Move to Tacoma Podcast

Lindquist Dental Clinic for Children has been a Tacoma institution since 1936. Even so- Move to Tacoma Podast host Marguerite Martin admits on-mic she didn’t fully understand what they do until she sat down with Executive Director Carolyn McDougal-Weyrick at dinner this winter. Turns out a lot of Tacoma doesn’t know either. Lindquist sees kids from birth to their 21st birthday, takes essentially every insurance including Apple Health, Medicaid, Molina, Coordinated Care, Delta Dental, and TRICARE, and doesn’t turn anyone away for inability to pay. They see over 24,000 patient visits a year out of their Parkland location at 131st and Pacific, and they still have room to grow. Dr. Stephens walks through what makes the clinic different: six dentists, specialty services like oral surgery and endodontics on site, and a general anesthesia program she personally runs for kids ages 3 to 8 who need significant work done. Instead of six appointments, parents taking off work six times, and a kid who learns to dread the dentist, it’s one 90-minute visit. The kids wake up with their princess crowns intact and still want to come back. For income-qualifying military families on TRICARE Dental, Lindquist is the only place in the area that can waive the out-of-pocket and deductible costs entirely, which matters a lot when a family has four or five kids and a $1,300 annual cap per child. The conversation gets into something that many Tacoma area nonprofits are struggling with. Federal cuts to the programs that serve the most vulnerable people in our community. Medicaid cuts went into effect July 1, 2025, and Lindquist is facing roughly a $280,000 shortfall from what they expected. But Lindquist has a plan. They’re not cutting services, they’re growing their private-insurance patient base. Because when a family with insurance comes through the door, it directly supports the half-million dollars a year in uncompensated care the clinic provides. They just finished a $1M renovation funded entirely by designated facility grants and donor dollars, so the space is freshly renovated. 15 new chairs, digital nomad x-rays, a surgical suite. Come as you are, bring the kid you’ve been putting off bringing, and if you’ve got private insurance, know that showing up helps your neighbors and is part of how this model stays alive. The post Lindquist Dental: Where No Child is Turned Away Due to Inability to Pay appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Director of Brand & Marketing at Tacoma-based SiteCrafting Jen Rittenhouse joins Move to Tacoma Podcast Host and Tacoma real estate agent Marguerite Martin to talk about the work happening behind the scenes at SiteCrafting, a Tacoma tech company that’s been building and supporting websites since 1998. While they started with web development, Jen explains how SiteCrafting now offers a much broader set of services: branding, digital strategy, SEO, social strategy, accessibility audits, communications consulting, and even a UX research lab (the only one in South Puget Sound). Their clients range from local nonprofits to major community pillars like the Washington State Fair Event Center, MultiCare, Tacoma Public Utilities, and the Puyallup Tribe. What do Tacoma Businesses and Organizations need for Marketing in 2026? Marguerite and Jen get real about what websites actually require: not just design and code, but clarity about purpose, audience, and content- plus ongoing maintenance as technology changes. They talk through SEO basics (how people find you via search) and how the rise of AI summaries is changing behavior online: sometimes Google answers the question without sending people to your site, and sometimes AI pulls questionable info from unvetted sources. Jen’s takeaway is simple but powerful: it’s never been more important to be accurate, to be the “source of truth,” and to build direct relationships with your audience. What’s the most important thing Tacoma businesses need to focus on to attract customers? The conversation also moves into practical marketing advice for small businesses and nonprofits in Tacoma. Jen argues that email newsletters are still effective, and that the best move is to pick one channel and do it well rather than trying to do everything. She talks about social media realities and how making good content takes the same effort as making bad content.  She shares why it’s okay to post less often, and why LinkedIn is “having a moment” in 2026. They wrap with some Puyallup-specific joy (fair parking hacks, walkability, the farmers market) and a clear call to pay attention locally because the stakes of politics aren’t abstract when they show up in your own city’s decisions. Whether you’re in Downtown Tacoma or Downtown Puyallup! The post Websites, PR, and Marketing Your Business in Tacoma with Sitecrafting’s Jen Rittenhouse appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

In this episode of the Move to Tacoma Podcast Marguerite Martin talks with Nicholas Carr, a Housing Policy Strategic Advisor for Washington State. They talk about why housing in Washington State is so expensive, why homelessness keeps rising in Tacoma and beyond, and why small fixes do not seem to be having the impact everyone wants. Nick explains that housing isn’t just about buildings. It’s an entire ecosystem made up of five connected parts: land and zoning, money and financing, permits and construction, jobs and wages, and how the system responds when things break. When one part fails, the whole system suffers. He argues that Washington’s housing crisis is ultimately an economic problem. The state has one of the most unfair tax systems in the country, where lower-income people pay a larger share of their income in taxes than the wealthy. As costs rise, this imbalance puts renters at risk and strains affordable housing providers. Nick shares ideas for long-term solutions, including creating a true state housing department, using public land to build homes, simplifying rules to lower building costs, investing in construction jobs, and providing direct rental assistance to prevent evictions before they happen. Throughout the conversation, Marguerite pushes back on narratives that blame renters. She emphasizes that tenants are often the most vulnerable people in the system and are doing what they can to survive. This is a wide ranging conversation that explores why communities end up fighting each other instead of addressing the larger economic forces driving the housing crisis. The post How to Fix Housing in Washington State with Nicholas Carr appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

What Is Palmer Scholars?In this episode of Move to Tacoma, Marguerite talks with Malachi Cabrera from Palmer Scholars, a nonprofit started in Tacoma in 1983. The organization helps young people in Pierce County who are underrepresented or face barriers to education and careers. Palmer Scholars works with students while they are still in high school and continues supporting them into adulthood. Preparing Students for College and Reducing DebtMalachi explains the Palmer Legacy program, which helps high school students prepare for college. Students learn how to apply to college, fill out FAFSA forms, and apply for scholarships. They also receive financial support for tuition and everyday needs like books, groceries, and transportation. Because of this support, many Palmer Scholars finish college with very little student loan debt. Career Pathways in Trades and Environmental WorkThe episode also covers two other programs. Palmer Pathways is a pre-apprenticeship program that introduces young adults to skilled trades like construction and electrical work. Students try different trades, meet people in the field, and even help build a tiny home. The Green Stormwater Infrastructure program focuses on environmental jobs and teaches students about stormwater systems and sustainability work. Why Community Support MattersThroughout the conversation, Malachi shares that what students value most is not just the money, but the sense of community and support. Palmer Scholars connects students with mentors and helps remove barriers like transportation. Listeners are encouraged to learn more, become mentors, or support the organization through donations and community events. The post Palmer Scholars with Malachi Cabera appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Francis Faye Oak and Devin Rydel Kelly came on the podcast to talk about tenant rights, tenant organizing, and the growing tenant union movement in Tacoma. The conversation centers on the origins and goals of Tacoma for All, a housing justice organization that emerged in response to rising rents, displacement, and deteriorating living conditions, and on the recent fight to defend Tacoma’s voter-approved Landlord Fairness Code from proposed rollbacks at City Council. Francis and Devin explain the difference between traditional “activism” and grassroots organizing, emphasizing the power of building relationships among neighbors around shared material conditions. They discuss how Tacoma for All successfully organized a citizen-led initiative to pass some of the strongest tenant protections in Washington State, and why they now see tenant unions as a crucial next step in building lasting power where people live.  Especially as landlords and local political leaders attempt to weaken those protections. The episode also dives into what a tenant union actually is, using the New York Apartments Tenant Union in Stadium District as a real-world example. Sparked by unresolved maintenance issues and landlord neglect, tenants began talking with one another, realized their problems were shared, and organized collectively to demand safe, healthy, and stable housing. Finally, the conversation broadens to the larger housing crisis, touching on nonprofit housing providers, political accountability, and the limits of relying on market-based solutions for a basic human need. Francis and Devin argue that housing instability is a systemic problem, not a moral failing of tenants, and that real change requires organized tenants, community solidarity, and sustained pressure on local power structures. The episode closes with a call for more Tacoman residents (renters and allies alike) to get involved, build relationships with their neighbors, and recognize their collective power in shaping the city’s future. Tacoma for All is a democratic membership organization that unites tenants, workers, and community members to transform Tacoma into a city governed by and for working people. Together, their goals are to are build a movement to abolish poverty, guarantee housing for all, dismantle racial inequities, and secure a sustainable future. The post NYA Tenants Union and Tacoma 4 All appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

In this episode the Move to Tacoma Podcast- host Marguerite Martin sits down with Mayor-Elect Anders Ibsen for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about how Tacoma is governed. They discuss what meaningful accountability can actually look like in a city with a city-manager system. Ibsen reflects on growing up in Tacoma, his early years on City Council, and the door-to-door conversations that shaped his mayoral campaign. He describes what he calls the “reverse internet”: face-to-face conversations that reveal most residents are not extreme or angry, but deeply concerned about housing stability, homelessness, affordability, and public safety. The discussion explores the gap between how safe people in Tacoma feel and their lived experience in their own neighborhoods,. Anders shares why he thinks perception, visibility, and trust matter as much as response times and crime statistics. Throughout the interview Marguerite presses Ibsen on the questions many residents struggle to understand: What power does the mayor actually have? Who is accountable when systems don’t work? How can Tacoma make progress without new money or federal help? Isn’t the City of Tacoma about to go through a budget shortfall? Ibsen outlines his view of the mayor’s role as a coalition-builder and agenda-setter. Tacoma doesn’t have a “strong mayor,” the mayor of Tacoma is more a Speaker of the House. He sees his role as focused on articulating clear goals, aligning council and staff, and insisting on follow-through. The conversation dives into specific examples, including scaling Tacoma’s underused therapeutic court system as an alternative to incarceration, regional partnerships to address homelessness, and the upcoming city manager search. Ibsen argues that many solutions already exist but lack coordination, accountability, and political will. Anders thinks that leadership means making priorities explicit, measurable, and visible to the public. This episode offers a rare, inside look at how local government actually works in Tacoma, the limits of mayoral power, and what residents can realistically expect from their next administration. Most importantly? How Tacomans can hold it accountable. The post Mayor of Tacoma Anders Ibsen appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Hailey Hernandez knows what it takes to survive and thrive in Tacoma’s restaurant scene. Born and raised in Washington, she worked for years in the restaurant industry before burning out on low wages, toxic environments, and exploitation. In 2022, with only $300 and a $2,400 payday loan, she and her husband Dante launched Sidepiece Kitchen out of a shared commissary space in South Tacoma. What started as a small hustle to pay the bills quickly became one of Tacoma’s most beloved local businesses. In this candid interview, Hailey shares the highs and lows of opening a restaurant in Tacoma without a business plan, big investors, or corporate backing. She talks about leveraging Instagram to connect directly with Tacoma locals, running successful grassroots fundraisers, and building out their South Tacoma brick-and-mortar location with their own hands. More than just biscuits, Sidepiece Kitchen lives their values: fair pay, health benefits, and community over profit. If you follow them online you know they’re not shy about standing up for what they believe in. Whether you’re dreaming about how to open a restaurant in Tacoma, Washington, or you just love a good underdog story, Hailey’s journey is a must-listen. The post The Side Piece Kitchen Story with Hailey Hernandez | Move To Tacoma Podcast appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Tamiko Nimura’s book, “A Place for What We Lose: A Daughter’s Return to Tule Lake” centers on her father’s unpublished memoir about his family’s incarceration during WWII. The book contains a history she revisited during a difficult period in her life. Growing up in California, Nimura moved to Tacoma in 2004 and later learned about the city’s lost Japanese American community, which was forcibly removed in 1942. She emphasizes how racism and policies like Executive Order 9066 led to the displacement of over 700 Tacoma residents, most of whom lost their homes and businesses permanently. Resistance and Relevance Today Tamiko Nimura discusses Japanese American resistance to incarceration, including legal challenges, protests, and acts of cultural resilience, such as kite-flying contests in the camps. She draws parallels to current immigration detention policies, particularly the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, and stresses the need for collective action. Organizations like Tsuru for Solidarity and La Resistencia work to oppose these systems, and she encourages listeners to support them through education, donations, and political advocacy. Tamiko Nimura urges listeners to bear witness to suffering and engage in resistance, whether through protests, supporting marginalized communities, or preserving accurate histories. She highlights the importance of intergenerational storytelling and grassroots organizing, framing her book as both a personal tribute and a warning against repeating past injustices. New chat The post Tacoma History & Intergenerational Resilience with Tacoma Author Tamiko Nimura appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Silong Chhun moved to Tacoma as a two-year-old Cambodian refugee. In this interview on the Move to Tacoma Podcast Silong recounts his upbringing on the Eastside. Tacoma’s Eastside is a place of deep community and cultural richness. He shares memories of growing up in low-income housing, where families relied on each other for support, and highlights the role of places like Tacoma Community House in helping refugees adapt. Despite challenges, Silong emphasizes the strong sense of belonging and the vibrant mix of immigrant-owned businesses, food spots, and community gatherings that define the area. He discusses how the Eastside has evolved, noting improvements like Swan Creek Park’s development while acknowledging ongoing struggles with disinvestment. Silong reflects on the neighborhood’s resilience, where residents historically relied on each other rather than institutions, and how this fostered a unique, self-sufficient culture. He also addresses gentrification concerns, stressing the need for economic opportunities without displacing long-time residents, and celebrates the area’s diversity, from its multilingual grocery stores to its weekend swap meets. Silong invites listeners to engage with his community and explore Tacoma’s Eastside. Whether for its hiking trails, thrift stores, or some of Tacoma’s best Mexican food. He underscores the importance of knowing your neighbors and supporting local businesses, sharing his vision for a thriving but authentic Eastside. New chat The post Growing Up in Tacoma’s Eastside Neighborhood with Silong Chhun appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

How to Open a Coffee Shop in Tacoma, Washington Kevin Lee, the founder of Third Space Coffee in Downtown Tacoma, joins the Tacoma real estate agent Marguerite Martin on the Move to Tacoma Podcast to share the story of how his new café came to be — and what it really takes to open a small business on Pacific Avenue. Kevin moved to the Tacoma area with his immigrant parents from New York City in the mid-2000s. He grew up learning the ropes of running coffee stands and cafes with his family, went to culinary school, and later managed Beecher’s at SeaTac Airport during the pandemic. After years of working behind the scenes in food service, he’s now building something of his own in the heart of Downtown. Kevin’s Instagram went a little viral recently thanks to his honest, behind-the-scenes reels explaining what goes into the price of a cup of coffee and how much it really costs to start a café. His transparency, work ethic, and humor make this a must-listen. If you’ve ever thought about opening a coffee shop, restaurant, or any kind of small business in Tacoma, you’ll love this conversation. The post How to Open a Coffee Shop in Tacoma with Kevin Lee from Third Space appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

In this episode of the Move to Tacoma Podcast, host Marguerite Martin speaks with Catherine Feeney, a local artist and founder of South Sound Plein Air. Catherine shares her journey from growing up in Tacoma to rediscovering her passion for painting later in life. She explains what plein air painting is. En Plein Air is painting outdoors to capture natural light and atmosphere, and how the practice connects artists with both nature and community. The conversation covers how plein air painting became popular, what supplies beginners need, and how anyone, regardless of skill level, can join the South Sound Plein Air group. Catherine and Marguerite discuss the value of creative expression, overcoming self-doubt, and the joy of painting outside with others. Catherine also shares details about upcoming plein air meetups in Tacoma, including plans for seasonal and themed events, and how people can get involved. En Plein Air Painting Tacoma The post En Plein Air Painting in Tacoma with Catherina Feeney appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Marguerite hosts Sean Leacy from Tacoma Dads, a supportive group aimed at fostering connections among fathers in Tacoma. Sean talks about how the group evolved from its beginnings as a small, private Facebook group in 2016 to its current form with hundreds of members. The group organizes regular events like adventure days, game nights, and cold water plunges, providing dads with opportunities to connect with their peers, share their experiences, and receive support. Tacoma Dad’s Group Sean explains the importance of providing a space where dads can meet regularly and discuss their challenges. This includes parenting challenges and beyond. Tacoma Dad’s Group encourages dads to embrace their roles and find joy in their journeys while also understanding that fatherhood can be challenging and isolating. Their events range from adventure days at local parks to monthly dad’s nights out. Tacoma Dad’s offers different activities to suit a variety of interests. The community strives to be inclusive, supporting all types of families and advocating for acceptance and diversity. Sean also shares personal insights into how building this community has been therapeutic for him. Sean emphasizes that while the group initially leaned heavily on social media for organization, it has now found success on Discord, where members can chat and coordinate events. Despite the challenges of balancing parenting and socializing, he encourages fathers to push past their reservations and engage with the group, stressing how important it is to make new friends and find support networks. The post Tacoma Dad’s Group with Sean Leacy appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

When it comes to private schools in Tacoma, what are your options? On the Move to Tacoma podcast Marguerite Martin interviewed Cheryl Schenk, an expert on Tacoma’s private schools. This interview digs into what makes these the different private schools in Tacoma unique and how parents can find the best fit for their children. Cheryl talks about the types of private schools available in Tacoma. They discuss why parents might choose private schools as an option for their Tacoma student and some history on the schools in the area. Marguerite annd Cheryl discuss practical steps parent should take as they select a school for their student, such as: How to assess the quality of a school for your student How to navigate the enrollment process and how that process will vary school to school Guidance on reflecting on WHY you’re choosing a particular school with a reminder to keep the student’s needs front and center The diverse array of private schools in Tacoma represents not just different educational philosophies but communities ready to embrace and nurture students in a variety of unique ways. As families moving to Tacoma navigate these choices, this episode with Cheryl offers a valuable roadmap for considering what each Tacoma school can offer beyond academics. The post Private Schools in Tacoma with Cheryl Schenk appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

The latest episode of the Move to Tacoma Podcast features an interview with Anzhane Slaughter of YBH (Young Black Homeowners). Anzhane shares about moving to Tacoma from Seattle to buy her first house in South Tacoma and what owning a home has meant to her. Since 1990 Black Homeownership has been declining in Tacoma. In partnership with the City of Tacoma Anzhane and YBH will be bringing culturally relevant and trauma-informed homeownership classes to Tacomans to help turn that stat around. Classes will run throughout the summer and into fall and cover credit, budgeting, and government assistance programs from both the city of Tacoma and the state of Washington using a 2M fund to offer down payment assistance to Black families. In this podcast Marguerite and Anzhane talk about Tacoma’s racist history when it comes to housing. That racism has excluded Black Tacomans from homeownership. To learn more about Tacoma’s history of steering, redlining, and excluding Black Tacomans from homeownership check out Kate Martin’s article, “How Racism Kept Black Tacomans from Buying Houses for Decades.” Anzhane shares about what solutions people inside government, non profit, and the real estate community have come up with to help Black Tacomans own their homes. Thanks to TAPCO Credit Union for sponsoring our first ever video podcast on such an important topic. And special thanks to Pacific Nomad Media, Producer Doug, and Yu and the whole crew at Indo Asian Street Eatery for giving us a place to record on short notice! You can stream the full episode on iTunes, Spotify, and MovetoTacoma.com. You can watch the video on YouTube.   The post Anzhane Slaughter from Young Black Homeowners appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Does Tacoma have good schools? This podcast interview from “Move to Tacoma,” hosted by Tacoma Real Estate Agent Marguerite Martin, features Tanisha Jumper, the Chief Communications Officer for Tacoma Public Schools. The conversation delves into the nuances of public school funding, the vibrancy and diversity of Tacoma Public Schools, and a focus on the transformative work being undertaken within Tacoma Public Schools. Tanisha’s Background Marguerite and Tanisha start off talking about how Tanisha grew up in Steilacoom, attending Steilacoom Schools. After living and working in Ohio she returned to live in the house she grew up in with her kids, who are attending the same schools she did- even with some of the same teachers. She shares what she loves about living in Steilacoom and the Pacific Northwest. Current Status of Tacoma Public Schools Are Tacoma Public Schools Good Schools? Tanisha says emphatically YES. She explains the importance of bond measures to fund school infrastructure projects, given that state funding primarily covers educational activities, not facilities maintenance or improvements. Tacoma just passed their bond, which means there’s funding for new schools and to improve schools across the district. The passing of the bond shows the community support for Tacoma Schools. This funding is essential for maintaining and improving school environments for kids. The conversation covers a lot of ground about Tacoma schools including: The passing of a substantial bond measure to replace eight schools, enhancing learning environments with modern facilities and equipment. The district’s emphasis on diversity, innovative programs, and the high graduation rate at TPS that surpasses state averages. The introduction of specialized High Schools and programs that cater to students’ varied interests and talents. They are: SAMI (Science and Math Institute) in North Tacoma in Point Defiance Park IDEA (Industrial Design Engineering and Art) on the Eastside of Tacoma SOTA (School of the Arts) in Downtown Tacoma FOSS ( International Baccalaureate® (IB) in Central Tacoma Efforts to ensure equity in education, including initiatives to provide every student with a laptop and access to a broad curriculum regardless of their school. A detailed look at the challenges and opportunities within the district, including addressing the needs of students facing housing insecurity and mental health challenges. Tanisha underscores the district’s commitment to meeting students’ needs, promoting inclusivity, and preparing them for future success through various partnerships and programs. With all the national controversy around what schools teach about American history and LGBTQ issues, what is TPS’s approach to curriculum? Tacoma Public Schools’ (TPS) approach to LGBTQ+ students and teaching America’s full history highlights the district’s commitment to inclusivity and comprehensive education. Here’s a summary of the key points: Whole Child Approach: TPS emphasizes the Whole Child Initiative.  WCI has received national and international recognition for supporting students’ mental health.  It creates welcoming, supportive school environments. This approach ensures that all students, including LGBTQ+ students, are accepted and supported for who they are. Clubs and Supportive Environment: The district hosts a variety of clubs for students. This includes the Black Student Unions, API (Asian Pacific Islander) clubs, trans clubs, and ally clubs across its high schools. These clubs reflect TPS’s commitment to creating spaces where students’ identities, cultural backgrounds, and historical backgrounds are acknowledged and celebrated. Curriculum Standards and Transparency: The curriculum in Tacoma Public Schools aligns with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) standards for Washington State. This ensures that there is no restriction on teaching about America’s history of racism or LGBTQ+ rights. Tanisha emphasizes that the district is transparent about its curriculum. The curriculum taught in Tacoma Schools is designed to reflect historical accuracy and inclusivity. Educational Innovation and Relevance: TPS teachers employ innovative methods to make learning relevant and engaging. Including addressing how historical and current biases have impacted communities of color and the LGBTQ+ community. This includes exploring the ethical dimensions of science and history, ensuring that students understand the complexities of these subjects in relation to diversity and equity. Support for LGBTQ+ Students: TPS is committed to supporting LGBTQ+ students by allowing them to express their identities safely. They do this by incorporating discussions about gender and sexuality in a respectful and educational manner. The district fosters an environment where students can explore their identities without fear of discrimination or exclusion. Open Dialogue and Community Engagement: The district encourages open dialogue about its curriculum and initiatives. TPS is willing to discuss its approach to inclusivity and comprehensive education with the community. This openness is part of TPS’s broader strategy to engage with and respond to the needs of its diverse student population. The post Tacoma Public Schools with Tanisha Jumper appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Tacoma is a union town. Stephen Rue and Carrie Morton from Tacoma Art Museum Workers United share about forming a union at the Tacoma Art Museum. They share about the conditions at the museum that led them to decide to form a union, their long journey to being recognized, and what’s involved as they go to the bargaining table to negotiate their first contract. Tacoma Art Museum Workers United In this episode of the Move to Tacoma podcast, part of Channel 253, the focus shifts to the unique dynamics and challenges faced by workers at cultural institutions, specifically the Tacoma Art Museum, and their journey toward forming a union. We hear from Stephen Ru and Carrie Morton, two museum workers at the forefront of the unionization effort. The episode focusses on the unionization process at the Tacoma Art Museum. Both Steven and Carrie share their backgrounds, including their initial motivations to move to Tacoma and their respective roles at the museum. Steven serves as the Lead Preparator, involved in the hands-on aspects of art installation and exhibition design, while Carrie, initially part of the visitor services team, is now the store manager, curating art from local artists for the museum shop. The conversation delves into the broader issue of worker rights and conditions in the arts sector, highlighting the often overlooked fact that passionate involvement in cultural work—such as in museums—doesn’t always equate to fair compensation or working conditions. This segment of the discussion sheds light on the misconception that the prestige of working in cultural institutions can substitute for adequate pay, leading to the realization among the museum staff that forming a union was a necessary step toward advocating for their rights and improving their workplace. Tacoma is a Union Town Stephen and Carrie talk about how Tacoma is a Union Town with a history of strong unions. They share what they’ve learned about forming a union in Tacoma. Especially the importance of solidarity, the power of collective action, and the impact of community support in their unionization journey. The union’s efforts were not only about addressing immediate concerns like wages and working conditions but also about broader aspirations for equity and justice within the museum and the cultural sector at large. The podcast captures the emotional and logistical complexities of the unionization process, including the engagement with the museum’s administration and board, the role of external union organizations in providing support and guidance, and the pivotal moments that galvanized the museum workers to persist in their efforts despite obstacles. The successful formation of the union at TAM stands as a testament to the power of collective action and the possibility of positive change in the workplace in Tacoma and in museums across the country. The post Tacoma Art Museum Workers United with Stephen Rue & Carrie Morton appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Pretty Gritty Tours is not JUST the most popular tour company in Tacoma, Washington. Pretty Gritty Tours (and its creator Chris Staudinger) are one of the most entertaining accounts about Tacoma on social media. From Tiktok, to YouTube, to Instagram and Facebook- Chris finds stories from Tacoma’s past and shares them with us in a way that is entertaining and enlightening. What is Pretty Gritty Tours? Pretty Gritty Tours offers the best education, experiences, and tours in Tacoma, Washington. Pretty Gritty Tours was founded in 2016 by Chris Staudinger and Tawny Clark. They lead Ghost Tours of Downtown Tacoma every weekend, and have tons of other tours they offer to individuals and groups that are curious to learn more about Tacoma and it’s lost stories. In this episode of the Move to Tacoma Podcast Chris shares with host Marguerite Martin how the pandemic catapulted Pretty Gritty Tours from a small local tour company into a full on social media sensation. He also talks about Moving to Tacoma to attend PLU, traveling the world with his wife as a travel journalist, and returning to Tacoma to live in the College Park Neighborhood of the North End (AKA UPS Neighborhood). Tacoma’s History and Stories Chris shares about how he finds the stories and historic information that he features in his tours and on his social media channels. He shares one of his favorite Tacoma stories, about the Andelana, a merchant vessel that sank in Commencement Bay in the late 1800’s and all the spooky stories surrounding it.   The post Pretty Gritty Tours of Tacoma with Chris Staudinger appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Chris Miller from The Red Hot joins us to share about 17 years of running one of Tacoma’s most popular bars. He talks about starting bar in Tacoma, all the lessons he’s learned along the way, and advice he has for other people with a dream of opening a bar in Tacoma. He shares about working all over the Puget Sound as a Union Carpenter before deciding to get in the bar business. How The Red Hot in Tacoma Started After an injury forced Chris Miller to reconsider his career path, he decided to take a big risk and start a hot dog bar in Tacoma. His brother owned a bar in another town, so he took the leap and decided to open a bar in Tacoma. He talked about driving around Tacoma and just calling signs in windows until he found his 6th Avenue location for the bar. “I started looking around at spaces and it was 997 square feet, that includes the bathroom.” he says, “In those days… smaller bars did not exist in this town. It didn’t seem small to me. But everyone who came in was like, ‘What are you doing!?'” He shares about how starting out it was just him and his parents working in the bar. He didn’t have a business loan or cash, so he took a risk and put everything on his credit card to open. “I thought I don’t have any money, but I can build it,” Chris said. “I had some friends from the industry who would come help. My folks were there right next to me.” “People always ask me how I decided on beer and hot dogs,” says Chris. “I just like beer and hot dogs!” The success of The Red Hot surprised him. “I thought we’d sell like a couple dozen a week.” He worked a double 5 days a week and did admin stuff on his days off. He emphasises that he was working at the bar constantly and brought home very little in the beginning. “My wife carried our family,” he says. “I think for the first year it was like that. Putting in the work and some miserable times.” It started working out after a year, and they hired their first staff member. He didn’t realize how busy it would be once it took off, so staffing up was the next challenge. Over time The Red Hot went from being a small family owned business to a very successful bar- winning Best Hot Dog in Washington State. From hiring baristas instead of servers to having a tiny bar, Chris talked about how the things that made them different set them apart. How to Open a Bar in Tacoma Chris talks about how much more expensive leases are in Tacoma. It makes things much more challenging for regular people wanting to open their own bar. He had help from other bar owners in Tacoma, especially the folks from The Parkway and Doyles. “There was a lot of luck involved,” he says. “If I’d known how hard it was going to be I wouldn’t have done it.” From signing commercial leases and learning what triple nets are to dealing with the permit department at The City of Tacoma, Chris shares about all the lessons he has learned in the past 17 years. He worries that it’s only become harder for someone like him to open a bar in Tacoma, and that is not good for the fabric of Tacoma. “Spaceworks should be a way bigger thing than it is,” he says. “We need to make it accessible for goofballs like me!”   The post The Red Hot Bar Owner Chris Miller appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

What is Tacoma Pro Bono? Tacoma Pro Bono Community Lawyers is a legal aid organization in Tacoma, Washington. In this episode of the Move to Tacoma Podcast Marguerite interviews Laurie Davenport and Ash Meer. We cover the formation and the growth of Tacoma Pro Bono. How it expanded from a small team to 42 staff members, including 22 attorneys. The focus of Tacoma Pro Bono is on providing free legal services to Tacomans in need, primarily in civil matters. In addition to free legal representation they offer clinics in areas such as family law, bankruptcy, guardianship, and domestic violence. How does free legal aid work in Tacoma and Pierce County? Marguerite asks Laurie and Ash about the process of seeking assistance from Tacoma Pro Bono. They explain how it works, emphasizing the accessibility of services through walk-in hours and online applications. The conversation covers everything from intake to legal representation in court hearings. The organization’s proactive approach to addressing legal issues is highlighted, aiming to prevent crises and empower individuals with legal knowledge and support. Further discussion revolves around the challenges faced by homeowners, with resources available primarily focusing on tenants due to recent legal changes. However, resources and referrals for homeowners are still provided through Tacoma Pro Bono’s housing justice project and external platforms like Washington Law Help. Lastly, the conversation touches on Tacoma’s progressive tenant protections. The passage of Tacoma’s progressive Initiative 1 Tenant Protections laws  might have the impact of influencing statewide reforms. Overall, the podcast covers the vital role of Tacoma Pro Bono in providing accessible legal aid, empowering individuals in Tacoma facing legal challenges, and advocating for systemic change in the legal landscape.       The post Free Legal Aid with Tacoma Pro Bono appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Moving to Tacoma and finding Lawn Bowling Tacoma Lawn Bowling Club members Laura Moscatello and Mike Catsi moved to Tacoma from Alaska and now they’re the president and treasurer of the Tacoma Lawn Bowling Club. In this episode of the Move to Tacoma Podcast we dig into what lawn bowling is, why it’s so fun, and how to get involved. If you’ve ever walked past the lawn bowling green in Wright Park and wondered what that was about, you’ll love this interview! Laura (Tacoma Lawn Bowling Club President) and Mike (Treasurer) moved to Central Tacoma from Alaska a few years ago. They were walking past the lawn bowling green in Wright Park and couldn’t believe what they saw. Mike is originally from Australia and familiar with Lawn Bowling as a sport. Laura did some research and found out it WAS a lawn bowling green and they decided to join up. They think it’s a great way to make friends in Tacoma! History to Today The Tacoma Lawn Bowling Club has been in Tacoma on the green in Wright Park since 1929. The club was first started in 1929 by Scottish immigrant Alexander ‘Sandy’ Drummond.  TLBC is now run by a new generation of bowlers. Players from Tacoma compete in regional competitions in the Northwest and in the US Nationals. The 2024 Lawn Bowling Season starts in April! Looking to join? Check out the “Learn to Bowl” Lawn Bowling Class at Metro Parks Tacoma. It costs $60 and once you complete the class you can join the club. It’s $120 for the April to October season. They have days with open plays on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30pm and days where you can join a league and compete more seriously. You don’t need equipment to get involved, they have equipment to share. Just show up in comfortable flat soled shoes.   The post Tacoma Lawn Bowling Club appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Originally located in Downtown Tacoma on Commerce, Mad Hat Tea is now at its new location in Tacoma’s Dome District (where Downtown Tacoma meets the Eastside).  His shop serves tea in a laid back setting for locals, even crafting custom teas for people at their request. In addition, Mad Hat runs a thriving online business where customers order tea from across the country. Tobin shares the story about how a voice in his head told him to start Mad Hat Tea, and what he did to start the shop and it a success without borrowing money. From a serendipitous encounter at a Pampered Chef party that led him to his first international tea importer to losing everything and working at El Gaucho to make a go of it. “I worked at Tacoma El Gaucho for almost two years,” Tobin recalls.  “I would open the shop at 11. And then I’d close at 3:30pm. Then I’d put on my El Gaucho suit and work till midnight. Get up and do it all over again.” If you’ve ever thought about starting a business in Tacoma, you’ll get a lot of useful (and unconventional) ideas from Tobin! From finding landlords to simple marketing that works better than instagram. Mad Hat Tea is located at 301 A Puyallup Ave, Tacoma, WA 98421 and they’re open Wednesday – Sunday. The post Mad Hat Tea with Tobin Ropes appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Turn of the Centuries Kirsten Sparenborg Kirsten Sparenborg is a Tacoma artist who creates Architectural Map Drawings. When Kirsten’s husband PCSed to JBLM they found themselves in Tacoma’s Stadium District. After a brief move to New York Kirsten has returned to live and make art here in Tacoma. We talk about how she became a full time artist, creating and selling your art online, and being an artist in Tacoma, Washington. Becoming a full time artist in Tacoma Kirsten is an architect by training and worked as an urban designer for seven years before becoming a full time artist. She was attracted to Tacoma because of the urban environment and being able to walk around the city and explore. When she was researching neighborhoods in Tacoma before moving here she was drawn to the historic homes and apartments in Tacoma’s Stadium District. She could walk along Yakima Avenue, walk to Wright Park, the Farmer’s Market, and more. When she moved away and came back she searched for homes for over a year and eventually settled down in Tacoma’s West End. Before moving to Tacoma Kirsten lived in Savannah and worked for an architect. She went to grad school in Virginia and studied Architectural History. Before she began creating architectural maps she had been creating streetscapes, “Art that you want to put on your wall!”.  She honed her style making original hand painted maps where she creates a line drawing then paints them with watercolors. She now creates maps using different methods like stitching, graphite, ink, different kinds of paper, etc. Selling online and running a business in Tacoma “I really love the process of selling and connecting with people. It’s a really beautiful human connection…” Kirsten says. Over the past 16 years she’s gone from selling things on Etsy to selling things on her website and even selling wholesale to shops. You can see Kirsten’s art on her website here. You can also see her Etsy shop here.  Over her career Kirsten has hand drawn over 700 maps! Kirsten shares about selling her art in person at markets. While she’s an introvert she finds connecting with people about the city and neighborhoods energizing. “It’s definitely my most favorite way of selling.” She Urban Craft Uprising Market, An Anniversary Celebration at Parable, and The Tacoma Night Market. In addition to 82 maps of Tacoma’s neighborhoods and other locations in Washington, Kirsten has created hundreds of maps for cities across the country. Her favorite is a hand drawn color pencil map of Tacoma’s neighborhoods. You can see it here at Tacoma Tones Topographic Map. Tacoma’s Art Scene What Kirsten loves about creating art in the Pacific Northwest is how much people love living here. People who buy from her love their communities and the nature in the area and are inclined to purchase art and to commission art to celebrate that. “People are quite excited about their place. They’re also just jazzed about people using their hands to make art.”     The post Making a Living with Your Art in Tacoma with Kirsten Sparenborg appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Marguerite interviews Paul Kunitsa from the Waterfront Market at Point Ruston. The Kunitsa Family immigrated to the US and to Tacoma when he was a child, first settling on the Eastside then to University Place. Paul now lives on Tacoma’s West Slope. Paul shares his story of running a construction company and through “a series of events” ended up owning the 35,000 square foot building that houses the Waterfront Market at Point Ruston. He shares their goals of expanding and growing the market. From vendors they have to the ideal vendors they’d like to attract. “It’s more than the products that are sold at the market. You get to meet people face to face, in this economy, in this place that we’re in. For me the coolest thing is the networking part, connecting with people on a deeper level. All this stuff is pretty unique to each individual vendor.” What It’s Like at the Waterfront Market at Ruston Paul shares that their goal is to be like Seattle’s Pike Place Market. Vendors lease space in the market full time, seven days per week, and year round while others do “pop ups” and short term stays on the weekend and throughout the year. “Some of our core vendors include Taco Street, Owen’s Meats… vendors who create art and jewelry and sell clothes. All kinds of categories in one building.” What Kind of Vendors Would Love This Market? “Food is a big draw for people,” says Paul. “That’s the biggest area we’re growing right now. Then expanding into produce and grocery and the daily needs of people who live down and around here.” The market is a great place for new and small businesses to grow without expensive overhead. With the events that go on attracting Tacomans from around the city, a new business can grow their audience and customers. When is the Waterfront Market at Ruston Open? The Market in Ruston is open Monday-Sunday every day 10am-6pm with food vendors staying open until 8pm. There’s a 4 story parking garage right underneath the market which makes parking easy and free for customers (at the top of the parking garage). Events Coming up include Hispanic Heritage Month September 15th – October 15th, Doggie Halloween, Indoor Trick or Treating, Yoga, and more. The Event Calendar is in the show notes. The post The Waterfront Market at Ruston with Paul Kunitsa appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

In this episode of the Move to Tacoma Podcast we interviewed Matthew Wilson and Quincy Tyson. Matthew is the Executive Director of the Oasis Youth Center. Oasis is Pierce County’s only LGBTQ+ youth center. Founded in 1985, Oasis is a drop-in, resource, and support center. Oasis is a safe space for Queer youth to learn, connect, and thrive. Oasis envisions a world where Queer youth are valued as strong, creative leaders. Quincy is the new executive director of Tacoma’s Rainbow Center. Through education, advocacy, and celebration, Rainbow Center expands resources and safe space for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, two-spirit, and allied (LGBTQ2SA) community. Matthew and Quincy shared about how Tacomans can support the queer community in Tacoma. In addition to attending Pride 2023, they shared their ideas on how all Tacomans can be allies. They also shared the biggest obstacles facing the LGBTQIA+ community in Tacoma and Washington State right now. Tacoma Pride 2023 Tacoma Pride is in July because it gives people the opportunity to go to Pride Events in Seattle and June. “The nice thing about being queer in Tacoma is that we get two pride months!” says Quincy. Pride is more than the big event on July 8th. It will be held at 9th and Pacific Avenue in Downtown Tacoma from Noon to 6pm. There’s a series events put on by a bunch of different community partners. Tacoma Pride kicks off June 30th at 9:30am raising the pride flag at the Tacoma Dome. For a complete list of Tacoma Pride events check out TacomaPride.org. The post Tacoma Pride 2023 & Tacoma’s Queer Community appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Check out this interview where Nerd Farmer Host Nate Bowling interviews Zev Cook and David Galazin from Tacoma4All. They’re working to improve tenant protections for tenants in Tacoma by introducing a Tenants Bill of Rights. Tacoma is one of the most challenging places in the country to rent a home, and it’s getting tougher. Their first step is organizing tenants for a ballot initiative. Unsurprisingly that initiative is being opposed by the landlord and real estate lobbies. We were excited by this interview and wanted to share it out on the MovetoTacoma.com platform so more people could hear who is putting the initiative together and WHY it is happening here in Tacoma. Examples of some items from the initiative: Relocation Assistance for renters whose rent is increased 5% (or 10% yearly) Eviction Protections (including banning winter evictions and school year evictions when children are present in the home) No rent increases for units with code violations Tacoma4All is a citizen initiative led by tenants in Tacoma and their allies. The initiative calls for protections for renters, protection from predatory institutional landlords, fair practices around excess fees, mandated situational relocation assistance, and longer notification periods for rent hikes and forced moves. The post Tacoma 4 All (Nerdfarmer Podcast) appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Looking for things to do in Tacoma, Washington? We interviewed local Author Peggy Cleveland on the MovetoTacoma.com podcast! Peggy’s new book “100 Things to Do in Tacoma Before You Die” is here to get you started finding interesting things to do in and around Tacoma. This book is great for tourists visiting Tacoma, people who’ve just moved here, and even folks who have lived here forever. What’s in 100 Things to Do in Tacoma Before You Die? After living all over the country in the military Peggy and her husband chose JBLM as his final duty station and retired in Washington State. Peggy had been living in Steilacoom for eight years and writing about the area for different publications. Recently she was approached by Travel Tacoma to write a book about things to do in the greater Tacoma area. We interview Peggy about how the book came to be, cool things to get up to in and around Tacoma, how she became a writer, and tips she has for others looking to start writing! Peggy’s book has five categories. 20 Things to in the Tacoma area for each one! The categories include Food & Drink, Music and Entertainment, Sports and Recreation, Culture and History, and Shopping and Fashion. Peggy shares her process for writing the book and researching all of the places that ended up being featured. She tells us a few of her favorite spots to eat, and unexpected discoveries she made researching to write the book. About the Move to Tacoma Podcast The Move to Tacoma Podcast has been out since 2015. Now a part of Channel253!  The Move to Tacoma Podcast interviews all different kinds of people about what it’s like living in Tacoma, Washington. MovetoTacoma.com creator Marguerite Martin is a different kind of Tacoma real estate agent. Reach out to find out answers to questions you have about neighborhoods in Tacoma and Pierce County. Marguerite can connect you with a local real estate agent who specializes in the neighborhoods you love most. Click here to contact Marguerite. The post 100 Things to Do in Tacoma Before You Die Author Peggy Cleveland appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

An Interview with the Reporters Behind “The Walk Home” Podcast on KNKX 88.5 FM This week on the MoveToTacoma Podcast we interview reporters Mayowa Aina & Kari Plog from KNKX 88.5 FM NPR. They talk their podcast “The Walk Home” which investigates the killing of Manny Ellis by Tacoma Police. Both reporters grew up in Pierce County and describe what drew them to create the podcast, the challenges of reporting on the community you live in, and the complexities of the justice system in a small city like Tacoma. The 2020 police killing of Manuel ‘Manny’ Ellis, a Black man in Tacoma, brought a reckoning to Washington State and has set up what promises to be one of the highest-profile trials in Pacific Northwest history. On Tuesday, October 18 at 7:00 p.m., KNKX and Tacoma Arts Live present a free event in conjunction with The Walk Home podcast. The Walk Home is a co-production of KNKX and The Seattle Times. KNKX’s South Sound reporter Kari Plog, Special Projects reporters/producers Mayowa Aina and Will James, The Seattle Times Senior Investigative Reporter Patrick Malone, and musician Marcel E.C. Augustin will go behind the scenes of the podcast, adding new details and insights to Manuel Ellis’ story and previewing the final episodes. The event includes an audience Q&A. KNKX will record and videotape the event. Registration is required. Tickets are required for this free event. Walk-ups are welcome if space is available. Get Tickets Here From KNKX: About Manuel Ellis On March 3, 2020, Manuel “Manny” Ellis, a 33-year-old Black man, died while in the custody of Tacoma police officers. They said Ellis attacked them, then died suddenly and for no apparent reason. For months, that’s all residents of Tacoma knew. None of this sounded right to Ellis’ little sister, Monét Carter-Mixon, who hit the streets like a detective, tracking down videos from witnesses that showed his encounter with police. Carter-Mixon’s investigation would set a chain of events into motion that would bring a reckoning about racism and policing to Tacoma and change Washington State law. Ellis’ story offers a window into the racial justice movement of 2020 — what really changed and what remains unresolved two years later. The post An Interview with the Reporters Behind “The Walk Home” Podcast on KNKX 88.5 FM appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Where are the best places to get your news in Tacoma if you want to be fully informed? We sat down with former Metro Parks Commissioner, Author, Channel 253 Founder, and KNKX Public Radio Director of Audience Engagement Erik Hanberg to talk about what our options are for news in Tacoma. Here were his recommendations. Newspapers: The News Tribune – This is the main newspaper in Tacoma. While not what it once was (what paper is?) it is still the paper giving the most coverage of local news, politics, and community in Tacoma. We discuss some of its past, present, and future. We also discussed the changes over time with the editorial page. We also discuss how challenging it is to retain great journalists (many are being lost to PR and national media for less stress and more money). Weekly Volcano – Part of Northwest Military.com (or as Erik calls it, The Ranger!) Tacoma Weekly – Embroiled in some scandals but still around and still covering stories. Magazines: Grit City Magazine – Independent local media. A blog and quarterly magazine with a great instagram. Puget Sound Business Journal – The main source for business news in the region. South Sound Magazine – A local Magazine covering lifestyle in the South Sound Area including Tacoma. Tacoma NPR Radio Stations: KNKX 88.5 FM – NPR Station. Used to be KPLU, now located in Downtown Tacoma with reporters covering Tacoma and beyond. Their focus is on Vancouver Washington to Vancouver BC. KNKX also has Jazz and Blues in addition to NPR news. KUOW 94.9 FM – NPR Station focussed on Seattle news but with some regional coverage. Podcasts: Channel253 – A network of podcasts about Tacoma hosted by locals. There are a bunch of shows including The Nerd Farmer Podcast with Nate Bowling,. For Tacoma politics check out Citizen Tacoma hosted by Erik. Interchangeable White Ladies discusses issues of race, teaching, whiteness, and more. Crossing Division is a local talk show focussed on the issues that divide us in Tacoma hosted by Evelyn Lopez. We Art Tacoma is a podcast focussed on the arts community in Tacoma. What Say U? is a podcast featuring Melannie Denise Cunningham and her sister Audrey Cunningham discuss race and a wbole lot more. Flounders B Team Podcast covers soccer in the region. Taco Man Podcast is built on a local pun and explores Tacos all over Tacoma combined with interviews with locals. For the record, the Move to Tacoma Podcast is also on the Channel253 network!   The post The Tacoma Media Landscape with Erik Hanberg appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Buying a house in Tacoma has never been more challenging for buyers, especially buyers buying under $650,000. Marguerite invited Sharon Chambers Gordon onto the podcast to talk about what buyers can do to increase their chances of finding and winning a good house. Sharon moved to Tacoma over 16 years ago. She’s lived in Gig Harbor, University Place, and now Fircrest. She also started a nonprofit called Raising Girls which provides hygiene products to girls in Western Washington. After a career at Puget Sound University she now works as a realtor representing buyers and sellers in Tacoma and beyond. She shares some of the advice that she gives to her buyer clients about buying in Tacoma’s frenzied real estate market. Sharon also shares some of her tricks for winning a multiple offer.   The post How to Buy a Home in Tacoma Right Now with Sharon Chambers Gordon appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Rob Huff is almost finished running every street in Tacoma. Yes, even the really steep ones. What has he learned about the City of Destiny on his runs? Rob shares what he’s learned about streets, sidewalks, and folks living on the street. Rob is the Director of Advocacy and Communications for the Metropolitan Development Council. He brings unique insight into the issues our city is facing, and how we can work together to help find housing for all Tacomans. This is the second conversation we’ve had with Rob on the topic of Homelessness in Tacoma. The first was back in 2016, and the situation in the city has only worsened. Join us for a conversation about what individuals can do to help neighbors experiencing homelessness and to advance humane policies that are effective going forward. The post Running Every Street in Tacoma with Rob Huff appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

In this episode of the Move to Tacoma podcast, Marguerite Martin interviews Local History Librarian Anna Trammell. Anne is a librarian at the Tacoma Public Library’s Northwest Room. The Northwest Room features archives of Tacoma’s local history, genealogy, and special collections, and this treasure trove of information is constantly evolving.    Marguerite and Anne dive into a wide range of topics in this interview, including:    – What Anna loves about living in Tacoma’s South End (she originally moved to Tacoma from Illinois just 3 years ago)  – The history of the physical location of the Northwest Room (it’s housed in the original Carnegie library that was built in 1903)  – What exactly you might expect to find in the Northwest Room (including its unique collections, meaning they have the only copy in the world. This might include rare books, maps, architectural drawings, etc.  – How they go above determining what to archive about present day history (this is not just about looking at the past—this is also about creating documentation about what is happening today so people 50 years from now can look back) – How the Northwest Room determines what is included, and how they are partnering with communities to avoid gaps in coverage  – You can search for your address and see if there are any digitized images of your home, references to your property in newspapers, etc.  – What connections we can make between local current events and the past, including the similarities and differences between the COVID-19 pandemic and the 1917 flu pandemic.  – What the strangest thing Anna has ever found in the Northwest Room is    … and sooooo much more!  If you’ve ever looked at the Northwest Room’s online collections, you’ve only explored the tip of the iceberg! There is so much more to see in person, and Anna is happy to help you. You can reach out here: [email protected] The post Illuminating Tacoma’s History in the Northwest Room with Anna Trammell appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

In this episode of the Move to Tacoma podcast, Marguerite and Jasmyn share a vulnerable conversation about their ever-evolving friendship, and how race and real estate have played a role in that.  Jasmyn and Marguerite touch on topics like:  – Having uncomfortable conversations in their friendship (it’s because of this that their friendship has strengthened over time, but it hasn’t always been easy) – Their different experiences growing up in Pierce County (including the the significance about where each of them lived and how race played a role)  – How they initially met and what it has been like to grow their friendship with intention (there were many tough conversations and philosophical differences along the way)  – Why don’t more white people have Black friends? (Are we still segregated?) As a white person, can you be intentional about diversifying your circle? (And how do you actually do this?)  – American Leadership Forum and how it impacted Marguerite and Jasmyn (and started so many deep, rich conversations between them)  … and so much more. The post Talking Race, Real Estate, and Friendship with Jasmyn Jefferson appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

“It’s hard to overstate how much coworking was affected due to the pandemic, especially early on in March—I mean, it pretty much decimated our industry,” shares Chris of Pioneer Collective.  In this episode of the Move to Tacoma podcast, Marguerite interviews Chris and Sheila of Pioneer Collective, a co-working space with locations in Seattle and Downtown Tacoma.  The COVID-19 pandemic has affected co-working spaces in a lot of ways. Now that we are one year into the pandemic, many people are realizing that working from home is great, but when it’s imposed on you, it ends up being less of a perk and frequently more of a drawback and a challenge that you have to work around. Many people (and even larger companies) are turning to co-working spaces as a work-around, and people are finding a way to stay productive and build community during this new normal.  Here are a few of the other topics that are covered in this podcast episode:  How do you make friends when you move to a new city? Pioneer Collective attracts many transplants to the area, and it’s a great way to get connected + expand your business network + meet people and make friends!  The honeymoon period of working from home is officially over. With so many companies switching to remote work for the foreseeable future, many may turn to co-working spaces. What could this look like for you, you and your coworkers, or even you and your business?  What has it been like running a coworking space during a pandemic? How has COVID-19 impacted business? What help has been available from local governments, and how does Seattle/King County compare to Tacoma/Pierce County? If you’re a business owner and you want to take advantage of assistance, how can you do it? Chris and Sheila share their experience and tips for navigating everything. What types of perks do you get if you’re a member of Pioneer Collective? Chris and Sheila discuss their long list of amenities, the different membership options that are available, and the fact that there’s a lot of flexibility built into their model. (If you check out their different packages and don’t see what you’re looking for, ask—they’re happy to help and figure something out for you!) Chris and Sheila discuss much more, and this is a *must* listen especially if you are considering a co-working space membership or if you’re a business owner in Tacoma.

What is it like to open a small business in Tacoma during a pandemic? Natalie Bowman from Oh Happy Day Party Shop and her husband moved to Tacoma a few years back. Just before the pandemic hit they went into the party shop business.  How Oh Happy Day Party Shop Came to Tacoma Oh Happy Day Party Shop was originally located in San Francisco, and after buying the business, Natalie packed it up and moved it to a 4,000-square-foot warehouse in Tacoma’s McKinley neighborhood. Oh Happy Day does not have a storefront in Tacoma, but you can find their products in a few local shops in Tacoma (including Paper Luxe and The Curious Bear). Natalie's party shop sells products throughout the U.S., and last year they sold in 22 countries outside of the U.S. and they offer wholesale in 9 different countries. (Yeah, Oh Happy Day is a pretty big deal to have right here in Tacoma!)  Of course, during the COVID-19 pandemic, people have had to think differently about how they can celebrate the special moments in their lives. This has of course had a big impact on the party supply business. In this episode, Natalie Bowman shares her insight on several things, including:  What she’s learned about setting up a small business in Tacoma  Why it's important for local media and people with large followings to amplify small businesses in Tacoma  How people are celebrating differently now (people are still having parties with small groups, and people seem to be celebrating smaller moments more often)  Tips for making small gatherings special (balloons, balloons, and more balloons! You don’t even need helium!)  Why Tacomans should keep speaking up about businesses in your community that you love and find ways to continue to support them—so many businesses are just trying to stay afloat

CROSSOVER EPISODE on Tacoma’s Housing Crisis. Description From Nate Bowling of Nerd Farmer Podcast: Although I have been talking about housing issues, literally for years, I am really just now getting my head around the extent to which existing homeowners and their advocacy are the cause and cure of what ails us. In a rising housing market, increases in supply threaten the equity of existing homeowners. Because capitalism is stupid, for too many families home equity is their main source of familial wealth. Consequently homeowners are often the most vociferous opponents of creating new housing, particularly low-income housing, in their communities. Weird, huh? Into this conversation walks erstwhile realtor Marguerite Martin, creator of Move to Tacoma. Marguerite has taken a step away from from selling homes. She now works as a matchmaker, helping first-time homebuyers and folks moving to the region find agents. If you are a homeowner, like me, who has built a bunch of equity post-crash, this is an episode for you, with a call-to-action. This conversation is a continuation of recent episodes with Jasmyn Jefferson (#107), from Windermere about advice for millennial homebuyers and our conversation with Rebecca Parson (#113), spokesperson for Tacoma Housing Now. The post Nate Bowling Crossover Episode: How Homeowners in Rising Housing Markets Can Fight Displacement appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Depression and anxiety were already high among senior citizens in our community before the Covid-19 Pandemic reached Tacoma. Today we spoke with Elliot Stockstad and David Duea from Lutheran Community Services Northwest- an organization that has been serving seniors for years- about how we can support seniors in our community. David recommends reaching out to seniors in your life. His mother is in another state and he has been sending her needed items via Amazon and coordinating with her neighborhoods. David and his wife also sent out an email to his neighbors and offered to pick up items at the grocery store. Take care of your own needs and then look around and help folks around you. “There’s the go-go seniors, the slow-go seniors, and the no-go seniors,” says David. These seniors had been organized helping each other before the pandemic. “Now we’re all slow gos!” Elliot says there was already a tremendous amount of need, and now it’s an even greater challenge. In addition to meals on wheels and transportation, seniors need help with tech ordering their medicine, groceries, and other supplies. LCSNW is collaborating with other nonprofit partners and organizations to get emergency care to seniors. “We’re seeing a lot of generosity and forward thinking,” says Elliot. “What are the dependable strengths of different organizations?” LCSNW is focussed on being a bridge between organizations to deliver care. So many folks in nonprofits are concerned right now because their events are being cancelled, some organizations are having to lay off staff. For this reason it is important for those who can to continue to give to the organizations that they support- because the need is increasing even as funding is harder to obtain. If you can give, give. If you don’t have money but you have skills, local nonprofits need that support as well. If you are home and have time your local nonprofits that support seniors can probably use your support. All of us can like and share their posts online and get the message out about their clients needs.     The post How Can We Help Tacoma Seniors During Covid-19? appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

MovetoTacoma.com creator Marguerite asked her financial coach, Chris to convert their monthly call to a podcast to get his advice. Chris has been helping Marguerite track her spending and get out of debt for over five years. Marguerite is worried since she is self employed, but ready to face the uncertainty and create an emergency budget in the face of Covid-19. But how do we do it?   It is impossible to predict the full economic fallout as we face the Covid-19 pandemic. For those of us who own small businesses or who have just had our places of employment closed- there are VERY BIG CONCERNS about loss of income. How do you create an emergency budget in the face of so much uncertainty? 1. Get clear – You need to know what’s coming in and what’s going out. If you have lost your job but your spouse still has some income figure out how much you still have coming in. Next, you need to make a list of all of the current spending you are doing. Chris recommends looking up your previous months bank statements and listing out all of your spending and categorizing it to see what your spending is NOW.   2. Create a Spending Plan for your new income reality – What are the fixed bills in your life? What are the things you absolutely need. Fixed bills are things like mortgage/rent, utilities, and phone bill. Next might be car payment, car insurance, your life insurance, and student loans. A list of necessities usually begins with food and groceries. Chris says to ask yourself, “What do I need in order to survive?” Chris says not to forget about prescriptions, and mental health and well being. We discussed the need to prioritize spending our money in our own communities over spending money at corporations and out of our communities. If you have the option to spend money with your neighbors, do it!   3. Stigma and Shame – Chris suggested that we re-evaluate our way of life and our spending and get creative. Marguerite said that during the 2008 Financial Crisis she experienced a lot of shame when the market fell very quickly, because it only seemed to impact a few people at first. With Covid-19, everyone seems to be struggling. Chris says, “If somebody is going to judge me, that’s on them.” We must be honest with each other and ask for help if we need it. We are all in this together.   4. Daily practice/choose clarity – Each day we should go through practices that make you YOU so that you can take on your day. For Chris his daily coffee is an essential ritual. At the beginning of each day figure out for yourself, “This is the thing I need to do to have financial clarity.” And then do it.Chris said that maintaining focus and clarity and facing our finances is key to navigating this uncertainty. “You have to ask yourself, is there anything I can do?” he says. “If not, set it aside.” The post How to Triage Your Finances and Create an Emergency Budget During Covid-19 appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Small nonprofits in Tacoma are facing huge challenges in the coming weeks as Tacomans grapple with the Covid-19 pandemic. What can each of us as individuals do to support our local nonprofits and the important work they do in our community? David Strong from AHAT Home Care and Melissa Mallott from Citizens for a Healthy Bay joined us for this conversation on March 13th 2020 to talk about the challenges their organizations and others are facing and how Tacomans can help. Melissa Mallott urged everyone to practice social distancing and be mindful of how we are impacting others. David Strong urged everyone to consider the impact that hoarding resources can have on small nonprofits. His organization provides healthcare and housing to folks with compromised immune systems and they are in danger of running out of cleaning supplies. Hoarding can have unintended consequences for our neighbors. If you would like to help AHAT Homecare protect their clients in this time you can drop **Hand Sanitizer** and **Bleach Wipes** only. They are located at Three Cedars facility at 301 North L. Street. Ring the door and staff will come to the front door.   Again they are seeking hand santizers and bleach wipes only. Be mindful that many local nonprofits will be forced to cancel essential fundraising events. If you are able, consider donating even if the event does not go forward. Reach out to small nonprofits you support in Tacoma and find out what their needs are. Be patient with any requests you might have as staff resources are very strained right now. If you are a business SPONSORING a fundraiser that has been cancelled PLEASE do not retract your sponsorship. Work with the nonprofit to find other ways to thank you for your support and remember the big picture. The post How to Support Small Nonprofits in Tacoma During Covid-19 with David Strong & Melissa Mallott appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

What can Tacomans do to support small businesses, artists, and very small businesses in Tacoma during the Covid-19 pandemic? Spaceworks Director Michael Liang joins us to talk about the specific challenges facing small business owners right now and how everyday Tacomans can support their business owning neighbors. Michael moved to Tacoma in 2018 to take the job with Spaceworks. Spaceworks is a business incubator that provides space, training, and resources to creative entrepreneurs and artists in Tacoma. Through their training programs, coworking spaces, and more- they’re empowering the Tacoma community and creating lasting impact for a bright new future. If you’re interested in learning more about resources available to small business owners and artists through Spaceworks check out their resource list here. The post Supporting Small Businesses and Artists During Covid-19 with Michael Liang from Spaceworks appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

The MoveToTacoma.com podcast has been on hiatus while MoveToTacoma.com founder Marguerite takes a sabbatical out of state. Channel253 Founder Erik Hanberg hops on the podcast to interview Marguerite and catch up on what’s new with MoveToTacoma, what’s new in the City of Tacoma, and what the future holds for both. We talk about the future of the MoveToTacoma.com podcast, what’s going on in Tacoma this year, homelessness, rising home prices, and more. If you’re a listener with thoughts about whether the podcast should continue, (or you have an idea for future guests/hosts) click the contact form on the MovetoTacoma.com website or in the show notes below. The post The Future of the Move To Tacoma Podcast with Marguerite Martin and Erik Hanberg appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Dune Peninsula opens today at Point Defiance, a new 12-acre park right on the water. Today Metro Parks also opened Wilson Way, a new pedestrian and bike promenade that finally connects Ruston Way with Point Defiance. Guest host Jasmyn Jefferson is joined by Metro Parks Commissioner, and regular here on MovetoTacoma, to talk about what you can expect when you visit the park and what’s in store in the future. Enjoy! The post A new park! Dune Peninsula at Point Defiance appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Tacoma Against Nazis is a group for people in Tacoma who are against nazis. “We tried to give it a straightforward title,” says Halley. “No bones about it. You’re either for or against Nazis. And we’re against.” This came about in June 2018 after a handful of Tacoma residents became fed up with how nationally and locally white supremacist groups are feeling emboldened. The group became aware of a group of neo-nazis operating a tattoo parlor and decided to do something about it. Halley says the question that drove the creation of the group was, “What are the white progressives of Tacoma going to actually do to show up against white supremacy?” Halley says, “You can talk about it or you can acknowledge that you don’t know exactly what to do but you know you have to do something.” What started as a small gathering of concerned Tacomans on Father’s Day turned into a Facebook group of over 1000 Tacomans, multiple protests at the tattoo shop, the website DisconnectWhitePower.com, and a series of outreach events at local organizations such as Tacoma Sunrise Rotary. In addition to protests and outreach in the community, the group has organized letter writing campaigns to the landlords of the tattoo shop and others to raise awareness of the existence of their activities. Their efforts have received national press coverage and generated considerable conversation here in Tacoma. “There is a sense of there being a normalizing of activity around white supremacy, around this sense of ‘we won’t back down’ ‘you won’t quiet us’ ‘we were censored previously in the previous political climate and we are going to be out and about and proud with our ideologies’,” says Cheryl. “And thus you have groups like the Proud Boys and Patriot Front who are gaining more recognition nationally and these ideas are becoming more a part of the mainstream. There has been a significant normalizing of these activities.” They talk about how this normalization has impacted white progressives who may have ignored some of these activities in the past to educate themselves and be more active in countering these groups. “Previously we might have seen someone flying some kind of nazi flag and thought ‘well that’s embarrassing’- it’s very easy to dismiss that as a white woman because I can walk past that nazi flag and nothing is going to happen to me. But we need to recognize that our neighbors of color are living a very different reality where that poses a very real threat to their physical safety.” “To be totally frank we’re late,” says Halley. “We’re way late to this party. But we’re here now and we’re awake to it and we’re trying to do everything that we can to make up for lost time and especially show the rest of our community that there are people here who are willing to stand up to it.” “Let me tell you we’re getting a lot more pushback from our fellow white liberals than from actual nazis.” Five months in, the organizers and members of Tacoma Against Nazis have put a lot of time and energy into their efforts to show up responsibly against white supremacy in Tacoma. They’ve kept their focus on the tattoo shop and on other displays of white supremacy (such as some anti immigrant posters put up all over town). The group has learned you can’t please everyone, and they’ve received criticism from people who think they’ve gone too far as well as people who think they haven’t been radical enough. “We’re a bunch of mom’s and teachers,” says Halley. Cheryl and Halley share advice they have for other people wanting to organize in their community. Mainly, have very clear goals, be ready for pushback from local leaders, and learn to channel peoples passion into workgroups set to achieve specific goals (security, organizing, social media, etc). For those who are concerned with Tacoma getting negative reputation because of people openly talking about nazis and white supremacists, know that this activity is a problem everywhere. “This is a problem in the United States,” says Halley. “This is a problem everywhere. So I would actually venture to say that based on the immersion into the white supremacist problem that we’ve had over the past months- I actually think Tacoma has a pretty small problem compared to much of the rest of the country… we can stamp this out if we get on it right now.” Want to fight Nazis in Tacoma? Here are some things you can do: 1. Educate yourself about White Supremacist and Nazi symbols. Watch the Frontline documentary about the rise of White Supremacists across the country. 2. Speak up and make life uncomfortable for people who espouse hateful ideologies. According to Tacoma Against Nazi member Hope just speaking up and saying ‘I’m not OK with this,’ or ‘I’m not comfortable with this ideology and this is not what America means to me,’ can make a huge difference. 3. Join the Tacoma Against Nazis Facebook Group and find a way to use your talents to help. 4. Follow Disconnect White Power on Twitter and read their blog posts. Top Tips for doing the work: “If there’s anything that I personally have learned from everything that we’ve gone through as a group- it’s that you just have to stick to what you know with a sense of conviction. And that may be different than even your fellow group members. You are what you practice. If you show up that’s what and who you are. If you don’t show up that’s what and who you are. So there’s a lot of noise, there’s a lot of invisible connections, at the end of the day do what you know is right. Do what you feel with conviction.” – Cheryl “My top tip for people trying to wade through the noise is have a baby at the same time. Because I’m so tired and over all of it that I just have no time or patience to dig into any of the ego or the permission. I’m just gonna do that work and not play around, because come on I got a baby to put to bed.” – Halley The post Tacoma Against Nazis appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

On the podcast Melannie shares about her life in Tacoma, her work promoting racial reconciliation, her daily encounters with racism, and her ideas about how white people in Tacoma can do to educate themselves about racism and work to dismantle white supremacy. Melannie will be heading to Norway for the Nobel Peace Prize with her Peace Queen Talks Television Documentary and it will be aired by KBTC. You can support this trip and her work here. Marguerite and Melannie talk about a wide range of topics, but in particular what white women can do to show up for marginalized people in their daily lives. “Start educating yourself about what’s going on. Do some history,” says Melannie. She encourages white Tacomans to step out into spaces where they are not part of the dominant racial group. Melannie is the founder of The People’s Gathering, a community conference held yearly on the PLU Campus. This years conference will be held April 2nd, 2019. In 2015 she led the effort to bring the “Hate Won’t Win” challenge to the City of Tacoma, the first city in the United States to do so. Melannie is proudly from Lakewood.  She moved to Lakewood from Hawaii in 1973 and went to Lakes High School, “I’ll tell you what I love about Lakewood. It is so diverse. There are people from everywhere. The roots run deep.” For those who don’t get to Lakewood often she recommends checking out her favorite restaurant, The Bleu Note Restaurant and Lounge. “The owners are so visionary because they have community in mind.” In her professional life Melannie is the Director of Multicultural Outreach and Engagement at Pacific Lutheran University, she serves as a mentor to students of color at PLU.   The post Melannie Denise Cunningham: Tacoma Peace Queen appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Saul Farber is one of the founders of PeopleGIS, a local tech company. He is also a lifelong member of Tacoma’s Jewish Community. When Marguerite asked how Tacomans of different faiths could show support for our Jewish neighbors, Saul shared these ideas: Invite Jewish leaders in to speak to your organizations and involve them in community conversations. Remember that Jewish folks are not a monolith. “If you get two jews in a room you have three opinions.”  “What does it feel like to me to see people in my community that don’t look like me?” Saul suggests noticing and acknowledging how we react to people expressing their faiths in a way that is different than we do. We should all be doing work on our own internal reactions to people wearing kippahs, headscarves, etc. Let that guide some kind of engagement. Does that reaction mean you want to know more? Be authentically aware of people that are not like you in your community. Learn about other faith’s holy days. This is not normal. “There was a community gathering at Temple Beth-El… in that meeting Rabbi Kadden said, ‘This is not normal.’ I’ve been hanging on that. This isn’t normal and we can’t normalize this.” It is not normal what our public discourse looks like and how our public discourse feeds into this violence and hate.   The post Supporting Tacoma’s Jewish Community with Saul Farber appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Maureen Sorensen, Pierce County Director at Amara Foster Care, comes on the podcast to talk about the link between the affordable housing issues and the opiod crisis and how it has caused a foster care crisis in Tacoma and Pierce County. Kids come into foster care in Pierce County at twice the rate that they do in King County. The post Maureen Sorenson on Foster Care Crisis in Tacoma appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Michael Haeflinger, Executive Director of Write 253, and Forest Beutel, a one man-band and member of many local bands, join the show to talk about the upcoming music series Tacoma AF: four music shows in awesome Tacoma venues from June to September. Tacoma’s music scene ranges from punk, gospel, folk, rock, hip-hop and a lot more and this will feature all of it. It’s Tacoma AF. The Tacoma AF Music Series JUNE 15 THE SILVER DOLLARS / FOREST BEUTEL / SISTER MADAME / JESSIE FOUTS The Swiss (1904 Jefferson Ave.) 8pm JULY 26 MIRRORGLOSS / THE RUSTY CLEAVERS / CHRISTINA BUTCHER The Valley (1206 Puyallup Ave.) 8pm AUGUST 2 STEPHANIE ANN JOHNSON / STINGY BRIM OLDE TIME BLUES BAND / MICHAEL HAEFLINGER Airport Tavern (5406 S. Tacoma Way) 7pm SEPTEMBER 21 CARRIE AKRE / MISTER BLACKWATCH / POET TBA Tacoma Brewing (1116 Court E.) 7pm The post The Tacoma AF Music Series appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Nate Bowling hosts a panel on the rise of Neo-Nazism and white supremacists in the Pacific Northwest and Tacoma. Guests include Craig Sailor from the News Tribune and Miri Cypers from the Anti-Defamation League. This event occurred on April 16, 2018. The post ACHH: Who are the Nazis in your neighborhood? appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Richardson speaks candidly throughout the interview. She now resides in Hilltop where she plays witness to what she calls “street theater”, which in her words is both a blessing and a curse, and a combination of peace and battle that provide her a plethora of parently tools and advice. Marguerite inquires, how does one become the poet laureate and what does that entail? Richardson explains that the responsibility of the poet laureate is to develop the literary arts in Tacoma and walks us through the application process which includes submitting work and engagement strategies you would use during your term to achieve this. Hear why Richardson’s first and favorite event she hosted during her term as a writing workshop and open mic held at the Women’s Correctional Facility in Purdy. Richardson talks about her efforts to create spaces of cross cultural dialogue and healing to cultivate human connection you might not have otherwise. She speaks on her work with youth and students in particular and dives a bit into the topic of criminalization of black girls in schools. How girls are impacted by words and perceptions using this role across different sectors with examples of coded language. The ideal outcome, she says, “is to give young people, the youth most impacted by these decisions and behaviors to have the space to talk about what that impact is,” by providing a safe space to discuss how language has negatively impacted their education experience. Most notably how it impacts and influences students and self-concept and self-image. When discussing resources to help with these dialogues, ultimately, she is hesitant to point people to books because it doesn’t change your connections with other humans. Instead she encourages all to “go engage where you are in the minority if you can’t think of anywhere you need to work on your circle. Go engage with other humans. Period.” Richardson recently released What Us Is, a collection of poems that has been haunting her world for some time now. Some stuff is 10 years old, some is less than a year old but all revolves around unpacking experiences of identity and how that intersects with gender, faith, grief and loss. The collection is currently available on Amazon. Kellie is a self-professed, “late bloomer” in terms of art and sharing her work. She began her blog Brown Betty 253 as a way to heal but also let other people know they aren’t alone in their experiences. You’ll also encounter her venting about random things and mom trauma—which includes everything from a love letter written by her son in 2nd grade to accidently seeing her son’s member. Richardson has a line of luscious hair and body care products called Brown Betty that are all handcrafted. With the tagline #wedontdoashy, she created the line after reading that up to 60% of what you put on your skin goes into your bloodstream and wanting to produce something that keeps you hydrated and feeling good, knowing what types of ingredients are being used. The two also speak on her experience with Spaceworks Tacoma which she found positive. It’s open and welcoming environment and network, that provided support and feedback from cohorts with a variety of backgrounds. Closing thoughts, anything else we need to know? Kellie Richardson is a Sagittarius. Her birthday is December 21 and she welcomes gifts like Almond Roca. If there are opportunities you’d like Kellie to participate in like leading a discussion, writing workshops or gathering younger or older people to get together to talk about the literary arts email her at [email protected].   The post Podcast: Tacoma Poet Laureate, Kellie Richardson appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Nate Bowling hosts a panel of two City of Tacoma employees, a developer, and a Metro Parks commissioner to dive deep into rising housing costs in Tacoma. We look at the causes of the rent and property value increases as well as the consequences. You can also check out the live stream on Facebook! This event occurred on February 23, 2018. The post ACHH: Build Housing Not Walls appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

The Space: Alma Mater Tacoma at 1322 South Fawcett, is a live music venue, artist co-working space, café and lounge all wrapped into one. The grand opening of Alma Mater takes place the weekend of April 19, with festivities occurring each day through Saturday the 21. Festivities include an all ages dance party with DJ Eddie Bermuda and Sassy Black (Thurs), Live Music with Deep Sea Divers, SISTERS and Smokey Brights (Fri), Lucha Volcanica and Filthy FemCorps (an all ages afternoon show Sat), and Lucha Volcanica and Gritty City Sirens (21+ Sat Evening). Other festivities include art installations throughout the space. Ervin describes the space as an artist driven work, performance and hospitality space. “We don’t need to build community, we just need a place to connect them and have conversations from different communities.” This space hopes to facilitate those conversations. The Origin: The space has been a work in progress for 3 years now. Ervin and Spiro talk about the project’s roots beginning with founder, Jason Heminger talking about how physical space matters and inspires people to look at things and work in different ways. Heminger’s background in the arts and education really laid the foundation for what Alma Mater would evolve into. An investor befriended Heminger while working together in the education world and believed in his vision as a musician who wanted to explore what it takes for an artist to sell their work. At the core of what Alma Mater is doing is the artist incubator. The leading questions are what is it and how can we help you achieve your goals? Resources will include coach led mentorships focusing on the music studio. A 6-month program will come on line a bit later. The café, Honey and venue, Fawcett Hall are already in full working order. Next to follow will be the lounge Matriarch with the workspace and incubator to finish it all off. Honey Café offers up well executed espresso made with Heart Coffee paired with elegant and compelling brunch bites crafted by chef, Kyle Wnuk. Open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. the space boasts open, airy vibes with plenty of USB ports. The Matriarch Lounge will officially open in a few weeks. The menu will highlight a passion for carefully crafted libations paired with small plates highlighting big flavor. Shows being booked in the 500-person venue are elevated the live show scene on a local level. The first show hosted at Fawcett Hall was coordinated by Danno Presents and SOLD OUT. And there are already an itinerary of shows to look forward to thanks to the booking team, with Spiro leading the helm including acts booked by The Warehouse Team, Darryl Cruz. Many ask what it’s all about, what is this space for? Ervin says, “It’s for artists in Tacoma and their patrons and it’s about wanting to change the way a city interacts with artist.” Key concepts Alma Mater is trying to support includes accessibility, and a sense of ownership of the space on all different levels for all artistic communities. The space aims to be as reflective of Tacoma and the people who reside and create here as possible. In closing, Spiro wanted to express the reason the group chose the name that Ervin articulates so well. The name of the space, Alma Mater also translates to “Nurturing Mother” or spirit mother in Latin. Though schools have adopted it, and Alma Mater Tacoma has an education spirit at its core, the space as a whole is meant to nurture artists and provide a safe, nurturing, open and progressive experience for all without people feeling judged or that they don’t know enough or that it’s inaccessible. The name carries throughout the space with Mothership Studios, Honey Café and Matriarch Lounge. The post Podcast: Talking Alma Mater Tacoma with Rachel Ervin and Aaron Spiro appeared first on Move to Tacoma.