Hing Hay gets a little greener: meet coworking member Monica Barry

Though Washington State legalized recreational marijuana use in 2012, increasing support and legalization of weed in other states has begun to lift societal taboos on recreational use of the little green plant. As legalization increases and people learn more about its effects and benefits, more and more cannabis companies are cropping up. We're excited to introduce you to coworking member Monica Barry, who works for consultants in the marijuana industry! Currently, Monica is an administrator for the company Fair Market Cannabis, keeping the company on track and organized by doing the bookkeeping and completing client transactions. She originally ran a grow facility out of Tacoma, where she first met the owners of Fair Market, Jhavid and Will, who eventually offered her employment. I had the chance to ask her a few questions on her role, who she admires most, and more; read on to see her answers! Janet: What do you love most about your job? Monica: I love the flexibility I have, to work from home, a coffee shop, my family's home, or at Hing Hay. I love that the guys are pretty nice, and honestly just really hard workers that have a passion for what they do. It makes me passionate for my job. Nobody wants to work in a job they don't really enjoy; I am blessed that I get to. J: Who do you admire most? M: On a personal level that would be a tough one. But if we are talking Hing Hay area and Chinatown, I could easily say that since I have been walking from the ferry to Hing Hay every week (Monica commutes from Bremerton), what I have seen is a bunch of dedicated, hard working families that seem to know how to serve the community they live in. J: What do you want out of this community? M: I have already received what I want--to be welcomed and treated kindly, and I have been. Plus Chinatown has something that not all of Seattle has: amazing food choices that are unique and wonderful. J: What's your favorite thing about coworking here? M: I am always greeted by the Hing Hay team, feel comfortable working there, and I have met a few other individuals there as well that I have enjoyed getting to know. We're so glad you've joined our Hing Hay community, Monica! Thanks for tuning in! Don't forget to check back for more community updates and chances to get to know our wonderful coworking members. If you're interested in joining us, stop by the Hing Hay office or email us at info@hhcoworks.org to get a complimentary day pass. Cheers, the Hing Hay Team

Member Spotlight: Jamie Lee

Introducing long-time member Jamie Lee, the Director of Community Initiatives at the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda). I had the chance to interview the elusive lady--read on to learn more about her! Janet: What does your role entail? Jamie: I oversee all community and economic development work that SCIDpda does, as well as marketing and fundraising work. Janet: Why do you do what you do? Jamie: I started here because I love place-based work and I loved the idea of policy and practice interacting with each other. I like getting to work with community members, business owners, and residents in the neighborhood, and advocating for policy work within the city. I stay because I love this neighborhood; it reminds me of a small town and a place that I feel at home. I grew up in a Ohio, where there weren't a lot of Asian folks, and when I first moved here I loved being surrounded by APIs. Janet: What might someone be surprised to find out about you? Jamie: That I have a bachelors in Fine Arts in Printmaking. I love Star Wars. I hate coconut...it's so gross. I also hate board games, and games in general. Janet: What do you do when you aren't working? Jamie: I play soccer, serve on the board at Sanctuary Art Center (a job training program with homeless youth and young adults), yoga, and box. I love to cook (fun fact--she makes eggs every morning, without fail). Oh, and I love watching The West Wing. Janet: What's your end goal in life? Jamie: To leave the world in a better place than when I came into it. Janet: What's the first thing you would do if you won the lottery? Jamie: How much do I win? Janet: $10 million. Jamie: That's it? Can it be $192 million? Janet: Sure! Jamie: I would set up a loan fund for building rehabilitation and commercial stuff for small businesses, pay off my house, and set up a foundation.   Well there you have it, an exclusive look at the life of Jamie Lee. Check back on our blog for updates on the happenings of HHC!

Eric Gould

Eric joined Hing Hay Coworks as a member in the summer of 2015, and has been engaged with the Hing Hay Coworks coworking community by attending events this past year and participating in new coworking activities. He recently organized a karaoke party in West Seattle with members of HHC’s extended family and community. He’s also currently planning a second installment of an immersive Google Cardboard VR workshop at Hing Hay Coworks as a follow-up to an introduction to Google Cardboard VR last month in January.
Eric is a Seattle-based mobile web developer interested in people, travel, film, culture, language, urban studies, and how technology shapes the way we communicate. He plans to rekindle life into his blog about film, art and ideas later this winter, and revisit Mandarin language studies.