FROM THE EDITOR

We are rounding out Women's History Month by highlighting the women whose seeds grow strong for future crops. What bubbles up to the top is the fact that we are all just ordinary humans planting seeds that have been held in our hands, prayed over, nurtured and honored, so that these seeds might one day bloom into extraordinary bouquets of hope and vision to undergird the next generation. What we do today has ramifications in the future, whether or not we choose to acknowledg

It’s a season of expansion at ARTE NOIR. Not only have we further solidified our commitment to our physical community, fulfilling our mission to create a permanent space for the celebration of Black art and culture, by completing our purchase of the space, but we are also fulfilling our commitment to spotlight the talents of Black writers.   Thanks to The Gathering Collaborative Grant to Address Racism as a Public Health Crisis , we are now able to hire contributing writers t

The past year has been one of complete and authentic gratitude. In addition to marking the accomplishment of year one in the ARTE NOIR physical space in the heart of the Black community where my personal life was formed and shaped, I was also lauded on numerous occasions by organizations I respect and honor.    Dr. Quinton Morris saw fit to extend the work he has done with his organization Key to Change and our decades-long friendship and collaborations by honoring me with th

The holidays bring us closer together as we take time to celebrate family, friends, the gift of life, the spirit of generosity, and the turning of our calendars to a new year. At the end of each year we often find ourselves planning to reset and start fresh in the new year. For some of us, Kwanzaa principles help us take stock of the ways we function in the world. The seven principles of Kwanzaa are: Umoja (Unity) To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, na

I’m a native of Seattle. This is my home, and what I do and who I do it for is mostly rooted within the confines of the 96 square miles that make up the city, and extend into the 39 counties that make up Washington state, with of course special emphasis on the county in which I live, Martin Luther King, Jr. County. While being Black in Seattle can be challenging with a demographic that places us at about 7% of the population, this can make for a slightly disorienting experie

As we enter a new season of shorter days, longer nights, comfort food, and more time spent indoors, I can’t help but reflect back on the past year of activity. Amid devastation and conflict in the world, there are some small slices of the exact opposite that seed positive energy, feeding our souls and lifting our spirits. So much of this has been true in and around our physical hub in the Central District. Issa whole new vibe happening in our community! The opening of Jerk S

We recently celebrated our first year of operation in the physical space that anchors the Midtown Square complex in Seattle’s historic Black community, the Central District. The backdrop for our celebration was a representation of a craft that has played a significant role in the history of Black folk art and American folk art. The Pacific Northwest African American Quilters exhibit – T he Ties That Bind Us: Woven Stories of Celebration is now on view in the ARTE NOIR Galle

Come September, we will celebrate our first year of operation in our physical location as a Black art, culture, and retail space at Midtown Square. This past May marked our two-year anniversary as an online publication, and we continue to dream big for our future. Growth is on the horizon for this publication. Our goal is to engage more writers and contributors, expanding our ability to tell more stories that highlight the local, national, and international Black art world.

Oh, the times they are a'changing, and it seems like those times just never end. These days, the saying "the more things change, the more they stay the same," seems never more true. Upsetting the comfort of the status quo has now become the norm, and we are seeing a lot of change happening across the entire arts spectrum. One of the interesting aspects about the shifts now being made in many arts enclaves, is rather than drastic moves, there is a sense of a continuum as well

2023 marks the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop and one can’t help but be reminded of the evolution of this cultural phenomenon. And while Seattle seems geographically and culturally as far removed from the center of the hip hop headquarters of Bronx, NY, there is still history in our backyard that reigns as equally important. Had it not been for the presence of Black radio in Seattle, where the Sugarhill Gang’s "Rapper’s Delight" was first played, much of our history may go compl

It’s our second anniversary and we couldn’t be more excited and filled with gratitude for the growth and development both this publication and our physical space have experienced. Over the course of these 24 months, we have learned so much, and from that learning, we know a few things to be true. There is the expression ( attributed to Rumi, Buddhism, Socrates, and Bernard Meltzer ) of having your words pass through three gates to increase one’s mindfulness of the power of w

It’s almost that time of year when we celebrate our mothers. Mother’s Day is set aside to honor the ones who carried us into this life. They are the givers of life and for the entire gestation period, they feed and nurture us into birth. As unborn, we are often aware of the joys and traumas our mothers are experiencing through the energy connection of our umbilical cords . The power of the mother connection is a mighty force. In our spotlight on One Vibe founder Simon Okelo ,

“I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.” - Angela Davis During Women’s History Month, I am reminded of the power of women to change what they cannot accept. It has been women who have powered the development and implementation of everything about ARTE NOIR, seeking to make a change in both female leadership in the arts and Black ownership in the community. We have never accepted an inability to make a change. Women coll

In the short month of February, Black History Month, ARTE NOIR showed up for community. We shared Black Love with a free day of photos provided by our partner The Elite Collective , and the L-O-V-E, love was front and centered. People came through and documented their love of self, relationships, and community. One lovely patron put it best in her Instagram post documenting her visit. “I headed to ARTE NOIR for a day date with my love to attend their "Celebration of Black Lo

It’s almost Black History Month and just another excuse to use BLACK in almost every heading in this month’s newsletter. As if we needed an excuse. But this time around, we do feel the need to press ever harder to bring the news of Black history into glaring view. It’s unbelievable that a Governor, who will remain nameless, has the time to restrict the teaching of Black history in AP classes in his state. And why in the AP classes, we wonder, AP meaning Advanced Placement. W

Having a home means having shelter. It is also indicative of safety, having a sense of place, belonging, and familiarity. They say home is where the heart is, and ARTE NOIR is a warm heart for Black art and culture in an area that left many feeling as if their future had been foreclosed upon by dramatically shifting demographics and displacement. Our opening this fall signaled a new opportunity to reclaim some of what has been lost over the last few decades. A rich history

At this time of Thanksgiving, at ARTE NOIR we are reminded of the many, many things for which we are grateful. In less than two years we have seen interest in this monthly publication experience tremendous growth, and the same is true of our interactions with the abundance of artists with whom we have connected. Our team built, from the ground up, a brand new arts space that reclaims the presence of Black art and culture in our community, and we are poised to keep growing. AR

The troubling murder of our neighbor and owner of The Postman , D’Vonne Pickett, Jr., has the entire community shook. He was a good human, a father, husband, mentor, and community supporter. He and his wife sought to elevate the legacy of his great grandfather who was a letter carrier for 37 years by providing needed services – everything from stamps and mailing to fax machine access. Once the Central District post office at 23rd & Union was closed, D’Vonne and KeAnna instinc

Whew! That baby got delivered and what a grand, grand opening weekend it was. We haven't yet recovered and frankly, we don't want to. The glow is the fuel that keeps us going and every day, we remind ourselves that we've only just begun. The excitement of watching over 500 people come through our doors on opening day won't soon fade. I saw former members of the same church who hadn't seen one another in years reconnect. Folks that once lived in the Central District said they

I know something about birthing some babies. Having given birth to three of my own children, I consider myself moderately well versed on the subject, including the tenets of natural childbirth. But after being pregnant for at least a good two years with the vision for a permanent Black arts space in the Central District, what is about to be born will require me to recall all the Lamaze breathing techniques I can muster. I’m breathless with excitement and a bit overcome by th