A 9-foot tall king and a queen loom over the corner of S Barton Pl and 51st Ave S in the Rainier neighborhood. The statues are giant chess pieces created by artist Peter Reiquam as a tribute to Detective Denise "Cookie" Bouldin.
"I came across Detective Cookie and was completely inspired," says Peter.
Detective Cookie, as she's known, is a legend around here for her work in the community. A decade ago, she started a chess club so kids could get off the streets and play chess, a game she sees as a metaphor for life.
"You're just movin' quickly, doin' something fast. Somebody asks you to join a gang, you just give an answer fast. Somebody asks you to shoplift, you go ahead on and do it cuz it's your friend. No! I want you to act not react. Think about the consequence of your pieces on your board, " she says.
The community wants to honor her with the statues. And plans are in place to turn the surrounding area into a permanent chess park.
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