The Pacific Coast’s only indigenous oyster, the Olympia, was eaten into near-extinction. It could be making a comeback.

Tiny compared to other oysters, the Olympia was for decades raked out of Washington's beds by the ton. A local delicacy that once fueled gold diggers in California and loggers in Washington, the Olympia oyster became a major industry, yet was so tiny you could hold it between your fingertips. Invasive Japanese oysters took over its habitat, but the might Olympia might be making a comeback, thanks to interested shellfish farmers.

Equipped with emojis, volunteers and Sunny the dog, Henry Liu delivers groceries to seniors in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District.

Before the pandemic, Liu organized Mahjong games and sent pictures of his dog, Sunny, over WeChat to help make seniors feel young and engaged with their community. When the pandemic hit, Liu, a program manager with a nonprofit that serves primarily Chinese elders, was faced with a new set of challenges as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, anti-Chinese sentiment and elderly people who were too afraid to leave their homes. Liu started organizing volunteers to deliver groceries and connect isolated seniors to essential needs.