All analogies aside, we know who really drives The Evergrey. You.

From way back at our founding in 2016, our community of curious locals has set our course through the city. But someone’s had to read your map, ask for directions, and start the engine every day with a new edition of this newsletter.

Starting this week, that someone is Caitlin Moran. 🎉

Head over to our website to learn more about Caitlin, the fun new role co-founder and former director Mónica Guzmán is moving into, and what your new director makes of this wild local ride we’re on together.

But first, the critical stuff…

Dough Zone or Din Tai Fung?

Caitlin: Dough Zone. And not just for dumplings! I’m still dreaming about the sandwich I ate there several months ago.

Vivace or Victrola?

Caitlin: Vivace’s espresso sodas are my new addiction. As a bonus, a trip to their Broadway sidewalk cafe feels like stepping back in time to check out Seattle’s original coffee scene.

Space Needle or Smith Tower?

Caitlin: At the risk of sounding snarky, I’m going to say neither. (Although our recent Smith Tower event was a ton of fun and you should totally check out their new happy hour.) I’m a bit of a cheapskate, so the Volunteer Park water tower is my favorite spot for free city views.

Go-to emoji: 😍 or 🙌?

Caitlin: 😍, or even better, 😻. (I’m a cat person. Sorry, Seattle.)

To say hey (or congrats!) to Caitlin, just hit reply or send her a note anytime at [email protected].

Equal pay for equal play. Sunday’s U.S. World Cup win was about way more than soccer. And our hometown star Megan Rapinoe once again showed the country that she’s not afraid to speak up about gender equity, equal pay, or politics.

The Reign FC forward, who co-captains the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT), scored one of two goals in America’s 2-0 victory over the Netherlands. After the final whistle, Rapinoe was presented with both the Golden Boot award and the Golden Ball award as chants of “Equal Pay! Equal Pay!” erupted among fans.

It’s a cause that Rapinoe and the rest of her USWNT teammates are used to championing. The team filed a lawsuit back in March that accuses U.S. Soccer of “institutionalized gender discrimination” over the pay discrepancies between the national men’s and women’s teams.

“I think we are done with the questions like ‘are we worth it?’, (and) ‘should we have equal pay?’,” Rapinoe said after Sunday’s final. “Everyone’s done with that. Let’s get to the point of ‘what’s next?'”

Here in Seattle, questions have been raised about our city’s relative lack of support for women’s professional sports. The Reign, which used to call Seattle Center’s aging Memorial Stadium home, moved to Tacoma earlier this year in an effort to increase attendance and play in a better facility.

Will Rapinoe’s star power and another World Cup trophy finally be enough to bring out fans? If you’ve never been to a Reign game, now is as good a time as any to jump on the bandwagon. The team has four more home games this season — including a “World Cup homecoming” match on July 28.

In other news…

The closing of longtime small businesses is a sad fact of life here in booming Seattle, and City Council member Lisa Herbold wants to do something about it. She’s set aside $50,000 to study the best ways to help “legacy businesses” — defined as an establishment that has been around for at least 10 years, employs 10 or fewer people, and serves as a community hub. (Capitol Hill Seattle)

And speaking of small-biz struggles, here’s one story that appears to have a happy ending. Ascent Outdoors, the Ballard gear shop that suddenly shuttered back in April, has found a new owner and is expected to re-open sometime this month. (Seattle Met)

It’s a girl. Researchers have identified the new Southern Resident orca calf that was born in late May as female. Part of the endangered J pod, she’s been dubbed J56. (OPB)

❤️ Our Modern Love Dating Game Show is back. Six contestants enter the arena. You get to know them, and then match them up with their soul mate. This is a night of laughs and love you don’t want to miss this Thursday. (South Lake Union)

⌨️ Let’s Hack This Freeze! This Friday, The Evergrey is joining forces with local coding bootcamp, Flatiron School, to bring together coders, community members and leaders for a hack-a-thon to crack connection in Seattle. (Downtown)

Want to unlock big discounts at Evergrey events? Support The Evergrey with a membership.

There’s a new local director steering the ship here at Team Evergrey, but that’s not all: We’re also hiring.

We’ve got two job openings on our biz team: a local sales executive who will be based here in Seattle, and a head of revenue for our parent company, WhereByUs.

Know of any experienced salespeople who are skilled at building relationships and have a knack for seeking out mission-aligned businesses and organizations? We’d love to hear from ’em.

Have a good one, all. We’ll see you tomorrow.

— The Evergrey