A contribution from Abigail Kok's Porch Portrait Project

An email submission from Chuck Baer

An email submission from DEndo describing how their life has changed during the pandemic.

Black Lives Matter protesters marching on Highway 705. June 5th, 2020

Kris Ilgavizis reflects on using Zoom, how time feels skewed due to the stay at home order.

Peach discusses on the psychological toll living with COVID, the fragility of the lives of underpaid workers, and hope that we learn from living though this pandemic.

Dr. Mimms, the creator of Evergreen Tacoma has her bust, created by Jasmine Brown revealed 11/14/2021.

Interview with Nick the Barber, owner of Tacoma's Finest Clippers for over fifteen years. Paul and Nick discuss the future of his shop, local happenings in the Black community of the South Sound region, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Jim Tharpe has a large collection of quilts passed down to him from his ancestors, some of which who were enslaved.

Maria Sharp discusses her career path in the cannabis industry and her current position at marketing and sales for Leafly, a cannabis company.

Laurel Friesen discusses her company's CO2 cannabis extraction method and the brand's success in Seattle.

Levi Lyon discusses his career history in the cannabis industry and the possible future for federal legalization of cannabis.

Jason Hutto discusses his presentation on the origin of cannabis strains and his career path in the cannabis industry.

Jasmine gives a short talk about an African Bronze piece and how ancient artifacts of work are now seen as art, often by colonizers.

A conversation with those dealing with homelessness and tent cities. Tracey Collins discusses the conditions in tent cities and the outreach work he does with Northwest Urban Ministry. Members of VOCAL (Voices of Community Activists and Leaders) also discuss their history of homelessness and advocacy work for homeless people. Videos filmed throughout September and October 2016.

Math tutor, Norman Alston, teaches the fundamentals of mathematics to a student in Tukwilla, WA as part of an after school program he offered.

Paul Jackson interviews Kubi Thomas, owner of Cooking with Your Kids, whose mission is to provide activities and life skills to create bonds between generations of parents and children.

Oral history interview with current president of the Tacoma Association of Colored Women’s Clubs, Cynthia Tucker. Interviewed by dindria barrow on April 21, 2022 in the Digital Media Lab of the Tacoma Public Library. Cynthia shares her personal story of growing up with strong women who helped her overcome shyness, her life overseas, her family stories and her hopes for the future. Cynthia states, “I am still a Black woman no matter where I go,” so it is important to be proud of who you are. Cynthia believes that you should enjoy what you do for work and build confidence in your life by “seeking yourself first”.

Oral history interview conducted by dindria barrow at the Tacoma Public Library Main Branch's Digital Media Lab on June 1, 2022. Reverend Robert T. Penton was born on December 11, 1947 in Bogalusa, Louisiana. He was born in a segregated town with a large Ku Klux Klan chapter in a shotgun (one-room) house. Bob felt he had no voice in this town and grew disenchanted with his life there. He believed he could make a difference by joining the VISTA program. He was sent to South Central Los Angeles in 1967 to be a community organizer, two years after the riots in Watts. Bob joined the Black Panther Party and became a Minister of Information. He found his voice in Los Angeles. His second year in the VISTA program brought him to Tacoma, WA and the largest public housing complex west of the Mississippi river, Salishan. Bob worked in the anti-poverty program and helped to organize a community center, a family food coop, and youth programs. In the 80’s, Reverend Bob ran campaigns against fear and gang violence by fasting. One of his guiding quotes is: “Poverty of purpose is worse than poverty of purse.” When addressing trauma and divisive politics “it takes something bigger than all of us to break down those walls to bring that common purpose.” Overall, he reminds us that “people need to know how much you care, not how much you know.” Listen to Rev. Bob’s personal purpose and his insights into how to navigate life.

Oral history interview with Tacoma resident Kyle Jolibois conducted by dindria barrow on August 17, 2022. In this interview, Kyle tells us about his birth and how he is connected to the grittiness of Tacoma. To paraphrase him, "Tacomans are fighters and survivalists no matter who is in control of the city." Kyle’s story is about resilience and speaking truth to power. He leads his life with a direct and realistic view about our environment and our social/political issues. Kyle is open about his views, his sobriety goals, and his physical disability. His strength is his voice and his desire to stand up for what is right.

Oral history interview with Tacoma resident Anita Latch conducted by dindria barrow on August 30, 2022. In this interview, Anita outlines the places she calls home using artwork that her daughter created of locations Anita has lived in. Her grandparents had a farm near Traverse City, Torch Lake, Michigan. She watched trains pass by in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. She lived in a ground floor apartment in Nerburgh, New York after living in Wallkill near Woodstock. Anita’s dad drove the family on Interstate 80 in a Super 88 to McChord Air Force Base and Spanaway, Washington. She remembers listening to a transistor radio in the back of the car during the trip. Anita left home at 15 years old and hitchhiked to Grants Pass, Oregon. She went to college in Redlands, California and then learned silversmithing in Jerome, Arizona. Anita also spent time in Tahiti when her daughter was young. She moved around often between her homes. Anita is a traveler, a journalist, a teacher, a political advocate, and an artist with many life stories. She has been a Precinct Committee Officer and has served on the Tacoma Civil Service Board. “Democracy is not a spectator sport!” Anita declares towards the end of her interview, “so, get involved in voting for each election.” Her openness and honesty are palpable in this oral history and there is some strong language and adult content.

Oral history interview with Tacoma resident Tom Stenger conducted by dindria barrow on October 20, 2022. In this interview, Tom Stenger shares his family history going back four generations in Tacoma. Tom is a third generation Stadium High School alumnus and received his law degree from the University of Washington. Tom discusses his early years, working as a janitor in college at the University of Puget Sound, and his time serving on the Tacoma City Council. Tom has lived in Tacoma all of his life and, specifically, in the Hilltop neighborhood since buying a house in 1985. Tom has been interested in history ever since he was 14 years old and is the living co-founder of the Tacoma Historical Society.

From back of image: "Only a minute example of the buses which arrived- also note negro population."

Carolyn Treleven holds a sign reading, "This doesn't stop abortions... it stops SAFE abortions."

Interviewer: What brings you here today?
"Outrage. Frustration. Exhaustion... this is for everybody that has a fundamental right to make decisions about their own medical care."

Jan Runbeck, RN and Mike Mowat hold sign, made by Planned Parenthood, together reading "Protect safe, legal abortion."

"My aunt was orphaned uh, at about six months of age when her mother, uh, had, and we don’t know if it was self-induced abortion or if she went to a, uh, alley abortionist, was found dead on the kitchen floor in a puddle of blood from the fact that she knew she had more children than the family could support. So, uh, that’s the personal story, but I’m also a public health nurse and demographically, when women have access to abortion, they have better long-term outcomes, society has better outcomes as far as literacy rate, poverty rates, health rates, and all that. So, from a public health long-term perspective, it’s better for society, and individually, um, my aunt would have had a much better life, had she had a mother." - Jan Runbeck, RN
"I’m just generally opposed to taking advantage of people or keeping people down, I mean there’s a huge movement all over the world and all through history of keeping uh people down, so we have low wages, people without rights, so even in our own constitution, which they use as a preface for-for overturning Roe vs. Wade, women had no rights at that time. So if they can take away those particular rights, they can take away all the rest of them." - Mike Mowat

Katt Merilo hold a sign reading "Pregnant, pro-choice, + pissed off." The back of her sign, unpictured, reads, "Here for my unborn's rights - to protect her body + plan her own future."

"I am here because of abortion rights affects all people, not just women, not just cis women, but women of color, trans women. And, abortion rights are very important for all of us to be able to plan our futures, and our families, and keep ourselves safe. I’m also nine months pregnant, I’m due on Monday... It's a girl."

Brian Schmidt, carrying a child on his back, holds a sign reading, "The majority draft opinion does not represent the majority of Americans!"

"It’s [laughs] it’s uh not fair that a small percentage of people can dictate the rights of a large, I mean, millions of people."

Aja Fulani pictured in black tactical gear.

"We’ve seen the reality of what happens to people who want to make their voices heard, call for justice whether it be peacefully or otherwise, we have seen that when that runs counter to what the state’s interests are, they are silenced one way or another. And our presence is hopefully at least a small deterrent if nothing else. We’re a symbol of security to the people that are here to make them feel like they can engage with their community and be heard without fear of retribution."

Photo description from Pastor Tony Martin:

When taken: 1966-67
Where taken: Salishan, 42nd and Roosevelt St.
Who is in the photograph? Mr. Booker and Mr. Martin
What memory is contained in this photo? Two best friend, friendship