JACQUELINE SMITH ARMSTRONG - THE ESTATE OF CREATIVITY

When you’ve lived in a place for a long time—your home, your neighborhood, your city—you begin to move with its rhythms. Over time, both subtle shifts and dramatic transformations stand out. Familiar corners hold memories. Landmarks carry stories. And sometimes, a single moment can unlock it all.

Recently, a friend visiting from Georgia—where she’s lived for over three decades after growing up in Seattle—shared one of those moments with me. She was looking for Richlen’s gas station at 23rd & Union before meeting me at ARTE NOIR, only to be stunned by the PCC grocery store now occupying that corner. Her memory of home was instantly disrupted.

This kind of memory destabilization—where what we remember no longer matches what we see—is something many local efforts in Seattle are working hard to resist. Across the city, individuals, organizations, and homeowners are coming together to protect the soul of neighborhoods they’ve long called home. One of those individuals is Jacqueline Smith Armstrong.

Jackie and I go way back—to our days as members of the Drillerettes and Drillerines drill teams (ask somebody). We practiced drill routines right in the middle of the street, just a block from where Jackie’s family lived. Later, we reconnected at Garfield High School, and in September 2024, we were both in attendance at Wa Na Wari's Walk the Block CASE 21 Creative Community Building Workshop, and an idea was born to form a collaboration. This latest connection is deeply rooted in legacy—a reflection of dreams our ancestors must have had for us: that we would not only honor their struggles but keep their stories alive.

Jackie in her element.

Like many Black families in Seattle, Jackie’s parents came from the South—Louisiana, to be exact. In the 1940s and ’50s, “Black jobs” in Seattle could be found at Boeing, in construction, shipping, the railroads, domestic work, and through entrepreneurship. Many Black residents launched businesses that served the needs of families living within the redlined Central District. The intersection at 23rd & Union was a vibrant hub of that activity.

Jackie’s family planted deep roots in the heart of this community, purchasing the home where she was born—and still lives—in 1947. Prior to Jackie returning to live in that family home, she expected celebration from her father for securing a lovely Capitol Hill apartment. But the praise didn’t come. Instead, her father, with blunt honesty, offered a lesson she never forgot.

“He told me I was throwing away my money,” Jackie remembers, “and that I might as well stack dollar bills on the dashboard of my car, roll the windows down, and drive.” That moment reframed her entire perspective on homeownership. It helped her understand that honoring her parents’ sacrifices meant protecting the home they fought so hard to keep.

Now, Jackie is taking that commitment even further—with an inspired approach to estate planning that we believe could be a model for others. Motivated by community-based ownership efforts and the work we’ve done through ARTE NOIR at 23rd & Union, Jackie shared:

“Watching the changes in the CD and seeing the ravages of gentrification took a psychological toll on me. And now, I am so proud of what’s happening there.”

We often talk about the significance of that intersection—how it was central to our youth, full of joy, but also marked by painful moments. We remember lives lost and injustices faced, especially as laws were disproportionately enforced against Black people for low-level offenses. What we share now is a deep commitment to preserving spaces that carry legacy, truth, and hope. That shared commitment led to something extraordinary.

The home Jackie’s parents built and protected for decades will remain the Smith Armstrong residence. But it will also become something new: an extension of ARTE NOIR. As Jackie once told me, “You have a beautiful gallery, but you don’t have a legacy house.” That was before we created ARTE NOIR 318.

Jackie’s family has always called their home simply by its address—318. We’ve adopted that name, too. While Jackie continues to live there, the beautifully preserved and reimagined home will serve as a Harlem Renaissance-style salon—an intimate, art-filled gathering space rooted in community, culture, and creative exchange.

Jackie’s love for art is evident in every detail of her home, which she has curated with the eye of a true cultural steward. But more than a beautiful space, she wanted a place that lived and breathed with community, while she is still here—a place filled with voices, laughter, music, and intergenerational creative conversations now and beyond her lifetime.

“I want this to be a place where we share with younger generations the things they need to know about our community’s legacy and history,” she says, “and where they can help us better understand their world. And we’ll center all of it in art and culture.”

ARTE NOIR 318 will host a series of private gatherings where Jackie can fully express her passion for community building, creativity, and cultural storytelling. As ARTE NOIR Executive Director Jazmyn Scott says:

“ARTE NOIR at 23rd and Union is a very special home, and now ARTE NOIR 318 is a literal home—a place where we can connect, exchange ideas, and build on the legacy that both 318 and 2301 East Union represent. This kind of collaborative legacy stewardship is a critical piece of our long term sustainability planning.”

This reimagined approach to estate planning—centered on legacy, community, and creativity—benefits everyone it touches. For ARTE NOIR, it’s a dream realized: extending our impact beyond the gallery into a beloved neighborhood home. For Jackie, it means living her values now while shaping a vibrant legacy for the future.

In a truly full circle moment on September 20th, just shy of one year since our first conversation about collaborating, ARTE NOIR will honor Jacqueline with the COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD in honor of her devotion to creating pathways for creative use of legacy homes.

Jackie and her partner, Boysie Armstrong.

Jacqueline Smith Armstrong is a lifelong resident of Seattle’s historic Central District. She proudly lives in the childhood home her parents purchased in 1947. Jacqueline witnessed the sacrifices made by her parents to become Black homeowners. Her father’s favorite quote was “put your money in dirt.” In 2019, Jacqueline joined the Africatown Community Land Trust Board (ACLT) and currently serves as Chairwoman. The ACLT mission directly aligns with her personal values, spiritual beliefs, and a commitment to encouraging generational wealth, as well as acquiring land to develop for the Black diaspora. She is deeply committed to fighting gentrification and supporting affordable home ownership in the Central District.  

She is a retired Human Resources professional with over 20 years experience specializing in the field of Employment Services, Corporate and Community Networking, Social Activism, and Workshop Facilitation. She is also the Co-business partner of Master Class Signature Series (MCSS), a fast-paced virtual workshop designed to prepare Youth for Success with Interview Skills, Resume Preparation, Social Etiquette, and Dress for Success.  

Jacqueline was part of the 1984 Pre-Opening Team and enjoyed an extensive career with the Washington State Convention & Trade Center (WSCTC), where she held the role of Community Relations Manager,  working closely with the Seattle-King County Visitors Bureau. 

In the early 1980s, Jacqueline served as the Legislative Assistant to State Representative Jesse Wineberry of the 43rd Legislative District. She is currently affiliated with Evergreen Goodwill Industries, Tabor 100, and Puget Sound Diversity Task Force. Jacqueline holds an AA Degree in Common Sense, a BA Degree in Sacrifice, a Master’s Degree in Hard Work, and a PHD in Black Self Love.