Evolucion rep answers critics at White Center Community Safety Coalition meeting
Whenever the White Center/South Delridge Community Safety Coalition has its monthly meetings, the WC nightclub Evolucion somehow always comes up for discussion. Tonight, a representative came to face the critics – read on for our full report, with video:
By Patrick Sand
Reporting for White Center Now
White Center’s Evolucion nightclub was once again the hot topic at the White Center/South Delridge Community Safety Coalition meeting tonight.
Evolucion’s security manager Lucas Magana spoke at the meeting to say he disagreed with the idea that had come up in the past two meetings which suggested the Schuck’s parking lot be closed on Saturday nights in order to deter club patrons from using the lot as a gathering place to drink and become disorderly.
At the group’s September meeting, King County Sheriff’s Office Captain D.J. Nesel said that he was opposed to closing the lot for many of the same reasons Magana mentioned. The general consensus of the people at the meeting is that what goes on in the club is not the problem. The problem is with the people who are hanging around outside the club and standing around in the parking lots.
Several in attendance said closing the parking lots was not the best solution and then said that the best way to solve the problem would be to convince the owner to move the club out of White Center or close Evolucion altogether. Magana responded saying that Evolucion is an all-ages club and he works closed with the KCSO to maintain the safety of the patrons and the immediate neighborhood.
At the end of the evening the meeting’s facilitator, Karen Greene, said that what she was hearing from the audience was a request that Magana go back to his boss and ask him to come to the next meeting. It was also suggested that a list of questions be drawn up prior to that meeting which would reflect the concerns brought up over the past couple of months.
Also at the meeting KCSO Deputy Joe Gagliardi, who works out of the gang unit, had a one-hour presentation on gangs in south Seattle. In 2007, he said, the KCSO had some kind of contact with more than 90 gangs in King County. He said that those gangs range from as few as four or five members to almost 300 or more.He also had a slide show presentation showing the various types of gang graffiti seen in White Center, Boulevard Park and Burien.
One more note from the meeting: A reminder that the King County budget crisis meeting with Sheriff Sue Rahr and other county public-safety leaders is coming to the “log cabin” at Steve Cox Park next week – October 29th, 7 pm. We’ll be there.
Tags: Crime, Evolution, safety, white center community safety coalition
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October 24th, 2008 at 7:34 am
The Club Evolucion seem to be the magnetic drawing the people and characters to the club and surrounding area.My vote move the Club Evelucion out of White Center.
Dick Thurnau
October 24th, 2008 at 11:13 am
What kind of people are frequenting this club if this security guy is worried about them being out and about in the Neighborhood? Kind of scary. Get rid of the club all together.
October 24th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
I have lived near a lot of clubs and music venues in my life. From the Sunset Strip, to Pioneer Square, and I would say that Alfredo has been one of the most responsible club owners I have ever run across. He has gone above and beyond what KCSO has asked of him and his employees. Any venue that attracts a larger group of people is going to have a few knuckle heads, there is little that can be down about that. Lucas’s point of keeping people in one central location is valid. It is also a valid reason for his club to exist. A majority of the kids going to that club live in the south Seattle White Center area. If they are not at that club on a Saturday night, where are they going to be?
I have talked to Lucas and the most dangerous time for this club is after 3 am. That is when the club lets out, and when the KCS go home. I think one solution would be to have extra patrols at 3am instead of cutting them off then.
October 25th, 2008 at 7:24 am
Moving the club somewhere else isn’t going to solve the problem, it will just dump the problem on a different neighborhood for them to have to deal with. And who knows what might take its place in that space if it moved? It could be something much, much worse.
People hanging out and drinking in the parking lot is the curse of any all-ages/non-serving venue, and has been since the beginning of time. It is not unique to this situation. My cousin’s wedding/reception was in a Baptist church – we toasted with sparkling cider. Most of the wedding party spent their time congregating in the parking lot so they could sneak drinks. They were loud and raucous, but nobody called for the church to be moved.
Additionally, closing time is hard on any neighborhood with a late night venue – be it bar, restaurant, or club. All of a sudden, a lot of wound up folks are shoved out on the street to figure out how to continue to entertain themselves. The best choices are not always made.
My suggestions [and I apologize if these are already floating around out there] would be more of a “wind down” time between music stopping and club actually being closed. Change the mass exit to a more gradual one. And I don’t know if this has been discussed, but what is the possibility of hiring off-duty officers for the last part of the night, to help patrol the parking lots and aid with the peaceful dispersal of the crowd?
It sounds like Evolucion has a cooperative owner who is trying to work with the community. That alone says a lot. Solutions are available, it’s just a matter of figuring out what will work best.
October 26th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Verde, your statements about your cousin’ s wedding are totally irrelevant to this discussion – the wedding was a one time event – were there gang members at the wedding – were there over 300 people in the parking lot – were they doing drugs – was this at 3 a.m. – I am very tired of people defending this club – I am a homeowner in White Center – and do not feel that this neighborhood should have to be held hostage by a club that attracts over 300 people to a residential neighborhood on Saturday nights – why should our police resources and our tax dollars be supporting this business – I drove through White Center at 10:30 pm last Saturday night and counted 4 patrol cars and counted 7 officers standing around the street outside the club – there were bumper to bumper cars on 16th Avenue – my understanding of legitimate businesses is that they do not require this kind of security – just bringing in that many people to a neighborhood is an issue – this type of club does not belong here – period – the owner is only protecting his bottom line – making money at the expense and safety of our neighborhood – Why should we have to lower our standards in the neighborhood so someone can have a business that does not serve the neighborhood in any way –
October 26th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Mattie, those patrol cars and officers are paid for by the club. This club brings to our community the same things that a movie theater does. Entertainment. Many local people go to that club. It pays taxes and provides revenue for this county.
The club is a legal business. Does everything in its power to operate a safe club and work with local law and code enforcement. I am a homeowner in this community too, and I do not see how this is at the “at the expense and safety of our neighborhood”, or how White Center is lowering its standards in any way.
I am very tired of hysterical people claiming things like they are being held hostage by this club. I think there are so many things that are worth fighting to change in this neighborhood, and now that we have wasted another Weed and Seed meeting over this topic, it is time to end. There has been a surge of drug dealing and public drunkenness that has nothing to do with this club and is going on in broad day light. Why don’t you put some effort into that. Traffic is a pain in th rear on 16th because the parking rules are not enforced. Litter has skyrocketed since the A&W opened last year. Graffiti is at an all time high in our parks. All of this is worth our time, not that traffic was bumper to bumper on a Saturday night.
October 27th, 2008 at 7:50 am
FullTilt – I see you are very passionate about the club issue – just to let you know, I am involved in many other issues in this neighborhood – Along with several neighbors, I have painted out a lot of grafitti – pick up more than my fair share of trash in the area – pick up shopping carts and report abondoned cars – Clean up in the local parks – I have taken these tasks on because I care, not only about my home, but this community – so please, before you know where people are coming from – do not label them – I just see the club differently than you – I am not a hysterical person – I just do not see the benefit of this club in our neighborhood – and you obviously do – I am pretty sure that the club is not paying for 3 or 4 patrol cars to be parked in front of their club – I do know that they pay 2-3 off-duty sheriff’s – not 7 – and the main issue is – that this is not Pioneer Square – this in not downtown Seattle – this is a residential neighborhood – that is not equipped to handle crowds of this number that frequent the club – the club is one of many concerns in this area – and why aren’t the sheriff’s dealing more with the drug dealing and obvious public drunkeness and prostitution that I have been witnessing – instead they are parked in front of the club on Saturday nights, and vehemently defending the owner –
October 27th, 2008 at 11:55 am
I think it’s important to have places to go and dance and socialize, especially all-ages places. I think there needs to be more parking lot monitoring, rules posted, and people who are repeat offenders ejected. I haven’t gone to Evolucion, but I might.
I used to be in charge of dances for singles at our church, and people would sometimes get rowdy in the parking lot (it’s a church dance people, please!). So I had to go out in the parking lot, all five-foot-two of me, and tell people to knock it off and leave. Evolucion and the sheriff need to create a plan for better monitoring and enforcement. Maybe the bikers at the bar next door would like to help?? :-)
October 27th, 2008 at 11:57 am
Mattie, it is not that I feel passionately about this club, I feel passionate about their right to exist. There are plenty of things that I don’t care for, but are legal in this country. Cowboy music, Black Licorice, and guns to just name a few.
You come off hysterical by the things you are saying.
You either distort the facts to fit your agenda, or speak with out knowing the facts. THe Sheriffs Dept is paid, by the club, for 4 off duty officers. They come with patrol cars. How do I know this? Because the precinct Capt JD has said it repeatedly in the safety meeting
“and why aren’t the sheriff’s dealing more with the drug dealing and obvious public drunkeness and prostitution that I have been witnessing – instead they are parked in front of the club on Saturday nights” Yes it is a shame that drug dealers and hookers only work on Saturday nights when the local constable is busy. If we could only figure out a way to close that infernal club.
You don’t see the benefit of the club because it does not benefit you. If you would talk to someone that goes to the club, I bet they would have a different answer. Safeway and the local churches bring in 300 people, and you are not up at arms over that. Just what type of people are you talking about that you don’t want around here? Do you really think every patron of that club is a drug dealer or gang banger?
You also use the NIMBY argument. Belltown has about 8 nightclubs, and is a more densely populated residential neighborhood. What exactly does a neighborhood need to be equipped to handle “this type of club”?
You also only offer a complaint, and then a complaint about other people ideas for solutions with out offering any solutions of your own. You just want this to go away. It is not going to go away, so it would be more helpful if you figured out away to deal with this instead of ranting and wishing it would not exist.
October 27th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
I have seen people walking in and out of this club with drinks in there hands using a door other than the main entrace where KCSO off duty deputies are paid to monitor. I have also seen many times KSCO too busy talking with their SPD buddies and amongst them selves with their backs to the door out in the parking lot to even notice who’s on the sidewalk until some one says something to them!
I have also seen deputies stand directly by the doors on the side walks monitoring everyone and every thing coming in and out of the doors along with everything up and down the entire block. Nothing gets by them.
I’t depends on which deputies are there. Some are more relaxed than others but at least they are present and that is key.
KCSO has done everything they possibly can do to work with the club owner on how to be a good neighbor. Not everyone that walks through the clubs doors is a drug dealer or gang banger. Thanks to the negative media, this is what has been presented.
If you have ever actually got out on the side walk and walked down the street you would know this. The people have the right to have a place to hang out.
Nothing is ever perfect and not everyone is always going to be satisfied.
I would like to know more about AJP and Mattie’s suggestions on solutions.
October 27th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
I am all for all ages clubs but I had no idea that 4-7 officers
were needed to police Evolution. If that much policing is necessary then
something must be wrong. Personaly I would rather have a movie theater in white center.
October 27th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Fill Tilt – you are distorting everything I have said –
October 27th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
“Fill Tilt – you are distorting everything I have said ”
No. I am stating facts.
November 10th, 2008 at 1:25 am
First of all Full Tilt…Thank you…For every kind word you have given…
Mattie…Once more…Those officers are not using your tax dollars…they are paid by the club owner…the officers would be off if they weren’t there…that is not part of their schedule…they are there to earn the extra money they are paid…and let me tell you they do a pretty good job…About maybe 10% or 15% are gang members…but if they do nothing wrong you cannot just say hey you can’t come in…and you think you are the only one that cares about the graffiti prostitution or drug problems here?…trust me I feel disrespected when I see that too…And your assumptions about drugs and gangs are absolutely irrelevent…Most are respectful ladies and gentlemen…but you wouldn’t know that because you don’t know them…you seem to judge a book by its cover…nor are there ever over 300 people in a parking lot at a time…so what is your actual problem?…it can’t be the garbage cause I personally know that it gets cleaned up…can’t be the drugs cause they aren’t bringing them into the club and if thats the problem then we should do away with the bus center here because that is a 24/7 place for drug deals…
Heidi there is no alcohol served at the establishment…period…anyone caught with it is immediately kicked out and taken to the cops to be trespassed if they so choose…you may see people leave with a virgin margarita that is served there and only out that door because they are not allowed back in unless they go through the main entrance and searched…and yes it does depend on which officers are on at the time because as you say some are more lax than others…
I cannot be in 7 places at one time…I do my job to the best of my ability…I cannot maintain safety in the club and in the parking lot at the same time nor do I think it should be my responsibility…I feel the cops know that is a popular place to drink and they should have a rover doing rounds out there to stop it…
One last note…the bars, the wall in particular, have way more problems than the club yet there is more outcry for the club…why is that?
November 10th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Half pint, I know alcohol is not served at club e. It is only served there when they apply for special permits at select parties they are having there and I know that for fact, and generally it’s just beer.
You are ever so right about the wall bar and grill having issues. There is more violence and more drug deals going on than on the streets and that includes the wonderful bus stops on 15th!
If residents were to take a good look and check crime stats – they would be surprised that a great majority of calls for 911 response to the center end up there at the wall or outside of it, and more so on weekends!
To think we are going to suffer budget cuts within our KCSO and lose Deputies on our streets is imaginable and poses a very critical situation for us here in NH.
Residents need to send Ron Sims, KC Council, and Sheriff Rahr letters or e-mails opposing budget cuts to KCSO and the loss of our Deputies before they finalize the budget by the end of this month.
November 12th, 2008 at 12:23 am
yes at parties beer is served with special permit…But even then I encourage you if you see anyone leaving with beer in their hand to please search out security and inform them…that is the only way we can deal with the situation…And I appreciate your understanding on this matter…
The budget cuts are going to really surge up the crime rate here in Rat City…Less cops more crime…I hope that they can do something about the cuts and minimize the effect that it will have…
No doubt we all can come to an understanding and solution to these issues because I know that I am all ears and Alfredo would love to know how they feel we should deal with it other than move out of White Center or close down completely.
November 19th, 2008 at 9:15 am
Halfpint, I am confussed with your intended point when stating gang members you know are “real ladies and gentleman.” When does this happen? Before or after our neighborhood is terrorized with their gang initiations? Since when did a family community really mean a family of gang’s?
I am not disagreeing with having teen community centers or organizations, but your “club” is not classified under those definitions. Community Centers and organizations are open during teenage appropriate hours, not past adult bar time closing.
I would like to hear more about what anti gang messages are being announced at Club Evolution. What other teen activities or community benificail ones are being promoted at Club Evolution, you know the ones that benefit family communities as it was once defined.
These are “our” kids and promoting or turning a cheek to known members is not obtaining safe neighborhoods, yes I know “where are their parents in all this”?
Written by: Glenn Cornwell D-08714
San Quentin State Prison
Over inflated aspirations,
With less the grammar school education,
Where life means less than money,
And the Kingpin success,
On my block.
Shoes are more important that books,
And everybody packs heat,
Just looking for a come up or some drama,
On my block.
The child disrespects his mama,
And looks up to the robber,
On my block.
Police are hated,
And hate back,
While the thug is loved.
The common citizen’s house is burned to the ground for what he shouldn’t have seen anyway.
Gotta mind your own on my block.
Infested with drugs,
Where chrome rims mean more than the baby’s milk,
And every youngster wants to be either Michael Jordan or Scar Face.
How many Michael Jordan’s are there anyway?
Gladiator’s baseball and everybody old enough to vote already had three strikes before the law was passed,
Nobody votes anyways,
On my block.
Everybody respects the dead,
But no one respects the living.
Peace can be found only if there’s enough dope around,
And it’s check day.
In the dope fiends quest for the almighty high,
He comes with money,
Then he comes with the drag,
Then if all else fails,
He comes with a strap,
And wonders why the last thought he had,
Was lead?
Going through his head.
Just another day,
On my block.
Funny, my little brother wants to be just like me,
A real “O.G.”,
On death row,
And there’s not much I can say cause it’s just the way it is,
On my block.
I guess I miss it more than life itself,
But sometimes I wonder,
When I think about MY BLOCK,
“Was I ever alive in the first place?”
November 19th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Dear Sir Lucas,
I listened to what you had to say about “Schuck’s Parking Lot Closure” and the point you made. This is not about garbage….this is about safety! I wonder Luscus and am concerned for your saftey, these gang members carry knives and guns and cogregate in groups….how are you protecting yourself when your employer’s place of business is promoting a meeting place for violence and gang turfs?
If Club Evolution is promoting a safer teen hangout, why all the safety concerns then?
November 19th, 2008 at 9:34 am
The surrounding business’s Bank of America to mention one…has been plagued with a local gang member who’s proclaimed “turf” is Schucks Parking Lot and B of A Parking Lot…as the unsatisfied gang customer openly threatens the bank’s manager after being declined a banking service….recieves threats and continued harrassment there after as he resorts to looking out the windows before departing the building to his parked car at the end of his work day.
Mentioned was crime in the surrounding area on 15th Ave…well crime is also up at the B of A ATM Machines.
November 19th, 2008 at 10:21 am
We need moore community resident involvement! We are the victims to these gang affiliated crimes. Our neighborhood watch groups are not being informed of crimes that involve our safety. Isn’t this why we attend? I vote to see the White Center News promote more monthly community meeting dates and times ahead so us working residents can schedule accordingly. These meetings SHOULD be posted on the front page, even if a small cornered section!!
November 19th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Brenda, the club is not the source of gang crime. They are just a dance club. They are not supposed to be role models. It is just a place to dance. The follow the rules and go beyond what they are supposed to do. What else could they do?
Should they be shut down because gang members frequent the place? How about churches? Lots of gangsters go to Church. Or Grocery stores. Every gang member goes to a grocery store. Maybe we should all them down. Or the state could invest in anti-gang units and preventions.
It is not the gangs that are causing issues in the parking lots. It is just people drinking. All kinds of people.
November 20th, 2008 at 12:15 am
Did I say that gang members were “real ladies and gentlemen”? No I said most of our patrons are real ladies and gentlemen…Anti-gang sentiment you say? I personally enforce the dress code there…no bandanas no hats no gang affiliated clothing are allowed…and we tell them if you are going to cause a problem then get lost…period…No gang signs are allowed to be thrown up because if we see it they are taken out and banned for a month…you fear for my safety? please don’t worry about me…I have in the past and present handled myself very professionally and have peoples respect…if you were to check any police reports you would find that we don’t have as many problems as people claim…so how are we promoting violence? please spare me the anti-semantics here…Let me tell you that most of the problems are just stupid people that drink in the parking lots…not just gang members but regular people…don’t make us out to be the source of gangs because the source is not us its the gangs themselves that are formed by regular people…and even if you were successful in shutting us down, what do you think would happen?…the maybe 30 people that are gang members would scatter to other places and be their problem as well…we are talking only 30 kids that are gang related…
That is my problem…everyone thinks we are attracting gangs and that most of our clientel are gang members…only maybe 10%…
Brenda you assume everyone that goes to the club are gang members and we promote gang violence and turfs…thats a crock and you know it…you just read a couple of articles and you think you can solve a problem that isn’t there…we don’t have any more safety concerns than any other establishment…I’m sorry…this is a little rediculous to me…maybe you can elaborate more
November 20th, 2008 at 12:28 am
Just saw the comment about posting meeting dates on the White Center News. Can’t speak for them but we promote every meeting (crime coalition, the recent Public Safety in Peril briefing at Steve Cox Park, North Highline UAC) in advance on the home page here. Also, we have an ongoing events calendar. If there is something missing on that page (which is accessible from the top left of every page on this site), please e-mail us:
whitecenternow@gmail.com
Since this site only has been up and running 3 1/2 months, most of what we list there is something we found on the web, but we will continue to build connections with local groups so that we get earlier, direct notification of what’s happening – please spread the word.
thanks!
November 20th, 2008 at 9:25 am
Gangstas flux in and out of the center all the time at various places some entities allow them in and others ban them completely. Banning them sends a strong message that their choice of life style that promotes and thrives off of violence is not ok.
In reference to the article about gangs and club e, it did show gangstas on the dance floors throwing up there gang signs, standing outside of the club throwing up their gang signs, and they were all dressed in white tee shirts throwing up their gang signs… I suppose I would say after reading the article that club e is a sactuary for gangstas as staff allowed them to represent their gang there in the club clearly by throwing up their gang signs in numerous photos thus creating the sense that club e is gang tolerant and will allow these type of individuals leading violent life styles to enter their facility in our community to mingle with the ladies, gentlemen, and underaged youth that go there to dance.
Perhaps a new article is needed to show a change. Why doesn’t club e invite a reporter back to do a more postive article on the no gang tolerance policy club e developed..is that in effect yet? I thought I heard it mentioned.
I know that club e has become more aware of gang issues in our community and that our community will not tolerate any of them. Club e has jumped on board to promote an anti gang tolerant facility creating a safe environment for our community and for the youth and all that frequent the club.
November 20th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Heidi don’t get me wrong and I think you know where I’m coming from…I agree with much of what you say on this issue…So please don’t think I disagree with you as I say this…
At the time they were doing so we were not around them…as you can see in the article that they are all slumped down throwing up thier signs or having thier hands next to thier body…when they are outside that is the police job to say hey if you throw your stuff up out here you’re gone…And its funny that it is mentioned that they are allowed to mingle with the underaged when 90% of them “gangstas” are between 14-18…
I take responsibility for my actions which are no gang affiliated signs or clothing allowed…I throw any out that are wearing or doing so…and do so in a professional manner that I have that respect that they aren’t going to start a scene…I have talked to several of them and they agree to be respectful not only to the place and to me…And if white T’s are considered gang affiliated then I guess I am gang affiliated as is almost 75% of the male population…as to those in gangs again if they do nothing wrong they cannot just be trespassed…that is a form of discrimination…
YOU CANNOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST A CERTAIN LIFESTYLE…that is not only right but law as well…it isn’t right but that is the way it is…if they are respectful and obey the rules then so be it…if they do’t they are gone…
November 20th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
It’s all cool half pint – just stating what some percieve that don’t know other than from reading news paper articles!
November 20th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
Yeah…thank you for your insight…it is encouraging that at least a few people have some type of solutions to the situation….
November 25th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
First off I would like to apologize to Mattie. I came down so hard because I thought she was someone else.
That being said I am getting a lot of people asking me why I am defending this club. I don’t go to the club, I compete for parking spaces with them, they open after I close so I don’t benefit business wise from them. So why defend it?
I hear from a lot of people that they enjoy the diversity of White Center. A lot of people site that as the reason why they moved here in the first place. This is part of diversity. Dance clubs have been a major part of every Hispanic neighborhood I have lived in. Sure there are a lot of people coming from outside to visit on a Saturday night, but it also a lot of people from this community going there. I know it is a lot easier when the diversity is in small numbers or something that you can enjoy also, but this is a part of the Hispanic community.
People have brought up the crime that happens on Saturday night. Most of what I am hearing is drinking in parking lots. That is much easier for me to deal with then Brewski customers puking on my windows, or selling heroin on the bars back deck. I am not getting a lot of tales of gang fights and shootings at club E, but they are happening at malls. Why are we not calling for the mall to be closed. People just asked for more security at the mall, not for the mall to move.
The owner of club E has gone beyond what has been asked of him to protect his patrons and the community at large. He has proven time and again that he will do what ever the community asks. He has an open invitation to let any concerned citizen in to see what the club is actually like. He told me no one has ever taken him up on it.
The biggest reason I defend this club is that I am tired of the discussion about it eating up so much time, energy and community resources that could be focused in other areas that really need it.
November 26th, 2008 at 8:17 am
Yah..lets move on to other issues like heroin loose on our streets.
I find your comment interesting that heroin is being delt on the back deck of brewsky’s… how can you tell what kind of deal it is…is there a way to know. I have never witnessed a deal there in the back and I go out on that back deck to look at the alley or smoke and I see people smoking pot, crack, or what ever it is in their pipe that they smoke.. and it’s up that entire alley all the way to Roxbury.
If this be the case, and like I said…I have never witnessed it, maybe it’s time to speak to law enforcement about this issue of heroin dealing.
It would be a tragedy if a little kid picked up one of those drug dealers drugs when they walk by and puke on your windows. Who knows what could fall out of their pockets in the process of puking.
Have you spoken to Brewsky’s about this issue yet?
April 5th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
i love this club! thats where me and my husband ment each other
April 28th, 2009 at 7:54 pm
I also feel that evolucion has a right to be there and they are doing a decent job in addressing the issues that have come up. I grew up in WC and used to go to evolucion and it wasn’t dangerous. I went to evergreen high school and thought that was more dangerous than the night club. The problem is the poverty that has historically always navigated to white center since it is much cheaper to live there than in the city of Seattle. It’s much easier to scapegoat evolucion than to face the real problem which is the fact that our community has issues with drugs, violence, and a lack of resources. I think a lot of people also stereotype the patrons of evolucion because when I went there most of the people there were from the neighborhood and hardworking people who liked to socialize after a hard week. Maybe those people on here think the way they do about the patrons of evolucion because they don’t mingle themselves with a lot of their own diverse community members. They like the idea of diversity, but still hold close their ethnocentric and stereotypical ideas of how “others” are. I totally agree with whoever mentioned the bus stops and those dive bars as being the real problematic places because that’s where most drug addicts (and close by must be their dealers) hang out. I question why it is that a place known to be a magnet for drug activity that is open 7 days a week isn’t attracting as much hostility? The facts are that most drug offenses are committed by whites and most of the people who frequent those dive bars are white and 95% of the patrons at evolucion are latino. As an American Ethnic Studies major at UW and a community member who is presenting a research project on WC at the UW this May, I have done my research and have the facts about the long history of race tensions in the area. There’s no need to try and beat around the bush, Latinos have met resistance and have had to fight for every outlet they have in the area. This is just another example because I have seen more than adequate proof that Evolucion is doing everything they know how to do to address the issues and they are still being falsely accused of housing gang members and promoting violence.
Also, as far as prostitution goes, there wouldn’t be a market for it if we didn’t live in a patriarchy society where men are free to objectify women with little to no consequences. Fighting that is an uphill battle is we don’t first criticize the power structure that allows it to be so profitable.
I love WC, but we as a community won’t be able to combat the real problems of our community if we don’t get stronger lines of communication between our different groups of community members.
December 23rd, 2009 at 12:16 pm
hhaha i effin love evo!! i go there every saturday if they were to close this club haha i know there would be big problems from lots of people that go there i see all different kinds of people go there its a great expeirence nd yea drinking is a problem but ey were all going to do it so wtf?@@? nd i love the club owner he be giggin at the club with us haha keep the club running its the spot