Guys so we all have intrusive thoughts right? And usually they don’t win……right?? Well, ya know since I’m in a new place and like trying to build connections and whatnot (and not completely freak people out but also is that authentically me??) I’ve been barely keeping the lid on that boiling pot of water. Well, I might have already fucked that up. So I get to class on Thursday RIGHT when class starts (ya know people say Milwaukee traffic isn’t a thing but I would like to say otherwise bc it was a bitch that day!) and the only seat is in the front row right next to the professor. I put my phone on my desk bc I wanted to pull up the class syllabus. Thank SATAN I remembered to have my phone silenced, bc this next part would’ve been even worse. My good friend….I’ll say their name is Shmelsie…calls me during class (heyyyy Shmelsie I love ya!!) and obvs I couldn’t answer, but a: her name in my phone is saved as Shmeegmorg, and b: her contact photo is absolutely DERANGED. For context we were all drunk, feral, and on shrooms at her wedding when this photo was taken. So as her call comes in, everyone around me heard my phone vibrate, looked down and saw her contact photo and name. The way I see it is that these folks will know soon enough the demon within so its whatever, but damn I figured I’d at least have had like….a few weeks of the facade holding up?
Anyways- class has been great!! I feel like I’ve already learned so much. I’ve definitely been reading more than I have since….ever? And mama let me tell you- the notetaking skills have gotten rusty in the time since I was a little twink in undergrad. But I’m just so excited to be here, and ready to sponge up as much knowledge as possible, and am realizing I may need a coffee machine for my apartment (if anyone wants to sponsor me in purchasing one I’d be very down LMAOOO write that shit off on your taxes). Oh! And I’m making friends! With real humans! With pulses (I think)! And let me tell you- folks from Milwaukee are so proud of their city, and honestly I’m understanding why. This place has been through fucking hell and back from a planning standpoint (thanks mid-century government planning policies i.e. being racist as fuck) and is now really throwing elbows into the 21st Century to try to rectify its wrongs and make this place an awesome place to live. It’s honestly really inspiring. Budgets might be tight, and it may feel like a huge uphill battle, but people are motivated as fuck to make change. And it’s making ME motivated as fuck to join.
I hope that wherever you are reading this right now (bed, toilet, car, gloryhole) you’re having an amazing Sunday and are ready to be served up a nicey lil’ slicey!
Sunday Slice- 9/7/2025
Rally for Social Housing: Seattle Comprehensive Plan Updates
Ok so it’s crazy because we are literally deep diving comprehensive plans in class right now and this opportunity to get involved came to me! As a quick TL;DR- comprehensive plans are the general roadmaps that jurisdictions use to influence decision-making for the next 20 years. There are typically frequent amendments and updates that are made throughout that period, all of which require public engagement opportunities. And this is one of them! House Our Neighbors (the group responsible for the wildly successful Yes on Prop 1A campaign earlier this year) is organizing to meet up for this week’s City Council public hearing regarding like 100 amendments to the comprehensive plan. It is critical that we, as the public, voice our opinions and concerns at these meetings as these can directly impact the development of long-ranging city planning decisions (like building social and affordable housing!!) There are options to be heard! If available, you can meet at Seattle City Hall at 1:00 PM this Friday (9/12) to voice your opinions in public. Sign-up for providing public comments during this meeting opens at 2:00 PM, and public comment begins at 3:00 PM. And did I mention there will be food provided?? If you’d like to come in person, please RSVP here. If you can’t make that in person (which-understandable) you can sign up for virtual comment the morning of. This should open at 8:30 AM on the 12th, with virtual comment beginning at 9:30 AM. Seattle is in a unique position to make social housing a core component of tackling the affordability crisis, and we can all be a part!
Donate to the Real Change Legal Defense Fund
Have you ever heard of Real Change News? They are a non-profit, independent newspaper advocating for economic, social, and racial justice. And they’ve been around for 31 years (which is impressive AF). In addition to journalism rooted in local stories and issues, Real Change runs a vendor program, in which they offer low-barrier work opportunities selling papers for folks that do not require an ID (and people can start earning income only after a brief orientation). Each year, over a million dollars go directly to a network of 400 vendors throughout the Seattle area. For many, it can be a lifeline of stable, accessible income. In addition, Real Change established a Legal Defense Fund, which is a pooled source of money that goes towards immediate legal, financial, and emotional support for Real Change vendors and their families in case of ICE abduction. Last month, two Real Change vendors were detained by ICE, and (to the best of Real Change’s knowledge) are being held at the Tacoma ICE detention facility. Real Change has partnered with a private Seattle immigration law firm, as well as contacted representatives for Alexis Mercedes Rinck (Seattle city council member) and Pramila Jayapal (Washington Congresswoman) for support, which they have both pledged. If you are able to, please consider donating to this fund here to try and help continue the fight to get these folks returned home.
Voice Your Concerns Regarding Increased Surveillance with Seattle City Council
Another day, another way Seattle PD is abusing their inflated budget to target folks. City Council and Mayor Harrell are seriously considering the proposal to drastically increase the number of police CCTV cameras throughout the city (and notice- most are proposed to be installed in neighborhoods with large BIPOC and LGBTQ communities). This is in opposition from both the community, the Community Surveillance Working Group and the Office for Civil Rights. If you’d like to look more into this (and I recommend you do) please check out this recent blog post from Stop Surveillance City. And wouldn’t you know it- there’s ANOTHER City Council meeting we can show up at to be annoying! There will be a full council vote this Tuesday (9/9) at 2:00 PM at Seattle City Hall. In person sign up opens at about 1:45 PM. Can’t make it in person? You can also voice your concerns remotely. Sign up opens 1 hour before the meeting (1:00 PM)- you can sign up here. In addition, you can email your council member here (or directly, if you know their direct email address!) Annoy them. Annoy the shit out of them. Increased surveillance, especially in the hands of police, is extremely sinister right now as it plays right into supporting ICE abductions (and other terrible things! 😃) And let’s be real- does SPD reallllly need 1.5 MILLION ADDITIONAL DOLLARS just to surveil us all more? I think the fuck NOT.
Thanks for sticking around, y’all. Times continue to be fucking scary. And they might continue to get worse. We have to keep applying as much pressure as we can to our elected officials. And being there for each other, grounded in community. I’ll say it once and I’ll say it again: KNOW. YOUR. NEIGHBORS. Make it an effort. Hang out on the sidewalk outside your building and chat with folks that walk by. Make eye contact and say hi. It can be insanely awkward and outright painful, but even that can lead to building meaningful connections with those around you. And goddamnit we need those right now.
Anyways, before I go, I just need to say one final thing.
Hugs, kisses and all that stuff ❤
- Matt/Vel/AnonymousVers45 (on Grindr)
La Vida Veeta 