Ripple Effect: Positive Change Around the Sound

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

Support DMHS by sharing the directory far and wide - 

https://dmhsus.org/

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

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

Learn more about us on socials: 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/mirrorstage 

Instagram: http://instagram.com/mirrorstagewa 

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

Music Credits:

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

Logic Amen is a sun, Father, recording artist, journalist, writer, educator and former Family Preservation Therapist. Amen is an award winning performing artist activist, recognized by The Songs of Black in 2025 for his excellence in performing arts and community service. Amen has a degree in English Literature, a master's in teaching, and a master's in educational leadership. Amen is one of the founding members of CORE which stands for Coalition of Restorative Education. 

Amen considers himself to be a visionary learner and created the Griot Party Experience to support healing in marginalized communities via story telling. Amen seeks to help the people he serves feel safe and important. His life mission places a high premium on healing via education. Amen prides himself on his definition of Love: Seeing yourself in other people and serving the you in them. Amen is currently serving as an assistant principal at Lincoln High school in Tacoma Washington. He lives in Seattle Washington. 

Support the Griot Party Experience - https://www.thegriotparty.com.

A machine-readable transcript of the episode is available here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xr44WkKq90GmWpV31BILDfYAKbDJXoY4GShZ5Y1-nn8/edit?usp=sharing 

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

Learn more about us on socials: 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/mirrorstage 

Instagram: http://instagram.com/mirrorstagewa 

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

About the Music: All music by Benjamin Marx - https://www.bnmrx.com/

Nawiishtunmi Nightgun is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. She is a descendant of the Blackfeet Nation. Nawiishtunmi currently runs the traditional wellness department as the Chief Traditional Officer. Her role leads a team of traditional mental wellness staff, staff wellness, and gender-based violence team that will work individually and in group settings utilizing trauma informed mental health, cultural tools and practices to support the healing and wellness modalities that are centered in ancestral knowledge. Nawiishtunmi is a mother of three who gathers and harvests traditional foods/medicines with her family and participates in ceremony. 

Nawiishtunmi previously has served as Co-Chair of the CEA Public Policy Committee, and as an Indian Policy Advisory Committee Delegate for Washington State as a tribal leader. A vocal advocate for ending homelessness and racial equity, she has presented on decolonizing colonialism, decolonizing data, and addressing the needs of our community during the pandemic in collaboration with the regional public health agency.

Your next steps: 

1. Learn more about how Chief Seattle Club works at the intersection of Native Justice and homelessness - https://www.chiefseattleclub.org/ 

2. Learn more about Washington’s Native history and people - https://www.washingtontribes.org/the-tribes-of-washington/ 

A machine-readable transcript of the episode is available here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/16cFmADayGVfmMvf4seIsDAOljW2ZL-OjdDBpw7180Gk/edit?usp=sharing 

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

Learn more about us on socials: 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/mirrorstage 

Instagram: http://instagram.com/mirrorstagewa 

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

About the Music: All music by Benjamin Marx - https://www.bnmrx.com/

Malou Chávez is the first immigrant woman of color to serve as executive director of Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP). NWIRP, a nationally recognized legal services organization in Washington State, is dedicated to advancing and defending the rights of immigrants with low or no income through direct legal services, community education, and systemic advocacy. 

In her 17 years at NWIRP, Malou has seen how statewide and national policy towards immigrants and refugees has ebbed and flowed. The current United States administration is rapidly expanding anti-immigrant policies, and in this episode, Malou shares her story, avenues of support that immigrant communities need in this challenging national landscape, and her sources of hope and motivation while leading this deeply emotional work.

Level up your advocacy for immigrant rights:

1. Follow along with NWIRP’s work on their socials and website. The “Resources” section offers a wealth of information to share. 

2. Research organizations in your neighborhood that work for immigrant and refugee committees. Washington state’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs is a good place to start looking for resources and organizations. - https://www.seattle.gov/iandraffairs/programs-and-services 

3. Advocate by reaching out to your district representative - http://leg.wa.gov/legislators You can find your other state and local representatives at https://www.commoncause.org/find-your-representative/addr/

4. Information sharing - whatever you learn, share with your networks. Webinars and community meetings happen often across the region – spread the word so people can access the most up-to-date, relevant information.

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

Learn more about us on socials: 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/mirrorstage 

Instagram: http://instagram.com/mirrorstagewa 

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

About the Music: All music by Benjamin Marx - https://www.bnmrx.com/

In today’s episode, we’re hearing from Rick DuPree about his upcoming documentary that centers the story of the Black Panther Party’s Seattle chapter. Who were the Black Panthers and what lessons did they leave for Black change-makers, activists, and artists in Seattle today? Listen in as Rick speaks about his journey from envisioning to filming this documentary, alongside his son Marques.  

About Rick DuPree - Rick, a native Seattleite and first-time filmmaker, combines experience as an educator, performer, and playwright to shape his first production, Seattle Black Panthers Fight for Justice & Freedom, scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2025. A storyteller at heart, he’s written a stage play about his mother’s battle with pancreatic cancer and appeared on numerous community stages over the last 15 years as a performer. He was a lead character in Eddie Smith's short film “Behind Closed Doors”.

Support the documentary: 

• Watch the 30-minute sampler - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s9UhA8PyVxtgjxFSqQgAurZmp7EBr5xf/view 

• Donate - https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=KYXCU6MZBCMP6 

• Follow on Instagram (@seattle_black_panthers_doc) and Facebook (@Seattle Black Panthers Documentary Film) 

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

Learn more about us on socials: 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/mirrorstage 

Instagram: http://instagram.com/mirrorstagewa 

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

About the Music: All music by Benjamin Marx - https://www.bnmrx.com/

Hello listeners! We are so excited to launch the newest iteration of the Mirror Stage podcast!

Ripple Effect: Positive Change Around the Sound highlights changemakers working in the Puget Sound region to create a better, more inclusive world. We hope you find their stories to be as informative and inspiring as we do.

We’re thrilled to launch our reboot with Manny Cawaling, the Executive Director of Inspire Washington. Listen in to find out what inspires him to be an arts and cultural advocate in Washington.

Get involved:

• Support Inspire Washington by signing up for their newsletter, becoming a partner, and/or donating at https://inspirewashington.org/join 

• Advocate for arts and cultural programming and other causes important to you by reaching out to your district representative - http://leg.wa.gov/legislators. You can find your other state and local representatives at https://www.commoncause.org/find-your-representative/addr/

• Attend local and Congressional Town Halls

• Make your voice heard by going to https://5calls.org/ to find the the easiest and most effective way for United States constituents to make a political impact

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

Facebook: http://facebook.com/mirrorstage 

Instagram: http://instagram.com/mirrorstagewa 

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

About the Music: All music by Benjamin Marx - https://www.bnmrx.com/