The culmination of such a successful season serves as a bit of brightness in a South End winter that has seen more than it's fair share of gang-related killings and violent youth crime. The hard working spirit of the Rainier Beach boys basketball team shows that the kids can be all right, provided our young men and women are offered supportive, nurturing environments that allow their best aspects to thrive and shine.
We tip our proverbial hat to Bethea and his jubilant, young crew of court wizards for doing just that. Moreover, we hope to see their positive examples radiate into the community to help create a culture of excellence in our neighborhoods.
Speaking of excellence, March 8 also saw the culmination of decades of dreaming, planning, controversy and hard work with the opening of the Northwest African American Museum in the Coleman School building at 2300 S. Massachusetts St. The 19,000-square-foot museum occupies the bottom floor of the old school to honor those of African American and African descent that helped shape the cultural and physical landscapes of the Pacific Northwest. The upper portion of the school now houses 36 mixed income rental units along with NAAM's administrative offices.
Nearly 1,000 people - from state politicians to former NBA players and from community activists to nearby neighbors - attended the Central Area celebration. We look forward to seeing how the museum will work to interact with Seattle's neighborhoods (especially the South Side), and we hope it strives to uphold a strong dedication to area youth with engaging programs and resources. It's off to a promising start.
Go check it out, for free, until March 16: the crowds will invariably be easier to manage than the first day. Visit www.naamnw.org or call 267-4828 for more information, including hours of operation.
Looking ahead, the South End will see two more celebrations of it's dynamic and diverse communities when the Rainier Valley Youth Theater's Young Playwrights Festival and the South Seattle Festival of Words & Photos return to the Rainier Valley Cultural Center in Columbia City this weekend.
Featuring a selection of plays composed by Valley-area teens and read by professional actors, the playwright festival always delivers a good, enlightening time and will be held on Friday, March 14 from 7-9 p.m. and Saturday, March 15 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults.
Then, on Saturday, March 15 from 4-6 p.m. at the Rainier Valley Cultural Center, authors and photographers from young to old will take the stage to share the work they submitted for the Third Annual South Seattle Festival of Words & Photos. It's a celebration that transcends typical awards ceremonies by providing the festival's winning contestants space to discuss their work in the context of their South Seattle lives.
Pull out the festival's keepsake tabloid in the heart of this edition for a preview of the work that will be highlighted at the March 15 event. Admission is $3 for adults with all proceeds going into cash prizes for next year's winning contestants. Call 461-1311 if you have any questions. It promises to be a fun and insightful time, and we hope to see you there.
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