MEDIA RELEASE: Cascadia College Collaborates with Lake Washington School District on Students of Color Conference

 

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For immediate release | May 31, 2022

Cascadia College Collaborates with Lake Washington School District on Students of Color Conference

Bothell, WA – Cascadia College’s Office of Equity and Inclusion (E&I) and Outreach teams partnered with the Equity and Family Engagement Department of Lake Washington School District (LWSD) to host more than 100 high school students for a Students of Color Conference on May 20, 2022. Students of color from the following high schools were in attendance: Redmond, Eastlake, Juanita, Lake Washington, and Emerson K-12. The theme was “Amplify our Voices.”

Mary Wilber, Native American Education Coordinator of the Eastside Native Education Program (ENAEP) from the Osoyoos Indian Band, was accompanied by two Amerindian high schoolers as they opened proceedings with a musical land acknowledgement. Dr. Gloria Henderson, Executive Director with the Bellevue School District (BSD) was the keynote speaker at the event. Her talk was a deeply personal oral history, where she discussed intersectional experiences that shaped her.

Keynote speaker, Dr. Gloria Henderson, delivering her address at Cascadia College's Students of Color Conference held in collaboration with Lake Washington School DistrictStudents dispersed into different workshops, which varied in topics ranging from navigating systems as an undocumented student to managing toxic expectations and claiming your truth as a student of color. The workshops provided students real-world, hands-on guidance on how to negotiate their high school and subsequent higher education careers, including sessions provided by Cascadia College representatives.

Yolanda, a sophomore from Redmond High School, summed up the event, “I like that I have been able to interact with my peers in smaller and larger groups. I love that everyone has been really inclusive and made everyone feel welcomed. I learned a lot about civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, and how they are misrepresented in the mainstream media.” Her classmate, Renee, added, “It’s been really exciting to be surrounded by people that look like me and have had similar experiences. The event helped to create solidarity between us and it has succeeded in doing that.”

The afternoon session provided an opportunity for students to have their voices heard. Students performed and showcased their talents. Some sang or shared poetry, others displayed their artwork. A few employees from LWSD joined the performances as well. There were vendors from the local community during the Resource Fair. Some students went on a tour of the Cascadia College campus.

Pablo Ortega, Director of Equity and Family Engagement at LWSD said, “Lake Washington School District’s first Students of Color Conference was a resounding success. High school students were able to learn about many topics around equity and promoting their cultural assets. We look forward to next year’s event.”

This sentiment was echoed by Chari Davenport, Executive Director of Equity and Inclusion at Cascadia College who remarked, “The Lake Washington Students of Color Conference was well-attended with over 100 students participating in this wonderful event! The keynote speaker, Gloria Henderson, delivered a thoughtful and encouraging message. One highlight was the many gifts shared during the talent show portion. I was inspired by these gifted youth!” 

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About Cascadia College: Cascadia College is a comprehensive community college that specializes in university transfer education. It is nationally recognized for its high transfer rate and for its emphasis on collaborative and active learning across disciplines. It was established by the legislature to serve the higher education needs of Northeast King and South Snohomish counties.

For information, please contact Satarupa Joardar at Cascadia College at sjoardar@cascadia.edu.