THE FACE OF DIVERSITY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
SPRING 2007
FOCUS ON:
SEXUAL ORIENTATION
THE LIGHT OF HOPE:
THE STORY OF LEOULE GOSHU THE Q CENTER:
Where queer students are at home
GAY & LESBIAN STUDIES COLLECTION:
UW Libraries houses one of the nation’s premier repositories
CELEBRATION 2007 FEOP TO HONOR ALAN SUGIYAMA
SPOTLIGHT MUSIC IN SCHOOLS PROGRAM
THE 360 VIEW:
A ROUNDUP OF PEOPLE & NEWS
SNAPSHOT A Splash of Color, Arreguin Style When the curator of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery asked Alfredo Arreguin, ’67, ’69 (above right), for his opinion of the gallery’s recent refurbishment, the accomplished Mexican American artist didn’t hold back. “I said it’s got too much grey and black and not enough color,” says the Seattle-based Arreguin, with a mischievous grin. The curator must have agreed; not long afterward, Arreguin was invited to participate in the gallery’s “Memory Portraits” exhibition, which runs from May 25-January 6, 2008. The 71-year-old artist’s vibrant depictions of Frida Kahlo (top left), Diego Rivera, Emilio Zapata and other Mexican and Chicano icons (such as Zapata’s Messengers, left) will have a prominent place in the museum, which already counts one of his paintings among its permanent collection. —Jasmine Moir Photos courtesy Chula Vista Media
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IN THIS ISSUE
Message from the UWAA ....................................................................................................................... 3 Points of View......................................................................................................................................... 4 Once Around Campus ............................................................................................................................ 5 “Americanese” to show this summer...................................................................................................... 5 Freshman class includes more minorities.................................................................................................. 5 Luis Fraga to head Diversity Research Institute......................................................................................... 5 COVER THEME: SEXUAL ORIENTATION The Light of Hope: The story of Leoule Goshu ..................................................................................... 6-7 The Q Center: Where queer students are at home................................................................................... 8 Gay & Lesbian Studies collection ............................................................................................................. 9 The 360 View: Diversity from Every Angle ............................................................................................. 10 In Memory ............................................................................................................................................ 11 Faces: Shaun Scott ................................................................................................................................ 12 Faces: Adie Chan .................................................................................................................................. 13 Spotlight: Music in Schools Program ..................................................................................................... 14 Campus Datebook ................................................................................................................................ 15 FEOP Celebration .................................................................................................................................. 16
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THE FACE OF DIVERSITY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON FOUNDED 2004 1415 N.E. 45th Street Seattle, WA 98105 Phone: 206-543-0540 Fax: 206-685-0611 E-mail: vwpoints@u.washington.edu VIEWPOINTS ON THE WEB: UWalum.com/viewpoints
VIEWPOINTS STAFF PUBLISHER: CHUCK BLUMENFELD, ’66, ’69 EDITOR: JON MARMOR, ’94 GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: MICHELE LOCATELLI, JESSICA SORENSEN EDITORIAL INTERNS: ALLISON ESPIRITU, JENNA CURRY LIAISON TO OFFICE OF MINORITY AFFAIRS: ROSA RAMON STAFF WRITERS: COURTNEY ACITELLI, ERIC MCHENRY, JULIE GARNER, JIM WILKIE PHOTOGRAPHY: KATHY SAUBER, MARY LEVIN, KAREN ORDERS
Vol. 3, No. 1, April 2007. Viewpoints is published in the fall and spring quarters. It is a publication of the University of Washington Alumni Association and the University of Washington. Opinions expressed are those of the contributors or editors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the University or the UW Alumni Association.
question that is commonly put to me as president of the UW Alumni Association is one I relish answering: How is the UWAA relevant to the University and the tens of thousands of students who pursue their dreams here? Here’s how: when you look behind our lecture series, football game parties, Viewpoints magazine and everything else we do, the UWAA staff and volunteers like me are fueled by one particular goal—helping students through scholarships. And we back up our words with action. In the past five years alone, the UWAA has brought in almost $1 million for student scholarships, including nearly $200,000 last year. With tuition going up all the time, raising money for scholarships is more important than ever. We at the UWAA were thrilled when President Mark Emmert unveiled the Husky Promise and Students First program to ensure that our state’s economically challenged residents could get an education. The UWAA is here to support the University. And that means supporting students—with free food during Finals Bites, with career assistance programs like Husky Career Network, and with need-based scholarships. That’s how the UWAA gives back to students and the community. I’m proud to lead our organization in its consistent and unwavering support of our next generation of Husky alumni. Gregg Blodgett UWAA President, 2006-07
VIEWPOINTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE PAUL RUCKER, ’95, ’02, Director of Alumni Relations, UWAA, Chair JERRY BALDASTY, ’72, ’78, Chair, UW Dept. of Communication GREGG BLODGETT, ’76, UWAA President SUE BROCKMANN, ’72, Director of Marketing, Communications and Revenue Development, UWAA LETOY EIKE, ’74, EOP Counselor/Coordinator COLLEEN FUKUI-SKETCHLEY, ’94, Diversity Affairs Specialist, Nordstrom ROGER L. GRANT, Director of Student Services, Office of Minority Affairs TAMARA LEONARD, Jackson School of International Studies SUZANNE ORTEGA, Dean, The Graduate School NORM PROCTOR, ’74, ’77, U.S. Small Business Administration LOIS PRICE SPRATLEN, ’76, UW Ombudsman JUDY YU, Director of Communications, Shoreline Community College GEORGE ZENO, Executive Director, Scholarships & Student Programs
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POINTS OF VIEW
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arm spring greetings to UW alumni, faculty, staff and students from your friends at the Multicultural Alumni Partnership! We are pleased to report that the Twelfth Annual MAP Bridging the Gap Breakfast was a resounding success! Co-Emcees Ms. Vivian Phillips and U.S. Congressman Jim McDermott were a hit with the 700+ guests in attendance, who made record-breaking contributions to student scholarships. We heard from the UW President and Vice President for OMA & Diversity, inaugurated a new Scholarship Award named after longtime MAP supporter Alfredo Arreguin, honored six Distinguished Alumni and Friends of Diversity and awarded six tremendous students with MAP scholarships. MAP members are actively engaged in events on campus and in our many multicultural, multi-ethnic communities. MAP was proud to co-host a Community Reception for the UW President at Mount Zion Church last fall along with its friends and supporters on the President’s Minority Community Advisory Committee. On campus, MAP members are involved in the newly reformed UW Diversity Council, the Search Committee for the new VP for OMA & Diversity, and the Friends of the Educational Opportunity Program Board. We are excited about the FEOP Celebration Dinner coming up and also a planned Diversity Conversation event to be held during Washington Weekend. MAP welcomes Charles Blumenfeld as the new Executive Director of the UW Alumni Association, and we are pleased to have been included in the recent nationwide search process. We welcome all supporters of diversity, equity and social justice to attend our monthly meetings, held at 5:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the UW Alumni House. Please join us!
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tudents from our communities are benefiting from a worldclass education at the UW. The efforts of alumni and community members have been major contributors to opening doors of educational opportunity. Positive change continues to be energized by your advocacy and support. In this regard, I am delighted to share some recent news with you. A new UW vision statement and goals document with diversity at its core is under development. Staff diversity is the focus of the UW’s first diversity specialist in the Office of Human Resources, Chesca Ward. Research and faculty diversity will fall to the newly hired Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement, Dr. Luis Fraga of Stanford University. On board this summer, Luis brings a national reputation for excellence in research and teaching as well as a personal commitment to diversity in higher education. Last fall, we applauded President Mark Emmert’s announcement of the Husky Promise. It is a guarantee that low-income students will have the opportunity to attend the UW. Closely linked is the new Students First program. Dedicated to raising additional money for need-based scholarships, this program will assist undergraduate, graduate and professional students. Our unity of effort is reaping meaningful change at the UW, in the lives of students, and for our communities. Your support, volunteer time and financial generosity are truly creating a brighter future.
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Justin Simmons, ’93 MAP President, 2006-2008
Sheila Edwards Lange, Ph.D., ’00, ’06 Interim Vice President and Vice Provost for Minority Affairs and Diversity
Campaign UW: Creating Futures, Make a Gift to Diversity Onlin ne giving http://uwfoundation.org/diversity Or co contact: Greg Lewis, Director of Development for Diversity, 206-685-3013, lewisg@u.washington.edu, Or mail checks to University of Washington, Attention: Greg Lewis, Box 352845, Seattle, WA 98195
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ONCE AROUND CAMPUS
“Americanese”
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film bassed on a novel by UW English Professor Shawn Wong will be
distributed nation nally this summer, thanks to its recent acquisition by New York-based entertainment company IFC C First Take. The film, “Americanese”, is a romance that deals with issues of race, ethnicity and d mixed-race heritage. “A lot of novels get optioned but never made into movies, and a lot of movies get made but not distributed. Th his is like a dream come true,” Wong said. Wong’s novel, “American Knees”, was originally published in 1995 and won the Northwest Booksellers Award d and 15th Annual Governor’s Writers Day Award of Washington. The film, directed by Eric Byyler and performed by an ensemble cast of Asian American actors, has received praise from criticss for its sharp storytelling and understated poignancy.
coming to a theater near you to help recruit, retain minority faculty new freshman class has
M O R E MINOR ITY S TUDENTS A new approach to admissions at the UW was likely responsible for producing a freshman class with more minority students. The number of Asian students in the freshman class increased by 154 over last year; Latino students increased by 58; African American students increased by 36; Native American students increased by 15 and Hawaiian/Pacific
Stanford University Professor Luis Fraga was hired by the University of Washington to head up the UW’s Diversity Research Institute and help recruit and retain a diverse faculty. Fraga, a highly accomplished and popular political science professor at Stanford, was named the University of Washington’s associate vice provost for faculty advancement in the Office of the Vice President and Vice Provost for Minority Affairs and Diversity in December. He starts in July. In his new role, Fraga’s primary mission will be to help diversify the faculty at the UW. As of fall 2005, about 15 percent of the UW’s more than 3,100 tenure-track faculty were minorities, of which more than two-thirds are Asian. The Diversity Research Institute is the focal point for UW research that generates new knowledge about diversity and institutional transformation. Fraga, 51, has studied the politics of race and ethnicity and voting-rights policy. He
Islander students increased by nine. A record 5,438 fresh-
is one of six prinicipal investigators on the
men enrolled last fall, the largest class ever.
Latino National Survey, the first-ever 16-state survey of Latino political attitudes, behavior and beliefs.
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FOCUS ON: SEXUAL ORIENTATION
Overcoming a life of trauma, a UW senior devotes his life to making the world a better place
HOPE
The light of STORY BY ERIC MCHENRY | PHOTOS BY KAREN ORDERS
For once, Leoule Goshu is at a loss. The usually voluble UW senior is sitting in an Indian restaurant on the Ave., with no idea what to order for lunch. It’s December 7, and he has just returned from New Orleans, where he spent 3½ months doing volunteer work in the still-devastated Lower 9th Ward. Seeing a menu, he says, is somewhat overwhelming.
“In the neighborhood where I lived at the University of New Orleans, for five miles, there is nothing, nothing,” he says. “Everything is wiped out.” Goshu, 23, was drawn to New Orleans the moment in September 2005 when he saw a photo of a dead woman floating facedown in the floodwater on the front page of the New York Times. Through the National Student Exchange, he arranged to attend the University of New Orleans for a semester. 6
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“I think what attracted me to New Orleans was trauma,” he says, “because I’ve had a traumatic life. Trauma is something that kind of connects the things that I do.” Goshu’s biography is not—to put it mildly—that of the typical UW undergraduate. He is the son of Ethiopian immigrants. He is gay. He is a victim of domestic abuse. And he is homeless—for the past three years he has lived in transitional housing provided by a homeless youth program.
Yet for all that he has endured, Goshu is keenly aware of his own privileged place in the world. The suffering that preoccupies him is the suffering of others. “I get very angry at privilege,” he says. “I really do. And even though I’m incredibly privileged to be at the UW, I think that privilege comes with responsibility. And I think that a lot of people view their responsibility as charity.” Goshu has tried not to make that mistake himself. While pursuing two degrees at the UW—in communication and the comparative history of ideas—he has found time to volunteer with the Seattle MPowerment Project, promoting HIV/AIDS prevention and alcohol /drug awareness among gay youth. He created a queer college guide, cleverly titled “Q-Tips.” And he helped build up the membership and reputation of the UW’s Gay,
FOCUS ON: SEXUAL ORIENTATION
Above, Leoule Goshu chats with caseworker Debbie Rieschl at the University District youth transitional home where Goshu stayed when he was homeless. Below, MPowerment Supervisor William Borden (from left) shares a laugh with Goshu and MPowerment Outreach Coordinator Ken Myers while meeting at the MPowerment offices in Capitol Hill.
Bisexual, Lesbian and Transgender Commission while serving as its president. The Advocate magazine recently named him a “Future Gay Hero.” “He’s a very vocal and visible figure,” says Jennifer Self, coordinator of the Q Center, a support center for gays and lesbians at the UW. “He helped
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create the Q Center and GBLTC Welcome Luncheon, which has become a signature event for us. “And he got a group of administrators to meet with queer students in what was called a ‘donut dialogue,’ where they could talk about what it’s like to be queer on this campus. I mean, he just made that happen. Not many students have that kind of pull with administrators.” In New Orleans, where he began his senior thesis on grassroots anti-racism organizing, Goshu also helped set up a free community health clinic for residents of “the Lower 9.” “That whole area doesn’t have any free health clinics whatsoever,” he says. “And for me, having access to health services literally saved my life when I was homeless.” In a way, Goshu has always felt homeless—he never felt welcomed by any environment. As a boy in Tacoma, his parents taught him to be proud of his ethnic identity, but also instilled in him a deep sense of shame about his homosexuality. And they were physically abusive to him and his sister, he says. For his first two years as a UW student, Goshu commuted from Tacoma. His parents, he says, refused to provide the University with a tax return or sign any of the financial aid forms that would have allowed him to live on campus. “They used it as a means of control over me,” he says. On his 20th birthday, he moved out. With no way to support himself, he spent three months on the streets before finding transitional housing,
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“Even though I’m incredibly privileged to be at the UW, I think that privilege comes with responsibility. And I think that a lot of people view their responsibility as charity.”
where he has stayed ever since. It’s more affordable than living on campus, he says, and the services have helped him cope with estrangement from his family. Since becoming financially independent of his parents, he has paid for college with a mix of need- and merit-based financial aid, including a $17,000 Flip Wilson Scholarship for aspiring black journalists. Even in environments known for their tolerance, Goshu says, he has often found just the opposite. In shelters, his sexuality sometimes meant abuse from other homeless people—including other
Ethiopians. At the UW, although he has thrived academically, he has often felt like an outsider. “I am treated differently, no question,” he says. “My voice is only accepted in certain spaces and for certain causes.” Goshu is spending the spring quarter in South Africa studying the effects of racial apartheid on
“I want to be more involved in creating solutions.”
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the country’s gay community. After finishing up his second degree in June, he’ll be off to graduate school. He’s not sure where, but a prestigious Public Policy and International Affairs Fellowship should pay for most of it. “That’s the big irony,” he says with a chuckle. “I don’t necessarily believe in social mobility, and here I am using capitalism to advance my education. I’m a contradiction.” He looks forward to studying urban social policy at the next level—and not just in theory, he says. “I think that’s kind of what the problem with my education was—there wasn’t a whole lot of applying going on. Lots of critiquing, but not a lot of applying. I want to be more involved in creating solutions.” Eric McHenry is a Viewpoints staff writer.
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FOCUS ON: SEXUAL ORIENTATION
THE Q CENTER Where Queer Students Feel at Home STORY BY COURTNEY ACITELLI | PHOTO BY KAREN ORDERS UW graduate student Jennifer Self (right) runs the Q Center, a popular hangout for GLBT students.
It’s a rainy Thursday during the normally quiet week after the holiday break, and the Q Center is buzzing. Four students are chatting on the colorful lounge area’s couches and another drops by to use one of the Q’s computer kiosks. Ask for the center’s director, Jennifer Self, and she stands up from one of the couches, where she had blended right in with the students. This accessibility prompts one student there to introduce her as “the Q Center’s most valuable resource.” The Q Center, now in its third year, is equal parts hangout, drop-in counseling center and resource library. The Q, as the center is called by
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its 100+ visitors a week, and which stands for “queer,” is housed in Schmitz Hall and is the campus resource for students, faculty and staff who identify themselves as GLBTQTQI and their allies. Wait just a minute. GLBTQTQI? “Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, questioning, two-spirit, queer, and intersex,” explains Self, ’05, who holds a master’s degree in social work and has directed the center since its inception in 2004. If some of those terms seem foreign to you, you’re not alone (see sidebar). They are all included in one large acronym to promote the center’s self-professed atmosphere of inclusiveness. This friendly climate helped catapult the University of Washington to one of the top 100
colleges and universities for gay college students according to The Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students. So what, exactly, is the Q Center doing that sets it apart from other campus resources? In addition to the counseling and resource materials, the center hosts a weekly Bible study called “Queerying Scripture,” where 15-20 participants read the Bible from a “perspective of inclusiveness,” according to Self. “This is often the No. 1 issue,” she says. “How do I reconcile being queer with my faith?” Also, the center hosts student organizations such as Qolors and the Queer People of Color Alliance. Q Center regulars also look forward to two annual signature events, the Welcome Luncheon at the beginning of the school year and Lavender Graduation in June. Along with its events, the Q Center continues to grow. Casey Wynecoop, one of the center’s part-time employees, says he sees 10-20 new students at the center a week. Kimberly Warren, a senior who has stopped in at one of the computer kiosks, says, “It’s an extremely comfortable environment.” Campus entities are taking notice. More than 500 students, staff and faculty have participated in the Q Center’s free “Safe Zone” training, which provides education and resources to help prevent discrimination at the UW. Self is now beginning to look toward the future. “We don’t have a ton of alumni involvement yet,” she says, “so that’s a missing piece.” She also mentions the need for more funding, as the center has funds for only a part-time director. “The director job is easily 60 hours right now,” she says. Today, “countless” volunteers and a handful of work-study students keep the Q running. It’s a good thing, because with a bustling hangout, a popular director and a national reputation, the Q Center’s work is just beginning.
Courtney Acitelli is a Viewpoints staff writer. She is also the UWAA’s alumni relations manager for specialinterest groups.
FOCUS ON: SEXUAL ORIENTATION
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work in political science, Germanics, linguistics and philosophy. Today, the UW houses one of the largest Gay and Lesbian Studies collections among academic institutions in the nation. In addition, its focus on Pacific Northwest materials is unmatched, Fritz says. In the beginning, with no initial funding, the Gay and Lesbian Studies collection could grow only when other departments purchased material. Later, the undergraduate library developed a budget of about $4,000 a year, allowing Fritz to make some purchases. A huge boost came in June 2000, when an endowment was started to create a documentary collection and record of the gay and lesbian community in the United States and the Pacific Northwest, in particular. The collection has 10,000 volumes dispersed throught the UW Libraries. The Charles J. Harbaugh Papers and the Tim Mayhew Collection on gay rights are among Fritz’s proudest additions.
THE QUEER
GLOSSARY
What in the world is GLBTQTQI? Many of us are familiar with the terms gay, lesbian and bisexual—the GLB of the acronym— but what are the other terms?
T – Transgender People who identify with a gender role (male or female) that is different from the one to which they were assigned at birth.
Q – Queer A word that is meant to encompass the spectrum of people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or any of the following terms.
T – Two-spirit A Native American word for a “3rd or 4th gender,” i.e., having a female and a male spirit in the same body. Historically, “two-spirit” was used in tribes to describe transgendered people. Today, like “queer,” two-spirit can be used in a variety of situations when describing various sexual orientations and gender identities.
Q – Questioning This term refers to anyone who is considering or questioning his or her own sexual orientation and gender identity.
I – Intersex A term for people who were born anatomically undifferentiated, meaning that there may be both sets of genitalia or non-specific genitalia at birth. Sometimes intersex people are assigned a gender at birth, but do not grow up feeling as if they identify with that gender. Source: Jennifer Self, The Q Center
Jim Wilkie is a Seattle free-lance writer.
Librarian Alvin Fritz displays some of the colorful materials that are part of the UW’s Gay and Lesbian Studies collection in the UW Libraries. Photo by Karen Orders.
AT A GLANCE GAY AND LESBIAN STUDIES COLLECTION
Gay & Lesbian Studies collection shines BY JIM WILKIE Anyone conducting research in Gay and Lesbian Studies has an increasing supply of materials and can find them much easier than ever before, thanks to the University of Washington Libraries—and librarian Alvin Fritz in particular. “We did not have anyone specifically working on gay materials until about 10 years ago,” Fritz says. “I began to do it just informally because, as the political science librarian, I was noticing how there was more gay politics coming up, and I began to wonder what is our collection like generally.” After compiling a bibliography, Fritz eventually was asked to become the coordinator for Gay and Lesbian Studies in addition to his
The Gay and Lesbian Studies collection at the UW Libraries is one of the foremost collections of its kind in the nation. Here are some highlights: • The Gay and Lesbian Studies collection has more than 10,000 volumes dispersed widely throughout the UW Libraries. • From September 2005 to September 2006, the collection added 650 acquisitions. • Complete information, including a bibliography of cataloged holdings and links to Northwest, national, international organizations and publications, on the Gay and Lesbian Studies collection at the UW Libraries can be found at http://faculty. washington.edu/alvin/
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360° VIEW: DIVERSITY FROM EVERY ANGLE
Milestones
People in the News
Millie Russell, ’80, ’86, ’88, a UW administrator, teacher, mentor and adviser who is credited with helping foster the University of Washington’s biggest efforts on behalf of diversity, is retiring this summer after more than 30 years at the University. The UW Department of Communication selected seven alumni into its Hall of Fame, including: Rita Brogan, ’72, ’75, 1 owner and CEO of Pacific Rim Resources; the late Patricia Fisher, ’68, longtime local journalist and mentor to many African American journalists; and Randy Y. Hirokawa, ’77, ’80, 3 dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Hawaii-Hilo. Appointed to the state Liquor Control Board by Gov. Christine Gregoire, ’69, ’71, are attorney Lorraine Lee, ’80, and public affairs project consultant Ruthann Kurose, ’77. James Sun, ’99, 2 is one of the candidates on the current season of “The Apprentice,” Donald Trump’s popular reality show that premiered in January. Sun is the founder and CEO of Zoodango. com, a Web-based professional networking company. Sun and his family immigrated to the U.S. from Korea when he was 4 years old. The Asian American Baptist Caucus appointed Herb Tsuchiya, ‘58, as its national president for the next two years. Science Spectrum magazine presented Tammara Combs Turner, a UW doctoral student, with a 2006 Emerald Honors Award. The UW School of Medicine’s MEDEX Northwest program—which trains physician assistants—will coordinate the first year of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium program that will train dental health aide therapists to provide dental services for Alaskan Natives living in remote and rural communities in Alaska.
Roberto Maestas, ’66, ’71, received the Thomas C. Wales Passionate Citizenship Award. He is the executive director of El Centro de la Raza, a Seattle social-service agency. Oscar Eason, recipient of MAP’s 2006 Dr. Samuel E. Kelly Award, received the 2006 Civil Rights Award from the American Jewish Congress. He is chairman of the Washington State Commission on African American Affairs. Alan Sugiyama, ’84, executive director of the Center for Career Alternatives, and Ick-Whan Lee, who worked 1 to save the UW’s Korean Studies Program, were presented with Lifetime Achievement Awards at the Top Contributors to the Asian Community banquet in December. Top Contributor Awards went to MAP co-founder Vivian Lee, ’58, ’59, and Dr. Douglas Louie, ’77, ’81, ’85, ’91, ’92, and his wife, UW Tacoma Professor Belinda Louie, ’82, ’84, ’88, ’91, who donated $25,000 to the UW Tacoma Library. Diane Narasaki, ’77, executive director of the Asian Counseling and Referral Service in Seattle, received two awards: the Legislative Advocacy Award from the King County Department of Community and Human Services, and the Local Hero Award from Bank of America.
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Minority Community Advisory Committee Celebrates 10th Anniversary Ten years ago, the Minority Community Advisory Committee was created to help the University of Washington improve communication with the African American, Latino, Native American, Asian and Pacific Islander communities of Washington state. The 12-person panel meets three times a year to advise UW President Mark Emmert on the University’s efforts to increase student, faculty, staff and academic diversity. Members of the Minority Community Advisory Committee are Rodrigo Barron, Willard Bill, Oscar Eason, Larry Gossett (chair), Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney, Vivian Lee, Roberto Maestas, Eric Pettigrew, Mary Pugh, Reider H. Smith, Alan Sugiyama, Kip Tokuda and Romayne Watt. To contact the Minority Community Advisory Committee, contact Chairman Larry Gossett at larry.gossett@metrokc.gov or call him at 206-296-1002.
UW Tacoma
UW Bothell
The UW Tacoma Education Program honored Chief Leschi School in Puyallup with a 2006 Professional Education Award. The school’s recent reading reform effort has dramatically improved test scores in the K-12 tribal school. A principal and three teachers who worked on the reform are alumni of UW Tacoma’s education program.
UW Bothell’s Gay-Straight Alliance will celebrate its second anniversary this spring. Established in 2005 by a group of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences students, the Gay-Straight Alliance on May 16 will hold a panel discussion entitled “Sexual Justice in Religion.” Representatives from diverse backgrounds representing different faiths who also have ties to the LBGT community will speak about how they have integrated their faith with their supportive lifestyle of the gay community. The talk runs from 6-8 p.m. in Room UW2-021.
A $25,000 endowment was given to the UW Tacoma Library by Dr. Douglas Louie, ’77, ’81, ’85, ’91, ’92, 4 and his wife, UW Tacoma Education Professor Belinda Louie, ’82, ’84, ’88, ‘91. It is the first endowment given to the UW Tacoma Library. The couple (right) also donated 5,000 books to the library.
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As part of a new initiative to further the relationships between creativity, the arts and economic and social enterprises in King and Snohomish counties, UW Bothell in January hosted Lynn Manning, an award-winning playwright, poet and actor who has been completely blind since 1978 when he was shot n the face by an unknown attacker. Manning shared part of his one-person show, “Weights,” which traced Manning’s life from his impoverished childhood in Los Angeles to the present through poetry, music and narrative.
in memoryy
The University of Washington recently lost several prominent proponents of diversity members of underrepresented minorities who made a big impact on our lives. Sami H. Abulhosn Sami H. Abulhosn, ’66, a Lebanese native who was a big supporter of Seattle’s Druze community, died October 27. He was 72. A longtime accounting professor at North Seattle Community College, he helped fund the building of a school and medical clinic for the disadvantaged and poor in Lebanon. Andhi Praja Isarankura na Ayuthaya Andhi Praja Isarankura na Ayuthaya, ’60, who devoted his career to developing sustainable fishing techniques in underdeveloped countries throughout Asia and the Pacific Islands, died September 6.
Joselito Alvarez Barber Joselito Alvarez Barber, ’04, a Seattle police officer, died August 13 after a car ran a red light and struck his patrol car. Barber, who received his degree from UW Bothell, was among eight percent of sworn Seattle officers who identify themselves as Asian. He had been working for the police department for only two months when he was killed. He was 26. Katie Dolan Katie Dolan, a former UW student who was a pioneering activist for
the rights of disabled people in Washington, died November 11. She was one of the backers of the Washington’s Education for All Act, the first such law in the nation that gave children a constitutional right to education in the public schools, regardless of disability. She was 82.
Addis Gutmann Jr. Addis Gutmann Jr., ’53, who served as a trustee for the Friends of the Educational Opportunity Program for many years, died September 2. He was 76. Deborah Kaplan Deborah Kaplan, a UW journalism professor who wrote about such social justice issues as homelessness and migrant farm workers, died
November 12. She was the founder of a newspaper for street teens called Motown Teen. She was 53. James Palais James Palais, a UW professor who was one of the world’s most respected scholars on Korean history, died of chronic leukemia on August 6. Palais, who taught at the UW from 1968-2001, is credited with founding the field of Korean history studies in the U.S. and he trained more than half of all Ph.D. recipients in Korean history who are in the field in the U.S. today. He was 72.
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FACES: SHAUN SCOTT
His camera turns the
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“I try to present history as just history… and I ttry to embrace and understand my subjectivity as much as I can.”
“I try to present history as just history,” Scott explains, “and I try to embrace and understand my subjectivity as much as I can.” Most of Scott’s interview subjects are Seattlearea authors and professors, which ends a local, familial quality to his work. And he doesn’t shy away from controversial topics, either. “If I can get people to say, ‘What do you want me to do about
{ } “It’s about finding positive solutions for people—that’s my ultimate goal, along with saying something substantive.”
n Scott makes documentary films about social issues. Photos by Karen Orders.
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FACES: ADIE CHAN [a problem]?’ then I’ve done my job,” he says. “It’s about finding positive solutions for people—that’s my ultimate goal, along with saying something substantive. People are much more receptive when it’s said through film.” Scott, who plans to go to graduate school after he graduates from the UW this spring, will continue to make films “as long as I’ve got something new to say with the medium.” With five films under his belt before age 22, it seems certain Shaun Scott will find plenty more to say. Courtney Acitelli is a Viewpoints staff writer. She is the UWAA’s alumni relations manager for special-interest groups and has a journalism degree from the University of Georgia.
Three films by University of Washington senior Shaun Scott that focus on race relations and local history are part of the Seattle Civil Rights and Labor Project, directed by UW History Professor James Gregory. Based at the UW, the Seattle Civil Rights and Labor Project collects oral, written and multimedia accounts of Seattle’s early and continuing struggles with race, cultural identity and labor issues. •“The End of Old Days” narrates a century of African American experiences in Seattle. • “A Really Nice Place to Live” examines Seattle’s long history of racial inequality and segregation. • “A Family Affair” relates the struggles of Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino Americans. Each film is 10-15 minutes in length and can be watched online in several formats. They can be found at: http://depts.washington.edu/civilr/films.htm Source: Seattle Civil Rights and Labor Project Web site: http://depts.washington.edu/civilr/
EOP Counselor Adie Chan (center, in red sweater) has helped thousands of students during her 33-year career at the UW. Among those students and alumni who will miss her are (from left) senior Irene Almacen; Eric Poon, ’05; Nathan Chin, ’06; Kamlash Parmar, ’05; Candy Kamekona, former workstudy student for Chan; junior Jeff Philakhan; junior Alisha Heygood and Phoumy B. Bounkeva, ’91. Photo by Karen Orders.
Teaching strength and independence was her goal BY ALLISON ESPIRITU When Adrienne “Adie” Chan was growing up, her father urged her to get a college education because it would help her become independent. For the past 33 years, Chan passed on that advice to countless University of Washington students in her job as a counselor for the Office of Minority Affairs (OMA). Chan, who is retiring in March, played a huge started in the aftermath of student unrest at role in the lives of students from just about the UW. She took a job in the sociology departevery ethnic background. When students came ment, helping tutor students who were applyher foundering and not knowing if college was ing to nursing school. That laid the groundwork right for them, she always remembered her for a position in the Asian Division of the OMA father’s advice. counseling students of Asian backgrounds. “It’s like car insurance,” she says, “it’s good Jeff Philakham, a sociology student of Chan’s for your own life.” for the past four years, is indebted to Chan for Besides providing guidance with academics the help she provided him. and college life, Chan felt her real role was to “She’s great with keeping up with me,” he help students develop into leaders, make good says. “She’ll give me random calls to see how decisions, and find what they were passionate I’m doing. She’s so helpful when it comes to about. That, she felt, would help them “find getting my undergrad career on track.” their identity.” After she cleans out her Schmitz Hall office Chan learned lots of valuable lessons while and starts her retirement, Chan looks forward growing up in Northern California and attendto volunteering more at her church and helping ing college at the University of California, her elderly parents in California. She knows she Berkeley. “Professors there made students think will really miss the students. about the meaning of life and education,” she “The thing about youth is that they are inspirr recalls. “That is where the civil rights and coling,” she says. “Youth keeps an older person lege rights movements began.” young, vital and invigorated. That’s why it’s nice After college, Chan moved to Japan to teach to work with young people. A university is an English as a second language for several years ideal place because knowledge is all around.” before she returned to the U.S. and learned of an opportunity at the UW. Allison Espiritu is a Viewpoints editorial intern. She is That was in the early 1970s, and the OMA a senior majoring in communication and will graduate from the UW this year. and the Instructional Center were just getting
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SPOTLIGHT: MUSIC IN SCHOOLS PROGRAM
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Musicians with the nationally renowned Young Eight string octet work with students at T.T. Minor Elementary School as part of the UW’s Music in Schools program. Photos by Lee Talner.
Musicians Help Students Reach for a High Note BY JULIE GARNER
When children at Seattle’s T.T. Minor Elementary School saw the nationally renowned Young Eight string octet perform at an assembly last fall, they were wowed by what they heard. Not only did the African American string players perform the music of composer Felix Mendelssohn, they also played hip-hop songs on their classical instruments. During their weeklong residency at the Central District school, the musicians also spent time coaching 18 of the school’s fourth- and fifth-grade violinists and offered an “instrument petting zoo” to provide a hands-on introduction to strings for younger grades. “Exposing African American children to an ensemble like the Young Eight gives them a model of where music can take them,” says Wayne Greer, ’06, T.T. Minor’s vice principal. “Hopefully, 14 l_[mPOINTS
it will foster more interest in classical music and string instruments.” The UW World Series and the Ladies Musical Club presented the residency as part of the Music in Schools Program, which operates under the aegis of the UW World Series’ Community Connections. The program aims to expose children in Seattle’s public schools—particularly those serving underrepresented minorities—to the richness, wonder and diversity of music. The UW program served more than 3,300 students in 22 public schools in mostly minority communities during the 2005-06 school year. The highly successful program got a big boost when Marcie Cooper Stone, ’69, ’76, and her husband, Dave, ’68, launched its first endowment. The Nancy and Eddie Cooper Endowed Fund for Music in Schools honors Marcie’s parents, who were longtime fans of the UW World Series concerts. While attending a chamber concert shortly after Nancy’s death in 2006, Marcie and Dave heard one
of the young musicians speak about taking their instruments into the publ schools. They realized that endowing this program would be a fitting memoria to the Coopers, who were just as enthusiastic about educatio as they were about music. To join in support Music in Schools, or for a schedule of the performances this year and for artist biographies, log on to http://www.uwworldseries.org/community.cfm
“The students now know exactly what can be accomplished if they work really hard.”
Julie Garner is a Seattle-area free-lance writer who contributes often to UW publications.
Star of “The Apprentice” to talk about making it big James Sun, ’99, founder/CEO of Zoodango.com and a candidate on the current season of the NBC TV show “The Apprentice,” will recount experiences from his extraordinary young life at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 26 in Kane Hall Room 210. The event is free and open to the public. After emigrating from Korea as a boy, Sun worked through the UW at his own successful investment business, consulted Fortune 500 companies, traveled the world and started a professional networking site, taking a detour to co-star on Donald Trump’s popular reality show/public job interview. Sun will share his philosophy on making—and making the most of—the opportunities that arise around every corner.
First Nations at UW Spring Powwow Hec Edmundson Pavilion
APRIL 26, 2007
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The UW School of Dentistry works with campus and community partners to conduct dental camps throughout the year for middle school students. Dental camps are set for this spring. Photo by Kathy Sauber.
The Samuel E. Kelly Annual Lecture 7 p.m., Ethnic Cultural Theatre, 3940 Brooklyn Ave. N Guest Speaker: Dr. Karina Walters, School of Social Wo
APRIL 17, 2007 Danz Lecture: Angela Davis on “Civil Rights and Human Rights: Future Trajectories” 7 p.m., Kane Hall room 130
APRIL–AUGUST
Chuck Blumenfeld, ’66, ’69, who was president of the UW Alumni Association for 2005-06, was named executive director of the UWAA and UW associate vice president for alumni relations. A Seattle native, Blumenfeld was a partner at Perkins Coie LLP law firm and headed up the firm’s national environmental and natural resources practice. He also served for six years on the UWAA Board of Trustees when the UWAA created Viewpoints, the UW diversity magazine. Blumenfeld’s connections to the UW run deep, as both of his parents attended the UW, and his father, Irwin, ’30, was the UW’s chief spokesman from 1947-74. “There is no greater asset to this community than the University of Washington,” Blumenfeld said. “And the alumni association is one of the best mechanisms for keeping alumni connected to the University.”
APRIL 13–15, 2007
APRIL 26–28, 2007 Washington Weekend Join us for this University of Washington open house at all three UW campuses. It will feature open houses, class reunions, lectures, tours, live entertain, Husky sports events and much more. Visit UWalum.com for more information.
MAY 3, 2007 Danz Lecture: Urvashi Vaid on “The Enemies of Love and the Future of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Politics” 6:30 p.m., Kane Hall room 130
MAY 8, 2007 Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity and Friends of the Educational Opportunity Program (FEOP) 37th Annual Celebration 5:30 p.m., HUB Ballroom For more information, contact uweop@ p u.washington.ed g u or Roxanne Christian at 206-616-3085
MAY 15, 2007 Walker-Ames Lecture: Larry Bobo on “Of Punitiveness and Prejudice: Racial Attitudes and the Popular Demand for Harsh Crime Policies” 6:30 p.m., Kane Hall room 120
COMING IN JUNE Ethnic Student Graduations
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June means commencement, including numerous ethnic student graduations. Photo by Mary Levin.
JUNE 21, 2007 Millie Russell Retirement Celebration Meany Theater For more information, contact uweop@u.washington.ed p g u or Roxanne Christian at 206-616-3085
calendar
Blumenfeld named UWAA Executive Director
CAMPUS DATEBOOK
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FEOP Celebration 2007 to Honor Sugiyama Each year since 1971, the Friends of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) and the University of Washington Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity have hosted Celebration, a signature awards and honors event to highlight the academic success of our wonderful and talented students. As one of the longest running events at the UW, Celebration has served as an annual meeting of alumni, friends and community members for 37 years. Celebration is a gathering like no other. Where else in one evening can you find the most talented scholars, community activists, and pioneers for diversity? The highlight of the evening includes the awarding of the Educational Opportunity Program Scholarship Awards and the Charles E. Odegaard Award. 37th Annual FEOP Celebration
Date: Time: Where: Tickets:
May 8, 2007 5:30-8 p.m. HUB Ballroom, UW Seattle campus $80 per person
For more information: E-mail uweop@u.washington.edu or call David Chow at 206-616-7429
The Odegaard Award was established in 1973 to honor an individual whose leadership sustains UW President Charles Odegaard’s work (19581973) on behalf of diversity at the University of Washington and the citizens of the state. It is regarded as the highest achievement in diversity at the University. This year’s recipient of the Charles E. Odegaard Award will be Alan Sugiyama, ’84. His work in
human services and education, including being the founder and executive director of the Center for Career Alternatives, exemplifies the goals of EOP. Sugiyama has dedicated his career to providing the highest quality education, employment, training and career services for our culturally diverse populations in Seattle.
It well may be that we will never meet again in this lifetime So let me say before we part– So much of me is made of what I learned from you You’ll be with me like a handprint on my heart… And now what ever way our stories end I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend —For Good, Wicked original soundtrack
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ecently, I had the opportunity to see the award winning Broadway musical hit Wicked. I was moved by its wit, wisdom and wonderful timeless message of integrity, personal acceptance and the power of diversity in life and friendship. We hold these characteristics dear at the University of Washington. We champion them as Friends of the Educational Opportunity Program. For more than 36 years, the Friends of EOP have supported the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity, as well as those without a voice and representation. We have raised more than $2 million in scholarship support to help students fulfill their dreams, and we have rejoiced with their families in celebrating the outstanding accomplishments of their children. FEOP began in Fall Quarter of 1968 with approximately 257 students. Now, more than 4,200 students are affiliated with EOP, with an impressive 1,000 additional students supported by Minority Affairs. We remain deeply committed to the educational excellence of students who are underrepresented minorities, the first in their families to attend college, or who come from economically disadvantaged homes. Working together, we change lives for good. To all of you who do so much to help rewrite the lives of students, I am proud to call you FRIENDS. Paul Bertrand Ellis, ’88 President, Friends of the EOP
1415 N.E. 45TH STREET, SEATTLE, WA 98105