What are the concerns of the community and DRCC?

1. The public process was inequitable & inaccessible: PSCAA failed to conduct an equitable public engagement process that centered community voices & concerns

2. Removing the 30% limit could threaten public health: In a frontline community, already impacted by other air pollution sources, the potential increase in air pollution or air toxics is unacceptable

3. Ash Grove is not a trustworthy neighbor: Past lawsuits and permit violations have shown that Ash Grove is not a good neighbor to the Duwamish Valley and community health

4. No quality tests were completed to determine impacts: There is no evidence that emissions would not increase. PSCAA and Ash Grove did not conduct any quality emissions testing to see emissions

This summer, we decided to venture out from our usual cohorts and focus on having the youth connect with nature on a deeper level, whether it was an obstacle course at Camp Long or learning to row and spread their oars on the Duwamish. We emphasized connection and fun!

The youth attended Mariners games and enjoyed fun activities like paintball, thanks to the Seattle Police Department and the DVYC outreach and activities team. The youth also learned about air pollution in the Duwamish Valley thanks to DRCC DAISY team.

Now we are getting ready for the new Fall Cohort. Orientation class starts September 11th.

South Park Water Quality Facility needs your voice!

SPU recently purchased the Silver Bay property (the gypsum recycling facility at 8th and Kenyon) and is beginning plans to build a water treatment facility with some community benefits.

Take their survey here!

Community-Led Climate Resilience

Following 8 months of community engagement regarding climate resilience and sea level rise adaptability, including educational presentations, one-on-one interviews and group workshops, the Living With Water project determined a number of community prioritizations that are widely agreed-upon. These prioritizations included primarily Nature-Based Solutions and encompassed site recommendations as well. We learned that community members feel strongly about their voice being heard regarding sea level rise mitigation, and the more they explored the benefits of NBS, the more they elevated them.

DRCC then took on the task of sharing these findings with the greater community through a series of outreach events. These events included community markets, meetings and celebrations, weekly meal distributions, boat tours and informational events.

Ultimately, we conducted outreach at 24+ events and spoke with about 250 people. You can see some of the materials developed and used in this project below.

South Park Community Center almost here…

You may have noticed the exciting progress on South Park’s new Community Center, turf field, playground, splash park, and sports court! Most facilities will open in early 2026, but the field could be ready as soon as October 2025.

Thanks to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Seattle Parks & Recreation and Seattle Arts and Sciences (SAAS) , the private school funding the field and lights, South Park will have a unique community benefit. SAAS will have priority weekday use (3–6 pm in fall and spring) for 20 years, but all other hours will be reserved exclusively for South Park residents. In addition, SAAS will continue offering free youth programs, camps, and activities, as they have for the past five years.

This pilot program (lasting 2–5 years) gives our community a rare opportunity to shape how the field is used. Parks and Rec is developing a reservation system just for South Park, and now we need your ideas to bring the field to life.

How should we activate our new field?

DRCC Joins The Washington Bus at the 2025 Youth Climate Assembly

We were thrilled to join forces with Washington Bus at the 2025 Youth Climate Assembly! Representing DRCC, staffers and former Duwamish Valley Youth Corps (DVYC) students Khalia and Alma took the stage to share their inspiring journeys as young adults navigating the world of environmental and climate justice through nonprofit work.