Seattle Voices
Remarkable people, inspiring conversationsAbout Seattle Voices
Seattle Voices' host Eric Liu engages in one-on-one conversations with some of the most interesting, provocative and inspiring people in Seattle. Eric will introduce us to people from all walks of life, from politics to the arts, to sports and music. Seattle Voices features guests with vision and energy who are making Seattle's public life more vibrant.
Eric Liu is the host of Seattle Voices. The concept for the show grew out of the many conversations he engaged in while writing his book "Guiding Lights: How to Mentor -- and Find Life's Purpose," which tells the stories of life-changing mentors, teachers and coaches from many walks. Eric is also the author of "The Accidental Asian: Notes of a Native Speaker," a New York Times Notable Book featured in the PBS documentary Matters of Race, and he edited the Norton anthology "Next: Young American Writers on the New Generation." Eric served as a speechwriter for President Clinton in the first term and as White House deputy domestic policy adviser in the second. After the White House, he was an executive at the digital media company RealNetworks. He's also been a frequent commentator on CNN, MSNBC and CNBC. Eric lives in Seattle, where he teaches at the University of Washington's Evans School of Public Affairs and serves on the boards of numerous civic organizations, including the Washington State Board of Education, the Seattle Public Library, the Seattle Center Fund, and the League of Education Voters.
Valerie Curtis-Newton takes a break from the theater to talk with host Eric Liu about her work as the Head of Performance at the University of Washington`s School of Drama. A 2014 Stranger Genius Award nominee, Curtis-Newton discusses the rise of African American theater, the best way to overcome fears of speaking out, and how she combines her passion for acting and activism to bridge differences in society.