In the Pacific Northwest, there is an obsession with the idea of “local origins,” whether in reference to fresh produce, or to where people were born and raised. Even if you’ve lived here for decades, some say you’re still not “local.”

This notion provokes fundamental questions: Who belongs here? How far back does personal history have to extend before one can claim local status? This group exhibition answers those questions from the viewpoints of four women of color – artists Carletta Carrington Wilson, Bernadette Merikle, Lisa Myers Bulmash, and Susan Ringstad Emery.

They explore what being local means for people who move through the world in black or brown bodies. All of the artist have lived in Western Washington for many years, but only one was born in Seattle. The artists’ work investigates the local concept at a time when newcomers are changing Seattle in profound ways.