Seattle, WA

Amid controversy, Seattle Audubon changes its name

Published

2 years ago

March 29, 2023

Amid controversy, Seattle Audubon changes its name

“If my job is to construct relationships with BIPOC affinity teams and communities, I can not have this title hanging over me … as a result of traditionally excluded teams will not be going to work with us,” says Glenn Nelson, a 20-year member of the Seattle group and its neighborhood director since March 2022. “And you may’t successfully, genuinely apply conservation till you do that work first, as a result of environmental calamities strike communities of colour first and disproportionately.”

The group introduced its new title March 28 at a web-based occasion hosted by Nelson and that includes wildlife ecologist, professor and poet Dr. J. Drew Lanham, who has written about the affect of the Audubon title and joined the occasion to speak about id.

The Seattle contingent had publicly urged the Nationwide Audubon Society to rethink its use of the title in August 2021. “We have been out by ourselves for a very long time,” Nelson mentioned. However nationwide momentum grew right into a name for motion. “It’s a small transfer within the grand scheme of issues, however it was arduous,” Nelson added on the announcement occasion.

The Seattle group’s management agreed on floor guidelines for a brand new title: It needs to be quick, memorable and match their mission assertion. The URL needed to be obtainable. They didn’t need to embrace somebody’s title, or perceived elitist connotations like “society,” they usually wished a reputation that focuses on birds. In addition they wished to plot a reputation that might function a naming conference for different teams and wasn’t too Seattle-specific; they usually wished one thing that spoke to the thought of connection.

“This new title represents an open door for communities to hitch us in our mission to advocate and arrange for cities the place folks and birds thrive,” says Claire Catania, govt director of the Seattle group.

After saying the upcoming change in July 2022 and welcoming suggestions, greater than 1,000 folks weighed in, and the choice committee, half of whom are members of BIPOC communities, fielded 263 attainable names. The overwhelming majority of neighborhood suggestions on the method was supportive, however there was some friction.

As a lifelong birder and outside recreation fanatic who can be Japanese American, Nelson knew not everybody within the group could be able to pursue inclusion at the price of their namesake. Whereas the roughly 4,200-member Seattle group is numerous, it exists in a metropolis that’s 65% white, in line with the U.S. Census.

“I attempted to arrange [staff] and advised them, it’s a must to be steeled for it and it’s a must to not let it cease you,” mentioned Nelson, who has acquired loss of life threats within the technique of selling extra inclusive outside experiences. He offers his colleagues credit score for protecting with the method regardless of these challenges.

Catania maintains that conservation shall be greatest served by having a extra numerous coalition behind its advocacy work.

“We hear numerous, ‘When are you gonna get again to the birds? Cease messing round with all this nonsense, we’re right here for the birds.’ What we actually want to speak to our neighborhood is that this is for the birds,” Catania mentioned.

Catania mentioned that the dimensions of the unfavourable suggestions stunned her. They acquired telephone calls, emails and written letters that could possibly be known as hate mail from all around the nation. “We weren’t naive to the truth that this might be thought of a political assertion in a method, and so we knew on the outset that we have been going to lose some folks. However we additionally consider that we’re making this selection to usher in extra folks,” Catania mentioned.

Some of the frequent complaints the group acquired is that the title Audubon is synonymous with birds and consequently is liable for the energy of the bird-related group’s manufacturers and advocacy work. Nelson hasn’t seen any knowledge to assist that, and says that for youthful birders and birders of colour, “Audubon” isn’t inextricable from fowl work.

“There’s lots of people who don’t know what [Audubon] is, and the individuals who do, it’s a bit of white bubble,” he mentioned, noting a lot of the group’s membership is white and retired. “If you happen to’re wanting towards the longer term, what makes extra sense: tying your self to a small group that’s rising smaller, or [to] the remainder of the world?”

The choice committee members whittled the sphere to 3 contenders, however the successful selection acquired unanimous assist.

Catania has been heartened by how a lot of the membership have responded. “We really acquired fairly a little bit of vocal assist from our members who understood this alteration. If you happen to’ve been listening to what we’ve been doing and saying during the last a number of years, it should not have stunned you,” Catania mentioned.

There may be precedent for outdoors-oriented teams altering their names in pursuit of serving extra folks. Outdoorsman and racist John Muir lent his title to many organizations, however up to now few years, college departments and the Sierra Membership have distanced themselves from him. A number of native chapters additionally named for Audubon have introduced intentions to alter their title, beginning with a Maryland chapter in November 2021. The Portland Audubon Society, Chicago Audubon Society and NYC Audubon are selecting new names, and a union representing staff of the Nationwide Audubon Society renamed itself The Hen Union in February.

Whereas deciding on a brand new title, the group pursued actions and made selections that its leaders felt supported environmental justice and inclusiveness within the open air, like returning land to the Snoqualmie Tribe earlier this 12 months.

When the Nationwide Audubon Society elected to maintain its title earlier this month, the Seattle group revealed an impassioned weblog publish denouncing the choice, and Catania reached out to the group’s membership letting them know a brand new title for the native chapter had been chosen.

Catania and her colleagues had meant to disclose their group’s new title in June, as there’s authorized work to do earlier than they’ll do enterprise beneath it. However the management felt it was necessary to point out {that a} chapter might change its title regardless that the nationwide group determined to not. “Each minute you stick with the Audubon title is a minute of pointless hurt that you just’re inflicting on folks,” Nelson says.

Requested for remark in regards to the Seattle chapter’s title change, the Nationwide Audubon Society’s Diana Lee wrote in an e-mail, “Chapters are a vital a part of what makes the Nationwide Audubon Society a robust and impactful power for conservation. Every chapter is an independently integrated entity and has the autonomy and authority to find out their title. We all know that this is a matter that evokes sturdy emotions, and we respect that every chapter will make selections to greatest serve their wants. No matter their selections, we are going to proceed to assist and work intently with the over 400 chapters throughout the nation and transfer ahead as one unified neighborhood.”

Nelson says the Seattle group’s new title will higher point out to the general public the group’s dedication to antiracism and inclusion.

“Altering the title is not doing the work, interval. It is not,” he says. “It is only a public image, or a contact level, of the work that we’re already doing.”

As visitor speaker Lanham mentioned, “Names altering with out hearts and minds doing the identical is simply lip service. … It appears right here in Seattle there are courageous hearts and good minds making arduous selections for the lengthy haul.”

However reaching a brand new title, Nelson says, represents the willingness of its membership to do the work. “I am not excited in regards to the title per se, however I am enthusiastic about what it represents, the work that we have carried out and the work that we’re doing.”

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Seattle, WA

Overnight emergency shelters open across western Washington

Published

6 hours ago

January 19, 2025

Press Room

Overnight emergency shelters open across western Washington

Finding refuge as western WA temperatures tumble

The first stretch of prolonged cold winter weather has arrived in western Washington, and it’s expected to stick around into next week. With overnight lows in the 30s over the weekend, many overnight emergency shelters welcomed their firsts guests at 8 p.m. Saturday. At St. Anthony’s Rec Hall in Renton, 40 beds are available to those in need.

RENTON, Wash. – The first stretch of prolonged cold winter weather has arrived in western Washington, and it’s expected to stick around into next week.

With overnight lows in the 30s Saturday night, many overnight emergency shelters welcomed their first guests at 8 p.m.

At St. Anthony’s Rec Hall in Renton, 40 beds are available to those in need.

What they’re saying:

“We’re providing them with food, a pair of shoes, a pair of socks, and, of course, a warm place to sleep,” said Fenice Fregoso, program director of REACH Renton.

The organization oversees the shelter.

“We’re setting people up for success for the next day,” said Fregoso. “This way, they don’t have to stress on how they’re going to be able to get A, B, and C.”

Local perspective:

Among the individuals taking advantage of the cold weather services is Brandon Lakey. He’s trading the outdoors for a warm, safe cot.

“When it’s cold like this at night, places like this mean life,” said Lakey. “It’s everything, it’s survival. It means that someone cares, that someone’s reaching out to us.”

The Renton overnight shelter will run from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. Saturday to Tuesday night.

For those seeking information on shelters and navigating to shelter locations, people are encouraged to call the Severe Weather Shelter Navigation Hotline: (206) 245-1026.

For a complete list of daytime and overnight shelters in Seattle and throughout King County visit the King County Regional Homelessness Authority.

The Source: Information for this article comes from FOX 13 reporter Dave Detling who visited the Renton site.

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Seattle, WA

Seahawks have two members of their coaching staff in the SB

Published

13 hours ago

January 19, 2025

Press Room

Seahawks have two members of their coaching staff in the SB

Two members of the Seattle Seahawks coaching staff will be a part of the SB.

No, not the Super Bowl, but the Shrine Bowl, which will be played on Jan. 30. It is an All-Star Game, a little less known than the Senior Bowl (Feb 01). However, Eric Galko has done an incredible job in recent years getting several elite prospects for the event.

Later on, we will bring you names to keep an eye on in these two games, which are the main All-Star Games of the Draft season. In these games, it is customary to give opportunities to lesser-known members of the coaching staffs of the time, or allow them to have “bigger” loads than they actually have. For example, Mike Kafka, who was targeted by Seattle last year for OC and HC, and is currently the Giants’ OC, was HC in the Shrine Bowl.

The times are divided into East and West. The two members who were chosen for the Shrine Bowl were Josh Bynes and Quinshon Odom. Bynes will be the West team’s LBs coach, while Odom will be the OL Coach.

Bynes was playing in the NFL as a linebacker until 2022, including with the Ravens. He was coached by Mike Macdonald while in Baltimore. In 2024 he was announced to the new Seattle staff, with the role of Assistant LBs coach.

Odom also joined the Seattle coaching staff with the arrival of Macdonald. However, he has a longer career as a coach. He started in 2015 as an intern at Eastern Kentucky. After that he spent four years at Vanderbilt as an offensive assistant and offensive quality control. In 2021 he coached the Buffalo Bills’ RBs during training camp as part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship. Odom was then hired by the Texas Longhorns as an offensive line assistant. In 2022 and 2023 he was an offensive assistant, more focused on the offensive line for the Green Bay Packers as part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship.

To be quite honest, the players at these positions (LB and OL) are the best on the East team. In any case, their presence at the event can help with scouting, as well as developing them for their future coaching careers.

Forever a 12!

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Seattle, WA

Jaden Schwartz hat trick leads Seattle Kraken to 4-2 win over Kings

Published

22 hours ago

January 19, 2025

Press Room

Jaden Schwartz hat trick leads Seattle Kraken to 4-2 win over Kings

article

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – JANUARY 18: Jaden Schwartz #17 of the Seattle Kraken celebrates with teammates after scoring a third goal during the third period of a game against the Los Angeles Kings at Climate Pledge Arena on January 18, 2025 in Seattle, Wa (Christopher Mast / NHLI / Getty Images)

SEATTLE – Jaden Schwartz scored his fifth career hat trick and the fourth hat trick in Seattle Kraken history in a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night.

Joey Daccord made 17 of his 28 saves in the third period, and Schwartz scored on an empty net with 1:10 left to play to clinch the victory for the Kraken. Schwartz joins Jordan Eberle (11/14/21 vs. Buffalo), Jared McCann (1/14/23 at Chicago), and Brandon Montour (10/29/24 at Montreal) as players with hat tricks for the Kraken.

It was the fifth regular season hat trick of Schwartz’s career, along with two playoff hat tricks, all while playing with the St. Louis Blues.

The first line of Schwartz, Matty Beniers and Kaapo Kakko continue to rack up points together. The trio combined for seven points on the night as all three players had a significant hand in the victory.

“Great to see Jaden get the hat trick,” head coach Dan Bylsma said. “And it can’t be understated, the line of Matty Beniers and Jaden and Kakko, what they keep doing for us, night in and night out. They get the first two goals, but good to see Schwartzy get the hat trick there at the end.”

Just 28 seconds into the game, Schwartz got Seattle on the board. The Kings couldn’t get the puck out of their own zone as it fell onto the stick of Kakko. Schwartz slipped the puck inside the right post by the pad of a sliding Darcy Kuemper for a 1-0 lead.

A high-stick penalty to Beniers minutes later allowed the Kings to answer back on the power play. Right off the offensive zone face-off, the Kings won the puck as Adrian Kempe found space on the back post to finish a pass from Anže Kopitar for the tying goal.

But the line of Schwartz, Beniers and Kakko continued to dominate play over the opening 10 minutes.

A massive hit from Joshua Mahura against Warren Foegele at the Seattle blue line sent play into chaos. It also launched the Kraken on a rush chance as Schwartz scored his second goal of the period off a pass from Beniers on a 2-on-1 break for a 2-1 Kraken lead. The Kings got caught trying to engage Mahura for the hit on Foegele and left defenseman Brandt Clarke and Kuemper hung out to dry.

“We wouldn’t have scored if he didn’t do that,” Schwartz said of Mahura’s hit. “

Said Bylsma: “I thought the hit by Josh was, you don’t want to say it’s a turning point in the game, but it was, I think, a huge statement hit and getting the goal right after it, you know, was a sign to everybody we were in the match.”

Seattle was unable to escape the period with the lead, however. Defenseman Brandon Montour shoved Trevor Moore into Daccord, who flailed in vain to make a stop on Jordan Spence’s shot from distance. The Kraken bench appeared to consider challenging the play for goaltender interference, but elected against it as the contact was due to Montour’s actions.

Seattle re-gained the lead less than two minutes into the second period. Chandler Stephenson flashed across the front of the net to chip an Oliver Bjorkstrand shot-pass by Kuemper for a 3-2 Kraken advantage.

The lead held despite a heavy push from the Kings in the final period due to the play of Daccord.

Daccord denied Foegele on a short-handed 2-on-0 breakaway chance early in the third period to keep the one-goal advantage. The Kings had a 17-1 advantage in shots on goal in the third, with Schwartz’s empty-net tally serving as the only shot Seattle managed in the period.

“Every time we get a power play, I’m just like, ‘hey, just be ready in case they get a chance.’ Because every once in a while, you know, get a bad bounce, bad luck, someone makes a mistake, and, you know, it’s hockey, it’s going to happen, and sometimes you’re going to get a chance against and I just try to be ready for them,” Daccord said. “And you know, it’s my job to make big saves for the team when the team needs it. So when I get the opportunity, and then I’m able to follow through and execute it, it feels really good. Honestly, I was fired up after that save. And, yeah, just feels really good to get a big win at home.”

Schwartz had two chances at the empty net, with the first hitting the left post and staying out. Kakko then managed to win a loose puck and toss it ahead to Schwartz for his third of the night.

“After I hit the post we had a couple good blocks, Joey had a couple timely saves,” Schwartz said. “Kaapo made a great play (to get me the puck), so I guess my teammates did a good job of bailing me out for missing that. It was just a team effort all-around. Guys were laying it on the line tonight. It was a fun game.”

Kakko picked up an assist on all three of Schwartz’s goals for Seattle. Kakko now has 13 points in 14 games (four goals, nine assists) played with the Kraken since the trade last month with the New York Rangers.

What’s next:

The Kraken will continue their home stand with a Martin Luther King Jr. Day matinée against the Buffalo Sabres at 1 p.m on Monday.

The Source: Original FOX 13 Seattle reporting.