Seattle Culture
Most Influential, Fashion: Dan McLean
Fashion designer
“I have such a connection to this city,” McLean says. “There’s so much happening and so many people doing cool things. I feel like once people get famous here, they move away to New York or LA, and they say, ‘Oh, there’s not enough here.’ I disagree. I don’t need to take my shows to New York. I want Seattle to be a stop during Fashion Week.”
‘The Buddhist Bug’ and ‘The Red Chador’
Artist Anida Yoeu Ali’s work looks to absurdity and humor for deeper understanding
Anida Yoeu Ali draws inspiration from her personal experience as a first-generation American of mixed Malay, Cham, Khmer, and Thai ancestries. Born in 1974 in Battambang, Cambodia, she fled with her family to the U.S. and was raised in Chicago. Now, she serves as a senior artist-in-residence at University of Washington Bothell and is the co-founder of Studio Revolt, an independent media lab. Her show, on view through June at Seattle Asian Art Museum, is the first solo exhibition for an artist since the museum reopened in 2020.
Most Influential, Hospitality: Brady Williams
Chef, entrepreneur
For all of its culinary reputation, no Seattle restaurant has ever earned a Michelin star, regarded as the highest praise in the culinary world.
Brady Williams is changing that. In the last year he has brought notable and accomplished chefs and restaurateurs from out of town that have earned Michelin stars.
Art and Community
Seattle comes together to celebrate diversity, justice, and artistic expression
Museum of Pop Culture’s Contact High closing party brought together music, photography, and a panel discussion. The panelists included exhibition curator Vikki Tobak, MoPOP CEO Michele Smith, Exhibition Creative Director Fab 5 Freddy, photographers Jannette Beckman and Joe Conzo, and Def Jam Records’ Director of Publicity Bill Adler.
Most Influential, Equity: Matt Chan
Activist, entrepreneur
Matt Chan has been a provocateur much of his life, from his childhood in Portland, to his time as a student at the University of Oregon, and throughout a successful career in television production. “The main mistake people make about storytelling is to want to tell their story,” Chan says of his communications strategy. “A successful storyteller targets the audience.”
Most Influential, Equity: Conrad Reynoldson
Activist, entrepreneur
After facing numerous barriers to inclusion, including employment discrimination, Conrad Reynoldson decided to “hire himself” and start his own nonprofit disability rights law firm to advocate for the disability community in Washington state and beyond.
Reynoldson and team have quietly been making a huge difference to the disability community by advocating for access in public spaces of all kinds, including parking lots, university campuses, and countless other gathering places.
Most Influential, Sports: Sandy Gregory
Sports executive, activist
Sandy Gregory was an original Seahawk, hired six months before the team played its first game, and no one had a bigger role in weaving that franchise into the fabric of this region. She spent decades doing everything from arranging charity appearances to coordinating events to getting items signed for benefit auctions and people in need. As the team became an institution, she also kept the franchise connected to its former players.
Proliance Surgeons Expands in Downtown Seattle with Launch of Proliance Surgeons First Hill Orthopedics |Sponsored
Proliance launches ‘unique’ First Hill Orthopedics in downtown Seattle
Proliance Surgeons, a leading group of independent, physician-led care centers, is pleased to announce the grand opening of its latest care center, Proliance Surgeons First Hill Orthopedics, located in the heart of downtown Seattle. This new facility furthers Proliance Surgeons’ commitment to delivering excellent orthopedic care and personalized treatment to the residents of Washington state….
Minecraft Motivation
Couple uses video game for renovation inspiration
They had a hard time visualizing what their new home might look like, so they turned to Minecraft, a hugely popular video game Microsoft markets as a tool for creative types to “battle mobs, construct shelter, and explore the landscape.” They had been playing the game for years, and didn’t need to consult the box for instructions. Michael served as Minecraft’s chief creative officer for seven years before moving on to Fortnite.
Pinball is Back
Find out where to play and relive the classics
Stepping into the Seattle Pinball Museum in the International District, a familiar noise quickly fills my ears — a sound of childhood. When was the last time you played pinball? Take a moment to embrace your inner child by setting everything aside for an evening to have some old-school fun. There’s something to be said about the flick of a flipper and the ring of a bell that brings memories flooding back while also creating new ones.
Most Influential, Business: Joy Shigaki
President & CEO, Friends of Waterfront Seattle
Her familial dedication to service and passion for community followed her into her 20-year career working in the nonprofit, government, and community development field in roles across the U.S. and internationally. In September 2022, Shigaki took over as CEO of Friends of Waterfront Seattle, where she works to manage, program, and fundraise to revitalize the city’s Waterfront Park.
Most Influential, Arts: Daniel James Brown
Author
Brown never expected the enormous success of The Boys in the Boat, but believes his book has fostered deserved recognition for the sport of rowing, the Husky crew team, and the Seattle area. Already, Boys in the Boat fans journey to the Montlake Cut from across the world to see the spot a group of scrappy, unlikely athletes trained and rose to Olympic gold.
Most Influential, Politics: Steve Gonzalez
Washington State Supreme Court Chief Justice
“This nation was founded on the idea that we’re all entitled to equal rights, even if we didn’t have it at the time,” Gonzalez says. “And I think our job is to reinterpret those fundamental principles in a way that gives meaning to those principles to all of us.”
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