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ABOUT THIS EVENT
We invite you to be part of our upcoming event, Destination Delridge: Connect the Dots, at the historic Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. Friday, June 2nd will be an evening of music, poetry, laughter, and moments celebrating all that is good in our community. We will have a wide array of delicious food and beverage choices to enjoy, and as always, entertainment, art and interactive games.
We will occupy both outdoor and indoor spaces, host live performances and create a night for engagement and connection. Join us as we highlight DNDA’s current programs, exciting leadership transitions, and future plans as we enter a new phase and continue integrating Art, Nature and Neighborhood. Most of all, we want to share our joy with you, our community!
ARTISTS & PERFORMANCES
ANNIE VON ESSEN
Annie Von Essen (she/her) is a strategic and organizational development consultant, executive coach, and social worker. She is the founder of Vessel Strategy & Consulting, where she supports courageous leaders to lead with care and create joyful, just social change. Annie loves cooking together with loved ones, snuggling in cozy nests with her son and husband, and being by a body of water with her toes in.
CHEF MULU
Chef Mulu Abate is a culinary innovator who skillfully blends traditional dishes from around the world, creating a unique line of fusion entrees that harmoniously unite the flavors of distant cultures. His culinary journey began at a young age, growing up in the restaurant business where he was exposed to the rich and vibrant flavors of traditional Ethiopian cuisine.
FAHMI GULED
Fahmi Guled is a dedicated community leader and advocate, making a significant difference in the lives of individuals and families throughout the King County area.
One of Fahmi's notable contributions has been his relentless efforts in supporting youth development programs. Understanding the importance of providing opportunities for growth and empowerment, he has spearheaded initiatives that offer mentorship, academic support, and extracurricular activities for young people facing adversity. Fahmi's work has helped countless youths gain confidence, develop essential life skills, and envision brighter futures.
TRACEY WONG
Tracey Wong 黃麗塋 (she/her) is a queer Teochew-American dancer, educator, and community space holder from Seattle, WA. She takes pride in representing her birthplace and creating empowering spaces for women, queer folks, and communities of color. Tracey is the co-director and co-founder of Malicious Vixens, a dance crew and sisterhood of Asian American women that values community care and collaboration. For the past decade, Tracey has facilitated showcases, dance battles, parties, and workshops to uplift local and international dancers. Notable events include Queen of the Hill, an all-ladies dance series, and Punk N Funk, Seattle's largest Waacking/Whacking battle. She has received recognition for her community work and won titles in Waacking competitions.
BLUE WAVE BAND
Blue Wave Band is live music experts and party starters. Their repertoire ranges from Great Gatsby extravaganzas to 90s throwback parties and everything in between. With a "cooler-than-average" song list that is never cheesy, they infuse every party they play with energy and fun. They pride themselves on filling dance floors! The members of the band have toured around the world with a wide variety of artists and know what it takes to get the party started. With the Blue Wave Band, you'll get the best musicians in the country playing your favorite music.
CAROLYN HITT
Carolyn Hitt is a "social expressionist"-- a term she uses to express her ultimate purpose which is to bring about creative and cultural revolution through grass-roots community-engaged practices. Her creative practice (painting, sculpture, fabrication, curation & design) matched with 20 years in bar/restaurant/event management as well as stewardship of multiple creative incubation studios makes her adept at rallying community around emerging artists across disciplines. She founded Forever Safe Spaces with Julie Chang Schulman as a platform that directly addresses both housing instability and income inequality as they impact the artists most marginalized within our communities. Carolyn is motivated by urgency, passionate about rebuilding better and more inclusive systems, and inspired by the promise of creating beyond boundaries. She was featured in both the first edition of Anti-Social Seattle and Vol. 1, Issue 1 of Public Display Art.
SHIN-YU PAI
Shin Yu Pai is current Civic Poet for the City of Seattle. She is the author of 11 books, including most recently Virga (Empty Bowl, 2021). She is the recipient of awards from the 4Culture and The Awesome Foundation. She is a 2022 Artist Trust Fellow and was shortlisted in 2014 for a Stranger Genius Award in Literature. From 2015 to 2017, Shin Yu served as Poet Laureate for The City of Redmond. Her nonfiction writing has appeared in Atlas Obscura, Tricycle Magazine, YES! Magazine, NYTimes, Zocalo Public Square, Seattle Met, ParentMap, Seattle’s Child, International Examiner, and South Seattle Emerald. Her work has appeared in publications throughout the U.S., Japan, China, Taiwan, the UK, and Canada. She is the host of Ten Thousand Things, a podcast on Asian American stories for KUOW Public Radio, Seattle's NPR affiliate.
DJ TOPSPIN
DJ Topspin aka BLENDIANA JONES is established as a musical pillar in the Northwest and across the world, with 25 years of experience. Born from a Jamaican father & Panamanian mother, the pulse of the diaspora is always present in his musical displays, in the form of dancehall / reggae / soca / afrobeat. He easily weaves a complex blend of hits and unearthed genre-spanning gems from past and present eras, creating a musical tapestry all his own.
He's particularly renowned for his harmonic ear, showcased by his signature blends / remixes, selection and timing, hence the BLENDIANA JONES moniker.
ACROBATIC CONUNDRUM
Acrobatic Conundrum creates technically rigorous, ensemble-based circus shows that seek to contribute to a more courageous and connected world.
Acrobatic Conundrum, Seattle's premier contemporary circus arts company, creates performances that amaze and inspire audiences. Founded in 2012 by Artistic Director Terry Crane, the company blends virtuosic circus skill, dance and physical theater to create work that is poetic, a little absurd, and deeply relatable. Acrobatic Conundrum has appeared nationally and internationally at such venues as New York City’s SummerStage, the Chicago Contemporary Circus Festival, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Vancouver CircusFest, TEDxRainier, and The Backstreet Festival in Alexandria, Egypt. The company is the recipient of Washington State Arts Commission (ArtsWA) Project Support 2018; 4Culture Arts Project Grantee 2018; Seattle Office of Arts & Culture CityArtist Projects Award 2011, 2015 and 2017; and Runner Up, Macklemore BomBom Music Video Project 2013.
BENJAMIN HUNTER
Benjamin Hunter, a Seattle-based polymath, has dedicated his life to transforming society through his artistic endeavors. As a violinist, storyteller, educator, and community enterpriser, he has cross-pollinated multiple artistic disciplines for over a decade. Benjamin is the founder of Community Arts Create, co-founder of the Hillman City Collaboratory and Black & Tan Hall, and currently serves as the Artistic Director at NW Folklife. He has received numerous awards and accolades, including the Governor's Arts & Heritage Award and the City Arts Magazine Future's List Award. Benjamin is known for his musical collaborations, including his roots duo Ben Hunter & Joe Seamons and his band The Intraterrestrials. He has composed music for dance performances and has presented TEDx talks and lectures. Despite his many accomplishments, Benjamin's insatiable mind will always seek new endeavors to make the world a better place.
EVENT SPONSORS
As part of our evening fundraiser, we are inviting local businesses and individuals to get involved as event sponsors.
