Renton City Hall hosts anti-racism event and archway

The metallic archway is decorated with colorful swatches of cloth, each with a written commitment to combat racism.

By Leah Abraham • March 21, 2016 5:13 pm
A resident places a written declaration on the anti-racism archway during at week's event at Renton City Hall.
A resident places a written declaration on the anti-racism archway during at week's event at Renton City Hall.

The City of Renton, along with the Eastside Race and Leadership Coalition, hosted an anti-racism event at City Hall last week.

Called “Rejecting the Rags of Racism and Living in the Riches of Diversity,” the event was a response to the racist incident that took place in Redmond. A man entered a minority-owned consignment store in January and left a bag containing a Ku Klux Klan robe, sparking a conversation about racism in and around the Redmond community and the Eastside.

“We’re very pleased to be able to participate in this awareness building,” said Mayor Denis Law at the event. “I want to say that the recent incident in Redmond does show the fact that racism is alive and well, and there are still bigots among us, and that we have a lot more to do to in terms of breaking down these barriers.”

“This really exemplifies what it means for us to come together and to work to eradicate racism in our world,” said Rev. Linda Smith. “What our sisters and brothers suffered in Redmond, we also suffer here in Renton because we feel the impact of that. But I think in Renton, we have started to make amazing changes. “

To publicly show solidarity with the City of Redmond, Renton is hosting a traveling art piece — an archway designed by the Eastside Race and Leadership Coalition. The metallic archway is decorated with colorful swatches of cloth, each with a written commitment to combat racism. The mayor, council members and community members added written declarations to the interactive art piece at the event.

“We [Eastside Race and Leadership Coalition] hope this demonstration will help create a positive context for anyone and everyone who wants to publicly denounce racism on the Eastside,” said Mariama Suwaneh, coalition spokesperson.

The archway, which started its journey at Redmond, has traveled to Kirkland, Issaquah and Bellevue, and will be stationed in Renton through March 27. It will later travel to Sammamish and other Eastside cities.