Today is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a commemoration of his hard work, bravery, and dedication to a better tomorrow for Americans.

Honoring the day typically means spending time in service to our communities in order to continue his legacy. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved today, so let’s break them down. But first, a little history.

What is Seattle’s connection to Dr. King?

Two decades ago, there was a tremendous grassroots push to have King County’s namesake officially changed from former Vice President William Rufus de Vane King (which it had been originally since 1852) to MLK. After a majority vote by the state senate and house of representatives, Dr. King became the official namesake on July 24, 2005.

Dr. King also visited Seattle in November 1961, where he spoke at the University of Washington, Garfield High School, and the Eagles Auditorium.

What can I do to commemorate?

The Northwest African American Museum (NAAM) is hosting a full day of events beginning at 9 a.m. You can:

Donate to its Hygiene for Humanity Drive. Drop-off is between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the Garfield High School parking lot. Items such as toothpaste, hand sanitizer, face masks, and towels/washcloths are needed.
Attend the virtual “Poetics of Hope” program featuring Poet Nikki Giovanni as keynote speaker, musical performances, and a children’s storybook hour with readers from the Seattle Kraken and State House of Representatives. Broadcasted 2-4:30 p.m. + re-broadcasted 6-8 p.m.

The Seattle MLK, Jr. Organizing Coalition has also arranged a march in Dr. King’s honor beginning at 11 a.m. at Garfield High School. Masks are required.

Or, you can participate in one of these MLK Day of Service events.

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EVENTS

Today

Bowl Turning with Carbide Tools | Mon., Jan. 17 | 2-5 p.m. | | Rockler Woodworking and Hardware, 832 NE Northgate Way | $75 | Learn how to make your own wooden bowl.
Tu B’Shvat Cocktail Party | Mon., Jan. 17 | 8 p.m. | Met Tower | $25+ | This cocktail party celebrates the Jewish holiday with exotic fruits, fruit-infused cocktails, and other tasty snacks.

Tuesday

Open Arts Mic | Tues., Jan. 18 | 7:30 p.m. | Fremont Abbey Arts Center | Free | An open mic and stage for Seattle poets, dancers, musicians, and other performance artists. 🎤
Mother Mother | Tues, Jan. 18 | 8 p.m. | The Moore Theatre, 1932 Second Ave. | $23+ | Hear tunes from this Vancouver indie rock band.

Wednesday

Disney Trivia | Wed., Jan. 19 | 7-8:30 p.m. | The Painted Palace, 1813 130th Ave. NE | $5 | Test out your Disney knowledge with this trivia session — prizes go to first, second, and third places. 👑

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

SEE JANUARY EVENTS HERE

Note: COVID-19 protocols are changing rapidly to curb the spread of the Omicron variant in Seattle. Please make sure to check event listing pages + venue websites for the most up-to-date information.

NEWS NOTES

Weather

50º | Cloudy | 20% chance of rain

Sunrise + Sunset

Rise: 7:51 a.m.
Set: 4:48 p.m.

Biz

Former Seattle mayoral candidate Colleen Echohawk has joined Eighth Generation as the Indigenous art and lifestyle business’ new CEO. Founder and former CEO Louie Gong will stay on with the company as an artist. (Crosscut)

Film

Native Seattleite and Ballard High grad Jesse Harris’ film project made its debut this weekend. “Borrego” — currently streaming on VUDU — tells the story of a botanist’s fight for survival in the desert following her kidnapping. At 17, Harris became the youngest American filmmaker with a distribution deal. 🎞️ (KING 5)

Arts

And close the curtains. After a 25-year dancing career, Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer Noelani Pantastico has announced her retirement. Following her final performances in “Roméo et Juliette” — running next month — she will leave to join Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet’s faculty. 🩰

Cause

Thank you for being a friend. The Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) is doing the #BettyWhiteChallenge today. It would have been the late actress’ 100th birthday, so the shelter encourages supporters to make a donation in her name. Betty White was an outspoken animal activist, leading many to donate to their local shelters in her honor.

Eat

NBD, but … Downtown Seattle’s Serious Pie was just named as one of the top ten pizza restaurants in the US by Ask.com. The site references the pizzeria’s dough — which takes days to make — and its use of foraged mushrooms and house-made charcuterie as factors in the ranking. 🍕 (Ask.com)

📸 @seattleaquarium

Completely otherworldly.

The Seattle Aquarium has launched a new docu-short series titled “Stories from the Salish Sea” that showcases the magnificence of the Salish Sea and the importance of preserving its wildlife.

The first of three videos takes viewers through the kelp highways that interconnect ecosystems and “make life possible in the Pacific Northwest” with the help of Native American biologists and the Coast Salish people.

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THE WRAP

Editor's pick: I actually recently discovered a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that I never heard before. It goes, "Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree today." I don't have enough space to talk about the beauty, courage, and depth in that quote, but I really feel like I need to plant a few more apple trees.

Missed Friday's newsletter? Enter the matrix and learn about Seattle's new NFT Museum.

Today's edition by:

Alina

SEAtoday Team

Editorial: Alina, Gabe, Trevor, Britt

Sales: Jennifer

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