Intersections in the Chinatown International District: Dim Sum, Seafood and Black Lives Matter

Our unique family-owned businesses in the International District have already suffered from the beginning of the COVID 19 pandemic because of the absurd ideas coming from DC. Then came willful acts of destruction following a protest May 29 not by peaceful protestors, but by outsiders.

But the day after the destruction volunteers began to show up to clean up the glass, garbage and graffitti and to start shopping to show support. On June 5 artists started arriving and painting on the boarded up store fronts. The idea was sparked by Che Sehyun, executive director of Experience Education who reached out to the art community. He raised 10,000. for supplies in five days ( half came from Home Depot for paint) and over 100 artists have signed up. Here is the original call by Che

Che on the left in the yellow shirt. Che is an amazing video artist. Wyking Garrett speaking, leads Africatown, which is fighting gentrification in the Central District, where I live ( as one of the less wealthy wave of gentrifiers from 25 years ago) and Bruce Lee in the background banner.

Last Sunday there was a set of performances by artists to celebrate the project.

Mural by June Sekiguchi with partner Richard Reynolds, on Phnom Penh noodle house on Jackson. June spoke at the program about how the owner of the noodle store survived genocide in Cambodia forty years ago.

This market had one of the most beautiful murals of all. See below

Did you know that Bing cherries were first cultimated in 1875 by Ah Bing in the Pacific North West? Note the mural on the right paired with it, watering flowers in the grave yard of some of those who have died from Police Violence: George Floyd, Shaun Fuhr, Charleena Lyles Mamel Ellis, Bryonna Taylor, Che Taylor, Philando Castille, Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Sandra Bland, Ezell Ford, Michael Brown, Eric Repson, Bethany Jean, Walter Scott ( and the list continues)

This is the type of intersections that I only saw in the ID. BLM plus Indigenous rights. Here are two details “Native Lives Matter”

Jade Garden. Amazing noodle murals

The murals didn’t pull any punches in many cases. In other cases they honored the store or restaurant.

The two above by Kari Sa Morikawa on Vital Tea. According to the Asian Weekly, she is an “amateur” artist. Who would know.

This and the next are by Mari Shibuya with VK Signs. I particularly like their paintings. They did a beautiful mural on Capitol Hill. But it is in the Occupied Zone so it has been graffittied. I will post it on my next blog post about the Capital Hill Occupied Protest.

Above and below, the next group are by Andy Panda and a team of six artists, one of the most beautiful groups in the ID.

Hidden Figures stars.

The rain says “Systemic Discrimination, Police Brutality, Redlining, Gentrification, Mass Incarceration, Racism, Voter Suppression ” these two above and one below by Ellen Granstrom with a team of four artists.

Some were encouraging as in the COVID 19 murals

I just found out the name of this artist, Larsie “Firebird” Freeman. Her mural was in the Seattle Times.

This artist “Barely Awake Kalee” was also on Capitol Hill. “I hope you know you’re the world, you are so special to me….” and other positive statements. Subtle change to simply feeling better by including the black arms on the right?

Carol Rashawnna a beautiful nurturing image

These Bush Hotel Murals look like a story of Asian Americans: in this one a child is being taught to farm. The back story on Japanese incarceration is that the Japanese farmers had created a group of farms that produced amazing produce. They were the founding farmers of our famous Pike Place Market ( there is a mural dedicated to them there). When they were sent off to be incarcerated during World War II, their land was mostly taken away by white people. Some people say that was one of the motivations for making them leave. Then when they lived in the desert in a camp, they made that place fertile also, and white farmers took that land over when they left.

In this one he brings some food to his grandfather

In this one he leads his grandfather into Hing Hay Park. @devonmidorisour, Devon Hale.

This is a reference to Uncle Bob Santos, the famous international district activist and part of the “gang of four” Seattle civil rights activists Bernie Whitebear, Larry Gossett and Roberto Maestas, a model of interracial friendship and organizing during the 1960s to the present. Only Gossett is still alive. He has made amazing contributions here also.

Santos grew up in Chinatown, the son of Filipinos. He was fundamental to saving the International District .From 1972 to1989, Santos served as Executive Director of the International District Improvement Association

I don’t have a lot of information about the next murals, but they suggest the dazzling variety of styles in the murals, as well as the intersection of Black Lives Matter with the themes requested by the restaurants, groceries, Chinese medicine stores and martial arts establishments of the ID.

Bruce Lee and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar by Shara and Joseph Lee and Dozfy (Patrick Nguyen). these two legendary actors appeared together in a movie set in Hong Kong titled “Game of Death.”

On this Brazilian Martial Arts Center many different artists participated. Some had never painted a mural before. The one in the center is by an artist who spoke at the celebration. I can’t read his name here, but hopefully coming soon!

These murals are on the Viet Wah grocery Store. Like so many of the stores in the International District, it is a wonderland of mysterious dried fruits, as well as so many kinds of fish and vegetables.

The woman are wonderful, painted by several different artists!

Black Lives Matter fist and a yin/yang symbol, probably unique to the ID!. I ordered lunch from the Fortuna. There are dozens of restaurants to discover in this area. Prepare to be hungry if you go to see the murals!

Kendra Azarai and her daughters on the Iron Steak restaurant.

as well as on this doctor’s office.

Sydney Pertl with her amazing lobster and crab. She learned some Chinese Calligraphy to be able to write here in Chinese!

Here is Patrick Nguyen (Dozfy) He is part of every mural cycle I have recorded in Seattle. Great artist.

Taken together, this project stood out for its diversity of artists and intersections of themes. It also introduced me to more of the small shops and groceries of the ID. I can’t wait to go back soon. Please support these businesses by going for a look at the murals and stopping for a bite to eat. They are all open!