Whatcom Community College’s The Equity Project and WWU Community Dialogue Series Presents: Talkin’ Race

Whatcom Community College and Western Washington University students, faculty, staff, and Whatcom County community members are invited to a dialogue about race on Monday, June 4, from 3 to 5 p.m. at WCC Syre Student Center.

The spring conversation, "Talkin’ Race," continues the ongoing dialogue series and all are welcome. It is the third year in a row that Western’s Faculty Senate Social Justice and Equity Committee (SJEC) will sponsor a vital conversation about racialized differences in our community. SJEC is honored to partner with WCC Equity Project for the first time, and to expand the work of racial justice.

Participants are asked to register in advance by completing the form on Survey Monkey at this address: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RACE18

Parking for the event is free and open to the public. A map of Whatcom Community College can be found here

WCC and WWU are committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation in its services and programs. WCC and the Access & Disability Services office welcome people with disabilities. To request an accommodation, please contact ADS@whatcom.edu. Sign language interpreters provided. Please RSVP by June 1 to ensure language needs are met. 

The format will follow previous well-received programs, said Tim Costello, director of the Center for Service Learning. “Participants will meet in small groups to respectfully explore our differences in order to promote greater understanding,” Costello said.

A diverse team of facilitators from the student body, staff, faculty, and the community will guide the small groups. Various professional multicultural educators and experts in the field have provided training for the "Talkin’ Race" dialogue facilitators.

One participant reflected on the dialogue stating, “It was great hearing multiple perspectives because mine is limited. It allowed me to see what is universal, and other patterns that are either healthy or problematic.”

“Participating in the campus-wide dialogue about race was highly rewarding. I’m new to conversations like these and the chance to sit down for meaningful, challenging talks with a group of strangers was a transformative experience,” said Kessa Volland, a marketing and media coordinator for the Office of Communications and Marketing at WWU.

For more information, contact: Tim Costello, Director of the Center for Service Learning at Timothy.Costello@wwu.edu