For Community, Not Profit
The land is a resource to be shared and cared for; it is life, culture, and community sustaining; it is not for profit.
The land is for healing and transforming the legacies and ongoing impacts of colonization, genocide, racism, capitalism and patriarchy. Land use is prioritized for Indigenous and Black people to repair the ongoing and historic theft and dispossession of Indigenous and Black communities and countless other communities. Land use is for, accessible to, and accountable to communities including Black and Indigenous People of Color, low-income people, immigrants & refugees, people with (dis)abilities, LGBTQ2s+, trans and gender diverse communities.
Community Vision
White Center CDA
White Center CDA formed in 2002 to address a variety of issues affecting the quality of life for White Center residents like affordable housing and small business support. The long-time community organization is building their its first project on 2.8 acres of county-owned vacant land in White Center, which will host 76 units of affordable housing and community space for services, celebrations, and recreation. The White Center Community HUB will create a place of “Hope, Unity, and Belonging,” where working families can find affordable housing along with essential services that nurture their stability and create greater opportunity.
Aaron Garcia
Community Inclusion Manager, White Center CDA
“
From the get go, we were very intentional to make sure that the space would be for our community-building organizations and partners and be a space for community to be together.
• • •
We want this to be a place where smaller community based organizations that can’t afford to have a permanent space can have a home, and have it be accessible. A place where our partners that serve White Center can have a permanent home...have a space for community celebrations so a community hall to be able to celebrate quinces, weddings, baptisms, you name it, a place you can have celebration and ceremony…The community kitchen is going to be a hybrid, residential and commercial—to do [things] like sling tamales, or make baked goods, or do a pop-up market...things that allow you to share in part of your culture and be recognized and be welcome.
• • •
That’s what we’re hoping with the space, it’s going to be this catch all that allows people to create and grow, and go out into the world and be recognized that you belong here.
• • •
We are also trying to figure out how we can do some kind of covenant or land use commitment that if this project is no longer used or public good it is returned to the Duwamish and they can decide what to do next. It can’t just go to a for profit developer.”