Naomi Ishisaka

These Seattleites shed ‘tears of pride’ during the Super Bowl halftime show Seattle may not have the Boricua community of places like New York or Orlando. But many of the 24,000 people here of Puerto Rican descent relished the Super Bowl halftime show, Naomi Ishisaka writes.

This week's column: Yes, the Seahawks won the biggest prize in U.S. professional sports and sparked a week of giddy celebration in the city, but for many in the region, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio’s Super Bowl halftime show was just as significant.

Outdoor sign for Town Hall Seattle reading "TOWN HALL SEATTLE AND THE STRANGER PRESENT SPEAKING OF SEATTLE Who Tells Seattle's Story? Local Media in a Broken News Economy Hosted by Erica Barnett with Ficrangela Davila Hannah Murphy Winter, and Naomi ishisaha" with an arrow pointing to the left

Had a great time talking about local journalism with @naomiishisaka.bsky.social, @hmwinter.bsky.social, and @florangelad.bsky.social at @townhallseattle.bsky.social tonight.

Thank you so much for your awesome moderation! 💜 that was wonderful.

How a multiracial Seattle choir builds community through gospel music Multiracial, LGBTQ+-affirming choir Resounding Love uses gospel music to build community and a better world, columnist Naomi Ishisaka writes.

Today's column on Seattle's Resounding Love interfaith gospel choir: "… the spiritual fulfillment, personal growth, fellowship and focus on liberation and justice that can often be found in places of worship do not need to be contained within the walls of a church, mosque or synagogue."

A shocking death brings MLK's words to life In MLK's 1963 "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," the civil rights leader noted that what is legal and what is right are not always the same thing.

It would be naive to think that what is happening in Minnesota could not quickly arrive at our doorstep as well. The latest from Seattle Times columnist @naomiishisaka.bsky.social.

Renee Good’s shocking death brings Martin Luther King’s words to life In MLK's 1963 "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," the civil rights leader noted that what is legal and what is right are not always the same thing.

MLK day column: "It is galling that at the same time we gather to honor the life and legacy of the Rev. MLK Jr., people are being targeted based on their skin color, ethnic background and perceived immigration status, as well as those seen as “agitators” by the Trump administration."

Floodwaters are just one threat faced by these WA workers Some farmworkers say they have to choose to either brave floodwaters or go without pay and face possible retaliation from employers, Naomi Ishisaka writes.

The latest from Seattle Times columnist @naomiishisaka.bsky.social.

Floodwaters are just one threat faced by these WA workers Some farmworkers, who put food on our tables, say they have to choose between braving floodwaters and going without pay or facing retaliation from employers.

Today's column: "Even for a community that is no stranger to adversity, the past two weeks have dealt blow after blow to Western Washington farmworker families." #wafloods

Thank you @jtalton.bsky.social "Andrew Dessler, a professor of atmospheric sciences and a climate scientist at Texas A&M University, wrote, “If you guessed climate change was playing a role in this, you’d be right.”

Another excellent column by my colleague, Naomi Ishisaka:

Thank you Jon!

She took a chance, ran for City Council — and won by 20 votes Sam Doyle’s nail-biter of a win serves as something of a case study for people who might be interested in running for office for the first time.

Today's column: "Remember Sam Doyle, the first-time activist I wrote about in March?

Now, you can call her Mountlake Terrace City Councilmember-elect Doyle. … 

Her experience can serve as something of a case study for people who might be interested in running for office for the first time."

An excellent column by my colleague Naomi Ishisaka:

Thank you Jon!

@workingfamilies.org

The successful third party you may not have heard of Eddie Lin, Erika Evans, Dionne Foster and Alexis Mercedes Rinck were among the candidates whose campaigns were boosted by the progressive Working Families Party.

Today's column: "You may not have heard of the Working Families Party, but of the five Seattle citywide candidates endorsed by them, at least four won their Nov. 4 general election races: Eddie Lin, Erika Evans, Dionne Foster and Alexis Mercedes Rinck."

Thank you Jon!!

As SNAP lapses, Seattle sees a 'beautiful outpouring' At Estelita's Library, Toasted, the Asian Counseling and Referral Service and other community hubs, folks provided for each other as government food aid lapsed.

Today's column: "In the days since the (SNAP) cuts were announced, in Seattle and across the country, communities stepped into the breach."

Judges order the Trump administration to use contingency funds for SNAP payments during the shutdown Two federal judge have ruled that the Trump administration must continue to fund the SNAP food aid program using contingency funds during the government shutdown.

"Two federal judges ruled nearly simultaneously on Friday that President Donald Trump’s administration must to continue to fund SNAP, the nation’s biggest food aid program, using contingency funds during the government shutdown."

Thank you Jon! 🙏🏼

Silent and speedy, these devices are scary for pedestrians Pedestrians and e-scooters have become a contentious mix in Seattle, with older adults often suffering the most, columnist Naomi Ishisaka writes.

"A number of Pride Place residents spoke about the ongoing danger of e-scooters and e-bikes in front of their building, with one resident saying that as a person with a disability, they were especially fearful they could be taken down just trying to walk down the street."

Seattle author leaves behind books so honest, some want them banned "Baseball Saved Us" was a surprise best-seller about a Japanese American boy incarcerated during WWII. And it's now one of the most-challenged books in the U.S.

Today's story for @seattletimes.com: "Local journalist and author Ken Mochizuki believed that we could only paint a complete picture of our communities if we told our own stories with honesty and courage." @aajaofficial.bsky.social

Black Lives Matter mural on Capitol Hill vandalized The mural dates to 2020, weeks after George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis police officers and begun just 36 hours into what would become known as CHOP.

By Lauren Girgis: "The Black Lives Matter street mural on Capitol Hill, the work of 16 artists that has both brightened a stretch of pavement and left an assertive cultural mark, has been defaced, with a letter with racist rhetoric found nearby."

Thank you Bridget!

2 million rally in Italy for Gaza as general strike halts key services Over 2 million people across Italy have rallied in more than 100 cities for a one-day general strike.

Over 2 million people across Italy have rallied in more than 100 cities for a one-day general strike.

“Earlier this year, Taylor told Seattle Times columnist Naomi Ishisaka that the information on the site had become even more valuable amid “a direct frontal assault on African American history.””

Quintard Taylor, UW professor and Black history archivist, dies at 76 Quintard Taylor, Jr., professor emeritus of history at UW and founder of an online archive of Black history, died Sunday.

Rest in Power, Dr. Taylor

Quintard Taylor, UW professor and Black history archivist, dies at 76

What can we say about Charlie Kirk? Only what those in power want us to In the days following the brutal assassination of Charlie Kirk, it became no longer enough to say you condemn the killing. No, you also had to praise and valorize him.

Today's column: "But in the days following the assassination, it became no longer enough to say you condemn the killing. No, you also had to praise and valorize Kirk, a man who was outspoken on his opinions about Black people, immigrants, transgender people and others."

How joy, beauty and affirmation disrupted the culture wars in Seattle Louder than Hate countered Let Us Worship’s anti-gay, anti-trans Revive in 25 event at Gas Works with an outpouring of support and solidarity at Washington Hall.

Today's column for @seattletimes.com: "In addition to the concerns and stresses that everyone has, trans communities have to keep their “head on a swivel,” Jaelynn Scott said, anticipating when the next threat might come. #seattle

Battered by war, refugee finds 'kindness' in Bellevue Seba lost both her legs after an Israeli airstrike. The 12-year-old girl from Gaza could learn to walk again with the help of prosthetics from Seattle-area doctors.

By Kai Uyehara in @seattletimes.com:
"Gaza now has the highest number of child amputees per capita in the world, according to UNICEF. But Seba could not be treated with artificial legs in Gaza, Sosebee said." 📷: Jennifer Buchanan and Nick Wagner