PHOTO: "Premonition of the Past, Hope of the Future" Acrylic Painting by Francesco Sisqueros situated in the Broadway Edison building on the Seattle Central Community College Campus. The college is holding an open house May 20. 

Great Wheel Turns Purple May 17 to Celebrate Lupus Awareness

The public is invited at 6:30 pm on Put on Purple Day, May 17, when the lights on  Pier 57’s Great Wheel will turn purple to support people living with Lupus in WashingtonState.

The event, by the Lupus Foundation of America, Pacific Northwest Chapter, is Friday, May 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the Great Wheel, Pier 57, 1301 Alaskan Way, Seattle.

The foundation is also holding “The Many Shades of Lupus,” a multicultural celebration and community gathering to honor those who are surviving and thriving with this devastating disease. “The Many Shades of Lupus,” is at the Asia Pacific Cultural Center, 4851 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma, Wash., on Saturday, May 31, 2014, from 1-4 p.m., part of a month-long slate of activities planned by the LFA, PNW to gain public attention of lupus during May, which Governor Inslee has proclaimed Lupus Awareness Month. 

Lupus is a debilitating, painful and incurable autoimmune disease that can greatly impair quality of life, as well as lead to premature death.  Approximately 40,000 people suffer from lupus in WashingtonState.  For unknown reasons, the disease mainly attacks women, with 90 percent of patients being female.  Though men and children get lupus too, 90 percent of all lupus patients are women, with the disease most frequently presenting during child-bearing years.  Again for unknown reasons, Women of Color are 2-3 times more likely to get lupus than Caucasian women.

For more information go to www.lupuspnw.org

Open House for Seattle Central’s College Transfer, Career Programs

People in the community will have an opportunity to learn about Seattle Central College’s many degree and certificate programs during its annual open house on May 20, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on the main floor of the Broadway Edison Building at 1701 Broadway.

Campus tours, light refreshments, prizes, live jazz and more. Free parking is available at the Seattle Central garage at 1609 Harvard Ave.

Representatives from admissions and financial aid will be on hand to answer questions and help individuals begin the application process. Staff from the college transfer and professional-technical programs will also be available to provide information. Specific programs include culinary arts, maritime, information technology, creative arts and more.

For more information go to www.seattlecentral.edu/springintocentral.

Local Students Read from Their Writing May 21-22 at Seattle Public Library

The Seattle Public Library will host two nights of readings from local students participating in the Writers in the Schools program from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 21 at the Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave., Level 1, Microsoft Auditorium, and from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 22 at the Central Library, Level 4, Washington Mutual Foundation Meeting Room 1.

The programs are free and open to the public. No registration is required. Parking is available in the Central Library garage for $5 after 5 p.m.

The May 21 program will feature readings from elementary school students, and the May 22 program will feature readings from teens.

Writers in the Schools, a program sponsored by Seattle Arts & Lectures, works with public school students at elementary, middle, and high schools in Seattle and the Puget Sound region. Through the mentorship and innovative instruction of professional creative writers, students develop their voices, tell their stories, and turn imagination into ink.

For more information about the programs, call the Library at 206-386-4636.

Film Festival Opens in Renton

The Seattle International Film Festival returns to Renton for a fourth year, with a special opening night screening Thursday, May 22, and gala reception following at the Renton Pavilion Event Center.

SIFF in Renton is sponsored by the Renton Community Marketing Campaign, a partnership that includes the City of Renton, Renton School District, Renton Technical College, Valley Medical Center, Renton Chamber of Commerce, and Renton Visitor's Connection. These entities have been working together for 12 years to promote Renton as a great place to live, work, play, learn, shop, visit, and, now, see world class cinema.

For tickets and more information, visit www.siff.net. 

Jake Rosenfeld Talks About ‘What Unions No Longer Do’ at Seattle Public Library

Jake Rosenfeld will talk about his new book, “What Unions No Longer Do,” from 6 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. Thursday, May 29 at The Seattle Public Library, Capitol Hill Branch, 425 Harvard Ave. E.

Library programs and events are free and open to the public. Registration is not required.

 “What Unions No Longer Do” looks at historical and contemporary influences on wage rates and pay equity.

Rosenfeld is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Washington and co-director of the Scholars Strategy Network and a faculty affiliate of the Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology, the West CoastPovertyCenter and the HarryBridgesCenter for Labor Studies.

For more information about the programs, call the Library at 206-386-4636 or Ask a Librarian.

For more events in the Seattle and Portland-metro areas check out The Skanner News community calendar.