Rainier Valley Heritage Parade July 13, 1991. Brain Fairchild and John L. O'Brien. 2026 RVHS History Maker Award Recipient What does it take to build a stronger neighborhood? For Brian Fairchild, the answer is simple: get involved, bring people together, and find a way to make things better. For nearly five decades, Brian has been doing just that. As a longtime resident, real estate professional, and civic leader, he's helped shape Rainier Valley through remarkable change. Whether organizing neighborhood improvements or helping preserve local history, Brian has never been one to sit on the sidelines. His story is a reminder that strong neighborhoods don't happen by chance. They're built by people who care enough to get involved. Finding Home in Rainier Valley Brian was born in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood and later moved to Des Moines, where he graduated from Mount Rainier High School. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Washington in 1967 before pursuing a master's degree in education at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1975. It was there that he met his future wife, Evelyn. The couple married in 1976 and began their teaching careers in Gambell, Alaska, a remote community on St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea, just 36 miles from Russia. They returned to Seattle in 1977 and settled in Lakewood, where they had purchased a home. It's remained their home ever since. Evelyn went on to become principal of Dearborn Elementary School. With two young daughters at home, Brian decided to leave teaching for a career that offered more flexibility. He found his next chapter in real estate, joining Windermere's newly opened Mount Baker office in 1980. He eventually became office manager, a position he held from 1990 until his retirement in 2010. His career gave him a front-row seat to Rainier Valley's transformation. Brian remembers Columbia City when storefronts stood vacant and South Seattle was often dismissed by people who knew little about the neighborhood. Those attitudes had real consequences. Working in real estate, Brian encountered prejudice toward Rainier Valley and its residents, including racial discrimination in housing. He challenged those assumptions and advocated for fair treatment, believing in the neighborhood and the people who called it home. Building Community, One Project at a Time Brian's civic involvement took root at the Lakewood Community Club, where he served as president in the early 1980s. Drawing on his background in education, he worked with fellow community leaders to establish a Montessori preschool in the clubhouse, creating a reliable source of income for the organization. He also championed a new pedestrian crossing signal and helped organize neighborhood gatherings, including his personal favorite, the annual Oktoberfest. Not every idea was immediately popular. Both the preschool and crossing signal faced opposition from some neighbors, but Brian recognized their long-term value and helped move them forward. His involvement soon expanded to the Rainier Chamber of Commerce, where he served on the board intermittently from 1990 to 2010, including as president from 1994 to 1995. At a time when Rainier Valley was working to overcome negative perceptions and attract new investments, Brian helped champion projects that made its commercial districts more welcoming. From neighborhood cleanups to new welcome signs, the Chamber worked to show people what Rainier Valley had to offer. One project especially close to Brian's heart was restoring the historic trolley stop at Rainier Avenue South and South Rose Street, preserving a piece of the neighborhood's Streetcar past for future generations. Brian Fairchild restoring Rose St. Streetcar stop. Photo Darla Morton. South Seattle Beacon September 1, 2010. One of Brian's most significant contributions was helping establish the Rainier Valley Heritage Festival in 1993. At a time when negative stereotypes often overshadowed the neighborhood's strengths, the festival set out to change the narrative. It brought Rainier Valley's diverse communities together in a celebration of their cultures, while drawing visitors from across Seattle to see the neighborhood in a new light. The festival was a source of local pride and an invitation to discover what residents already knew: Rainier Valley was a vibrant, welcoming place worth celebrating and investing in. Brian also served on the Rainier Valley Crime Prevention Council, helping strengthen communication between residents and the Seattle Police Department. His professional and civic commitments often went hand in hand. During his twenty years managing Windermere's Mount Baker office, Brian organized annual volunteer projects that brought colleagues into neighborhood parks and public spaces for cleanups and improvements. In 2003, he expanded his community involvement by joining the Rainier Valley Historical Society Board of Directors, bringing his practical leadership and deep knowledge of the neighborhood to the organization. Incoming Rainier Valley Historical Society president Brian Fairchild (left) and outgoing president Buzz Anderson (right). Photo B. Enghaus. Beacon Hill News & South District Journal May 7, 2008. Guiding RVHS Into a New Chapter In 2008, Brian succeeded founding president Buzz Anderson, who had led RVHS for 15 years. Following Buzz's remarkable tenure, Brian stepped into the role with a practical approach to moving the organization forward. One of his biggest accomplishments was helping RVHS move out of the basement of the Rainier Arts Center and into the heart of Columbia City. Brian helped establish a partnership with the Lions Club to lease the storefront at 3710 S Ferdinand Street, relocating both the Society's office and its historic collections. For a small, volunteer-led organization, this was no small feat! The move marked an exciting shift for RVHS. Instead of working largely behind the scenes, the Society now had a storefront where neighbors could stop in, ask about an old photograph, or discover something new about their community. Brian helped make local history a more visible part of everyday life in Rainier Valley. And the timing couldn't have been better. Light rail was arriving, new development was transforming familiar streets, and new residents were making Rainier Valley home. After decades of working in real estate, Brian understood that buying a home and feeling at home were two very different things. A house might bring someone to the neighborhood, but getting to know its history and the people who shaped it could give them a deeper connection to the place. Brian saw an opportunity for RVHS to help make those introductions. He championed a new website and envisioned a membership campaign focused on welcoming newcomers, while continuing to engage longtime residents whose memories were essential to the Society's work. He recognized that local history could offer common ground, helping neighbors connect through the stories of the place they shared. It's easy to take our little storefront on Ferdinand Street for granted today. But Brian helped make that space possible, and with it, a more accessible and welcoming historical society. His leadership helped establish an approach to community history that remains central to RVHS: preserving the past while inviting more people to discover why it matters. A Lifetime in Rainier Valley Ask Brian about Rainier Valley, and the conversation quickly fills with names and stories. He remembers the businesses that once lined Rainier Avenue and the neighbors who worked to shape Columbia City through decades of change. He has witnessed an extraordinary amount of change, and he's had a hand in making much of it happen. Through it all, Brian has remained rooted in Lakewood, where he and Evelyn raised their family. His years of community involvement have stretched across organizations and generations, often while balancing a career, family life, and countless volunteer hours. So how did he find the time? When asked how he managed to devote so much energy to his community, Brian offered a matter-of-fact answer: “Well, you just make a choice: it's a priority. I don't golf. I don't own a boat. I don't do other things people find important, so that frees up a lot of my time.” There's something wonderfully Brian about that answer. No grand explanation, no claim of extraordinary sacrifice. Just a simple decision to spend his time doing something that mattered to him. And what a difference that decision has made. We are proud to recognize Brian Fairchild as our 2026 History Maker Award recipient. His story reminds us that a neighborhood's history is shaped by the people who invest in its future. From left to right - Jo Anderson, Buzz Anderson (RVHS Founder), Brian Fairchild (RHVS President), and Steve Hunt (Seattle Rainier Lions Club President).

Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony at Fasica Ethiopian Restaurant in Columbia City, 2002. Youth in Focus Photograph by Annie Farmer Beyond the orange and gold autumnal leaves scattering our streets or the true onset of six months of overcast weather, October is a month of history. Holidays like Halloween or Day of the Dead and the month’s turn draw on the resurrection of personal and cultural histories, while the colder weather draws more people into the warm, wooden halls of local museums and libraries. It seems a month where the ghosts of the past become slightly more visible, allowing us a crucial opportunity to reflect on our own histories. As we uncover in all of our work at the Historical Society, Seattle and its Rainier Valley have a long, rich history filled with diverse groups of people, traditions, and more. This month, we explore a bit of the history of one of Seattle’s many immigration populations—Ethiopian immigrants—and the cultural traditions they brought with them to make our community even richer, particularly when it comes to food. Most Ethiopians came to Seattle in the 1980s after the 1979 national passing of the Refugee Act, with Seattle chosen as one of a few cities where the federal government placed Ethiopian refugees. When they first arrived, they faced some of the same problems that other immigrants have faced, including difficulty finding ingredients for their meals. One Ethiopian staple food is injera: a sour, spongy bread that is used to scoop up various lentil and meat stews. Alysan Croyden, an ESL teacher at the Refugee Women’s Alliance, says “my Ethiopian students have told me many stories about making injera, and how that’s changed so many times in the U.S. When they first came they couldn’t get a supply of teff—the grain that they use to make injera. So they had to substitute wheat for it. So they have something called “911 injera” which is made with wheat instead of teff, in an emergency. It’s like a sourdough recipe so they have to leave it in a big bowl. They usually make it one day, the next day they leave it, and maybe by the end of that day then they pour it on [a griddle] to make big pancakes out of it.” Teff is now available in Ethiopian grocery stores in Rainier Valley, along with other Ethiopian necessities like hot pepper berbere and raw coffee beans. Bob Ackley at Bob’s Quality Meat similarly had to learn about Ethiopian cuisine in order to serve his ever-changing Rainier Valley clientele. A sign on his wall in 2002 advertised “Ethiopian Red Meat – SIGA.” Here he explains the sign: “Ten or twelve years ago, approximately, I had an Ethiopian man come in to me. And he says, “I want some red meat. No fat.” Red meat, with no fat. And I said, “Well, now, just what do you mean? You want steak, you want roast?” He said, “I want red meat.” So I must have spent ten or fifteen minutes getting him four or five pounds of this – just little tiny chunks of meat, but no fat on it, see. Oh, it’s just what he wanted.” As more and more Ethiopians began to come into his store asking for “red meat, no fat,” Bob started talking to his suppliers about this new demand. Chapter 6: Stew Pot to Melting Pot 183 “There’s a fellow up in Ferndale that I was talking to. ‘What’s the possibility of raising these animals that are gonna have no fat on the inside and little or no on the outside.’ He said, ‘Oh, you’re talking about the old hamburger beef.’ And I said, ‘No, I’m not. I want a quality animal, with no fat on the inside, with a little bit on the outside.’ Well, we tried several and we’d talk about the improvements that we needed on it. Within about four months, he was hitting her pretty good. "And that has grown into an entire industry by itself, now. He’s got one feedlot that does nothing but that type of animal up there. They’re raised for this specific type of meat. I used to [supply the Ethiopian restaurant Fasica]. I don’t know if [Jim still] does or not. But anyway, we have people come from all over for this. But then, what we sell is the best you could possibly buy. We don’t sell leftovers or sidepieces. I mean, it’s the best cut you can get. They deserve it, you see.” The proliferation of African shops, restaurants, and social organizations in Rainier Valley is a sure sign that Africans are flourishing here. And like the Italians, Southeast Asians, and others before them, they are bringing their diverse heritage–and delicious food–to Rainier Valley’s vibrant mix of cultures. This month’s recipe is brought by the owner of the aforementioned Fascia Ethiopian Restaurant Aklilu Weldemichae, who shared his recipe for doro wat for our Food Stories Cookbook. As he told us. “[The way we make it in Ethiopia] is totally different from the way we make it here. We buy the chicken by itself and then slaughter the chicken. And then we take off all the skin and break down the chicken into twelve parts. Our people, they know where to divide it. They divide it into twelve pieces. [This procedure is known as doro mebelet]. And then you add the lemon with the hot water. Some people add the salt. And then wash it. In addition to that ritual, this will prevent contamination. You’ll have a lot of red onion and you have to cook it very well. Then you add the hot stuff, the different kind of spices. You stir the onions so many times until it is dark brown. You add water a little bit and then you add more salt. Oil you can add a little bit, but mostly doro wat is made with butter. You should have special butter that’s made at home [clarified butter], you add that one. And after this is ready, you put the chicken. You boil it until it’s ready. Or we, we just test it with our hand and you feel it. And the smell also. When you take it out, you are putting garlic, a nice smell. After that the butter, and then you add some eggs. The egg, you boil it first. When it’s ready you just pick off the shell and then you put a slice – you are not cutting but just put a knife inside it. And then put it in the doro wat and then all the spices and everything will go in. So that’s how you are making doro wat.” This month, consider making Weldemichael’s doro wat—or supporting a local Ethiopian restaurant if cooking isn’t your strong suit—and reflecting on the history of your city, neighborhood, or family. Doro Wat Aklilu Weldemichael, adapted from Ethiopian Cooking in the American Kitchen, by Tizita Ayele Sauce: 1½ lb. chopped onions 4 oz. clarified butter 2 oz. beer (cooking wine or water) 2 Tbsp. tomato paste 2 Tbsp. berbere powder (red hot pepper) 3 lb. chicken (whole chicken) 12 oz. warm water ¼ teaspoon salt 1 tsp. blended fresh ginger and garlic ½ tsp. coriander powder, or equal amount cinnamon and ground cloves 4 hard-boiled eggs Heat the onions in a frying pan for about three minutes before you add the butter. Add 2 oz. clarified butter and fry until the onions turn reddish brown. Add the 2 oz. beer (cooking wine or water) and stir it well. Add the tomato paste and fry it for about five minutes. Add 2 oz. warm water before you add the berbere and stir it well. Add the berbere and fry it for about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and stir. The chicken must be fried until its juice gets thick. Add warm water and let it boil for about five minutes. Put the heat on a low setting, season it, and let it simmer until its juices thicken. Shell the hard-boiled eggs and make narrow openings (by slicing) along the sides. Drop the eggs in the red sauce. Add salt and your doro wat is ready to be served. . Recipe from the Rainier Valley Food Stories Cookbook, available for purchase here. Individual's stories sourced from the Rainier Valley Food Stories Cookbook.

Golda Simon in her kitchen, 2003. Youth in Focus Photograph by Megan Fredette September is a lovely month in Seattle, even though the many students heading back to school may not agree—the weather is still warm, the skies still light at 5pm, and the many trees’ leaves are not yet strewing the city streets. For those attuned to a scholastic calendar, whether they are students, teachers, or parents, September is also a time of new beginnings, its own sort of January. This month, we’d like to share the story of Golda Simon, a longtime teacher and Rainier Valley resident who demonstrates the importance of looking for opportunities to learn new things throughout one's life. Born Gail Simon in 1954 in Brooklyn, New York, Golda Simon began going by her Jewish name in the early 2000s as she found it was “more of who [I] am.” Golda shared that “I probably think about food a lot more than the average person. Food has always been important to me. It’s been a part of who I am — it’s kinda tied to my Jewish identity, even though I cook a lot more than “Jewish” foods. I grew up mostly on canned foods in the fifties, except for a few odd things like parsley, dill, and parsnips that I grew fresh because they were really important to the soups. For the same reason I was named Gail and called Golda — that struggle with assimilation versus tradition. We were probably Americans first and Jews second. Any important occasion [or holiday], it was homemade soup and more, you know, but dinners during the week, there’s always canned vegetables and canned fruit and sometimes canned soup in addition to the meat and potatoes. I think it was just the times.” While her passion for cooking began early in life, she began cooking frequently during her college years, becoming vegetarian and getting involved in gardening through a program sponsored by the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, sharing how “[My family] built this organic vegetable garden in the grass underneath this eight-storey building, and actually won honorable mention for the best organic garden in a New York City housing project. In like 1974 or ‘75. That was great! And there were no canned green beans that summer, only fresh ones. It was great, it was really a good, good time. After studying to be an early education teacher in college and spending years working with young children, Golda felt burnt out from the classroom around the late 1980s. Looking for something new, Golda began working at one of the local natural food delis, deciding to work toward a cooking career and going back to school at Seattle Central Community College’s Culinary Arts Program. At the time, she also did community work in a WSU Extension program that took her out into low-income and immigrant communities in the area doing demonstrations on cooking healthy meals using primarily ingredients one receives from food banks, working with those canned ingredients which she ate so often as a child in Brooklyn. Golda explains how during this time, “I’m going back and forth between kids and food, food and kids, and then I just put it together. I teach kids, I teach adults how to cook, and I work in schools planning and implementing a snack and lunch food program. And I work as a personal chef as well. So I’ve put together a combination where I get to do the creative work on my own and then share what I’ve come up with as a teacher. We have a working kitchen, an extension of the classroom at the Montessori school where I work. The kids get involved, everything from setting the tables to clearing off the tables, and making the food in between. The parents are quite pleased — they see how their kids are using real tools and actually making the carrot salad or scrambling up the eggs…It adds some joy to my day to work with the kids as they discover the gooky egg whites or the sloshy pudding or the sticky peanut butter balls. Or, you know, even if they’re not eating the kale, they really like cutting it into ribbons. It’s getting kids involved in an important part of life and helping them to obtain practical skills and cross any gender barriers also.” In this work teaching children and adults the joys of cooking, Golda found a career that brought her great joy that she couldn’t have imagined when she was frying latkes in her childhood kitchen or attending education classes in college. Her new work allowed her to anchor her life around her core philosophy, which she shared with us: “My philosophy on food very much matches my philosophy on life, which rotates around the idea of living simply, with an awareness of being earthfriendly… Even as simple as eating off real plates and not paper plates at picnics. I gather with a group of Jewish lesbians each year and our friends and children, and we bring our own dishes, you know, rather than bringing paper plates and things like that. But importantly, to have a wide vision—beyond myself. That’s why I enjoy feeding people, because it’s a way to connect over barriers.” This September, it would do all of us some good to pursue new opportunities and make an effort to learn new things, no matter how many years it has been since we were walking into traditional school halls. Consider tapping into Golda’s philosophy of feeding people to connect over barriers by making her grated salad, a quick and easy recipe that could be whipped up to share over a dinner party with new or old friends. Grated Salada Golda Simon Ingredients: 1 cup raw carrots, peeled and grated 1 cup raw beets, peeled and grated 1 cup apple, peeled and grated ½ cup toasted pecans, broken, not chopped ¼ cup shredded coconut, lightly toasted ¼ cup currants or raisins 4 cups assorted lettuces or salad greens Dressing: 3-4 Tbsp. lemon juice 3 Tbsp. walnut or olive oil salt and pepper to taste Grate carrots, beets, and apples, set aside. Carefully toast coconut and pecans in separate dry pans. In a large mixing bowl, combine grated items, coconut, pecans, and currants. Mix with dressing, toss well. Serve on a bed of greens. Recipe from the Rainier Valley Food Stories Cookbook, available for purchase here. Individual's stories sourced from the Rainier Valley Food Stories Cookbook.

Historical society in Seattle, Washington. Our mission is to collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret the history and heritage of the Rainier Valley. WELCOME TO RAINIER VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY Learn More Our Mission To collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret the history and heritage of Rainier Valley and its community and to educate and promote public involvement in, and appreciation of, its history and culture. Featured Articles See more articles Upcoming Events See all events 12th Annual Founder's Dinner Sat, Nov 07 St. Edward Catholic Church RSVP Comet Lodge Cemetery Tour Sat, Nov 14 Comet Lodge Cemetary Learn more Our Archives Learn more about our archives Articles & Publications Photographs Newsletters Oral Histories Become a Member Help us preserve and celebrate the history of the Rainier Valley. Be a part of our advocacy for local preservation. Become a Member

Watch and listen to our collection of interviews and videos. Oral Histories We have serval dozen oral histories in our collection. A portion of our catalog are available on our YouTube Channel. The full catalog is available to researchers by appointment. explore our library RVHS Video Play Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Now Playing 36:45 Play Video Oral History Series: Dale Leuthold Jr. Now Playing 29:14 Play Video Oral History Series: Jack Collier, Collier Gas Station (Now Stone House Cafe) Now Playing 01:43:42 Play Video Oral History Series: Alice Yasutake Submit Your Oral History Share your story with us! RVHS welcomes submissions of oral histories from individuals interested in preserving their experiences for future generations. To contribute to our library, fill out our contact form, and we'll reach out to you. contact us

Help us preserve and celebrate the history of the Rainier Valley. Be a part of our advocacy for local preservation. Support RVHS Your gift helps preserve the stories, cultures, and histories that make Rainier Valley unique. Every donation supports our archives, exhibits, programs, and the creation of Rainier Valley Heritage Hall. Thank you for your support!