Marcos Zuñiga and wife Anne Fiske-Zuñiga photo provided by Zuñiga
Marcos Zuñiga
Earshot Jazz would like to introduce you to our board members. They’re a group whose work often goes unnoticed by the broader public, but we value their expertise and their dedication to Earshot Jazz. Each month you’ll meet someone new—in April, please meet Marcos Zuñiga.
What is your name, board position, and pronouns?
Marcos Zuñiga, Chair of the Fundraising Committee, he/him
How long have you served on the Earshot Jazz board and please mention any other EJ board positions you’ve held if any?
Since February of 2022. This is my first stint as a board member, but I’ve been a longtime volunteer for Earshot in various capacities since 2006 (and I haven’t missed a single festival show since, notwithstanding the 2020 Festival, for obvious reasons)
What led you to join the Earshot Jazz board?
After years of volunteering, I finally felt my personal/professional life allowed me to more fully participate in Earshot’s mission to bring jazz to the greater Seattle metro area.
Tell us a little about your background (professional qualifications, job, interests, talents)?
I moved to Bellingham in December 1991 from Detroit, Michigan, after finishing law school at SUNY at Buffalo Law School. Prior to that, I was a Social Worker-Community Organizer in Michigan. It was while living in Detroit that I first volunteered for an arts organization called Casa de Unidad, which focused on uniting and uplifting Detroit’s Latinx community via the arts.
I met my wife here and raised two wonderful children: Petra, who’s a senior at Amherst College majoring in Geology and Latinx Studies, and Gabriel, a sophomore at Western Washington University majoring in Theatre Performance.
Most of my career has been spent as a legal service attorney, providing free legal services to low-income individuals. My interests are varied and wide, including being a part-time tour guide for Bon Vivant Wine tours, which specializes in Washington wines and their over 1,000 licensed and bonded wineries.
Tell us something you’re proud of that Earshot has achieved.
I’m wholly impressed with the work and drive of Earshot staff, especially around festival season! My best memories are of the Town Hall show with Vieux Farka Touré and Tinariwen, Cecil Taylor and his wild socks, etc. Then there was the show with Konono Nº1 at the old horse barn in South Lake Union. The list goes on but the diversity and strength of the festival is bar none.
2020-2022 have been challenging years, is there any other organization or inspirational person you’d like to highlight that stood out to you?
I owe a lot of gratitude to my parents belief in me to be anything I put my mind to and my family’s strong wills, determination, and luck (I presume). During the Mexican Civil War at the start of the 20th century, both sets of grandparents left their families and lives behind in hopes of a better future. Thank God they didn’t come during these recent times when children were separated from their parents upon crossing the border.
I’m inspired by Benefits Law Center for providing free legal services to the houseless in Seattle to secure Social Security disability benefits. And, TeamChild which provides free legal help to youth/young adults and their families from getting involved/further entrapped in the juvenile justice system.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I am honored and proud to join Earshot’s board. I promise to give the organization my all. I am more than approachable and look forward to meeting you at the next show.
