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.”    

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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

Author and abolitionist educator Dr. Bettina L. Love closed out a week of events on campus that honored the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the National Day of Racial Healing. During the college’s annual MLK celebration presented by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the college community had opportunities to participate in three events designed to restore, educate, and empower.

Vanessa Neal, Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, summarized the week’s events: “What an honor to host Dr. Bettina Love on our campus to complete our week honoring Dr. King. Dr. Love’s words were thought-provoking and for me, affirming.”

She added, “The 2025 MLK Celebration at Clark College is more than a series of events—it’s a call to action. Whether through restorative practices, insightful dialogue, or powerful keynote addresses, this week will leave you inspired to continue Dr. King’s work of justice and equality.”

January 21 – Sound Bath

In alignment with the National Day of Racial Healing, we began our journey with a restorative healing space—a sound bath—a healing session that prepared participants to engage in the week’s events. It was an opportunity to connect within and find the balance needed to pursue equitable outcomes.

Sound bath therapist Hiroko Hibbard from Healing Hado led two sessions in Gaiser Hall 213. As people entered the room, she invited them to find a comfortable position on a yoga mat, the floor or a chair.  She uses crystal bowls, gongs, and other sound-healing instruments to create a tranquil atmosphere.

Referring to a sound bath as “one of the great preventative medicines,” Hibbard explained that a sound bath combines the healing power of sound frequencies and vibrations with aromatherapy. Participating in a sound bath can help reduce stress, balance energy, and promote overall wellbeing.

“Everyone will experience the power of sound frequency,” she said. Then as people settled in and breathed deeply, the sounds began reverberating throughout the room.

If you’re curious about what a sound bath is, here’s a video of a sound bath.

January 22 – Book Discussion

Vanessa Neal led a thought-provoking discussion of Dr. Bettina Love’s book, Punished for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal. The discussion preceded Dr. Love’s keynote address by exploring the historical and systemic barriers to educational equity and how we can envision healing pathways.

Tables were together to form a big circle in the Penguin Lounge, PUB 161 so that people could discuss some big ideas in Dr. Love’s book: telling your truth, white rage, erasure, school integration, reform and more.

Neal started by saying: “There’s not a closure piece to Dr. Love’s book. Accept non-closure. Be open to researching and learning on your own.”

Excerpts from the Book Discussion:

• “Why is truth telling so important to racial healing? Why is it important to center truth on racial healing?”
• “Our stories define us and how we interact with each other. Often, we make up stories about the person in front of us. When there’s space for truth, you realize you’re not the only one who experienced that.”
• “If we’re not speaking truth, whose life are we living?”
• “There was no space for Black children at school. They were actively erased.”
• “Erasure means I don’t acknowledge you as being human.”
• “When I think about erasure, I think of a pencil eraser. It takes deliberate, intentional effort to erase. It’s an engineering feat to erase—to dehumanize people.”

Vanessa Neal wrapped up the session by saying some progress has been made, but there is still so much work to be done. How do people do the work, but not get overwhelmed?

Neal asked, “So what is your action? What can you do? What will you do?”

Paraphrasing Michelle Obama, Neal said, “Do something. Pick something.”

January 23 – Keynote Presentation by Dr. Bettina L. Love

Wrapping up the college’s week of events honoring the legacy of Dr. King, Dr. Bettina L. Love spoke to an attentive audience in Gaiser Student Center. Dr. Bettina Love holds the esteemed William F. Russell Professorship at Teachers College, Columbia University, and is the acclaimed author of Punished for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal, a New York Times bestseller.

In her keynote, Dr. Love delved into the struggles and possibilities of creating a future rooted in abolitionist teaching. She is the author of We Want to Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom.

Abolitionist teaching is built on creativity, imagination, boldness, ingenuity, and rebellious spirit and methods of abolitionists to demand and fight for an educational system where all students are thriving, not simply surviving.

This event was open not only to the Clark community, but also to the greater community. Some educators had driven a distance to attend. One had taken a wellness day at work to attend.

Dr. Love provided insight into Dr. King’s work, beginning with his inspiring speech during the August 28, 1963, March on Washington and going up to the Poor People’s Campaign.

Excerpts from Dr. Love’s presentation:

• “Racism is a byproduct of capitalism and greed.”
• “Dr. King is saying for real justice, it’s about your values. If your values don’t change, what’s the point?”
• “Your fate is tied to another person’s fate. You don’t get to step out of this. We are entangled together.”

Dr. Love to college students: “You’re here not just to learn, but to be transformed by what you learn. If you don’t leave here with more critical thinking, more humanity, that’s a problem.”

Dr. Love quoted Dr. King:

“For years I labored with the idea of reforming the existing institutions of the South, a little change here, a little change there. Now I feel quite differently. I think you’ve got to have a reconstruction of the entire society, a revolution of values.” — Dr. King told journalist David Halberstam in April 1967

In Dr. King’s last book, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community, he wrote: “A year (after the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965), the white backlash had become an emotional electoral issue in California, Maryland and elsewhere. In several Southern states, men long regarded as political clowns had become governors or only narrowly missed election, their magic achieved with a ‘witches’ brew of bigotry, prejudice, half-truths and whole lies.”

Resources – Learn more about:

• Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King at The King Center website
• The Poor People’s Campaign at the National Civil Rights Museum
• Dr. King’s last book: Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community
• Google’s 25 years in search: The Most Searched: A Celebration of  Black History Makers (video)
• Dr. Love’s website, including her books and learning tools
• Clark College BUILD Bookclub questions created for We Want to Do More Than Survive, read Library article

All photos: Clark College
More photos from the keynote are available to view on our Flickr page.

Vice President of Instruction Dr. William “Terry” Brown shared his story with Clark students, faculty, and staff at the Fall Student of Color Luncheon on November 12 in PUB 161.

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.

Dr. Brown began by saying, “Today I have the opportunity to address the most important people here at Clark College—our students.”

Then he spoke directly to the students, weaving his personal stories into his narrative as a Black man growing up in Florida at the beginning of desegregation. He challenged societal norms, earning a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and then a doctorate.  

Dr. Brown said, “Never underestimate what students can achieve.”

He talked about how during the Civil Rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s, and how students were instrumental in bringing about societal change.

“When I look around this room, I see people who are fully capable of changing the world,” he added, “I am convinced that when capable, talented people are supported, there’s no limit to what they can achieve.”

He challenged students: “Nobody does anything really important by themselves. Surround yourself with people who will help you become successful.”

Decide who you want to be:

• Conceive your vision of yourself as a fully functioning human being.
• Choose – There’s power in choice: what you choose to be, where you choose to go, who you choose to spend time with. Not choosing is also a choice.
• Commit to where you’re going and what you’re doing.
• Challenge limitations, especially if they are self-imposed.

Dr. Brown told students: “Challenge your own limitations. Sometimes the biggest obstacles are the limitations we put on ourselves. To students of color, there are enough limitations out there. Don’t put limitations on yourself.”

He added, “People challenged my intellect, my competence, my identity, even my personhood.”

Here are some of the questions people have asked him:

• “Who the hell do you think you are?”
• “Why are you here?”
• “You’re too black.”
• “You’re too white.”

Dr. Brown said, “For the person of color, there will always be some challenge to your personhood. Take time every day to affirm your personhood. Your strengths. Your weaknesses. Where you come from. Where you’re going. This is a fight for our personhood.”

He spoke about the importance of finishing what we start: “Completing a task gives you a record of your accomplishment. You look back on what you’ve already done. That can be your guide to go forward.”

He charged the students to have the courage to conceive their vision of who they are and who they want to be, then to commit to their vision and achieve their vision. “It takes courage to see this through to the end.”

Dr. Brown concluded with a quote from author Marianne Williamson: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?”

Read a story here about Dr. Brown’s Penguin Talks presentation at Vancouver Community Library.

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

Photo: Clark College/Susan Parrish

Sandra Bush (they/them) has psychogenic non-epileptic seizure (PNES), a diagnosis that changed their life and also pushed them on a personal journey of discovery.

Bush, a Clark graduate and now Clark employee, shared their story with Clark students, faculty, and staff at the fall term Students with Disabilities Luncheon on October 22. The free event is presented each term by Clark’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The purpose of the 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.

Bush spoke about how they learned to cope with their diagnosis and stop allowing society to define them.

“Society is going to always have something to say about your ability or lack of,” Bush said, and added, “Society doesn’t always get to make the rules.”

Reaching this conclusion was a journey after hearing negative bias from society and from family members when they were growing up. “I have a hard time loving myself as I am… I’m doing work to figure out what that means.”

Their seizures, which are triggered by emotional stress or typical stress, can be dangerous and cause Bush to get hurt. The exact triggers for Bush’s condition have evolved over time. They have worked hard on managing emotional triggers and have developed strategies like listening to music or watching a funny video. At the same time, the condition makes it challenging to work through stressful emotions.

When Bush first started experiencing seizures, they were frightening and dangerous. Being a Black person experiencing medical issues also changed how Bush was treated. Bush shared a story about an early seizure episode when they were alone at a mall and only had time to call their mother before falling to the ground and becoming unresponsive. When someone saw Bush on the mall floor, they made the racist assumption that Bush was on drugs and decided to kick Bush to see if they responded. The person stopped kicking only when Bush’s mother screamed through the phone. Finally, someone called 911 to get Bush help.

For the record, Bush noted, that’s not how you should treat someone having a reaction to drugs, either. They said, “People don’t always respond best to something they don’t understand.”

Getting diagnosed required a lot of tests. Even after getting diagnosed, they experienced some challenging times. Bush spent their first week as a college freshman in the hospital.

Bush worked hard to understand how their disability does and does not limit them.

They advised: “Sit with it. Do research about your disability. What does it say you can and can’t do? Test it.”

Bush described their own process of trying smaller things—like starting with shorter walks—then working their way up. They also gained the courage to ignore the judgements of others and lean into interests and hobbies, like jewelry-making and rock hounding, that don’t trigger their condition.

Bush offered the audience six questions to help them on their own journey of discovery:

1. Who are you?
2. What makes you YOU?
3. Who’s holding power over you and why?
4. What do you need to let go of?
5. Do you respect and love yourself?
6. What does changing the narrative look like for you?

Save the Date:

Next DEI luncheon – Students of Color Luncheon in the Penguin Union Building (PUB), room 161 on November 12 at Noon.

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

Diane DeVore (formerly Hernandez-Olortiga) has achieved some notable “firsts.” She’s a first-generation college student, the first member of her family to come out as queer, and a first-generation Latina in her family in the United States.

An academic advisor at Clark, DeVore shared her story at the first Queer Student Luncheon of the academic year on October 8. The free event is presented each term by Clark’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to create community for students who identify as queer and allies.

DeVore grew up in Compton and Long Beach, California, and lived in a household committed to traditional gender norms, including her father who holds machismo world views. She was outed to her family when her father read her Myspace messages with her girlfriend. She said, “I was never afraid of myself, but I was scared of the world around me.” She was shaped by the pressure to come out early to a family that was not accepting.

When she had the opportunity to move out of her parents’ home, she took it. In college, she met queer and Indigenous mentors who allowed her to unlearn the gender norms and colonial thinking she grew up with. “In the queer community, especially, we ask ourselves hard questions… just by existing we are pushing against these boundaries every day.”

Her college journey was non-traditional. She dropped out twice but eventually earned her master’s degree in a primarily online program. She said “It’s okay to take breaks and step back. You’re not on anyone’s timeline but your own.”

When asked how her queer and Latina identities intersected, she said, “It took more unlearning than learning because of the machismo culture.”

Now, her relationship with her family is stable, she’s recently married, and she works at Clark helping students like herself navigate college.

She left students with three pieces of advice:

• “In the queer community, we are never really alone.”
• “Give yourself the space to grow and figure out who you want to become and unbecome.”
• “Together our stories help build for the next generation of queer community.”

Upcoming ODEI Luncheons

• October 22 @ noon: Students with Disability Luncheon in PUB 161
• November 12 @ noon: Students of Color 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

Photos: Clark College/Jenny Shadley