Often when we think about social justice leadership, the people we celebrate are the firebrands, the orators, the ones in front of the microphone.
But the engine of social change is also found behind the scenes in quieter places, where polarized perspectives are debated then shifted, a process nurtured by authentic relationships, trust and respect.
For more than 50 years, that’s where you would find lifelong Seattle social justice leader Garry Owens, who died of multiple health issues Sept. 30 at age 77.
“There were very few people in the Seattle progressive movement who did not know who Garry was,” said his longtime friend Bill Fletcher Jr., a scholar, activist and author.
Despite his influence in the community, Owens was humble.
“Garry was deeply committed to social justice. He just sweated social justice,” Fletcher said.
“There was nothing beneath him. He was not one of these prima donnas who say, ‘No, I won’t set up the chairs.’ He would do whatever it took. And you could just simply count on him.”
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Owens was born in the Chinatown International District, and his roots in the diverse neighborhood informed his approach to multiracial organizing and coalition building. He attended South Seattle schools and graduated from Franklin High School, where he became involved in the Seattle chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality, or CORE. He was drafted into the Army and returned to Seattle in 1967 to attend the University of Washington. In...
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