"Living the Dream" in Shoreline, Washington

As slippery as it is, the American Dream of owning a home — and by extension, the feeling of belonging here — has shaped much of my identity. So when I found out about the city of Shoreline’s upcoming art exhibit, it almost felt necessary to submit some of my work.

“Relatively Progressive,” 2019. ©Lisa Myers Bulmash.

I’ve contributed this collage and two other pieces to the “Living the Dream, Dreaming the Life” exhibit. These, and works by 15 other artists, are inspired by civil rights martyr Edwin T. Pratt, who led the Seattle Urban League. He and his family also integrated an all-white neighborhood in what’s now Shoreline. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Pratt’s assassination at his front door.

Credit: Edwin T. Pratt Archive, Black Heritage Society of Washington State; David Francis

Pratt’s family photos are now held by the Black Heritage Society of Washington state. Their partnership with 4Culture allowed us artists to experiment with these images, just like I usually do with my own family archive. So I’m really looking forward to seeing what my friends Vincent Keele, Christina Reed, Naoko Morisawa and the other artists have done. The opening reception is Saturday, January 26th at Shoreline City Hall… hope to see you there!