Town Hall Seattle Arts & Culture Series
357 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsThe Arts & Culture series enriches our community with imagination and creativity. Whether reinventing the classics for a new audience or presenting an innovative new art form, these events are aimed at expanding horizons. From poetry to music to storytelling, this series leaves our audiences inspired, encouraged, and seeing the world with new eyes.
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Episodes
249. Alexis Devine with Sarah Stremming: How a Talking Dog Could Teach You How to Be Human
February 26, 2024 23:56 - 1 hour - 73 MBMany of us talk to our pets daily, but what would you do if your pet could talk back? What do you think they would say? When Bunny, a fluffy, black-and-white sheepadoodle, was eight weeks old, her guardian Alexis presented her with an odd gift: a button programmed to say “outside” when pressed. Within a few weeks, Bunny was using it all the time, and Alexis, encouraged by Bunny’s progress, continued to introduce more buttons and more words. Three years later, Bunny can now communicate us...
248. Misha Berson: Seattle Theatre Lives!
February 18, 2024 00:55 - 1 hour - 90.1 MBIn the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Seattle’s theatre community demonstrated resilience and adaptability, navigating through challenging times to envision a new era for the performing arts. Arts journalist and educator Misha Berson will moderate an open discussion about Seattle’s current theatrical landscape with the respected artistic directors of three of the city’s most popular stage companies: John Langs, head of the long-running ACT Theatre; Karen Lund, producing artistic director...
247. 2022 Town Hall Seattle Writer-in-Residence Sarah Salcedo and Washington State Poet Laureate Arianne True: Neurodivergence and Art
February 02, 2024 19:05 - 1 hour - 96.8 MBJoin us for a conversation between former Town Hall Seattle Writer-in-Residence Sarah Salcedo and Washington State Poet Laureate Arianne True. Together, they will discuss how they negotiate the intersections of neurodivergence, art, and artistic careers. After a discussion, there will be a reading of Arianne’s poems and a section from the in-progress novel that Sarah began during her Town Hall residency in 2022, which has also been funded by 4Culture. Arianne True (Choctaw, Chickasaw) is a...
246. Behind the WHEEL: The Power of Homeless Women
January 18, 2024 00:17 - 55 minutes - 63.9 MBYou’re invited to celebrate thirty years of homeless women organizing, writing, and creating change! In 1993, homeless and formerly homeless women in Seattle came together to create WHEEL (Women’s Housing, Equality, and Enhancement League) to organize for increased safety and shelter and advocate for changes to end homelessness. Now, in 2023, it’s time to commemorate the 30th anniversary of WHEEL and 20th anniversary of WHEEL’s Homeless Remembrance Project, an initiative that has endowed...
245. Stephanie Land with Sara K. Runnels: Motherhood, Hunger, and Higher Education
January 13, 2024 21:45 - 1 hour - 84 MBWhen Stephanie Land set out to write her memoir, Maid, she never could have imagined what was to come. Handpicked by President Barack Obama as one of the best books of 2019 and later adapted into the hit Netflix series Maid, Stephanie’s escape out of poverty and abuse in search of a better life inspired millions. Maid was a story about a house cleaner, but it was also a story about a woman with a dream. In her new book, Class, Land takes us with her as she finishes college and pursues he...
244. Alva Noë: Art is All Around Us
December 23, 2023 00:51 - 57 minutes - 65.4 MBWhat exactly is art and why does it matter to us? Philosopher of the mind Alva Noë explores the answers to these questions, arguing that we need art and philosophy to fully understand human nature. After all, our modern way of life is permeated with the aesthetic––the arts are an integral part of every human culture on the planet. Our lives supply art with its raw materials, but art, Noë argues, remakes life by giving us resources to live differently. Because of this, Noë believes that a...
243. Sheila Johnson with Gin Hammond: Through the Fire
December 04, 2023 23:04 - 1 hour - 74.1 MBIf you thought billionaire success stories all looked pretty similar, prepare to be surprised. From middle-class Midwestern beginnings, Sheila Johnson went from an accomplished violinist who married young to become one of the most accomplished businesswomen in America. A co-founder of the popular network Black Entertainment Television (BET) and the first African-American woman billionaire, Johnson rose to become an entrepreneur and philanthropist at the highest levels. Her new book, Wa...
242. Letters Aloud: Before They Were Famous – letters on the way up
November 28, 2023 23:33 - 1 hour - 92.8 MBHave you ever dreamed of being famous? Imagined what it would be like to have all your dreams come true? Recognition, adoration, basking in the limelight. Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? But dig a little deeper and you’ll find that “The Road To Fame” is a prickly path, filled with twists & turns, backstabbing & betrayals. Experience a captivating journey into fame as the performers of Letters Aloud bring to life personal and illuminating letters from renowned figures like Stephen King, Dorot...
241. Peter Boal with Jackson Cooper: From Boyhood to Ballet
November 21, 2023 19:42 - 57 minutes - 65.6 MBFrom the artistic director of the Pacific Northwest Ballet and former principal dancer for the New York City Ballet comes a deeply personal memoir about one artist’s journey from boyhood to ballet. Peter Boal’s extensive background in ballet offers a unique glimpse into the world of dance with his diverse repertoire and artistic achievements, including collaborations with prominent choreographers and dancers, Boal’s perspective resonates with both seasoned ballet enthusiasts and those new ...
240. Amy Schneider with Mimi Zima: In the Form of a Question
November 09, 2023 21:51 - 1 hour - 92.1 MBWho is the most successful woman to ever compete on Jeopardy!? Amy Schneider’s impressive forty-game winning streak was accompanied by an even greater prize – the joy of being herself on national television and blazing a trail for openly queer and transgender people around the world. Join Amy as she shares her singular journey that led to becoming an unlikely icon and hero to millions. Amy Schneider is an American software engineer and recent Jeopardy! champion. Following an impressive ...
239. Tattoo Artist Panel: Yes It Hurts and You Will Bleed
November 06, 2023 23:28 - 1 hour - 75 MBProfessor Scott Méxcal sits down with three of Seattle’s preeminent tattoo artists to chat about life behind the needle. In this discussion, they will explore the history of tattooing, tattoo cultural traditions, and the personal journeys of tattoo artists Sonrisa Barron, Suzanna Fisher, and Dustin Burt. About the artists: Sonrisa Barron is the owner and lead artist at Serpent Tattoo LLC, established in 2023 in Olympia, WA. With a Bachelor’s degree from Evergreen State College and extens...
238. Myisha Cherry with José Jorge Mendoza: Failures in Forgiveness
October 12, 2023 19:39 - 1 hour - 70.6 MBSages from Cicero to Oprah have told us that forgiveness requires us to let go of negative emotions and that it has a unique power to heal our wounds. In Failures of Forgiveness, Myisha Cherry argues that these beliefs couldn’t be more wrong — and that the ways we think about and use forgiveness, personally and as a society, can often do more harm than good. She presents a new and healthier understanding of forgiveness — one that will give us a better chance to recover from wrongdoing and ...
237. Elizabeth (Dori) Tunstall: Antiracist Design
September 15, 2023 19:50 - 1 hour - 154 MBDesign theory helps us understand how and why visual information impacts us the way that it does, and how we communicate and receive that information via the design choices we encounter. It affects how we relate to new art and technology, what we buy, and who we uplift in our society. But how have we arrived at the current norms of modernist design, and which voices have been at the forefront of establishing these practices? In her book Decolonizing Design: A Cultural Justice Guidebook, au...
236. Colson Whitehead with Robert Sindelar: Gritty Gotham
September 12, 2023 19:19 - 1 hour - 71.8 MBTime travel may not be possible, but two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times bestselling author Colson Whitehead transports readers back to the 1970s with the latest edition in his Harlem Saga. The second in a trilogy that began with the successful Harlem Shuffle, Crook Manifesto blends dark elements with humor to feature the gritty realities in New York City’s complex history. From Blaxploitation films, America’s Bicentennial Celebrations, and the Jackson Five, Whitehead shows ...
235. James Comey with Steve Scher: A Crime Novel from the Former FBI Director
July 07, 2023 19:26 - 1 hour - 74.6 MBIf you’ve kept up with current affairs or politics over the past decade, James Comey is likely a familiar name. Between 2013 and 2017, Comey served as the seventh director of the FBI and has been at the center of headlines about the Clinton email controversy, the Russian interference hearing, and his dismissal by former president Trump. Yet before the headlines and prior to his time with the FBI, James Comey had already led a uniquely extensive career, holding positions as a prosecutor,...
234. William Alexander: Ten Tomatoes that Changed the World
June 26, 2023 17:00 - 57 minutes - 66.4 MBThe tomato gets no respect. Never has. Stored in the dustbin of history for centuries, accused of being vile and poisonous, appropriated as wartime propaganda, subjected to being picked hard-green and gassed, even used as a projectile, the poor tomato is the Rodney Dangerfield of foods. Yet, the tomato is the most popular vegetable in America (and, in fact, the world). It holds a place in America’s soul like no other vegetable and few other foods. Each summer, tomato festivals crop up acro...
233. David Schmader with Kathy Fennessy: Surveying 100 Years of Pacific Northwest Cinema
June 23, 2023 17:04 - 1 hour - 83.6 MBOften when we think of cinema, the first places that come to mind are New York or Los Angeles. But did you know that hundreds of films and television shows are set in cities around the Pacific Northwest? From popular series like Twin Peaks to blockbuster book adaptations like Twilight, culture writer David Schmader’s new book Filmlandia!: A Movie Lovers Guide to the Films and Television of Seattle, Portland, and the Great Northwest highlights more than 200 film and television entertainment...
232. Sally James: Scholar-In-Residence Findings Night 2023
June 21, 2023 15:00 - 1 hour - 70.8 MBEvery year, Town Hall selects exceptional local artists and scholars for paid residencies where they engage with Town Hall programs and collaborate with our programming team to develop original events for the community. Findings Night is the final presentation for Residents to showcase what they have worked on at Town Hall. Learn more about our residencies here. Sally James, Scholar-in-Residence The Year 12 project asks about a pivotal period in a young person’s growth when what’s swirlin...
231. Dave Barry: Florida Man Releases Book
June 16, 2023 20:02 - 1 hour - 74.6 MBHave you ever heard the beginnings of a tale involving someone from Florida and not been at least a little intrigued? New York Times bestselling author, Pulitzer Prize winner, and actual Florida Man Dave Barry returns with Swamp Story, a compelling novel that blends crime and comedy set in the state known for its unbelievable occurrences. New mom Jesse Braddock is trapped in a tiny cabin deep in the Everglades with her infant daughter and ex-boyfriend, a wannabe reality TV star whose han...
230. Jen Sincero: 10 Years of You Are a Badass
June 07, 2023 19:41 - 1 hour - 75.5 MBOnce upon a time, there was a gigantic mess named Jen Sincero. She bought the cheapest toothpaste, dated all the wrong people, drove broken cars, and made zero money. A decade later, Jen is now a world-renowned author, success coach, and motivational speaker and celebrating the 10th anniversary of her blockbuster bestseller, You Are a Badass (new edition on sale April 11th). A lot can change in ten years, especially considering 2013 looks a hell of a lot different than 2023 but one thing...
229. Chasten Buttigieg with Naomi Ishisaka: I Have Something to Tell You — Growing Up Different in Small-Town America
June 02, 2023 20:05 - 1 hour - 80.1 MBGrowing up, Chasten Glezman Buttigieg didn’t always fit in. He felt different from his father and brothers, who loved to hunt and go camping in the rural, conservative small town where he lived. Back then, blending in was more important than feeling seen. So, when Chasten realized he was gay, he kept that part of himself hidden away for a long, painful time. With incredible bravery, and the support of his loved ones, Chasten eventually came out — and when he did, he learned that being tr...
228. Claire Dederer with Sonora Jha and Angela Garbes: Monstrous Artists
May 24, 2023 18:44 - 1 hour - 77.4 MBCan we still love the work of Hemingway, Polanski, Naipaul, Miles Davis, or Picasso? Should we love it? In this unflinching, deeply personal book that expands on her instantly viral Paris Review essay, “What Do We Do with the Art of Monstrous Men?” Claire Dederer asks: Does genius deserve special dispensation? Is male monstrosity the same as female monstrosity? Does art have a mandate to depict the darker elements of the psyche? And what happens if the artist stares too long into the abyss...
227. Anastacia-Reneé with Quenton Baker: Black Culture Through a Feminist Lens
May 11, 2023 18:44 - 1 hour - 74.1 MBSide Notes from the Archivist is a preservation of Black culture viewed through a feminist lens. The Archivist leads readers through poems that epitomize youthful renditions of a Black girl coming of age in Philadelphia’s pre-funk ’80s; episodic adventures of “the Black Girl” whose life is depicted through the white gaze; and selections of verse evincing affection for self and testimony to the magnificence within Black femme culture at-large. In her uniquely embracing and experimental styl...
226. Preston Singletary: Honoring Stories Through Glass-Blowing
May 10, 2023 19:34 - 1 hour - 73.6 MBTown Hall Seattle and Gage Academy of Art present Preston Singletary: Honoring Stories Through Glass-Blowing. The art of Preston Singletary has become synonymous with the relationship between European glass-blowing traditions and Northwest Native art. His artworks feature themes of transformation, animal spirits, and shamanism through elegant blown glass forms and mystical sand-carved Tlingit designs. Singletary learned the art of glass blowing by working with artists in the Seattle area...
225. Scratch Night 2023: Presentation from Our Scholar-in-Residence, Sally James
May 04, 2023 18:47 - 52 minutes - 60.4 MBEvery year, Town Hall selects exceptional local artists and scholars for paid residencies where they engage with Town Hall programs and collaborate with our programming team to develop original events for the community. For our Spring 2023 residency, we’re lucky enough to have both a Scholar- and an Artist-in-Residence. This Scratch Night will showcase their work in progress. Scholar in Residence: Sally James Sally James is a writer whose curiosity about people has taken her from jails t...
224. V.E. Schwab with Nisi Shawl: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
May 03, 2023 20:45 - 1 hour - 122 MBSometimes the impact of our actions and interactions can be vaster and longer lasting than we can predict. France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever ― and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world. But...
223. Ari Shapiro with Dan Shapiro: Best Strangers in the World Tour
April 19, 2023 18:40 - 1 hour - 73 MBJoin award-winning NPR journalist Ari Shapiro for an evening of conversation about his memoir and tales from his storied broadcast career. The beloved host of “All Things Considered” is known for his adventurous spirit and insatiable curiosity, which has served him well whether he’s traveling on Air Force One with President Obama, navigating war-torn countries, or following community leaders fighting for social justice. His new memoir, The Best Strangers In the World, details all of this ...
222. Lane Moore with Angela Garbes and Lindy West: You Will Find Your People
April 14, 2023 18:19 - 1 hour - 76.4 MBMovies, books, and TV shows tell us we should’ve already found our people — those close, always dependable, tried-and-true forever friends — by the time we’re adults (and if we haven’t, there must be something wrong with us). But it’s often easier said than done. Where do you find close friends beyond childhood or school? Is it even possible? Like many people navigating adulthood, Lane Moore thought she would have friends by now. Sure, Moore has plenty of casual acquaintances and people sh...
221. Lisa Thompson with Alexandra Oliva - Finding Elevation
April 06, 2023 19:32 - 1 hour - 74.5 MBDefiance had provoked Lisa Thompson to enter the male-dominated world of high-altitude mountaineering, but defiance could only take her so far. After a harrowing battle with cancer, Lisa realized she needed to understand what motivated her to take greater and greater risks in the mountains. Finding Elevation chronicles Thompson’s path from novice climber to world-class mountaineer, as she becomes the second American woman to summit K2, which is considered by many to be the deadliest mounta...
220. Marita Dingus with Gary Faigin: Assembling a New Art of the African Diaspora
February 17, 2023 22:45 - 1 hour - 78.8 MBBorn and raised on her family’s 7-acre ranch in Auburn, Washington, African American sculptor Marita Dingus has been exhibiting her artwork locally and internationally for over 30 years. Working almost exclusively with found objects of every possible variety, Dingus’s work is a commentary on the enslavement of African people, recycling, and the politics of poverty. Her signature African-inflected figures of all sizes have become a familiar sight in the region, having been shown at gallerie...
219. Dori Gillam - What’s Age Got to Do With It?
February 01, 2023 22:58 - 1 hour - 71.5 MBYou look good for your age.” “You’re too young to understand.” In employment decisions, family discussions, medical care, and even in birthday cards, assumptions about being “over the hill” or “a lazy kid” are common. What do you wish society would stop saying about your generation? How can we talk about age and aging in a more positive, affirming way? In this interactive and fun talk, Dori Gillam welcomes individuals from every generation to explore how we can begin valuing all ages — in...
218. Elizabeth George with Moira Macdonald - The Return of Thomas Lynley
January 31, 2023 21:51 - 1 hour - 68.7 MBWhy are mystery novels so captivating? Well, name a better way to be thrilled without ever having to leave your own home … For over 30 years, #1 New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth George has been penning page-turners for crime novel enthusiasts around the globe. This winter, the Seattle-based writer is back with the paperback release of her latest book Something to Hide. This book is #21 in George’s A Lynley Novel series, known for involving crimes that are “deeply shocking and susp...
217. Tom Breihan with Tom Nissley: What the Top Hits Tell Us About Pop Music
December 13, 2022 20:17 - 1 hour - 80.6 MBThe Billboard Hot 100 began in 1958, and for many, that little countdown list provokes some strong feelings of nostalgia. Did you listen in while gathered around a family-room radio? A walkman? Blasted through a car stereo, waiting in the driveway until you heard the #1 song of the week? The way we access music might have changed drastically over the decades, but the Billboard Hot 100 still reigns supreme as the industry-standard record chart. And it has a story to tell. Beloved music crit...
216. Erin Langner with Jen Graves: Las Vegas in Lyric Essays
December 07, 2022 19:19 - 58 minutes - 66.8 MBAs an art critic and a museum staffer, Erin Langner was skeptical of what she would find when she visited the Las Vegas Strip for the first time in the mid-2000s. To her surprise, she returned whenever the opportunity arose, seeking to understand her attraction to this “escape” destination — and the personal histories it conjured. The architecture of the Mirage casino surfaced the vacations to Florida that bandaged her grieving family together in the wake of her mother’s death. An encounte...
215. David Sax: Our Not-So-Digital Future
December 06, 2022 19:32 - 1 hour - 108 MBFor years, consumers have been promised a simple, carefree digital future. We could live, work, learn, and play from the comforts of our homes, and have whatever we desire brought to our door with the flick of a finger. Instant communication would bring us together. All this technological convenience would give us more time to focus on what really mattered. When the pandemic hit, for many, that future transformed into the present almost overnight. But the reviews aren’t great. It turns out...
214. Amy Gallo with Ruchika Tulshyan How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People)
November 22, 2022 20:05 - 1 hour - 78.4 MBThere’s no denying it: Work relationships can be hard. The stress of dealing with difficult people can dampen creativity and productivity, degrade the ability to think clearly and make sound decisions, and cause people to disengage. We might lie awake at night worrying, withdraw from work, or react in ways we later regret — rolling our eyes in a meeting, snapping at colleagues, or staying silent when we should speak up. Too often we grin and bear it as if we have no choice. But people can ...
213. Penn Jillette: A Crime Caper That Leaves Everything to Chance
November 17, 2022 20:34 - 50 minutes - 58.2 MBImagine a world where decisions are decided by the roll of a pair of dice. What to eat? Roll the dice. Who to marry? Roll again. How to die, and when? Get rolling. We can only imagine how different our lives might be if we surrendered every decision to the unpredictable fall of two numbered cubes. From Penn Jillette — yes, that Penn Jillette of the legendary duo Penn & Teller — comes Random: a crime novel that aims to bring Jillette’s magic from the stage to the page, inviting readers into...
212. Kate Beaton with Claire Dederer: Alberta’s Oil Boom, Through a Cartoonist’s Eyes
November 16, 2022 02:00 - 1 hour - 104 MBBefore there was Kate Beaton, the New York Times bestselling cartoonist of Hark! A Vagrant, there was Katie Beaton of the Cape Breton Beatons — specifically Mabou, a tight-knit seaside community where lobster is as abundant as beaches, fiddles, and Gaelic folk songs. With the singular goal of paying off her student loans, Katie heads out west to take advantage of Alberta’s oil rush — part of the long tradition of East Coasters who seek gainful employment elsewhere when they can’t find it in ...
211. Jonathan Franzen with Tom Nissley Crossroads: A Vivid Take on Contemporary America
November 08, 2022 20:38 - 1 hour - 78.4 MBJonathan Franzen is known for being, well, a little bit of everything: cantankerous and compelling, celebrated and controversial. Known for his vivid character development, his six novels have provoked commentary of all sorts from each end of the spectrum and everywhere in-between. Unsurprisingly, when Franzen — dubbed by TIME as “The Great American Novelist”— releases a new book, people pay attention; his latest novel, Crossroads, is no exception. In Crossroads, it’s December 23, 1971, an...
210. Alli Frank and Asha Youmans with Tara Conklin: A Baptist, a Baker, and a New Jewish Neighbor
November 01, 2022 19:47 - 57 minutes - 65.9 MBFrom the authors of 2020’s Tiny Imperfections comes a new novel that takes a humorous but candid look at issues like race, religion, parenting, and love through the lens of female friendship. Never Meant to Meet You features protagonist Marjette Lewis, a self-proclaimed “fixer” and kindergarten teacher facing the challenges of raising a son on the verge of manhood, entering her first year without her best friend (the campus “Black-up”) at the private school, and dealing with an ex-husband ...
209. Erika Hayasaki with Grace Madigan: A Story of Adoption, Identity, and the Meaning of Family
October 25, 2022 23:23 - 54 minutes - 62.1 MBImagine having an identical twin on the other side of the world — one you had no idea existed. That was the reality for sisters Isabella and Hà, born in Việt Nam but adopted and raised separately across the globe. One sister remained in a rural Vietnamese village that often went without electricity; the other grew up with a wealthy white family in the American suburbs. Their respective upbringings were worlds apart, both geographically and otherwise. The pair were reunited in their teenage y...
208. Susan Linn with Nancy Pearl - How Big Tech is Hijacking Childhood
October 18, 2022 16:51 - 52 minutes - 60.1 MBMost kids’ today are very tech savvy, whether they’re playing video games, watching streaming services, interacting on social media, or even — as the pandemic quickly showed us — attending school virtually. Tech companies have become a huge part of kids’ lives, but at what cost? Who benefits and how does technology and consumer capitalism affect child development? Susan Linn, one of the world’s leading experts on the impact of technology on children, is working to find the answers to these q...
207. Juan Alonso-Rodríguez with Scott Méxcal - Stories from an Accidental Artist
October 11, 2022 16:54 - 1 hour - 70.1 MBJuan Alonso-Rodríguez describes his paintings and sculptures as an on-going exploration of abstraction based on forms both found in nature, and those conceived by human ingenuity. From horizon lines to his father’s wrought iron railing designs, memories of sights and sounds of his Caribbean origins always play an integral part in his creativity. He is influenced by the organized balance, pattern, and symmetry found in nature as well as that of architecture that lives in harmony with the natu...
206. Ellen Jovin - A Seat at the Grammar Table
October 04, 2022 23:55 - 1 hour - 78.8 MBDo you have a strong opinion about things like the Oxford comma, splitting infinitives, or whether to use punctuation in a text message? Well, you’re not alone. When Ellen Jovin set up her first Grammar Table outside her Manhattan apartment building and invited people to ask her questions, it took only around thirty seconds for the first visitor to arrive. Dozens more followed with their own grammatical inquiries and Grammar Table became an instant hit. Word of its success spread — attractin...
205. Zibby Owens with Julia Quinn: Books, Writing, and Letting Our Stories Unfold
August 16, 2022 23:06 - 58 minutes - 80.8 MBWhen someone recommends a book to you that you end up loving, something special happens: you feel closer to that person somehow, understood on some unspoken level. That could be one of the reasons why Zibby Owens, a top influencer in the book publishing world, has garnered a passionate fanbase of her own as the host of the award-winning podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books™. While Owens spends most of her time discussing other author’s books, she’s now ready to tell her own story, Bo...
204. Gene Andrew Jarrett with Tom Morgan - Paul Laurence Dunbar: The Life and Times of a Caged Bird
August 15, 2022 21:39 - 53 minutes - 73.8 MBPoet Paul Laurence Dunbar, widely known for penning the famous words, “I know why the caged bird sings!” in his poem, Sympathy. Born in 1872, Dunbar was one of the first African American writers to be internationally recognized in the wake of emancipation. But while his extraordinary talent was celebrated, a deeper examination of his life reveals much about Black fame, and the cultural response to it, near the turn of the century. In a meticulously researched biography, author and scholar ...
203. Nabil Ayers with Cheryl Waters: Music, Roots, and Redefining Family
August 11, 2022 23:50 - 55 minutes - 76.6 MBNabil Ayers has been part of the music scene in many capacities: musician, record-label creator, band manager, music executive, and founder of Seattle’s Sonic Boom Records. He is also an author, writing about music and race for the New York Times, Rolling Stone, and many others. Now Ayers has written a new memoir, My Life in the Sunshine: Searching for My Father and Discovering My Family, about his relationship with his father, Black jazz musician Roy Ayers; being a mixed-race person in th...
202. David Duchovny with Jess Walter—The Reservoir: A Twisted Rom-Com for our Distanced Time
July 15, 2022 22:48 - 56 minutes - 52.5 MBDavid Duchovny is best known for his television roles as FBI agent Fox Mulder on The X-Files (1993-2002 and 2016-2018) and writer Hank Moody on Californication (2007-2014), both of which earned him Golden Globe awards. Beyond his extensive on-screen accomplishments, which include dozens of other films and television shows, he’s also a musician and the writer of four novels. Duchovny last joined us at Town Hall to talk about his 2016 book, Bucky F*cking Dent; this June, we’re pleased to wel...
201. Ceasar Hart—Drag Culture: Beyond Entertainment
June 30, 2022 21:56 - 1 hour - 75.4 MBTypically held at bars and nightclubs, drag is a form of entertainment in which a performer uses clothing and makeup to impersonate a particular gender identity, usually of the opposite sex. Yet drag is so much more than nightclub entertainment — it provides community, instills self-confidence, and can even save lives. Join drag king performer Ceasar Hart and explore the history of drag culture and why it is so important for many in the LGBTQ+ community. Discover the impact of this art f...
200. Peter Bacho with Robert Flor: Mostly True Stories of Filipino Seattle
June 23, 2022 22:13 - 1 hour - 56.5 MBAccording to census data, the greater Seattle area is home to the fifth-largest Filipino American population in the U.S — the majority of which arrived in the area after 1965. From the 1950s to 1970s, Filipino Americans, or Pinoys, faced serious hardships and struggles with racism, discrimination, and exploitation. It was a difficult life for many. The struggle persists today, with the U.S. seeing a steep rise in discrimination and violence against Asian Americans since the beginning of the ...