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Life in the 253

Podcast: Talking Alma Mater Tacoma with Rachel Ervin and Aaron Spiro 04/16/2018

Podcast: Talking Alma Mater Tacoma with Rachel Ervin and Aaron Spiro Rachel Ervin moved to Tacoma in 2007. She resided in Seattle before that for 3.5 years but moved to Tacoma because she had a baby and couldn’t handle living on First Hill. She currently lives with her husband and children in a split level in the West End, which attracted her due to the late 60’s architecture and suburban vibe. If Aaron Spiro uses the term,“the other day” it could mean yesterday or years ago, due to his self-proclaimed, “no sense of time.” That said, He was born and raised in Seattle and moved to Tacoma about 13 years ago. Though they had driven through many a time, dreading the reputed Tacoma Aroma, they came to visit once, viewed the cityscape from the 705, noshed on Thai food at Wild Orchid and were sold. Spiro currently resides in the North End. 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. /episode/index/show/movetotacoma/id/6488221

Washington State Historical Society with Mary Mikel Stump 03/19/2018

Washington State Historical Society with Mary Mikel Stump While history hounds are in the know, many may wonder what’s the difference between the Tacoma Historical Society and the Washington State Historical Society. Mary Mikel Stump clarifies that the WSHS is a parent agency and was founded in the late 1800’s. She reveals that the epic looking brick building in the Stadium District that plays as home base is not a secret spy agency as Marguerite has often suspected. (haha!) As Director of Audience Engagement, Stump says, “As a non-profit and a state agency we look to see how the history of the state of Washington connects us all.” She also discusses the very reasonably priced annual membership and perks. She laughs when talking about the abundance of 4th and 6th graders that visit the museum but assures listeners, “there’s a lot to do in-between.” And she reflects on how people connect with objects on display and the stories contained within those objects. Stump and her husband, who works with Metro Parks, live in a lovely older home in Tacoma’s North End. She says, “We had an antique house in Texas, it’s not a house, it’s a lifestyle. I kept gravitating to old houses here with walkable neighborhoods and the North End has so much to offer.” Marguerite’s skydiving experience takes her down the DB Cooper rabbit hole since she missed the recent DB Cooper exhibit and MaryMikel tells us about some past and upcoming special themed gatherings and exhibits including spotlights on Bigfoot, UFOs, McNeil Island and even mountaineering. The permanent exhibit includes a Great Hall of WA history with factoids about the why, the who and the how as well as details about industry, natural resources, the Depression, logging, maritime and more. The current temporary exhibit is Toytopia and is available to view until June 10th. This isn’t your average museum experience, there’s a big screen playable version of Oregon Trail (this actually was in Press Play, a one-time event that was a History After Hours. Oregon Trail isn’t in the exhibits). And you can journey through the nostalgia at any age with toys from all generations! Also, worth checking out are the regular 21+ “History After Hours” gatherings, which include beer! (yes, IN the museum). /episode/index/show/movetotacoma/id/6382456

Episode 70: Dean Burke: Tacoma and the Sea 02/13/2018

Episode 70: Dean Burke: Tacoma and the Sea Dean Burke comes on the podcast to talk about how all Tacoma's can have a closer connection to the sea. Dean is the Executive Director of the Tacoma South Sound Sports Commission. He left the Texas Gulf Coast for Tacoma’s North End 23 years ago. Marguerite spent some time on the water with Burke for and sings it’s praises as a transformative experience. Burke’s dialogue about the Pacific Northwest landscape is both informative and poetic. They talk about the connectivity to the sea and the increase in the community’s increased desire to strengthen that relationship by renting or purchasing paddleboards, kayaks and more. Burke can rattle off a plethora of resources for those looking for outlets including the best and easiest places to rent gear and local groups that provide a team environment with more of a club opportunity. In short, there are lots of opportunities to get our body in the water. What is the and what do they do? Burke lays it all out for listeners and goes on to speak on how the shoreline is an asset for sports development. Dean finds importance and value in referring to the Puget Sound as the Salish Sea. While Puget Sound is an excellent way to refer to the neighborhood or section of the Salish Sea we reside in. The two touch on advocating for the sea. Tacoma is on a rebound from severe damage that was done to our shoreline. While there has been some positive shifts with the eco system, it’s still a work in progress. Biggest thing that Burke champions for is getting people to cross that threshold from land to water and what you do next is up to you. Burke is super stoked about an event in June called . Inspired by the Race to Alaska, the Seventy48 is a man powered race from the Museum of Glass to Port Townsend. 70 miles, 48 hours, no sails, no support. It’s a historical moment for Tacoma, the race is starting at the Foss Waterway, the first EPA’s first superfund site. There will be a huge kick off party too. Burke says, “The human spirit and determination and will, there’s some beautiful stuff comes out of this.” /episode/index/show/movetotacoma/id/6253956

Episode 069: Forest Beutel & The Tacoma Music Scene 02/05/2018

Episode 069: Forest Beutel & The Tacoma Music Scene Punk Rock, Punches & Puget Sound: Before moving to Tacoma 10 years ago, Forest was a drummer for various punk rock bands and was deep into the rock n roll scene in Rhode Island. Somewhere in there he spent some time as a competitive boxer, which as he put it, “was the first step in improving his life.” After applying to universities in the Pacific Northwest, he made it to the University of Puget Sound where he earned a Bachelor’s degree, as a Psychology major. Banjo and Bluegrass: A 1991 Toyota Camry was the sweet chariot of transportation that delivered Forest to Tacoma and since the drum kit didn’t fit in the backseat, Forest’s grandpa gifted him with a banjo which serendipitously led to his involvement with the Tacoma Bluegrass Band "Barley Wine Review". He later went on to found the Rusty Cleavers and release solo albums. The Tacoma Music Scene: Forest talks about how the blue grass and country music scene in Tacoma seems to ebb and flow in ways that are healthy. Plus, he talks about the abundance of live music venues and dishes what aspects are the most valuable for performers in building a relationship with venues and supporting good shows. Consumate Hustler: As a performer you gotta work that hustle. Beutel says social media and a strong web presence is crucial. On top of working the promo gig, he manages booking, website, Instagram, YouTube updates and more. In 2018, Forest is committed to releasing a new song every week on YouTube which will include both covers and original songs. SUPPORT: Marguerite poses the question, “what can we do to be better fans?” and Forest answers, “Pay the cover charge. There’s a ton that goes on that’s not the 45 minutes on stage. It’s a gift we share but it’s work.” He also talks about merch, the tip jar and more. Tacoma Love: Indulge in 12 singer-songwriters of various genres rocking out on February 10 for the Tacoma Love event. /episode/index/show/movetotacoma/id/6227075

2018: What's Next for Move to Tacoma? 01/05/2018

Najahmoniq Todd and Del Brown of Mirrorgloss 12/17/2017

*Bonus Episode* Nerd Farmer Nate Bowling Interviews Derek M Young 04/18/2017

Announcing Nate Bowling's New Podcast: Nerd Farmer 04/10/2017

Tacoma's Growth and Economic Development with Ricardo Noguera from The City of Tacoma 03/30/2017

Tacoma's Growth and Economic Development with Ricardo Noguera from The City of Tacoma Ricardo says there are three main goals for an Economic Development Director: business retention, attraction, and expansion. "You're looking to grow the industry you have and grow jobs, and at the same time attract new industry and grow the economy... The goal is also to attract investment." Developing Tacoma "When I first came here that's what I looked at," says Ricardo. "I looked at who the key revenue generators are and the employers. So when I go into a community I identify whose generating the revenue and supporting the tax base, where the jobs are being created, and where are the services for the community." Ricardo shares how they work to attract new money into the community and grow the economy for the people who live and work here in Tacoma. He candidly shares what he sees as Tacoma's strengths and also what he sees as our challenges. Commercial Development One of the challenges Tacoma has in attracting new companies to downtown is our lack of class A office space. Since it costs the same to build a commercial building in Seattle or Bellevue as it does in Tacoma- but the rents are twice as high- Tacoma has had a challenge attracting developers to build new commercial space. Currently they're working with state to develop an tax incentive program. While it sometimes feels like we have a lot of vacant space downtown, there are actually a limited number of places someone could develop a skyscraper and new offices. Ricardo says he looks at all surface parking lots as a development opportunity. A big part of his focus is encouraging owners of those lots to develop those lots into street level retail with residential above. Tech Firms Ricardo thinks Tacoma is an ideal place for tech firms to relocate. Local firms like Cloud Power, Red Quarry, Acumula, and more already call Tacoma home. Creating a pipeline of students from the University of Washington Tacoma to support these businesses will help attract more to the area. Development and Displacement What does Ricardo say to locals who are worried that this development won't help them or will displace them? "A strong economy is a diverse economy," says Ricardo. "You want to have low income, middle class, and wealthy folks. We have thousands of jobs that go unfilled from Multicare, Fransiscan, JBLM... The whole goal there is to lift folks socioeconomics up." According to Ricardo, we don't just want to be a city with low housing costs and low incomes. His feeling is closing the gap in our skills and our education and what employers need will help improve life for everyone in Tacoma and get our unemployment rate down from above 6%. According to Ricardo, the people who live here have to be equipped to take on the jobs employers have to offer. This is a national challenge, not just a Tacoma challenge. That's where we bring in UWT, PLU, and Bates and other schools so that they are equipped to train the young people here in Tacoma to take on the jobs that are in most demand. Skills like coding, software development, medical, biotech, and even light industrial all bring in better wages and more stability. Many manufacturing jobs are not coming back, he says. Those jobs are going to go to robots. We need to train and educate young people to pursue careers that have longevity. He also says community members need to be intentional about mentoring youth and supporting their education. /episode/index/show/movetotacoma/id/5216925

Tacoma's History Part 3 1940's-1950's with historian Michael Sullivan 02/16/2017

Tacoma Transit Enthusiast Chris Karnes 10/18/2016

Washington State Teacher of the Year & Lincoln High School Teacher Nate Bowling 07/26/2016

Washington State Teacher of the Year & Lincoln High School Teacher Nate Bowling Nathan Bowling is a social studies teacher at Lincoln High School on Tacoma's East Side and was born and raised in Tacoma. He has lived in different neighborhoods all over Tacoma. This year, he was honored as Washington's Teacher of the Year and as a finalist for National Teacher of The Year had the opportunity to meet President Obama and Vice president Joe Biden at The White House. Bowling has used his publicity to discuss education, educational policies, race and segregation, politics, and much more. Join us for a conversation about Tacoma and Education that turns into a class on civil rights, government, and fair housing from Mr. Bowling. Show Notes Teaching, Policing, and Community Nate believes that teaching is done best when you're in the community. If you're based in the community the community will respect you and you can interact with the community. Teaching and law enforcement should both come from a place of respect, community, and love. School Leaders Nathan believes that effective educators want to work for great leaders. Nate's theory is If you're a teacher you want to feel respected and have power. Pat Irwin has upgraded the staff at Lincoln High School with every hire and they have continued to get better and better results. Advice for parents on choosing good schools in Tacoma Nathan's advice is whenever you are planning to move somewhere new with children is: 1.Check out what the best schools in the area are that have what you want 2. Decide what area you need to live in for your children to be able to attend one of those schools 3. Go into the school and meet the staff and educators there. Then go look at houses or apartments for sale in that area. 4. Why white flight still causes school segregation and what people can do about it. Lincoln Center Program This program takes students they know that are coming in with gaps and give them extended school days and certain teaching programs to help them succeed and ultimately close those gaps. The program was a success, Lincoln's graduation rate has climbed by 30% in spite of the circumstances of the students being challenging. On Tacoma's East Side Neighborhood "I can walk a block to the most underrated park in the city," says Nate. "I'm within walking distance of a grocery store, of a tienda, of Vuelve a La Vida which is the best mexican food in the city, and also two miles away from Lincoln High School where I work. In the springtime kids know it's spring because Bowling's riding his bike back and forth to work." Who should Move To Tacoma Nate Bowling thinks teachers in Seattle should consider moving to Tacoma. We have a great school district under great leadership and a low cost of living. Links Meeker Middle School Lincoln High School McCleary vs. Washington State Levy Lid Act Bowling Alone Book A Syllabus for Students When Dealing With Law Enforcement Blog post on the Suburbanization of Tacoma /episode/index/show/movetotacoma/id/4544201