A composite photo of Patience Brown, Mystix Flamer and Chase Washington.
As another Black History Month comes to an end, The News Tribune celebrates three Black high school seniors who have made a positive impact on their communities in Pierce County.
Among them are Patience Brown, the first Black homecoming queen of Puyallup High School; Chase Washington, whose volunteerism was honored with an award from the city of Lakewood this month; and Mystix Flamer, whose advocacy for LGBTQ+ youth is sending ripples at the state level.
We asked them for advice on giving back and how their work is making Pierce County a better place.
Patience Brown, the school’s first elected Black homecoming queen, poses for a portrait inside the media room at Puyallup High School, on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in Puyallup. Brian Hayes bhayes@thenewstribune.com
Patience Brown, 18, Puyallup
In October, Brown made local history as the first Black homecoming queen crowned by her peers at Puyallup High School. A senior, Brown is one of the captains on the varsity cheer team, the treasurer of her study body and a member of the school’s media team.
When she found out she had won the crown, Brown said it all “felt really unreal, because I just knew 5-year-old me was just screaming on the inside.”
Later, when she realized she was the first Black student to win the title since the school was first constructed in 1910, Brown said she was shocked. According to enrollment data, 45.5% of students at Puyallup High School are people of color. Around 4.5% of students are Black and 54% are white.
“Growing up in Puyallup, Puyallup is a very predominately white space, especially in the schools. I always grew up being the only Black girl,” Brown said. “There is a seat at the table, even when it doesn’t seem like there is, and you can accomplish these goals, too. I just hope that my crowning just shows all the younger girls at my school, not even just the Black girls — all the girls of color, that the crown can belong to you, too.”
Brown said she hopes she can inspire other girls to know they can be the best in their sport or passion “no matter what people tell you.”
After graduating, Brown said she plans to attend a four-year college — either the University of Hawaii at Manoa or the University of Oregon — to pursue a career in journalism.
Chase Washington, who was honored as a “Hidden Hero” from the city of Lakewood, poses for a portrait at Lakewood City Hall, on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in Lakewood. Brian Hayes bhayes@thenewstribune.com
Chase Washington, 17, Lakewood
This month Washington was honored with a “Hidden Heroes” shout-out from the city of Lakewood for his work as a leader serving on the Lakewood Youth Council, the Clover Park School District’s Superintendent’s Youth Advisory Council, the Lakes High School Black Student Union and Associated Student Body and the Key/Kiwanis Club. In addition to playing soccer, Washington serves as the president of Lakes High School’s DECA chapter, where he has qualified and placed in regional and state competitions.
As a junior last year, Washington said, he helped create a gift-giving project with the Lakewood Youth Council to give presents to low-income youth during the holiday season. His freshman year of high school Washington also started an annual tradition with the Associated Student Body to give out free hot chocolate to students the week before winter break. In the past couple years, Washington said, he helped push for Lakes High School to celebrate Black History Month with an annual assembly, which he introduces, with cultural music, games and dancing.
Washington said it’s been important for him to give back and bring people together as someone who has lived in Lakewood his whole life.
“I really enjoy helping others, I guess, because people have helped me in the past as well. I really believe in passing the favor. If someone does something for you, I believe that I should do something for someone else, to kind of help others and help the community grow,” he said. “I just really enjoy seeing people succeed, and I kind of feel like I’m a part of that if I help them, and I’m part of that success.”
When he graduates, Washington said he wants to pursue a four-year college degree and master’s degree in civil or general engineering to make transportation and infrastructure more accessible to the public. Washington said his sister has a disability that requires her to use a wheelchair to get around and has seen first-hand the challenges she faces navigating sidewalks, curbs and broken elevators in New York where she lives.
“In my career I’ll focus on creating accessible infrastructure like sidewalks, updating roads or updating elevators and implementing more ramps,” he said. “I think transportation is really important. Focusing on creating more accessible railways … and train systems. Implementing those into cities or even at a state or national level would be a big goal of mine in engineering.”
In terms of advice to others, Washington said, “Never stop goal setting.”
“Never stop goal setting and looking for the opportunities to get involved and to give back, because it may be a lot of hard work, but in the end, it’s a really rewarding experience to support others,” he said. “Once you complete your goal, set another goal. Find something else to do or improve on that goal.”
Mystix Flamer, who is a leader and mentor and advocates for youth voices, poses for a portrait at Oasis Youth Center, on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in Tacoma. Brian Hayes bhayes@thenewstribune.com
Mystix Flamer, 18, Tacoma
Flamer is a senior at the Tacoma Science and Math Institute whose goal is to become a paraeducator once hy graduates. Flamer uses hy/hym pronouns, which are a type of gender-neutral pronouns pronounced like he/him.
Flamer has served on the Washington LGBTQ Youth Advisory Commission and the Oasis Youth Council in Pierce County, in addition to the Planned Parenthood Teen Council and peer education program. Flamer is a leader, an activist and a sexual health educator who has advocated for mental health resources and more comprehensive LGBTQ history to be taught in Washington schools.
“I [volunteer] because I feel like someone should do it, and I’m within my power to be the voice for a lot of people,” Flamer said. “I use my voice to be the voice for other people because not a lot of people can stand up in front of a crowd of hundreds of people and talk about how much they hate the current state of the world.”
Young people’s opinions often aren’t often heard or considered on important topics that impact them, like “the state of the world” and “the way Trump is handling LGBTQ youth and stuff of that sort,” Flamer said.
Many young people, especially LGBTQ youth, feel like they don’t have a voice, hy said. Some young people “barely have a voice to be out to people they love,” like their parents, Flamer said.
Amid the loss of access to abortion and other medical care and contraception nationwide, Flamer said it’s more important than ever to teach youth about consent, pregnancy, safe sex, birth control, STI prevention and sexual health.
This story was originally published February 27, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
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Becca Most is a reporter covering Pierce County issues, including topics related to Tacoma, Lakewood, University Place, DuPont, Fife, Ruston, Fircrest, Steilacoom and unincorporated Pierce County. Originally from the Midwest, Becca previously wrote about city and social issues in Central Minnesota, Minneapolis and St. Paul. Her work has been recognized by Gannett and the USA Today Network, as well as the Minnesota Newspaper Association where she won first place in arts, government/public affairs and investigative reporting in 2023. Support my work with a digital subscription
