Salish Current

Luna Reyna in Salish Current ...

linton Fearon has spent decades using music to foster unity and resilience. “We have to, as people, lean on one another,” he says, reflecting on the importance of community. From his time with The Gladiators to leading the Boogie Brown Band, Fearon’s music continues to spread love and hope. Written by Neisha Gaskins, this article highlights how Black artists in the Pacific Northwest, like Fearon, use their work to navigate identity and push back against societal struggles. Through art, they create powerful expressions of resistance and resilience. Read the full story by Neisha Gaskins at the link below!

The second "Roll A Lot" jiu-jitsu tournament brought together 150 athletes from across the U.S. and Canada in Lynden, Washington, for a day of intense competition and sportsmanship. From young competitors to seasoned veterans, the event highlighted the power of martial arts to unite athletes from both sides of the border. Read the full story by Troy Schultz below.

The "Embodiment" exhibition at Western Washington University showcases artists with disabilities who challenge societal perceptions through art. Featuring performances like Joanna Pawlik’s stair-climbing piece and works by Sharona Franklin and the Papalia brothers, the exhibition explores themes of accessibility, healing, and disability culture. On view through March 22 at the Western Gallery. Read the full story by Catherine Skrzypinski below.

The Port of Bellingham is navigating a tricky balance between growth and community concerns. As it plans to expand cargo traffic and modernize its shipping terminal, locals voice frustrations over environmental and industrial impacts. Read the full story below by Matt Benoit & Sam Fletcher.

Community Voices is an important part of Salish Current’s news room. It’s a category of writing where community members voice concern, hope and critical stories for our times. Today’s article by James Davenport and Mike Morrow questions the role of justice and the social rules that govern it.

Toby Cooper writes in Salish Current ...

As Black History Month comes to a close, Robert Lashley grieves the passing of Roberta Flack. And the changes all around us. “If there is one thing I learned as a Tacoma DJ, critic and writer is that people listen to Black music to survive. Organizing mixes for aunties, bros and homegirls, I understood my mixes were not the mixes to a party as much as a support system to get people through their blues. This is the reason the deaths of its greatest practitioners are met with such a personalized sorrow. People don’t just cry for Marvin, Michael, Donny and Whitney because of their fates, but because they knew fathers who prepared sons for nothing but the graveyard, people who failed to smile away their pain and sisters who suffered because they weren’t allowed to be themselves.” Read the full story by Robert Lashley.

Two Washington state athletes, Sgt. Bianca Hayden and Staff Sgt. Colton Chabot, showcased their strength at the Invictus Games in Vancouver and Whistler, competing in winter adaptive sports for the first time. The event highlighted the power of inclusive sports, honoring veterans’ resilience, while also celebrating Indigenous cultures and the potential of local adaptive sports. With a focus on rehabilitation and camaraderie, the Games proved it’s about more than competition. Read the full story by Catherine Skrzypinski.

Ahmad Hamrah and Tahmia Zalmai, Afghani refugees seeking asylum in Lynden, face uncertainty as they wait to reunite with their 6-month-old daughter, Liyah, while navigating delays in their case. Despite hardships, the couple hopes for a peaceful future in their new community. Read the full story below. https://lnkd.in/gt_Ahd_g