J. Rycheal Lester-Peters Talks LANGSTON and the Seattle Black Nerd Festival on The Day With Trae
Recently on The Day With Trae, host Trae Holiday sat down with J. Rycheal Lester-Peters, the interim marketing director for LANGSTON, a cultural cornerstone in Seattle's Central District to discuss the history of local community spaces and the upcoming second annual Seattle Black Nerd Festival.
Connecting Values to Community Marketing
Lester-Peters shared their journey to the position, noting that it resulted from perfect alignment between their background as an artist, arts advocate, wellness advocate, and the needs of the community. After being away from Seattle for three years, they sought out a role where their personal values could directly impact local storytelling.
For Lester-Peters, marketing a historic institution like Langston requires a perspective rooted in listening and deep respect for the existing foundation.
"Especially as a trans man, I have a very strict 'respect the locals' mantra and mindset about myself," they said. "It's about honoring the people who've come before me and what they've created. And not necessarily self-seeing myself as the hero or the savior, but essentially a megaphone to amplify what has already been done."
This approach is particularly important given the changing demographics of the Central District. Lester-Peters emphasized that even as geography and circumstances shift, Langston remains a crucial anchor for cultural belonging.
"At the core of everything that I'm doing is making sure that I'm honoring the stories of the people who were there first and making sure that they always feel like they belong here, even if their addresses have changed,” they said.
Redefining "Nerdom" at the Seattle Black Nerd Festival
A major focus of Lester-Peters’ current work is the Seattle Black Nerd Festival, an event designed to celebrate the intersectional identity of Black creators and enthusiasts. Now in its second year, the festival aims to deconstruct rigid stereotypes about what it means to be both Black and a "nerd".
"We are solely focused on creating this very intentional portal for Black creativity, joy, curiosity, and connection," Lester-Peters said. "We want Black folks to just come as you are... Bring your Black nerd magic... Come with your quirks. Come with your interest. Come with what you think is cool."
The festival serves as a judgment-free, physical environment dedicated to expanding the scope of the Black imagination. Lester-Peters highlighted that the event deliberately targets a vast spectrum of interests, proving that "nerdom" extends far beyond tech, gaming, or anime.
"There are an unlimited number of ways to be a nerd, and all versions of you have a home and a place and somewhere to belong," they said.
Festival Details and Lineup
Due to the success of its inaugural run, the Seattle Black Nerd Festival has expanded into a three-day weekend event scheduled for August 28th through August 30th.
The extensive programming covers multiple intersections of culture, including:
Music & Performance: Concerts at Pratt Park featuring the Brown Sugar Fantasy Jam, People Need Water, and Magical Melody, alongside skate demonstrations and an anime rave.
Film & Discussion: A screening and Q&A session with prominent filmmaker Boots Riley for I'm a Virgo.
Panels & Wellness: Educational panels discussing AI, Afrofuturism, sound healing, nature, mysticism, and spirituality.
Youth Engagement: Dedicated youth activations and performances.
Main activations will take place across LANGSTON and Pratt Park, with the anime rave hosted offsite at the Black & Tan Hall. Attendees are highly encouraged to show up in cosplay, costumes, or simply as themselves.
Free RSVPs and remaining tickets can be secured by visiting langstonseattle.org/sbnf
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