Center for Strategic Communications

New 2012 Projects Include Journalism Fellowships, The Spiral Project, Looking Into Light,  Kicking It and other Arts/Public Events

The Project on Family Homelessness will host a series of public outreach activities for March-June that explore family homelessness from different and perhaps highly unexpected perspectives. It'll be a lively spring that includes:

• A compelling public art project by UrbanArt Concept, "The Spiral Project -- A Spiral of Hope."  This evocative sculpture event began construction Friday, April 27 in Lake Union Park. Community members -- especially those with stories to share about family homelessness -- are encouraged to help build the sculpture, Thursday-Sunday, May 10-13, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. and possibly next week as well.
  • Read more about the event and its creator, Bryan Ohno of UrbanArt Concept and Mad Art, and find out how to volunteer here.
  • Watch a brief video about the project.
  • Download a beautiful 11x17 color Spiral Project Volunteer poster you can share with colleagues, family and friends.
• Journalism Fellowships: NEW!  The highly anticipated four-part series by Rosette Royale, a 2010 recipient of a Seattle University Journalism Fellowship on Family Homelessness, begins Wednesday, May 9 in Real Change. Listen to Rosette talk about the series on KUOW's "Weekday" at 9 a.m. Pacific, Wednesday, May 9 (94.9 FM, Puget Sound Public Radio, also streaming live at www.kuow.org).  We'll also announce a new Fellowship appointment in Pierce County, Wash., in addition to the Journalism Fellowship at The Herald of Everett (scroll down).
• The  Looking Into Light  photo exhibit by the National Center on Family Homelessness, with a local collection of photos by Seattle photojournalist Dan Lamont, at Seattle's City Hall, March 5-April 27 and then in Olympia in the State Capitol (Legislative Building), May 2-28.
  • See more about the exhibit in Seattle here and Olympia here.
  • Read the Crosscut story about this "not to be missed" exhibit.
  • See a review of the April 4 Seattle City Hall reception here, or read the "Urban Politics" blog post about the exhibit by our host, Councilmember Nick Licata.
  • Watch this brief video to see glimpses of the exhibit and hear people in Seattle talk about how the exhibit changed their perceptions about family homelessness.   
•  A screening of the film "Kicking It," Tuesday, March 13, at the Egyptian Theatre, with special guest appearance by Lawrence Cann.  Mr. Cann is founder and CEO of Street Soccer USA, a leading organization in the use of soccer for social change. "Kicking It" is the 2008 documentary about the Homeless World Cup. See more here.  The event was a benefit for Street Soccer Seattle.

Note: If you're looking for information on the new Faith & Family Homelessness Project, please contact our colleagues in the School of Theology & Ministry.

New Journalism Fellowship on Family Homelessness Awarded to The Herald of Everett

The Project on Family Homelessness, Seattle University Center for Strategic Communications, welcomes a team from The Herald of Everett as the newest group of Journalism Fellows. Watch for their series on family homelessness in Snohomish County, unfolding over the first quarter of 2012.

The series began with this insightful look at the challenges faced by homeless students in the Everett School District, expected to number 1,000 children this year. Read "Homeless students face extra burdens" by Julie Muhlstein and Sharon Salyer of The Herald, published Sunday, January 15, 2012.

Seattle Times Journalism Fellows Team Wins 2011 Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism

The 2011 Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism in Multimedia went to the Seattle Times online presentation of “Invisible Families.” This is the second award for the reporting project, which grew out of the Center for Strategic Communications Project on Family Homelessness and its Journalism Fellowships. The award recognizes distinguished news coverage of disadvantaged children, youth and families. The Seattle Times team accepted the award at a ceremony Oct. 18, 2011. The Casey Medals for Meritorious Journalism are presented by the Journalism Center on Children & Families and funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Read More.

2011-2012 Project on Family Homelessness

Stand Down Seattle, Sept. 15, 2011: Young Vets Give a Hand Up to Homeless Brothers & Sisters

The Project on Family Homelessness partnered with host Seattle Central Community College to help present Seattle's first large-scale event to help U.S. military veterans experiencing homelessness:  the Stand Down, Thursday, Sept. 15, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. at Seattle Central Community College's Mitchell Activity Center, 1718 Broadway.   

Young veterans, including members of the Seattle U Veterans Committee, drove this event, which served 300 veterans.  Seattle U junior and Strategic Communications major Samuel Barrett served as director.  Read more here.

See sample media coverage of the event and hear interviews:

September 12, 2011,  The Bob Rivers Show – KJR 95.7 FM: Live interview with Stand Down Director Sam Barrett and on YouTube 

September 15, 2011, KCPQ 13 TV: “Seattle Stand Down steps up to help veterans” 

September 16, 2011, KUOW 94.9 FM (NPR), Patricia Murphy report: “Stand Down Event Draws Hundreds” 

September 16, 2011, Seattle Times – article by Hal Bernton, color photo by Greg Gilbert: “’Stand Down’ offers homeless vets access to services, benefits, clothes” 

2010-2011 Journalism Fellowships on Family Homelessness

Seattle University's Center for Strategic Communications hosted a groundbreaking Journalism Fellowships program to help build public awareness of family homelessness in Washington state. Learn more here. 

The Seattle University Journalism Fellowships and Project on Family Homelessness are made possible by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. 

Contact Us:

Prof. Barry Mitzman, Director -- mitzmanb@seattleu.edu, (206) 296-2826

 Catherine Hinrichsen, Project Coordinator, Journalism Fellowships -- hinrichc@seattleu.edu, (206) 755-7904

Center for Strategic Communications

Communication Department, Lynn Building 300
Seattle University
901 12th Ave., P.O. Box 222000,
Seattle, WA 98122