Darek Mazzone is a well known and loved centerpiece of Seattle culture, as a DJ at the famed KEXP studios where he has curated music from around the world for thirty years. Originally from Gdansk, Poland, Darek embodies the essence of immigrant power, determination, and originality, providing a host of creative services, giving voice to peoples and cultures from around the globe.

We spoke the day after Russia invaded Ukraine, and we talked about the power of music to afford consilience, connection, and empathy. He also told the story of how he came to move to Seattle, trusting the providence of an engine breakdown as the end of one road and the beginning of another.

You can find Darek participating in a number of transformative projects. His company Tashke ...