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For many people, mental health is difficult to talk about. Too often, the struggles remain hidden behind successful careers, busy lives, and smiling faces.

On this episode, Enrique Cerna is joined by two longtime friends and respected journalists—Roberta Romero, executive producer of KING 5 News’ Facing Race unit, and Randy Eng, producer, photographer, and editor with the Seattle Channel—for an honest and deeply personal conversation about their mental health journeys.

Together, they talk about their experiences with depression, anxiety, grief, and the challenges of asking for help.  They also talk about the importance of therapy, support from family and friends, and why breaking the stigma surrounding mental illness matters now more than ever.

This is a conversation about vulnerability, resilience, hope, and the reminder that no one has to face mental health challenges alone.

If you or someone you know is struggling, we hope this discussion encourages you to reach out, seek support, and know that help is available.

Read: https://southseattleemerald.org/voices/2025/07/22/masked-men-are-detaining-people-when-will-washingtons-leaders-protect-us

Read: https://nieman.harvard.edu/mark-trahant-wins-the-2025-i-f-stone-medal-for-journalistic-independence/

Read: https://www.24thstreet.org/blog/2025/1/17/letting-go

Read:https://www.amazon.com/Harbingers-January-Charlottesville-American-Democracy/dp/1586424017

Read: https://www.mapresearch.org/2024-dei-report "Dismantling DEI: A Coordinated Attack on American Values"

https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2025/01/07/these-companies-have-rolled-back-dei-policies-mcdonalds-is-latest-to-abandon-diversity-standards/

https://www.chronicle.com/package/the-assault-on-dei  Chronicle of Higher Education

https://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/supreme/bios/?fa=scbios.display_file&fileID=gonzalez

Read: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/obituaries/chinatown-international-district-activist-matt-chan-dead-at-71/

Hear Rick Shenkman on the BBC Radio Program Sideways:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001xdg0

Read: https://www.thedailybeast.com/i-stuck-with-nixon-heres-why-science-said-i-did-it

Read: https://www.washcog.org/in-the-news/your-right-to-know

Read: https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/the-legislatures-sunshine-committee-has-fallen-into-darkness/

Read: https://www.cascadiadaily.com/2024/feb/2...

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For 36 years, Lori Matsukawa was one of the most respected and trusted journalists in the Pacific Northwest, serving as a reporter and anchor at KING 5 News. During her distinguished career, she covered some of the region’s biggest stories and traveled to China when former Washington Governor Gary Locke returned to his ancestral homeland. She also reported from the Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City and Vancouver, British Columbia.

Since retiring in 2019, Lori has remained deeply involved in the Asian American community through volunteer work while pursuing a new chapter as an author. She wrote the children’s book Brave Mrs. Sato and recently published her memoir, Being There: Memoir of an Asian American Journalist.

In this conversation, Lori reflects on her remarkable career, the challenges and opportunities she encountered as an Asian American journalist, and the personal experiences that shaped her life. She also discusses the deeply personal stories she shares in her memoir and the lessons she hopes readers—and listeners—will take away from her journey.

Read: https://southseattleemerald.org/voices/2025/07/22/masked-men-are-detaining-people-when-will-washingtons-leaders-protect-us

Read: https://nieman.harvard.edu/mark-trahant-wins-the-2025-i-f-stone-medal-for-journalistic-independence/

Read: https://www.24thstreet.org/blog/2025/1/17/letting-go

Read:https://www.amazon.com/Harbingers-January-Charlottesville-American-Democracy/dp/1586424017

Read: https://www.mapresearch.org/2024-dei-report "Dismantling DEI: A Coordinated Attack on American Values"

https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2025/01/07/these-companies-have-rolled-back-dei-policies-mcdonalds-is-latest-to-abandon-diversity-standards/

https://www.chronicle.com/package/the-assault-on-dei  Chronicle of Higher Education

https://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/supreme/bios/?fa=scbios.display_file&fileID=gonzalez

Read: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/obituaries/chinatown-international-district-activist-matt-chan-dead-at-71/

Hear Rick Shenkman on the BBC Radio Program Sideways:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001xdg0

Read: https://www.thedailybeast.com/i-stuck-with-nixon-heres-why-science-said-i-did-it

Read: https://www.washcog.org/in-the-news/your-right-to-know

Read: https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/the-legislatures-sunshine-committee-has-fallen-into-darkness/

Read: https://www.cascadiadaily.com/2024/feb/2...

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As commencement season unfolds across the country, nearly one million first-generation students are expected to earn bachelor’s degrees this year. These graduates are pioneers in their families, achieving a milestone their parents never had the opportunity to pursue.

In this episode, Enrique Cerna speaks with Ana Sanchez Leon and Daniel Pastor, two recent graduates of Washington State University. They reflect on their journeys as first-generation college students, the obstacles they overcame, the support systems that helped them succeed, and what earning a college degree means for their futures and their families.

Their stories highlight the determination, resilience, and pride that define the first-generation college experience.

Read: https://southseattleemerald.org/voices/2025/07/22/masked-men-are-detaining-people-when-will-washingtons-leaders-protect-us

Read: https://nieman.harvard.edu/mark-trahant-wins-the-2025-i-f-stone-medal-for-journalistic-independence/

Read: https://www.24thstreet.org/blog/2025/1/17/letting-go

Read:https://www.amazon.com/Harbingers-January-Charlottesville-American-Democracy/dp/1586424017

Read: https://www.mapresearch.org/2024-dei-report "Dismantling DEI: A Coordinated Attack on American Values"

https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2025/01/07/these-companies-have-rolled-back-dei-policies-mcdonalds-is-latest-to-abandon-diversity-standards/

https://www.chronicle.com/package/the-assault-on-dei  Chronicle of Higher Education

https://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/supreme/bios/?fa=scbios.display_file&fileID=gonzalez

Read: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/obituaries/chinatown-international-district-activist-matt-chan-dead-at-71/

Hear Rick Shenkman on the BBC Radio Program Sideways:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001xdg0

Read: https://www.thedailybeast.com/i-stuck-with-nixon-heres-why-science-said-i-did-it

Read: https://www.washcog.org/in-the-news/your-right-to-know

Read: https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/the-legislatures-sunshine-committee-has-fallen-into-darkness/

Read: https://www.cascadiadaily.com/2024/feb/2...

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Seattle artist Erin Shigaki joins Chino y Chicano to discuss her mural Never Again Is Now, created for Bellevue College in 2020. The artwork depicts two Japanese American children in World War II incarceration camps and originally included an informational panel about businessman Miller Freeman and his role in promoting anti-Japanese sentiment in the Pacific Northwest.

After the mural’s unveiling, Bellevue College removed the reference to Freeman, triggering public backlash and ultimately contributing to the resignations of then-president Jerry Weber and vice president Gayle Colston Barge.

Now, as the mural is set for rededication six years later, controversy has resurfaced following a racist voicemail and renewed questions about why the college was slow to publicly address it. In this episode, Shigaki reflects on art, historical memory, institutional accountability, and why these conversations remain urgent today.

Read: https://southseattleemerald.org/voices/2025/07/22/masked-men-are-detaining-people-when-will-washingtons-leaders-protect-us

Read: https://nieman.harvard.edu/mark-trahant-wins-the-2025-i-f-stone-medal-for-journalistic-independence/

Read: https://www.24thstreet.org/blog/2025/1/17/letting-go

Read:https://www.amazon.com/Harbingers-January-Charlottesville-American-Democracy/dp/1586424017

Read: https://www.mapresearch.org/2024-dei-report "Dismantling DEI: A Coordinated Attack on American Values"

https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2025/01/07/these-companies-have-rolled-back-dei-policies-mcdonalds-is-latest-to-abandon-diversity-standards/

https://www.chronicle.com/package/the-assault-on-dei  Chronicle of Higher Education

https://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/supreme/bios/?fa=scbios.display_file&fileID=gonzalez

Read: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/obituaries/chinatown-international-district-activist-matt-chan-dead-at-71/

Hear Rick Shenkman on the BBC Radio Program Sideways:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001xdg0

Read: https://www.thedailybeast.com/i-stuck-with-nixon-heres-why-science-said-i-did-it

Read: https://www.washcog.org/in-the-news/your-right-to-know

Read: https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/the-legislatures-sunshine-committee-has-fallen-into-darkness/

Read: https://www.cascadiadaily.com/2024/feb/2...

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Chino Y Chicano host Enrique is joined by his cousin Manuel “Manolo” Serna, from Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico for a candid conversation about Cinco de Mayo. From the true history behind the holiday to how it’s celebrated on both sides of the border, Manolo brings insight and lived perspective. They also get into some real talk on politics, including how many Mexicans view U.S. involvement in Mexican politics, crackdowns on cartels, immigration and thoughts on Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. 

Read: https://southseattleemerald.org/voices/2025/07/22/masked-men-are-detaining-people-when-will-washingtons-leaders-protect-us

Read: https://nieman.harvard.edu/mark-trahant-wins-the-2025-i-f-stone-medal-for-journalistic-independence/

Read: https://www.24thstreet.org/blog/2025/1/17/letting-go

Read:https://www.amazon.com/Harbingers-January-Charlottesville-American-Democracy/dp/1586424017

Read: https://www.mapresearch.org/2024-dei-report "Dismantling DEI: A Coordinated Attack on American Values"

https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2025/01/07/these-companies-have-rolled-back-dei-policies-mcdonalds-is-latest-to-abandon-diversity-standards/

https://www.chronicle.com/package/the-assault-on-dei  Chronicle of Higher Education

https://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/supreme/bios/?fa=scbios.display_file&fileID=gonzalez

Read: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/obituaries/chinatown-international-district-activist-matt-chan-dead-at-71/

Hear Rick Shenkman on the BBC Radio Program Sideways:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001xdg0

Read: https://www.thedailybeast.com/i-stuck-with-nixon-heres-why-science-said-i-did-it

Read: https://www.washcog.org/in-the-news/your-right-to-know

Read: https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/the-legislatures-sunshine-committee-has-fallen-into-darkness/

Read: https://www.cascadiadaily.com/2024/feb/2...

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In this episode of Chino y Chicano, Enrique Cerna speaks with journalist and founder of the South Seattle Emerald, Marcus Harrison Green, about his recent reporting trip to Minneapolis—a city once again at the center of national attention.

What he found was a community shaped by its past and bracing for its future.

In early 2026, Minneapolis became a focal point of a nationwide immigration crackdown. That escalation turned deadly, with the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents—incidents now at the heart of legal battles and growing demands for accountability.

But this is not the first time Minneapolis has faced the weight of national scrutiny. The city’s response to the 2020 killing of George Floyd helped forge networks of activism, community defense, and political awareness that continue to shape how residents respond today.

Marcus Harrison Green joins us to explore how that history prepared Minneapolis for this moment—and what the rest of the country can learn from a city navigating grief, resistance, and resilience in real time.

Read: https://southseattleemerald.org/voices/2025/07/22/masked-men-are-detaining-people-when-will-washingtons-leaders-protect-us

Read: https://nieman.harvard.edu/mark-trahant-wins-the-2025-i-f-stone-medal-for-journalistic-independence/

Read: https://www.24thstreet.org/blog/2025/1/17/letting-go

Read:https://www.amazon.com/Harbingers-January-Charlottesville-American-Democracy/dp/1586424017

Read: https://www.mapresearch.org/2024-dei-report "Dismantling DEI: A Coordinated Attack on American Values"

https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2025/01/07/these-companies-have-rolled-back-dei-policies-mcdonalds-is-latest-to-abandon-diversity-standards/

https://www.chronicle.com/package/the-assault-on-dei  Chronicle of Higher Education

https://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/supreme/bios/?fa=scbios.display_file&fileID=gonzalez

Read: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/obituaries/chinatown-international-district-activist-matt-chan-dead-at-71/

Hear Rick Shenkman on the BBC Radio Program Sideways:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001xdg0

Read: https://www.thedailybeast.com/i-stuck-with-nixon-heres-why-science-said-i-did-it

Read: https://www.washcog.org/in-the-news/your-right-to-know

Read: https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/the-legislatures-sunshine-committee-has-fallen-into-darkness/

Read: https://www.cascadiadaily.com/2024/feb/2...

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Washington state senator Rebecca Saldaña, who represents Washington’s 37th legislative district, says she was shocked and dismayed to learn of troubling allegations involving farmworker icon Cesar Chavez. Saldaña, who previously worked with the United Farm Workers and has supported legislation to improve conditions for farmworkers, says she received a heads-up from the union’s national office that difficult news was about to break.

That news came in the form of a groundbreaking investigation by The New York Times, challenging Chavez’s long-held legacy. The report details serious allegations of grooming and sexual abuse involving young women within the union movement—claims that are now reverberating across generations of activists.

In a stunning development, fellow United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta, now 95, says she too experienced sexual abuse, became pregnant by Chavez and gave birth to two children, keeping it secret for decades to protect the movement she helped build.

As these revelations surface, they are prompting difficult questions about accountability, and the future of a movement rooted in justice. We speak with Saldaña about the impact of these allegations—and what comes next for those carrying the movement forward.

Read: https://southseattleemerald.org/voices/2025/07/22/masked-men-are-detaining-people-when-will-washingtons-leaders-protect-us

Read: https://nieman.harvard.edu/mark-trahant-wins-the-2025-i-f-stone-medal-for-journalistic-independence/

Read: https://www.24thstreet.org/blog/2025/1/17/letting-go

Read:https://www.amazon.com/Harbingers-January-Charlottesville-American-Democracy/dp/1586424017

Read: https://www.mapresearch.org/2024-dei-report "Dismantling DEI: A Coordinated Attack on American Values"

https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2025/01/07/these-companies-have-rolled-back-dei-policies-mcdonalds-is-latest-to-abandon-diversity-standards/

https://www.chronicle.com/package/the-assault-on-dei  Chronicle of Higher Education

https://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/supreme/bios/?fa=scbios.display_file&fileID=gonzalez

Read: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/obituaries/chinatown-international-district-activist-matt-chan-dead-at-71/

Hear Rick Shenkman on the BBC Radio Program Sideways:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001xdg0

Read: https://www.thedailybeast.com/i-stuck-with-nixon-heres-why-science-said-i-did-it

Read: https://www.washcog.org/in-the-news/your-right-to-know

Read: https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/the-legislatures-sunshine-committee-has-fallen-into-darkness/

Read: https://www.cascadiadaily.com/2024/feb/2...

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In 2025, Fred Rivera left a top job with the Seattle Mariners to found the Rivera Group, a sports business advisory firm. In this episode, the former Executive Vice President and General Counsel of the Seattle Mariners shares how his early days as a high school and college baseball player helped shape the mindset that carried him through law school, into top law firms.

Now the CEO of the Rivera Group, Rivera is focused on creating opportunities in sports design and giving back to the Latino community he’s proud to represent. 

Read: https://southseattleemerald.org/voices/2025/07/22/masked-men-are-detaining-people-when-will-washingtons-leaders-protect-us

Read: https://nieman.harvard.edu/mark-trahant-wins-the-2025-i-f-stone-medal-for-journalistic-independence/

Read: https://www.24thstreet.org/blog/2025/1/17/letting-go

Read:https://www.amazon.com/Harbingers-January-Charlottesville-American-Democracy/dp/1586424017

Read: https://www.mapresearch.org/2024-dei-report "Dismantling DEI: A Coordinated Attack on American Values"

https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2025/01/07/these-companies-have-rolled-back-dei-policies-mcdonalds-is-latest-to-abandon-diversity-standards/

https://www.chronicle.com/package/the-assault-on-dei  Chronicle of Higher Education

https://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/supreme/bios/?fa=scbios.display_file&fileID=gonzalez

Read: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/obituaries/chinatown-international-district-activist-matt-chan-dead-at-71/

Hear Rick Shenkman on the BBC Radio Program Sideways:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001xdg0

Read: https://www.thedailybeast.com/i-stuck-with-nixon-heres-why-science-said-i-did-it

Read: https://www.washcog.org/in-the-news/your-right-to-know

Read: https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/the-legislatures-sunshine-committee-has-fallen-into-darkness/

Read: https://www.cascadiadaily.com/2024/feb/2...

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In this episode, Seattle civil rights leader Nate Miles  reflects on the life and legacy of the iconic civil rights champion Jesse Jackson.

Miles shares how his admiration for Jackson turned into a genuine friendship over the years. During Jackson’s visits to Seattle, Miles became known for memorizing some of Jackson’s most powerful speeches and delivering them in a spot-on imitation of Jackson’s unmistakable cadence and style. Jackson enjoyed it so much that he would often ask Miles to perform when they saw each other.

Beyond the stories and laughter, Miles also reflects on Jackson’s profound political and social impact—from his work alongside Martin Luther King Jr. to his national campaigns that pushed issues of racial and economic justice into the political mainstream.

Miles reminds us that Jackson’s message of equality, opportunity, and justice is far from finished—and that the work to build a more equitable America must continue.

Read: https://southseattleemerald.org/voices/2025/07/22/masked-men-are-detaining-people-when-will-washingtons-leaders-protect-us

Read: https://nieman.harvard.edu/mark-trahant-wins-the-2025-i-f-stone-medal-for-journalistic-independence/

Read: https://www.24thstreet.org/blog/2025/1/17/letting-go

Read:https://www.amazon.com/Harbingers-January-Charlottesville-American-Democracy/dp/1586424017

Read: https://www.mapresearch.org/2024-dei-report "Dismantling DEI: A Coordinated Attack on American Values"

https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2025/01/07/these-companies-have-rolled-back-dei-policies-mcdonalds-is-latest-to-abandon-diversity-standards/

https://www.chronicle.com/package/the-assault-on-dei  Chronicle of Higher Education

https://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/supreme/bios/?fa=scbios.display_file&fileID=gonzalez

Read: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/obituaries/chinatown-international-district-activist-matt-chan-dead-at-71/

Hear Rick Shenkman on the BBC Radio Program Sideways:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001xdg0

Read: https://www.thedailybeast.com/i-stuck-with-nixon-heres-why-science-said-i-did-it

Read: https://www.washcog.org/in-the-news/your-right-to-know

Read: https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/the-legislatures-sunshine-committee-has-fallen-into-darkness/

Read: https://www.cascadiadaily.com/2024/feb/2...

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Enrique Cerna talks Super Bowl 2026 with King County Superior Court Judge  Galvan. It's a conversation that blends sports, culture, and personal passion in a way you don’t often hear. Judge Galvan shares how she  found herself at the Super Bowl, and the excitement of watching the Seattle Seahawks win the title. We talk about her reaction to Bad Bunny’s performance, and what it meant to her—personally and culturally—as a Latina seeing that level of representation on one of the world’s biggest stages. 

Read: https://southseattleemerald.org/voices/2025/07/22/masked-men-are-detaining-people-when-will-washingtons-leaders-protect-us

Read: https://nieman.harvard.edu/mark-trahant-wins-the-2025-i-f-stone-medal-for-journalistic-independence/

Read: https://www.24thstreet.org/blog/2025/1/17/letting-go

Read:https://www.amazon.com/Harbingers-January-Charlottesville-American-Democracy/dp/1586424017

Read: https://www.mapresearch.org/2024-dei-report "Dismantling DEI: A Coordinated Attack on American Values"

https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2025/01/07/these-companies-have-rolled-back-dei-policies-mcdonalds-is-latest-to-abandon-diversity-standards/

https://www.chronicle.com/package/the-assault-on-dei  Chronicle of Higher Education

https://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/supreme/bios/?fa=scbios.display_file&fileID=gonzalez

Read: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/obituaries/chinatown-international-district-activist-matt-chan-dead-at-71/

Hear Rick Shenkman on the BBC Radio Program Sideways:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001xdg0

Read: https://www.thedailybeast.com/i-stuck-with-nixon-heres-why-science-said-i-did-it

Read: https://www.washcog.org/in-the-news/your-right-to-know

Read: https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/the-legislatures-sunshine-committee-has-fallen-into-darkness/

Read: https://www.cascadiadaily.com/2024/feb/2...