Mothers from the Jack & Jill of America Seattle Chapter pose with their handmade flower arrangements with paintings by Hiawatha D. at Colman Commons. (Photo: Erik Kalligraphy)
Where Pioneer Square meets the Seattle waterfront, Colman Commons became a living sanctuary yesterday as it opened its doors to roughly 20 mothers from the Jack & Jill of America Seattle Chapter. Founded in 1938, Jack & Jill has spent nearly nine decades nurturing families and building leadership within the community. Yet, all too often, the women steering that work put their own needs last.
“We are here today celebrating the moms who give back so much to their children, their families, their communities,” chapter member Rachel Issaka said. “We wanted an opportunity to just connect, and that's what today was all about.”
Walking Into Sanctuary
From the moment guests stepped inside, the atmosphere signaled that this was a space curated for unburdened rest. Colman Commons Executive Director Ashleigh McCurdy explained that this sense of comfort is foundational to the venue’s purpose.
“We opened the doors so that this could be a sanctuary of sorts for people of color, especially women, to come in and find solace just in our venue.” She added, “The goal is to just be a calming space, a third place that they know that they're welcome, and we embrace everyone with open arms.”
That invitation was felt immediately by the mothers arriving for the afternoon.
“Walking into the space was immediately just calming and relaxing and welcoming,” Issaka said. “Seeing familiar pieces from the WOW Gallery in this space, the color, the light—just an invitation to really come and be part of the space was the initial feeling I had walking in.”
That familiarity is rooted in a creative continuity. Colman Commons serves as the direct inheritor of the groundbreaking work begun by Veronica Very, founder of Wonder of Women (WOW) International. When the beloved WOW Gallery closed its downtown storefront last year after four and a half years of healing-centered exhibitions, Very passed what she described as a "spiritual baton" to McCurdy and Colman Commons.
“Veronica Very is one of our very special partners here,” McCurdy said. “She basically passed the torch to us. We house 50% of the art that was hung and shown at the WOW Gallery, and our wellness center is dedicated to WOW.”
Art That Protects Black Joy and Rest
Among the works lining the walls are pieces co-created and curated by Very alongside her husband, legendary Seattle artist Hiawatha D. Prominently featured is Hiawatha’s collection celebrating historic Black travel to Martha’s Vineyard, paying homage to The Negro Motorist Green Book. In an era of segregation, the Green Book identified safe havens where Black families could travel with dignity, joy, and peace. Displayed along the Seattle waterfront, these vibrant pieces extend that exact legacy, establishing Colman Commons as a modern haven where visitors are encouraged to exhale.
“I didn't realize that so many pieces from WOW Gallery were now housed here, so that was a pleasant surprise,” Issaka said. “Having a sense of that space that WOW Gallery recreated here was very welcoming. I'm really excited that they're here in this space, that we can all visit and experience.”
Centering the Mind, Body, and Hands
The day’s schedule was intentionally designed to blend mindfulness, nourishment, and creative fellowship.
The mothers gathered on mats for a restorative yoga session led by a certified instructor, releasing physical tension through deep movement and guided breath. Afterward, they shared lunch catered by Little Red’s Catering Service before transitioning into a seasonal floral workshop led by McCurdy herself, who guided each mother through crafting a custom, fall-themed arrangement to take home.
For Rachel, carving out this dedicated window of ease was essential.
“Mothers are busy caring for their families, caring for their communities, and it's not often that they get the time to invest in themselves and connect with each other,” she said. “And that's what today was about—was that connection with each other, an opportunity to just relax, take care of our bodies, and pour into ourselves.”
A New Era of Being
While today’s gathering offered an intimate escape for Jack & Jill, it also served as an unofficial preview of what is to come. The venue is preparing to launch the dedicated WOW Wellness Center, expanding on the original "healing suites" first created at the WOW Gallery.
The center complements Western medicine with ancestral and Indigenous wellness rituals, offering yoga, sound baths, pilates, and breathwork to help disrupt racial fatigue and emotional trauma. As WOW celebrates its 10-year anniversary and evolves into Wonder of Well-Being, its footprint now bridges Seattle to the WOW Healing Villa in Johannesburg, South Africa. At Colman Commons, Sundays are reserved entirely for wellness: the first and third Sundays host in-person guided sessions, while the second and fourth Sundays connect local participants with virtual instruction led by Very and international facilitators.
Mothers from the Jack & Jill of America Seattle Chapter pose at Colman Commons after a yoga session. (Photo: Erik Kalligraphy)
Seeing that vision unfold in real-time left a deep impression on the visiting mothers.
“I think Veronica should be very proud because her legacy continues, despite this now being a different space,” Issaka said. “The music, the energy, the vibe—it provides everything. I would encourage others to look and seek out the space for wellness-based opportunities.”
For McCurdy, seeing the room filled with laughter, conversation, and renewed energy was the ultimate confirmation of why the doors were opened in the first place.
“The goal of this space is to be a healing space,” she said. “When anybody walks through the door, they feel a sense of relief. They know that they are embraced, that they feel loved, and that they can just come in, let their hair down, and know that this space is dedicated to them.”
Learn more about the Jack & Jill of America Seattle Chapter at jackandjillseattle.com
Looking to book a space for your upcoming event? Check out Colman Commons for all your event space needs at colmancommons.com
