NEWS GLEAMS | A Win for Black Voters in Alabama, New Affordable Housing in Yesler Terrace, and More

A roundup of news and announcements we don’t want to get lost in the fast-churning news cycle!

curated by Mark Van Streefkerk and Megan Christy

Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Black Voters in Alabama Redistricting Case

On Thursday, June 8, 2023, the Supreme Court voted 5-4 in favor of Black voters in an Alabama voting rights case. The court sided with Black voters against a Republican-drawn district map that would make it harder to form majority Black electoral districts, thereby diluting the Black vote. The map proposed by Republicans would have only one majority Black seat out of seven districts though Black people make up about 27% of Alabama. 

The ruling could have far-reaching implications, especially in the 2023 elections, where much of the U.S. House seats are determined by Southern states. The case brings to light other instances of states, like South Carolina and Georgia, who are facing their own litigation over alleged racial redistricting.

Affordable Housing Complex 13th & Fir Opens in Yesler Terrace

Yesterday, Tuesday, June 13, 13th & Fir had its grand opening at 115 13th Ave., right across from Bailey Gatzert Elementary School. A joint project between Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda) and Community Roots Housing (CRH), 13th & Fir offers 156 new apartments that include studios and units of up to four bedrooms. The larger units were made with extended and intergenerational families in mind. This housing is available for people who earn 30% and 60% of the area median income.

The first floor of the complex will be home to the Denise Louie Education Center, offering childcare and early education, as well as about 2,500 square feet of retail space available for local businesses. 

“This project allowed our organization and development partners to co-create a uniquely cohesive place for families to grow and access nearby resources in affordable housing that was designed with them in mind,” said Jamie Lee and Jared Jonson, co-executive directors of SCIDpda, in a press release. “We are incredibly excited to see the community move in and truly make 13th & Fir their new home.”

Seattle School Bus Drivers Avert Strike

On Saturday, June 10, around 150 school bus drivers and mechanics contracted with Seattle Public Schools ratified their first contract as members of Teamsters Local 174 with employer Zum. As reported by Real Change, at the end of May, the group had voted to strike if necessary after negotiations had reached an impasse over pay, benefits, and rights.

“It was crucial that this group win a strong contract to protect the school bus industry in Seattle, and these brand-new Teamsters’ solidarity and strength accomplished that goal,” said Teamsters Local 174 secretary-treasurer Rick Hicks in a press release on Saturday.

Yellow bus service for the Seattle School District had been provided solely by First Student until the 2022–2023 school year, when the district awarded California-based Zum a contract, splitting the district’s routes between the two companies. In 2018, roughly 400 First Student drivers and maintenance workers, also represented by Teamsters Local 174, went on strike to secure better working conditions as well as health care benefits and succeeded. The drivers and mechanics for Zum hoped to achieve the same conditions as the 2018 First Student contract.

According to the Teamsters’ June 10 press release, the Zum drivers and mechanics seem to have achieved that in this contract with “meaningful wage increases, improved medical coverage, Union retirement, paid holidays, grievance procedure, language protecting workers who honor picket lines, and more.”

“This Agreement is a victory for all involved, and will continue to improve the lives of the people responsible for transporting our most precious cargo: our children,” said Hicks.

Editors’ Note: On June 13, 2023, the Emerald reprinted Real Change’s May 30, 2023, article on the Zum school bus drivers and mechanics vote to strike and did not add the updated information about the contract being ratified by the Teamsters on June 10. The Emerald apologizes for the error.

Mariners vs. White Sox at T-Mobile Park for Father’s Day Weekend

A perfect fit for Father’s Day weekend: Friday, June 17, kicks off a three-game Mariners vs. White Sox series, and all three are at the Mariners’ home turf at T-Mobile Park. The Mariners are currently ranked fourth in the American League, coming off two recent wins against Miami.

Looking for more to do this weekend? Check out the Emerald’s guides to Juneteenth, Pride, and Summer in the South End Events, as well as an upcoming Father’s Day guide.

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📸 Featured Image: Attendees at the official ribbon-cutting at the opening of 13th & Fir: (from left to right) Deputy Mayor Greg Wong; Xiu Wen Li, Denise Louie Education Center; Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda; Susan Yang, executive director of the Denise Louie Education Center; Maiko Winkler-Chin, Director of the Office of Housing; Jamie Lee, co-executive director of SCIDpda; Jared Jonson, co-executive director of SCIDpda; Chris Persons, executive director of Community Roots Housing; and Commissioner Gerald Smiley of the Seattle Housing Authority. (Photo: Ronn CM, courtesy of SCIDpda and Community Roots Housing.)

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