The 21st Annual Womxn of Color Empowerment Dinner to be held May 16

The 21st Annual Womxn of Color Empowerment Dinner (WOCED), "Empowered Womxn: The Heart of the Revolution" will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 16, in the Wilson Library, 2nd Floor. The event will begin with a Silent Auction from 5-6 p.m. The plated dinner with the keynote speaker and student performers will begin at 6 p.m.

The WOCED is a signature annual event that highlights the voices and experiences of womxn of color who help to strengthen the WWU campus. At this event womxn learn about themselves on a deeper level as they share their struggles, triumphs, and experiences.  Together they lift each other up to achieve their goals. All funds raised at the event go to the WOCED Scholarship endowment. An annual scholarship is awarded to a continuing WWU student. The event also presents its annual Womxn of Color Empowerment Award.

This year’s keynote speaker is Cecily Hazelrigg Hernandez. Hazerlrigg Hernandez is the Court of Appeals Judge representing Skagit, Whatcom, Island and San Juan counties, and was elected into office last November. Judge Hazelrigg Hernandez is a WWU and Gonzaga School of Law alumna. Upon law school graduation, she returned to WWU as an adjunct instructor at Fairhaven College, an adjunct TESOL instructor and faculty mentor to MEChA de WWU. In 2008, Hazelrigg Hernandez was the recipient of the WWU Womxn of Color Empowerment Award.

Hazelrigg Hernandez comes from a line of fierce and powerful Tejanas who instilled in her a passion for advocacy and action.  Judge Hazelrigg Hernandez is the first in her family to earn a law degree, and first to hold an elected office.  More importantly to her, she is mother to two incredible humans with sharp minds and good hearts, and grandmother to an adventurous and utterly delightful toddler.

Tickets can be purchased at tickets.wwu.edu. Unable to attend? Please support the event by donating to the WOCED Scholarship.

To learn more about the Womxn of Color Empowerment Dinner, contact Joan Ullin, WOCED Chair, at Joan.Ullin@wwu.edu or (360) 650-7443.