As we think about a way forward after the election, I want to introduce some artists who are already making a difference. They have committed their art practice to exposing issues that are kept invisible. Now that so many core beliefs and accepted social practices may be systematically undone by the new administration, support for artists who engage issues with compassion and intelligence is more important than ever. Part I An exhibition that I co-curated with anthropologist Mark Auslander titled “Liberty Denied: Immigration, Detention and Deportation” is at the Museum of Culture and Environment at Central Washington University (until December 10; Wed to Fri 11-4 and Sat 10-3). It features fourteen artists who address the almost invisible detention and deportation system. Currently, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) identify undocumented immigrants, often as a result of a minor traffic violation or racial profiling, and then put them in detention. Over 30,000 immigrants are detained at a time in 200 detention centers nationwide. With over 1500 beds, the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, run by the for-profit GEO Corporation under a contract with ICE, is one of the largest in the country. The detainees live in inhumane and illegal conditions with no privacy, poor health care and terrible food. They are forced to do the work of the center for one dollar a day. Since lack of documentation is a civil offense, detainees have none of the rights provided by our criminal justice system. Deportees are taken to buses often in the middle of the night and returned to countries in which they have often never lived or left many years ago, leaving behind families in the US. The artists in this exhibition explore some of these experiences starting with socio-economic and political forces that lead to migration, such as US government free trade agreements that bankrupt farmers, and globalized companies that steal land from indigenous people. Some address the terrifying border crossing. Eroyn Flynn details life inside a detention center in her fold out book. Others speak directly of the suffering of families. In contrast, Blanca Santander’s beautiful painting “Daughters of Immigration” celebrates the strength of women who survive immigration. Three works were originally commissioned by the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian-Pacific Experience in Seattle when the old Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) building in Seattle was vacated for the draconian facility in Tacoma. Dean Wong’s haunting photographs document the empty, eerie building. Robb Kunz provides interviews with immigrants about their experiences. Christian French gives us the “INS Game,” the arbitrary process of acquiring legal status, still embedded in the floor of the INS building, made into a card game for “Liberty Denied.” We even had artwork from a detainee at the Tacoma Detention center. Pavel Bahmatov sent purses and other objects woven from ramen and candy wrappers and cut with dental floss. Deborah Lawrence gives us the facts about the toxic location and toxic treatment of the detention center itself, in one of her incredible collage works called “Welcome.” Her one-person exhibition “Open Carry” at King County’s 4 Culture Gallery just closed on December 1. One of the most political artists in Seattle, her art at 4 Culture addressed many issues including the Standing Rock protest, the problems with the Second Amendment, fracking and the exploitation of national parks, hate crimes, and even the Pledge of Allegiance. Part II The Artnauts On another inspiring note, I recently met the “Artnauts” a collective of about 20 artists led by the dynamic George Rivera, a Professor of Art at the University of Colorado, Boulder. The Artnauts have been traveling the world since 1995, going to zones of conflict and offering art, communication, dialog, and mutual understanding. In their words: “The collective uses the arts as a tool for addressing global issues while connecting artists from around the world.” They have created exhibitions with local artists in Palestine, Bosnia, the Amazon, Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, South Africa, Russia, China and many more. As they go to these places, they are also immeasurably enriched by the experience. They invited me to speak at their twentieth anniversary exhibition at Red Line Gallery in Denver, Colorado. In addition to the anniversary exhibition, which highlighted ten of their previous exhibitions, they held a special exhibition of new works, “Rally Round the Flag,” curated by Linda Weintraub. All of the works are critiques, with the flag as an abstraction, a metaphor, a source of irony. Of course, we immediately think of the US flag as the subject, but there were many types of flags. For example, Trine Buhmiller, inspired by her Artnaut exhibition in Sarejevo last winter, created a tent like shape with prayer flags to honor the nightmare of the Bosnians; on the flags she painted the image of the Sarajevo roses superimposed on photographs of the still visible ruins of the city. Red “Sarejevo roses” were painted on sidewalks where sniper’s bullets landed. Andrew Connor featured a queen size bed with the US and Israeli flags sewn together, “in bed together” and under the transparent sheet we could see the Palestinian flag barely visible. The group has visited Palestine many times, and collaborated with Palestinian artists, most recently this summer in “Art and Resistance,” an exhibition for which I wrote a catalog essay. We can look to these artists and others to inspire us as we plan our resistance to the national nightmare currently unfolding like a slow, long-lasting earthquake. ~Susan Noyes Platt www.artandpoliticsnow.com

We had been meaning to see Michael Moore’s “Where to Invade Next?’ and were glad to see that Mt. Baker Community Club was presenting it in their Meaningful Movies series. The film depicts a non-military invasion of a selection of countries that seem to have solved thorny issues that we continue to deal with and disagree about. One of the most interesting features was the visit to Norway to learn about their prison system. It’s a relatively open system and the “inmates” each have their own room with bed, desk, books, radios, posters on the wall…much like your teenager’s room. Moore visits the kitchen where inmates are preparing the next meal; he makes some jokes about the large knives being handled by a convicted murderer. In Washington State, meals are contracted to an outside service and although the inmates are supposed to get job training, the only “skill” they develop is heating the food in a microwave, not exactly a skill to tout on one’s resume. Inmates are helped to find apartments before their release and support in finding employment. Recidivism is low. None of the prison sentences came anywhere near the draconian length of sentences given in this country (unless it’s a white collar crime). The differences with our system are glaring, as our prison system seems based on some Dickensian punishment and dehumanization approach. Other segments looked at Finland’s educational system, Italy’s workers’ benefits and Iceland’s refusal to bail out the banks. A very interesting film; highly recommended! The December film comes rather early in the month on Dec. 1 at 6:30. It’s “What Would Jesus Buy?” a topical film for the hectic Christmas season as “Reverend Billy” travels the country in an effort to stop the SHOPOCALYPSE. And I am avoiding Black Friday by sitting at my computer working on the December Leschi News! ~Diane Snell

The Leschi Community Council invited Vulcan representatives Pearl Leung and Pete Aperico to attend our November meeting. We learned a few days before the meeting that the Red Apple would not be leaving until the fall of 2017. Vulcan has not yet obtained all their permits and cannot begin construction until that is accomplished. This delay brings us more time to make an alternative plan for non-driving residents to obtain fresh foods during the 2-year construction period when no grocery store will be on the site. Development will start on the south side of Jackson, the space where Red Apple is currently. Although Vulcan also purchased the Promenade site on the north side of Jackson, these stores have longer leases and will stay put for the near term. Vulcan will be putting some non-profit groups into the empty spaces by Red Apple during this construction delay. They are working with Hewitt for landscape design and Runberg for architectural design. They do plan a grocery presence on the site, which is designed to be larger than the current Red Apple. They do NOT have arrangements with a grocery business yet. The goal is to work with a grocery business that will cater to local tastes as Red Apple does now. There will be four floors of underground parking, the lower two for residents and the upper two for retail. Access to parking will be on S Jackson. There will be about 580 units of residences above the store; 114 will be available under the MFTE (Multi-family tax exemption) plan and will rent for 65 to 80 % of the average median income in King County. Pearl asked folks to email her with suggestions for accommodating non-driving folks during the construction and start-up period. She will be sending out a survey, which should help Vulcan understand the community needs. We will see that the survey is available at Red Apple and the Senior Center when it is complete. ~Diane Snell

We are saddened to report the loss of a Leschi resident this year whose loss is felt far beyond Leschi: Charles Z. Smith. A graduate of the University of Washington Law School, the Judge achieved many “firsts” in his career. He was the first African-American lawyer to clerk at the Washington Supreme Court, as well as the first to be appointed to the King County Prosecutor’s Office. He was chosen by Robert F. Kennedy to serve as a special prosecutor investigating the abuses at the Teamsters’ Pension Fund. Upon his return to Washington State, he was appointed the first African-American municipal court judge in Seattle, and later became the first to be appointed to the King County Supreme Court. In 1988, Gov. Booth Gardner appointed him to another first: the first African-American Washington Supreme Court judge. He remained there until his retirement at the age of 75, the mandatory retirement age for Supreme Court judges in this state. All who worked with Judge Smith noted his passion for civil rights; his family noted that his life was based on three principles: truth, justice and freedom. I read a tribute to Judge Smith by a person of Japanese descent; the Judge had worked long and hard for reparations for the Japanese-Americans who were relocated to detention camps during WW II. The writer recounted an incident when Henry Miyatake, asked Judge Smith “Could this happen again?” The Judge explained that “The President has unlimited authority to issue an Executive Order to do anything.” He noted the steps a President would have to take but basically, it can happen again. Should it happen again? No. He then quoted Thomas Jefferson; “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.” We must stay involved, we must question, we must ask for commitments. These wise words are even more important in today’s political climate. ~Diane Snell

Last month we featured several hidden heroes: Katie Wilson, who works tirelessly on our transit issues and the trio of Dexter Mitchell, Paul Gray and assistant Eric who collaborated to give haircuts to kids at Leschi School just before picture day. I know we don’t often meet one of these natural “helping” opportunities, but there are so many needs in the community that we all can give what we can to help meet these needs. We recently learned that there are 70 students at Leschi School who are either homeless or in transitional housing. This is more than double the number from last year. Here’s how you can help: Every December, Leschi Elementary offers a giving garland for our families in need. We invite community members to come to the school to pick up a gift tag. This year we are helping over 30 families. Kids are asking for clothes, games, toys and bedding. We also provide Target, Safeway and Grocery Outlet gift cards to all the families. (Thanks to Leschi resident and PTA member, Katie Busby.) Leschi Market offers a great price on 4 pound hams for the food bank: $8. Protein with little waste. And the Market takes the hams to the food bank for you! Quick and easy! If green space is your passion, you may want to donate to the Leschi Natural Area. We were unable to take any donations while our non-profit status was under review, but we are now reinstated by the IRS back to the suspension date. So no interruption; if you made a donation during the last year, it is tax deductible. Checks can be sent to Leschi CC with the Natural Area in the memo line. The Central Area Senior Center serves many low-income seniors who participate in the noon meals and avail themselves of the health services. The Director Dian Ferguson is familiar with the needs and a holiday donation would help purchase a needed item for a low-income senior. We know homelessness is a critical issue here and we know that folks are living in our parks…just not openly. Living outside in this wet climate is not healthy and it looks as though we will have a colder winter. One of my favorite organizations is the Low Income Housing Institute that built the Ernestine Anderson Place on Jackson and the new 68 unit workforce facility (Abbey Lincoln Court) just to the east of it. LIHI coordinated building the tiny houses with other groups: very small, but off the ground and each house has a door that locks. You can see a small settlement of these structures on 20th off Union beyond the Lutheran Church. They are fast and cheap to build ($2200 each) and a good transitional solution when we are looking at the large numbers needing help. LIHI has three Urban Rest Stops where homeless individuals may shower and wash their clothes. You may donate to any of LIHI’S projects at their website. Just Google Low Income Housing Institute and select the Donate button. Take the first tiny step toward becoming a hidden hero and help meet someone’s needs! ~Diane Snell

Happy Holidays Everyone! I would like to announce that we have our nonprofit status back. The IRS has reinstated the status back to when it was revoked. We have a lot of work to accomplish in the community, so I am encouraging everyone to please donate. One of those many items is figuring out how we can help Leschi Elementary with their growing homeless student population. The Halloween Spooktacular went great. It was great to see the community come out for this event. Pictures will be posted on Facebook shortly. I would like to thank all the volunteers for their help. We need to give a huge thanks to a couple of people. Dr. Michael Bilikas from 32 Pearls for the use of his tent and Blu Water Bistro for bringing over hot cider for all the volunteers and families that came by. I have been a little behind with finalizing the website. I am hoping in the next couple of weeks to have it up for everyone’s use. The online archives will have back issues from September 2014. We are setting up a service with Mail Chimp. With this service, we will be able to send out updates to you very quickly. I am encouraging everyone to please send in his or her name and e-mail address. I have some very important news to talk about next. It has been a great pleasure and honor to serve as your president, as well as a very good learning experience. This Council provides a great service to our community. Unfortunately, I will be resigning my position as president effective December 1, 2016, due to professional and personal obligations. I will continue to serve as Vice President and attend meetings as my schedule allows. I will see that the website continues to be updated. Thank you all for the support you’ve provided me these past few months. I hope you can attend our Holiday party on Dec. 7 where I will introduce our new President, Yuki Igarashi. Continue to send in your concerns via the Leschi News and we will work together to make Leschi an even more livable community! ~Yousef Shulman

November 9, 2016—Attending: Yousef Shuman, Yuki Igarashi, Amy Fink, Jeff Floor, John Barber, Diane Snell and guest from Iora, Brian Aylward. Treasury: Amy to meet with Diane on ArtWalk funds before sending us an emailed Treasury report for October. Senior Center: report from Diane on current issues Rent Increase to $75; Board agreed. Diane has asked for agreement in writing. Annual fundraiser? Yousef will discuss with Dian Ferguson Holiday Fair this Sat.: The 2 Dianes will staff the table; Diane S. to pay the $15 fee. Dian F. asked that LCC reserve a table at the Holiday Gala. Board agreed to the $700 option. Not all Board members free to come due to workplace holiday events. Agreed to offer unused seats to Center members who might not be able to afford the cost. Parks: John Leschi Park will get a Noble Fir to replace one of the removed diseased trees. Scheduled to get two more trees next year (possibly Gerry Oaks, native species) Camping issue: Need to have safe and sanitary facilities for homeless folks with easy access to services. Requested that we meet with CM Sawant as she favors opening up parks, etc. Diane to contact CM Sawant re: invite to next Board Meeting. Shoreline Parks: now 139. Some adjacent homeowners have a different view from the original one. They would prefer to keep the public out. Karen Daubert who worked on the Leschi Pearls wants to come back as a supporter. Shoreline parks may be seen on SDOT interactive online map. Land Use: Jeff: The Central Area Design Guidelines Coalition, is working on drawing up design guidelines unique to the Central Area. They have just hired a consultant (through the city) to assist in the visioning process and to write the document that will eventually become city ordinance. The Coalition consists of several groups: 23rd Avenue ACT, the Central Area Collaborative, HCAACD, LURC and the African-American Veterans. Website: Yousef OK’ed using WIX; he has already learned it for updates. Diane responsible for calendar and ads. Website costs to be decided by email. December Program: Garfield student concert with refreshments. Decision that raffle items not picked up after ArtWalk can be given away at Holiday party. Newsletter: Deadline 11/21. Kirsten plans to continue through June. Suggestion: talk to Chris at Park Postal. Dues letter can be sent now that IRS issue resolved. ~Respectfully submitted by Diane Snell

We came here for a late breakfast/early lunch on 10/27 when we had a power outage in lower Leschi. I missed my coffee mostly, but ended up with a hearty veggie scramble breakfast as well. Onion, mushroom and spinach provide the veggie part and the result is delicious. Breakfast (fried) potatoes are served with the eggs. There are three bottles of hot sauce on each table but I asked for ketchup. We immigrants from Michigan need ketchup for French fries and fried potatoes (but not on cottage cheese; not sure where Richard Nixon got that habit.) The coffee was excellent; they serve Café Vita. My better half ordered Chicken and Waffle, two words I had never thought to use in the same sentence. Basically, it’s a chunk of deep fried chicken breast served atop a tasty looking round waffle along with a small pitcher of syrup. He pronounced it delicious! The place is very modern looking, but with attractive wood on lower half of walls and wooden tables and benches, which tends to add some warmth. Our server, Michelle, was welcoming and appropriately compassionate about our power outage. She lives nearby and is amazed at the changes now and soon to come. The projected density on the arterials is a big change from the single-family residences we have been used to. We talked a little about the developments at 23rd & Union and the coming Red Apple development. I would go back here, if only to talk to Michelle again! Fat’s Chicken And Waffles 2726 E Cherry St. 98122 206.602.6863 Tues-Thurs: 9am-9pm; Fri: 9am-10pm; Sat 9am-3pm & 5pm-10pm; Sun 9am-3pm & 5pm-9pm, closed Mondays ~Diane Snell

Happy Holiday Season Leschi! Giving the gift of wine can be equally as fun for the gift giver as it is for the recipient. When choosing a bottle of wine (or two) to gift, keep a few basic ideas in mind. Know what they tend to like, and have a rough estimate of what you would like to spend. Many great wines can be found across all ranges of price points. When in doubt- ask an expert- like US! Leschi Market will be well staffed with wine experts throughout the month to assist you with all of your wine questions. A comment that I will never forget, was said to me one of my first holiday seasons at the Market. “Giving wine just seems so last minute.” We have discussed the art of gift giving many times before. As we embark on the biggest gifting season of the year, let me offer some ideas on putting a little meaning behind those gifts. Trust me, in general, everyone loves to receive wine as a gift, and if you put just a tiny amount of thought into it, it won’t seem so last minute at all. We’ve explored several options in the past of theme based wine gifts. These definitely show some amount of thought was taken into account. They are just as fun to assemble as they are to receive. All you need to do is choose your price point and choose your theme. Here are some of my favorites from over the years. For the bicyclist on the list, for example, a “Tour de France” package can include a wine from several different regions in France: Alsace, Beaujolais, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Chateauneuf du Pape, Gascogne, Languedoc-Roussillon, Loire, and Rhône are great starting points. These regions are so diverse themselves that you could easily choose a few wines from within each region. “Around the World” packages are great for those fresh off of a journey, or for those about to embark on one in the coming year. Focusing on one country, or several, is easy enough to do. Rieslings from Germany, Barberas from Italy, Tempranillos from Spain, Cabernet Sauvignons from South Africa, Malbecs from Argentina or Carmeneres from Chile. Domestic sets can be great too. Walla Walla, Yakima, Columbia Valley, Willamette Valley, and Napa all provide great themed packages. The possibilities and spin-offs are endless. From an “Italian Getaway,” to an all organic grouping, from all under $10 wine, to an all animal themed label, use your imagination and creativity, and most of all, have fun with it. This brings me to Champagnes and Ports. These are ultimate gift wines, if not for the sole fact that people rarely buy them for themselves. Who knows why, but I’ve seen the trend that we tend to put off splurging for these special wines for ourselves, yet are ecstatic when we are gifted them. When in doubt, look to the Port and Champagne sections. Many of these wines are discounted during holiday months, and great finds can be had for under $30. Vintage Champagnes and Vintage Ports are more expensive and harder to find, however “Colheita” Ports (years of ports not designated as “vintage”) can be found for a lesser dollar amount and for nearly every year; a great idea when trying to match birth years, anniversary years, and other significant dates in one’s life. Finally, let’s conclude with highly sought after wines that are in fairly limited supply. Collectors, cellar builders, and new winos alike will appreciate getting their hands on some of these rarities! 2011 Corliss Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley ($80) 95-points Stephen Tanzer 2014 Reynvaan ‘In the Hills’ Syrah Walla Walla ($70) 94-points Wine Advocate 2012 Gaja Promis Toscana Italia ($50) 92-points James Suckling Pol Roger Brut Champagne Reserve NV ($47) 92-points Wine Spectator 2013 Chateau Fortia ‘Tradition’ Chateauneuf du Papes ($36) 91-points Wine Spectator 2015 Mollydooker ‘The Boxer’ Shiraz Australia ($28) 93-points Wine Spectator 2009 Chateau Cote de Baleau Saint-Emilion Grand Cru ($28) 93-points James Suckling Still unsure what gift to give the wine lover on your list? One of my favorite reminders is that accessories like wine glasses and decanters rarely need a gift receipt! Have a safe and memorable holiday season and we’ll see you next year! CHEERS! ENJOY! Kenneth Benner, a Seattle area native, is a trained chef and has worked in such restaurants as Barbacoa, B.O.K.A. Kitchen + Bar, and Dahlia Lounge. Ken is the wine buyer at Leschi Market. He has a passion for learning, a meticulous palate, and a tenacity for searching out the best for his customers while offering some of the most highly coveted wines in the area. His wine column is intended to inspire and explore new choices in wine, learn about wine with his readers, and share his knowledge and experiences in the wine world. Check out the latest at www.LeschiMarket.com or request to be added to email updates or send questions, comments, or suggestions to ken@leschimarket.com and follow the wine department directly on twitter at twitter.com/leschimarket.

The IRS has retroactively given us our status back to suspension date. All past and future donations to the Leschi Community Council will be tax-deductible.

Doing community work exposes one to all the anonymous helpers who work hard to make life better for many of us. One such person, who is not so anonymous now, is Katie Wilson, the General Secretary of the Transit Riders’ Union (TRU). Katie hails from Binghamton, New York, where she worked for Food, Not Bombs, a group that collected unused food to cook a vegetarian meal and serve it outside to those in need. Moving to Seattle in 2004, she was looking for a cause that needed leaders and organization. The Anti-globalization movement from the WTO days seemed to have withered on the vine as the groups involved followed their own particular cause (be it sea turtles or seeds), but not the larger movement. The opportunity came in 2011 with the threatened bus cuts. Her circle of concerned folks attended the public hearings and announced through flyers and posters that a Transit Riders’ group was forming. Their first meeting was held at the Greenwood public library; 30 people attended. Katie admitted this was somewhat of a disappointment; on the other hand, it is rather impressive if posters and flyers were the only communication out there. Their advocacy helped to ensure that the County Council passed the car tab fee that would give Metro the needed money to keep buses routes from being cut. I was attending the hearings and pleading Leschi’s case for the #27 and this may have been when I started attending TRU meetings and became a member; my goal was to save the #27 bus. I found a sympathetic audience with this group; I had met with indifference and the promotion of newly designed routes at the Metro public meetings. There was no acknowledgement from Metro of the steep hill to climb to find another city bus route. The next big issue was the threat to the free ride zone, which was the County’s wish; it cost money and didn’t help the County at all. The benefit was to poor people in Seattle. I joined in the signature gatherings and went to public events where we gathered more signatures and I was amazed at the stamina and creativity of these young TRU members. They marched down Third Ave. carrying a large replica of a Metro bus displaying an RIP wreath on the front; these symbols reach more folks than words on a page. They didn’t save the ride free zone, but worked on getting passes for those displaced from the buses; although non-profit agencies have some passes to give, the need far outweighs the supply and TRU will be working on that issue this fall. They have worked with students from Rainier Beach High School to get free student bus passes for low-income families. This program has now been spread to all the city high schools with a simple one-page form, which indicates family size and income. Since the early days, TRU has reached nearly 300 members and their first Monday of the month meetings are held at the Labor Temple where they are sponsored by the ATU (Amalgamated Transit Union). Currently, they are working on a student fare for the city community colleges. They are hoping to obtain a City Council resolution re: transit affordability. They see transit as a human right. Another area of focus is to get employers to do more for transit. Katie has been appointed to the Seattle Transit Advisory Board where the Board advises Seattle on transit issues. The TRU has gained supporters from the Seattle City Council for their respect and clarity in presenting their issues at hearings. A recent downtown fundraiser attracted Lisa Herbold and Mike O’Brien and former CM Nick Licata. Kshama Sawant sent a check, but had a conflict and couldn’t attend. Frank Chopp, Speaker of the House of Representatives in Olympia, had supportive words to say (and money to give). TRU is currently working with the community college system to obtain student fares, but also looking at other possibilities. Capitol Hill Housing, which develops housing for low-income folks, is making ORCA cards available for their tenants at a reduced cost of $15. The housing to be built at 24th and Union is a Capitol Hill Housing development (the old Key Bank site). Katie would like to see all low-income developments incorporate transit support as part of their projects. Seattle is fortunate to have this talented transplant settle here and be willing to use her skills to take on such a massive problem as improved transit access. ~Diane Snell

Thanks to our bee stewards for their participation in this year’s Native Bee Project. We have counted our Spring Orchard Mason Bees and the result is very heartening. We seem to be living in an area that is ideal for these native bees, because the reproduction rate has been great. Our six participants in the project reaped an average of six cocoons per occupied nesting hole, which is superb. Our abundant early blossoming plum and various maple trees provide plenty of their favorite nectar and pollen, and later there are all sorts of sources of food as the early blossoms fade. We harvested almost 3800 cocoons altogether, and will have the necessary cocoons and credit with our equipment supplier to provide for next year, whatever the number of participants. ~Jim Snell