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[MAYOR BRUCE HARRELL] Here we go. Here we go!
We're really excited to sort of
kick off our Day of Service,
to announce our day of service on Saturday, May 20th.
Registration is now open
for our 2023 One Seattle Day of Service.
And I want to thank the community members
and community leaders.
Logistically, you're going to hear me
say a few words about our Day of Service,
and then it going to turn over
the microphone to Maisha Barnett,
who is the granddaughter of Powell Barnett.
These grounds that we're on and it's very symbolic.
I'll talk a little bit more about this,
about why we're here today.
And you see the history, the great rich history of
Maisha and her first cousin, the family, the Barnett family
on who this great person was is this park is named after.
Before I do that, let me talk a little bit
about our One Day of Service.
Now, this event will bring thousands of residents
from all across the city
together, asking them to roll up their sleeves
and give their time and energy back to their community.
There's a young volunteer right here
who can't wait for our One Day of Service.
So the organizing principle of our One Seattle vision
is that we accomplish more
when we come together as a community, and we work
towards a common goal of being part of the solution.
I tell everyone that loves this city,
you have the right to criticize.
You have the right to to critique and give feedback.
But you also have the opportunity to help.
And my administration tries
to lead with that kind of spirit.
So last year we had
thousands of people coming up.
So I want to be very clear.
We want to break any records we established last year.
So we're opening up for
our opportunity this year for over 3000 volunteer shifts
at right now over 110 events across the city.
So we'll have events and shifts
that will continue to be added until the day of service.
And so that's how we do it. We are hopeful
that the event will continue to grow
and it's more than symbolism as that sort of that
that boost in our city to say we can do this
together as a great city.
So this year, we've partnered with over 100 organizations,
public, private,
nonprofit sports teams to help facilitate community events.
We're talking the high profile
figures to come out and help us.
And they enjoy rubbing elbows with community members
as well.
And I want to thank all of our city departments.
You see some outstanding city employees,
public servants like myself, who are helping do the work,
including Seattle
Parks and Recreation, Seattle Public Utilities, I.T.
and many more.
And what we'll actually do in terms of the activities,
there will be beautification activities
like picking up litter or removing graffiti.
We'll help neighbors in need by sorting
food pantry donations, or building tiny homes.
There's a lot of work to do.
We have lots of ways to get involved.
And so I invite every neighbor,
everyone that at some point sees this message or reads
about read about what we're trying to do....
They can go to Seattle.gov/dayofservice
and sign up for a volunteer shift.
Yeah.
Flexible hours.
The pay is great. (laughter)
It's joy.
Can't put a price on joy.
Again, the location of this particular announcement
at Powell Barnett
Park here in the Central District is very intentional.
Not just that
I grew up around this area as a child
and go to school around here.
But it represents, again, what happens
when you take care of an asset, a park,
and at the same time
you commemorate
a rich history,
particularly in the African-American
community, that you'll see so many
monuments or so many areas that are a direct result
of community activism and love for a community.
I'm not going to steal Maisha’s thunder,
but you see here the rich history
that Powell Barnett himself embarked upon.
And I remember as a child,
hearing stories and watching him in action,
the organizations that he led not just in sports and music,
but in terms of civic activism.
I'm a direct beneficiary of it,
and I can't thank the family enough
for helping us today celebrate the memory.
I want to read a quote from Powell Barnett himself
that speaks to our One Seattle values
and mindset of service.
To quote
“I have always felt that my community
is no better or worse
than what I helped make it.
I can't delegate my own responsibility.
I can't assume anyone else's.”
We learn from the lessons of Powell Barnett,
what activism is truly about.
So that's what we're asking residents
to do on our Day of Service,
to embrace a commitment toward the betterment
of our community, our neighborhoods,
and to give back to this place in Seattle we all call home.
Now I'd like to introduce Maisha Barnett, the founder
of the Powell
Barnett Legacy Project, to make some remarks on her
work to keep her grandfather's spirit of service alive.
And again,
if one thing I said out of that very beautiful,
eloquent speech that I just gave
is May 20th is our Day of Service. Saturday.
Maisha Barnett please grace us
with some words.
(applause)
[MAISHA BARNETT] Well, thank you, Mayor Harrell.
As you said, I am a great granddaughter.
I'm sorry.
Not even a great granddaughter.
A granddaughter.
My cousin Karen
Jones is also a granddaughter of Powell Barnett.
And in 2001,
I partnered with the Leschi Community Council
to bring about some improvements at the park.
And then in 2006, in partnership
with my fiscal sponsor, the Leschi Community Council,
as well as receiving a large gift from Starbucks Community
Coffee Company.
We redeveloped the park
over the course of seven days with 800 volunteers
and 3000 volunteer hours. Then responding
to the sustainable interest in the park,
after that redevelopment,
we added another picnic area in the northeast corner.
(muttering)
Thank you.
We also added
signage, historical signage
explaining the history of the park
and who Powell Barnett is.
In 2016, we installed the fitness zone
to provide equitable access to exercise equipment
and receive new basketball courts,
compliments of the Kevin Durant
Charity Foundation.
Build it and they will ball.
Whether you call it Army Camp,
Castle or Red Rope Park,
this land has history.
It has served as a public, open gathering space
for decades
and is a maker.
(nervous laughter) I'm sorry,
this land has history.
It has served as a public, open
gathering space and a maker of memories for decades.
And today,
we are thrilled to be part
of One Seattle Day of Service to carry on the tradition
of giving back to our community,
in the words
of my paternal grandfather, Powell Samuel Barnett,
“I've always felt that
my community is no better
or worse than that when I helped make it.
Likewise, my country.
I can delegate my own responsibility.
I can't assume anyone else's.”
Thank you.
[MAYOR BRUCE HARRELL] Thank you Maisha!
Before I ask if there are any questions,
I do want to recognize a few organizations or people.
Idris Burghardt, our deputy director, Seattle
Public Utilities people, coaching community.
Christopher Williams, a deputy superintendent of Parks.
Of course, Maisha
I want to recognize her again is founder
and project manager of the Power Burnett Legacy Project.
Council and managing broker at Keller Williams.
John Barber, chairman of Parks and Greenspace Committee.
Leschi Community Council
and other members of the Leschi Community Council.
And I don't mean to slight any great community leaders
or city employees, but I wanted to recognize
those that have helped again create
this beautiful park that we're in
and hopefully help out on our Day of Service.
So thank you for being here.
If there's any questions, I'd be more than happy
to entertain any questions.
But if I don't see any, that means we we nailed it.
That's what that means.
I'm pretty excited about May 20th people coming out.
Are there any questions? Yes, cousin.
Can you swing it? Explain it?
Oh, yes. Come on up and explain it.
Okay.
-So granddaughter of the Barnett.
Was actually
definitely like
his nephew here.
Okay.
And right here.
We had opening up of Powell Barnett Park.
This is my mom, Kellen Barnett, and
my uncle Barnett,
Maisha’s father. And here is Leschi school
picture and hangs in Leschi school.
Which of you will a later in year.
Right.
And the main thing we have
to say
shows here that
(unaudible)
Right here
we used, we organized
(unaudible) musicians union desegregated
with Black and whites and kids that have come here.
This shows
right here was created to put down
Rosalyn, Washington, because he also had a band down there,
Over here, is when they first opened the park
opened up here.
We have a.
Proclamation that was Powell Barnett Day.
Over here
[BRUCE HARRELL] By the King County Council.
City council can't take credit for that.
King County Council all day long. 2012
-(unaudible)
Maisha’s Father Doug.
This is
Powell Barnett Junior
(unaudible)
And then right here, we have a clipping
that he was a resident scout for the Baltimore Orioles.
And Grandpa was also a politician.
He used to go down to Olympia all the time.
We went to Rosalee.
And he used to have his
kids (unaudible)... with the Democrat Party.
There's a lot more he has to help organize
the Urban League, getting a billionaire at
Macy's to help put
the Urban League together.
Any other questions? -That's beautiful.
That's a history making history.
And I appreciate the family helping
the community keep the legacy alive.
We keep the legacy alive.
Thank you very much.
I'm going to count down if there's no questions.
Three, two, One Seattle.
Thank you very much.