A contribution from Abigail Kok's Porch Portrait Project

A contribution from Abigail Kok's Porch Portrait Project

A contribution from Abigail Kok's Porch Portrait Project; This is a Goth in daylight, this species only comes out when summoned. In nature she is usually found frolicking in cemeteries, Goth clubs, and the occasional antique mall.

A contribution from Abigail Kok's Porch Portrait Project; Cherl Rux and her cat Ninja outside of their home

A contribution from Abigail Kok's Porch Portrait Project

A contribution from Abigail Kok's Porch Portrait Project

A contribution from Abigail Kok's Porch Portrait Project

A contribution from Abigail Kok's Porch Portrait Project

A contribution from Abigail Kok's Porch Portrait Project

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 Janice Kampbell conducted by dindria barrow on August 25, 2022. In this interview, Janice tells the story of how her parents met each other after World War II in rural Michigan on a blind date. Farming and the military were a part of her parents’ lives and Janice grew up a child of a military pilot and a nurse. Her family moved to a variety of locations in the United States. Janice became a nurse like her mother and retired after 43 years. Janice is a Pierce County Master Gardener and shares her first encounter with planting seeds into frozen dirt with a spoon. Janice concludes her oral history by sharing the history of the Tacoma Urban Land Trust (2010) also previously known as the Guadalupe Land Trust located on Hilltop, Tacoma. The Tacoma Urban Land Trust's website is https://www.tult.org