Chloe Yeo, Group 11

POST 1
It’s March 10th, two days after international (working) women’s day, and we’re here at the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) to celebrate the achievements and histories of womxn in Rock. It’s just past lunch time, and people are weaving in and out of spaces, absorbing exhibition spaces and jittering about past meetings.

It’s especially fitting for this inclusive event to sit at the edge of South Lake Union. Seattle itself has become a microcosm for modern day colonialism. In pursuit of innovating the technological frontier, wealth and “tech bro” culture (namely Amazon’s influx of employees) continue to push out marginalized groups and erase their histories, leaving no solace of affordable housing or community centers, only luxury condos and automated grocery stores in their wake. But here, in this celebration and gathering of musicians and creatives of color, I am hopeful for this vibrant, optimistic, angry, expressive future. So far, everyone has been extremely welcoming and participatory and inclusive. Claiming space in this museum is empowering and I’m looking forward to the ideas that come forward from this (un)conference.

[UPDATE] POST 2: ReCAPping community discussions and blues jamming

While gentrification and creating affordable housing are hot topics, I had never considered the intersection of gentrification and creating creative spaces. During the CAP (Creation, Activation, Preservation) Report session, I enjoyed hearing recommendations and Seattle’s attempts to define creative space and preserve cultural landmarks. It’s incredibly nuanced and faces significant historical barriers because of systemic racism through redlining, financial institutions, and misconceptions about artists. I never understood the need for studio space for visual or performing arts in terms of city planning, or how these cultural districts can help inform housing and retail space decisions. The CAP report discussion illuminated the potential for arts and housing equity to work hand in hand, which I found inspiring and grateful that these talks are happening at a city level.

Following this table talk, the atrium was opened up to a lovely blues jam session. As a person who strongly values representation, I loved seeing women of color collaborating and creating sounds together in a space that isn’t directly celebrating diversity. In the context of MOHAI, the activities of this (un)conference almost seemed at odds with the space. My initial reaction of MOHAI was that it was built to “sell” people on the idea of Seattle, and dismissed any impact of race, class, or gender caused by rising industries. Therefore, it is important and necessary to put MOHAI and this conference in conversation with each other, and continue to do so in various spaces throughout our changing city.

The discussion room was a safe, open space to have engaging conversation. Many of the women discussed their original intentions of moving to Seattle as a place of inclusion, as they hoped to find others they could identify with on spiritual and cultural levels. In a city like Seattle, they discussed how being surrounded by people who look like themselves can bring comfort and a sense of pride to something that often seems burdensome. However, some women discussed suffering from a lack of mentors/elders in their communities, leading to an absence of historical cultural knowledge that the history books do not fill. This is where the archive is most helpful; it serves as a platform for teaching the history of peoples through visual and auditory messages. As many cultural histories where buried by  colonization and the terrors of white supremacy, the archive serves as a collection of the oral histories passed down through generations. Therefore, the archive can help fill the void left by an absence of elders/mentors. The same can be said about musicians like Black Mama – she serves as a leader in her community, a role model for women around the globe, and a source of oral history portrayed through her music. Other topics discussed included using the arts to teach students lagging behind in school, working as a community to educate others, rediscovering ancestral stories, pushing for minority leaders to be represented in history books, people having to identify as white in order to navigate political and social systems, people rejecting their cultural history out of a shame engrained by the society they live in, forced assimilation to procure jobs or leadership roles in communities, and the reclamation of space. Ultimately, the discussion regarding reclamation focused  on identifying oneself, recognizing one’s goals, and protesting/fighting for those goals through whatever medium possible.

Following the panel, we were welcomed to watch the film Promised Land, a film about what it means to be Native American in modern times. It also goes in depth on the history of the Native American tribes in Washington and their histories. With a special focus on the Chinook and Duwamish nations. The movie does an excellent job delving into what the lands of the Native Americans mean to the nations, and places a focus on the treaties that “gave” the tribes their own lands. In the 1800s, white americans thought they were doing Native peoples a service by granting them lands, when in reality, the land was the tribes to begin with. The movie also notes that white people attempted to silence native culture through these treaties and places emphasis on the Native Americans that are trying to reclaim that culture.

Gavin Skaar

Group 17/18

After a screening of the film Promised Lands, a discussion began with various Duwamish tribe representatives about claiming space for the original inhabitants of Seattle in a changing city.

The Chairwoman of the tribe, Cecile Hansen, talked about the struggles that the Duwamish tribe have faced in trying to maintain who they are. The city has ignored the tribe’s traditions and life by developing their land and not caring about their customs. An example is the Highway 99 tunnel project where the Washington State Department of Transportation ran into human remains from the Duwamish tribe while digging the tunnel and did almost nothing about it. Action needs to be taken to recognize the Duwamish and their contribution to society.

The tribe representatives stressed the need for all of us to approach the city government and advocate for equality for the Duwamish people. Representation of the native culture around Seattle is key in maintaining the diverse community that is present in the city. We need to honor the original people of the city not ignore them.

— Group 7 from the University of Washington class reporting on the Women Who Rock Conference

At the Idea Incubator Forum in the room next to the panel, there was a safe space for discussion about what we’d heard discussed earlier in the day. Here, discussion ranged in topics from how to share experiences with more privileged people, how to empathize as someone on the side of privilege. These discussions helped enhance personal understanding of the things we’ve talked about. A few key concepts we identified were the irony of Seattle as a bastion of localism, as well as the inherent problems built into neoliberalism when it comes to economic and power structures. We also saw displays made by University of Washington Bothell students on the health effects of gentrification outside of the Seattle area, in places like Redmond and Everett. These exhibits showed that these problems we face aren’t limited but to Seattle, rather they’re all over the Washington area, and the world as a whole.

Promised Land tells the story of two tribes, the Chinook and Duwamish, who were both denied official recognition by the US Government. The first act of the film highlighted the experience of various tribe members and leaders, and gave the history of the US Government attempting, but failing to follow through, on reserving rights for the tribes of the Pacific Northwest. There were stories of longhouses being burned down to make room for real estate, and the Chinook tribe was told to move north or be refused to be recognized by the Senate as a real tribe.

After viewing the first act, the two co-directors along with two guests spoke about what reclaiming space means to them. To them, it’s not just about the land. It’s about their history, their livelihood, their lifestyle. Currently, the autonomy of 4 Culture is being threatened, and they gave a call to action to everyone to fight against this. 4 Culture is a center that provides access for minority populations to express their cultures, especially the ones that are most at risk. Without those institutions, their culture would not have survived, and we must defend the places that provide people of color with a space to express their identity.

Womxn of color artists (Kibibi Monie, Ana Cano– a. K. a. “Black Mama”, Julie C, and Ixtlixochitl Salinas- Whitehawk) are speaking in the Lakefront Pavilion. They are asked a round of questions, one of which, is how do people who have been oppressed claim space? They mention that one way of claiming space for artists like themselves, is through their artistry– through their music. Ixtlixochitl Salinas-Whitehawk interestingly and rightfully also brings up the idea of re-claiming space. It’s an idea that focuses not only on making sure that oppressed voices are heard, but also acknowledging the injustice of space being taken from others. She directs the focus and attention to a part of history that may be uncomfortable for people especially those who are privileged, to talk about and acknowledge (e.g. the taking of land from Native American tribes). However, that is what this conference is about, as well as with this panel of speakers sharing what they have to say. Acknowledging injustices in our society and talking about it is just a beginning step. The next major step is actually taking action to do something about it. Ixtlixochitl Salinas-Whitehawk also brings up an interesting point that Seattle is doing a great job of being aware of injustices, however, it is now a matter of taking action.   

There’s an energetic buzz during the opening introductions of the conference. At the Claiming Space in the Changing City panel, the audience was introduced to Kibibi Monie, Ixtlixochitl Salinas-Whitehawk, Julie C, and Ana Cano aka Black Mama. In a rapidly changing city like Seattle, this panel gives a space for underrepresented voices to discuss how to ensure their voices are heard, and that they have a say in the way their communities are changing. When wealthy investors are often the driving force behind the ways the city and its communities are changing, these voices are especially important. Something I felt was important was the way these women showed the power of the arts in the process of political commentary, and the way it empowers conmunties to own what is theirs. Ultimately, the culture of this city, and many others, were built on the communities that lived there, and reclaiming these marginalized voices and communities empowers them to fight against being pushed and priced out of their homes.

The conference started with a great welcome by the various organizers of the conference that make this event possible. The organizers presented the theme and purpose of the conference to recognize and honor the various backgrounds and personalities of the people in Seattle as well as the world.

We now move into the first session of the conference where various key women within the music world were introduced. Each woman on the panel then got a chance to respond to questions on how Seattle and the local scene has changed and what marginalized people can do to claim space and be recognized as central aspects of a diverse community.

The panelists stressed the fact that everyone needs to take a stand to change the way things are. If the new generation works with the older generation, then we as a community can work to reclaim space for those that have been marginalized. As one of the speakers said, “we need to be more inclusive and less exclusive. It’s important to have those difficult conversations and learn about each other.” We as a society can change what is happening now and acknowledge those that have been oppressed and marginalized, we just need to take a stand.

— Group 7 from the University of Washington class reporting on the Women Who Rock Conference

After a wonderful blessing from Duwamish tribe chair Cecile Hansen, the event has officially begun. After the blessing, we were greeted by a panel of several multi-talented, successful, and strong women, including Kibibi Monie, Julie C, Ixtlixochitl Salinas-Whitehawk, and Black Mama who were asked a myriad of questions, including how women can take their place within the rapidly-changing city of Seattle. All of the panelists agreed that women need to make a place for themselves and that it will be a hard fought battle, but the results will be well worth it. All four of the panelists gave their perspectives on how women can thrive in the city through the lens of art, music, and working together in order to achieve a common goal.

Gavin Skaar

Group 17/18