RARE Newsletter May 2021
Students Plan Inclusive Future
Members of the NAACP Youth Council are demanding to be included and they expect a future in which they are. Their demands are vision statements for the future. Some of the group’s Seattle-King County members shared the list with RARE committee members and guests at a March 29 discussion held via Zoom.
Less Than $50,000 To Go!
Help us ensure the scholarship program will exist in perpetuity by making your donation today. Donations will be matched dollar for dollar through May 25, the anniversary of the killing of George Floyd. You can also help by reaching out to friends and family by sending them this flyer.
The Verdict — Where We Go From Here
Last Memorial Day, George Floyd was killed by Derek Chauvin. Among the actions the murder set in motion was the call between two Roosevelt High School alumni that ultimately formed Roosevelt Alumni for Racial Equity (RARE).
Why is Seattle Still Segregated? Realtors, Banks and Developers Played a Role
The practice was called “red lining,” but it wasn’t really a red “line” that kept families of color out of most neighborhoods in Seattle. It was an area on a map that was colored red. It delineated the portions of a city that were too risky for the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation to insure mortgages at its inception as a New Deal Program in 1933. Eighty-eight years later, red lined neighborhoods still reflect their segregated legacy.
Living In the “Wrong” Neighborhood
A poignant first-person story about how an act of innocent childhood kindness overcame racist bullies.
Brookings Institute Examines the Wealth Gap Between Black and White Households
There are several gaps that highlight the inequities between America’s Black and White citizens. But no gap is wider than the wealth gap between the average White household which at $171,000 is ten times higher than that of the average Black household of $17,150
Brandon Hersey Joins RARE on May 10
Brandon Hersey, Seattle school board director who represents District VII (including Southeast Seattle), will join RARE for its monthly discussion session on May 10. Everyone is welcome. Please contact us if you would like a link to the Zoom meeting.
Hersey hails from a family of black educators and is committed to improving educational outcomes for Seattle students. He is personally committed to ensuring bright futures for young people – not only as an educator but as a scoutmaster to Troup 008 in Rainier Beach. He will discuss opportunities for students of color, district programs to address racial equity, and his thoughts on the Restorative Justice Initiative.
Hersey has been a member of the school board since 2019 when he was appointed to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Betty Patu. The term expires in November of 2021.