On May 22, the latest cohort of the Clark College BUILD program gathered to celebrate completion of the BUILD program, surrounded by the cheerful “yellow” theme—with yellow smiley face balloons, yellow cake, and yellow roses.

Dubbed the “Yellow Cohort,” 22 graduates presented project ideas, reflected on their growth, and received certificates of completion in front of peers and college leadership, including President Dr. Karin Edwards.

What is BUILD?

BUILD—which stands for Building Understanding and Intercultural Leadership Development, is a year-long program led by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. This year’s cohort is the 6^th to go through the program.

Participants spend the year having challenging conversations about equitable decision-making, challenging white supremacy culture, and thinking about the internal work required for us to be become allies and change-makers.

Each participant also works with a group to develop and present a project proposal for advancing equity and a sense of belonging at Clark.

After presentations, BUILD grads earn a certificate. But the work isn’t over. The hope is that the BUILD grads will continue to participate in the BUILD community, engage in lifelong learning about equity work, and be an advocate for change throughout the college community.

Project Proposals

Before graduation, BUILD participants presented projects they developed using the equitable decision-making tool.

Universal Event Attendance Tracking Tool Proposal

Lisa Barsotti, Byron Ford, Nicola Lippetti, Caitlin Malvar, Susan Martin, Carly Rae Zent

This group decided to design a project proposal that would promote a sense of belonging through a better understanding of how campus events reach students. The project would take advantage of the new advanced data-tracking tool, Watermark, that Clark is currently working to implement.

Their universal attendance tracking tool would create a database for departments across campus to use and track attendance at their events. That way, by looking at disaggregated data, departments could find patterns in what student populations are underserved, and change event design and promotion to better accommodate underserved students.

The Evolve Experience Proposal

Laura Borgman, Stephanie Leeper, Nathan Stewart-Otto, Jonathan Woofter

This group proposed a project designed to reach people who responded to the climate survey and believe that “if I don’t see bias, it doesn’t exist.” They proposed bringing in an organization called the Red Door Project, which has a program called “The Evolve Experience.”

This experience uses theatre techniques to promote empathy between extremely polarized groups and explore nuances in complex relationships. Group 3 wishes to invite the Red Door Project to work with Clark on a custom experience that will resonate with the Clark community.

Employee Features Proposal

Angelina Albulov, Cheyanne Pfeifer, Tina Jenkins, Frani Morris, Dennis Blew

This group noticed that the climate survey indicated a lack of sense of belonging among staff and faculty. They worked to create a project that might increase belonging as well as break down silos between departments.

They proposed having rotating highlights of individual employees on ClarkNet, where employees will encounter them when seeking other information. The highlights could include specific information about what the employee does, what questions they can help with, as well as personal hobbies. The project also advocated for an employee forum.

A Common Read Proposal

Michael Caldwell, Teresa Hay, Kelly Love, Suzanne Southerland, Christi Williams

This group also identified the lack of a sense of belonging among staff and faculty. They proposed a project that would help foster community and belonging through conversation—a common read!

To make the experience more equitable, they propose a multi-modal version of a common read with different ways of engaging with the text, including audio and film. They hope the common read would engage employees and offer an easy way to start a conversation when meeting new folks, as well as promote deeper conversations.

What’s Next?

BUILD members will continue to develop their project proposals! If you’re interested in getting involved, feel free to reach out to group members.

Applications for the next BUILD cohort will open in the fall. If you have any questions or are interested, reach out to Andra Spencer (aspencer@clark.edu).

During their presentation, April Pereira, above, pointed at photos of their family members: their grandfather and great-grandfather. “They were my first allies.” Their older relatives always told them to be who they were.

At the queer students luncheon on June 2, Pereira shared how their childhood affected their identity and delayed them coming out as genderless and queer until later in life.

“I convinced myself that’s who I was”

Raised in the immigrant community of Fall River, MA, Pereira was “constantly under pressure to enculturate and assimilate”. The pressure increased when they moved from Massachusetts to California, where their interest in baseball and accent put them at odds with societal expectations. The AIDs epidemic, which raged on while they grew, added extra pressure to be “normal”.

“The more you adhere to ‘normalcy,’ the easier life was. So that’s what I did. I convinced myself I was a girl, and that’s who I became.” Pereira also cited their Gen-X attitude of pushing feelings aside as a way to cope with what was inside. “I was locking it in a closet all the time, and it came out in other ways.”

That included depression and post-partum depression, anxiety, unhealthy relationships, suicidal tendencies, and self-destructive actions.

How a collapse led to discovery

One day, the pressure became too much. They cracked in what they described as a Tacoma Bridge collapse, citing the famous 1940 incident. Finally going to therapy, they were diagnosed with gender dysphoria and body dysmorphia. They heard a clear message: “April, you need to be you… sit with your emotions.”

When Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) led them to intensive chemotherapy, they had hours to sit in a chair and little energy or brain power to do much but sit and think. Finally forced to sit with their emotions, they realized, “Why am I doing this to myself? Why am I letting other people define me? Why am I making space for others while making myself small?”

They overcame cancer. And they dug into their identity, revisiting their childhood years when their first allies stuck up for them. They learned more about their heritage. “We are a non-gendered culture. Gender is an action; it is a verb. We are egalitarian.” They realized, “Gender wasn’t something I had to think about as a kid.”

Pereira, motivated by showing up for their family, did the work to explore their identity and embrace being a person without gender. They came to understand it as a lifelong journey. “There was a time when identity was treated as a destination instead of the journey it is… It’s a practice. It’s a way of living.”

Today, April has been cancer-free for over a year and is strongly involved with the local queer advocacy community.

LGBTQIA2S+ Resources

• Local resources for those in the LGBTQIA2S+ community.
• Queer Agenda, a student-led club for those in the queer community and their allies.
• Email Bevyn Rowland if you’re interested in the Queer Employee Resource Group.

About Diversity Luncheons

Hosted by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, these luncheons highlight voices in our community. Each term, the series includes a Queer Student Luncheon, a Students with Disability Luncheon, and a Students of Color luncheon. The event provides both meaningful conversation and a delicious free lunch.

While this is the last luncheon this quarter, the series will start up again in the fall term.

Photos: Clark College/Carly Rae Zent

This year’s Juneteenth celebration had us “Feelin’ Some Kinda Way” as Poet Sylvia Welch would say! Held on June 9, Clark employees, students, and community members came together to honor our history as we celebrated a collective journey towards freedom and equality through food, music, and poetry.

What is Juneteenth?

Juneteenth (“June” plus “nineteenth”) is more than a day off or having cookouts. It’s a day to reflect on the struggles, the resistance, and the unwavering determination of those who came before us. On June 19, 1865, the news of freedom finally reached more than 250,000 enslaved people of Texas, the last to be officially recognized as free.

As stated in an article from The New York Times’s archives: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.” (General Orders, Number 3; Headquarters District of Texas, Galveston, June 19, 1865.)

On June 17, 2021, former President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, commemorating the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States and marking a pivotal moment in American history. Juneteenth signifies the end of a brutal system and the beginning of a long journey towards racial equality. It reminds us of the resilience and hope within our community.

Soulful Flavors

Chef Earl Frederick, pictured above center, from Culinary Arts prepared a feast of soul food for the event, the mouth-watering scents of Jamaican jerk chicken and Taino roasted pork wafting through the air as attendees joined the line that wrapped around the Student Center.

Plates were piled high with servings of various foods that reflect Black history and culture:

• Taino Roasted Pork
• Jamaican Jerk Chicken
• Creole Shrimp Gumbo
• Coconut-Ginger Rice
• Arroz con Gandules (Rice and Pigeon Peas)
• Tomato-Avocado Salad with Pikliz (Haitian Pickled Vegetable Relish)
• Freedom Punch (Hibiscus Drink)
• Mini Red Velvet Cupcakes

Storytelling through Performance

The theme of this year’s performance was “Feelin’ Some Kinda Way.” It was a powerful collaboration between MarcusAntonio Gunn and Syliva Welch as they intertwined their songs and poems into one impactful performance.

Intertwining their artistry, Sylvia and MarcusAntionio shared the strengths, vulnerabilities, and observations of the Black experience. Whether it be through MarcusAntionio’s rendition of Go Down, Moses – his operatic voice filling the room with images of resilience – or by exploring how closely lived experiences are tied to identity through Sylvia’s poem, “Still Here,” from her latest collection, Feelin’ Some Kinda Way. Each act captivated the audience with their themes of hope and perseverance. With flawless transitions between each song and poem, the artists highlighted how, no matter what your craft may be, we are all on this journey together.

As we honor Juneteenth, we recognize that our stories weren’t just recorded in books – they were painted in murals, woven into songs, and whispered across generations. Art has served as a powerful form of nourishment and empowerment, which has always been at the core of our survival, healing, and liberation. It carried our truths, and it held our joy when Black joy and identity were criminalized. We are reminded that Juneteenth is not a day to mourn – it’s a day to reclaim.

About the Artists

MarcusAntonio hails from a family steeped in tradition—ministers, storytellers, musicians, and vocalists. Though surrounded by talented instrumentalists, he found his true calling as a vocalist. His journey led him to Albany State University, an HBCU, where he was admitted through a presidential selection recognizing his vocal talent. There, he became the first in his family to receive formal vocal training, studying under Dr. Leroy Bynum and Dr. Deanna Weber with a concentration in Classical Technique.

Inspired by Georgia’s Civil Rights legacy, MarcusAntonio focused on Negro Spirituals—music that speaks to resilience, identity, and hope. He draws from icons like Jessye Norman and William Warfield, and his repertoire includes works by Burleigh, Hogan, and Moore. At ASU, he performed with the Jazz Band, Theater Troupe, and Advanced Choral Ensemble, and is a proud charter member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia’s Rho Delta Chapter.

Sylvia Welch lives in Woodland, Washington, and is a wife, mother, daughter, grandmother, great-grandmother, a world traveler, adventurer, a fabric artist, and last but hardly least, an author. She began writing poetry at the age of 73, published her first book at the age of 75, and is working on her next poetry book.

Sylvia grew up in the 50s, during a time of obvious racial inequities and attended college in the mid-60s when racial, social, and political injustices were prevalent and the times were only slightly better for most African Americans. Those times produced lessons and experiences that have led to emotions, feelings, and actions that have helped her age into understanding. Her hope is to continue to do so because she has learned that understanding, like the light of day and darkness, doesn’t come all at once.

Celebrate Juneteenth in the Community

We encourage Clark employees and community members to get involved with organizations and community events to celebrate Juneteenth, including the 4^th Annual Juneteenth Freedom Celebration in Vancouver on June 14, where Clark’s ODEI will be tabling. For questions or more information, reach out to diversity@clark.edu.

View more photos on our Flickr page.
Photos: Clark College/Jenny Shadley

At the Students with Disability luncheon this past Tuesday, May 23, Alyssa Montminy said “When I think about my time as an adult I often think about diagnosis, life stages, and where I was.”

The event—that comes with free lunch for attendees—is part of a series planned by Clark’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to inspire students and faculty by sharing the stories of community members.

Stages of diagnosis

Alyssa described her series of diagnoses—first, the depression that was diagnosed in college, then the postpartum depression she experienced after each of her two boys (Bentley and Finley). While she anticipated having children would be hard, she said “I was woefully underprepared for how severe that situation would be.”

Most recently, “through TikTok I realized I had ADHD. And the boys had it too.” They worked through the formal diagnostic process together. Alyssa shared that women typically get diagnosed later in life, because the research on the condition was all conducted on young white boys like her sons.

As Alyssa’s children grew, she discovered her anxiety was something more and received an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) diagnosis. She learned OCD does not always fit into the stereotypes, and that the compulsive rituals around her anxiety was enough to qualify her for the diagnosis, despite her consistently messy desk.

She said, “It doesn’t get better… there’s not a magic wand. We find ways to overcome. We do get stronger.”

Being brave in self-advocacy

Because stereotypes about mental health don’t always align with reality, Alyssa has found that doing research and hearing the experiences of others can be helpful information in looking for a solution. As she put it, “Sometimes Googling symptoms is a good idea.”

That information can help you be an advocate for yourself. Alyssa has asked for accommodations like cross-stitching during meetings.

“Sometimes it’s really scary,” she said. “Sometimes I tell myself that I have pink hair and people with pink hair are not afraid of standing up for themselves.”

She recommended finding community in your workspace so that you can advocate together, instead of being alone.

Quick Self-Care Tools

Alyssa passed out flyers with self-care tips.

54321 method

This grounding method engages the 5 senses of your body to keep you in the present moment. It is a type of mindfulness that is helpful in stopping anxiety or panic in the moment. The steps are:

1. 5 things you can see: Look around and name 5 things that you see.
2. 4 things you can touch: Touch 4 different textures.
3. 3 things you can hear: Identify 3 different sounds around you.
4. 2 things you can smell: Identify 2 things you can smell around or on you.
5. 1 thing you can taste: Either identify the taste currently in your mouth, or try a drink or food item.

Breathing exercises

Breathing is a quick way to ground yourself, calm down and relax your body and mind. When doing any breathing exercise, focus on breathing from your diaphragm.

1. Flower/bubble breathing: Take a slow deep breath in like you are inhaling the scent of your favorite flower. Hold that for a few moments then slowly blow out the air like you are trying to blow soap bubbles. When you exhale for longer than you inhaled, your body has an automatic relaxation response.
2. Square Breathing: Breathe in for a count of 4, hold your breath for a count of 4, breathe out for a count of 4 and hold your breath for a count of 4.

Other ways to take care of yourself

1. Journaling: Take just 5-10 minutes a day to write down whatever comes to mind. It doesn’t have to make sense or go together. Just write whatever comes to mind.
2. Find comfort: Drinking warm tea, eating comforting foods or surrounding yourself with comforting items such as blankets can calm your nervous system.
3. Keep a routine: Try to maintain a daily routine that includes waking up and going to bed at the same time every day, eating regular meals and snacks, moving your body and completing daily tasks.
4. Take mindful walks: Movement can help you get rid of stress hormones, clear your mind and focus on the moment.
5. Listen to music: Music can help relieve stress, calm you down or connect you to something that you have been missing.
6. Find community: Connect with others that understand what you are going through. Eat together, go on walks or just share space while you do something comforting.

Next Luncheon

The Queer Student Luncheon will be held June 3, 12–1 p.m.

Clark College Disability Access Center

Location on main campus: Penguin Union Building (PUB) 013
Web: https://www.clark.edu/dac
Main phone: 360-992-2314
Video phone for ASL: 360-991-0901
Email: dac@clark.edu

Photos: Clark College/Jenny Shadley

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. 

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

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.”

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.”

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.

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:

• “Disabled people are not your feel-good back-pats” by Lydia X. Z. Brown
• Models of Disability Tip Sheet from Mobility International

Connect with the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI):

• In-person: Diversity Center, Gaiser Hall 214
• Phone: 360-992-2292
• Email: diversity@clark.edu
• Website: www.clark.edu/cc/diversity

Photos: Clark College/Carly Rae Zent

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.

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.

Learn more: Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (clark.edu)

Photos: Clark College/Carly Rae Zent

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’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.”

Learn more about Oluo here.

Keynote Addresses from Virtual Sessions

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
• Washington State University
• West Valley College
• Western Washington University

Workshop presenters represented included:

• BJS Consulting
• Clark County Public Health
• Crown & Heart Healing
• Co3 Consulting, LLC
• DAWN
• Education Policy Improvement Center
• Kaiser Permanente
• Love and Justice Consulting, LLC
• Me Out Loud, LLC
• Multnomah County
• Museum of Nature
• NAACP
• Parfait Bassalé Consulting
• PeaceHealth Hospice
• Share the Flame
• Story Spark Collective
• Washington Student Achievement Council
• Whatcom County
• Whatcom WAVES
• Wild Iris Consulting, LLC
• With the End in Mind, LLC

Thanks to these conference sponsors:

• Community Foundation for Southwest Washington
• Clark College
• CareOregon
• College Spark Washington
• Oregon Department of Transportation
• PeaceHealth

Learn more

• Access the complete Conference Agenda
• NWREC on the web: NW Regional Equity Conference (clark.edu)
• 2026 NWREC is scheduled for February 11-13, 2026

Chishayla Kimmons’ educational journey has been anything but ordinary—but that’s exactly what makes it so inspiring. As the president of Clark College’s Black Student Union and a soon-to-be graduate in business and marketing, Kimmons took center stage at the Winter Students of Color Luncheon on February 6 to share her story of perseverance, purpose, and resilience. From navigating multiple colleges to finding her home at Clark, she embodies the power of determination and the impact of community.

The free event is presented each term by Clark’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Multicultural Student Affairs. The purpose of the student luncheons is to allow students and employees to hear inspiring stories, connect with faculty, meet new friends, consider different career paths, and identify community resources and potential mentors.

President of the college’s Black Student Union, Kimmons’ educational journey hasn’t been linear and has never been traditional. She started at Portland Community College and then attended Arizona State University. Next, she enrolled at Aveda Institute and currently is a student at Clark College. Her goal has always been to focus and finish what she started, even if she couldn’t finish where she initially started. She says her motto will always be to never give up while inspiring others.

Dr. Edwards wrote in her weekly email to faculty and staff: “I had the pleasure of attending the Students of Color Luncheon, where Chishayla Kimmons, who will graduate in June with degrees in business and marketing, shared her journey. After enrolling in several colleges, Chishayla found her place here at Clark. She expressed her appreciation for all the college has provided her.”

Q & A with Chishayla Kimmons

Q: How has your career path changed since you attended your first college classes at Portland Community College?

CK: Since attending my first college classes at Portland Community College, my focus has always been business. Now, I am heavily focused on business and marketing.

Q: Along your journey, did you experience an obstacle that made you change your course—and it turned out to be a better option for you?

CK: Having a child changed that course for me. Prior, I allowed life and outside factors to get in the way and to shift my focus, which resulted in me dropping out of college the first time. Having a child brought that initial hunger back. Now I am enrolled at Clark College, which in turn was a better overall option for me.

Q: What have you learned along your educational journey that you’d like to pass on as advice to Clark College students who are unsure of their career path?

CK: Something that I have learned is to try all the things! You don’t have to fit in a box. If you want to be an astronaut, be one. If you want to be an astronaut and a chef, be that! You may find that along your journey, you want to switch courses and that is okay too! Keep trying until you find that career that best suits you and who you are today!

Q: What other encouragement do you offer to students?

CK:

• Remember: It is never too late!
• Never, ever give up!
• Focus and finish!
• You got this!

Scholarships Awarded

Two Clark students were awarded scholarships during the Students of Color Luncheon:

• Mercy Kariuki, a student enrolled in the Pre-Nursing DTA program, was awarded the Constance Baker Motley Scholarship.
• Navjot Hundal, a student enrolled in the Dental Hygienist program, was awarded a DREAMers Scholarship.

The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI) offers these and other scholarships in partnership with the Foundation and the community. Apply at the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion by emailing Rosalba Pitkin at rpitkin@clark.edu or calling 360-992-2672.

SAVE THE DATE: Next DEI luncheon

• March 6 at noon: Students with Disability Luncheon in PUB 161

Connect with the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI):

• In-person: Diversity Center, Gaiser Hall 214
• Phone: 360-992-2292
• Email: diversity@clark.edu
• Website: www.clark.edu/cc/diversity

Students gathered in the Penguin Student Lounge on January 14 for the Winter Queer Luncheon, an event designed to foster community, connection, and belonging. This term’s guest speaker, Caitlin Malvar (they/them), didn’t come alone—they were joined by their therapy dog, Oso, who has become somewhat of a Clark College celebrity.

Malvar, the Basic Needs Navigator in Clark’s new Basic Needs Hub, delivered an address titled “Be Where Your Feet Are.” Hosted each term by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the free luncheon provides a welcoming space for queer students and allies to come together.

About Caitlin Malvar

Growing up with two supportive and competitive parents who had played collegiate sports, Malvar’s life centered around playing basketball—including playing in high school and collegiate basketball at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff.

But then the pandemic hit. All activities—including basketball—paused. Eventually, when activities slowly started up, Malvar left the team. They earned a master’s degree during COVID. Instead of a joyful commencement ceremony surrounded by classmates, family, and friends, they sat at a laptop and watched their name scroll down the screen.

Words of wisdom from Caitlin

• “Like all of you, COVID gave me downtime to reflect on what was important to me moving forward. After I graduated with my master’s degree, it was the first time that my life wasn’t planned by a basketball coach. I kept getting hung up on the idea that I have lived, breathed, and bled basketball for the last fifteen years of my life. How the hell would I do anything else? Am I anything else?”

• “Then I remembered I was a whole human being before basketball. Sure, my parents taught me to work hard, dedicate myself to my sports, and to win. With time and space to remember who I was before basketball, I remembered they also encouraged me to try new things, to appreciate the outdoors, to learn how to cook from scratch, and to be a great friend.”

• “During the next year, these were going to be the things I was intentional about reincorporating into my life.

With parental pressure to get a real-world job, Malvar decided that rather than move back home to Portland, Oregon to find work, they would stay in Flagstaff, a small city in the northern Arizona mountains. They got a barista job in a small coffee shop.

Malvar said, “In many ways, this small coffee shop gave me my life back.” Then they recited a long list of how their first post-college job impacted their life:

“What could have just been coffee turned out to be…

• Meeting people who would reignite my love for camping.
• Finding my first queer community.
• Trading lattes for freshly harvested vegetables to cook with.
• Discovering my furry best friend, Oso.
• Embracing creativity in new ways
• Mastering the art of pizza-making
• Learning how to live off the grid.
• Meeting the love of my life
• Finding friends who would visit us in Oregon, after we moved away.”

Malvar said, “Even now, I continue to learn that life is not a race. Life is not a competition. Life is not a game that you can win or lose.” And here’s a list of their lessons learned:

“For me, this life is about …

• Building a home with those that I love and trust.
• Gathering friends around a table, sharing endless bowls of soup.
• Learning how to make things with my hands.
• Taking Oso on new adventures so he can have new dreams.
• Embracing my queer self – loving who I am and who I am becoming.
• Becoming more than I ever imagined. And in so many ways, it feels like it’s only just starting.”

Malvar said, “Slowing down and being where my feet were was the single most important thing I did when I finished school.”

Then Malvar invited everyone to visit Oso and them in the Basic Needs Hub.

Learn more about the Basic Needs Hub:

Located at Gaiser Hall GHL 216Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.Contact: 360-992-2766 or email  basicneeds@clark.edu

• Basic Needs Hub Opens
• Why Basic Needs are Essential by Dr. Edwards

Connect with the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI):

• Diversity Center, Gaiser Hall 214
• 360-992-2292 or email: diversity@clark.edu
• www.clark.edu/cc/diversity

Save the Date: Next DEI luncheons

• February 6 at noon: Students of Color Luncheon in PUB 161
• March 6 at noon: Students with Disability Luncheon in PUB 161

Photos: Clark College/Susan Parrish