Bummed about that trip you had planned for months going by the wayside because of COVID? Well, the good news is that the Foundation for International Understanding Through Students (FIUTS) is offering a couple of ways to experience some of the cultural exchange that traveling provides.

If you downloaded Duolingo these past few months in an attempt to brush up on a second language then you’re in luck. FIUTS has organized a Virtual Language Exchange where they’ll match people from their community who have mutual language interests to practice with each other. Anyone can sign up and apply to be matched as long as they’re older than 18.

One of the things that COVID has majorly messed with is international students’ experience studying in the US. FIUTS isn’t offering their typical homestay for students but instead doubling down on their Friendship Connections program. Volunteers are matched with one or several incoming international students to welcome them and help them adjust to their new living situation. Most of the interactions will be done virtually until both parties feel comfortable enough to meet up if they should choose to. Applicants must be local or affiliated with the UW.

In other news…
Over the weekend the Seattle Police Department released a video to try and address public concerns that spurred the conversation to defund the police. Many are pointing to the video as a piece of propaganda and a last-ditch effort to preserve the department’s budget from being cut. (The Stranger)

One Seattle engineer’s dive into his artistic side was inspired by his grandfather. A collection of 16 artists came together to paint the Black Lives Matter mural on East Pine Street, one of them was Teddy “Stat” Phillips. By day Teddy is an engineer for Microsoft but in his free time, he creates art that he posts to Instagram and more recently that’s been featured on the Sounders BLM armbands and Amplifier—a nonprofit that creates visual campaigns for grassroots movements. (Crosscut)

Gun sales have spiked in the Seattle area possibly in response to the pandemic and nationwide protests over racial injustice. Last June the number of background checks for firearm sales was under 500, this year it was nearly 2,000. The data also suggests though, that Seattleites aren’t alone in arming themselves, it’s a nationwide trend. (KUOW)

Local restaurateur Wassef Haroun announced that he’s donating 20% of the revenue from his restaurant group Mama to the Lebanese Red Cross this week. Wassef was raised in Beirut and still has family in the city which suffered a devastating explosion last Tuesday. You can check out Mamoon’s website for takeout and dine-in information.  (Eater)

Everyone’s drinking more, right? That was established like in month one I think.  If by now you’ve run out of cocktail recipes then check out these drinks from local bartenders and chefs. (The Seattle Times)

Right now, we are in the midst of a global pandemic and a recognition that we are far from achieving racial equity and justice. During this time, how do we connect with each other to recover together?

Civic Commons has teamed up with America’s Path Forward to provide the public with a means to build trust and understand our region’s needs to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic in a manner that maintains the dignity and well-being of everyone.

We are collecting your most pressing questions for the future of our region, so donate a question that matters to you and the experience that led to this question. We will convene people who have similar questions and experiences for a facilitated conversation.

Asking questions helps us understand ourselves and allows others to see what is truly important to us. Hearing each other’s questions provides a meaningful way for us to connect.

Learn more about the project and donate your questions here.

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Hopefully, you steered clear of Cal Anderson this weekend cause in what otherwise looked to be an event intended to rapidly speed up the spread of COVID in the Seattle area— was a Christian concert and baptism that used communal water and where few masks were worn. I miss concerts too but not that much. 😬

See ya tomorrow and don’t forget to share your fave neighborhood business so we can shout them out in some way!

—The Evergrey