Seattle's Ethiopian community has experienced rapid growth since the 1970s, driven by Ethiopians fleeing war, famine, and ethnic violence in their homeland. By the early 2000s, several thousand Ethiopians resided in the Seattle area, supported by five Ethiopian churches, including two Ethiopian Orthodox churches, which catered to their spiritual needs.
These churches played a crucial role by:
- Sharing information within the community.
- Providing aid to community members facing crises.
- Uniting the community despite ethnic tensions in Ethiopia.
- Offering a space to preserve and pass down their culture to US-born children.
St. Gebriel Church of Ethiopians, an Ethiopian Orthodox church in Seattle's Central Area.
One notable example is St. Gebriel Church of Ethiopians, an Ethiopian Orthodox church in the Central Area. This octagonal building, facing east in the traditional Ethiopian style, opened in 2000 and quickly attracted a growing congregation.
Early Presence and Growth
Ethiopians and Eritreans have been present in the Seattle area since the late 1960s, initially as university students. Their numbers increased significantly from 1980, following the Refugee Act, until around 2000, as people fled oppressive regimes, drought, and war in their home countries. In the early twenty-first century, many arrived through the Diversity Immigration Visa program.
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Both communities have flourished in Seattle but face similar challenges, including supporting the aging first generation and ensuring their children's success through education and cultural preservation.
The Ethiopian Community Mutual Association welcomes all Ethiopians and strives to help refugees integrate into American society by finding work, sending children to school, and immersing themselves in the new culture. Ethiopians who identified as Oromo or Tigray people also opened their own community centers to provide assistance to new arrivals who shared the same ethnic heritage and spoke the same language.
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The Debre Bisrat Saint Gabriel and Saint Arsema Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
The Debre Bisrat Saint Gabriel and Saint Arsema Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Lynnwood is another significant institution. The building, formerly a Masonic Temple constructed in 1919 and completed in 1921, was acquired by the church in November 2017. The goal was to use it not only for prayer but also to help children learn the language and culture of their country of origin and become outstanding citizens.
Michael, a member of the church, emphasized its historical significance, stating, "Most of our members are hard-working first generation [Ethiopians] that come here to teach their children Ethiopian Orthodox. We are part of the history of the city of Lynnwood serving in this hundred-year-old building. But keep in mind the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is way older than 100-years old. This building is also a shelter to over 3,000 years of Ethiopian Orthodox beliefs."
Inside of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
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Challenges and Community Building
Despite divisions along religious and ethnic lines, community leaders like Ezra Teshome emphasize mutual respect among Ethiopian groups. The Ethiopian Community Mutual Association's purchase of a new community center in 2010 provided an opportunity to unify the community.
Vietnamese Presbyterian Brighton Church is significant due to its association with both the Vietnamese and Ethiopian communities in South Seattle. The Kidst Mariam Ethiopian Orthodox Church also worships in the building and serves the local Ethiopian population in South Seattle.
Substantial residential and commercial development in South Seattle and the Rainier Valley occurred when a transportation corridor connecting the Rainier Valley to downtown and Seattle’s industrial district was constructed along Rainier Avenue. As residential development increased, Rainier Avenue gradually became the principal commercial corridor connecting the residential neighborhoods of South Seattle to downtown, the International District, and Seattle’s industrial districts.
Integration and Cultural Preservation
While assimilation is beneficial, Ethiopians and Eritreans in Seattle aim to raise their children with a strong cultural identity through language and cultural classes, family traditions, and community celebrations.
In 1994, the Eritrean Association in Greater Seattle registered as a nonprofit community organization meant to help Eritrean parents and children in Seattle and King County. In 1996, the association raised $82,000 from its members to purchase a house and small piece of land at 1528 Valentine Place S, just south of I-90.
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The varied roof system is composed of a steeply-pitched front-gable roof over the north wing, a moderately-pitched gable roof over the side wing, and a gable-on-hip roof over the south wing. While fenestration varies, the north and side wings are characterized by rectangular lattice windows with a round window in the north gable end. The south wing primarily has casement windows.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Early Arrival | Late 1960s as students |
| Growth Factors | War, famine, ethnic violence, Refugee Act of 1980 |
| Community Centers | Provide social space, cultural programs, language classes |
| Challenges | Aging first generation, cultural preservation, integration |
| Religious Diversity | Ethiopian Orthodox, Protestant |
