“David Hsieh is the Founding Artistic Director of ReAct Theatre. In addition to his many ReAct credits, he has also directed for Taproot Theatre, SecondStoryRep, Tacoma Little Theatre, 14/48, Sis Productions, Pratidhwani, UW School of Drama, and others. As a performer, you may have seen him at Book- It in Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet and The Brothers K, or at Seattle Public Theatre in The Happy Ones, A Very Die Hard Christmas, and Titanish, among other credits.”

ReAct Theatre could benefit from all kinds of volunteering, from ushers to marketing help to organizing the space to set design. Reach out to the theatre at react@reacttheatre.org. Also, as David mentioned in the episode, sometimes the best way to support the arts is to show up as an audience member.

If you enjoyed the podcast, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to Mirror Stage via our website at mirrorstage.org/donate and follow us on social media.

Learn more about us on socials:

Facebook: http://facebook.com/mirrorstage

Instagram: http://instagram.com/mirrorstagewa

A machine-readable transcript of the episode is available here -

https://docs.google.com/document/d/14AYB8GwkX_uTHJ8zQFQe0Ep1BY_9zsfo-Zx33cwbvGo/edit?usp=sharing

Episodes release on the fourth Wednesday of the month. See you in May!

All episode music by Podington Bear. Podcast intro, outro, and interstitial music by Benjamin Marx.

“DeVandra Wheeler is a child safety educator, author, and the founder of Nova Talks, a prevention-focused initiative that equips families and communities with the tools to have honest, protective conversations with children about body safety and child sexual abuse prevention. With a decade of experience in behavioral health and a background in social work, DeVandra combines professional expertise with a culturally responsive approach to education. She is also the author of Nova Be Bold, a children’s book that empowers kids to speak up and helps caregivers start important conversations that keep children safe.”

If you’re someone who also works in the education, prevention, and healing spheres surrounding abuse, connect with DeVandra at devandra@novatalks.org to support as she expands her work around Washington state.

If you enjoyed the podcast, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to Mirror Stage via our website at mirrorstage.org/donate and follow us on social media.

Learn more about us on socials:

Facebook: http://facebook.com/mirrorstage

Instagram: http://instagram.com/mirrorstagewa

A machine-readable transcript of the episode is available here -

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1j9-1KDGxLAGIqbM3LJr43iEO2QkP519kHgLhjGO2wJ8/edit?usp=sharing

Episodes release on the fourth Wednesday of the month. See you in April!

All episode music by Podington Bear. Podcast intro, outro, and interstitial music by Benjamin Marx.

“Edgar Longoria is a Queer Latino immigrant from Sinaloa, Mexico, and the Executive Director of Entre Hermanos, Washington’s first LGBTQ+ Latine organization. Raised in rural Arvin, California within agricultural and migrant farmworker communities, his lived experience informs his unwavering commitment to equity, access, and community resilience.

With more than 15 years of nonprofit leadership experience, Edgar has built a career grounded in community-centered strategy, organizational growth, and systems-level advocacy. As Executive Director, he leads Entre Hermanos in advancing culturally responsive health, housing, and social services for LGBTQ+ Latine communities across Washington State, while strengthening organizational infrastructure and long-term sustainability.

Edgar brings extensive expertise in cross-sector partnerships, program development, and mission-driven leadership. He holds an Executive Master of Public Administration from the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy & Governance, where he further deepened his focus on public systems, governance, and equitable policy implementation.

Under his leadership, Entre Hermanos continues to expand its impact, centering dignity, cultural affirmation, and access to care for communities historically excluded from traditional systems.”

Learn more about upcoming volunteer opportunities and ways to support Entre Hermanos by subscribing to their mailing list - https://entrehermanos.org/subscribe-suscribete/

If you enjoyed the podcast, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to Mirror Stage via our website at mirrorstage.org/donate and follow us on social media.

Learn more about us on socials:

Facebook: http://facebook.com/mirrorstage

Instagram: http://instagram.com/mirrorstagewa

A machine-readable transcript of the episode is available here -

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1e0gmfVq_qvn6PEWDOgZ_2PnOhJxb2QdsSWCCJ1THIU8/edit?usp=sharing

Episodes release on the fourth Wednesday of the month. See you in March!

All episode music by Podington Bear. Podcast intro, outro, and interstitial music by Benjamin Marx.

“Kechi Amaefule is the Founder and Executive Director of Mothers Impacting Lives Every Day (MILE), a nonprofit rooted in the belief that healing and mentorship change lives. A survivor turned advocate, Kechi created MILE to return the very gifts that helped her rise; guidance, community, and unwavering support. Through her lived experience and leadership, she empowers women and BIPOC girls to reclaim their voices, rewrite their stories, and step fully into their purpose.”

MILE is searching for volunteers for upcoming events and programming! Learn more here - https://mileinc.org/get-involved/

Follow MILE on socials: @mile.inc on Instagram, @Mothers Impacting Lives Everyday- MILE on Facebook

If you enjoyed the podcast, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to Mirror Stage via our website at mirrorstage.org/donate and follow us on social media.

Learn more about us on socials:

Facebook: http://facebook.com/mirrorstage

Instagram: http://instagram.com/mirrorstagewa

A machine-readable transcript of the episode is available here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1StO86IxRfH1MT-06bTGNUq_9gudo6XaoUxeWuiPi3VU/edit?usp=sharing

Episodes release on the fourth Wednesday of the month. See you in February!

All episode music by Podington Bear from the Free Music Archive. Podcast intro, outro, and interstitial music by Benjamin Marx.

"Born and Raised in Seattle and the son of two well-educated professionals, Raymond Williams is biracial and identifies as African American. These identities have allowed him the privilege of moving in the world of the educated (AB Harvard ’79) and given him the calling to serve his community. A community that continues to have disparities in both educational and health outcomes. A community that continues to show its brilliance through five-hundred years of enslavement, Jim Crow, redlining and police brutality.

Ray spent the summers of his youth running through the northwest’s forests and exploring tide pools or visiting a family friend's farm. His family had a garden in Seattle, and he planted one at most of the places he lived. For almost 30 years he shared his fascination and love of nature as a science teacher. Majoring in biology and studying education at University of Washington (M.Ed. ’91), he taught in Seattle, Atlanta, and International School of Curacao.

His position at The Art Institute of Seattle, teaching both biology and nutrition, formed a vision of how he might serve. Not on a committee making recommendations, but working on the ground, building community. Most of our health problems are related to diet and stress, this is especially true for the Black community.

For fifteen (15) years he worked in and built community gardens and shared with youth and adults how to grow food. When the opportunity to farm the freeway right of way in central Seattle presented itself, the Black Farmers Collective and Yes Farm was born. As Co-Founder and Special Projects Director, Ray is passing the work of community healing on to a growing staff of farm managers and emerging farmers."

To support Black Farmers Collective, learn about upcoming spring opportunities by subscribing to their newsletter - https://www.blackfarmerscollective.com/volunteerwithbfc.

If you enjoyed the podcast, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to Mirror Stage via our website at mirrorstage.org/donate and follow us on social media.

Learn more about us on socials:

Facebook: http://facebook.com/mirrorstage

Instagram: http://instagram.com/mirrorstagewa

A machine-readable transcript of the episode is available here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D7XQfVGIjN5vZP-aUZqmLd_wB8WRHYPtS-dIc3GUD-w/edit?usp=sharing

Episodes release on the fourth Wednesday of the month. See you in January!

All episode music by Podington Bear, Chad Crouch. Nature sounds from ZapSplat. Podcast intro, outro, and interstitial music by Benjamin Marx.

Philip “Sharp Skills” Jacobs has been called a modern-day renaissance man. He is an entrepreneur, award-winning hip-hop artist, speaker, author, senior consultant, and

inventor.

Philip created Reveal the Elephant, a racial equity and anti-racism board game. In

addition to Gladiator, he is the author of four additional books, including Accuracy,

Elephant in the Room, Quincy’s Life: Daddy’s Gone, and You Are the Solution.

Philip was the first Executive Director of Washington Employers for Racial Equity

(WERE), a coalition of 80+ companies in Washington State committed to making the

region equitable for Black Washingtonians and all people of color. Before WERE, he

was lead for a DEI solution called Racially Savvy Leadership, in which he equipped

executives and leaders of Fortune 500 companies to have difficult conversations about

race (before the topic went mainstream in corporate culture).

Philip is also a distinguished alum of Seattle Pacific University, where he obtained a

bachelor’s degree in business administration. He was awarded the institution’s

prestigious Medallion Award in 2019. He holds the PMP credential in project

management, is the author of several books and numerous music albums.

His proudest accomplishment is being the father of Philip Jr. and Jonathan. Philip is

from Inglewood, California, and now calls Washington home.

Follow his endeavors on social media @thesharpskills @rebelfirm @fadesandfinance. Visit his website rebelfirm.com, for upcoming book signings and to learn about Tacoma’s first Hip Hop Residency (“The Rebel Residency”).

If you enjoyed the podcast, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to Mirror Stage via our website at mirrorstage.org/donate and follow us on social media.

Learn more about us on socials:

Facebook: http://facebook.com/mirrorstage

Instagram: http://instagram.com/mirrorstagewa

A machine-readable transcript of the episode is available here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GPExcPAAEiSCcsaTyHzCl2WbmxHT51hl0Zy69-XDfLA/edit?usp=sharing

Episodes release on the fourth Wednesday of the month. See you in December!

All episode music by Philip “Sharp Skills” Jacob. Podcast intro, outro, and interstitial music by Benjamin Marx.

Elizabeth Ralston is a consultant with lived disability experience, who guides organizations in the strategic development of an accessibility roadmap, with an emphasis on equity and inclusion. She has a Master of Public Health from the University of Michigan and a certificate of Nonprofit Management from the University of Washington. Her expertise is in accessibility planning and audits, program development, strategic communications, and event implementation. Elizabeth is also the Founder of the Seattle Cultural Accessibility Consortium (SCAC), a grassroots effort to help arts and cultural organizations improve accessibility for their audiences.

Sign up for their newsletter to keep up with SCAC’s work, and to learn more about their recent Deep Dive Day, a conference that provided arts and culture organizations with tools to incorporate accessible offerings into their programs - https://www.seattlecac.org/getinvolved

If you enjoyed the podcast, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to Mirror Stage via our website at mirrorstage.org/donate and follow us on social media.

Learn more about us on socials:

Facebook: http://facebook.com/mirrorstage

Instagram: http://instagram.com/mirrorstagewa

A machine-readable transcript of the episode is available here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/14qysqN4iMgfOjQrJ3M_3seSxsUnOgVDkmgBTShsQ3BA/edit?usp=sharing

Episodes release on the fourth Wednesday of the month. See you in November!

All music by Benjamin Marx and Lee Rosevere.

Makinie Fortino (she/her/hers) is the Founder and President of DMHS: Deconstructing the Mental Health System, Inc. She identifies as Black and Afro-Caribbean American and is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) who has been working in mental health for 10+ years. Makinie has worn many hats ranging from in-home counselor to case manager, vocational counselor, academic advisor/behavioral health counselor and in social services. Community-centered work is a passion of hers. She has also published two manuals to help build cultural competence and awareness in the mental health community.

Support DMHS by sharing the directory far and wide -

https://dmhsus.org/

A machine-readable transcript of the episode is available here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1I7-w2bMcevWpv4A8C-TMRrHS5qoPmuEDfEhYo45Shh0/edit?usp=sharing

If you enjoyed the podcast, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to Mirror Stage via our website at mirrorstage.org/donate and follow us on social media.

Learn more about us on socials:

Facebook: http://facebook.com/mirrorstage

Instagram: http://instagram.com/mirrorstagewa

Episodes release on the fourth Wednesday of the month. See you in October!

Music Credits:

• Epiphany, Podington Bear, Free Music Archive, CC BY-NC
• Mont Blanc, Podington Bear, Free Music Archive, CC BY-NC
• Dust in Sunlight, Podington Bear, Free Music Archive, CC BY-NC
• Remembering You’re Late, Benjamin Marx, https://www.bnmrx.com/music-other
• 1.