Julie wants to turn Seattleites’ talk into action: “There is no shortage of problems to work on, from homelessness to economic opportunity, to food scarcity.”

But how do we find solutions for such big challenges? Julie says we have to tackle these issues together. She runs a program called Ion at Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA), connecting people who normally wouldn’t work together to solve community problems.

You no longer have to know someone who knows someone to make something happen, Julie says. Her work at WTIA is flipping the script, resulting in real change in Seattle. Learn more about the work she is doing in our recent interview with her.

Plus, nominate a catalyst: Know someone like Julie or Heather (our first catalyst featured) doing transformative work in our community? Hit reply to nominate a Seattleite we should feature as part of this series, and big thanks to everyone who’s already sent in their ideas. 👍

PRODUCED BY THE EVERGREY CREATIVE STUDIO WITH VULCAN

Seattle’s ‘invisible’ neighborhood. Lake City was once a go-to for bootlegged liquor. Today, the northeast Seattle suburb’s about to see a lot of change soon, what with light rail expansion, a revamp of its downtown, and new apartments and condos. Another way it’s changing? Through murals painted by local teens and artists. Mark Mendez, who organizes teams of muralists, says he wants to fight negative stereotypes of a neighborhood where the central corridor was once nicknamed “Lake Sh*itty Way.” Check out some of the murals here. ➡️ (KUOW)

#TeachingSoWhite. Public schools in Washington have had it rough lately. One reason: a lack of funding. But according to a recent analysis by The Seattle Times and The Columbian, our state’s schools are falling behind in a different way: teacher diversity. About 89 percent of ‘em are white — and researchers say that’s a problem. Why? Because a lack of teacher diversity can impact how kids score on tests and whether they get into trouble and finish high school. What would we need to make teacher demographics catch up with student diversity? “To fully represent today’s students, about 29,500 of Washington’s 64,700 teachers would have to be people of color,” reporters Dahlia Bazzaz and Katie Gillespie write. “That’s about 22,300 more people of color than those who currently teach here.” (The Seattle Times)

A big Christmas bummer. North Seattle beer lovers, we have some bad news: Naked City Brewing is closing its Greenwood taproom next week after a decade of serving up cold brews. “Through a gas explosion and arson fires, election nights and holiday tree lightings, a love of community has been the beating heart of the Naked City,” its owners wrote on Facebook. But “rising costs and [a] rapidly changing neighborhood” was just too much. Their official goodbye party is today from 12 p.m. to midnight. Can’t make it? Their last last call is on Christmas Eve. 🍻 (Eater Seattle, Facebook)

Need winter break plans? Head to the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture for free before it closes for renovation on December 30. Starting the day after Christmas, you (and your little ones!) can get a close look at fossils in the museum’s paleontology lab, hear tales from a Tulalip artist and storyteller, and add a drawing to the Burke’s giant geologic timeline. No plans for New Year’s Eve? Swoop into the museum’s party collab with LoveCityLove.  (The Burke Museum)

THAT’S ALL FOR TODAY

We hope you have a great weekend. And to all of you heading outta town to visit loved ones over the next few days, safe travels! ✈️

We’ll see ya on Monday, Seattle. — The Evergrey