Seattle Culture

Most Influential, Equity: The Women Behind OSAYS

Most Influential, Equity: The Women Behind OSAYS

Co-founders Mari Horita, Mimi Gan, Maya Mendoza-Exstrom, Betti Fujikado, Katherine Cheng

They are storytellers. They are Asian American women. And they want to give their community a voice. They banded together several years ago to create Our Stories are Your Stories, or OSAYS, to feature two-to-five-minute videos of local Asian American individuals talking about their lives and experiences. The idea was to bring positive attention to a community that had been embattled by rising hate crimes.

Most Influential, Philanthropy: Melinda French Gates

Most Influential, Philanthropy: Melinda French Gates

Founder of Pivotal Ventures, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

“The principles underlying my work at the foundation and Pivotal are the same. I believe in equity and opportunity. I’m focused especially on helping women run for and win public office because I want women to exercise power and influence in society, and elected officials are in a unique position to control resources, make decisions, and shape policies and perspectives. 2024 is going to be a critical year when it comes to whether our political system truly represents women or marginalizes them. Voters will get to decide.”

Seattle's Most Influential People

Seattle’s Most Influential People

Making a significant difference in our community

Five women fighting Asian hate. The Medical Mythbuster. A woman in charge of revamping Seattle’s waterfront. The Civic Poet of Seattle.
They are just four of Seattle magazine’s Most Influential People of 2024. These extraordinary individuals sometimes (not always) toil in obscurity, but they’re fighting to improve their communities with whatever means available. They are truly heroes working to make our constantly changing city, state, and nation more livable, accessible, and equal.

Must List: 5 Fun Things to Do in Seattle This Week

Must List: 5 Fun Things to Do in Seattle This Week

Sep 26 - Oct 02

Symphony highs, street feasts, and brewed delights

Summer’s over, but fall in Seattle is a real charmer. The air’s cool, the pumpkin patches are open, and the city’s gearing up for the spooky season. In case you missed them, here are some stories to check out…

It’s 2024, and Yes, We’re Still Very Asian

It’s 2024, and Yes, We’re Still Very Asian

Very Asian Foundation returns to Seattle for second fundraiser

Running a startup nonprofit feels a lot like having your first child — you have no idea what you’re getting into. It ages you in dog years. I remember those early days in Shoreline, navigating sleepless nights, and wondering why anyone would choose this relentless path more than once. The duality of caregiving hit hard: I felt hopeful for the future yet utterly exhausted…

And the Winners Are...

And the Winners Are…

Seattle authors sweep the 2024 Washington State Book Awards 

The wait is over. This year’s standout books have been announced…

A New Play With Old Roots

A New Play With Old Roots

World premiere production of 'Mrs. Loman Is Leaving' examines identity and expectations

For actor-turned-playwright Katie Forgette, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman — often considered one of the greatest plays of the 20th century — has resurfaced again and again throughout her life. Starting with a theater class in high school (then in college, and again in grad school), Forgette studied the text under instructors who held it in such high regard that they often discouraged her probing inquiries about its protagonist…

An Adventure Driven Purely By Impulse

An Adventure Driven Purely By Impulse

A chance trip to West Seattle leads to a new home

Kirsten Adams, Paul Midgen, and their young daughter, Lark, had no better luck than the three bears when they washed up on the shores of Seattle in early 2018…

A Taste of Iceland

A Taste of Iceland

Festival returns to Seattle for its third year

Got a hankering for Icelandic cod or lamb loin? Perhaps a mushroom-filled pâté choux with Feykir cheese foam is more your thing…

The Numbers Point to a Downtown Seattle Recovery

The Numbers Point to a Downtown Seattle Recovery

The city’s core is slowly inching its way back

Visit Seattle says downtown Seattle hotels sold 403,000 rooms in August, the second-highest monthly total since March 2020. More than 3 million unique visitors came downtown — that’s 96% of August 2019 numbers, and a 6% increase year over year…

Filmmaker With Seattle Ties Debuts New Movie

Filmmaker With Seattle Ties Debuts New Movie

Escape from Extinction: Rewilding includes both the Seattle Aquarium and Woodland Park Zoo

His brother lives in Kirkland. He has shot several commercials here, including promos for Monday Night Football. And you may remember his 2012 movie, Grassroots, based on the true story of former local journalist Grant Cogswell, who helps his friend run (unsuccessfully) for Seattle City Council. It was shot in Seattle and featured several iconic places, including the Space Needle and the Comet Tavern. For that, he was given a key to the city…

Popular Night Market is Back in Business

Popular Night Market is Back in Business

Festive hallmark of the Chinatown-International District returns this weekend

The Chinatown-International District’s annual Night Market is back…

Must List: The Top 7 Events in Seattle This Week

Must List: The Top 7 Events in Seattle This Week

Sep 19 - Sep 25

Fun parties, fascinating stories, and dreamy music

Hey, Seattle! What’s up with these foggy mornings? They’re making it way too easy to stay in bed, right? But then the sun pops out, and we get a final taste of summer. Have you pulled out your cozy blankets yet? We’re holding off… for now. This week, we’ve got stories about hidden gems in…

Join The Must List

Sign up and get Seattle's best events delivered to your inbox every week.

Follow Us