Besa Gordon joined Good Day Seattle this morning to preview the first episode of Chef Trey Lamont’s new series Food With Melanin, launching in early 2026. Uplifting the history behind local kitchens, the Jerk Shack Kitchen chef is all about giving Black chefs their flowers and bringing their stories to the forefront.

Northwest Credible Messenger (NWCM) recently hosted a transformative three-day training program to enhance their youth service initiatives rooted in a model called Healing to Hope. This model guided community leaders, known as Credible Messengers, through a reflective process, helping them understand their own attributes, barriers, and how their wellness impacts their work in the community.

Nothing screams your favorite auntie’s house like Fat's Chicken and Waffles, a New Orleans-inspired chicken joint in the heart of Seattle’s Central District. Opened in August 2015 by owner Erika White, the restaurant is nearing its ninth year of serving dishes that speak to the soul, paying homage to the rich culinary traditions of Louisiana.

Five years after its initial creation, the Black Lives Matter mural in Seattle's Capitol Hill stands as a powerful symbol of community, art, and ongoing commitment to social justice. Days before the mural was found vandalized on October 9, 2025, a recent repaint brought together many of the original artists, who reflected on the mural's impact, the city's evolution, and the enduring power of collective action.

Back2Besa is back with another week of highlighting incredible community gathering spaces up and down the greater Puget Sound region. The power of unity was on full display in the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute for Scope Screenings, to the Tukwila Community Center for the Free Community Play Day, all the way to the Central District for Walk The Block. 

The WOW Gallery, a vibrant cultural destination in downtown Seattle, recently hosted their Closing Celebration Sankofa, marking four and a half years of fostering healing, connection, and empowerment in the Pacific Place Mall. While the physical space is left behind, the spirit and vision of Wonder of Women International, the organization behind the gallery, continue to evolve into its next chapter. 

Besa Gordon joined Good Day Seattle this morning to uplift WeRise Wines and the recent one-year anniversary celebration of their wine club. Operating in downtown Seattle, WeRise Wines is Black, LGBTQ+-owned wine bar that specializes in highlighting underrepresented wineries and winemakers in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. 

With an immense sense of love and unity, WOW Gallery’s 2024 Juneteenth Celebration in downtown Seattle brought together a myriad of talented Black women to celebrate liberation, freedom, and knowledge that compel the gallery and Juneteenth itself. 

The WOW Gallery in Seattle hosted a high tea party last March to celebrate sisterhood and the incredible bonds between women of color in the Emerald City and beyond. This gathering brought together illustrious groups in Seattle that have contributed to social justice, community organization, and to the power and the wonder of women. 

Island Soul Rum Bar & Soul Shack, a beloved family-owned Caribbean soul food restaurant known for their signature oxtail stew and rich gumbo, is fighting to keep their doors open in Seattle’s Columbia City. 

Early this morning, Back2Besa host Besa Gordon joined FOX 13 Seattle’s Chief Meteorologist Brian MacMillan live from the field at T-Mobile Park to talk about the energy surrounding the Mariners’ ALCS games and her long-standing relationship with the team.

Seattle recently celebrated a monumental achievement with the Waterfront Park Grand Opening on September 6, 2025. This event marked the culmination of two decades of visioning, community advocacy, and public investment, transforming the city's central shoreline from a highway into a vibrant, 20-acre cultural destination. Stretching from Pioneer Square to Belltown, the park represents Seattle’s most ambitious investment in public space since the 1962 World’s Fair.

Back2Besa is back with another week of culturally relevant stories that exemplify the potent community, historical legacy, and enduring spirit of the Pacific Northwest. From the grand stands of T-Mobile Stadium to some of the Pacific Northwest’s best chicken and waffles joints to the heart of Black culture and resilience on Seattle’s Capitol Hill, this week’s episode reminds us of the collective power of community.

Besa Gordon joined Good Day Seattle this morning to give updates on the Black Lives Matter mural on Seattle’s Capitol Hill in light of recent acts of vandalism last week. Besa expressed her frustration with the undoubtably malicious behavior.

The inaugural Seattle Disability Arts Festival at Pier 62 on the Waterfront created an energetic and inclusive space during Disability Pride Month in July. This event, co-created with and for the disabled and artist communities, reflected a powerful vision of belonging and challenged existing norms and inequalities in Seattle's art scene and beyond. 

The Indigiqueer Festival, held at Seattle's Waterfront Park in June, was a joyous celebration of Indigenous culture and Two-Spirit pride. This event brought together Indigenous communities from regions across the state, fostering connection, healing, and joy in a moment of pure representation.

Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream celebrated the grand opening of its new waterfront shop this summer, marking a major landmark on Seattle’s new Waterfront Park. The event brought together founder and CEO Molly Moon Neitzel, her dedicated team, and a host of local partners who contribute to the beloved ice cream's unique flavors.

Over the course of nearly two decades, Pier 58 and the Seattle Waterfront has undergone a remarkable transformation, culminating in a vibrant public space that reflects the spirit of the Emerald City. This ambitious project, a testament to perseverance and community collaboration, has brought new life to the heart of Seattle.

Chef Red, founder of Come Eat Daddy, brought her signature Southern soul food to the 2025 NAACP State Area Conference for Alaska, Oregon, and Washington last month at the Tacoma Glass Museum. The event brought history to life by celebrating civil rights leaders from across the region, with Chef Red’s food setting the tone for a night of cultural pride and empowerment.

In the heart of Puyallup, Washington, Sharron Hayes, owner of Braided and Dreaded, has cultivated more than just a hair salon; she's built a sanctuary for cultural preservation and authentic self-expression. Her journey, marked by unyielding resilience, empowers Black and brown individuals to achieve success while honoring their heritage with top notch hair care, on braid and dread at a time.