Feb. 8, 2021

Media Contact:
Marichuy Alvizar, equity and inclusion coordinator, 509-682-6865
Libby Siebens, community relations executive director, 509-682-6436 (Mon.-Thurs.)

In honor of Black History Month (February), ASWVC and the WVC English department have scheduled events featuring black artists and speakers.

The WVC English Dept. is teaming up with the WVC Sustainability Committee to bring writer and ornithologist Dr. Drew Lanham to campus (via Zoom) on Feb. 18 from 1-2 p.m. Dr. Lanham will give a reading and talk on the many intersections between race and the environment during this species moment when the life of the planet hinges on the decisions we make today. After his talk, Dr. Lanham will speak with student and staff members of the Sustainability Committee and address questions from the audience. This event is free and open to the public. Co-sponsors of this event include the Chelan-Douglas County Land Trust, Write on the River, the North Central Washington Audubon Society, Sustainable Wenatchee, the Wenatchee River Institute and A Book for All Seasons. Please send any questions about this event to instructors Derek Sheffield at dsheffield@wvc.edu or Dr. Joan Qazi at jqazi@wvc.edu. Register for this event wvc.edu/CampusLifeEvents.

The Associated Students of Wenatchee Valley College (ASWVC) and the WVC Office of Diversity and Inclusion present a virtual performance by dance group Step Afrika! on Thursday, February 25 at 2 p.m. Step Afrika! performances blend percussive dance styles practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities, traditional African dances and an array of contemporary dance and art. Step Afrika! promotes stepping as an educational tool for young people, focusing on teamwork, academic achievement and cross-cultural understanding. Learn more about Step Afrika! at stepafrika.org. Register for this event at wvc.edu/CampusLifeEvents.

An addition to these events, ASWVC has also created a YouTube playlist for Black History Month featuring black artists like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday and Nina Simone. Check out the playlist on YouTube at bit.ly/2LkNWv5.

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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.

Wenatchee Valley College is committed to a policy of equal opportunity in employment and student enrollment. All programs are free from discrimination and harassment against any person because of race, creed, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a service animal by a person with a disability, age, parental status or families with children, marital status, religion, genetic information, honorably discharged veteran or military status or any other prohibited basis per RCW 49.60.030, 040 and other federal and state laws and regulations, or participation in the complaint process. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies and Title IX compliance for both the Wenatchee and Omak campuses:

• To report discrimination or harassment: Title IX Coordinator, Wenatchi Hall 2322M, (509) 682-6445, title9@wvc.edu.
• To request disability accommodations: Director of Student Access, Wenatchi Hall 2133, (509) 682-6854, TTY/TTD: dial 711, sas@wvc.edu.