Clark College students Kai Welch and James Simina volunteered at the event.
Clark hosted the Eighth Annual Pacific Northwest Japan Bowl on March 15. Organized by the Japan-America Society of Oregon (JASO), the event welcomed over 100 high school students from twelve schools across Oregon and Washington. This year was the largest Pacific Northwest Japan Bowl to date.
Clark College welcomed over 100 high school students from across Oregon and Washington for the 8th Annual Pacific Northwest Japan Bowl on March 15. Organized by the Japan-America Society of Oregon (JASO), this year’s competition was the largest yet, bringing together students to test their knowledge of Japanese language, culture, and history.
In addition to competing, participants attended a college fair, where Clark students, including volunteers Kai Welch and James Simina, shared their experiences and encouraged future language learners.
Not only do competing teams test their knowledge of arts, culture, geography, and language, but they get to attend a college fair to learn about schools and network with other students.
Two Clark students, Kai Welch and James Simina, volunteered at the event. James shared his experience learning Japanese at Clark with prospective high school students during the college fair.
2025 Results
Level 2 1st Churchill High School (OR) 2nd International School of Beaverton (OR) 3rd Woodinville High School (WA)
Level 3 1st Westview High School (OR) 2nd Woodinville High School (WA) 3rd Bothell High School (WA)
Level 4 1st Sunset High School (OR) 2nd Bothell High School (WA) 3rd International School of Beaverton (OR)
Organized by the Japan-America Society of Oregon (JASO), the event welcomed over 100 high school students from twelve schools across Oregon and Washington. This year was the largest Pacific Northwest Japan Bowl to date.
About the Pacific Northwest Japan Bowl
The largest regional quiz competition on Japanese language and culture, the Japan Bowl invites 100+ high schoolers across Oregon and Washington to compete together. It’s run by the Japan-America Society of Oregon (JASO). Every year, the top teams go on to compete at the national level in Washington, D.C.
The anticipation was sky-high in the Clark College STEM Building on March 11. Engineering students gathered near the drop tower in the three-story foyer and waited.
Students gather around the drop tower in the STEM building to watch the tests.
“Doors closing,” announced a student with a clipboard. The countdown began: “5, 4, 3, 2, 1!”
All eyes turned upward.
Then—whoosh! A robotic lunar rover plummeted from three stories above. Gasps filled the air as its parachute deployed, sending the rover gliding gently toward the ground.
Now for the real test: Would it land in one piece? Could it navigate the terrain, scoop up moon rocks (a.k.a. plastic balls), and cross the finish line—all on its own power?
Every term, engineering professors Tina Barsotti and Carol Hsu pose a real-world problem to their students and instruct them to design and build an object that solves the problem. Teams of students work together. At the end of each term, teams present their prototype to their peers, explaining their process and materials used. Finally, teams test their designs.
The Project Artemis Challenge
Engineering students were given this challenge during winter term:
Design an autonomous device that can withstand a three-story drop, collect as many gumballs as possible, and move to a designated end zone within the time limit.
Designed with NASA’s Project Artemis in mind, the purpose of this device is to collect geological samples from the moon’s surface.
To simulate landing on the moon, student engineers dropped their rovers from the STEM Building’s three-story drop tower. Most teams designed a parachute to slow the fall. If the vehicle survived the drop, its mission was to pick up as many gumballs as possible (simulating moon rocks) and cross the finish line—without human intervention.
Team The Unnamed protected their robot rover from the fall with thick padding inside a cardboard box.Team The Unnamed explains that an Elegoo board is the brains of their robot rover.
Professor Carol Hsu said, “This project is particularly challenging as it requires withstanding a drop before completing a task. However, students consistently rise to the challenge and gain invaluable experience.” She added, “One of my students shared, ‘My daughter became interested in learning more about robotics after watching the competition!’”
During the winter engineering challenge, some teams’ projects succeeded and made it across the finishing line with “lunar rocks.” But a larger number didn’t survive the three-story drop. One of those teams, Isaac Newton’s Dog Diamond, gathered the pieces of their broken lunar rover and carried them back to a table to assess the damage.
One group reported: “We learned that the trial-and-error process does, in fact, involve error. These experiences taught us the importance of adaptability and persistence in problem-solving. If we were to do this project again, we’d spend more time on testing and making prototypes to improve the design.”
Designing within Engineering Parameters
Each team was required to design and build their vehicle to adhere to strict parameters.
Design specifications:
Size: Must fit within a 35 cm x 35 cm x 35 cm box
Weight: Must weigh less than 2.0 kg
Power source: Must be self-contained in the device
Mobility: Must be fully autonomous
Design: Must be students’ own design, outside of motor components
Cost: Must cost less than $100
Materials: Student engineers used a variety of materials including 3D printed filament, balsa wood, CDs, modeling clay, threaded metal rods, and various kinds of wheels and axles. Designs also incorporated electronics or a motor and power box within the body of the robot, and a parachute to reduce the descent speed.
Teams: Engineering students comprised 18 teams including The Argonauts, Imperfectly Designed, Robo Legs, Robo Rangers, Sisters in Science, Innovation Nation, Safety Hazards, Blue Moon, and Isaac Newton’s Dog Diamond.
Team PAALM presents their robotic rover design before testing it.
Throughout the morning, all 18 teams presented their designs and then climbed the stairs to test their projects in the drop tower. After testing their autonomous vehicle, students examined what worked, what didn’t, and how they would improve it.
One group reflected: “Looking back on this project, we learned that we are all very early in our engineering careers and there is still a lot to learn. Designing and building a fully autonomous vehicle is difficult and an intricate process. Also, Open AI is a very useful tool…that can be used to create code for the purpose we need. If we were to do this project over again, we would have learned about our team members’ knowledge and backgrounds before assembling the team so we could create a team with more diverse skills and experience.”
Another group reported: “We utilized our engineering knowledge and available tools to optimize our machine’s efficiency. As we deepen our understanding of engineering coding, we recognize that programming could significantly improve our design.”
Far left: Carol Hsu and Tina Barsotti listen to the student presentations.
Early Pi Day Celebration
After all the tests were completed, the students celebrated Pi Day early—with free pizza followed by apple and cherry pies baked by students in Clark’s McClaskey Culinary Institute.
Professor Tina Barsotti said, “True engineering talent emerges from embracing failure, learning from it, and using it to build something stronger, smarter, and more resilient. We must celebrate our failures as they are our connection to innovation.”
Photos: Clark College/Susan Parrish and Carly Rae Zent
Connecting Pathways to Health Care Careers
Dean of Business and Health Services at Clark College, Scot Headley introduces a panel.
More than 75 healthcare professionals, educators and workforce development experts gathered for an inaugural Healthcare Pathways Education and Industry Summit at Clark College Columbia Tech Center on March 7. With a shared goal of expanding healthcare career pathways and partnerships in Southwest Washington, the event buzzed with new connections, strategic discussions, and plans for future collaborations.
Host agencies included Clark College Health Sciences unit, Washington State Allied Health Center of Excellence, Workforce Southwest Washington and Career Connect Southwest, a program of Educational Service District 112.
A panel speaks about workforce and educator partnerships.
Building pathways with partners
Scot Headley, dean of Business and Health Services at Clark College, said, “We view this event as the next step in bringing more collaboration and alignment in raising awareness and building pathways into healthcare careers amongst the various educational agencies, colleges, community organizations, and employers. I am grateful for our partnership with ESD 112 and Career Connect Southwest and for the faculty and staff at Clark who are willing to invest their time, energy, and creativity into building these pathways.”
This cross-sector gathering addressed the following objectives:
Share successes and challenges of existing programs
Develop a regional roadmap for healthcare career awareness
Plan community engagement strategies
Identify quick-turn and long-term solutions to workforce challenges
The event included two panel discussions. Additionally, during a collaborative small-group work session, group members considered these questions:
Given the current healthcare workforce shortages, what innovative strategies or partnerships have you seen succeed in attracting and retaining talent, including in rural areas?
How can the healthcare industry collaborate more effectively with educational institutions to ensure students are graduating with the skills and certifications needed to meet immediate labor demands?
What emerging trends in healthcare (e.g., technology, aging population) do you foresee having the most significant impact on the types of roles and skills needed in the next 5-10 years, and how should education systems adapt to these changes?
What resources and opportunities could be made available to educators and students to acquaint them with opportunities and needs within healthcare?
A panelist answers a question.
Summit discoveries
Groups collaborated and wrote their answers and ideas on whiteboards, including these:
Build strategic partnerships for developing allied health programs
Create incumbent worker pathways
Provide resources to K-12 faculty to understand and present health care pathways to students
Lack of capacity from employers and education to build and deliver systems for career exploration and preparation
Clinical experience is valuable
After robust discussions, it was clear what is needed in moving forward:
More partnerships between education and industry
Improved communication between education and industry partners
More clearly defined career pathways for students, including those who do not plan to earn a four-year degree
More hands-on opportunities for students, via career days, externships, paid internships, and more
Left to right: Event organizers Chad Mullen, Scot Headley, and Vickei Hrdina.
Partner feedback
Vickei Hrdina, Director of K12 Workforce and Higher Ed Partnerships, Educational Service District 112 and executive director of Career Connect Southwest: “This Summit has been instrumental in strengthening collaboration between K-12, higher education, and industry leaders. By developing a clear roadmap for aligning high school Career and Technical Education with post-secondary training and real workforce needs, we’ve taken a significant step toward building a more seamless talent pipeline. This model will not only guide regional efforts but also serve as a framework for other high-demand sectors.”
Chad Mullen, Career Connect Southwest network manager: “The need for strong and reciprocal relationships between industry and education was clear at this summit. When we work together to increase our efforts to help our students explore, prepare for, and launch into many career pathways in healthcare, we can help those students envision and pursue their future in the field.”
Sean Moore, senior project manager, healthcare, Workforce Southwest Washington, also is a member of several health care advisory boards at Clark College: “By bringing together employers, union representatives, community partners, high school and college educators ensures we are all focused on developing in-demand, career pathway/living wage opportunities for emerging talent to meet the needs of our Southwest Washington healthcare workforce.”
Paul Huddleston, dean of students at Cascadia Tech Academy: “Getting industry and education in the same room is fantastic. I’m looking to improve our program, to provide our students opportunities to explore careers, and to equip our students with the skillset industry is looking for.”
John Armerding, health sciences teacher, Columbia River High School, Vancouver School District: “My primary goal here is to figure out next steps for my students. It’s important to recognize that four years of college is not for everyone.”
Andrew Goss, health sciences teacher, Heritage High School, Evergreen School District: “I want to find more opportunities for my students. I want to learn what gaps do I need to focus on to prepare my students?”
Kelly Stellrecht, Washington State Opportunity Scholarships: “We are trying to make more connections with employers and students.”
Jess Friason, Legacy Health: “How can we provide more opportunities to middle school and high school students? How can what we offer complement a high school’s needs?”
Participate in a future summit
Contact Scot Headley, dean of Business and Health Services at Clark College
Left to right: Admissions Recruiter Gaby Posteuca, keynote speaker Vita Blanco, and Entry Services Program Manager Amy Tam.
Clark College Entry Services and the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion welcomed approximately 160 students from local high schools to the annual Discovering College Confidence event on March 11. This annual event provides opportunities for BIPOC high school students to participate in a series of activities meant to:
Address the excitements and fears around college
Explore pathways and supports available in the college environment
Discover how embracing your identity can enhance your college experience
The day kicked off with a powerful keynote from Clark College alumna Esmeralda “Vita” Blanco, who shared her inspiring academic journey from high school diploma to higher education success. Students then participated in interactive workshops, engaging activities, and prize giveaways—all designed to help them envision a future in higher education.
The event’s workshops included:
Navigating Financial Aid & Scholarships with Confidence
Your Well-Being, Your Power: Taking Charge of your Mental & Physical Health
Empower Your Voice: Choosing Careers That Align with Your Values
Success in College: Learning Your Voice
Running Start: Own Your Voice, Own Your Future
Participating schools in Clark County included Battle Ground, Evergreen, Fort Vancouver, Henrietta Lacks, Heritage, Hockinson, Hudson’s Bay, Mountain View, Prairie and Union high schools.
Amy Tam introduces Vita Blanco as she comes to the stage.
Keynote Address
Vita Blanco, a Latina, single mom, and woman of faith addressed the high school audience with her academic story that started at Clark College as an adult student in the high school diploma program, continuing for an associate of applied science degree, then transferring to Washington State University Vancouver to earn a bachelor’s degree.
Here are excerpts from Blanco’s address:
“On my third day [at Clark College]…I shared with Sam [May-Varas], ‘I’m not returning tomorrow. Thank you so much.’ And that was such a pivotal moment because I was able to be open and real—even though I didn’t want to, and I was very ashamed, and that I didn’t know how to do the homework. He sat with me, he told me that he believed in me, and that what I did in that homework was the reason why I needed to be here…It took just one teacher, one person to believe in me, in the classroom…I knew that I was supposed to be here.”
“I had a high school GPA of 1.7. I was a dropout. Fast forward to when I graduated with my high school diploma with a 4.0—but better yet, I was able to help my youngest daughter. She asked me the week before I was going to graduate. ‘Mom, will you help me with my eighth-grade essay,’ and for the first time, I was able to show up for her and help her with her homework. That was such a joy to remember.”
Blanco continued studying at Clark College and worked as a Student Ambassador. In 2019 she graduated with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Business Administration and was awarded the Community College Presidents’ Scholarship to attend Washington State University Vancouver. Read her story here.
She said, “I started that fall…to get my undergraduate degree—I thought, yes, I learned everything at Clark College, but I had learned in a few months in that I had imposter syndrome. I thought, ‘man, this is hard, this is harder than I thought,’ but I began to persevere as I learned about imposter syndrome. Maybe it was some of my voices of upbringing, my community, my voices inside of me, and not feeling that I belong there. But I kept showing up.”
“I believe that Clark College has really, really been able to help me overcome those fears and doubts and barriers that I faced.”
Blanco ended her speech by asking the audience to stand up.
“Stand up because your worth being seen and heard.… your story matters, your voice matters, you matter, and your work is being seen and heard.”
After graduating from Washington State University Vancouver with a bachelor’s degree in integrated strategic communication, where Blanco served as student body president, she is now working for a local dentist managing a team of employees. She credits her time as a Student Ambassador working under Amy Tam as valuable experience.
“Amy [Tam] was my boss, and it was the grace that she showed me over and over again that I thought, what am I doing? How I’m showing up, I don’t even know what I’m doing. And it was pretty amazing. I knew I knew how to help and love people, but she showed me grace over and over and that grace today still just reminds me how to show grace to others.”
Schools can contact the Welcome Center at start@clark.edu to learn about future events, inquire about campus tours, and how to get started at Clark College.
Photos: Clark College/Jenny Shadley
Winter Students with Disabilities Luncheon
Left to right: Leonardo Gallardo, Alyssa Montminy, Rosalba Pitkin, Zach Lattin, Mike Law, Andra Spencer, and April Pereira.
Zach Lattin, Clark College’s IT accessibility coordinator, engaged the audience with his thought-provoking presentation (including playing his guitar!) at the winter Students with Disabilities Luncheon on March 6. Hosted by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the free, public event provided both meaningful conversation and a delicious free lunch. This time, students from the small-group communications class served the food.
Lattin, who tests software for accessibility standards and teaches students how to use assistive devices, spoke plainly about the advances and challenges of making a college education accessible for all.
Drawing from his own experiences navigating accessibility challenges as a student at the University of Washington, Lattin emphasized the importance of equitable access in higher education.
He said, “I didn’t always have access at UW.”
Students from the small group communications class served food at the luncheon.
Pushing Back on Inspiration Porn
Lattin discussed how historically, the stories of people with disabilities have been used for “inspiration porn”—a term coined by disability activists Stella Young and Lydia X. Brown.
The three types of “inspiration” stories identified as “inspiration porn” include:
Disabled person does something extraordinary, and it’s presented as inspiring because the person is disabled, not because 99% of the general population could not have achieved it.
Disabled person does something mundane, and it’s presented as inspiring because it’s assumed disabled people are incapable of doing anything at all.
Disabled person does something not overtly negative to disabled person, and it’s presented as inspiring because it’s supposedly magnanimous and saint-like to be nice to someone with a disability.
He said, “It’s about framing how our stories are told… If a story of yours is being framed in one of those three ways, feel free to push back on it.”
Zach Lattin played his guitar and sang during his talk, and the audience clapped along.
Understanding Models of Disability
Lattin discussed the issues with the charity model of disability and the medical model of disability, and talked about why we should push toward the social model of disability.
In the charity model, people with disabilities are treated as objects of charity and pity.
In the medical model, people with disabilities are viewed as sick with a need to be cured.
Meanwhile, the social model focuses on how systemic and environmental issues create the primary barrier to success for people who are disabled.
On the social model, he said, “I personally believe this is what we should be moving towards.”
Lattin added, “I personally do not view my blindness as something to be cured. I see it as a lifestyle, a way that I exist, and part of my identity.”
Challenging Assumptions
To illustrate the importance of social models of disability, Lattin shared a story about his team testing the accessibility of automotive software in Clark’s mechanic shop. He asked the luncheon attendees what percent of the software they thought was accessible.
The guesses were similar: “None! Five percent!”
Surprisingly, Lattin said, the software was 95% accessible. “This tells me that the barriers to access for automotive are not technology—it’s other barriers.” It challenged even his own assumptions.
Lattin with his guitar and amplifier.
He used to have techno-utopian attitudes, believing that technology would solve access problems. But now he believes “we need to be doing more than solving problems with technology… We need to address systemic barriers.”
Ending on a High Note
Lattin gave a mini concert, playing his guitar and singing an original song. Laughing, Lattin explained the song was written for two folks on a bus who, speaking in Spanish, thought he couldn’t understand them when they said demeaning things about his disability. When they both arrived at the courthouse, they found out that Lattin would be their translator.
Further Reading
Lattin suggested multiple texts for further reading, including:
Veterans Carrol Stripling, Veronica Roberts, and Julz Carey were enthusiastic about this inaugural event for women veterans.
More than 30 women veterans from various military branches gathered at Clark College on March 4 for an inaugural listening session designed to cultivate connections, share their struggles, and address their unique needs.
Hosted in partnership with the Clark College Veterans Center of Excellence, Clark County Veterans Assistance Center and the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs, the event provided a space for open dialogue, with additional participation from veterans via Zoom.
The idea for the session emerged from last fall’s Veterans Resource Community Fair, where women veterans voiced the need for dedicated spaces to share their experiences and available resources, and access support.
Additionally, representatives from various Veterans Affairs departments joined via Zoom to listen to the women and to offer information about available resources.
Event organizers include veterans Katherine, Veronica Roberts, and Sonja Wood.
Veteran Sonja Wood, who works at Clark County Veterans Assistance Center, was one of the organizers. She said, “For four or five years, I wanted to do a women’s symposium where women vets could meet other women vets in their community and talk about issues women vets have faced.”
The organizers listed issues experienced by women veterans, from believing they do not have a voice or a place at the table to knowing what benefits and services might be available to them and to their families.
Wood added, “Our goal is to listen to you, and work to find solutions and resources.”
Veteran Veronica Roberts, Washington Department of Veterans Affairs, said, “Knowledge is power. Some women who served in the military do not believe they are veterans. They do not realize they qualify for benefits.”
Veteran Veronica Roberts, Washington Department of Veteran Affairs Women Veterans Advisory Committee welcomed women vets to the event.
She stood at the front of the room and encouraged women veterans to share their stories, ask their questions, and find their voices.
Donna Larson, Associate Director of the Veterans Center of Excellence at Clark College, said, “I am so pleased that so many women veterans participated in this opportunity to build community and share useful resources across all service branches and ages.”
Larson, who is a veteran, added, “It was fulfilling to witness the connections formed at this first community roundtable. I look forward to our next gathering and anticipate this group of women veterans will continue to forge relationships, build community, and help one another find resources that can enrich their lives.”
Speakers included, left to right: Tanisha Harris representing Senator Maria Cantwell’s office, a representative from the Portland Trailblazers, and a keynote from Erin Jones.
We were honored to welcome around 50 Black/African American high school students to Clark College on February 20. Hosted by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the event provided students with a welcoming space to explore higher education pathways, connect with mentors, and take the first steps toward their future.
Held during Black History Month, the Roots to Excellence event introduced local Black students and students of African descent to Clark as a pathway to higher education and future careers. Students also learned the necessary steps to enroll at Clark.
The event was organized by Clark’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, NAACP, ACT-SO Vancouver, Vancouver Public Schools, and Evergreen Public Schools.
We were pleased to have students from Union High School, Henrietta Lacks High School, and Fort Vancouver High School join us to celebrate Black History Month and learn about exciting opportunities for their future.
Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Vanessa Neal said, “These events are so affirming for the students who attend. It’s so important to be in community and create spaces of belonging for all, especially those who are most historically marginalized. Those who attended shared that they were thankful for the opportunity to engage in this event. Moreover, students felt seen.”
Sitting at tables in Gaiser Student Center, the high school students listened to inspiring messages from Dr. Edwards, who gave a warm welcome to the high school students. Additionally, students heard messages from Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Vanessa Neal and Vice President of Instruction Dr. Terry Brown. Tanisha Harris delivered a message from Senator Maria Cantwell and a representative from the Portland Trailblazers shared valuable information about job opportunities.
The event was highlighted by Erin Jones’ powerful keynote address, “Roots to Excellence: A Journey to Clark College.” Jones is a teacher, speaker, and the author of Bridge to Heal US: Stories and Strategies for Racial Healing. Jones also spoke at Clark during Staff Development Days in August 2024.
We were also thrilled to have MarcusAntonio Gunn, who performed the Black Anthem, Lift Ev’ry Voice. The history of the song, often referred to as “The Black National Anthem.” The lyrics were written in 1900 by NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson; his brother, John Rosamond Johnson, composed the music.
The event included a performance from Anasi Beat Drums.
Additionally, students had an enriched experience engaging with the Anasi Beat Drums who performed traditional dances and songs from Ghana, West Africa, and the wobble dance. The students truly immersed themselves in the performance, with many participating in the dance.
Delicious soul food was catered by Ja’Das Soulful Eatz. Following lunch, students had a guided walking tour of the campus.
Clark’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
ODEI is committed to serving all students, with a focus on systemically non-dominant groups (Jenkins, 1995-present) as they navigate Clark College. We help foster and retain a diverse college community, which includes students, faculty, and staff.
Clark College’s goal of fostering a social and equitable college community is in part directed by the State (SBCTC), which has charged all community and technical colleges to lead with racial equity. ODEI is committed to serving people from systemically non-dominant populations as they navigate Clark College by helping to foster and retain a diverse community of students, faculty, and staff.
Our office supports individuals with their academic, personal, and professional development, as well as provides training and educational resources for all members of the college community around diversity, inclusion, power, privilege, inequity, social equity, and social justice.
Volunteers, including students from the softball team, seed the bee garden at the corner of McLaughlin Blvd. and Ft. Vancouver Way.
Getting the beautiful native wildflowers that bloom across campus in spring requires the help of many hands to spread seeds.
Volunteers follow Steven Clark through the Japanese Friendship Garden on the way to the planting site.
Despite rescheduling due to snowy weather, volunteers from throughout Clark College donned boots, gloves, and warm clothing to sow wildflower seeds in the cold at several bee garden locations on campus on February 19 and 20. Even the softball team organized to come out.
They sowed a variety of native seeds including yarrow, camas, lupine, Oregon sunshine, Clarkia, checker mallow, blue-eyed Mary, western burnet, and desert parsley. The gardens receiving fresh seeds this year are the ones that required re-tilling. Most of the time, the wildflowers will self-seed, leaving seeds on the ground to grow the following year.
Volunteers learn about the native bee population from Steven Clark.
Steven Clark, Bee Campus Project Manager, said “I love having volunteers because while bees are wonderfully self-sufficient, this is our opportunity to help them to be happy in our gardens. We broadcast the seeds by hand and it’s a fun activity to do here and to do in your own yard.”
Enjoy strolls across campus and see the Bee Campus gardens from late May to early July, peaking in June, following the flowering of the Shirofugen cherry trees in April.
Volunteers stand in front of the Clark College sign at the corner of McLaughlin Blvd. and Ft. Vancouver Way.
In April 2023, Clark College earned certification as a Bee Campus affiliate, becoming the fifth college in Washington to earn that distinction. A Bee Campus USA affiliate is a college campus that includes a bee habitat.
In the spring of 2023, students, staff, visitors, and, importantly, bees, saw native flowers sprouting up in gardens across campus. These flowers and natural areas where bees can make nests and lay eggs are helping Clark establish this bee habitat. Clark College—and other Bee Campus USA affiliates—show that the built environment (such as campuses, neighborhoods, city parks, and even roadsides) can feature a thoughtful design that allows bees to thrive in shared areas.
Have you ever wanted to dance Bollywood style in a flash mob? Now’s your chance!
The International Day planning committee is offering a free Bollywood dance lesson with Portland-based instructor, Poorna Sridhara. In this session, you’ll learn basic dance moves to a vibrant Bollywood song — so that you can hit the dance floor with confidence and join the fun in a flash mob-style performance on Thursday when we celebrate International Day. Wear comfortable clothing and footwear so that you can move around freely and come ready to dance and have some fun!
Bollywood Dance Lesson (Free!)
Monday, February 24 from noon to 1 p.m.
Gaiser Hall, Room 213
Learn the moves to a lively, upbeat Bollywood routine with Poorna Sridhara!
Limited space — first come, first served.
What is Bollywood dance?
Bollywood dance is a colorful and theatrical style that blends traditional Indian dance with contemporary Western influences. Known for its expressive movements and high energy, this dance style is a hallmark of Indian films, commonly known as Bollywood movies. Sample Bollywood dance here.
Both the Bollywood dance lesson and International Day are free events open to the entire college community. Don’t miss out on the fun!
International Day
Thursday, February 27 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (see estimated schedule below) Gaiser Student Center
Presented by International Programs, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Clark’s World Languages program
Enjoy the following fun, engaging, and FREE activities:
Free food from around the world!
Henna tattoos
Interactive dance demonstrations: Bollywood, Peruvian, Cumbia, and Samba
*Get ready to dance! Comfortable footwear is recommended.
About International Day
International Day is a highlight of International Education Week, a global celebration of the benefits of international education and cultural exchange. This joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education promotes programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from around the world to study, learn, and exchange experiences.
Members of the Washington State Diversity & Equity Officers Commission presented a panel about affirming diversity. Left to Right: Front row: Iesha Valencia, Clover Park Technical College; Dr. Consuelo Grier, Bellevue College; Vanessa Neal, Clark College. Back row: D’Andre Fisher, Seattle Colleges; Doris Martinez, Renton Technical College; Dr. Maribel Jimenez, Highline College; and MarcusAntonio Gunn, SBCTC.
The sixth annual Northwest Regional Equity Conference (NWREC), hosted by Clark College’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from February 12-14, exceeded expectations—cultivating compelling conversations, powerful learning, meaningful connections, and the deep, intentional dialogue that occurred throughout the event.
For the first time, the conference featured a full day of in-person sessions in addition to virtual sessions, responding to past attendee feedback and creating new opportunities for engagement. Over three days, more than 400 participants took part in thought-provoking presentations and workshops designed to advance equity and inclusion in our communities.
Next year’s NW Regional Equity Conference is scheduled for February 11-13, 2026.
Ijeoma Oluo, right was the keynote speaker for the in-person portion of the conference.
Ijeoma Oluo’s keynote: Make connections to do this hard work
On the opening day of the conference, attendees gathered in the Gaiser Student Center to listen to keynote speaker Ijeoma Oluo, who presented “Be a Revolution.” It is the title of her most recent book. Its subtitle is “How Everyday People are Fighting Oppression and Changing the World—and How You Can Too.” For more than an hour, the rapt audience listened as Oluo provided encouragement and practical advice woven together with her stories.
Some excerpts:
Oluo began: “I know it’s a tough time to be doing equity work in education. We have to keep fighting because not only are our educators showing up, but so are our students.”
She encouraged educators to create spaces of safety for students and teach students how to be in community with each other.
Recalling an earlier conversation with poet Saul Williams, he told her, “Not everyone wants to be alive during a revolution. Some people don’t want to fight.”
Oluo said, “It’s important to know our history. We have in our blood and bones the making of revolution. We fight systems, but we have to find our successes in the people we’re fighting for. Make connections with people who are doing equity work.”
She added, “Remember what you’re fighting for. It’s so easy to be consumed by what we’re fighting against.”
Stating that systemic racism robs us of time, she said, “Now that racism is really at the doorstep of everyone, it’s suddenly an emergency. It’s important that we take this deeper. We have to start building accountability. It’s important to recognize how exhausting this work can be.”
Oluo referenced the 381-day Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott (December 1955-December 1956) that began with Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger. She asked the audience to imagine how exhausting it must have been for those who showed up for more than a year to protest racial segregation—and stopped riding the bus and instead walked everywhere. What would have happened in the civil rights movement if the protesters had given up because the work was too hard?
“How do we keep going?” she asked and then offered this practical advice: “I realized that I had to start treating my mental health as part of my job. When I start planning for my own care, I do better work. We’re going to have to treat our care as part of the work.”
Oluo said, “The work was always going to be hard. The systems were built this way. At times like this, hopelessness is a privilege. But my father survived genocide. What does hopelessness mean when I am the walking, living dream of my ancestors? I want more for us than just struggle. We must have struggle, but we also must have joy, care, connection, love.”
She encouraged people to seek community: “Invite people to join you in this work. We survive by working together. We share resources. We protect each other. We’re going to need each other in these times ahead.”
Thursday virtual fireside chat: Dr. Bettina Love, author and William F. Russell Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University. Vanessa Neal facilitated an engaging dialogue with Dr. Love about various aspects of her New York Times best-selling book, Punished for Dreaming. Learn more about Dr. Love here.
Friday virtual keynote: “JT” Jasmin Marie Mageno Torres presented “Beats of Liberation: Hip Hop, Education, and Decolonizing My Story.” JT advocates for equity for students at West Valley College in Saratoga, California.
Colleges/educational institutions that presented workshops included:
Ball State University
Bellevue College
Cascadia College
Clark College
Clover Park Technical College
Columbia Basin College
Columbia University
Edmonds College
Highline College
Lane Community College
Lewis & Clark College
Lower Columbia College
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science
Oregon Health & Science University
Pierce College
Portland Community College
Portland Public Schools
Renton Technical College
Seattle Colleges
Shoreline Community College
South Seattle College
Tacoma Community College
University of Washington
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC)
Washington State Diversity and Equity Officers Commission
