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Volunteer Edward Fynn sweeps away litter and broken glass from the sidewalk at 23rd and L Streets on Hilltop this morning as volunteers from the Hilltop Action Coalition, St. Joseph Hospital and citizens of the Hilltop community joined several on-duty officers from Tacoma PD in a sweep into the neighborhood to deliver some TLC as part of the "Area 5" neighborhood clean-up project. The group swept, cleaned and painted over graffiti the area from South 23rd to South 25th and from South K street to South Sheridan.
News/Godchaux
Geff Hinds Photo

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Hilltop (Home Ownership Program) Terence Thomas - Real-estate/Personal Banker, working with Evelyn Hargrove.

“Terence Thomas, a Seafirst real estate personal banker, talks with Evelyn Hargrove, one of the potential buyers, at a class Seafirst organized” to educate people about credit applications and real-estate transactions. Seafirst Bank, the Martin Luther King Housing Development Association, and the Tacoma Housing Authority organized a program to help low-income Pierce County residents purchase a home and revitalize Tacoma’s Hilltop Neighborhood.

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News
A happy trio make their way up Broadway and towards Volunteer Park during todays Gay Pride parade in Downtown Seattle.
Geff Hinds Photo

Three people participating in a demonstration walk with their arms around each other. One holds a sign reading, "United Against Nazis! Radical Women."

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Peter Garcia enjoys a bowl of turkey noodle soup Friday during the lunch time meal at the Nativity House at 1517 Commerce in Tacoma. Two meals a day are served free of charge to the needy. City officials are concerned with possible drug activity in the neighborhood.
Bruce Kellman with Mike Gilbert/story

"Staff member Kevin Coley hugged a drop-in at Nativity House, a Commerce Street haven for the homeless." The Liberty Project revitalizing downtown Tacoma's Lower Pacific will most likely scatter the homeless population. However, according to people and organizations who work with rehabilitating people, it will not end the homelessness issue. It was suggested that the plan involve housing and training for the disadvantaged.

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Nativity House Worker & "Drop-In"
Larson

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Eastside youth Center
Jul 9 1968
Constructive Cutting Work 

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Norwegian Festival

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Tom Dixon
Staff photo by Jerry Buck

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Ramona Bennett

Staff photo by Jerry Buck

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Ramona Bennett shown with her daughter, Ee-Nuck-A-Mee, 7, is best known for her years of activism as Chairwomen of the Puyallup Tribe in Tacoma, Wash. Today, Ms. Bennett is Director of Family Services at the Seattle Indian Center where her job involves finding Indian foster homes for homeless Indian children.

Staff photo by Bruce Kellman

Front of Photo:
Rep. Bill Smitherman, center

On July 31, 1936, promoter Rookie Lewis outdid himself by staging an authentic "Indian Wedding" as the evening's special attraction during his Walkathon (dance marathon) at the Century Ballroom in Fife. Chief White Eagle conducted the Native American wedding of So-To-Le-O and groom Qua-Le-Ales, with rites performed in sign language. Five different tribes participated in the wedding. The Walkathon was heavily attended by citizens of Tacoma and Seattle, since both cities had local ordinances forbidding such marathons. Approximately 30 people were pictured, first two rows were Native-Americans in costume, others may be some of the remaining participants in the Walkathon. Tribal blankets serve as backdrop. (T.Times 7-31-36, p. 4-article; 8-1-36, p. 5-article; www.historylink.org) (filed with Argentum)

Indians of North America--Clothing & dress; Weddings--Fife; Marathons--Fife;

Panorama of a large, formally dressed standing party.

Panorama of the Sons and Daughters of Norway Convention, Trip to Mt. Tacoma (Rainier)

Yasuda-Miyamotoa wedding with the groom and bride in front of the alter engaging with children.

Bride at the Yasuda-Miyamotoa wedding in front of altar decorated with candles, floral arrangements and Buddhist images.

Group of men with their fists down on a table at the Yasuda-Miyamoto wedding with a lit cigar resting on a glass of liquor below.

Bride at the Yoshihara-Ikeviri (sp?) wedding with floral arrangements and candles in the background.

A young Japanese-American couple dance in the Fife High School gymnasium during a Japanese bazaar. He wears a letterman's sweater. (T. Times).

Japanese Americans--Fife--1930-1940; Bazaars--Fife--1930-1940; Dance parties--Fife--1930-1940; Ethnic groups--Fife--1930-1940;

Three young Japanese-American girls and their mothers enjoy the food served at a Japanese bazaar held in the Fife High School gymnasium. One girl clutches her bottle of soda, while another girl holds a small purse. (T. Times).

Japanese Americans--Fife--1930-1940; Bazaars--Fife--1930-1940; Ethnic groups--Fife--1930-1940; Mothers & children--1930-1940;

Four Japanese women arrange several pumpkin pies on a table for a Japanese bazaar in Fife. (T. Times).

Japanese Americans--Fife--1930-1940; Bazaars--Fife--1930-1940; Ethnic groups--Fife--1930-1940; Pies; Baked products;

Members of various Northwest Native American tribes gather in August of 1934 at Audoma Park, near Puyallup, for a round of the Indian bone game. The tribes have made their annual pilgrimage to the valley for the harvest of the hops. This park, owned and maintained by A.E. Applegate, is set aside for the exclusive use of the Native Americans although visitors are welcomed. During the bone game, two teams of 10-12, squatting on the floor, line up across from each other. One team has four small white bones. To the accompaniment of the pounding of sticks and tom-toms and the chanting of ancient songs, the team passes the bones rapidly from player to player. At a certain signal, the captain of the opposing team calls a halt and tries to guess which player has the bones. The ancient game is played for hours with a bright fire as the only light. (T. Times 8/30/1934, pg. 1+)

Indigenous peoples--Washington; Games; Gambling;

Native American mothers, each holding a baby wrapped in blanket, sit on a bench under a tree. They have travelled to the Puyallup Valley with other members of their tribes to pick hops. This is an ancient gathering for the Native Americans of Washington and British Columbia. The tribes represented are the Kowegians, Sheeshats and West Coast Tribes from Vancouver Island, Yakimas from Eastern Washington, Clallams, Neah Bays and Quillayutes from Port Angeles, Taholahs and Quinaults from Grays Harbor, Chahalises from farther inland, Skagits, Laconners, Snohomishes, and Lummis from the northern part of the state and the Puyallups and Nisquallys living in the valley. (T. Times 8-30-1934, pg. 1+)

Indians of North America; Mothers & children--Puyallup--1930-1940; Infants--Puyallup--1930-1940;

Two year old Marjorie Abraham Charlie kneels in the grass and straw next to a tent at the annual Native American gathering in Puyallup Valley at Audoma Park, two miles from Puyallup, for the hop picking season. The Native Americans tribes of Washington and British Columbia gathered annually at hop and berry picking time to socialize with each other and to help keep alive their ancient customs and games. (T. Times 8/30/1934, pg.1)

Charlie, Marjorie Abraham; Indians of North America; Migrant agricultural laborers--Puyallup--1930-1940; Migrant laborers--1930-1940; Hops; Girls--Puyallup--1930-1940;

Oral history interview with Tacoma resident Isadore Wallace conducted by dindria barrow on February 17, 2022. In this interview, Wallace discusses his personal life lessons, his resistance to being oppressed or defined by trauma, and how he relates to his family located across many different states. Isadore asks us to think about becoming a better person and moving through life's changes, "Why would you go back to the dark when you have been to the light? Even if it has all of the things you need, you can't see them!"

Oral history interview with Tacoma resident Jamika Scott conducted by dindria barrow on August 10, 2022. In this interview, Jamika shares the purpose of the Tacoma Action Collective, what it was like to run for Mayor, and life as an artist. Jamika shows vulnerability and strength in recounting her experience with an assault and the city's response to her case. Jamika inspires us to live in the now, embrace creativity and work on healing our wounds.

Oral history interview with Tacoma resident Lorenzo Cervantes conducted by dindria barrow on August 23, 2022. In this interview, Lorenzo talks about his passion for HIV Prevention as well as education overall. Lorenzo describes how education was the primary way that his life changed and that it was a gift given to him by his immigrant parents. He knew at a young age that he loved differently and was gay. He also knew about injustice at a young age because he was ignored for not speaking English or looking white. Lorenzo leaves us with this advice: “A child needs advocates when they go to school… Education is key for everything…a way of getting out of poverty…we need to support our youth to be able to have the schooling that they deserve to have. [and] About HIV right now, is that we don’t hear about it as much as we should; it’s still an epidemic…talk about it with your friends, talk about it with your family, and even with your mom.” Lorenzo is the Prevention Director of the Pierce County AIDS Foundation (PCAF).

Oral history interview with Tacoma resident Candria Slamin conducted by dindria barrow on January 7, 2023. In this interview, Candria shares their story about coming to know themself over time. Even though Candria admits they have a long way to go in realizing where they will be in the future, they explain how identifying who they are is crucial to moving forward. “You can only be who you are, because of where you’re from.” In other words, you must know where you come from to figure out where you are going and who you truly are. Candria shares their work with the Rainbow Center and their work life thus far during the global pandemic. Candria also discusses how the past and the future can have dark parts along with bright parts—that life has an ebb and flow. “Not everyone’s race is at the same pace. I’m not running their race, I’m running mine.”

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.

Wedding of University of Washington graduates Luana Chizuru Uyeda and Dr. Keith Hiroshi Yoshino.