A story-telling project launched by the Edmonds Diversity Commission in conjunction with Communities of Color Coalition.

This Summer the Edmonds Diversity Commission is sponsoring a community story-telling project called “I am Edmonds. This Is My Story.” The purpose of this project is to engage residents, workers, visitors or other with connections to Edmonds in sharing their personal stories of joys, challenges, unique experiences, or other personal reflections about their life in Edmonds. Stories may be in writing, or in the form of video, photographs or other media and may be submitted to a special “I am Edmonds” Facebook page. There the public may both post and view others’ stories. Submissions will be accepted through August 16^th. Then in November the Commission intends to hold a capstone event to share many of the stories, provide for live story-telling, and an address from a keynote speaker. All are encouraged to participate.

A dedicated Facebook page has been set up to receive and host the stories for all to view. The Facebook page can be found here.

Here are the rules (which may also be found at the “About” section of the FB page):

• Written-word entries will be limited to a maximum of 750 words
• Audio or video entries will be limited to a maximum of 3 minutes duration
• Photo essays will be limited to a maximum of 15 photos
• Sculptures, paintings, drawings, etc., may be submitted via video or photo format
• All entries will require at least a first name and surname initial (full names are welcome)
• No obscenities, nude or lewd photos, defamatory remarks about individuals, hate speech, incitement to violence, or threats will be allowed
• All entries will be screened for compliance with these criteria before posting

The Commission intends to host an “I am Edmonds” Capstone Event on Saturday, November 2, 2019, where selected stories will be shared, a keynote speaker will offer remarks, and participants may come together to share their stories.

Public Encouraged to Attend August 8th Meeting at 6:30pm in the City Hall Brackett Room (121 5^th Ave. N)

As a kick-off for the upcoming Downtown Parking Study, the City of Edmonds is hosting a Public Scoping Meeting on Thursday, August 8th at 6:30pm in the Brackett Room on the third floor of City Hall to allow the public the opportunity to offer its early input into the scope of the proposed Downtown Parking Study and what particular issues and concerns should be studied. The Downtown Parking Study will be performed by a transportation consulting firm once City Council approves a contract, scope, and expenditure. “A public scoping meeting is a great opportunity to engage the community early in the formulation of the parking study’s scope in order to ensure a study that best meets the needs and expectations of the public,” stated Edmonds Public Works Director Phil Williams. An online open forum will also run from Friday, July 26th through Monday, August 12th to provide an opportunity for members of the public to offer their input even if they cannot attend the August 8th meeting. The online forum can be found here.

After the conclusion of the public comment opportunity, the City will finalize the Parking Study’s scope, add it to the professional services contract, and seek City Council approval by the end of August. The Study will commence immediately thereafter, with the intention of capturing some of the key Summer weeks in the study period. The Study is intended to analyze baseline conditions, identify opportunities for enhancement, and offer a range of recommendations to ease parking congestion.

For more information about the Downtown Parking Study, feel free to contact Mr. Bertrand Hauss at bertrand.hauss@edmondswa.gov or 425-771-0220 (Extension 1328).