Identity Unboxed

Biography: Prestin Artis is a dynamic and accomplished graduate of the University of Washington, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree with concentrations in Visual Communication Design, Architecture, and Philosophy. After just over a year at UW, he made the bold decision to walk onto the university’s track and field team—a choice that would redefine his future. Despite starting as a walk-on, Pres...

Biography: Drebae, born DeAndre Clark, is a queer rapper whose raw lyricism and bold presence have cemented him as a rising voice within the LGBTQ+ music scene. He first gained major recognition with his debut performance at San Francisco Pride alongside R&B artist Kehlani, where he performed his single Elegant—a track that has since surpassed one million streams. In 2018, Drebae collaborated...

Biography: Dr. Sarah Adeyinka-Skold is an assistant professor of Sociology at Loyola Marymount University. She earned her sociology doctoral degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Her research focuses on how the processes of relationship formation in the United States reveals racism, sexism, and heteroarchy. Her work has been published in academic forums such as the DuBois Review and Sociolog...

Biography: Julia grew up in Seattle as the Black and bi-racial daughter of two public school educators who taught her the importance of public service, empathy, hard work and collective action. She attended Summit K-12 and Holy Names Academy, and holds a BA from Smith College and an MPA from Princeton University’s School for Public and International Affairs. After college, Julia served in the Obam...

Biography: Michelle Purnell-Hepburn serves as the Associate Dean for Inclusion and Diversity, joining Foster in December 2022. In 2021, the Consulting and Business Development Center and Dean Emeritus William D. Bradford recruited her to create and teach the course, “Impact Business Lending: The Power of Access”, due to her extensive years in the banking and credit union industry. Ms. Purnell-Hepb...

Biography: Born in Phoenix to an entrepreneur and healthcare professional, Brandon has always had a passion for fine homes, interior design, and architecture. He says, "I distinctly remember going to the grocery store with my mother as a child and taking all of the free real estate magazines, I would analyze every home and circle the homes that I would dream of one day purchasing." The s...

This summer, on our podcast, Identity Unboxed, we have been busy gathering the stories that are important to you while celebrating the Black diaspora. Our platform has turned into a flourishing community, reaching from our home here in Seattle to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Atlanta, New Orleans, Florida and Connecticut. For the past two seasons, we’ve seen the community show up to...

In this special Pride Month bonus episode of  Identity Unboxed , we flip the script. Co-host Tiana steps into the interviewer’s seat to have an intimate conversation with Brad about his personal journey of embracing his sexuality. Brad opens up about the childhood experiences that shaped him, the healing it took to find confidence in his identity, and what pride means to him today.

On our podcast, Identity Unboxed, we are committed to honoring Black history, sharing authentic Black stories, and providing mentorship and promoting representation for Black professionals. While this space has been curated to amplify those within our community we welcome all to listen and learn from Black professionals that have emerged as experts in their fields. From the C-suite and Olympic pod...

Thank you for listening to Identity Unboxed – a space curated to amplify Black voices and foster authenticity through engaging conversations. We are thrilled to have a bonus episode with the legendary track star, Kenny Bednarek. Biography: It’s one thing to be born with a gift. It’s another thing entirely to use it. Kenny Bednarek could’ve just been a kid from Wisconsin who ran fast. But this kid...

In honor of Women’s History Month at Identity Unboxed, we are overwhelmed with gratitude to have shared space with history maker, Olympic gold medalist, and unparalleled talent, Alexis Holmes. Biography: Alexis is a celebrated professional track and field athlete from Hamden, Connecticut, whose remarkable achievements have left an indelible mark on the sport. As an Olympic gold medalist in the 4x4...

Thank you for tuning into this special episode for Black History Month! We recently completed season two this past fall, and while we believe every month is Black History Month, we are holding a special bonus episode in honor of the remarkable imprint our ancestors have left across the globe. Biography: Terry Metcalf   was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. He made a name for himself in footb...

Thank you for listening to Season 2 of Identity Unboxed. At the end of each interview, we ask our guests 'What does Blackness mean to you?' The purpose of this question is to highlight that while we have a shared collective experience, how we define our Blackness is unique to us as individuals based on our personal journeys that shape us into who we are. Identity Unboxed was created to foster deep...

Thank you for listening to Identity Unboxed – a space curated to amplify Black voices and foster authenticity through engaging conversations. Biography (Kamal Carter): Kamal Carter is a scientist, an activist, an educator and a management consultant. Kamal brings more than 25 years of corporate development and growth strategy experience. He has held multiple global leadership positions at leading...

Thank you for listening to Identity Unboxed – a space curated to amplify Black voices and foster authenticity through engaging conversations. Biography: LaVoyce Ezell is a Seattle native, mother of two, and the eldest of twelve siblings. She proudly graduated from Seattle Pacific University with a BA in Communications. Currently, she serves as a Program Coordinator at the University of Washington...

Thank you for listening to Identity Unboxed – a space curated to amplify Black voices and foster authenticity through engaging conversations. Biography: Dr. Andre Dick is a Professor of Surgery at the University of Washington Medical Center and Seattle Children's Hospital.  He is currently also serving as Surgical Director of the Pediatric Kidney Transplant Program.  in January of 2022, Dr. Dick w...

Thank you for listening to Identity Unboxed – a space curated to amplify Black voices and foster authenticity through engaging conversations. Biography: Alicia Adiele Tieder has lived in Seattle since 1989. She is a mother, daughter, sister, wife, friend, and colleague with an insatiable passion for change and justice. Alicia began her career as a clinical social worker and spent time in community...

Thank you for listening to Identity Unboxed – a space curated to amplify Black voices and foster authenticity through engaging conversations. For this special episode, we are honoring the life of Larry Marshall III (Trae) in an in-depth interview with his father. Biography: Larry Marshall is a sales manager for the Hampton Inn & Suites Seattle Downtown and has been in the hospitality industry...

Thank you for listening to Identity Unboxed – a space curated to amplify Black voices and foster authenticity through engaging conversations. Biography: Rickey Hall was appointed as the eighth vice president for minority affairs and diversity and the university diversity officer at the University of Washington effective Aug. 1, 2016. Hall leads the university’s equity, diversity, inclusion, and be...

Thank you for listening to Identity Unboxed – a space curated to amplify Black voices and foster authenticity through engaging conversations. Biography: Rickey Hall was appointed as the eighth vice president for minority affairs and diversity and the university diversity officer at the University of Washington effective Aug. 1, 2016. Hall leads the university’s equity, diversity, inclusion, and be...

Thank you for listening to Identity Unboxed – a space curated to amplify Black voices and foster authenticity through engaging conversations.  Biography: David is the former Executive Director of Freedom Project. David became Freedom Project’s Executive Director in 2018 when the organization had a handful of staff, a $200,000 budget, and 50 volunteers supporting NVC workshops inside prisons. As a...

Thank you for listening to Identity Unboxed – a space curated to amplify Black voices and foster authenticity through engaging conversations. Biography: David is the former Executive Director of Freedom Project. David became Freedom Project’s Executive Director in 2018 when the organization had a handful of staff, a $200,000 budget, and 50 volunteers supporting NVC workshops inside prisons. As a r...

Thank you for listening to Identity Unboxed – a space curated to amplify Black voices and foster authenticity through engaging conversations. Biography: Elizabeth Wako, M.D., MBA, is president and CEO of Swedish Health Services, which is an affiliate of the Providence family of organizations and the largest nonprofit health system serving the Seatle metropolitan area. In this role, Dr. Wako overse...

Thank you for listening to Identity Unboxed – a space curated to amplify Black voices and foster authenticity through engaging conversations. Biography: Crystal Hall has been a faculty member at the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy and Governance since 2008. Her research explores ways of incorporating insights from behavioral science into policy design and implementation, w...

Thank you for listening to Identity Unboxed – a space curated to amplify Black voices and foster authenticity through engaging conversations. Biography: As a father, civically active community member, researcher, and educator, Dr. Stephan Blanford leads a team of committed staff, volunteers, and more than 7,000 members, fiercely advocating for improved outcomes for all of Washington's children...