Last month, the South Seattle Emerald celebrated its 10th anniversary at the Ethiopian Community Center with a gathering of community members, staff, and contributors. The event was a testament to the Emerald's impact as a source of local news, a platform for diverse voices, and a reflection of the community's spirit.

Former intern and current Data Reporter for ProPublica, Ellis Simani, spoke about the Emerald's influence on her career and its significance beyond South Seattle. "It's not being something that's only just serving the communities of South Seattle, but something that's a staple part of the media landscape in Seattle, more broadly," he said.

South Seattle Emerald Founder Marcus Harrison Green emphasized the Emerald's unique role as a nonprofit, community-driven publication. "This is truly media by for and to the community. The Emerald is not owned by anybody. It's a nonprofit that is stewarded, you know, by folks in the south end to really, truly tell their authentic stories. It's important because we are the stories we tell ourselves, right? Like, if we constantly just say that we are some community that is dilapidated and depraved and this and that, then that's what we will believe we are. If we constantly say that we are a community that is rich in its diversity and its creativity and its art and it's intellectualism, then that is what we were will be. That's the picture we want to paint, because that is who we truly are. That is our true and real identity. And we want to shout that to the heavens."

Resident editorial Cartoonist Brett Hamil and the Voices editor Mike Davis highlighted the importance of local, grounded journalism. Hamil praised the Emerald for countering mainstream media narratives and providing a genuine perspective on South Seattle. Davis underscored the connection between the Emerald's contributors and the community, stating, "When we're talking about what happens in the community, we're talking about our neighbors, we're talking about our family, we're talking about businesses that we actually go to, streets that we actually grew up on and it's a whole different approach to journalism, and it just flips it into community, and that's what makes The Emerald special."

The 10th-anniversary celebration was not just a look back at the Emerald's accomplishments but also a celebration of the community's resilience, creativity, and unwavering spirit. As the Emerald enters its next decade, it remains committed to amplifying the voices of South Seattle and beyond while continuing to share the stories that matter most.

To learn more about the Emerald, visit southseattleemerald.org