INSIDE OUT: Love where you live • I Heart Yakima

Over 167 proud Yakima residents came to I Heart Yakima’s INSIDE OUT photoshoots this summer to declare that they love where they live. These Yakima-loving residents had their photos taken by Sally Tonkin, and their black and white portraits were printed on paper and installed, larger than life, on the side of the Ron’s Coin & Book building in downtown Yakima in September 2017. More than two dozen local volunteers helped with installation on two very warm days – a testament to community teamwork.

The INSIDE OUT: Love Where You Live project celebrates the people of Yakima. Those who live here, doing the daily work of caring for their families, neighbors, and the greater community, are the people who create a positive future for Yakima. INSIDE OUT is a global art project designed for people to share their stories and transform messages of personal identity into works of public art. There are 260,000 people – and counting – who are part of INSIDE OUT across the world.

David MoralesWHY I HEART YAKIMA: Yakima is a place where every person matters. It is a value that is carried through every institution and social network in this city. Because this is a small place, the contributions of one person can really make a difference and we have grown to know and appreciate what could happen when one person decides to make an imprint on this city.

WHY INSIDE OUT: Place-making. I think it is sometimes difficult as an outsider to know when I am in or when I am out. A lot of people in Yakima come from elsewhere, and I would like to think that people like me can call this place home too.

LIVED IN YAKIMA: 5 years

Andrew SondWHY I HEART YAKIMA: I just arrived in town to lead Heritage University. I love the diversity and the sense of community. I look forward to promoting higher education in the valley.

WHY INSIDE OUT: As the next President of Hertitage, it is important for me to engage with the community.

LIVED IN YAKIMA: 2 months

Skylee MooreWHY I HEART YAKIMA: My dad moved here before I was born, so I didn't really have a choice. But I love Yakima and wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

WHY INSIDE OUT: I love supporting the community.

LIVED IN YAKIMA: 16 years

Adolf MullerWHY I HEART YAKIMA: I have recently begun to explore Yakima, and found that there are many great places. Yet, there is so much more to explore, love and share with others.

WHY INSIDE OUT: Learning and trying new things in Yakima is never a loss. Thank you! ;)

LIVED IN YAKIMA: 7 Years

Mariel Botello

Eli Ba-AttiyahWHY I HEART YAKIMA: It's nice and sunny and we get a lot of snow in the winter - and we have good apples!

WHY INSIDE OUT: I would like to see my picture on a building.

LIVED IN YAKIMA: 2.5 years

Lucia GanosWHY I HEART YAKIMA: Por que hay trabajo me gusta ei invierno aqui tengo mi esposo y mis hijos.

WHY INSIDE OUT: Para que la jente siga unida y si se puede con paciencia y dedicacion.

LIVED IN YAKIMA: 6 años

Jamaica ZoglmanWHY I HEART YAKIMA: When I first moved to Yakima I didn't expect to love it. It was a hard transition from my former home in Seattle. Everything was different, from the weather, to the politics, to the food, to the landscape. But here I am, almost a decade later, and Yakima has become so dear to me that the idea of leaving makes my heart ache. I love the craggy basalt columns of the canyon, where I feel like I'm looking at the very bikes of the earth. I love the deep winters that have taught me how to lean into the cold and darkness. I love the people-- the ones who think like me and the ones who laugh and call me a tree hugger-- because they are unfailingly friendly and kind, no matter what our differences may be. I love the smell of hops in the fall and the boom of the orchard cannons and the sight of sunlight glinting off of the irrigation canal running right through the middle of town, because this city is fundamentally a place where things GROW. I love Yakima. I never expected to, and now I will never stop. 

WHY INSIDE OUT: Yakima nurtures its artists in surprising ways. I came here from a city where you needed to prove that you mattered before you were welcome to join the artistic conversation. You needed credentials or credibility in order to call yourself an artist. Here in Yakima, I feel like that space has been opened up for anyone willing to join in. I love it. I believe so strongly in the power of public art and the importance of holding that artistic space for anyone brave enough to participate.

LIVED IN YAKIMA: 8 years

Manuel HernandezWHY I HEART YAKIMA: I love living in Yakima because I am surrounded by my family and Mexican community. I have spent most of my life in this city and grown to become an active member in the community. In a time where our community is being targeted by hate, ignorance, and xenophobia, I remind people of the hard workers who have placed Yakima on the map. We have become a city of crops, from our cherries to our apples, wine, and hops. Let's never forget what makes Yakima the fertile land it has become.

WHY INSIDE OUT: I would like to participate because I want to showcase the diversity that makes our city a great place to live. I am a first generation graduate and queer person of color currently working for a non-profit in town. My family has worked in the agricultural field for the past 20+ years. I am an example of what can be achieved if people are given a chance to higher education.

LIVED IN YAKIMA: 24 years

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Thank You

We are grateful for the city-wide support and enthusiasm for this project, without it—and you — INSIDE OUT Yakima wouldn’t have been possible. A big thank you also to our sponsors. Our city is filled with tremendous local talent, we are so happy to have their support.

Inside Out Yakima is – by its very nature – a temporary installation. If you’d like to keep your image forever, photographer Sally Tonkin will give you the digital file. And, you’ll live on forever right here. Thanks Yakima!

—The Team at I Heart Yakima

Thank You

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