BJ Cummings was recently awarded the Virginia Marie Folkins Award for outstanding historical publication by the Association of King County Historical Organizations
BJ Cummings and her 2020 book, The River That Made Seattle: A Human and Environmental History of the Duwamish, were awarded the Virginia Marie Folkins Award for outstanding historical publication by the Association of King County Historical Organizations (AKCHO) in a virtual awards ceremony in May. AKCHO President Alice Stenstrom introduced their selection of Cummings for the award, stating, “Writing from the perspective of environmental justice, Cummings vividly portrays the people and conflicts that shaped the region’s culture and natural environment. She shares the river’s story as a call for action in aligning decisions about the river and its future with values of collaboration, respect, and justice.”
Awards were also given to a Port of Seattle Committee on which Cummings served which recently renamed eight port-owned parks along the Duwamish River with a mix of native Lushootseed and English names and to the Friends of Georgetown History for their internship program promoting environmental justice and youth empowerment in the Duwamish Valley. Cummings in the Manager of Community Engagement for the UW SRP.