SEATTLE — Somewhere in Seattle, three good friends are talking, and talking, and talking. It's pretty much what Eula Scott Bynoe, Alaina Caldwell, and Jasmine Jackson do best.
That's why they've put their talk into action as the hosts of HellaBlackHellaSeattle.
“We are all born and raised Seattleites,” said Jasmine.
It's a popular new podcast highlighting the many shades of the Emerald City.
“Ooo! I need to grab every black woman in here! And I literally ran up to every black woman,” said Eula.
Eula came up with the idea while she was on her honeymoon.
“Just thought how great it would be if the three of us made something out of what we already do,” said Eula.
She asked her buddies Alaina and Jasmine to come along for the adventure, and play to their strengths.
“Jas knows everything that goes on in the city,” said Eula.
Alaina is the restaurant critic. And Eula? She interviews guests and moderates the whole thing.
“I like to meet people and figure out more about them,” said Eula.
They created HellaBlackHellaSeattle as a way for local people of color to find and support each other, in a city where growth and gentrification seems to tug at the fabric of social order.
“Build community and bring people together,” said Jasmine.
The show celebrates their friendship and their home.
“I hope that everyone gets to listen and says, ‘Oh, no, this city has things going on,’” said Eula.
“We had some interesting issues at the beginning,” said Alaina.
If you're from Seattle and you feel lost, if you're not from Seattle and you feel lost, listen to the podcast and gain some inspiration,” said Jasmine.
The podcast started out as a limited-run summer project, but the women and their fans have decided to stick with it.
The three amigos hope that someday, HellaBlackHellaSeattle could be a full-time job with hella perks.
But for now, they're happy to be making a connection. And making a difference.
