Town Hall Seattle Arts & Culture Series

The 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.

342. John Patrick Green with Ben Clanton: InvestiGators: Agents of S.U.I.T.: Sew Much Trouble 05/03/2026

342. John Patrick Green with Ben Clanton: InvestiGators: Agents of S.U.I.T.: Sew Much Trouble When something wacky is going on in the Gatorverse, the Special Undercover Investigation Teams know that it’s time to S.U.I.T. up! Join the team at S.U.I.T. headquarters with the newest book in John Patrick Green’s InvestiGators spinoff series– Agents of S.U.I.T.: Sew Much Trouble. Someone has stolen the Notorious P.I.G. food truck, and with it, Piggy Smalls’ special BBQ sauce! But before super-spy Badgers Bongo and Marsha can solve the case, they need to solve the problems they’re having with each other. To help them realize what a great team they truly are, General Inspector decides to split them up. Marsha gets placed on a super-secret pilot program with chameleon field agent, Cilantro. Meanwhile, Bongo is paired with Sven, the octopus lead designer of A.R.M.S (Apparel Manufacturing and Research Section), on a not-so-secret reality competition: “Sew You Think You Can Sew!” But here’s the rub: this season of the show includes a chef challenge, and underground sources say Piggy Smalls’ notorious sauce was stolen to help one of the contestants win! Find out what saucy secrets Bongo, Marsha, and the rest of the mystery-solving squad can spill before the whole team unravels in Agents of S.U.I.T.: Sew Much Trouble! John Patrick Green is a human with the human job of making books about animals with human jobs, notably the smash-hit graphic novel series InvestiGators. John is definitely a multiple New York Times-bestselling human author and not just a bunch of animals in a trench coat pretending to have a human job. With over four million copies of InvestiGators in print, John is a successful human being with only two hands and a normal amount of fur. He lives in a Brooklyn apartment that doesn’t allow animals other than the ones living in his head. Ben Clanton is the New York Times–bestselling author and illustrator of the Narwhal and Jelly series, whose picture books include the Ploof series (with Andy Chou Musser) and the Tater Tales series. He lives with his wife and kids in Seattle, Washington. /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/41132830

341. Kate Quinn with Elise Hooper: Astral Library: A Novel 05/02/2026

341. Kate Quinn with Elise Hooper: Astral Library: A Novel Have you ever wished you could go inside of a book? You could travel to a new place, see new sights, potentially live a different life altogether — all from the page. From New York Times bestselling author Kate Quinn comes Astral Library, a fantastical novel where books are not merely objects, but doors to different worlds, different adventures, and different futures. After growing up in the foster care system, protagonist Alix Watson came to believe one thing: unlike people, books will never let you down. Working three dead-end jobs to make ends meet and letting her dreams of higher education fall to the wayside, Alix takes refuge in the reading room at the Boston Public Library, reading her favorite fantasy novels and dreaming of faraway lands night after night. One day, she stumbles through a hidden door and meets the Librarian: the ageless guardian of the Astral Library, where the desperate and the lost escape to new lives inside their favorite books. All seems well until a shadowy enemy emerges and threatens everyone inside. As danger draws closer, Alix and the Librarian try to escape, fleeing places like the back alleys of the Sherlock Holmes series, the Regency-era drawing rooms of Jane Austen, and the decadent parties of The Great Gatsby, to name a few. In journeying through books, Quinn may offer insight into where readers truly belong. Kate Quinn is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. A native of Southern California, she attended Boston University, where she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in classical voice. A lifelong history buff, she has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga and two books set in the Italian Renaissance before turning to the 20th century with The Alice Network, The Huntress, The Rose Code, The Diamond Eye, and The Briar Club. The Astral Library is her first foray into magic realism. She and her husband now live in Maryland with their rescue dogs. Elise Hooper spent several years writing for television and online news outlets before getting a MA and teaching high-school literature and history. Her debut novel The Other Alcott was a nominee for the 2017 Washington Book Award. Three more novels—Learning to See, Fast Girls, and Angels of the Pacific—followed, all centered on the lives of extraordinary but overlooked historical women. Her newest book, The Library of Lost Dollhouses, was inspired by a dollhouse that’s been in her family for five generations. Elise lives in Seattle with her husband and two daughters. /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/41127325

340. Thomas Mallon with Katie Campbell: Opera Talk: Fellow Travelers 04/26/2026

340. Thomas Mallon with Katie Campbell: Opera Talk: Fellow Travelers Hear from acclaimed author, essayist, and critic Thomas Mallon, whose novel Fellow Travelers (2007) inspired an opera and a SHOWTIME® miniseries. With exacting attention to historical detail, Mallon’s novel brings to life the shameful era in the early 1950s known as the Lavender Scare, during which gay and lesbian federal employees were systematically expelled from government service. More recently, Mallon also published The Very Heart of It (2025), a collection of journal entries during his literary coming-of-age during the AIDS crisis in New York City. Reporter Katie Campbell, creator and host of the KUOW Book Club, joins Mallon for a lively discussion on these works and the lessons they hold for our own time. Thomas Mallon’s eleven books of fiction include Henry and Clara, Fellow Travelers, Watergate (a Finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award), and Up With the Sun. He has also written volumes of nonfiction about plagiarism (Stolen Words), diaries (A Book of One’s Own), letters (Yours Ever,) and the Kennedy assassination (Mrs. Paine’s Garage), as well as two books of essays (Rockets and Rodeos and In Fact). A collection of his personal journals, The Very Heart of It: New York Diaries, 1983-1994, was published by Knopf in June 2025. Mallon’s work appears in The New Yorker, The New York Times Book Review, and other publications. He received his Ph. D. in English and American Literature from Harvard University and taught for a number of years at Vassar College. His honors include Guggenheim and Rockefeller fellowships, the National Book Critics Circle citation for reviewing, and the Harold D. Vursell Memorial Award of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, for distinguished prose style. He has been literary editor of Gentlemen’s Quarterly and deputy chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, and in 2012, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. An eight-part dramatic adaptation of his novel, Fellow Travelers, is now streaming on Showtime/Paramount+, and an opera based on the novel has had over a dozen productions throughout the United States. He is Professor Emeritus of English at The George Washington University and lives in Washington, D. C. Katie Campbell is an editor and reporter for . She has covered a variety of local topics, including Seattle politics, elections, and the arts. She also co-hosts KUOW’s weekly arts podcast, Meet Me Here, highlighting the local literary scene and visiting authors. In 2024, Katie created the KUOW Book Club, featuring stories and authors from the Pacific Northwest. Katie’s picks have included classics, like Timothy Egan’s The Good Rain, and recent hits, like Sonora Jha’s The Laughter. Katie’s interviews with the featured authors have given readers a chance to hear from some of the most talented writers in the region. All readers are invited to join the KUOW Book Club by signing up for the newsletter at . Katie is a graduate of the University of Florida College of Journalism, a P-Patch gardener and an auntie. Find her on Bluesky: @katiecampbell.bsky.social /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/41022435

339. Chuck Klosterman:The Football Phenomenon 04/25/2026

338. Letters Aloud: Love Me or Leave Me: Letters of Loving, Longing, and Leaving 04/24/2026

338. Letters Aloud: Love Me or Leave Me: Letters of Loving, Longing, and Leaving Get ready to laugh, swoon, and maybe cringe just a little—Love Me or Leave Me from Letters Aloud unleashes the wild side of romance in a whirlwind show packed with real letters from history’s most lovelorn (and love-scorned) souls. With a cast of spirited actors, comedy crackles from every confession, break-up, and “did-they-really-write-that?” misadventure, all paired with lively music that sets hearts and funny bones tingling. It’s an unfiltered anthology of grand gestures, awkward flirtations, ridiculous rejections, and letters so sincere (or spectacularly misguided) you can’t help but cheer. Whether you arrive hopelessly romantic or deliciously cynical, you’ll end the night loving every memorable misstep on the bumpy road to happily ever after. Real letters, by real people, read by professional actors. Since 2014, we have traveled the country sharing intimate letters written by individuals who have left their mark on history. With a power to evoke both laughter and deep emotion, these letters serve as a testament to humanity’s extraordinary ability to unearth hope, purpose, and happiness amidst life’s many challenges. With live musical accompaniment and a dynamic slideshow, a Letters Aloud evening is guaranteed to inspire! (As one fan said, “It’s a modern day ‘A prairie Home Companion’ – but with letters.”) ABOUT THE PERFORMERS Paul Morgan Stetler is the creator and curator of Letters Aloud and a co-founder and former Artistic Director of Seattle’s multi-award winning New Century Theatre Company. A well-known Seattle actor, Paul has appeared on numerous local stages over the past 20 years, including ACT Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Village Theatre, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Intiman Theatre, and Empty Space Theatre, as well as numerous regional theatres across the country. He holds a BA in English Literature at Cal State Northridge and an MFA in Theatre Arts from Penn State University. Basil Harris is a Seattle actor and musician who has worked extensively on stage here in Seattle, and in film and media. As a voice actor, he’s a regular contributor to the audio dramas of Jim French’s Imagination Theater. He also plays in the alt-pop band “Awesome”, which has often appeared here at Town Hall. More at Jen Taylor is a Seattle-based stage actor and voice performer whose career bridges some of the city’s most respected theatres and one of pop culture’s most iconic AI characters. She is widely recognized worldwide as the original voice of Cortana in the Halo video game series and Microsoft’s digital assistant, a role she has carried from the first game through multiple sequels and into the live-action Halo television adaptation. Jamie Maschler is a musician, music director, educator and an ambassador of the accordion. She is co-founder of the Brazilian bands Foleada, En Canto, and the accordion duo Creosote. She has been heard with the Pueblo Symphony, Seattle Symphony and Seattle Philharmonic. Jamie has also played the role of Nelly Friedman in Paula Vogel’s award winning play Indecent twice. /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/41010870

337. Vivian Tu with Tori Dunlap: Well Endowed: The Secrets to Strategic Spending 04/24/2026

337. Vivian Tu with Tori Dunlap: Well Endowed: The Secrets to Strategic Spending For most people, trying to be smart with money is a hurdle that isn’t going away anytime soon. And once you have a handle on the usual demands like bills, loans, and maybe even savings – what about the future? Long-term financial choices can be daunting and confusing, and isn’t wealth management advice for the already wealthy? How do everyday people balance today’s dreams and realities with tomorrow’s security? Tailoring her years of expertise for modern generations, bestselling author and CEO Vivian Tu wants to deconstruct the traditional framework of financial literacy and show readers how to invest in a future that supports their real needs and wants. In her newest book, Well Endowed, the internet’s favorite money bestie seeks to show readers how to strategically spend, directing cash toward what matters most while positioning themselves to grow real, lasting wealth. This fun, practical roadmap aims to weigh in on all the big topics, addressing questions like: Should I rent or buy a home? What about my car – do I finance, lease, or buy? Should I get life insurance? What about pet insurance or renters’ insurance? How much should I be setting aside for retirement, and do I really need a prenup? Is generational wealth something I can actually work towards for my family? Picking up where her first book left off, Tu breaks down the biggest financial decisions of your late twenties, thirties, and beyond, striving to teach you how to align your spending with your values, goals, and the legacy you hope to leave. Pulling from lessons learned as a former Wall Street trader and blending them with the honesty of your best friend, Tu expands on the basics of personal finance to present a smart, relatable guide for creating lasting stability for yourself and your loved ones. Well Endowed aims to make your money work harder so you can live richer in every sense. Vivian Tu is an educator and award-winning media personality driven towards creating approachable lessons in financial literacy and money management. She is the founder and CEO of the digital media brand Your Rich BFF, host of the Networth and Chill podcast, and author of the New York Times bestselling book Rich AF. She is the Chief of Financial Empowerment with SoFi Technologies and has been named one of Forbes 30 Under 30. Tori Dunlap has helped over 5 million women build their net-worth and self-worth through her New York Times bestselling book and the world’s biggest financial podcast for women, both called Financial Feminist. After saving $100,000 at age 25, Tori quit her corporate job in marketing and founded to fight financial inequality by giving women actionable resources to better their money. A multi-million dollar business owner, Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and co-creator of Treasury, an investing education platform, Tori’s work has generated a global movement for financial advocacy and women’s rights. /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/40998820

336. Jackson Cooper with Dr. Laura Marie Rivera: A Kids Book About Kindness 04/20/2026

334. David Guterson with Karen Maeda Allman: Evelyn in Transit 04/09/2026

334. David Guterson with Karen Maeda Allman: Evelyn in Transit Whether you know him from his award-winning and bestselling novel set in Puget Sound, Snow Falling on Cedars, or his columns in Pacific Northwest publications, Bainbridge writer David Guterson may be one of our region’s most well-known writers. He’s written a new novel, Evelyn in Transit, which explores what it means to live a righteous life, maybe even in spite of our imperfections. Guterson’s novel introduces Evelyn Bednarz, who is radically open-minded, formidably strong, and unusually clear-eyed about herself and others. Yet Evelyn has always been a misfit in society. She’s easily bored, unsuited to life at school, asks odd questions about faith and time, and sees through conventions others take for granted. Seeking to be true to herself, she hitchhikes across the American West, taking odd jobs. Meanwhile, in distant Tibet, another life unfolds: the life of a boy named Tsering, raised as a Buddhist monk in the mountains of Tibet, who eventually becomes a high lama. And yet, Evelyn and Tsering are linked, which Evelyn discovers when a trio of Buddhist lamas show up at her door to announce that her five-year-old son, Cliff, is the seventh reincarnation of the illustrious Norbu Rinpoche, recently deceased. The lamas’ visit sets off a family crisis and a media firestorm over Cliff’s future. As he’s done in his other writing, Guterson links the Pacific Northwest with universal human truths. Evelyn in Transit asks us what it might mean to “live the right way,” and to closely examine humanity’s strivings for transcendence. David Guterson is the author of several novels: the national best seller Snow Falling on Cedars; East of the Mountains; Our Lady of the Forest, a New York Times Notable Book and a Los Angeles Times Best Book of the Year; The Other; and Ed King. He is also the author of two story collections, two books of poetry, a memoir, and the work of nonfiction Family Matters: Why Homeschooling Makes Sense. The recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, he lives in Washington state. Karen Maeda Allman is a bookseller alum, having worked for over 30 years at Independent Bookstores (including as author events co-coordinator for the Elliott Bay Book Company). She has served on many jury and awards panels, including for the National Book Award for Translated Literature, the DSC Prize and the Kirkus Prize for Nonfiction. She’s currently at Wales Literary Agency and also serves on the Board of Seattle Arts and Lectures. Elliott Bay Book Company /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/40779000

335. Jenn Lueke with Cailee Fischer: Don't Think About Dinner 04/09/2026

335. Jenn Lueke with Cailee Fischer: Don't Think About Dinner Ever feel unenthused staring into the fridge night after night? Overwhelmed and over budget at the grocery store, yet somehow you still came home without what you need for the week? Been meaning to reorganize your pantry for months and don’t even know where to start? Avid cook and recipe developer Jenn Lueke has been there herself, and she wants to help pull home cooks out of the fog of decision fatigue and into achievable, delicious choices worth savoring. In her debut cookbook, Don’t Think About Dinner, Lueke has combined a practiced hand at meal planning, financial acuity, and years of building recipes into a start-to-finish primer for success. After struggling as a college student with health problems and quick-fix “healthy” recipes that she often found impractical and costly, Lueke was motivated to build a plan around what was really important to her. A list of plants and proteins she wanted to eat, simple recipes to make the most of them, and a system to keep with it over time. This foundation brought her to a new relationship with food in her life, a growing business and digital platform shared with millions, and now to a fresh, flavorful collection of kitchen know-how with Don’t Think About Dinner. This goal-oriented guidebook aims to help home cooks get what they really want out of the kitchen – from building new skills to cutting down on spending and food waste to reducing mental load without giving up satisfaction. Don’t Think About Dinner highlights everything home cooks may need to confidently approach every meal of the day—from shopping and stocking the pantry to storing and reheating leftovers, and everything in between. Lueke’s engaging and comprehensive approach and vivid photography present weekly meal plan menus, resources, and over 125 recipes designed to fit your lifestyle needs. Readers will find convenient prep-ahead breakfasts like Goat Cheese and Kale High-Protein Egg Muffins and takeout-alternative lunch faves like Barbecue Chicken Chopped Salad. Get dinner on the table in 30 minutes with Street Corn-Inspired Shrimp Skillet or take advantage of adaptable ingredient lists and plant-based options like Sheet Pan Butternut Squash Mac and “Cheese.” With a fully stocked kitchen and plan in place, Don’t Think About Dinner wants to show how much easier it can be to cook nourishing, budget-conscious, standout meals. Jenn Lueke is an author, recipe developer, and digital creator focused on making nutritious food more accessible and leading people to more joyful, nourishing practices around cooking. She is known for her smart shopping tips, viral meal plans, and approachable strategies for kitchen confidence on her social platform, @jenneatsgoood. Her tips and recipes have been featured on Buzzfeed, Good Morning America, ABC News, and through her Substack, the eat goood newsletter. Cailee Fischer is a food content creator and the voice behind Cailee Eats, where she shares easy, balanced meals and realistic kitchen moments. She’s all about making cooking feel fun, doable, and delicious, like having your bestie right there in the kitchen with you. What started as posting simple dinner recipe videos during her PCOS journey has grown into a community of 1.6M+ on TikTok and Instagram and a full-time career centered on helping people feel confident in the kitchen. /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/40792975

333. Karl Ove Knausgård with Elizabeth DeNoma: The School of Night 03/31/2026

333. Karl Ove Knausgård with Elizabeth DeNoma: The School of Night How far would you go to achieve your deepest dreams? That’s the question author Karl Ove Knausgård explores in his latest novel, The School of Night. Internationally acclaimed and award-winning Norwegian author Knausgård is known for blending everyday characters with transcendent perceptions of reality, and this new installment of The Morning Star series continues this thread while examining the power of human ambition. Set in 1985 London, a city rife with possibility and desire, Knausgård’s story follows Kristian Hadeland, a young photographer who believes his art is destined for greatness. His family, however, never understood him, and his fellow photography students bore him. When he meets Hans, an eccentric Dutch artist, the future he yearns for is possible—as long as he is willing to sacrifice everything and stop at nothing. Twenty-four years later, Kristian sees his dreams come true. A major retrospective of his work is held in New York City. Yet his past catches up to him, and Kristian’s world begins to crumble. Success comes at a price, but is he prepared to pay it? In a twist on Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus, Karl Ove Knausgård questions what we will do to achieve success—and how far we are willing to fall. The fourth novel in The Morning Star series that collides the ordinary with the extraordinary, The School of Night is a tale about dark temptations and moral depravity, and what we forget when we bargain with the devil. Karl Ove Knausgård’s first novel, Out of the World, was the first ever debut novel to win the Norwegian Critics’ Prize, and his second, A Time for Everything, was longlisted for the 2010 International Dublin Literary Award. The My Struggle cycle of novels has been heralded as a masterpiece wherever it has appeared. His work is published in thirty-five languages. Knausgaard’s newest novel, The School of Night, will be published by Penguin Press in January 2026. Elizabeth DeNoma wears a number of hats within the publishing world. She’s a translator from Scandinavia languages (whose most recent work is SNOW: A History by Sverker Sörlin), a ghostwriter and developmental editor, as well as a literary agent at the boutique international agency of Sebes, Bisseling, and Kleuver. /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/40684790

332. David Spafford with Paul Atkins: Binging Shogun: Can Historical Fiction Be Good for History? 03/16/2026

332. David Spafford with Paul Atkins: Binging Shogun: Can Historical Fiction Be Good for History? When Shogun was released last year on Hulu, it featured a great cast, spectacular visuals, and a gripping story. It was a commercial and critical success on release, and again when awards season came around. So of course, academic historians fretted. Were they concerned that it painted sixteenth-century Japan as another Game of Thrones (with more ninjas and fewer dragons)? Maybe a little. But most scholars were anxious because they understood how important the show would be, how profound an impact it would have, for years to come, on the public’s perception of Japanese culture and history — all the more so because the story captures a moment of extraordinary significance, in such vivid detail, on such a vast canvas. In this talk, David Spafford, Associate Professor of Premodern Japanese History at the University of Pennsylvania, takes a closer look at the complexities of the period and unpacks why this particular moment in history matters so much — and how the hit Shogun series does (or doesn’t) help us understand it. David Spafford was born and raised in Rome and first moved to the States to earn his PhD. He is currently Associate Professor of Premodern Japanese History in the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations at the University of Pennsylvania, where he teaches courses on samurai and the invention of the Way of the Warrior, on early modern urbanization, and on premodern law and violence. He is the author of A Sense of Place: The Political Landscape in Late Medieval Japan (2013), which explores the resilience of medieval regional identities and cultural geographies during the early Warring States period. In recent years, he has written about the role and boundaries of kinship in warrior society between 1450 and 1650. He is currently completing a short monograph on the writings of a sixteenth-century widow, known to us only as Jukeini, the only woman to rule a warrior domain. Paul Atkins is professor of Japanese in the Department of Asian Languages and Literature at the University of Washington, Seattle, where he teaches and writes about the literature, drama, and culture of medieval Japan. He holds a Ph.D. in Japanese from Stanford University. Professor Atkins was awarded the William F. Sibley Memorial Translation Prize by the University of Chicago in 2011 and the Kyoko Selden Memorial Translation Prize by Cornell University in 2021 for his translations of classical Japanese texts into English. Publications include the monographs Teika: The Life and Works of a Medieval Japanese Poet (University of Hawai’i Press, 2017) and Revealed Identity: The Noh Plays of Komparu Zenchiku (Center of Japanese Studies, University of Michigan, 2006) as well as a number of articles. Presented by Town Hall Seattle and Washin Kai. This event is sponsored by the UW and the UW . Nominal support provided by . /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/40502275

331. Jeff Chang with Shannon Lee, Doug Palmer, and Sue Ann Kay: Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America 03/03/2026

331. Jeff Chang with Shannon Lee, Doug Palmer, and Sue Ann Kay: Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America In the decades since his untimely passing at the age of thirty-two, Bruce Lee’s body of work has grown to an undeniably lasting legacy. He went on to become globally recognized after his death, his influence acting as a cultural bridge between the East and West – popularizing martial arts and providing inspiration and momentum for a new arena of Western martial arts films. While the impact of his work can be seen across genres and generations, cultural historian and journalist Jeff Chang is hoping to highlight the barrier-breaking importance of Bruce Lee’s life to the development of Asian American identity over the last fifty years. In his new biography, Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America, Chang highlights areas of Bruce Lee’s story that have been overshadowed by acclaim. Chang unpacks the stark reality of Bruce Lee as a baby born in segregated San Francisco and a youth living in war-ravaged, fight-crazy Hong Kong. As he found his way back to America as a teenager, Bruce Lee embraced West Coast counterculture and meshed it with the Asian worldviews and philosophies that reared him. Water Mirror Echo – a title inspired by Bruce Lee’s own way of moving, being, and responding to the world – explores how these transitions and unique vantage points created a figure whose very presence helped shape the idea of what being an Asian in America is, at a critical time in the early development of the culture. Chang presents this new work in conversation with a panel of figures directly affected by Lee’s life– activist and former student Sue Ann Kay, long-time friend Doug Palmer, and daughter Shannon Lee. Water Mirror Echo layers an expertly collected archive of Lee’s life with a thoughtfully nuanced analysis of the way Lee defied stereotypes and expectations. The complex biography draws from in-depth interviews, thousands of newly available personal documents, and features dozens of photographs from the family’s archive, brought together by Chang’s pursuit of heartfelt authenticity. Water Mirror Echo explores the man behind the iconography and shows Lee’s growing fame ushering in something even more enduring: the creation of Asian America. Jeff Chang is an award-winning writer, host, and cultural organizer. His previous books include the critically acclaimed Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation, Who We Be: A Cultural History of Race in Post Civil Rights America, and We Gon’ Be Alright: Notes on Race and Resegregation. Chang has been a Lucas Artist Fellow and has received the American Book Award, the Asian American Literary Award, and the USA Ford Fellowship in Literature. He is the host of the podcasts Edge of Reason and Notes from the Edge. His bylines have appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, The Guardian, and more. Shannon Lee is an author, producer, speaker, and acts as the steward of her father’s legacy. She is the founder and president of the Bruce Lee Foundation and the host of the Bruce Lee Podcast as well as the short-form podcast A Little Leeway. Her published books include the philosophical guide Be Water, My Friend, and the YA fantasy novel Breath of the Dragon. Doug Palmer is a retired lawyer and the author of the memoir Bruce Lee: Sifu, Friend, and Big Brother published by Seattle-based Chin Music Press. He grew up in Seattle, where he met and learned gung fu from Bruce Lee. While attending Yale University, he spent a summer with Bruce and his family in Hong Kong. After graduating with a major in Chinese Studies and obtaining a law degree from Harvard Law School, he worked in Tokyo for 4-1/2 years. Sue Ann Kay is a third-generation Chinese American with family roots to early Seattle Chinatown (late 1800s) and the current Chinatown International District (CID). She was Bruce Lee’s first female student, relishing lessons that included Chinese philosophy and martial arts. Kay is currently involved with grassroots groups like the CID Coalition (aka “Humbows not Hotels”) and Eggrolls. She is also a singer with the Seattle Raging Grannies. Presented by Town Hall Seattle and Wing Luke Museum. /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/40289490

330. Elyse Myers: That's a Great Question, I'd Love to Tell You 02/27/2026

330. Elyse Myers: That's a Great Question, I'd Love to Tell You Elyse Myers is known to her 12 million followers as “The Internet’s Best Friend,” sharing relatable stories and comedic sketches while serving as an advocate for topics such as neurodiversity, impostor syndrome, body image, and more. Whether she’s making people laugh with tales of disastrous dates or giving a voice to that awkward internal monologue many of us have, she has three simple goals behind everything she makes: To make people feel known, loved, and like they belong. In That’s a Great Question, I’d Love to Tell You, Elyse delivers a debut collection of deeply personal stories and hand-drawn illustrations, offering even more intimate reflections beyond what fans have seen on her social media, including: Spending 7 Minutes in Heaven and accidentally friend-zoning her crush How Lucy, the Magic 8 Ball keychain, changed her life by accident The “meat cute” when she met her smoke show of a husband at a butcher’s counter in Australia Plus, stories of bad dates and almost-dates; the irresistible but hopeless urge to reinvent yourself; panic attacks and the escape routes they inspire; favorite pens and the systems for using them—all while navigating the art of loving and being loved, ideally at the same time. Elyse Myers is a writer, comedian, and content creator who’s known to her twelve million followers as “The Internet’s Best Friend,” sharing relatable stories and comedic sketches and serving as an advocate for topics such as neurodivergence, impostor syndrome, body image, and more. Whether she’s making people laugh with stories of disastrous dates or giving a voice to that awkward internal monologue many of us have, she has three simple goals behind everything she makes: To make people feel known, loved, and like they belong. She hopes that by sharing her authentic and unfiltered self with the world, others will feel comfortable doing the same. Elyse lives in the Midwest with her husband, two sons, and her pillow pet named Wallace. /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/40246570

329. Michael W. Twitty with Kristi Brown: Recipes From the American South 02/26/2026

329. Michael W. Twitty with Kristi Brown: Recipes From the American South “Our cuisine, with its grits and black-eyed peas, crab cakes, red rice, and endless variations on the staple foods of the region, casts a spell that, if you’re lucky, gets passed down with snapping string beans at the table and chewing cane on the back porch.” – Michael W. Twitty Cooking is more than just ingredients and instructions, and a big pot on the stove can act as a vessel for connection and culture just as much as it does for rice and beans. Exploring the contextual roots and legacies passed down through food culture has been a lifelong endeavor for culinary historian Michael W. Twitty, and his upcoming cookbook Recipes From the American South aims to unpack a bounty of knowledge and flavor for the home cook. In the introduction to this thoughtfully rendered recipe collection, Twitty declares, “No one state or area can give you the breadth of the Southern story or fully set the Southern table.” Recipes from the American South sets out on a journey to cover as much ground as possible through one of America’s most foundational culinary landscapes — showcasing more than 260 beloved regional dishes rooted from the Louisiana Bayou to the Chesapeake Bay. Layered with diverse origin stories and detailed annotations, Twitty brings readers an expansive collection of both iconic fare and lesser-known specialties. Chicken and Dumplings, She-crab Soup, Red Eye Gravy, Benne Seed Wafers, Hummingbird Cake, and Mint Juleps appear alongside Shrimp Pilau, Chorizo Dirty Rice, Sumac Lemonade, and Cajun Pig’s Ears Pastry. Vibrant photography and Twitty’s lyrical essays accompany the menu at every course, from biscuits and breads to mains and sides to sauces and sweets. Through this cookbook, Twitty aims to showcase how the region’s “multicultural gumbo” of influences have transformed staple ingredients into a lasting impact on American food culture as a whole. Expansive, authoritative, and beautifully designed — Recipes from the American South invites readers to take a seat at the kitchen table and learn how to cook, understand, and connect with every plate. Michael W. Twitty is an acclaimed culinary historian, speaker, educator, and independent scholar with a focus on historic African American food and folk culture. He is the author of the two-time James Beard Award-winning book The Cooking Gene, as well as Rice and Koshersoul. His work has been featured in publications including the Guardian, The New York Times, The Washington Post, PBS, and NPR’s The Splendid Table, as well as Afroculinaria, his culinary history blog devoted to the preservation of historic African American foods and foodways. Chef Kristi Brown has spent over three decades in the culinary industry, starting at a café in downtown Seattle. After graduating from Seattle Culinary Academy, she founded That Brown Girl Cooks Catering in the mid-1990s. Her mantra, “Everybody Gotta Eat,” led her to co-found a community kitchen, earning widespread recognition. In the same era, Chef Kristi and her son Damon Bomar opened Communion R&B in Seattle’s Central District. With praise from Conde Nast Traveler and The New York Times, the restaurant has become a beacon of unity and community. /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/40236175

328. Ruchika T. Malhotra with Ijeoma Oluo, Ekin Yasin, and La’Kita Williams: Uncompete: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Success 02/22/2026

328. Ruchika T. Malhotra with Ijeoma Oluo, Ekin Yasin, and La’Kita Williams: Uncompete: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Success Have you ever heard the phrase “healthy competition?” Competing is often viewed as a positive: we are told that it motivates us, drives innovation, and helps us excel. But what if this approach were mistaken, and competition actually causes more harm than good? In this panel discussion, author Ruchika T. Malhotra will be joined by Ijeoma Oluo, Ekin Yasin, and La’Kita Williams to explore the central ideas of her new book, Uncompete: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Success. Author Ruchika Malhotra offers a different framework for success than what we are used to. Uncompete argues that competition leads to exhaustion, anxiety, burnout, and an isolating lack of community. It encourages a scarcity mindset and keeps us from reaching our true potential. Instead, Malhotra argues, we should be investigating this cultural norm and even rewriting it into ways that are likely unfamiliar, such as by tapping into benign envy or finding joy in other people’s victories. Drawing on interviews as well as Malhotra’s own experiences working with corporations as an inclusion strategist, Uncompete promotes a culture of collaboration and mutuality. The book offers that this approach leads not only to a happier workplace, but one more likely to succeed. Likewise, it can also lead to happier and healthier lives even outside of work. Malhotra subverts the dominant, dog-eat-dog paradigm and makes a radical argument: there is room for everyone at the table and everyone can succeed. Ruchika T. Malhotra is the founder of Candour, a global inclusion strategy firm that has worked with some of the world’s biggest organizations. She is a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review and was a founding editor of The Establishment, a women-funded-and-led media website, has written for The New York Times, , TIME, Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal, Quartz, The Seattle Times, and more. She was an adjunct faculty in Communications at University of Washington and Seattle University and is the author of INCLUSION ON PURPOSE: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work, MIT Press’ top selling book of 2022. Ijeoma Oluo is a Seattle-based writer, speaker, and internet yeller. She is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling first book, So You Want To Talk About Race, Mediocre, and Be a Revolution. Her work on race and gender has been published in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and NBC News; and she has been featured on The Daily Show and NPR’s All Things Considered. Named on the TIME 100 Next list and The Root 100, she’s been awarded the Harvard Humanist of the Year Award, the American Humanist Association’s Feminist Humanist Award, Gender Justice League’s Media Justice Award, and the Equal Opportunity Institute’s Aubrey Davis Visionary Leadership Award. Dr. Ekin Yasin is a professor, researcher, and program leader with expertise in communication, emerging technologies, and leadership development. As Director of the Communication Leadership graduate program at the University of Washington, her work explores how technology transforms identity, storytelling, influence, and global communication. She collaborates with universities around the world on program development, AI-integrated curriculum design, and responsive education models that meet the needs of a shifting global landscape. La’Kita Williams is the Founder and Principal Strategist of CoCreate Work, a future-focused coaching and consulting company specializing in executive coaching and organizational development. She holds a Master’s in Social Work and is a Certified Professional Coach (CPC). La’Kita developed the 5 Components of Inclusive Culture, a step-by-step framework to help organizations, small businesses, and emerging companies build responsive workplaces that put humans first. La’Kita teaches graduate courses in the Department of Communication Leadership at the University of Washington, including Resilient and Inclusive Leadership for The Future of Work. She has been quoted in the New York Times, written for Harvard Business Review and MSNBC Know your Value, and has appeared on numerous podcasts to discuss leadership and the future of work. /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/40192040

327. Julian Brave NoiseCat with Joshua L. Reid: We Survived the Night 01/26/2026

327. Julian Brave NoiseCat with Joshua L. Reid: We Survived the Night In his debut book We Survived the Night, artist and writer Julian Brave NoiseCat takes readers on a complex journey of Indigenous experience stemming from a childhood rich with culture and contradictions. Reeling from his father — a Secwépemc and St’at’imc artist haunted by a troubled past — abandoning his family, NoiseCat and his non-Native mother found themselves embraced and invigorated by their community. Supported by the urban Native population in Oakland, California and family on the Canim Lake Indian Reserve in British Columbia, NoiseCat was able to immerse himself in Native history and culture. Doing so bridged the gaps in his knowledge of his father’s past and their stories and sent him on a journey to further his understanding of his people and himself. Told in the style of a “Coyote Story” — a legend about the trickster forefather of NoiseCat’s people, revered for his wit and mocked for his tendency to self-destruct — We Survived the Night brings a traditional artform nearly annihilated by colonization back to life on the page. NoiseCat explores his personal origins amidst recounting on-the-ground efforts to correct the erasure of Indigenous peoples across the continent. Over years spent researching and developing his voice as a storyteller, NoiseCat grapples with the generational trauma of North America’s First Peoples and learns of the cultural, environmental, and political movements reshaping the future. We Survived the Night dives into examples of Native endurance and modern achievements that NoiseCat studied in his journalistic endeavors — the historic ascent of the first Native cabinet secretary in the United States and the first Indigenous sovereign of Canada; the colonial origins and limits of racial ideology and Indian identity of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina; hauling the golden eggs of an imperiled fish out of the sea alongside the Tlingit of Sitka, Alaska. Blending history and mythology, research and personal memoir, NoiseCat seeks to reclaim a culture stripped away by years of colonization and the family ties that were severed in his youth. His voiced honesty and years of efforts link the past to the present, the community to the individual in a powerfully intimate depiction of contemporary Indigenous life. Julian Brave NoiseCat is a writer, Oscar-nominated filmmaker, champion powwow dancer, and student of Salish art and history. His writing has appeared in publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The New Yorker. NoiseCat has been recognized with numerous awards including the 2022 American Mosaic Journalism Prize and many National Native Media Awards. He was a finalist for the Livingston Award and multiple Canadian National Magazine Awards, and was named to the TIME100 Next list in 2021. His first documentary, Sugarcane, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary. Directed alongside Emily Kassie, Sugarcane premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, where NoiseCat and Kassie won the Directing Award in U.S. Documentary. NoiseCat is a proud member of the Canim Lake Band Tsq̓éscen̓ and descendant of the Líl̓wat Nation of Mount Currie. Joshua L. Reid (citizen of the Snohomish Indian Nation) is an associate professor of American Indian Studies and the John Calhoun Smith Memorial Endowed Associate Professor of History at the University of Washington, where he directs the Center for the Study of the Pacific Northwest. He is the author of The Sea Is My Country: The Maritime World of the Makahs. /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/39873145

326. Raina Telgemeier & Scott McCloud: The Cartoonists Club 01/23/2026

326. Raina Telgemeier & Scott McCloud: The Cartoonists Club If you’re into comics and graphic novels, you probably know of Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud. Telgemeier rose to “first-name-only status” among middle-grade readers with her adaptations of The Babysitters Club and award-winning autobiographical graphic novels including Smile and Guts. Scott McCloud is a leading comics theorist, having spoken and written about the art form since the 1980s. In fact, Telgemeier credits McCloud’s work for inspiring her when she was a teenager. Now these two leading artists come together to discuss the unique power of comics and their new graphic novel, The Cartoonists Club. Their book centers around four characters: Makayla, who is bursting with ideas but doesn’t know how to make them into a story; Howard, who loves to draw but struggles to come up with ideas and his dad thinks comics are a waste of time; Lynda, who constantly draws in her sketchbook but keeps focusing on what she feels are mistakes; and Art, who simply loves being creative. Throughout the book, Telgemeier and McCloud infuse how-to advice on comics creation that, they hope, will inspire a new wave of cartoonists. They both have seen renewed enthusiasm for the genre, especially among younger readers and are teaming up to provide an entertaining and practical guide to the magic of comics storytelling. Raina Telgemeier is the #1 New York Times bestselling, multiple Eisner Award–winning creator of Smile, Sisters, and Guts, which are all graphic memoirs based on her childhood. She is also the creator of Drama and Ghosts, and is the adapter and illustrator of the first four Baby-sitters Club graphic novels. Facing Feelings: The Art of Raina Telgemeier is a companion catalog for an exhibition held at Ohio State University’s Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum. Raina lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. To learn more, visit her online at . Scott McCloud is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art; Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga, and Graphic Novels; Zot!; and The Sculptor. He is a frequent lecturer on the power of visual communication, creator of the international 24-hour comic movement, and, in 2021, was inducted into the Will Eisner Awards Hall of Fame. His art and stories are available in more than 30 languages and on the web at /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/39844735

325. Joe Hill: King Sorrow: A Novel 01/15/2026

325. Joe Hill: King Sorrow: A Novel Arthur Oakes spends his days in a picturesque tableau of scholastic life – reading in the exceptional Rackham College library, dreaming against scenic Maine backdrops, entertaining a burgeoning romance with bold and brainy Gwen Underfoot. What more could a studious kid want? Surely not to be roped into a criminal endeavor by a local drug dealer and her partner, bent on committing a truly atrocious crime against the law and academia itself – stealing rare books from the college library. In his attempts to escape the dangers stacked against him, Arthur turns down a dark and unforeseen path into extraordinary loopholes and treacherous trickery. In his newest novel King Sorrow, author Joe Hill brings together an eclectic group of Arthur’s closest friends to scheme their way out of the peril breathing down their necks. Irrepressible moneybags Colin Wren, brave and beautiful Alison Shiner, the battling twins Donna and Donovan McBride, and with dear Gwen in the mix, they should absolutely be able to get Arthur out of this bind. Should be simple really – grab an ominous tome bound in the skin of its author, warp the very reality of the world around them, summon a dragon to do their bidding. But turns out there’s nothing simple about dealing with dragons, and this crew soon learns that supernatural deals with immensely powerful beasts should perhaps not be made so lightly. King Sorrow follows this group on their winding paths through both human and fantastical villainy, biting off more than they bargained for and facing a terrifying pattern to uphold. A new sacrifice must be chosen every year, or risk becoming King Sorrow’s next meal. Joe Hill is a best-selling author of novels, novellas, short stories, and comics exploring genres of horror, dark fantasy, and science fiction. His previous published works include the award-winning novels Heart-Shaped Box, NOS4A2, and The Fireman as well as the shorts collections Strange Weather, 20th Century Ghosts, and Full Throttle. He is also the co-creator of the long-running comic series Locke & Key, which was later adapted into a Netflix TV series. /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/39751375

324. Emily Baker-White with Steve Scher: The War Over TikTok 01/15/2026

324. Emily Baker-White with Steve Scher: The War Over TikTok You’re likely aware of the ongoing saga surrounding the ban on TikTok in the U.S., including the platform’s brief offline period in January 2025. Have you ever wondered why restoring TikTok in the U.S. was one of the first actions President Trump took when he came to office? Why is this social media platform a top priority for some of the world’s most powerful people? How did this tech giant become so wildly popular and a source of contention in international politics? Author of Every Screen on the Planet, Emily Baker-White, uncovers the answers. After working within big tech companies’ policy departments, Harvard-trained lawyer and investigative journalist Emily Baker-White has now focused on how platforms like TikTok influence the world around us. In her book, she charts TikTok’s rise from the Chinese founders’ ambitions to its emergence as the world’s most valuable startup with 1.6 billion users worldwide. Its power––and potential surveillance and propaganda tool for strongmen––came to a dramatic crescendo with its ban and tenuous resurrection in January 2025. Hear about the explosive reporting that actually caused TikTok to track Baker-White and led to an ongoing criminal investigation. Baker-White makes the case for how hawks in Congress have pushed the company to the brink while the U.S. government seeks backdoor access to observe and influence TikTok’s data stream. Touching on politics, finance, business, and technology, she lays bare the stakes: The war for TikTok will either create a blueprint for autocrats to warp our information landscape or close the open internet as we know it. Emily Baker-White is a technology reporter at Forbes, where her TikTok coverage has won awards. A Harvard Law School graduate and former criminal defender, she previously led the Plain View Project, an investigation into police misconduct on Facebook, and covered TikTok for BuzzFeed News. Steve Scher is a writer, broadcaster, and interviewer. His children’s book, The Moon Bear, came out in 2022. Over his 28 years on local public radio, he won awards for his incisive coverage of public affairs, breaking news and his beyond-the-headlines approach to issues. His in-depth interviews with award-winning authors, political leaders, scientists, artists and active citizens are noted for their intelligence and sensitivity. Most summers since 2009, he has taught a Communications Department class on interviewing at the University of Washington. /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/39719820

323. Irish Arts & Literature Showcase: Celebrate Contemporary Irish Art and Literature 12/13/2025

323. Irish Arts & Literature Showcase: Celebrate Contemporary Irish Art and Literature The Seattle Athenaeum and Town Hall Seattle welcomes Dr. Audrey Whitty, Director of the National Library of Ireland and Hibsen as they launch the inaugural Irish Arts & Literature Showcase. Dr. Whitty is in conversation with UW Teaching Professor and poet Frances McCue. Dr. Audrey Whitty is an Irish archaeologist, librarian and curator. As Director of the National Library of Ireland, she oversees the work of the library in collecting, protecting and making accessible the recorded memory of Ireland. Whitty previously worked for the National Museum of Ireland (NMI) where she was curator of the ceramics, glass and Asian collections, in the Art and Industrial Division of the museum. While working with the museum, she was awarded a doctorate in the History of Art by Trinity College Dublin. Frances McCue is an arts instigator who has spent her career connecting literature to community life. Known for her literary start-ups, she is the co-founder of Pulley Press, a new publishing imprint that celebrates poets and poetry from rural places, and she was the Founding Director of Richard Hugo House for its first decade. She also instigated the Poetry Brigade at the University of Washington. Currently, she is a Teaching Professor at the University of Washington where she has been the winner of the UW Distinguished Teaching Award. A poet and prose writer she has published six books—four of poetry and two of prose, including a book of essays about Richard Hugo. Her forthcoming book is Spark and Whistle: Thinking Like a Poet in Leadership and Life from Columbia University Press. The National Library of Ireland collects, protects and makes accessible the recorded memory of Ireland. We collect, protect and provide access to over 12 million items and will continue to do so for decades to come. We provide access to the collections free of charge, at four sites and online to exhibitions and events and to our reference and research reading rooms. Folio: The Seattle Athenaeum connects a dynamic literary community through a curated book collection, diverse programming, and opportunities for engaging conversations and transformative ideas. The Irish Arts & Literature Showcase, organized and curated by Caroline Cumming and Paula Stokes, welcomes visiting Irish writers, publishers and artists in presenting a curated selection of lectures, conversations and workshops. More at Presented by Town Hall Seattle and Folio: The Seattle Athenaeum. /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/39389975

322. Oliver Burkeman: Meditations for Mortals 11/18/2025

321. As Many Weirdos As Possible: Celebrating the Pacific Northwest Music Scene (1985-1995) 11/06/2025

321. As Many Weirdos As Possible: Celebrating the Pacific Northwest Music Scene (1985-1995) Join us at Town Hall Seattle for As Many Weirdos As Possible (AMWAP), an evening of storytelling and portraiture that brings to life one of the most vibrant chapters of the Pacific Northwest music scene (1985-1995). This live program will feature musicians, artists, and community members sharing personal memories, projected alongside their documentary portraits as part of the ongoing AMWAP project. Drawn from Poser Productions’ mission to preserve and celebrate personal and cultural histories, this evening invites audiences to engage in a communal reflection on memory, music, identity, and place. Hosted by Nabil Ayers, President of Beggars Group U.S. and author of My Life in the Sunshine, whose work and story are deeply rooted in Seattle’s independent music and cultural legacy. Nabil Ayers is a longtime Seattleite who co-founded Sonic Boom Records in 1997 and played drums in several bands — most recently The Long Winters. He now lives in Brooklyn, where he is president of the Beggars Group of record labels. Ayers is the host of the Identified podcast and the author of the memoir My Life in the Sunshine (Viking), which he launched at Town Hall in 2022. He has written about music, race, and family for The New York Times, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, GQ, and NPR. Riz Rollins has loved music since childhood, bringing joy to dance floors from clubs like Re-bar, to parties, parades and festivals. For over thirty-five years, he has shared the music that shaped his life and our community on KEXP. Marco Collins was the guy behind the mic when Seattle accidentally unleashed grunge on the world. As flagship DJ and Music Director at 107.7 The End in the ‘90s, he helped break bands like Nirvana, Beck, Weezer, and Foo Fighters—shaping the sound of a generation in real time. He’s worked across radio, labels, VH1, and stations like KEXP, but what really sets him apart is an obsessive love of music that’s never once hit the snooze button. He’s also the subject of The Glamour & The Squalor, a documentary chronicling his rise, fall, and refusal to shut up about bands you haven’t heard of yet. Steven Severin is co-owner of Neumos, Barboza, The Runaway Bar, and Life on Mars. He has served on Bumbershoot’s Advisory Board and worked extensively with the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) to help secure the federal Shuttered Venue Operators Grant that saved independent venues during the COVID pandemic. He recently launched Walk Don’t Run, a community art event activating downtown Seattle with music, visual art, and live performance. He’s also spent nearly a decade with Save Our Sonics, advocating to bring the SuperSonics back to Seattle. Paul Schurr played bass and sang backup vocals for Flop and Best Kissers in the World in the early 90s. He and his wife have four kids and live in Seattle. Sheila Locke has been a force in Seattle’s music scene for over forty years as a DJ, radio host, club owner, artist manager, and co-founder of NASTYMIX Records, original home of Sir Mix-A-Lot. From her first high school gig to breaking national ground with a gold record, she has left an indelible mark on the city’s music history. Chenelle “Chelly Chell” Marshall is a writer, poet, and creative spirit. She was a member of The Incredicrew, one of Seattle’s earliest rap groups, who signed a multi-album deal with the label Ever Rap. Their single “He’s Incredible” became a local hit and a landmark moment in Seattle’s music history. Today, Chenelle continues to share her voice through poetry and storytelling and is the author of Poetic Lifeline. Her latest work, Through the Eyes of Her, is available now. Presented by Town Hall Seattle and Poser Productions. Poser Productions is fiscally sponsored by Shunpike. /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/38942315

320. Jimmy Wales with Mónica Guzmán: The Seven Rules of Trust 11/05/2025

320. Jimmy Wales with Mónica Guzmán: The Seven Rules of Trust As we interact with endless sources of media and news every day, we tend to recognize the big names presenting to us and often have an opinion at the ready in terms of credibility and preference. But why did we develop those opinions in the first place, and how do we move forward with confidence when processing the continuous supply of new information gets more challenging all the time? According to Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, it all comes down to something innately human and critical to our collective success– trust. In his upcoming book The Seven Rules of Trust: A Blueprint for Building Things That Last, Wales unites the origin story of one of the internet’s go-to information sources with observations on how the guiding principles of the platform can be applied both on and offline. With 11 billion views every month in the English language alone, Wikipedia may be ubiquitous to us now, but it was a tough pitch at the beginning. Facing doubts from fellow professionals and concerns about the open user editing, Wales emphasizes that the core of the experiment was building a sense of trust. Not only getting strangers on the Internet to trust each other, but the institution itself trusting that people would not be abusive or uncivil, that they wouldn’t unfairly change each other’s contributions – ultimately trusting that people as a whole had good intentions. Wales continues to stress that trust is not inanimate– it is a living thing that can and should be cultivated. The Seven Rules of Trust implores readers to use these central principles of trust, collaboration, and respect that helped found Wikipedia to maintain connection and critical thinking now in our modern age. While access to Internet resources, accurate citations, and other people’s expertise has grown into what many view as a utility like water or electricity, Wales expresses concerns about the global crisis of credibility and knowledge. Wales considers how his organization– once an industry punchline– has become a worldwide presence in the same two decades that the public’s trust in everything from information to government to social media has trended backwards. Compiling insights gained from years of experience and reflections with candid lessons learned in the early days of Wikipedia, The Seven Rules of Trust aims to act as an approachable guide to reinforcing a positive loop of accountability and creativity that can stand the test of time. Jimmy Wales is the founder of Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation. Named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People, he has been recognized by the World Economic Forum for his contributions to the global public good. He lives with his family in London. is the author of I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times; founder and CEO of; advisor at Braver Angels; and host of podcast. A Mexican immigrant, Latina, and dual US/Mexico citizen, she lives in Seattle with her husband and two kids and is the proud liberal daughter of conservative parents. /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/38928890

Our Brains on Art: How the Arts Transform Community Health: A Conversation with Susan Magsamen 10/24/2025

318. Dr. Wendy Johnson with Tessa Hulls: Connection as the Way to Wellness 10/17/2025

318. Dr. Wendy Johnson with Tessa Hulls: Connection as the Way to Wellness Do you live in a way that maximizes your well-being? Chances are, the answer to that question is no. Our modern way of living, some suggest, is incompatible with a thriving lifestyle. While the notion that many factors impact our overall health and wellness is not necessarily far-fetched, you may be surprised by the argument that some of the strongest factors are relational — both with one another and with the earth. Family Physician and public health professor Dr. Wendy Johnson explores this concept in her newest book, Kinship Medicine: Cultivating Interdependence to Heal the Earth and Ourselves. Johnson asserts that the solution to many of the causal factors of poor health — loneliness, industrial diets, systemic inequality, profit-based healthcare — are about humanity’s interconnectedness to people and planet. Examples in Kinship Medicine include information on how trauma can be passed down for generation and how eliminating one organism in an ecosystem can affect all others. Her work also posits that our relationship to non-human life is essential to our well-being, and community action is stronger than individual efforts. With examples from public health, sociology, anthropology, human ecology, and her experience as a doctor, Dr. Johnson advocates for a shift in society that could lead to a healthier future. Wendy Johnson is a family physician, public health professor, activist and writer who has spent her life advocating for a world where everyone can live long lives in equitable communities. Her career includes stints scaling up HIV treatment in Mozambique, overseeing an urban health department, and most recently, directing a community clinic in Santa Fe. She has a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins and holds faculty appointments at the University of Washington and the University of New Mexico. She currently practices family and addiction medicine in rural Northern New Mexico with El Centro Family Health. Dr. Johnson has been a vocal activist on many progressive issues locally and globally and is a two-time TEDx speaker. Tessa Hulls is an artist, writer, and adventurer who is equally likely to disappear into the backcountry or a research library. Her debut graphic memoir, Feeding Ghosts, received the National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Prize, the Libby Book Award, and the Anisfield-Wolf Award, and was a finalist for the Kirkus Prize and the Pacific Northwest Book Award, and nominated for the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction. She’s pivoting her career to fuse her two great loves of creativity and the wilderness by becoming a comics journalist working with field scientists studying ecological resilience and climate change in remote environments, and she would love to hear from you if you want to partner with her on this endeavor. /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/38622380

317. Nicholas Meyer with George Meyer: Sherlock Holmes and The Real Thing 10/02/2025

317. Nicholas Meyer with George Meyer: Sherlock Holmes and The Real Thing Whether or not you’re a Sherlockian, whether or not you believe that Arthur Conan Doyle was the literary agent for Holmes and Watson and not the author of fantastical tales, you might be curious to learn that there’s a new mysterious Sherlock Holmes tale to untangle. Author, screenwriter, and director Nicholas Meyer would like to share that tale in his book, Sherlock Holmes and The Real Thing. Picture the setting: London, 189–. The great city is brought to a standstill by a series of blizzards, and Sherlock Holmes is bored to distraction. It would take a miracle to bring a case to the detective’s door. . . But next thing you know, there are several corpses—and Holmes and his biographer, John H. Watson, MD, find themselves drawn into one of the most bizarre cases of the great detective’s career: the cutthroat world of big Art, where trickery and deceit abound. Like any good Sherlock Holmes story, there seem to be more questions than answers. What makes a work of art worth killing for? Is it the artist, his mistress, his dealer, or his blackmailer? Who are the perpetrators? The accomplices? The victims? And just who is Juliet Packwood, with whom Watson has become infatuated? Oh, and there’s one other problem: Is this a genuine Holmes case or a clever forgery? Is this the real thing? Nicholas Meyer spins a tale for new and seasoned Sherlockians alike. Nicholas Meyer is the “editor” of several Watson manuscripts, including The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, which spent forty weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. His screenplay of the film received an Oscar nomination. His film credits include writing and directing Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. He wrote and directed Time After Time, co-created Medici: Masters of Florence, and directed The Day After, about nuclear war that attracted the largest audience ever for a television movie. George Meyer wrote for Late Night with David Letterman, Saturday Night Live, and The Simpsons. An Eagle Scout, he practices yoga and meditation and supports frog and turtle conservation. His favorite Grateful Dead song is “Unbroken Chain.” /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/38413465

316. Lisa Jewell with Andrea Dunlop: Don’t Let Him In: A Novel 07/23/2025

316. Lisa Jewell with Andrea Dunlop: Don’t Let Him In: A Novel Who isn’t hoping for a quality partner to build a life with? Someone charming, reliable, with a great personality? But what happens when that sparkling personality is far darker around the edges than you realized? In her tensely thrilling new novel Don’t Let Him In, author Lisa Jewell explores the layers of truth and deception unraveling before three women who find themselves tied together by a man who has more secrets than any of them bargained for. Nick Radcliffe seems to have it all – he’s a man of substance and good taste, with a smile that could melt the coldest heart and a knack for putting others at ease. He’s just what Nina Swann needed in her life after her husband’s unexpected death. But Nina’s adult daughter Ash has her suspicions. Nick seems too slick, too polished, too good to be true. Without telling her mother, Ash begins digging into Nick’s past… and uncovers more than unsettling findings. Meanwhile, Martha is a florist living in a nearby town with her infant daughter and her devoted husband Alistair. It’s a lovely little life, until Alistair starts traveling more frequently for work, disappearing for days at a time. Frustrated and looking for answers, Martha plants a tracking device in his car. But nothing could’ve prepared her for the ride that was to come. Nina, Ash, and Martha soon find themselves on a psychological collision course, hurtling toward a shocking truth far darker than anyone could have imagined. All three women are about to wish they had heeded the same warning: don’t let him in. But it’s certainly too late for that now – and the past won’t stay buried forever. Lisa Jewell is a New York Times best-selling author of twenty-three novels, with work that has been translated into thirty languages. Her writing career has spanned more than twenty years, and she has spent over a decade focused on writing dark psychological thrillers, suspenseful mysteries, and crime fiction. Her previous books include None of This Is True, The Family Upstairs, and Then She Was Gone, as well as Invisible Girl and Watching You. Andrea Dunlop is the author of five novels, including The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy, and the host and creator of Nobody Should Believe Me, an award-winning investigative true crime podcast about Munchausen by proxy. Andrea is the founder of Munchausen Support, the nation’s only non-profit dedicated to supporting survivors and families affected by MBP, and a member of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP committee, where she serves alongside the country’s foremost experts. She lives in Seattle with her husband and two children. /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/37525280

315. Joyful Resistance: Leveraging the Power of Arts Activism 07/18/2025

315. Joyful Resistance: Leveraging the Power of Arts Activism `This is a dynamic and inspiring community panel on the joyful power of arts activism. In a time when many are facing systemic erasure — politically, socially, and culturally — Pottery Northwest is transforming art into resistance through equity-driven programming that uplifts Black, Brown, and LGBTQIA+ voices. Moderated by James Miles, the panel features ceramicist Aisha Harrison, former legislator Kirsten Harris-Talley, and Pottery Northwest Executive Director Ed King. Leading Pottery Northwest is a privilege for Ed King after a career as an award-winning visual artist and ad agency art director in Miami. He has held roles as an arts administrator at ArtServe in Fort Lauderdale and the Chief Operating Officer of Creative Pinellas in St. Petersburg. King is deeply passionate about non-profit arts leadership, advocating daily for the financial well-being of working artists — a crucial element of a thriving creative economy. He is committed to fostering inclusivity and diversity, ensuring that the arts serve as a powerful tool for personal growth, community building, and social change. Aisha Harrison is a studio and public artist working primarily in clay and bronze. Aisha is currently working on a solo show at Bainbridge Museum of Art in Fall 2025, as well as a large-scale outdoor public art commission with The University of Washington Tacoma and the Washington State Arts Commission to be unveiled in 2026. She has done residencies at Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts, Women’s Studio Workshop, and Baltimore Clayworks. Aisha has taught at Pottery Northwest, Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, Penland School of Crafts, The Evergreen State College, Bykota Senior Center, Baltimore Clayworks, University of Nebraska- Lincoln, and the Lux Center for the Arts. Kirsten Harris-Talley (she/her) is Co-Founder of In The Works; building belonging, anti-racism, and repair practice with BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, women, and youth led organizations and movements. She previously served as a Seattle City Councilmember and a Washington State Representative. She is an activist and power building strategist; championing Reproductive Justice and the #BlackLivesMatter movement for abolition. Kirsten believes the personal is political – that which we practice is how we show up in the world – and she invites us to be whole, accountable, and caring. James Miles, aka Fresh Professor, is a New York City artist and educator with 20 years of experience, now based in Seattle. He’s an Assistant Professor at Seattle University and the Chief Strategic Officer at Path with Art. James previously served at the Seattle’s Office of Economic Development, Third Stone, MENTOR Washington, and Arts Corps. He is the creator of the Fresh Education program, using original hip-hop music and theater to boost academic success in middle school classrooms. A graduate of Morehouse College and Brandeis University, James has provided professional development to teachers across the world. His mission is to reduce educational inequities using the arts. He is the author of Gotta Stay Fresh, and you can learn more about James at . Presented by Town Hall Seattle and Pottery Northwest. /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/37449210

314. Who Decides What Art We Get to See? A Conversation About Gatekeepers 07/16/2025

314. Who Decides What Art We Get to See? A Conversation About Gatekeepers Far more art is produced in a place like Seattle that is seen by the general public, in venues like galleries, museums, and art fairs. Who decides which art goes on display, and which work remains in the maker’s studio? A panel of art world experts discussed the often behind-the-scenes process that selects certain artists while sidelining others, and whether the current structure encourages or suppresses diversity, and where there is room for improvement. Elisheba Johnson is a conceptual artist and curator for Wa Na Wari. She was previously a public art manager for Seattle’s Office of Arts and Culture and the owner of Faire Gallery Cafe. In 2018, Elisheba started a public art practice with her collaborator Kristen Ramirez. She is currently a member of the Americans for the Arts Emerging Leaders Network advisory council and has won four Americans for the Arts Public Art Year in Review Awards for her work. Judith Rinehart launched J. Rinehart Gallery in 2019 after more than a decade of working in Seattle galleries. As an arts advocate, she served for three years as treasurer of the Seattle Art Dealers Association, was the curator and panelist at the Seattle Emerging Arts Fair in 2018 and was the lead organizer of the Seattle Deconstructed Art Fair in 2020 & 2021. She is also one of the founders of Art + Culture Week, an initiative to celebrate Seattle’s visual arts, performing arts, and cultural communities. Rock Hushka is the former Deputy Director and Chief Curator at Tacoma Art Museum, curating more than 50 exhibitions and 25 publications. While at TAM, Hushka received two National Endowment for the Arts Access to Artistic Excellence grants, an Andy Warhol Foundation for the Arts Curatorial Fellowship, and a Getty Leadership Institute Fellowship. He recently transitioned careers, seeking to bridge the experiential learning of museum exhibitions to graphic design and educational technology. Presented by Town Hall Seattle and Gage Academy of Art. /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/37419625

313. Daniel Brook: The Einstein of Sex: One Doctor’s Revolutionary Work Around Gender and Sexuality 07/14/2025

313. Daniel Brook: The Einstein of Sex: One Doctor’s Revolutionary Work Around Gender and Sexuality Many of today’s anti-trans sentiments revolve around the belief that things like gender-affirming care and nonbinary identities are part of a new trend. Yet, over a century ago, one doctor’s revolutionary work around gender and sexuality suggests otherwise. Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld, a German-Jewish sexologist and activist, grew famous (and infamous) for his theory of sexual relativity. While he may be largely forgotten, journalist Daniel Brook wants to reintroduce Hirschfeld to today’s discussion around gender and sexuality. Drawing from his book, The Einstein of Sex: Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld, Visionary of Weimar Berlin, Brook retraces Hirschfeld’s life and legacy. Living in an era when gay sex was a crime and gender roles were rigid, Hirschfeld taught that each person has their own unique mixture of masculinity and femininity. He advocated for gay rights and counseled patients toward self-acceptance. He also became part of Berlin’s cabaret scene and helped turn it into the world’s queer capital. But this was also during the rise of Nazis. They ransacked his Institute for Sexual Science and burned his books, nearly erasing his work from history. Brook wants to bring him back into the next century. Brook argues that Hirschfeld’s life, and his gift for thinking beyond the confines of his world, have much to teach us. While the same societal fights continue, Brook believes there may be something new to learn from the past. Daniel Brook is a journalist whose writing has appeared in Harper’s Magazine, Nation, and New York Times Magazine, and he is the author of several books, including A History of Future Cities and The Accident of Color: A Story of Race in Reconstruction. A New York native and a Yale graduate, Brook lives in New Orleans. He researched The Einstein of Sex in Berlin on a Robert and Ina Caro Research/Travel Fellowship. /episode/index/show/artscultureths/id/37391835

Town Hall Seattle Arts & Culture Series

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