Marcus Yam
DISPARITY. Seattle has grown from a pioneer settlement to the largest metropolitan area in the Pacific Northwest in just a few generations. To compete and thrive for the future, it must look to its past and consider which parts of its identity it is willing to sacrifice in order to become a truly global city. The population boom in the highly skilled workforce has created a demand for higher quality housing and a higher quality of life. Rent prices are going up. Neighborhoods are being gentrified. The Northwest's rugged and family friendly sensibilities are slowly being replaced with a more, sleek, trendy and outward-looking aesthetic, making visible socio-economic disparities.
