The Holden Village Podcast

This episode of the Holden Village Podcast features Kendra Mylnechuk Potter (Lummi); a theatre and film artist, birth+death doula, yoga educator, partner, and mother. Most of her work centers on the mother/child relationship and embodied storytelling, with an awareness that this precious human form is a sacred gift we get to keep learning through again and again. Since 2021, Kendra has delivered keynotes and Q&As at festivals and conferences around the world with “Daughter of a Lost Bird”...

To kick off this season of the Holden Village Podcast, Ellen is joined by Meisha Wangerin and June Thomassen, co-facilitators of a condensed version of the transformative Basic AVP workshop, designed to provide practical tools for conflict resolution, personal growth, and building peaceful communities. The Alternative to Violence Project (AVP) is rooted in experiential learning, offering participants a chance to explore nonviolent communication, self-awareness, and strategies for resolving te...

In the midst of the energy and heat of Abriendo Caminos, two of our teaching faculty, Emilie and Armando, their friend Flor de Marquez, and Kathie Caemmerer-Bach, one of Holden’s Co-Directors join in conversation discussing the Church, Holden and Emilie and Armando’s organization SICSAL. In this episode, Emilie also acts as a Spanish translator for Armando. Emilie Teresa Smith is an Argentine-born, Canadian-raised, Anglican priest, community activist and writer. She has lived in relati...

Many things about Holden have changed since the mining days, but one thing remains the same, even in the heat of summer, the pool hall remains cool--an excellent place to escape the midday heat. Nestled in a back room away from the joyous sounds of children bowling and playing ping pong, Elli, a long-term staff member and Elisabeth Cherland, a guest musician from summer 2024 teaching faculty discuss cyclic music, and the humanness of singing and how good it is for our bodies. Elis...

This episode is a conversation between Holden Villages Naturalist Nic Caddell and a member of our summer 2024 teaching faculty Pamela Adams, a self-appointed freelance beaver detective. Nic and Pamela discuss the importance of beavers and other keystone species and the art of noticing. At the time of this recording, cottonwood fluff floats in the air and villagers take refuge from the summer heat in our beloved Railroad Creek. We hope you enjoy this snapshot of Holden's summer community. &nbs...

Anjuli Shah-Johnson is a somatic therapist who integrates teachings from the worlds of clinical social work and bodywork in hopes of walking alongside others in finding the paths that connect their body, mind and heart. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Licensed Massage Therapist with specialized training in utilizing therapeutic touch and craniosacral techniques to tend to folks who have experienced trauma and who hope to feel more at home in their lives, relationships and...

Rev. Dr. David Vásquez-Levy serves as President of Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California –a progressive, multidenominational seminary and center for social justice that prepares theologically and spiritually rooted leaders to work for the well-being of all. A committed pastor, a nationally recognized immigration leader, and a sought after speaker, Vásquez-Levy leads at the intersection of faith, higher education, and social change. Vásquez-Levy regularly contributes ...

John Tirro is Pastor of Worship at St John's Lutheran Church (ELCA), in Knoxville, TN, and a composer of hymns, such as "To You All Hearts Are Open" (Holden Prayer Around the Cross, All Creation Sings). He has written hits for the pop end of Country radio (“So Much for Pretending” for Bryan White. “Imagine That” for Diamond Rio), as well as songs on best-selling albums by LeAnn Rimes and Rascal Flatts. Trained in classical and jazz piano and voice, he learned guitar while writing on artist’...

Welcome to Holden Main Street: a playful podcast series dedicated to capturing the daily life and creative musings of ordinary folk at Holden Village. Who are the people drawn to this wild and uniquely transformative mountain community? How do their descriptions of hilarity, wilderness living, shared work and interior exploration shape the landscape of their time here? Expect to be delighted by improvised stories, poetry readings, the sounds of tea being poured, songs being sung, and bits of ...

Laron has served diverse church ministries, quartet groups, and additional special engagements (funerals, weddings) for approximately 15 years. Laron has also taught students from different background and agents how to play piano by ear. Laron has enjoyed joining various forms of musical needs for diverse communities. Laron is a staunch advocate for learning a wide range of musical styles to enrich the musical experience. Laron has played at Holden village extemporaneously, and thoroughly enj...

Giovana Oaxaca (she/her/ella) is the Program Director for Migration Policy with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s (ELCA) D.C. office for Witness in Society. In this role, she works for more just and humane federal immigration policies within a domestic and international context, engagement informed by the experience of Lutheran congregations and ministries, including the ELCA AMMPARO strategy. Giovana was previously a Government Relations Associate with a Catholic faith-base...

Sara is a classically trained actress with tendencies to fly by the seat of her pants, an improv instructor and performer, who teaches others how to enhance listening skills, playfulness, empathy, connectedness, and liberation from fear of failure. She is an emerging papercut artist, whom you can visit at IG @saramacpapercuts. David delights in listening to the aspirations of leaders and helping them and their teams unlock hidden resources by facilitating meaningful and playful engagement. He...

Saskia de Vries is a neuroscientist at the Allen Institute in Seattle Washington. Raised in California, she bounced back and forth between the west and east coast for her training, moving to Seattle in 2012 when she joined the Allen Institute. Her research has focused primarily on visual physiology, how the cells and circuits in our eyes and brain transform the visual world into perception. She is also very active in Open Science, creating tools and infrastructure to make scientific data and ...

Paul Hinderlie began his earthly ministry making way too much wine and at the end was grilling fish for breakfast on the beach. Perhaps that's why Paul became a cook. Carol Lund Hinderlie first came to Holden as a young staff member. Soon thereafter she brought her whole family to visit and work, beginning a long and fulsome history with the Village. She and Paul were married at Holden, spent two years on staff in their twenties, and with friend Tom Ahlstrom served as Executive Directors fro...

Krish is the President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. She previously served in the Obama White House as Policy Director for First Lady Michelle Obama and at the State Department as Senior Advisor under Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of State John Kerry.