Street Smarts & Market Scenes: Downtown Seattle Vibes
Thursday, May 29, began with a “Street Smarts” workshop by Cisco and Karavon from the University District Partnership security team. UPD is an expanded chamber of commerce organization that engages with homeless people, cleans up graffiti, and helps with economic development for U-District commercial area. They are using space at the Third Church building for a break room, so we see them daily. They shared practical tips with us for personal safety while navigating city streets.
Street Smarts workshop with U-Dist Partnership security service managers
By Frashia Njenga
We kicked off day three with a Street Smarts workshop—a great way to ground ourselves before heading out. The session gave us time to reflect on what we’ve learned so far, and sharpened our sense of how to approach different spaces and people with awareness and confidence. Definitely a helpful reset.
After the workshop, both the distribution and Reading Room teams made our way downtown to the Metro Reading Room. We were welcomed by Pedro and one of the librarians, who gave us a tour and walked us through how their space operates. It was inspiring to see how this location connects with its surrounding community and to hear about their past experiences partnering with projects like ours.
Ellie Peirce, Acadia Vance, Frashia Njenga, Lusho Hambiliki, met Ginny and Pedro at the Metro CSRR
Once we wrapped up there, it was time to explore Pike Place Market—easily one of the most iconic spots in the city. We grabbed lunch and had a moment to take it all in: the flying fish, the flower stands, the energy. It was a perfect mix of color and motion, and honestly, the kind of place where you feel like you’re right at the heartbeat of Seattle.
After lunch, we jumped into distribution. The market crowds made for a lively, fast-paced afternoon. It was busy, beautiful, and full of opportunity. We talked to locals, tourists, vendors—each interaction felt unique, and you could really feel the impact of placing the Monitor directly into people’s hands.
Three days in, and the rhythm is setting in. Onward!
By Acadia Vance
Today we were joined by the Reading Room interns from Third Church on an outing downtown to Pike Place Market and Belltown. We began our day at the Metro Christian Science Reading Room, gaining an understanding of how the team there interacts with visitors and creates a welcoming space for spiritual exploration. After lunch, we split into pairs and set out into the bustling market area to distribute The Christian Science Monitor Weekly. By the end of the afternoon, we had handed out around 130 copies, our highest number yet!
Despite the high distribution count, today also came with some challenges. A good number of businesses declined to take copies, either because they didn’t have space to display them or because it didn’t align with the atmosphere they were aiming to maintain for their customers. While I completely respect those decisions, I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a little disheartening at times to hear repeated “no’s.”
Still, this experience reminded me of something important: rejection in outreach isn’t personal. It can be about timing, space, and fit, not about the value of what we’re offering. I’m learning to stay grounded, positive, and to focus on the ones that do say “yes” because they do make a difference in their own ways. Every day out in the field so far has taught me something new, and I’m grateful for both the encouraging moments and the tougher ones that help me grow.
