There’s been lots of news coverage about income inequality in our city, but sometimes personal wealth still feels like it’s the elephant in the room. It can be uncomfortable to talk about how much we make and how much we spend — even when it’s in the bigger context of a discussion about how difficult it is to get by in Seattle these days, and the challenges associated with finding a place to live.
In the interest of inspiring more transparency, we’re starting a conversation. We asked Evergrey readers from around the city — folks making a lot and folks making a little — to open up about what it means to be financially secure in Seattle. Here is what some of them had to say:
“The beginning of my life wasn’t so beautiful. Since I went down the right path, things have gotten harder for me.” — Lakesha, formerly homeless, works two jobs, lives in Capitol Hill
“If we lost this house, we’d have to move away from the city.” — Julian, works as a family doctor, lives in Wallingford
“Money isn’t at all a stressful thing, at this point.” — Nick, public school teacher, lives in First Hill
This video is the first in an ongoing series examining wealth in Seattle. We hope you’ll take the time to get to know Cirrus, Nikki, Julian, Antoinette, Lakesha, and Nick over the coming weeks. They opened their homes to us, and answered questions like: How much do you need to live comfortably in Seattle? Should we talk more about our personal incomes? Who’s responsible for making Seattle a more equitable place?
Stay tuned for more videos — on housing, income inequality, and building community — in the coming weeks, and share your own experiences with money in Seattle.