YouthCAN

*insert your local jail here* #freethemall. To learn more about abolition and mutual care based in the area, check out @laresistencianw @nnyjcoalition @tsuruforsolidarity and @decrimseattle on instagram.

Under the rules of thermal expansion, materials will group closer together in a cold environment, similar to how the “cold shoulder” from our government has prompted us to unite as one force fighting for justice. Only together under this figurative cold environment we’re enduring is when we will be able to overwhelm the foundation that governs us and change it for the better. Consider checking out @defundspd and @forfortytwo for information on getting involved with a community aiming to dismantle oppressive forces and investing in the community!

“Unity and victory are synonymous,” Samora Machel (First president of Mozambique, politician, revolutionist). The Black Lives Matter movement should include more than just Black people fighting for their own lives; it has to include people from all different races and ethnicities coming together to fight for Black lives. I wanted my piece to really emphasize the importance of unity and strength during this time.

Educate yourself on the dangers of false accusations by checking out these helpful links to learn more about #LivingWhileBlack.

Educate yourself on the dangers of false accusations by checking out these helpful links to learn more about #LivingWhileBlack.

Enough is enough. Henry’s piece calls attention to the demands of community to defund SPD by at least 50% and re-allocate funds to community-led health and safety systems. To learn how to get involved, go to decriminalizeseattle.com/takeactionnow.

I am trying to encourage people to sign petitions and donate money to help black families and friends receive justice for their loved ones who were killed by an unjust system.

This poster celebrates the power of youth-led organizing. Youth Undoing Institutional Racism (@yuir_seattle) has been doing amazing work in the community for years. Go check them out and buy their zine!

Inspired by the third demand from @decrimseattle “Release protestors arrested during this uprising without charges.” To learn how to get involved, go to decriminalizeseattle.com/takeactionnow.

Elijah Suarez (he/him)
Watercolor Paint & Ink Pen

My piece embodies a landmark that represents the International District, a community that helped shape an important part of my identity and is a constant source of motivation for my passion in art and making positive change. Inspired by the apparent prejudice towards Asian Americans that has become the root of not only violence actions, but a drop in support for Asian owned businesses as well, my piece depicts the Historic Chinatown Gate, displaying an important message in a time like this. With the credit due to Meilani Mandery for mentioning the idea of painting the Chinatown Gate, I wanted to combine an unforgettable landmark with a message that should not never be forgotten. Not only does the intention of this message apply just to Asian Americans, but for every community of color that has become blamed upon for negative events that have occurred in the US. A visual element in this piece that I would like to point out is the lack of my usual perfectionism tendencies being applied. The subject itself lacks symmetry, the paint work goes outside of the lines in certain parts, and even the lines are far from perfection that I would usually strive for. This decision is a reflection of something that many people, including myself, are dealing with due to this quarantine we have all been experiencing. Ever since this quarantine has started, I have felt displaced and unmotivated in many aspects. My motivation and effort to do schoolwork and even make art has significantly dropped, and the amount of work that my school district has decided to bring upon us has contributed to this “slump” that I am in, so I wanted to reflect that messy energy and feeling of low quality into this piece, but doing so had helped me in the process of healing in this unprecedented time.

Emmy Sung (she/her)
Animated video to Conan Gray’s song, “Online Love”

Click to watch!

Henry Jensen
Series of ensembles

In the new realm of storytelling through Fashion and Motion was a new medium for me. For me, fashion is something casual and simple. In my everyday life, my comfort through clothing is a pair of rip jeans, hoodie, and white shoes. Through YouthCAN, I learned how to weave deeper into the meaning of fashion and how it tells a story. Through the story of my clothing, I am a shy, curious, and caring friend. I love helping those in need and having a broader understanding of my surroundings. During this project, I learned how fashion and motion tell a message, how we see beauty and weakness, and how those concepts told our story. In these images, I wanted to go outside my comfort zone but still go casual. I love Billie Eilish so I had to put her in my garb. The long silk black garment and white shirt give me a sense of freedom; how the silk flows. And last but not least, the leather jacket gives me the comfort and warmth in my display of fashion. Through this session, fashion and motion gave me the opportunity to expand my thinking of fashion but still feel freedom and comfort inside. Through our emotions and actions, I believe that our fashion will help us through rough times and get us passed the rough times.

Meilani Mandery
Mixed media

YouthCAN meets in Wing Luke Community Hall

Teaching Artist Alexis L. Silva coordinates movement and performance exercises.

Students participate in a movement exercise, paired up and maintaining eye contact with one another while constantly in motion throughout the Community Hall.

Students participate in a movement exercise, paired up and maintaining eye contact with one another while constantly in motion throughout the Community Hall.

Students study and interact with garments from the Wing Luke Collection.

Students study and interact with garments from the Wing Luke Collection.

Students study and interact with garments from the Wing Luke Collection.

Students study and interact with garments from the Wing Luke Collection.

YouthCAN visits the Danny Woo Community Garden.

YouthCAN Student Lead, Diego Binuya, shares the history of the Danny Woo Community Garden.

YouthCAN visits the Danny Woo Community Garden.

Students visit Where Lies Beauty exhibit at the Wing Luke.

A performance exercise using a spotlight to create a performative space.

Charisse Vales (She/Her/Hers)
Photoshop, plexi-glass, paint markers

Growing up, I’ve always seen beautiful and worthy in a certain way I never was and will be. The pressure of me into fitting a mold of a “pristine child” tore up my self esteem and the way I viewed myself. With that, I wanted my piece to reflect my perception of where my self-worth derives from in comparison to what I grew up with.

Born and raised in Seattle, Washington by two Filipino immigrants, I grew up always with a passion for the arts. Whether it was music, illustration, film, etc; I appreciated it all. Art was a way for me to express emotion, give life to my little thoughts and bursts of ideas, and to simply have fun. I mainly work with paints (oil and watercolor) but this fall session I was able to dive deeper into many other fields. From this all, I took away with much more of an understanding of film photography, working with digital art programs, my body, myself, and I am truly thankful to have been apart of this whole journey this fall and winter.

Ronan Kang-O’Higgins (He/Him/His)
Mixed media

Sharice Lee (She/Her/Hers)
Artificial flowers, acrylic paint, paper

Flowers are a lot like people: they sprout, they flourish, and then they wilt. However, one of the most important things about them is that they grow. The characters upon my piece mean growth, It takes a while for anyone to finally bloom, and each type of flower or person takes a different time to grow. So, in the end, we're all growing, and it's ok not to advance at the same rate that others are. Though marigolds grow fast and puya raimondiis grow slow, they're both beautiful in the end.

Oisin Kang-O’Higgins (He/Him/His)
Paper, glue, wood

Eden Fenta (She/Her/Hers)
Magazine clipping, acrylic paint, pen

My final art piece called, "Beauty from within and out" is pretty self explanatory from a first glance. It's basically going more in depth with the fact that I am my own person and that I should love and accept the way I am cause I can't change it. With that, this collage came about and visually captured the essence of both beauty from inside and out. All in all, I had a great time working on it and learning more about myself throughout this YouthCan session.

Henry Jensen, (He/Him/His)
Photograph with post-processing in Photoshop

In my life, I haven’t had the chance to look back and see how I got here today. Participating in YouthCan in the project “Body Sovereignty” gave me the opportunity to find who I am as a human being. I was born in Vietnam on March 14, 2003, in which I started my life knowing that I would be a part of someone’s life. I lived in an orphanage for 4 years with 2 of my best friends AKA my brothers. In my 4th year, I hear that I’m going to be adopted by a new family in America. I begin my life knowing that I was going to live in a new world that would change my whole vision of life. Speaking English was difficult because I spoke Vietnamese. But I made so many new friends and family that I felt welcomed and happy. As I entered middle school, I began to like someone, I am the “Romance Guy” and I am not regretting it. Finding friends was a piece of cake and I love being with them because they help me stay positive even if it’s a bad day. I feel that a part of my life is so good because I have people around me that I can feel myself. I graduate from middle school and move on to high school. Going to Summit Sierra was a smooth transition. Meeting my friends at Summit was a blessing and will be cherished for the rest of my life.

As I look back at my life, with this image of myself looking out of a window, I define this as “Dreams” which means having the chance to see outside a window, gives me a vision of what life will be like. The first quote, “I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I can make a change in our world,” means I am always doing something to make my life and my world a better place. With the passion to help our world out, I believe that I can make an impact. The second quote, “The secret to happiness is freedom. When you have freedom, you find the gift of Loving yourself,” means that giving the chance to find freedom within yourself, you find that the best thing you have is loving yourself. As I love myself, I feel more myself, and as I feel myself, I can be my best for anyone or anything. In my life, from the beginning, I feel that all I need to do is to love myself and be myself in order to be my best in the world.

Diego Binuya (They/Them/Siya)
Ink on selvedge, photo emulsion on silk screen

On September 22nd, 1972 with the proclamation of executive order 1081, the nation of the Philippines was placed under total martial law by the US-backed dictator Ferdinand Marcos. For 14 years, the people of the archipelago lived under the looming threat of media censorship, the constant disappearances of friends and loved ones, and even extra judicial murder carried out by the state. In response to the atrocities being carried out by the Marcos regime, people all over the country and all over the world rose up in resistance through both legal and extralegal means. On February 22nd, 1986 millions of people from every level of society took to the streets of Metro Manila to demand the ouster of President Marcos and an end to the system that allowed him to thrive. A culmination of decades of anti-imperialist movement building, the People Power Revolution of 1986 was successfully able to push out a fascist dictator and served as a beacon of victory for revolutionary movements all across the globe.

We often think of the self in relation to our own individuality. While the importance of reflection on what makes each one of us unique goes unsaid, we can so easily look over how we build our perception of who we are from our relationships to the people around us. To accept yourself as part of larger collective is in itself a revolutionary act of taking back sovereignty over your identity from a system that seeks to make you feel alone.

While looking at an image captured during the peak of the People Power Uprising, Binuya offers viewers to reflect on their own relationship to mass movement and collective struggle.

Halle Kristina (She/Her/Hers)
Mirrors, clay, and aluminum foil

My work represents how we can only see the front of us when looking straight on at a mirror, we can't see the back at all. I want people to look at the top and bottom mirrors looking at themselves, then look at the middle. The middle represents how we can see what's hidden from the front, how we can only see what we want to see.

Caranina (They/Them/Theirs)
Wood, spray paint, acrylic paint, wire, paper

Sites present in this piece includes Viet Wah, Hau Hau Market, Canton Wonton House, and the Historic Chinatown Gate. These sites hold the stories of many Asian immigrants who have worked hard to maintain culture. This ranges from food, to community, art, architecture, and much more.

This piece, titled 'MAMA', is about my childhood memories of bussing around with my grandma in Chinatown. The two rotating blocks signifies our travels, as well as time and seasons passing. The mirrors let viewers see themselves in each site to think about their memories of the sites and what significance it may hold to them.

Caranina is a Filipino and Vietnamese artist based in Seattle. The medium they work with most is watercolor and acrylic paint.

Caranina (They/Them/Theirs)
Wood, spray paint, acrylic paint, wire, paper

Sites present in this piece includes Viet Wah, Hau Hau Market, Canton Wonton House, and the Historic Chinatown Gate. These sites hold the stories of many Asian immigrants who have worked hard to maintain culture. This ranges from food, to community, art, architecture, and much more.

This piece, titled 'MAMA', is about my childhood memories of bussing around with my grandma in Chinatown. The two rotating blocks signifies our travels, as well as time and seasons passing. The mirrors let viewers see themselves in each site to think about their memories of the sites and what significance it may hold to them.

Caranina is a Filipino and Vietnamese artist based in Seattle. The medium they work with most is watercolor and acrylic paint.

Caranina (They/Them/Theirs)
Wood, spray paint, acrylic paint, wire, paper

Sites present in this piece includes Viet Wah, Hau Hau Market, Canton Wonton House, and the Historic Chinatown Gate. These sites hold the stories of many Asian immigrants who have worked hard to maintain culture. This ranges from food, to community, art, architecture, and much more.

This piece, titled 'MAMA', is about my childhood memories of bussing around with my grandma in Chinatown. The two rotating blocks signifies our travels, as well as time and seasons passing. The mirrors let viewers see themselves in each site to think about their memories of the sites and what significance it may hold to them.

Caranina is a Filipino and Vietnamese artist based in Seattle. The medium they work with most is watercolor and acrylic paint.

Caranina (They/Them/Theirs)
Wood, spray paint, acrylic paint, wire, paper

Sites present in this piece includes Viet Wah, Hau Hau Market, Canton Wonton House, and the Historic Chinatown Gate. These sites hold the stories of many Asian immigrants who have worked hard to maintain culture. This ranges from food, to community, art, architecture, and much more.

This piece, titled 'MAMA', is about my childhood memories of bussing around with my grandma in Chinatown. The two rotating blocks signifies our travels, as well as time and seasons passing. The mirrors let viewers see themselves in each site to think about their memories of the sites and what significance it may hold to them.

Caranina is a Filipino and Vietnamese artist based in Seattle. The medium they work with most is watercolor and acrylic paint.

Diego Binuya (They/Them/Siya)
Sardine Cans, Wooden Board, Paper, Wheat Paste

The broken-down building at 213 S Main Street on the corner of 2nd and Main in Pioneer Square feels stagnant, like a lost can of food that’s had its label stolen off of it. The structure, now covered in public art and graffiti, with broken windows and boarded up entrances, is now entirely shut off from the outside world and surrounding community. This place has been forgotten. With an absence of any sort of placard or labeling, what a passerby would never be able realize about the site is that behind the three decades of neglect and isolation lives a vibrant and powerful history, demanding to be heard.

Built in 1900 the building is best known as being the headquarters for the International Longshore Workers Union (ILWU) Local 37 chapter. A uniting force for the predominantly Filipino American migrant laborers who had been working under heinous conditions in the canneries all along the Pacific Northwest, ILWU served as a hub for building people power and collective action among the workers. The organizing coming out of Local 37 served as such a threat to the bourgeoisie and boss classes of both the United States and the Philippines that the union workers themselves were targeted, and on June 1st, 1981, Gene Viernes and Silme Domingo, two young leaders in the union, were shot and murdered in front of the building by a motorcycle assassin, hired by the Marcos regime. Horrified by the killing of their friends and comrades, members of the community would call to “turn our anguish into anger” and would eventually find the dictatorial Marcos government of the Philippines guilty in international court, shining a public light on the human rights atrocities occurring under Martial Law.

Backed by a satire of the bright and happy advertisements created by the rampant capitalism of the late 1950’s, the true product of those factories is flaunted in the same way. Much like the fish that the members of Local 37 spent dangerously packaging in the canneries, the stories and memories of the workers and the people who moved through that building sit preserved on the front of the cans. The intention behind this project is to take the legacy, narratives, and memories of the ILWU Local 37 union hall, and to give a name to something that’s been made nameless; to relabel the unknown can.

Diego Binuya is a local young Filipino artist and activist who seeks to build the communities that only feel possible in dreams. Diego loves using art as a way to reimagine what it means to be themselves and what it means to be in revolution with one another and would love to make art with anyone who’s interested! Find more of them and their work on instagram @taroubes

Diego Binuya (They/Them/Siya)
Sardine Cans, Wooden Board, Paper, Wheat Paste

The broken-down building at 213 S Main Street on the corner of 2nd and Main in Pioneer Square feels stagnant, like a lost can of food that’s had its label stolen off of it. The structure, now covered in public art and graffiti, with broken windows and boarded up entrances, is now entirely shut off from the outside world and surrounding community. This place has been forgotten. With an absence of any sort of placard or labeling, what a passerby would never be able realize about the site is that behind the three decades of neglect and isolation lives a vibrant and powerful history, demanding to be heard.

Built in 1900 the building is best known as being the headquarters for the International Longshore Workers Union (ILWU) Local 37 chapter. A uniting force for the predominantly Filipino American migrant laborers who had been working under heinous conditions in the canneries all along the Pacific Northwest, ILWU served as a hub for building people power and collective action among the workers. The organizing coming out of Local 37 served as such a threat to the bourgeoisie and boss classes of both the United States and the Philippines that the union workers themselves were targeted, and on June 1st, 1981, Gene Viernes and Silme Domingo, two young leaders in the union, were shot and murdered in front of the building by a motorcycle assassin, hired by the Marcos regime. Horrified by the killing of their friends and comrades, members of the community would call to “turn our anguish into anger” and would eventually find the dictatorial Marcos government of the Philippines guilty in international court, shining a public light on the human rights atrocities occurring under Martial Law.

Backed by a satire of the bright and happy advertisements created by the rampant capitalism of the late 1950’s, the true product of those factories is flaunted in the same way. Much like the fish that the members of Local 37 spent dangerously packaging in the canneries, the stories and memories of the workers and the people who moved through that building sit preserved on the front of the cans. The intention behind this project is to take the legacy, narratives, and memories of the ILWU Local 37 union hall, and to give a name to something that’s been made nameless; to relabel the unknown can.

Diego Binuya is a local young Filipino artist and activist who seeks to build the communities that only feel possible in dreams. Diego loves using art as a way to reimagine what it means to be themselves and what it means to be in revolution with one another and would love to make art with anyone who’s interested! Find more of them and their work on instagram @taroubes

Diego Binuya (They/Them/Siya)
Sardine Cans, Wooden Board, Paper, Wheat Paste

The broken-down building at 213 S Main Street on the corner of 2nd and Main in Pioneer Square feels stagnant, like a lost can of food that’s had its label stolen off of it. The structure, now covered in public art and graffiti, with broken windows and boarded up entrances, is now entirely shut off from the outside world and surrounding community. This place has been forgotten. With an absence of any sort of placard or labeling, what a passerby would never be able realize about the site is that behind the three decades of neglect and isolation lives a vibrant and powerful history, demanding to be heard.

Built in 1900 the building is best known as being the headquarters for the International Longshore Workers Union (ILWU) Local 37 chapter. A uniting force for the predominantly Filipino American migrant laborers who had been working under heinous conditions in the canneries all along the Pacific Northwest, ILWU served as a hub for building people power and collective action among the workers. The organizing coming out of Local 37 served as such a threat to the bourgeoisie and boss classes of both the United States and the Philippines that the union workers themselves were targeted, and on June 1st, 1981, Gene Viernes and Silme Domingo, two young leaders in the union, were shot and murdered in front of the building by a motorcycle assassin, hired by the Marcos regime. Horrified by the killing of their friends and comrades, members of the community would call to “turn our anguish into anger” and would eventually find the dictatorial Marcos government of the Philippines guilty in international court, shining a public light on the human rights atrocities occurring under Martial Law.

Backed by a satire of the bright and happy advertisements created by the rampant capitalism of the late 1950’s, the true product of those factories is flaunted in the same way. Much like the fish that the members of Local 37 spent dangerously packaging in the canneries, the stories and memories of the workers and the people who moved through that building sit preserved on the front of the cans. The intention behind this project is to take the legacy, narratives, and memories of the ILWU Local 37 union hall, and to give a name to something that’s been made nameless; to relabel the unknown can.

Diego Binuya is a local young Filipino artist and activist who seeks to build the communities that only feel possible in dreams. Diego loves using art as a way to reimagine what it means to be themselves and what it means to be in revolution with one another and would love to make art with anyone who’s interested! Find more of them and their work on instagram @taroubes

Oisin Kang-O’Higgins
Paper, wood, paint

What historical events and/or individuals are present at the site?

Well the site was originally my grandparents' home. It’s where my family has spent most of our winters since I was born. I wanted this piece to mainly be about memories I have had while growing up, so I tried to make the setting somewhere important to me. This is where the figures tie in to the piece. Some of my earliest memories always involve martial arts and specifically my dad showing me Jeet Kune Do. The figures in the piece are silhouettes of Bruce Lee (on the right), and Taky Kimura (on the left). My father trained with Taky and when I was smaller, he always showed me techniques. Martial arts are one of the things I was raised around and it has become a very important memory to me, that is why I combined both these memories into one piece.

What characteristics of these sites bring out these stories?

There aren’t many defining characteristics of the setting. I mean, my grandparents live in a small, relatively suburban, and relatively common house. It really holds no specific cultural value, the value it holds is mainly sentimental to me and my family.

Does this site hold cultural meaning? Does this site embody difficult stories?

Apart from the fact that my grandparents are first generation immigrants, there is no major cultural significance to the site, but this house holds the story of my childhood and the journey that my parents and grandparents accomplished to be here now.

What role does this site play in the life of the community today?

I would probably say that the community surrounding the sites is mainly my immediate and extended family. It’s where our family gathers every year for both Christmas and New Year's. For as long as I can remember we’ve gathered there for holidays and in my eyes, it holds that memory.

Elijah Suarez (he/him/his)
Denim, Acrylic Paint

The site I chose was Tai Tung, a restaurant located in the International District. It is the oldest remaining Chinese restaurant in the International District so it holds a lot of culture and history since its origin in 1935.

One significant aspect of the site is the role it held within the history and development of the API community within the International District. It was a source of employment for many migrant workers from Asia, and with that employment would give them opportunities to work for a better, new life in the ever-developing United States of America. This aspect in particular holds a lot of value in my family’s history. This is because my grandfather was employed at Tai Tung after migrating here from the Philippines, making the sacrifice to migrate and working to provide for my grandmother, mother, and aunt. My mother stops by the restaurant from time to time to pick up food, and last time she went, she mentioned that they still remember my grandfather who worked there. The restaurant itself seems to take pride in its history, with the interior containing many of the same elements it had since its early years, such as the counter, cash register, even the walls.

I am a Filipino-American High School Senior originally from Seattle, Washington but now living in Kent. My two biggest passions are film and fashion, and I am pursuing a career within the film industry once I graduate from high school.

Carmina Cura (She/Her)
Paper, tape, plastic, wood sticks and cardboard

The building I chose for this project is the Island Pacific Seafood Market located just in south Seattle on Martin Luther King Jr. way (Graham street). This building is historic because of its community. For some who may not know, this is Filipino supermarket that has been shut down for over a year now when it closed in April of 2018. Because of rent increases, many believe that this was the reason for its shutdown, but many know of it as “to consolidate operations and drive more efficiencies”. Which can mean that closing down this building needed to fit the satisfaction for its customers but that it also affects many communities surrounding the area and the business itself.

Some of the things that this site brings out are the Filipino characteristics of it such as the food, the environment feel of the market, and the distinct features of being in that space that reminds them of home. This site holds a strong cultural meaning because of the nostalgia of the place. I think that when people come visit or past by this site, it definitely brings back so many memories or even just feelings of remembrance and some may feel like they had a sense of belonging at the site when it was open. I believe this site does somewhat embody difficult stories because it may feel like some communities are displaced, excluded, and that they have lost a sense of home and community. The impact of this site shutting down affects many people of color surrounding the area because of the lack of access they get. Some people may have trouble finding a way to get their groceries or even a place of belonging. Many problems such as transportation, commute time, and their physical and psychological health can and will affect them.

I was born and raised in Seattle but also lived in the Philippines for several years when I was younger with my sister. We were sent to live with my mom’s side of the family and learned so much about our culture and our background. I will be in college soon and I’m so excited! I wanted to take classes related to architecture and health because I thought those two fields are really cool.

Charisse Vales (she/her/hers)
Acrylic on Canvas

My father’s uncle was a fisherman who resided in Alaska since the early 1960’s. I wanted to show a representation of my grand uncle’s story, the struggles he faced as he lived in the US, and who he was.

He was an avid photographer and had a huge appreciation for film. With that, I painted a film canister to show what his true passion was and what he enjoyed doing in his spare time. Inside it, I drew the NP Hotel in Seattle because when he wouldn’t be working, he would reside there and found it to be like a home away from his actual home in the Philippines. With his passing, I couldn’t really get to know him but I continued with investigating my family’s history through the things and stories he would tell to my dad and his siblings. Inside the film canister were some things I thought really represented him. Such as, him being known for his shiny shoes, teaching himself English (shown through books and textbooks), and his camera (being a prized possession of his). All in all, I hope to shed more light about his life and his personal experiences.

I was born and raised in Seattle and have always had a passion for drawing. Ever since I could pick up a crayon or pencil, I would immediately draw whatever I would think of. Regardless, if it made any complete sense. I have always been a creative thinker and imaginative kid. With that, I hope to use that skill for the better and put work out that can express emotion and hidden stories.

Charisse Vales (she/her/hers)
Acrylic on Canvas

My father’s uncle was a fisherman who resided in Alaska since the early 1960’s. I wanted to show a representation of my grand uncle’s story, the struggles he faced as he lived in the US, and who he was.

He was an avid photographer and had a huge appreciation for film. With that, I painted a film canister to show what his true passion was and what he enjoyed doing in his spare time. Inside it, I drew the NP Hotel in Seattle because when he wouldn’t be working, he would reside there and found it to be like a home away from his actual home in the Philippines. With his passing, I couldn’t really get to know him but I continued with investigating my family’s history through the things and stories he would tell to my dad and his siblings. Inside the film canister were some things I thought really represented him. Such as, him being known for his shiny shoes, teaching himself English (shown through books and textbooks), and his camera (being a prized possession of his). All in all, I hope to shed more light about his life and his personal experiences.

I was born and raised in Seattle and have always had a passion for drawing. Ever since I could pick up a crayon or pencil, I would immediately draw whatever I would think of. Regardless, if it made any complete sense. I have always been a creative thinker and imaginative kid. With that, I hope to use that skill for the better and put work out that can express emotion and hidden stories.

Madelyn Sung (she/her/hers)
Poster board, charcoal pencils

My piece is based on the Panama Hotel. My idea was to make the charcoal drawing resemble a photograph taken of the hotel the day before the Japanese Internment Camps were announced. Many of the Japanese left their belongings at the Panama Hotel before being forced into internment camps. Some of their items are still present at the site today because they were unable to come back for them once World War II ended.

The Panama Hotel is still standing today and has a glass pane in the floor of the building for visitors to see the belongings that are still in the basement. These items hold cultural value as most of the things left behind were family heirlooms or held value. Today, we can use these pieces are even more valuable as they allow us to step into the past. Overall, the building and possessions are a reminder to us of the pain and suffering the Japanese experienced throughout the internment camps.

I’m a freshman attending Mercer Island High school. Culturally, my family is Korean but recently my family found out that we are also half Japanese. I am the second of four girls and am third generation. This year was my first time attending the YouthCAN summer program.

Madelyn Sung (she/her/hers)
Poster board, charcoal pencils

My piece is based on the Panama Hotel. My idea was to make the charcoal drawing resemble a photograph taken of the hotel the day before the Japanese Internment Camps were announced. Many of the Japanese left their belongings at the Panama Hotel before being forced into internment camps. Some of their items are still present at the site today because they were unable to come back for them once World War II ended.

The Panama Hotel is still standing today and has a glass pane in the floor of the building for visitors to see the belongings that are still in the basement. These items hold cultural value as most of the things left behind were family heirlooms or held value. Today, we can use these pieces are even more valuable as they allow us to step into the past. Overall, the building and possessions are a reminder to us of the pain and suffering the Japanese experienced throughout the internment camps.

I’m a freshman attending Mercer Island High school. Culturally, my family is Korean but recently my family found out that we are also half Japanese. I am the second of four girls and am third generation. This year was my first time attending the YouthCAN summer program.

Henry Jensen (he/him)
Pens, paper, colored pencils

In this drawing of the Space Needle, it gave me the feeling of why the structure was made. In 1959, Seattle hotel executive Edward E. Carlson, who was a chief organizer of the 1962 World’s Fair, traveled to Stuttgart Germany where he was inspired by a broadcast tower featuring a restaurant. He doodled an idea of a dominant central structure for the fair on a napkin in a hotel café convinced that such a tower could make a permanent centerpiece for the fair and an enduring symbol for Seattle. He called it a “Space Needle.” The Space Needle would add an additional tourist attraction during the Seattle World’s Fair during the dates of Apr 21, 1962 – Oct 21, 1962. The yellow represents the past as communities of all races and looks grow stronger as the blue is the path of a stronger community. The Seattle World’s Fair gives me the connection of community. Community is a group of people that come together to celebrate, learn and fight for what’s right. For me, the community gives me comfort, to let all the stress and negative thoughts away. Everyone needs somewhere that they can feel themselves. Here, when I am looking up at the Space Needle, I feel lucky and blessed to live in Seattle, WA. My old home is across the “pond” in Vietnam. I love it but the Space Needle for me resembles “coming together.” That’s what I need. I never knew that a building could tell me a trajectory in life. The Space Needle is my happy place, the place I can go to turn that frown upside-down. The Seattle Space Needle has changed my life in many ways like being myself, having the courage to do something that I thought I couldn't do, always hoping, never giving up, be loving, giving love, thinking smarter, and last but not least creating a community that everyone can come to for support.

During my life, I’ve created so many special moments that made me a happy person. I found myself to love dancing and making art in my free time. Art and dance gave me the opportunity to use my mind and think of it or do it. Continuing to find these opportunities helps me be a better me.