Portland is set to vibrate with energy as the city prepares for the 2026 PDX Hip Hop Week, a week-long celebration dedicated to honoring the impact of Hip Hop culture.

Though officially announced as a voluntary resignation on July 30, 2026, all indications from City Hall point to a forced departure for Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes, who stepped down under heavy pressure from Mayor Katie Wilson’s administration. The departure follows intense public fallout over the city's communication response to a fatal shooting at the Bite of Seattle festival. Mayor Wilson subsequently appointed Deputy Chief Andre Sayles as interim chief while the city prepares for a national executive search.

Political strategist Gregory Joseph joined host Omari Salisbury on this week’s episode of The Mother’s Justice Show on 1150 AM KKNW to confront a reality Seattle can no longer avoid: a city in shock after a mass shooting at the Bite of Seattle and a region still struggling to turn bold rhetoric into real protection for its youth.

Silas James, a candidate for Seattle City Council District 5, recently joined The Pop-Up! with host The Big O. Their conversation covered disability and lived experience, affordability, small business corridors like Lake City and Aurora, and long-term approaches to poverty and homelessness.

On a recent episode of The Pop-Up!, host The Big O sat down with Tatiana Brown, a candidate for State Senate in Washington’s 37th Legislative District. The conversation explored climate policy, taxation, affordability, displacement in the Central District, and approaches to public safety.

With the primary election fast approaching, candidate Ron Davis made an appearance on The Pop-Up! with host The Big O. Davis, a former tech entrepreneur and Harvard Law graduate, is running to represent Washington's 46th Legislative District in the state house down in Olympia.

King County Council District 2 candidate Miriam Mboya recently outlined her vision for a more responsive, accountable, and people-centered county government on The Pop-Up!.

As Seattle prepares for the annual Umoja Fest and Africatown Heritage Parade at Judkins Park, public safety at large summer gatherings has become a central focus for both city officials and local organizers. The upcoming event follows a fatal shootout during the Bite of Seattle food festival at Seattle Center, an incident that prompted city leaders to review event security protocols and announce new violence reduction initiatives.

After a year-long hiatus, Inside, the beloved BIPOC-centered open mic series, is returning to Seattle, this time in partnership with Colman Commons in the historic Colman Building. For founder Sierra-Leone Jones, the comeback represents the restoration of a sanctuary for Black and brown creative expression.

Last week on The Pop-Up!, guest host Sean Goode sat down with Washington State Senate District 43 candidate Hannah Sabio-Howell to discuss her professional background, policy motivations, and relationship with the Seattle community. 

On a recent episode of The Pop-Up!, guest host Sean Goode sat down with Nilu Jenks, a candidate running for the Seattle City Council to represent District 5, which spans the city's far north end.

Structural discussions on community healing met recapping recent headlines when Monika C. Mathews returned to the Black Media Matters Studio for The Pop-Up! Mathews, the CEO of QueenCare Products and the Life Enrichment Group, sat alongside host The Big O to share her vision of self-love as an essential tool for social impact.

Seattle’s Puckduction is set to celebrate the 7th anniversary of its flagship event, What the Funk?! An All BIPOC Burlesque Festival next month. 

On a recent appearance on The Day With Trae, host Trae Holiday welcomed Najee Ladd-Ali, the co-founder of the Daddy Stroller Social Club Seattle, to discuss the organization’s impact on men’s mental health and camaraderie in the Northwest.

This August, Seattle’s entrepreneurial community gathers once again for the 5th Annual Black Business Leadership Conference (BBLC). Hosted by the R.U.B.B. (Raising Up Black Businesses) Initiative, the event marks a significant milestone in the effort to strengthen Black-owned businesses through education, mentorship, and strategic partnership.

Speaker and cultural producer Kiesha B. Free recently returned to the Black Media Matter studios in downtown Seattle. Appearing as a guest on The Pop-Up alongside host The Big O, Free championed Black grassroots support systems and outlined the evolution of her digital network, Hey, Black Seattle!

Host Trae Holiday recently sat down with Priyansha Bagaria, the CEO and co-founder of Seattle-based tech startup Loopr AI, on The Day With Trae. Bagaria shared her journey from a small town in India to leading a rapidly expanding artificial intelligence enterprise that is actively redefining quality control processes in manufacturing and aerospace.

Seattle City Council President Joy Hollingsworth joined The Pop-Up! with host The Big O on Monday, July 20 to address an ongoing narrative that she is trying to delay or deny food for Seattle’s students. 

On a recent episode of The Day With Trae, host Trae Holiday welcomed two educators who are reshaping the academic and professional landscape for youth in the Pacific Northwest: Dr. Nadia Guy and Katie Seltzer from Cristo Rey Jesuit.

Bellevue is about to glow a little brighter this August. We’re talking about Golden Hour Unboxed, a community-first celebration of Black excellence and entrepreneurship taking over the stunning Bellevue Botanical Garden on Sunday, August 23, 2026.