A living record of service and community & calls to action to continue the work
The Linsey Hinand
Archive Project
Preserving the work and legacy of a Tacoma leader who dedicated his career to serving marginalized communities through civic service, professional relationship building, and airtight determination; and opening the door for the next generations to continue the work.
1964 — 2005
41
years leading
Metropolitan
Development Council in Tacoma, WA
Metropolitan
Development Council in Tacoma, WA
The legacy
From 1964 to 2005 (41 years), John Linsey Hinand served as President and CEO of the Metropolitan Development Council in Tacoma, Washington. His work changed lives for multiple generations and continues to directly support marginalized communities and the fight against systemic poverty. This archive exists not only to preserve that impact, and to keep the story of his service accessible for generations to come — this project is also a door for the current generation to get involved too.
1964 — 200541years of leadership
MDCMetropolitan Development Council
TacomaWashington
Archive index
A life’s work,
held for the future.
Now its our turn.
The work is not finished.
And this archive is a door. This archive is an opportunity for all of us.
Select an archive entry to open its preserved source. Inside, move between the full-page image and inert HTML; scroll or zoom within the viewer. Each entry holds a piece of the work, the history, why it mattered and was needed, and the lives shaped along the way.
ARCHIVE DIRECTORYALL ENTRIES
The Timeline
A life and its work,
connected through time.
Select a point to examine what the record supports. Each point leads back to the archive entry that preserves its evidence.
01 / 13
An archive as a door
The work is
not finished.
And this archive is a door. This archive is an opportunity for all of us.
The work continues
I am John Linsey Hinand’s grandchild, Eli Christmas.
I was raised by my grandfather to fight for what is right and to support the community. I’m 29, and I was born and raised in Tacoma. I have a degree in Software Development and Business Analytics and am continuing my education. I’m the mother of a seven-year-old special-needs daughter with diagnosed level 2 autism, and I am a single parent. I am a fierce advocate for disability rights, mental health care, transportation, childcare, and housing. I was raised to ‘bark up trees’ as I call it. I am dedicated to following in my grandfather’s footsteps — with my own technology-based twist.
I believe my generation, younger generations, and the generations to come are deeply disconnected from how much change was made here in the Tacoma that we love and call home, and how it impacted the state and the country, and countless lives. I believe the first step to fully grasping and using our potential is to understand and acknowledge our history. These generations deserve a seat at the table and to be part of these conversations.
Spend a while here and learn about the work and the lives that have been changed because of it. It’s likely you or someone you know has greatly benefited from a program or opportunity provided or created by Linsey Hinand and the Metropolitan Development Council. WIC, energy assistance, housing assistance, even the removal of sales tax from food in Washington State.
The work began in 1964.
It continues with us.
The goal is for people to be able to physically walk through the timeline of Linsey Hinand’s life and his work with MDC. Not just the work, but also photographs, audio recordings, sights and sounds of Tacoma, projections, personal memories, and more.
Walking through this history and seeing the hard work and systemic change that has been done here in the Tacoma that we love is the first step to integrating the generations that need a seat at this table and to be a part of this conversation.
The next step is involvement. I am reaching out to local nonprofits, organizations, news sources, and more. The goal is to provide formal and professional channels and opportunities for people to get involved and support their communities, with access to said opportunities being focused specifically around the needs of low income individuals navigating the challenges of systemic poverty. Too often, the ways to get involved are built for multi-parent families who have steady reliable childcare that they can afford, during times that are not accessible for single parents who cannot afford childcare outside of standard public school hours. And that is often combined with lack of reliable transportation that functions in a way that makes sense in their day to day lives. For example, a 9 minute drive across town in a vehicle can turn into 1hr 45mins of a bus ride, which often does not run on schedule. These are only two systemic gates keeping individuals, especially single parents and those around 21-35 years of age, from being involved to the degree they desire.
Our generations are ready. We are eager and able and dedicated, including individuals that cannot work outside of their home. This is a massive source of untapped support, yearning to dedicate time and resources to supporting and uplifting their surrounding community.
This archive is a door; an opportunity. I am searching for ways to provide seats at the table for this conversation.
If you work for/with an organization or nonprofit, or have a unique opportunity to support this archive’s goals, please do not hesitate to reach out in the Contribute section below.
The Archive Goal
This research begins as a digital archive. The goal is a physical museum exhibit.
Help build the archive
Have a story or record
to share?
This collection will grow through the memories, documents, and reflections of the people who knew the work and felt its impact.
Contribute to the archive