Shows
BomBardenedEp 20: Long Game Grinders: Love, Recovery & the Fight for Our Most Vulnerable Youth | Johnny OhtaIn this episode, Eric and Amy sit down with Johnny Ohta, a legendary youth recovery advocate and longtime leader at Ryther, whose life and work have helped shape how Seattle responds to youth addiction, homelessness, and fentanyl. Johnny shares his deeply personal journey—from growing up amid violence, addiction, and incarceration to finding recovery, purpose, and a calling to walk alongside young people in crisis.With raw honesty, Johnny unpacks what real recovery looks like in the age of fentanyl, why one-size-fits-all solutions fail, and how “long game” relationships rooted in compassion, accountability, and presence can save lives. He cha...
2025-12-231h 07BomBardenedEp19: Rising From Rock Bottom: Recovery, Resilience & Rewriting Your Story | Ellyse BrackenIn this episode, Eric and Amy talk with Ellyse Bracken, Executive Director of Bridges, about her powerful journey from addiction and incarceration to becoming a leader in youth recovery. Ellyse shares how structure, accountability, and peer support helped her rebuild her life—and why teens need community, not harm-reduction messaging, to thrive. Her work with Bridges and Seattle’s Alternative Peer Group is transforming what recovery looks like for young people.Learn more at https://www.seattleapg.com/
2025-12-0950 minBomBardenedEp18: Beyond the Headlines: Courage, Consequences, and Speaking Hard Truths | Brandi KruseIn Part 2 of their conversation, Eric and Amy Barden continue their deep dive with independent journalist Brandi Kruse, exploring what happens after you choose to break away from traditional media—and don’t look back. Brandi opens up about the personal and professional consequences of pushing against narratives, the cost of telling uncomfortable truths, and what it means to stay grounded when criticism gets loud. Together, they examine the evolving role of independent journalism, why honest dialogue is worth protecting, and how integrity becomes your compass when the world wants you to choose a side.
2025-11-2541 minBomBardenedEp17: Breaking the Script: Truth, Trust, and Independent Journalism with Brandi KruseIn this episode, Eric and Amy Barden sit down with independent journalist Brandi Kruse to explore what happens when you step outside traditional media and speak freely. Brandi shares her journey from newsroom reporter to independent voice, reflecting on the challenges of maintaining public trust in a divided media landscape. Together, they unpack what honesty, transparency, and accountability look like when the microphones are always on—and why telling the truth can sometimes mean standing alone.
2025-11-1139 minBomBardenedEp16: Measuring Justice: Redefining Success in Reform with Lisa DaugaardIn this continuation of their conversation with MacArthur Fellow and justice reform leader Lisa Daugaard, Eric and Amy Barden explore how communities can define—and measure—real success in diversion and public safety. Lisa discusses what’s working, what’s changing, and how the Purpose Dignity Action and LEAD programs continue to evolve through constant learning and collaboration.Together, they examine how shifting from punishment to care can create safer, more resilient communities—and what it takes to prove that change truly works.
2025-10-2846 minBomBardenedEp15: On Justice Reform: Alternatives to Incarceration & Making Safer Communities | Lisa DaugaardIn this episode of Bombardened, Eric and Amy Barden sit down with Lisa Daugaard—MacArthur Fellow, co-founder of the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program, and longtime advocate for criminal justice reform. Lisa shares how her career as a public defender and activist led to pioneering new models that divert people away from jails and courts and toward community-based care.The conversation moves through Lisa’s personal journey, the systemic failures that keep communities trapped in cycles of incarceration, and the practical solutions she and her colleagues are building to replace punishment with restoration. Eric and Amy bring in t...
2025-10-1439 minBomBardenedEp14: On Resilience: BLM, HIV, Addiction and Recovery | Deaunte DamperIn this episode of Bombardened, Eric and Amy Barden sit down with Deaunte Damper—community leader, activist, and the first LGBTQIA+ Chair for the Seattle NAACP. Deaunte shares his personal journey of resilience and advocacy, from navigating the challenges of being a Black queer man to driving change at the intersections of race, identity, and justice.The conversation moves from deeply personal experiences of stigma and survival to broader issues of systemic inequality, addiction, and the urgent need for safe, affirming spaces. Eric and Amy weave in their own perspectives from law enforcement and nonprofit leadership, creating a ra...
2025-09-3056 minBomBardenedEp13: Rethinking Homelessness: Policy, Practice, and Hope | Dr. Robert MarbutIn this episode of Bombardened, Eric and Amy Barden sit down with Dr. Robert Marbut, a nationally recognized expert on homelessness policy and intervention. With decades of experience advising cities and serving as the Executive Director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, Dr. Marbut brings deep insight into why traditional approaches are failing and what needs to change.The conversation explores the complexities of addiction, mental health, and housing policy, while challenging the assumptions that often drive public debate. Eric and Amy bring their own lived and professional perspectives into the dialogue—Eric from his decades in...
2025-09-1653 minBomBardenedEp12: Effective Restorative Justice | Judge Dave LarsonIn this episode of Bombardened, Eric and Amy Barden sit down with Judge Dave Larson, a nationally recognized leader in reforming how our justice system responds to people disrupting public order. From the bench in Washington State to national advisory roles, Judge Larson has spent decades confronting the courtroom, law enforcement, and community-based service gaps that predictably fail to break patterns of destructive behavior. Through candid reflection and storytelling, Judge Larson shares lessons he’s learned about what actually motivates individuals to exit cycles of crime, addiction, and homelessness. He highlights how simple changes, from courtroom culture to the...
2025-09-031h 06BomBardenedEp11: From Lived Experience to System Change | Nichole AlexanderIn this episode of Bombardened, Eric and Amy Barden sit down with Nichole Alexander — a powerhouse in the fight for effective homelessness response and a leader whose credibility comes from both lived experience and deep professional expertise. Nichole’s journey from surviving the very challenges she now works to solve, to becoming one of the most respected voices in the field, is nothing short of extraordinary.Through candid conversation, Nichole unpacks the systemic failures she’s witnessed firsthand, the barriers that keep people from stability, and the changes she believes are essential to breaking the cycle. She and the Ba...
2025-08-191h 09BomBardenedEp10: Pioneering Alternative Response | Mariela Ruiz-AngelIn this episode of Bombardened, Eric and Amy Barden sit down with Mariela Ruiz-Angel, the founding Director of Albuquerque Community Safety and current Director of the Alternative Response Research Collective at Georgetown Law School. With passion and clarity, Mariela shares how she designed and launched the first independent, cabinet-level alternative first response department in the nation. Today ACS responders have been to over 110,000 calls related to mental health, substance use, and homelessness, and other non-police related issues.Mariela dives into the challenges of building something from nothing, breaking down siloes and pushing through skepticism, and centering community voices...
2025-08-0555 minBomBardenedEp9: Reentry, Redemption, Reform | Jacob Schmitt (Pt. 2)Content warning: This episode includes discussion of trauma, incarceration, addiction, and recovery. Listener discretion is advised.In Part 2 of their conversation with Jacob Ivan Schmitt, Eric and Amy continue to explore the human cost of cycles that begin in childhood and end behind bars — and what it takes to break them.Jacob shares the raw truths of reentry: trying to rebuild trust, navigating systemic barriers, and confronting the consequences of his past.He opens up about what accountability means after prison, the work of making amends, and the everyday effort of living a life rooted in se...
2025-07-2252 minBomBardenedEp8: The Foster Care to Prison Pipeline | Jacob Schmitt (Pt.1)Content warning: The following episode contains detailed accounts of childhood abuse, sexual violence, and life inside the prison system. Listener discretion is advised.In this episode of Bombardened, Eric and Amy sit down with Jacob Ivan Schmitt, the founder and Director of Just Us Solutions — a man whose story is shaped by early childhood trauma, addiction, incarceration, and the slow, painful work of transformation.Raised around chaos and exposed to drugs early, Jacob illuminates what happens when family dysfunction and physical and psychological abuse are routine and normal. He speaks openly about how his addiction and un...
2025-07-0853 minBomBardenedEp7: From Inmate to Executive | Patrick ArneyIn this episode of Bombardened, Eric and Amy sit down with Patrick Arney, Executive Director of Weld — a Seattle-based reentry organization helping people transition out of incarceration with dignity, support, and purpose.Patrick brings a rare combination of lived experience and sharp insight to the table. Once caught in the same systems he now works to reform, Patrick shares how he rebuilt his life and became a leader within one of the region’s most respected reentry programs. The conversation explores the deep flaws of the criminal justice system, the stigma surrounding people with records, and the real ingr...
2025-06-241h 04BomBardenedEp6: Do Drug Courts Work? | Joe BarsanaIn this episode of Bombardened, Eric and Amy Barden sit down with Joe Barsana, King County Drug Court Manager and President and Co-Founder of the WA State Therapeutic Court Alumni Association. What begins as a conversation about the blurry line between crime and crisis quickly becomes a masterclass in why we fail to help people to change and maintain recovery.Joe brings insight forged from decades churning through the criminal justice system in a perpetual cycle of crime and addiction — explaining how it really feels to live on the streets and the hopelessness that accompanies repeated arrests and ov...
2025-06-101h 03BomBardenedEp5: Fentanyl and The Path Forward: Forging Purpose from Tragedy | Staci JamesIn this episode of Bombardened, Eric and Amy sit down with Staci James—visionary leader, advocate for sensible drug policy and overdose awareness, and Executive Director of Hope Movement Coalition. What begins as a spirited debate between Eric and Amy about whether jail bookings actually serve as a deterrent, quickly deepens into a conversation about dignity, disruption, and the broken systems surrounding addiction.Staci brings a powerful voice to the table—one grounded in the loss of her beloved son to Fentanyl and frontline experience in the path forward after devastating loss. She discusses the impact to family and...
2025-05-271h 16BomBardenedEp4: When Corrections Doesn't Correct: Redefining Rehabilitation | Dave DurocherIn this episode of Bombardened, Eric and Amy Barden sit down with Dave Durocher—Executive Director and co-founder of The Other Side Academy. Dave shares his firsthand insights into breaking the cycle of addiction and criminal behavior through a radically different approach to rehabilitation. With a background in working with individuals often labeled as "lost causes," Dave explains how The Other Side Academy offers a no-excuses, real-world program that challenges the deeply rooted behaviors preventing meaningful change.Dave delves into the philosophy of peer accountability, the critical importance of confronting behaviors rather than just symptoms, and why the fo...
2025-05-131h 06BomBardenedEp3: Architecture of Second Chances: Building Homes and Rebuilding Lives | Amy KingIn this episode of Bombardened, Eric and Amy Barden sit down with Amy King—founder of Weld and Pallet, builder of communities, and champion of second chances. Amy shares her deeply personal and unconventional path to employing justice-involved individuals, building intentional housing solutions, and raising kids in a household shaped by trust and belief in change.What began as a chance encounter with a few men in need of work evolved into a national movement rooted in purpose and dignity. With candor and insight, Amy talks about vetting risk, challenging assumptions, and the very real transformation that happens wh...
2025-04-291h 27BomBardenedEp2: Homelessness Unscripted: Common Ground in a Divided America | Billy Baldwin and Robert MarbutIn this episode of Bombardened, Eric and Amy sit down with two seemingly unlikely allies: Hollywood actor and activist Billy Baldwin and homelessness and addiction expert Dr. Robert Marbut.Billy Baldwin, best known for his roles on screen, found himself drawn into the world of homelessness advocacy after preparing for a role in a film about life on the streets. That journey led to No Address, a feature film, and the subsequent documentary Americans With No Address.Dr. Robert Marbut has spent decades advising cities and administrations—including the first Trump administration—on homelessness policy. Despite their sta...
2025-04-151h 12
Hold the Line with Mike SolanThis is Seattle: Danny Westnut EditionIn this episode Mike reacts to Seattle Times reporter Danny Westnut’s hit piece on SPOG’s “This is Seattle” social media campaign. Mike also discusses Council Member Saka’s resolution that officially kills the “Defund the Police” movement, and exposes the anti-cop narrative of C.A.R.E.S. chief Amy Barden.
Seattle Times: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/cops-snarky-this-is-seattle-slogan-misses-their-own-big-news/
City Council Blog: https://council.seattle.gov/2025/04/01/city-council-approves-resolution-endorsing-holistic-approach-to-public-safety/
BomBardened Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/clip/UgkxQ7btNOyEoiuybksG2YzKNtPz8xTRgSv2
2025-04-1423 minBomBardenedEp1: Addiction Unfiltered: We're Doing it Wrong | Ginny BurtonIn this episode of BomBardened, Eric and Amy Barden dive into a thought-provoking conversation with Ginny Burton, a fierce advocate for addiction recovery and interventions that actually work. Ginny shares her powerful redemption story, beginning with her tumultuous childhood, where she was exposed to drugs and chaos at an early age. After decades in and out of jails and prisons, Ginny found a way out, permanently breaking the self-destructive cycle of crime and crisis and sustaining recovery. She is a Truman Scholar, Martin Honor Scholar, University of Washington graduate, author, mother, and passionate champion for reform in the carceral system...
2025-04-011h 11BomBardenedEp0: Intro | Meet Eric and Amy BardenJoin Eric and Amy Barden as they introduce The BomBardened Podcast, where they bring their unique perspectives and debate critical societal issues. Eric, a newly retired deputy chief of police with 38 years of major city policing experience, and Amy, an innovative public safety leader and champion of early intervention and diversion, discuss their shared journey of finding common ground despite their differing opinions on criminal justice and human nature and behavior. In this episode, they dive into their personal backgrounds, touch on topics like homelessness, crime, and mental health, and set the stage for a thoughtful, sometimes heated, but always...
2025-04-0106 min