Space Needles and Shake Shack Breaks: SLU Adventures
Frashia, Lusho, and Acadia headed to the South Lake Union district of Seattle on Wednesday, May 28.
By Frashia Njenga
Day two of Monitor distribution took us to South Lake Union, and the city showed off right away. We caught a clear view of the Space Needle—one of those moments that reminds you exactly where you are.
Frashia Njenga and Acadia Vance at the Space Needle
Our first destination was the Christian Science Reading Room, a beautifully quiet spot with a warm vibe. We were welcomed by Bonnie, who made us feel right at home. She even shared some helpful advice on which streets would be best for distribution—local knowledge always makes a difference.
We took a lunch break at Shake Shack (because sometimes, only burgers and crinkle fries will do). It hit the spot and gave us the energy to power through the rest of the afternoon.
After lunch, we got to work distributing, making solid progress in the neighborhood. The area’s energy felt open and curious, and it was great to see some real interest in what we were doing.
Before wrapping up, we stopped by the Phobac spot near Lin’s—not for food this time, but to connect with the employees there. And good news: we locked in a new subscription! Always feels good to close out the day with a win.
Two days in, and Seattle’s treating us well. Here’s to keeping the momentum going!
By Acadia Vance
The day started with two new experiences for me: my first time on the monorail and then the light rail. Coming from St. Louis County, where public transportation isn’t always the most reliable and people often depend on cars, the accessibility and efficiency of Seattle’s transit felt like stepping into a different world. It was exciting, and a little disorienting, but definitely opened my eyes to how outreach in a city like this can look very different from what I’m used to. We also got to see the Space Needle today.
We set out with 100 copies of The Christian Science Monitor Weekly, and to our surprise, we distributed all of them earlier than expected. Even more exciting, we placed a subscription today! While I didn’t get any businesses to subscribe to the Monitor, my partner Fraisha was successful in doing so, and I was genuinely happy to see that kind of progress for our team. It reminded me that every "yes," even if it’s not mine, is still a shared win and a step to even more yeses.
I also noticed a shift in myself today. I was more confident when approaching people, and that made a real difference in how they responded. I had more positive interactions and more willingness from businesses to let us leave copies. It’s encouraging to feel that growth from just one day to the next, and I’m looking forward to seeing how much further I can go with practice and persistence.