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About Us
Who We Are
Talk2Me Nation, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to building stronger, more unified communities by fostering open dialogue and collaboration between citizens, first responders, community leaders, and public service officials. Through our programs, we aim to resolve conflicts, address bias, and encourage communication to ensure that every community member feels safe, heard, and valued.
Our Mission
Our mission is to bring about positive change in communities by bridging the gap between first responders, community leaders, and the public they serve. We promote inspiration, education, and encouragement to resolve conflicts using the right procedures and to create pathways for constructive dialogue during any crisis or incident.
Our Vision
We envision a world where communities are built on trust, respect, and open communication, where differences are resolved through understanding, and where first responders and leaders work alongside citizens to ensure safety, equality, and unity. By addressing the root causes of fear, bias, and hate, we aim to create lasting harmony, one community at a time.
Meet the Team
Fernando Smith
Fernando M. Smith is a nationally recognized public safety strategist, trauma-informed practitioner, and healing-centered organizer who channels lived experience into transformational systems change. As a gun violence survivor and returned citizen, Fernando brings over two decades of reentry advocacy, credible messenger leadership, and community-rooted programming.
He currently serves as Executive Director of Talk2MeNation, Inc., where he develops culturally grounded initiatives for youth, returning citizens, and families impacted by violence and incarceration. His healing modalities include drumming therapy circles, fire keeping for outdoor ceremonies, restorative justice, and community-based culinary arts. His signature programs, such as the Radical Release Retreat and Ambassadors for Peace, uplift those closest to harm through mentorship, ritual, and collective healing.
Fernando is certified in Restorative Justice and Circle Keeping through the MAAT Training Institute and is a SKY-Breath meditation coach. As the DC Chapter Lead of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, he is also a leading advocate for gun violence prevention and secure gun storage.
A trusted consultant in public safety, violence prevention, and community healing, Fernando has worked with organizations like Cities4Peace, the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, and grassroots coalitions nationwide. He was among the original expert team that advised the DC Mayor on declaring gun violence a public health crisis, a move that led to the creation of the city's first Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
Fernando's voice has been featured nationally, including as a distinguished guest speaker at the Center for American Progress (CAP) 2024 National Violence Prevention Convention and as a panel moderator for Everytown for Gun Safety's 2024 National Gun Sense University. He is also one of the co-founders of the National Week of Healing, a grassroots response to violence, incarceration, and generational trauma.
Fernando's mission is rooted in a radical belief in the people's power to heal and transform systems from the inside out.
Sarah A. Martin
Sarah Alayne Martin is a community builder and trauma-informed healing practitioner who combines poetry, yoga, drumming, and storytelling to restore and reconnect underserved communities. As a Black queer and gender-fluid leader based in Washington, D.C., Sarah serves as Executive Creative Director of Talk2MeNation, Inc., where she develops arts and wellness programming for families impacted by incarceration and/or violence.
A certified 200-hour yoga teacher and SKY Wellness Coach, Sarah has facilitated healing workshops and retreats across communities from Little Rock, AR, to Washington, D.C., partnering with libraries, schools, churches, wellness centers, and community-based organizations (CBOs). Her recent project, Radical Release, served Black families through a three-part immersive healing program, investing over $5,000 in artist honorariums and creating lasting community impact.
Sarah's work has been recognized through fellowships with Anaphora Arts Poetry (2022) and two Young Black Climate Leaders Youth Futures Fund grants. She recently transitioned from her role with the National Endowment for the Arts' Creative Forces initiative, giving her the capacity to focus her time on scaling up Talk2MeNation’s community-based healing and creative work. Currently pursuing an MFA in Writing at Pacific University, Sarah's practice draws from nature and lived experience to offer transformative portals for spiritual ascension, collective healing, and radical world-building.
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About the Founder
Michael Durphy, the founder of Talk2Me Nation, Inc., established the organization with a passion for bridging the gap between communities and those who serve them. His vision is grounded in the belief that communication and collaboration are the keys to resolving conflict and creating safe environments where every individual is respected. Michael's leadership continues to inspire change by fostering a sense of belonging and understanding within communities.
