAP THAT
INTERSECTS A LITTLE BIT OF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENTS THAT
HEIDI MENTIONED, THE CREATIVE
INDUSTRY THAT DEFINITELY TOOK A
TURN DURING THE PANDEMIC AND IN
SCOTT'S PRESENTATION AND ANISA
SAID THERE WERE SMALL BUSINESSES
THAT WERE ABLE TO PIVOT BECAUSE
THEY HAD THE CAPACITY, BUT WE
SAW A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES
WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO NOT GET
SITUATED IN A VILLAGE WHERE
THERE WERE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES
AND HIGH WAGE EARNERS WORKING
FROM HOME. WE HAVE FASCINATING
DATA FROM 2021 WHERE SOME
NEIGHBORHOODS ACTUALLY SOUGHT
FOOT TRAFFIC INCREASE FROM 2019
AS WERE WE REOPENING THE CITY
IN BALLARD AS WELL.
SO, IN CLOSING, I WILL TURN IT
BACK OVER TO DIRECTOR McINTYRE
, BUT HOPEFULLY THAT GIVES YOU
MORE LAYERING OF THE RECOVERY
IN 2021.
>> THANKS VERY MUCH, PHILLIP .
NEXT SLIDE. WE ARE REACHING THE
END AND THEN WE WILL BE HAPPY
TO TAKE SOME QUESTIONS.
JUST TO WRAP IT UP, AS I SAID
AT THE TOP, WE ARE TRYING TO
RETHINK THE IDENTITY ROLE OF
OED.
WE WANT TO BE SEEN AS AN
ORCHESTRATOR AND MAKE SURE WE
ARE TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO
BREAK DOWN BARRIERS AND OPEN
DOORS TO WEALTH BUILDING
OPPORTUNITIES AND FOR
COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN
EXCLUDED FROM SUCH
OPPORTUNITIES.
WE WILL FIND AN INCLUSIVE
ECONOMY WHERE EVERYONE CAN
FULLY PARTICIPATE AND WE ARE
GENERATING INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS
AND COMMUNITY WEALTH
HOLISTICALLY.
HOPEFULLY YOU HAVE SEEN A CLEAR
THREAD THROUGH SOME OF OUR WORK
LAST YEAR, CENTERING RACIAL
EQUITY, DOING A LOT OF OUTREACH
TO DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AND
REALLY TRYING TO FOCUS ON WHERE
THERE WAS THE DEEPEST IMPACT
FROM COVID, THE DIFFERENT
INDUSTRIES, DIFFERENT
GEOGRAPHIES, DIFFERENT
DEMOGRAPHICS. GOING FORWARD, WE
WILL MAKE SURE WE SET RACIAL
EQUITY IN OUR WORK AS WE THINK
ABOUT ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION.
THAT WILL BE A CORE PART OF OUR
PLANNING, NOT AN ADD ON, BUT A
KEY PART OF IT.
WE HAVE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW
TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE
STORYTELLING BUT ALSO WHERE
THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE AND
WHAT THOSE PROGRAMS MIGHT BE.
AND FINALLY, AS I SAID, WE ARE
STILL A BIT OF A SKELETON CREW
OVER HERE.
THIS TEAM DID REALLY GREAT WORK
LAST YEAR AND THEY ARE DOING
GREAT WORK NOW, BUT AS THEY
LOOK AT THE FUTURE AND WHAT WE
WANT TO DO, WE ARE GOING TO
INVEST IN OUR PEOPLE. WE HAVE
GOT TO INVEST IN OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE AND TECHNOLOGY
AND IN OUR TEAM CULTURE.
WE HAVE A POSITIVE, FORWARD
THINKING GROUP OF PEOPLE ON
THESE ISSUES.
THOSE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS TO
WRAP UP WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR,
AND A LOOK AHEAD INTO THE
FUTURE.
WE WILL BE EXCITED TO COME BACK
TO THE COMMITTEE LATER ON THIS
SUMMER AND GIVE A BETTER
EXPLANATION OF OUR WORK PLAN
AND PRIORITIES AND WHAT WE ARE
TRYING TO SET UP NOW AND GOING
FORWARD.
HOPEFULLY THAT GIVES YOU A
GLIMPSE OF SOME OF THE GREAT
WORK THIS TEAM HAS DONE.
I WANT TO THANK PHILLIP, HEIDI,
ANISA, AND SCOTT . THERE ARE A
LOT OF OTHERS ON THE TEAM TO
PUT IN GREAT EFFORT AS WELL.
WITH THAT, WE WILL WRAP IT UP
AND SEE IF YOU GUYS HAVE
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, TEAM, FOR
OUTLINING THIS.
I DO LOOK FORWARD TO FUTURE
PRESENTATIONS.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WHEN
YOU TALK ABOUT THE IDENTITY OF
OED, TO ME , I HAVE ALWAYS
BELIEVED THAT HE, TOO, RACE AND
SOCIAL JUSTICE IS PROVIDING
MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR WEALTH
GENERATION AND THAT COULD BE
HOMEOWNERSHIP OR, YOU KNOW,
ACCESS TO CAPITAL FOR BUSINESS
OWNERS IN BIPOC COMMUNITIES AND
ANY NUMBER OF THINGS.
BUT BASICALLY OED , TO ME, YOUR
IDENTITY IS HELPING PEOPLE TO
START AND GROW BUSINESSES IN
SEATTLE AND THAT IN AND OF
ITSELF IS FACILITATING WEALTH
GENERATION.
IT SEEMS WHAT WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT TODAY IS IN THE CORE DNA
OF YOUR DEPARTMENT UNIQUELY IN
THE CITY, SO THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION AND
FOR THE WORK YOU HAVE DONE IN
THE PAST WITH EVERYBODY THERE
AT OED AND GOING FORWARD.
IN MY INAUGURATION SPEECH, I
LAID OUT THE TOP TWO PRIORITIES
FOR MY COMMUNITY AND THEY WERE
REVITALIZING DOWNTOWN AND
NEIGHBORHOOD SMALL BUSINESS
DISTRICTS AND PREVENTING THE
DISPLACEMENT OF MINORITY OWNED
BUSINESSES IN COMMUNITIES
UNDERGONG RAPID GENTRIFICATION.
I HAVE MET WITH LEADERS OF
EQUITABLE COMMUNITY DEVELOP
ORGANIZATIONS, THOSE THAT ARE
PARTNERS IN THE COLLABORATIVE.
I HAVE MET WITH CDF I DIRECTORS
AND THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF
THE SMALL BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION TO FIGURE OUT
HOW WE GET MORE CAPITAL INTO
THE HANDS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE
BEEN EXCLUDED BECAUSE OF THE
FACT THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE
EQUITY OR THE PROPERTY THAT
TRADITIONAL BANKS REQUIRE FOR
COMMERCIAL LOANS. I AM
INTERESTED IN LAND-USE AND
BUILDING CODE CHANGES THAT WILL
MAKE IT EASIER FOR BUSINESSES
THAT COULD BE DISPLACED FROM
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE
UNDERGOING CHANGE, LIKE FOR
EXAMPLE WHEN A BIG DEVELOPMENT
COMES IN, PERHAPS IT IS AN
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT THAT
COMES IN AND DISPLACES FOUR OR
FIVE STOREFRONTS OR WHATEVER.
HOW CAN WE MAKE IT EASIER FOR
THOSE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN
DISPLACED TO MOVE BACK INTO
THOSE SPACES AND START SMALL?
YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO GROW AS
THEIR BUSINESS GROWS.
CODE CHANGES, MAYBE EVEN A
PROGRAM THAT IS MODELED ON
MULTI FAMILY TAX EXEMPTION
PROGRAM. THAT WOULD INCENTIVIZE
BUILDING OWNERS TO COVER THE
COSTS OF IMPROVEMENTS SO WE CAN
KEEP BUSINESSES AND JOBS HERE.
IT IS THE CORE PRIORITY OF MINE
AND YOUR DEPARTMENT HAS THE
KNOW-HOW AND HISTORIC KNOWLEDGE
ON WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, SO I
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING VERY
CLOSELY WITH YOU GOING FORWARD.
AND WHEN I RAISED MY HAND
EARLIER WHEN YOU WERE TALKING
ABOUT NIGHTLIFE, I JUST WANTED
TO -- GETTING BACK TO THE DOT
CONNECTING, I BELIEVE IT WAS
MARCH OR FEBRUARY, MY OFFICE
MET SCOTT AND WE WERE TALKING
WITH DANA, THE OWNER, ABOUT HOW
IMPORTANT NIGHTLIFE IS NOT JUST
AS IT SUPPORTS OUR ARTISTS, BUT
AS JOB CREATORS.
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT
ENTER INTO THEIR PROFESSIONS
WORKING AT MUSIC VENUES, DOING
THE LIGHTING AND SOUND
ENGINEERING AND ALL OF THAT AND
THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT WAYS.
I DON'T KNOW, THEY PUT FORWARD
THAT IT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL
IF THE CITY COULD FIGURE OUT
HOW TO LAMENT A PIPELINE BETWEEN
PEOPLE THAT ARE LOOKING FOR
WELL-PAID JOBS IN OUR CREATIVE
INDUSTRIES AND IN THE OWNERS OF
VENUES AND WHATEVER WAYS THAT WE
, AS A CITY, COULD SERVE AS A
CONDUIT FOR THOSE
OPPORTUNITIES.
I'M HOPING WE COULD TALK MORE
ABOUT THAT.
STOTT, PHILLIP, AND I AND
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS WERE THERE
LAST NIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
CONVENING THAT.
THEY ARE STARTING THEIR CITY OF
MUSIC REBUILDING, THEIR
STRATEGIC PLAN AND THEY HAD ONE
FROM 2010 TO 2020.
THEN THE PANDEMIC HIT, SO THEY
ARE RESTARTING THAT PROCESS.
I EXPECT THAT OED WILL BE
INVOLVED AND WILL LOOK TO HELP
FACILITATE THEIR PRIORITIES
TOO.
AND FINALLY, ONE LAST THING AND
THEN I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR
QUESTIONS.
WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE
WORK YOU ARE DOING WITH YOUTH
AND DIGITAL EQUITY, I NEVER
KNEW ABOUT THAT PROGRAM AND I'M
REALLY GLAD TO KNOW BECAUSE I
WAS THINKING, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO
SMALL BUSINESSES NEED IN THIS
TOWN?
WHAT DO THEY NEED THAT THEY
DON'T HAVE ALREADY?
A WEBSITE.
I AM REALLY GLAD TO HEAR ABOUT
THAT WORK AND WHEN IT COMES TO,
YOU KNOW, HELPING OUR YOUNG
CREATIVES FIGURE OUT HOW TO
MAKE A PAYCHECK FROM THEIR ART
AND UNIFIED OUTREACH DOES JUST
THAT.
THEY WORK WITH YOUTH IN HIGH
SCHOOLS AND IN SUMMER PROGRAMS
THAT BASICALLY HELP PEOPLE
THINK ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE AND
THEY FRAME THEIR WORK PARTLY AS
VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
THEY HELP YOUNG PEOPLE THINK
ABOUT HOW THEY CAN ACTUALLY
BREAK INTO THE INDUSTRIES. IF
THEY ARE INTERESTED IN VIDEO,
WELL, WHAT DO THEY NEED TO DO?
WHAT ARE THE STEPS THEY NEED TO
TAKE TO ACTUALLY GET INTO
PROFESSIONALIZING THEIR ART?
IN ANY CASE, I WILL STOP
TALKING NOW AND OPEN IT UP FOR
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FROM THE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
>> CHAIR, I WILL TAKE THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK YOU TO
THE ENTIRE OED TEAM.
THE WORK THAT YOU DO IS
INCREDIBLE.
IT IS THE UNDERPINNING OF SO
MANY PEOPLE'S SUCCESS AND I
THINK YOU INTERVENE AND FAILURE
MORE OFTEN THAN PEOPLE REALIZE
TO BE THAT SAFETY NET FOR
BUSINESSES.
I REALLY CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH
FOR ALL OF THE WORK YOU HAVE
DONE FOR THE PANDEMIC.
YOU WERE CRUCIAL IN MAKING THE
FARMERS MARKET TO REOPEN.
EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE WERE STILL
GETTING THEIR GROCERIES FROM
THE FARMERS MARKET, THAT IS ONE
OF COUNTLESS, COUNTLESS,
COUNTLESS NUMBERS OF WAYS THAT
YOU HAVE HELPED ME, THE
COMMUNITY, AND THE ENTIRE CITY.
I HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED TALKING
ABOUT MY LIFE FOR ALL THAT IS
TO COME AS WE REBUILD A BETTER
SEATTLE BECAUSE WE DON'T NEED
TO RETURN TO THE WAY WE WERE.
WE GET TO RETURN TO A PLACE
THAT IS BETTER THAN IT HAS BEEN
BEFORE AND I TRUST IN YOUR
LEADERSHIP BECAUSE I SEE YOU AS
TRUSTED PARTNERS.
KEEP IT UP.
GO FORTH AND LET'S MAKE SEATTLE
THE SEATTLE WE KNOW IT TO BE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR SOME
OPTIMISM AROUND IT TURNING THE
CORNER HERE.
I WANT TO ALSO THANK OED , NOT
JUST FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT
YOU DO GENERALLY THAT IS SO
IMPORTANT IN ENSURING WE HAVE A
THRIVING ECONOMY AND BUSINESS
DISTRICTS, BUT I ALSO WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR THE EMPHASIS THAT
YOU HAVE SHARED WITH US IN THIS
PRESENTATION TODAY ON THE
CREATIVE SECTOR.
WE KNOW BEFORE THE PANDEMIC,
THE CREATIVE SECTOR REALLY
DROVE A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF
SEATTLE'S ECONOMY AND WE ALSO
KNOW THAT THE CREATIVE SECTOR
WAS AMONG THE VERY HARDEST HIT
BY COVID AND IT IS PREDICTED
NOT JUST SPECIFICALLY HERE IN
SEATTLE, BUT GENERALLY THE
CREATIVE SECTOR IS ANTICIPATING
TO RECOVER THE SLOWEST.
REALLY, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE
THAT FOCUS AND LOVE THAT YOU
HAVE SHARED WITH US THE NORTH
SEATTLE JUNCTION WAS AMONG THE
LOCATIONS THAT BENEFITED FROM
SHOP TO THE BEAT.
THAT IS SUPER EXCITING.
I JUST HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
DATA COLLECTION THAT YOU
REFERENCED ON SLIDE 12. YOU
WROTE THAT THE DATA -- LET'S
SEE.
IT IDENTIFIES SPECIFICALLY A
NEED FOR FURTHER AWARENESS IN
MENTORSHIPS. THE DATA SHOWS
ARTISTS INTERACTING WITH VENUES
AND GATEKEEPERS AND
SECTORS, BUSINESS PRACTICES,
AND A STANDARDS. I'M WONDERING
WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS A
FOLLOW-UP YOU WILL BE WORKING
ON TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE
ISSUES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED
THROUGH THAT DATA COLLECTION?
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
YES, THE GREATER CONVERSATION
AROUND THE SYSTEMIC ISSUES
NEEDS TO CONTINUE AND THAT IS
AN AREA WE CONTINUE TO WANT TO
EXPLORE.
THAT CONVERSATION DOES NOT END
WITH SHOP TO THE BEAT BY ANY
MEANS.
THIS WAS JUST BEING ABLE TO
QUICKLY TAKE THE INFORMATION
THAT WE HAD RECEIVED AND PIVOT
TO A PROGRAM AND MAKING SURE
THAT PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED
ACCORDING TO WHAT WE HAD HEARD.
THE GREATER CONVERSATION NEEDS
TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN AND NOW
WE ARE OPENING BACK UP AGAIN,
WE NEED TO PICK THAT THREAD
BACK UP. THANK YOU FOR THE
QUESTION.
>> YEAH, ONE THING I HAVE HEARD
FROM PEOPLE IS THERE ARE VERY
FEW ACTUAL VENUES FOR
ENTERTAINMENT.
CAESAR ROBINSON MENTIONED THAT
TO ME.
JUST HAVING PHYSICAL SPACE IS
ONE KEY TO ACCESS AND BREAKING
DOWN THE BARRIERS.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS
HERE?
WELL, THAT WAS A TEASER OF A
FUTURE PRESENTATION THAT WILL
BE COMING IN THE COMMITTEES
AHEAD.
I AM ESPECIALLY LOOKING FORWARD
TO HEARING HOW IT OED CONTINUES
TO HONE ITS IDENTITY AND
PRESENT YOUR WORK PLAN, TALK
ABOUT INDUSTRY SECTORS AND
ESPECIALLY CONTINUING OUR
CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE CAN
STRENGTHEN OUR FILM ECONOMY IN
SEATTLE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IF YOU
EVER WANT ANYTHING FROM THIS
COMMITTEE TO MENTION OR HELP
PROMOTE WHAT YOU'RE DOING OVER
THIS SUMMER, I AM HAPPY TO BE A
MOUTHPIECE FOR THE GOOD WORK
YOU ARE DOING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING
TODAY AND GOING THROUGH THIS
REPORT ON YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
AND THE WORK YOU WILL CONTINUE
TO DO.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING
US AND THANKS FOR THE INSPIRING
WORDS.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO WORK AND
BE BACK WITH MORE INFORMATION
AND MORE DISCUSSION.
>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY AGAIN I
AM SO GLAD THAT YOU ARE AT THE
HELM OF IT OED AND IT IS SO
GREAT TO SEE YOUR LEADERSHIP
GOING FORWARD.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.
THANKS.
>> OKAY.
SO, ONE THING I WANTED TO NOTE,
AND I WANTED TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD FOR
ALLOWING THAT PRESENTATION IN
YOUR COMMITTEE YESTERDAY. IT
WAS SORT OF A FOLLOW-UP ON THE
DISCUSSION WE HAD ON FEBRUARY
9th WITH THE DIRECTORS AND
SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS TO TALK
ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF CRIME ON
THEIR BUSINESSES AND THEIR
STAFF.
I REALLY DO APPRECIATE
PROVIDING THAT VENUE TO TALK
ABOUT NEXT STEPS AND HOW THOSE
RECOMMENDATIONS ARE GOING AND
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE ABOUT NEW INITIATIVES. I
ESPECIALLY WAS INTERESTED IN I
BELIEVE ERIN GOODMAN OR DON
LAKEMAN PRESENTED THE IDEA OF
COORDINATORS IN THE BUSINESS
DISTRICTS.
I MENTIONED THIS BECAUSE THERE
IS A NEXUS WITH OED AND AROUND
IN GENERAL BECAUSE OED IS THE
BODY OF THE CITY THAT SUPPORTS
THE CREATION OF THE BUSINESS
IMPROVEMENT AREAS.
MAKE SURE THEY'RE GETTING THE
SUPPORT THEY NEED FROM THE CITY.
I JUST WANTED TO EXTEND MY
APPRECIATION FOR YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
ALL RIGHT.
SEEING NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS, I WILL DRAW THIS
MEETING TO A CLOSE.
IT IS NOW 10:36. OUR NEXT
MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR APRIL
30th AT 9:30 A.M.
AND HEARING NO OTHER COMMENTS
OR QUESTIONS, THIS MEETING IS
NOW ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.