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.