Pillars of Diversity Installed!

Facing northeast, with Martin Luther King Jr. Way in the background.

Photos from the 8/13 celebration, with the youth team, artists, community members and more! We heard from many partners in the project to honor Thurgood Marshall. Among them: representatives of Coyote Central (the nonprofit that supervised the project), Thurgood Marshall ES, the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, the two teaching artists and their 2 dozen youth assistant artists.

Teaching Assistant Jesse Bernstein performs during the celebration.


Student artists performed their group poem, authored with mentorship from Daemond Arrindell:

My Equality

My equality is smart and strong

It turns arguments into shaking hands

It feels like a warm blanket that protects me

Like waves hitting the soft sand

My equality sounds like voices standing up

Feels like a badge on my chest

Sounds like a promise

My equality is honest,

like a wall built by trust and pride and bravery

My equality takes risks and gives speeches and eye contact

My equality faces the hateful truth

My equality is not easy, it is dangerous

My equality is loyal and is a leader

It makes me a better person

My equality goes on even when the world is against it

My equality says

“stop – you’re no better than anyone else”

My equality feels like being respected

My equality speaks its opinion

It speaks out

It speaks up

My equality sacrifices for others

My equality is difficult to say out loud

My equality is an open window

It listens

My equality says

“I’m sorry”

My equality never gives up

NEVER.

My equality sounds like a bird in the wind,

Full of laughter

My equality looks like all shapes and colors

Climbing and rising

together