Join Tsedey Betru & me as we discuss a pilot focused on helping homeowners add housing while reducing risk & preventing displacement. We will examine how cities can play a more active role in supporting homeowners, sharing development risk, & creating pathways to community stability. bit.ly/4tdF6iL
We have a lot of work ahead and Mayor Wilson is off to a great start. www.theurbanist.org/2026/01/17/k...
Very powerful keynote presentation at the MLK Prayer Breakfast this morning. I was so proud to see my father in architecture, Mr. Donald I King receive the 2026 Mountaintop award for business. I am blessed to be part of the community he has built the last fourty years, the Nehemiah Initiative, NAAM.
The prompt was one thing that you like about yourself or are proud of…
HOLIDAY IN THE PARK: Please come see my beautiful wife Kate Dean sing with the Brilliance Interfaith Gospel Choir at Volunteer Park TONIGHT December 4th from 6:30-7pm. There will be live music, treats, and festivities from 6-8pm in the Park to warm your spirit and kickoff the holiday season!
Before Thanksgiving, I joined Mark & Asha Washington at the Frye Art Museum for a Salon Soirée featuring artist HOLLIS. It was a wonderful evening of food, drinks, art, and entertainment. I highly recommend a visit if you have not been or if it has been a while.
Kate and I were blessed to the David Byrne ‘Who is the Sky’ performance Tuesday night. It was an amazing exhibition of grace, beauty, artistry, multigenerational and ethnic collaboration. Such a man of incredible vision and talent. Mind blowing. And the Paramount Theater was a perfect venue.
I was honored to be a juror for the NAIOP 2025 Night of the Stars where last Friday we announced an incredible slate of winners. It was a really wonderful night; a great room of industry innovators and collaborators investing in growth and prosperity in the Northwest. bit.ly/4qVubJc
Proud of my wife, Kate Dean, who sang with her friend Natasha and 25 others in the Brilliance Interfaith Gospel Choir yesterday at St Therese Church in the heart of our the Central District, which we now call home. The performance was amazing and at one point moved me to tears.
I was honored to have been able to take part in One Ocean Week Seattle, experience the beauty and awe of the 111 year old Norwegian tall ship, the Stratsraad Lehmkuhr while it was docked at Pier 66, and host two panel discussions on port cities as part of our Working Waterfront Day last Thursday.
The Port of Seattle, City of Seattle, Whatcom Working Waterfront Coalition, and Greater Seattle Partners are hosting a WORKING WATERFRONT DAY on Thurs, Oct. 23. Events are at the Bell Harbor Conference Center in the Bay Auditorium.
Registration is FREE! Register at lnkd.in/gZH-m_ce
I was truly honored to present at the 18th Federal Congress on the National Urban Development Policy at the University City of Rostock, Germany, earlier this month. I delivered a 15-minute TED-talk-style presentation on the transformative work happening in Seattle and our region. bit.ly/46DRsq1
So proud of my son Milo who officially starts his first day of college at Western Washington University today. Love you, Milo- you will do well…!
I presented the Citywide Collaborative Impact award to Barry Johnson at the Arte Noir Gala last night at Seattle Center. Vivian Phillips & Jazmyn Scott were amazing. They have accomplished in three years what it has taken other not-for-profits decades to build. The award ceremony was lovely.
Germany Day5: Morning walking tour of central Berlin, getting to know the city’s history, including post-war reconstruction, and post-1990 development after the Berlin Wall came down. Ended the day with a beautiful riverboat tour and discussion of German history, governance, and culture.
Germany-Day4: A quiet day of transition. Tour of university campus in Rostock, closing session at the conference, and then two hour train back to Berlin and low key evening at the hotel.
Germany Day3: First full day of the German Federal Congress on Urban Development Policy. I was one of the keynote speakers and shared with an audience of 1000 Germans reflections on the Seattle Waterfront transformation, transit oriented development, and equitable development.
Germany-Day2: Made the trip to Rostock, two hours north of Berlin by train. Met up with another GIZ host Tina Silbernagl and traveled to the opening reception of the German Federal Congress on Urban Development Policy with Philipp, Tina, & 2 new colleagues from the South African federal government.
Germany-Day1: I arrived in Berlin today after 13 hours of travel. I had an evening walk along the Spree riverfront, took photos of the Reichstag Building, and got to watch an incredible ‘People and Parliament’ film and light show. I am here all week & am very much looking forward to the days ahead.
Boston Day4: Visited the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway on our last day before returning home. The resulting urban green landscape from this $8 billion dollar highway lid project (the ‘Big Dig’) is pretty impressive. Check out- bit.ly/4lTpJqX
Boston Day3: Day in Provincetown!
Boston Day2: A day outside in the sun- at City Point Beach, then Boston Public Garden, and after than a retro arcade eventing of food and fun at Versus…!
Boston Day1: Friday was our first day in Boston to drop Kate’s daughter Rennie off at Boston University for her freshman year. I have been to Cambridge for years for the Lincoln Institute’s Big City Planning Director’s Institute, but I have not taken the time to actually be a proper tourist here…!
Tsutakawa Fountain with waterfront bike path beyond
Pioneer Square waterfront habitat and beach
Pier 62 festival full of people, colorful tents, and activities
Salish Steps at Overlook Walk
Excited to celebrate Waterfront Park Grand Opening with Friends of Waterfront Park, the Office of Waterfront, Civic Projects & Sound Transit, Seattle Center, and City of Seattle! The day-long celebration will feature live music, local performers, food, art, and community on Sept. 6! bit.ly/4530PyA
A powerful room of local changemakers came together for the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle Guild’s first annual Trailblazing Black Women in Washington State brunch.
Thank you for including us and we can't wait for next year!
www.whereweconverge.com/post/honorin...
Because of the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ about 17 million people will lose their healthcare. This will put an undue burden on our hospitals. Additionally, the federal government plans to cut the percentage of Medicaid costs it covers. States and patients will be required to fund the gap. bit.ly/452CCZs
PCC market is reopening in downtown Seattle July 15th. Come check it out. It is gratifying that PCC has maintained its commitment to Seattle and has reestablished their downtown location. Will be a great asset for anyone living or working downtown bit.ly/3TEr3Ch
I was really honored to be able to chair the CNU Charter awards this year. When you review the awardees, you will see the path toward our collective future.
It is not the responsibility of the underserved to educate the 80% of the nation not well educated about the issues that we hold dear, but if you are willing to accept the hardship, these are the difficult conversations that we need to have to educate others and get to a better place. bit.ly/4491dMX
It is not often that we find examples where planning practices in the US are informed and molded by tribal practices and indigenous culture. We need more projects like this one.
