Laurinda Madidilo Andre opened her shop Africanita, on 12th Avenue South and South Jackson Street, in response to a lack of Central African goods in Little Saigon. After the stabbing incidents, Andre said she noticed fewer customers stopping by. She believes an increased police presence would result in a decrease of crime and her customers feeling safe to return. Photo by Marian Mohamed
This article is jointly published in collaboration between Real Change and the International Exmainer.
When the news broke on Nov. 8 that a total of 10 people had been stabbed in the Chinatown International District (CID), mostreporting from mainstream media focused on the expected details of the situation, such as the suspect, the injuries the victims sustained and where it all happened: 12th Avenue South and South Jackson Street.
A person quickly moves away from the intersection of 12th Avenue South and South Jackson Street, where a sanitation worker power washes the sidewalk where unhoused community members had been gathering hours before.
In conversations about Seattle homelessness, crime and drugs, that intersection and the greater area encompassing Little Saigon are often brought up, even though most research does not support a connection between homeless encampments and crime.
A person quickly moves away from the intersection of 12th Avenue South and South Jackson Street, where a sanitation worker power washes the sidewalk where unhoused community members had been gathering hours before. Photo by Marian Mohamed
As a result, most news coverage of this neighborhood has trended toward these issues. But what about the people who work, volunteer and reside in the CID? In the aftermath of a tragedy like this, why hasn’t there been more of a focus on those who make it a priority to show up the next day?
As community members contemplate their fears and grief, they continue keeping their businesses open, coming back to the same corner on 12th and Jackson to check in on their friends and offering a free warm meal to those in need.
Chetanya Robinson contributed to this reporting.
Zay, an unhoused person, said he wasn’t in the CID when the stabbings took place, but feels shaken from hearing about it. He’s been able to stay safe by being watchful of his surroundings. Photo by Marian MohamedHeartfelt letters and notes dedicated to deceased family members, partners and friends decorate the walls of A Resting Place, a space in the CID dedicated to processing grief and loss. Photo by Marian MohamedA Resting Place encourages people to write and leave behind messages that honor and remember their loved ones. Photo by Marian MohamedHenry Ku, owner of Henry’s Taiwan Kitchen, expressed how he wants the city of Seattle to take a stricter approach to dealing with crime in the area and to prioritize public safety in the Chinatown-International District. Photo by Marian MohamedEggrolls Mutual Aid members, which collaborate with ChuMinh Tofu and Vegan Deli to distribute free food in the CID, listen intently to a person who stopped by to grab a free meal, Nov. 17. Photo by Marian MohamedOn a crisp autumn evening, an intense game of ping pong is played at Hing Hay Park. Photo by Marian MohamedCustomers of Hello Em Viê.t Coffee & Roastery sip their drinks as they take in the decorations that tell the story of how the cafe sources its coffee. Yenvy Pham, co-owner of Hello Em, said she’s created safety measures for staff due to what she feels is a recent uptick in crime in the CID. “Everyone always travels in groups,” Pham said. “I always leave the cash box open and empty so when [there’s a robbery], they’re like, ‘Nothing in there.’” Photo by Marian MohamedA “The Future of Little Saigon” sign asks visitors of the cafe what they think the future holds for the community. Photo by Marian MohamedA member of the Eggrolls Mutual Aid packs food that will soon be handed out to the homeless community in the CID. Photo by Marian MohamedHorace Anderson, an unhoused person, said he was there when the attacker was stabbing people in the CID. Anderson witnessed one of the victims bleeding badly from his wounds as the victim tried to call the attention of police and paramedics. Photo by Marian MohamedThe doors to A Resting Place are wide open and invite all to be in touch with their grief. Photo by Marian Mohamed
