ORCAS ISLAND, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Michell Marshall left her finance job at Microsoft when she discovered the “raw beauty” of island life in the San Juans. 

Marshall moved to Orcas Island from Seattle, WA in 2007. But after making the permanent move, she quickly noticed there was a very small population of Black people living on the island and began to question her decision.

Not only was Marshall, owner of the Office Cupboard in downtown Eastsound, one of the only two black business owners where she was living, but she was the only female Black business owner.

In 2012, Marshall visited the Intiman Theater to see Marc Bamuthi Joseph perform “Red, black & GREEN: a blues.” She left the theater trembling, feeling as though she’d never seen art like that before—the kind that hits you in your gut. 

“It stuck with me for a very long time. I adopted the feeling that art should make you feel something, even if it’s discomfort because then it’s getting to you,” says Marshall.

She noticed that some of her experiences earlier on in life as the only Black child in a white community were resurfacing in her adulthood. Memories and interactions she’d had before were coming back in full circle. 

“I felt isolated, and I felt alone,” Marshall said.

She explained that though she knew similar instances took place when living in Seattle, they stood out even more in such a small community. As these thoughts and feelings sat with Marshall an idea began to form. While walking in the woods at Mountain Lake on the island, the idea for the non-profit organization Woman in the Woods Productions came to her.

“Art breaks down barriers. I realized that if I developed a non-profit that specifically brought performers of different color and cultures to perform at the Orcas Center, everyone would have the opportunity to see incredible international talent—something different,” she said.

After the first event they had called “Dragon Lady” in 2017, Marshall had an audience member come up to her during intermission, take her by the hands and tell her “This is what we’ve been missing.”

The mission is to promote racial and cultural differences through various forms of artistic expression. Woman in the Woods partners with Sozo Artists to bring in performers who will build bridges through vibrant and thought-provoking work, to inspire a compassionate and unified community.

Woman in the Woods’ next production “Ladies of Hip Hop” will be on Sept. 21 at the Orcas Island Performance Center. The event will begin at 5:00 p.m. with music and food, then the show will come later at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are available at the Orcas Center website.