Community. Commerce. Creativity. Culture.
Here’s how we showed up this year and what we’re building next.

A note from The Union team

This year was about (re)claiming space in the heart of the city for people of African descent and our allies. We opened our doors wider, staged culture-forward moments in public, and turned more ideas into shippable work. The through-line? Turning D&I optics into measurable Rate‑of‑Impact across programs, partnerships, and production.

Headline Wins

• We relaunched The Union as a downtown innovation hub—a home base designed to foster belonging and activation across community, commerce, creativity, and culture.

• We took it to the street with “The Yard.” On Juneteenth, we transformed 2nd Ave into an HBCU‑style block party celebrating Black joy—complete with DJs, local vendors, partners, and a full plaza layout.

• We grew a steady drumbeat of programs and events, keeping our calendar full and our networks expanding.

• We deepened the pipeline from inspiration to execution. Our modular, member‑driven studios powered podcasts, livestreams, photo/video shoots, and art-forward activations—all under one roof.

• We launched content partner services for on‑site live event coverage and podcasts so partners can capture, produce, and publish in the moment.

Launches & Expansions

The Union (Relaunch)

• Downtown cultural and innovation hub focused on CoWork → CoCreate → CoMmune.

• Flexible, production-ready spaces: 12 distinct content scenes, A/V facility, conference room, and an event hall for up to ~150.

• Facilities mix designed for creators and founders: recording & podcast studios, maker/3D/animation capabilities, and a tech‑powered gallery.

“The Yard”: Juneteenth CommUnity Plaza Party

• Street closure + plaza takeover to celebrate culture, circulate dollars with vendors, and spotlight local talent.

• Community and corporate partners leaned in; artists and DJs brought the energy; the layout let folks flow safely and freely.

Content Partner Services (Live Coverage & Podcasts)

• New offering for on‑site live event coverage (multi‑camera capture, field audio, social‑ready clips) and podcast production (from planning to post).

• Podcast Partner for Seattle’s annual Walk the Block festival—we hosted and produced conversations with artists, organizers, and community voices across the weekend, turning moments into evergreen media.

Program Highlights

• Live Event Coverage & Podcast Partnerships: we captured stories where they happened and turned them into pods, reels, and recap posts (including our Walk the Block partnership).

• Open Houses & Hiring Events: recurring moments for discovery, recruiting, and community updates.

• Creative Residencies & Studio Sessions: members and partners used our scenes to batch‑produce pods, reels, and campaigns.

Partner Momentum

From local property partners and food vendors to national orgs and talent collectives, this year proved that the most effective D&I spending is targeted, measurable, and rooted in place. We launched partner tiers that bundle member access, custom programming, curriculum co‑design, and facility access—so impact shows up in people, products, and placements.

Ways to Plug In

• Become a Member: Use the space, ship the work, meet your people.

• Partner with Us: Align your D&I budget to clear Rate‑of‑Impact outcomes (hiring, mentorship, content, curriculum).

• Sponsor a Campus Chapter: Fuel the TxT pipeline of technologists and founders.

• Book Studios & Events: Podcast, panels, screenings, art shows—the rooms are ready.

If you hosted, performed, mentored, volunteered, or simply pulled up this year—thank you. The Union is a we‑thing. See you on The Yard and in the lab next year.