Year one (2022):

 

Our organization's journey began with a groundbreaking initiative: the first Black, Indigenous, and People of the Global Majority Makers Market in December 2021. This collaborative effort with Sky Nursery empowered over 50 vendors by providing comprehensive support encompassing marketing, advertising, professional photography, vendor preparation, resource sharing, and business planning. This market laid the foundation for our ongoing commitment to fostering sustainable economic development within our community.

Building upon this success, our 2022 initiatives focused on creating lasting positive change. We expanded our market offerings, providing additional opportunities for BIPGM entrepreneurs. Simultaneously, we invested in community capacity-building through free training workshops focused on sustainable business practices and financial literacy. We facilitated affinity group meetings to build networks and foster mutual support, and expanded our board of directors to ensure diverse representation and expertise in community development and sustainability.

Crucially, we partnered with local schools, Launch Learning and teachers to integrate Indigenous knowledge into curricula and established community food forests, promoting sustainable food systems and environmental stewardship. These collaborations represent our deep commitment to creating a vibrant, equitable, and environmentally conscious community.

Year two (2023):
 

Our commitment to sustainable community development is multifaceted. We're actively fundraising to establish a culturally-centered hub, envisioning a space that will house a plant family app, game, video, and books—all reflecting and celebrating our community’s heritage and fostering intergenerational learning.

While exploring potential locations, we prioritized community safety and control. Our initial exploration of a Capitol Hill storefront, involving 16 makers, ultimately revealed financial exploitation, leading us to reject the opportunity and redirect our efforts towards securing land and building a cultural center that genuinely reflects our values.

Our approach centers on collaboration. We've partnered with organizations like Queer the Land, Black Star Farmers, and Partners of Employment to offer workshops promoting sustainable practices, economic empowerment, and environmental justice.

Our continued efforts to build community include makers markets and community engagement initiatives aimed at collective liberation. However, we've also faced challenges, including instances of racism and tokenization. A market held on private property was marred by rudeness from management, negatively impacting vendors and customers. A planned partnership with The Collective Seattle fell through unexpectedly, and a collaboration with The Lodge at Saint Edwards Park proved unsustainable due to unfair compensation demands. These experiences underscore the need for equitable partnerships and highlight the systemic barriers we work to overcome.

Despite these setbacks, our unwavering commitment to community-led, equitable, and environmentally-conscious development persists. We are currently working on project development plans that center community needs, promoting equity and justice in all aspects of our endeavors

Year three (2024):
 

Our organization champions sustainable community practices through diverse initiatives. We foster environmental stewardship by offering free seeds and plants at our makers markets, encouraging community gardening and food sovereignty. We also create opportunities for cultural exchange through song sharing in parks and gardens, celebrating our heritage and strengthening community bonds.

Our commitment to equity extends to partnerships. While we sought to establish a kiosk with Friends of the Waterfront Seattle to promote equitable access to resources, the partnership unfortunately dissolved due to their unwillingness to meet our requirements for equitable compensation and safety protocols. This experience underscores the importance of negotiating fair partnerships that prioritize community well-being and self-determination.

Furthering our sustainable development goals, we have initiated collaborative meetings and community organizing with the QT2S-led Calpulli group, resulting in fundraising efforts for two key projects: a Cultural Center- community resilience hub and the development of a "Plant Family" app, game, video, and books. These projects are designed to engage, educate, and empower the community while respecting and celebrating Indigenous knowledge and practices. Our Green-lake cultural space project is progressing well, currently in contract development phase with Seattle Park's equity fund.


Year four (2025):
 

This year, we're significantly expanding our sustainable community development initiatives. A key focus is the creation of Indigenous food and medicine forests in partnership with King, Pierce, and Kitsap County parks and community centers. This collaborative effort will enhance community access to traditional foods and medicines, promote biodiversity, and strengthen connections to Indigenous knowledge.

Our ongoing work includes collaborative meetings and community organizing with the QT2S-led Calpulli group, fueling the growth of our initiatives. We continue fundraising for our Cultural Center and the development of a Plant Family app, game, video, and books—projects designed to engage, educate, and empower the community while celebrating Indigenous heritage. 

This year marks a pivotal moment in our journey to build a more equitable, sustainable, and culturally vibrant community. We are actively pursuing ambitious goals, expanding our impact, and securing a foundation for lasting positive change. 

We are actively seeking land to establish a permanent community center and resilience hub, addressing a critical need for safe, accessible space within our community. This hub will serve as a central location for vital programs and services, impacting an estimated [Number] individuals in the [Area] region who currently lack access to [Specific resources/support]. The facility will include:

• Workshops focused on sustainable living, growing, and housing: These workshops will provide practical skills and knowledge to foster self-sufficiency and community resilience.
• Cohorts providing access to Indigenous peoples taking back our knowledge and passing it down in our communities: These cohorts will create opportunities for intergenerational learning and knowledge transfer, ensuring the preservation and transmission of traditional practices.
• Free medicine and food programs offering access to traditional active care: These programs will provide access to traditional healing practices and culturally appropriate foods, promoting health and well-being within the community.

Securing this land will be transformative for our community, providing a vital foundation for long-term sustainability and resilience.

Our Vision for 2026: Building a Thriving, Resilient Community 

Expanding Our Impact – Program Expansion and Partnerships 

We plan to expand our successful programs significantly this year. This includes:

• Increasing the number of participants in our workshops.
• Launching a new cohort program.
• Strengthening partnerships to expand the reach and impact of our initiatives.
• Expanding Collaborations and Development of "Plant Family" app, game, books, videos

Building Community – Artists in Residence and Cooperative Living

We envision creating a vibrant and inclusive space by establishing artist residencies and cooperative living spaces within the new community center. This initiative will provide opportunities for Indigenous artists to share their talents, fostering cultural exchange and economic empowerment. This model promotes community building and fosters a sense of shared ownership and responsibility, creating a truly sustainable and resilient community.