Oral history interview with Tacoma resident Cody Bakken conducted by dindria barrow on March 18, 2023. In this interview, Cody shares his opinions on life and work. Cody believes it is important to be passionate about something and that apathy is his worst enemy. His many passions have led him to many possible futures. He says, “We don’t grow until we leave our boundaries.” He wants to help fix the world because it is we who broke it; and he hopes to earn a position in public administration because local government is where change can be made.
Oral history interview with Tacoma resident Karen Saxon conducted by dindria barrow on April 12, 2023. In this interview, Karen shares her story about the historic 1963 March on Washington where she heard Martin Luther King, Jr. speak and Mahalia Jackson sing. Karen shares her 60 year-old scrapbook of the event and shared the documents that prepared her for nonviolent demonstrations. Karen tells us that “your peace walk begins in your kitchen.” In other words, we must all start from ourselves and our homes before we can inspire change in others and in our society.
Oral history interview with Tacoma resident Charlie Best conducted by dindria barrow on June 30, 2023. In this interview, Charlie shares his interpretation of “home” and how it has defined itself over his lifetime. To paraphrase: Home changes according to the different iterations of “self” and knowing who you are. Charlie is very conscious of how we use masks in our public and work lives. Thus, home is a place where you can be yourself and is a place that you choose, not just a place that is given to you. As the Education Manager of The Rainbow Center, Charlie’s role allows him to share his story of identity. After dealing with many personal struggles, living in the present is now a consistent daily goal for Charlie.
Oral history interview with Tacoma residents Alicia Rodriguez and Maria Presiado conducted by dindria barrow on March 11, 2023. In this interview, Alicia and Maria, members of the Lantinx Unidos of the South Sound (LUSS) Promotoras, share their lives, purposes, and dreams in Spanish. They explain how they came to the United States, how they became LUSS Promotoras in the work that they do, and what they hope for their family’s and community’s futures.
Oral history interview of Juanita Olivas, an unhoused neighbor living in Tacoma, conducted by dindria barrow on April 9, 2022. Juanita shares how she became homeless, how her faith has carried her through life, and why she does volunteer work. Juanita is 60 years young and plans on completing high school so that she can get a job as a medical insurance billing and coder. Juanita dreams of being “somebody that can help out with the community, always. I would love to have a really big apartment building that I could just take in all the homeless…just pour my heart out to ‘em, because people out there, you never know their story until you actually talk to them and I’ve met a lot of people that is so talented out there and so educated, but their story just breaks my heart.”
Oral history interview with former Puyallup Tribal Council Member, Ramona Bennett. Interviewed by dindria barrow on April 2, 2022, in the Digital Media Lab of the Tacoma Public Library. Ramona discusses her views on Indian and Indigenous rights, the people she encountered on her advocacy journey and how she continues living during difficult times. Ramona reminds us that “things shift slowly”, to “love whoever is left” after someone passes away, to put “just one foot after the other” and that her people live on because of “all the ways we pray are so hard”.
Oral history interview with Tacoma resident Cynthia Tucker conducted by dindria barrow on April 21, 2022. In this interview, Cynthia shares her life story from the beginning of her family to the present day. Cynthia reminds us to reflect on our past and the choices we have made to teach us about who we are. Cynthia remembers being a shy child who had strong female influences in her family that helped her find her own voice. Cynthia is the current president of the Tacoma City Association of Colored Women's Club.
Cynthia Tucker's grandmother, born April 25, 1917. A July 19, 1936 article from the West Chester, PA Daily Local News newspaper stated, "Mrs. Tacie Steele was last night elected permanent chairman of the Citizens' Civic and Welfare Club, an auxiliary unit to the recently organized Citizen's Political Club of Chester County. Mrs. Steele is s committee woman." Cynthia was so proud to find this clipping amongst family artifacts given to her by her mother. "I always wondered why I was so eager and interested in community work. Now I know." Tacie Steel's mother was Mary Etta Draper Cooper Washington Dorin (9/5/1874-11/22/1971) and lived in Philadelphia, PA.
Flyer for the Trees for Justice event, featuring the Legacy of Nettie J. Asberry and the garden at her house. Sponsors of the event are listed as well as an agenda for the program.
Oral history interview with Tacoma resident Reverend Bob Penton conducted by dindria barrow on June 1, 2022. In this interview, Bob shares his story-lessons that give us insight into the way he moves through the world. Bob has us contemplate our purpose in life and how money does not make a person rich in character. Bob has performed many services and duties in our city as well as conducted protests against violence which had an impact on neighbors near and far.
Oral history interview with Tacoma resident Bernice Morehead conducted by dindria barrow on August 16, 2022. In this interview, Bernice tells us that she was a born into a family of sharecroppers who descended from slaves forcibly brought to Mississippi. Bernice lived on a farm until she was 16 years of age who spoke the language of animals until she moved to Iowa and worked with her mother as a Domestic Engineer. Bernice describes how she enjoys a challenge such as running four marathons, learning to swim at 50 years of age, finishing a triathlon, driving from Iowa to Washington state with two children and a grandchild, then earning two college degrees. She has worked for the state, run her own business, been a substitute teacher, is a certified Life Coach and is now helping others at the Bethlehem Baptist Church Shelter. Bernice reminds us to dream of new challenges and to take pride in whatever you do.
Oral history interview with Tacoma resident Deborah Ranniger conducted by dindria barrow on September 20, 2022. In this interview, Deborah tells us how the landscape of Tacoma with its evergreen color and specifically the sight of Mount Rainier made her decide to live here at 10 years old. Deborah tells her family’s story of fleeing from Eastern and Western Europe to escape persecution. Deborah shares her journey from Seattle and Kent to Tacoma based on the burgeoning art scene. Deborah has recently published a memoir about her father and his influence on her life called, “Against the Current: A Conscientious Objector During World War II and the Daughter He Inspired.”
Collected in "Ascensions: Stories of Transcendence Offered by Students of The Evergreen State College Tacoma Campus", Cynthia Tacye Tucker writes about her life.
Statement prepared by Cynthia Tucker and shared at the Trees for Justice event on September 24, 2022, at Tacoma Community House to explain the reason for the organization's lasting name and history behind keeping it.
Oral history interview with Tacoma resident Shondea Chapman conducted by dindria barrow on August 16, 2022. In this interview, Shondea describes the places she calls home and her childhood memories between Los Angeles, California, Yakima, Washington and Muskogee, Oklahoma. Shondea has had multiple homes over the course of her life and she is glad that she has had them. Her story is an example of how we are connected to our geographies and our communities. Shondea continues to ask the question, “Who am I going to be?” which propels her into the future.
Oral history interview with Tacoma resident Melissa Knot conducted by dindria barrow on August 20, 2022. In this interview, Melissa describes how difficult it is to identify what home means. “Home is inside of me and it has to be.” She learned early in life the difference between stability and frequent movement. Melissa talks about how her grandmother, Betty, who was her rock. She recounts her teenage life after her mom left her to fend for herself and how a group of black women fed her. “I have these understandings in my mind…of who helped mold me and they don’t always fit what society wants me to be, ever, and that’s kinda hard to get people to understand…someone might try to look at me in a specific way and think that I am a certain way…and it’s been a hard and long journey to continue to stay me in a world that continuously wants to put me in a box that I just do not fit.” When asked about her twitter handle: Inspector Ratchet, Melissa said, “I still am this ratchet little girl… [and] I want for everyone to be able to just breathe in their own skin…without being forced to mold themselves into the dominant culture to be able to survive.” Melissa ran for the Washington House of Representatives, District 29, Position 2 against Steve Kirby. She is involved in local politics, has multiple degrees and certifications, is a South End Neighborhood Board Member and is an advocate for Whole Washington Health Care.
Oral history interview with Tacoma resident Chace Hunter conducted by dindria barrow on August 25, 2022. In this interview, Chace talks about his family immigrating to Hilltop, Tacoma in 1993, then moving to South Tacoma in 1998, graduating from Western Washington University as well as University of Washington-Tacoma and then buying a home in Hilltop as an adult. Chace’s family fled Cambodia to escape the Khmer Rouge and were refugees in Thailand before coming to Tacoma. He is bilingual and has been married to his husband for six years. Chace has a passion for poetry, psychology, non-profits and nursing. Chace fell in love with his HIV Prevention work and is now the executive director of the AIDS Housing Association of Tacoma (AHAT Homecare). AHAT Homecare provides 24-hour home care, affordable housing/case management, and rental vouchers to the local HIV+ community. To paraphrase Chace: “I love giving back to the community, especially during a time of houselessness, and helping to provide homes to people in need.”
Oral history interview with Tacoma resident Regyna Frazier conducted by dindria barrow on September 13, 2022. In this interview, Regyna states that she is proud to be from Tacoma. To paraphrase: Regyna knows Tacoma is home because of how it feels. There is diversity here. You don’t see much diversity [elsewhere] it just becomes one [race], you need a mix in your diet, not just one flavor. Home is a place that mixes, that has more than just one flavor. Regyna wants to be around a mix of people so that she knows that race is not a reason for a crime. If a crime happens, it can happen to any person of any race, not just to my own. Home is also food and Regyna dreams about opening a restaurant to share the flavors of Tacoma.
Oral history interview with Tacoma resident Alfonso “Al” Brown conducted by dindria barrow on November 3, 2022. In this interview, Al shares his philosophies on life as well as the key tenets that have helped him survive failure, pain, suffering and homelessness to ultimately find that hope is what is needed to transform your own life as well as others’. Al talks about his work in the community and how he plans on making a difference bringing collegiate theory into real-world practice. Al has been featured in news stories by City University and KBTC about his life experience. Al shares his triumph in getting degrees despite the gatekeepers and about how education is the pinnacle change agent.
Oral history interview with Tacoma resident Wayne Williams conducted by dindria barrow on November 22, 2022. In this interview, Wayne shares his family’s history and his personal journey starting in his family home, especially with his grandmother, carried through in his education, and then extended throughout his career. Wayne points out that you must have a purpose in life and that you must attend to it every day.
