Bellevue engineer’s nonprofit gives black community a space of their own

[NewsVine_Mariyam]

Bellevue engineer’s nonprofit gives black community a space of their own

Author: Tony Black
Published: 4:45 AM PDT June 19, 2018
Updated: 8:56 AM PDT June 19, 2018

After moving to Bellevue, Arif Gursel quickly noticed there wasn't a space for people that looked like him to come and enhance themselves and the black community.

A local engineer has created a unique space for black people to come and grow called The Union. Its grand opening is Tuesday, which is also Juneteenth.

Arif Gursel said coming from a historically black college or university (HBCU) and then moving to Bellevue was a huge culture shock. He works in the tech industry and has for more than 20 years. Gursel said he wanted to create a space for black people to call their own.​

 

[NewsVine_Mariyam]

One of Seattle's nicknames is The Emerald City it seems more applicable to the city of Bellevue in my mind, much more futuristic although I love them both. The perfect place for this enterprise, IMO.

 

[Godboy]

One of Seattle's nicknames is The Emerald City it seems more applicable to the city of Bellevue in my mind, much more futuristic although I love them both. The perfect place for this enterprise, IMO.

Bellevue is one of the wealthiest places in our state. You might even call it "the Beverly Hills of Washington state". Im sure those rich black people in Bellevue are just dying to get out of their nice homes to go hang out in this "safe space".


"Welcome to the land of the 1%. Where you’ll find lawyers, and doctors, and business executives."

These Are The 10 Richest Neighborhoods In Bellevue, WA For 2018 - HomeSnacks

 

[NewsVine_Mariyam]

Bellevue is one of the wealthiest places in our state. You might even call it "the Beverly Hills of Washington state". Im sure those rich black people in Bellevue are just dying to get out of their nice homes to go hang out in this "safe space".

Not according to my list but what's interesting is I would have figured Kirkland or Redmond to be slightly more affluent but Kirkland nor Bellevue even made the top 10.

Also I'm pretty sure the article indicates a "space" for black professionals to congregate, nothing about a "safe space"

Detailed List Of The Richest Cities In Washington

Rank City Median Income
1 Snoqualmie $131,453 (population 12,000+)
2 Sammamish $153,253
3 Woodinville $106,341
4 Mercer Island $129,348
5 Bainbridge Island $102,906
6 Normandy Park $89,425
7 Brier $105,901
8 Ridgefield $88,286
9 Newcastle $111,955
10 Redmond $107,341
11 Mill Creek $88,345
12 Camas $94,350
13 Covington $88,806
14 Edgewood $83,514
15 Bellevue $100,703
16 Issaquah $92,071
17 Kirkland $95,939
18 Mukilteo $98,823
19 Kenmore $93,227
20 Lake Forest Park $96,217
21 Lynden $61,828
22 Duvall $125,123
23 Lake Stevens $79,975
24 Edmonds $78,181
25 Milton $66,744
26 Poulsbo $60,720
27 Maple Valley $98,925
28 Bothell $86,167
29 Mountlake Terrace $66,512
30 Bonney Lake $85,975
31 Seattle $74,458
32 Orting $71,981
33 Richland $69,833
34 West Richland $84,419
35 Renton $66,050
36 Monroe $70,270
37 Woodland $62,344
38 Anacortes $61,922
39 Prosser $53,268
40 Tumwater $62,050
41 Shoreline $70,398
42 Washougal $70,943
43 Fircrest $69,278
44 North Bend $90,395
45 Selah $50,107
46 Marysville $67,027
47 Snohomish $56,763
48 Arlington $66,615
49 Dupont $76,962
50 Steilacoom $67,500
51 Stanwood $50,441
52 Puyallup $64,342
53 Battle Ground $60,644
54 Gig Harbor $64,931
55 University Place $60,947
56 Liberty Lake $62,428
57 Lynnwood $53,308
58 Sumner $57,303
59 Enumclaw $55,644
60 Des Moines $59,948
61 Federal Way $58,855
62 Kent $61,033
63 Burien $54,546
64 East Wenatchee $50,947
65 Port Townsend $44,753
66 Lacey $59,624
67 Auburn $60,262
68 College Place $40,747
69 Pasco $57,440
70 Wenatchee $45,606
71 Fife $56,871
72 Othello $48,495
73 Pacific $53,301
74 Ephrata $56,989
75 Spokane Valley $47,567
76 Kennewick $52,134
77 Vancouver $52,004
78 Seatac $48,487
79 Port Orchard $63,634
80 Ferndale $56,859
81 Tacoma $53,553
82 Olympia $54,523
83 Connell $49,221
84 Oak Harbor $46,959
85 Everett $50,933
86 Moses Lake $47,005
87 Tukwila $48,490
88 Mount Vernon $49,307
89 Union Gap $37,202
90 Sequim $38,655
91 Chehalis $34,257
92 Spokane $43,274
93 Ellensburg $31,644
94 Bremerton $47,358
95 Ocean Shores $36,950
96 Yelm $51,405
97 Burlington $47,500
98 Bellingham $44,441
99 Quincy $51,508
100 Walla Walla $41,817​

 

[Godboy]

Bellevue is one of the wealthiest places in our state. You might even call it "the Beverly Hills of Washington state". Im sure those rich black people in Bellevue are just dying to get out of their nice homes to go hang out in this "safe space".

Not according to my list but what's interesting is I would have figured Kirkland or Redmond to be slightly more affluent but Kirkland nor Bellevue even made the top 10.

Also I'm pretty sure the article indicates a "space" for black professionals to congregate, nothing about a "safe space"

Detailed List Of The Richest Cities In Washington

Rank City Median Income
1 Snoqualmie $131,453 (population 12,000+)
2 Sammamish $153,253
3 Woodinville $106,341
4 Mercer Island $129,348
5 Bainbridge Island $102,906
6 Normandy Park $89,425
7 Brier $105,901
8 Ridgefield $88,286
9 Newcastle $111,955
10 Redmond $107,341
11 Mill Creek $88,345
12 Camas $94,350
13 Covington $88,806
14 Edgewood $83,514
15 Bellevue $100,703
16 Issaquah $92,071
17 Kirkland $95,939
18 Mukilteo $98,823
19 Kenmore $93,227
20 Lake Forest Park $96,217
21 Lynden $61,828
22 Duvall $125,123
23 Lake Stevens $79,975
24 Edmonds $78,181
25 Milton $66,744
26 Poulsbo $60,720
27 Maple Valley $98,925
28 Bothell $86,167
29 Mountlake Terrace $66,512
30 Bonney Lake $85,975
31 Seattle $74,458
32 Orting $71,981
33 Richland $69,833
34 West Richland $84,419
35 Renton $66,050
36 Monroe $70,270
37 Woodland $62,344
38 Anacortes $61,922
39 Prosser $53,268
40 Tumwater $62,050
41 Shoreline $70,398
42 Washougal $70,943
43 Fircrest $69,278
44 North Bend $90,395
45 Selah $50,107
46 Marysville $67,027
47 Snohomish $56,763
48 Arlington $66,615
49 Dupont $76,962
50 Steilacoom $67,500
51 Stanwood $50,441
52 Puyallup $64,342
53 Battle Ground $60,644
54 Gig Harbor $64,931
55 University Place $60,947
56 Liberty Lake $62,428
57 Lynnwood $53,308
58 Sumner $57,303
59 Enumclaw $55,644
60 Des Moines $59,948
61 Federal Way $58,855
62 Kent $61,033
63 Burien $54,546
64 East Wenatchee $50,947
65 Port Townsend $44,753
66 Lacey $59,624
67 Auburn $60,262
68 College Place $40,747
69 Pasco $57,440
70 Wenatchee $45,606
71 Fife $56,871
72 Othello $48,495
73 Pacific $53,301
74 Ephrata $56,989
75 Spokane Valley $47,567
76 Kennewick $52,134
77 Vancouver $52,004
78 Seatac $48,487
79 Port Orchard $63,634
80 Ferndale $56,859
81 Tacoma $53,553
82 Olympia $54,523
83 Connell $49,221
84 Oak Harbor $46,959
85 Everett $50,933
86 Moses Lake $47,005
87 Tukwila $48,490
88 Mount Vernon $49,307
89 Union Gap $37,202
90 Sequim $38,655
91 Chehalis $34,257
92 Spokane $43,274
93 Ellensburg $31,644
94 Bremerton $47,358
95 Ocean Shores $36,950
96 Yelm $51,405
97 Burlington $47,500
98 Bellingham $44,441
99 Quincy $51,508
100 Walla Walla $41,817​

Dont confuse vacation home locations, for "wealthy places". Take number 1 on the list. Do you think there is a legit mall in Snoqualmie? Its a ski resort town for cryin out loud! There is a difference between areas with nice homes, and a wealthy metropolis like Bellevue.

Number 2 on the list is Sammamish. West Lake Sammamish IS Bellevue, and i promise you wont find a Prada or Gucci store on the east side of the lake.

Get This Lake Sammamish Mansion For A Bargain
Insane Views Of Lake Sammamish: Bellevue Wow! House

 

[NewsVine_Mariyam]

Dont confuse vacation home locations, for "wealthy places". Take number 1 on the list. Do you think there is a legit mall in Snoqualmie? Its a ski resort town for cryin out loud! There is a difference between areas with nice homes, and a wealthy metropolis like Bellevue.

I've actually visited the falls so I know exactly what you mean which is also why I noted that the populate there is only 12,000+.

I did not realize though that Lake Sammamish was part of Bellevue.

 

[theHawk]

Sounds like segregation.

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

Sounds like segregation.

It is.

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

What about the light-skinned community?
Or the octoroon community?

 

[TheParser]

Safe spaces may be our nation's salvation.

Every ethnicity, gender, religion, sexuality, etc. should always feel personally safe.

a. Some universities reserve specific dormitory floors for specific ethnicities or for gay people.
b. Some countries have subway carriages reserved for women.
c. There are some schools whose students all belong to the same religion.
d. In my city, motorists are prohibited from coming too close to bicycle riders.

The idea of safe spaces should be extended as far as it is practically possible.

 

[NewsVine_Mariyam]

Safe spaces may be our nation's salvation.

Every ethnicity, gender, religion, sexuality, etc. should always feel personally safe.

a. Some universities reserve specific dormitory floors for specific ethnicities or for gay people.
b. Some countries have subway carriages reserved for women.
c. There are some schools whose students all belong to the same religion.
d. In my city, motorists are prohibited from coming too close to bicycle riders.

The idea of safe spaces should be extended as far as it is practically possible.

I'm pretty sure Godboy was being facetious but in response to your comment I looked it up

Definition of safe space
: a place (as on a college campus) intended to be free of bias, conflict, criticism, or potentially threatening actions, ideas, or conversations

I have to admit I'm struggling with this because some of the things such as ideas or conversations that others find threatening are patently absurd, in my personal opinion. I think a perusal of just some of the "conversations" here on US Message Board would yield an abundance of evidence in support of this position.

I do not disagree with your comment that everyone of us should always feel personally safe but the difinitions of what constitutes a threat or a threatening idea or conversation is going to be defined differently depending on who's feeling offended or threatened.

 

[blastoff]

Bellevue engineer’s nonprofit gives black community a space of their own

Author: Tony Black
Published: 4:45 AM PDT June 19, 2018
Updated: 8:56 AM PDT June 19, 2018

After moving to Bellevue, Arif Gursel quickly noticed there wasn't a space for people that looked like him to come and enhance themselves and the black community.

A local engineer has created a unique space for black people to come and grow called The Union. Its grand opening is Tuesday, which is also Juneteenth.

Arif Gursel said coming from a historically black college or university (HBCU) and then moving to Bellevue was a huge culture shock. He works in the tech industry and has for more than 20 years. Gursel said he wanted to create a space for black people to call their own.​

Ghetto?