Move to Tacoma Podcast

In this episode of the Move to Tacoma Podcast, host Marguerite Martin speaks with Catherine Feeney, a local artist and founder of South Sound Plein Air. Catherine shares her journey from growing up in Tacoma to rediscovering her passion for painting later in life. She explains what plein air painting is. En Plein Air is painting outdoors to capture natural light and atmosphere, and how the practice connects artists with both nature and community. The conversation covers how plein air painting became popular, what supplies beginners need, and how anyone, regardless of skill level, can join the South Sound Plein Air group. Catherine and Marguerite discuss the value of creative expression, overcoming self-doubt, and the joy of painting outside with others. Catherine also shares details about upcoming plein air meetups in Tacoma, including plans for seasonal and themed events, and how people can get involved. En Plein Air Painting Tacoma The post En Plein Air Painting in Tacoma with Catherina Feeney appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

When it comes to private schools in Tacoma, what are your options? On the Move to Tacoma podcast Marguerite Martin interviewed Cheryl Schenk, an expert on Tacoma’s private schools. This interview digs into what makes these the different private schools in Tacoma unique and how parents can find the best fit for their children. Cheryl talks about the types of private schools available in Tacoma. They discuss why parents might choose private schools as an option for their Tacoma student and some history on the schools in the area. Marguerite annd Cheryl discuss practical steps parent should take as they select a school for their student, such as: How to assess the quality of a school for your student How to navigate the enrollment process and how that process will vary school to school Guidance on reflecting on WHY you’re choosing a particular school with a reminder to keep the student’s needs front and center The diverse array of private schools in Tacoma represents not just different educational philosophies but communities ready to embrace and nurture students in a variety of unique ways. As families moving to Tacoma navigate these choices, this episode with Cheryl offers a valuable roadmap for considering what each Tacoma school can offer beyond academics. The post Private Schools in Tacoma with Cheryl Schenk appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Does Tacoma have good schools? This podcast interview from “Move to Tacoma,” hosted by Tacoma Real Estate Agent Marguerite Martin, features Tanisha Jumper, the Chief Communications Officer for Tacoma Public Schools. The conversation delves into the nuances of public school funding, the vibrancy and diversity of Tacoma Public Schools, and a focus on the transformative work being undertaken within Tacoma Public Schools. Tanisha’s Background Marguerite and Tanisha start off talking about how Tanisha grew up in Steilacoom, attending Steilacoom Schools. After living and working in Ohio she returned to live in the house she grew up in with her kids, who are attending the same schools she did- even with some of the same teachers. She shares what she loves about living in Steilacoom and the Pacific Northwest. Current Status of Tacoma Public Schools Are Tacoma Public Schools Good Schools? Tanisha says emphatically YES. She explains the importance of bond measures to fund school infrastructure projects, given that state funding primarily covers educational activities, not facilities maintenance or improvements. Tacoma just passed their bond, which means there’s funding for new schools and to improve schools across the district. The passing of the bond shows the community support for Tacoma Schools. This funding is essential for maintaining and improving school environments for kids. The conversation covers a lot of ground about Tacoma schools including: The passing of a substantial bond measure to replace eight schools, enhancing learning environments with modern facilities and equipment. The district’s emphasis on diversity, innovative programs, and the high graduation rate at TPS that surpasses state averages. The introduction of specialized High Schools and programs that cater to students’ varied interests and talents. They are: SAMI (Science and Math Institute) in North Tacoma in Point Defiance Park IDEA (Industrial Design Engineering and Art) on the Eastside of Tacoma SOTA (School of the Arts) in Downtown Tacoma FOSS ( International Baccalaureate® (IB) in Central Tacoma Efforts to ensure equity in education, including initiatives to provide every student with a laptop and access to a broad curriculum regardless of their school. A detailed look at the challenges and opportunities within the district, including addressing the needs of students facing housing insecurity and mental health challenges. Tanisha underscores the district’s commitment to meeting students’ needs, promoting inclusivity, and preparing them for future success through various partnerships and programs. With all the national controversy around what schools teach about American history and LGBTQ issues, what is TPS’s approach to curriculum? Tacoma Public Schools’ (TPS) approach to LGBTQ+ students and teaching America’s full history highlights the district’s commitment to inclusivity and comprehensive education. Here’s a summary of the key points: Whole Child Approach: TPS emphasizes the Whole Child Initiative. WCI has received national and international recognition for supporting students’ mental health. It creates welcoming, supportive school environments. This approach ensures that all students, including LGBTQ+ students, are accepted and supported for who they are. Clubs and Supportive Environment: The district hosts a variety of clubs for students. This includes the Black Student Unions, API (Asian Pacific Islander) clubs, trans clubs, and ally clubs across its high schools. These clubs reflect TPS’s commitment to creating spaces where students’ identities, cultural backgrounds, and historical backgrounds are acknowledged and celebrated. Curriculum Standards and Transparency: The curriculum in Tacoma Public Schools aligns with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) standards for Washington State. This ensures that there is no restriction on teaching about America’s history of racism or LGBTQ+ rights. Tanisha emphasizes that the district is transparent about its curriculum. The curriculum taught in Tacoma Schools is designed to reflect historical accuracy and inclusivity. Educational Innovation and Relevance: TPS teachers employ innovative methods to make learning relevant and engaging. Including addressing how historical and current biases have impacted communities of color and the LGBTQ+ community. This includes exploring the ethical dimensions of science and history, ensuring that students understand the complexities of these subjects in relation to diversity and equity. Support for LGBTQ+ Students: TPS is committed to supporting LGBTQ+ students by allowing them to express their identities safely. They do this by incorporating discussions about gender and sexuality in a respectful and educational manner. The district fosters an environment where students can explore their identities without fear of discrimination or exclusion. Open Dialogue and Community Engagement: The district encourages open dialogue about its curriculum and initiatives. TPS is willing to discuss its approach to inclusivity and comprehensive education with the community. This openness is part of TPS’s broader strategy to engage with and respond to the needs of its diverse student population. The post Tacoma Public Schools with Tanisha Jumper appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Pretty Gritty Tours is not JUST the most popular tour company in Tacoma, Washington. Pretty Gritty Tours (and its creator Chris Staudinger) are one of the most entertaining accounts about Tacoma on social media. From Tiktok, to YouTube, to Instagram and Facebook- Chris finds stories from Tacoma’s past and shares them with us in a way that is entertaining and enlightening. What is Pretty Gritty Tours? Pretty Gritty Tours offers the best education, experiences, and tours in Tacoma, Washington. Pretty Gritty Tours was founded in 2016 by Chris Staudinger and Tawny Clark. They lead Ghost Tours of Downtown Tacoma every weekend, and have tons of other tours they offer to individuals and groups that are curious to learn more about Tacoma and it’s lost stories. In this episode of the Move to Tacoma Podcast Chris shares with host Marguerite Martin how the pandemic catapulted Pretty Gritty Tours from a small local tour company into a full on social media sensation. He also talks about Moving to Tacoma to attend PLU, traveling the world with his wife as a travel journalist, and returning to Tacoma to live in the College Park Neighborhood of the North End (AKA UPS Neighborhood). Tacoma’s History and Stories Chris shares about how he finds the stories and historic information that he features in his tours and on his social media channels. He shares one of his favorite Tacoma stories, about the Andelana, a merchant vessel that sank in Commencement Bay in the late 1800’s and all the spooky stories surrounding it.   The post Pretty Gritty Tours of Tacoma with Chris Staudinger appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

What is Tacoma Pro Bono? Tacoma Pro Bono Community Lawyers is a legal aid organization in Tacoma, Washington. In this episode of the Move to Tacoma Podcast Marguerite interviews Laurie Davenport and Ash Meer. We cover the formation and the growth of Tacoma Pro Bono. How it expanded from a small team to 42 staff members, including 22 attorneys. The focus of Tacoma Pro Bono is on providing free legal services to Tacomans in need, primarily in civil matters. In addition to free legal representation they offer clinics in areas such as family law, bankruptcy, guardianship, and domestic violence. How does free legal aid work in Tacoma and Pierce County? Marguerite asks Laurie and Ash about the process of seeking assistance from Tacoma Pro Bono. They explain how it works, emphasizing the accessibility of services through walk-in hours and online applications. The conversation covers everything from intake to legal representation in court hearings. The organization’s proactive approach to addressing legal issues is highlighted, aiming to prevent crises and empower individuals with legal knowledge and support. Further discussion revolves around the challenges faced by homeowners, with resources available primarily focusing on tenants due to recent legal changes. However, resources and referrals for homeowners are still provided through Tacoma Pro Bono’s housing justice project and external platforms like Washington Law Help. Lastly, the conversation touches on Tacoma’s progressive tenant protections. The passage of Tacoma’s progressive Initiative 1 Tenant Protections laws might have the impact of influencing statewide reforms. Overall, the podcast covers the vital role of Tacoma Pro Bono in providing accessible legal aid, empowering individuals in Tacoma facing legal challenges, and advocating for systemic change in the legal landscape.       The post Free Legal Aid with Tacoma Pro Bono appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Originally located in Downtown Tacoma on Commerce, Mad Hat Tea is now at its new location in Tacoma’s Dome District (where Downtown Tacoma meets the Eastside). His shop serves tea in a laid back setting for locals, even crafting custom teas for people at their request. In addition, Mad Hat runs a thriving online business where customers order tea from across the country. Tobin shares the story about how a voice in his head told him to start Mad Hat Tea, and what he did to start the shop and it a success without borrowing money. From a serendipitous encounter at a Pampered Chef party that led him to his first international tea importer to losing everything and working at El Gaucho to make a go of it. “I worked at Tacoma El Gaucho for almost two years,” Tobin recalls. “I would open the shop at 11. And then I’d close at 3:30pm. Then I’d put on my El Gaucho suit and work till midnight. Get up and do it all over again.” If you’ve ever thought about starting a business in Tacoma, you’ll get a lot of useful (and unconventional) ideas from Tobin! From finding landlords to simple marketing that works better than instagram. Mad Hat Tea is located at 301 A Puyallup Ave, Tacoma, WA 98421 and they’re open Wednesday – Sunday. The post Mad Hat Tea with Tobin Ropes appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Marguerite interviews Paul Kunitsa from the Waterfront Market at Point Ruston. The Kunitsa Family immigrated to the US and to Tacoma when he was a child, first settling on the Eastside then to University Place. Paul now lives on Tacoma’s West Slope. Paul shares his story of running a construction company and through “a series of events” ended up owning the 35,000 square foot building that houses the Waterfront Market at Point Ruston. He shares their goals of expanding and growing the market. From vendors they have to the ideal vendors they’d like to attract. “It’s more than the products that are sold at the market. You get to meet people face to face, in this economy, in this place that we’re in. For me the coolest thing is the networking part, connecting with people on a deeper level. All this stuff is pretty unique to each individual vendor.” What It’s Like at the Waterfront Market at Ruston Paul shares that their goal is to be like Seattle’s Pike Place Market. Vendors lease space in the market full time, seven days per week, and year round while others do “pop ups” and short term stays on the weekend and throughout the year. “Some of our core vendors include Taco Street, Owen’s Meats… vendors who create art and jewelry and sell clothes. All kinds of categories in one building.” What Kind of Vendors Would Love This Market? “Food is a big draw for people,” says Paul. “That’s the biggest area we’re growing right now. Then expanding into produce and grocery and the daily needs of people who live down and around here.” The market is a great place for new and small businesses to grow without expensive overhead. With the events that go on attracting Tacomans from around the city, a new business can grow their audience and customers. When is the Waterfront Market at Ruston Open? The Market in Ruston is open Monday-Sunday every day 10am-6pm with food vendors staying open until 8pm. There’s a 4 story parking garage right underneath the market which makes parking easy and free for customers (at the top of the parking garage). Events Coming up include Hispanic Heritage Month September 15th – October 15th, Doggie Halloween, Indoor Trick or Treating, Yoga, and more. The Event Calendar is in the show notes. The post The Waterfront Market at Ruston with Paul Kunitsa appeared first on Move to Tacoma.

Check out this interview where Nerd Farmer Host Nate Bowling interviews Zev Cook and David Galazin from Tacoma4All. They’re working to improve tenant protections for tenants in Tacoma by introducing a Tenants Bill of Rights. Tacoma is one of the most challenging places in the country to rent a home, and it’s getting tougher. Their first step is organizing tenants for a ballot initiative. Unsurprisingly that initiative is being opposed by the landlord and real estate lobbies. We were excited by this interview and wanted to share it out on the MovetoTacoma.com platform so more people could hear who is putting the initiative together and WHY it is happening here in Tacoma. Examples of some items from the initiative: Relocation Assistance for renters whose rent is increased 5% (or 10% yearly) Eviction Protections (including banning winter evictions and school year evictions when children are present in the home) No rent increases for units with code violations Tacoma4All is a citizen initiative led by tenants in Tacoma and their allies. The initiative calls for protections for renters, protection from predatory institutional landlords, fair practices around excess fees, mandated situational relocation assistance, and longer notification periods for rent hikes and forced moves. The post Tacoma 4 All (Nerdfarmer Podcast) appeared first on Move to Tacoma.