Rainier Beach in Southeast Seattle is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse neighborhoods in the United States.
For a decade, Detective Denise ‘Cookie’ Bouldin has inspired Rainier Beach youth to avoid violence and become successful adults by developing critical thinking skills through playing chess.
Detective Cookie Bouldin demonstrates a move with the MegaChess 37 Inch Plastic Giant Chess Set.
Her chess club meets twice weekly, year-round, in spaces donated by the Rainier Beach Branch Library and Rainier Beach Community Center. She also teaches chess classes at nearby South Shore K-8 and Van Asselt Elementary School, connecting with more than 190 students each week.
With community input, the Friends of Detective Cookie Chess Park have developed a professional landscaping plan for an outdoor chess park that features permanent artist-designed tables and multi-functional community space in the right-of-way at Rainier Ave South, South Barton Place, and 51st Avenue South.
#GiantChess #MegaChess #ChessInParks
Learn more at the Seattle Parks Foundation.