Jonathan Sposato
Publisher’s Note: From Stigma to Science
Seattle is emerging as a leader in using psychedelics for mental health
Right or wrong, psychedelics have long been relegated to the fringes of society, dismissed as dangerous substances with no legitimate medical value. Having grown up during the late ‘60s and ‘70s, my word associations for “magic mushrooms” were always with “Woodstock hippies” or worse, “Charles Manson.” But recent research taking place in our region has begun to challenge this perception…
Publisher’s Note: Defining Success, Defying the Odds
A celebration of Seattle's "trailblazing" women
At the time of this issue’s newsstand date, the newest season of Jean Smart’s Hacks will be making its much anticipated season 3 debut on HBO Max. With a hilarious “odd couple” dynamic between a young Gen Z comedy writer and a legendary standup comedian…
Publisher’s Note: A Sense of Place
What makes Seattle distinctive and unique?
Growing up in Edmonds during the 1970s, many beautiful attributes of the Pacific Northwest became inseparable from my notion of what “Seattle’’ really was. I vividly remember the smell of the beach, the sound of ferry boats, and an indelible sense of community from the city’s small-town feel…
Celebrating Seattle
Honoring the driving forces creating change in our community
Seattle magazine has consistently posited that “what happens in Seattle impacts the rest of the world.” This issue’s cover subject is one such example of the outsized influence Seattle’s thought leaders can have on our culture and shared history.
Author Daniel James Brown was someone whom I fondly remember knowing while at Microsoft during the pre-internet era. He was a quiet and contemplative thinker with a reputation for humility and hard work, and such is the very ethos that has come to define how we see ourselves in the Pacific Northwest. When very few tech retirees could reboot to wholly non-tech careers, Daniel thrived as an author of multiple best sellers.
Publisher’s Note: The Lost Art of Civility
How to bring back respectful discourse
Can a city be too “woke”? That’s a provocative question. If we root the term to its original definition from early 1900s to 1950s African American culture, “woke” is an adjective generally defined as “being alert to racial prejudice and discrimination.” Beginning about 10 years ago, it came to also encompass a broader awareness of…
Publisher’s Note: An Education in Education
The higher-ed landscape is complex and ever changing
Public school vs. private school? Big state university or small liberal arts college? A traditional curriculum vs. one steeped in social activism? Here in our region, we’re actually in some sort of “education heaven,” and we’re eager to brag about it. Washington state boasts some of the world’s most prestigious higher-ed institutions all within close proximity. …
Seattle Seen: Sizzling Style
Devoted followers of fashion make a summer statement
“All these portraits capture different sides of what it is to be a Seattleite, the experiences you may have, or the way you look at life.” — Seattle street photographer Valerie Franc. Seattle is a city of variation, texture, and beautiful misfits, and Valerie Franc shows the vulnerability in the seemingly invincible. She finds tenderness…
Publisher’s Note: Created by AI? How can you tell?
Why there's little to fear from artificial intelligence
Dear Readers, I hope this letter finds you in high spirits. As the publisher of Seattle magazine, it is my absolute delight to address a topic that has sparked both curiosity and concern: the fear that artificial intelligence (AI) will one day rise up and kill us all. Fear not, because I’m here to assure…
Publisher’s Note: ACAB?! Not so fast
The truth is often more complicated than it appears
It’s powerful how simple slogans, mottos, and memes capture the zeitgeist of a particular moment. They express a necessary and biting emotion to provoke the establishment and cause us all to think a little, or a lot, about what’s broken. But an oddly circular thing can happen. An acute series of tragic instances of police brutality…
Seattle’s Street Seen – Hair Apparent
These vibrant styles all make the cut
This month’s “Seattle Seen” puts a special focus on the most beautifully hair-endowed amongst us. If hair is 75% self-esteem, then this segment of Seattle’s population would assuredly be plenty self-possessed. These trendsetters exhibit a vibrant display of personal style, grooming, make-up, and a distinctly Pacific Northwest attitude. These are the round pegs in the…
Publisher’s Note: Can Our Architecture Make Us Better?
Seattle's built environment reveals a lot about the city
With this issue’s focus on iconic Seattle architecture, we continue to drive awareness of the fact that Seattle is a world-class city, even if we ourselves may not know it yet. It’s been said that architecture stands as a representation of how we see ourselves, of how we see the world. At its most practical,…
Real Society: FareStart’s Shining Stars
FareStart stands out for its comprehensive support for those in need.
Image caption: Clockwise from upper left: FareStart Production Kitchen Trainer Eric Klein; auctioneer Fred Northrup; volunteers, from left, Christina Woelz, Pam Powers and Amy Hall; volunteer Cynthia Tran, left, and unidentified attendee. Photography by Grant Hindsley. “Real Society” is a regular installment to create space for those who are quietly doing the good work to…
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