The new Othello-UW Commons will host an opening celebration on Jan. 16 to welcome people to this new space for community-engaged teaching, learning, service and research. The event is free and open to the public, and it includes local food, entertainment and a brief program featuring remarks from Rainier Beach Action Coalition Managing Strategist Gregory Davis and UW President Ana Mari Cauce.
The Othello-UW Commons builds on existing partnerships and community-guided programming by the UW in Southeast Seattle that actively supports the needs and hopes identified by local residents. These partnerships include collaboration on supporting healthy child development, improving K–12 education systems and studying whether policies around transit-oriented development benefit both new and current residents.
Located across the street from Link light rail’s Othello Station, the Commons offers flexible spaces that UW and community partners can reserve for meetings, design sessions, classes, professional development workshops, after-school programming and other activities.
Conversations with community organizations informed the vision and design for the Othello-UW Commons. A future community advisory committee will continue to give feedback on the Commons.
The Othello-UW Commons winter schedule includes:
- Tutoring for high school girls
- Academic support for UW students living in the neighborhood
- Affordable SAT workshops for local high school students
- Continuous education workshops for local area teachers
- A lecture series by experts on a wide range of subjects for intellectually curious adults over the age of 50
The open house and celebration for the new Othello-UW Commons will take place 4–7 p.m. on Jan. 16, 2019, with a brief program starting at 4:45 p.m. To learn more and to explore a calendar of upcoming programming, visit uw.edu/othello.
