April 6, 2018

Media Contact:
Erin Tofte-Nordvik, director of diversity, equity and inclusion, (509) 682-6868
Livia Millard, multicultural affairs coordinator-Omak, (509) 422-7814
Libby Siebens, community relations executive director, (509) 682-6436 (Mon. – Thurs.)

In collaboration with YWCA, Wenatchee Valley College will present a Stand Against Racism event on campus Thursday, April 26. This event is free and open to the public.

The event will be held around the fountain from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be an opening ceremony featuring the Red Road Drummers of the Omak Red Road Association followed by opening remarks at 9:15 a.m. by Dr. Jim Richardson, WVC president; Jenny Pratt, YWCA executive director; and Frank Kuntz, City of Wenatchee mayor. The event will feature community members, WVC faculty, staff and students, and keynote speakers Dr. Gabriela Moreno and Frank Leon Roberts.

The schedule of events includes:

• 9:30 a.m.: “Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women” presentation by Earth Feather Sovereign, Colville tribal member
• 10 a.m.: “Mean Green: Nation Building Within Walls and Borders” presentation by Dr. Gabriela Moreno, New Mexico State University faculty
• 10:45 a.m.: “Our Common Future” presentation by Rich Brinkman, WVC faculty
• 11:15 a.m.: “Black Lives Matter” presentation by Frank Leon Roberts, New York University faculty.
• 11:30 a.m.: Lunch at the fountain provided by the Associated Students of WVC
• 12:15 p.m.: “White Privilege, Colorblindness & Institutional Racism” presentation by Erin Tofte-Nordvik, WVC director of diversity, equity and inclusion
• 12:30 p.m.: “Micro-slavery: Exploring the Illusion of Freedom in American Sports” presentation by Donte Quinine, South Seattle Community College faculty
• 1 p.m.: “Intersectionality of Race, Citizenship & Sexuality – a student perspective” presentation by Luz Estrada, president, and Rozie Escobedo, vice president, of the WVC Queer Straight Alliance Club
• 1:30 p.m.: “Environmental Racism” presentation by Joan Qazi, WVC faculty
• 2 p.m.: “Finding Your Political Voice” presentation by Kelly Anderson, WVC faculty
• 2:30 p.m.: Art expression contest winners presentation
• 3:15 p.m.: Closing remarks by Pratt and Tofte-Nordvik

There will also be two presentations offered the evening of April 26 for those who could not attend during the day. Both evening presentations are open to the public and will take place in Wenatchi Hall room 2106:

• 5-6 p.m.: “Mean Green: Nation Building Within Walls and Borders” presentation by Dr. Gabriela Moreno, New Mexico State University faculty.
• 6-7 p.m.: “Black Lives Matter” presentation by Frank Leon Roberts, New York University faculty.

For the first time, an art expression contest is being offered to students in conjunction with this event. Winners will be announced at 2:30 p.m. Students will then present or preform their art. First place will receive a $500 prize. Contest rules and details can be found at wvc.edu/StandAgainstRacism.

Sponsors for this event include: the YWCA; WVC Student Senate (Wenatchee and Omak); the WVC office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Omak campus Multicultural Affairs; Omak Red Road Association; WVC College Assistance Migrant Program; WVC Chicano/a Studies; the Wenatchee City Diversity Advisory Council; Molina HealthCare, Cascade Auto Center; United Way of Chelan and Douglas Counties; Northwest Immigrant Rights Project; and Together for Youth.

A Stand Against Racism event will also be held on the WVC at Omak campus April 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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Wenatchee Valley College enriches North Central Washington by serving educational and cultural needs of communities and residents throughout the service area. The college provides high-quality transfer, liberal arts, professional/technical, basic skills and continuing education for students of diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds. Visit our website, wvc.edu.