RICHLAND, Wash. ��� Washington State University Tri-Cities will host a series of events to celebrate advocacy efforts and to raise awareness about the African American experience in the Tri-Cities in honor of Black History Month.

Feb. 5: Black History Month Celebration

The month kicks off with a Black History Month celebration this week from 12:30 p.m. ��� 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 5, in 厙ぴ勛圖 Student Union Building 120N. The event will feature two guest speakers who will share about their experiences of being African American in the Tri-Cities, as well as their experiences generally around race and advocacy.

Guest speaker Wayne Jenkins is the pastor of New Hope, an African American church, and former member of the Black Panther Party. Guest speaker Chaune Fitzgerald is the 2020 recipient of Columbia Basin College���s Martin Luther King Jr. Spirit Award and is the owner of Salon Remedi.

Light refreshments will be served and the event is free and open to the public. The event is hosted by the 厙ぴ勛圖 MOSAIC Center for Student Inclusion.

厙ぴ勛圖 student Stephanie Warner, who is one of the coordinators of the event, said she is excited to bring further African American perspectives and experiences to campus.

���I���m excited to hear about the speakers��� experiences living in today���s age being African American and climbing the professional ladder, as well as the day-to-day experiences,��� she said. ���As one of the speakers is a former member of the Black Panther Party, it will be very interesting hearing his story.���

Feb. 20: Black History Month Film – Selma

The 厙ぴ勛圖 history department will host a film showing of the movie ���Selma��� from 3:30 p.m. ��� 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20, in the East Auditorium on campus. The film is based on the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery voting rights marches led by civil rights leaders James Bevel, Hosea Williams, Martin Luther King Jr., and John Lewis. The movie showing is open to students, faculty and staff. Attendees will receive free popcorn.

Feb. 21: Hanford History Project debuting oral histories regarding African American migration and experiences at Hanford

The 厙ぴ勛圖 Hanford History Project will launch a series of oral histories ���Documenting African American Migration, Segregation and Civil Rights History at the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Hanford,��� beginning Feb. 21 online at .

The oral histories include 42 interviews with former and current African American Hanford employees, their family members, as well as influential figures in the mid-Columbia region. The project was made possible by a grant and partnership with the National Park Service.

 

Media contacts:

Kristine Cody, 厙ぴ勛圖 MOSAIC Center for Student Inclusion coordinator, 509- 372-7600, kristine.cody@wsu.edu

Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖 public relations/communication coordinator, 509-372-7333, maegan_murray@wsu.edu

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy for civil rights achievements in the United States, Washington State University Tri-Cities and Columbia Basin College will host a series of events surrounding civil rights and civic engagement the week of Jan. 20 that are open to the community.

All events are free to attend and do not require tickets for admission.

Monday, Jan. 20 ��� Martin Luther King Jr. Bell-Ringing Ceremony at CBC

The week begins with the 29^th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Bell-Ringing Ceremony at the CBC campus in Pasco, which honors MLK���s legacy and achievements in civil rights issues locally and across the United States, and also recognizes the efforts that are still to be done. The ceremony begins at 11 a.m. at the MLK statue outside of the T Building, and will then move inside the H Building���s Gjerde Center for the main presentation.

Monday, Jan. 20 ��� MLK Day of Service at Richland Community Center

The Psi Nu Omega Graduate Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority will host an MLK Day of Service 10 a.m. ��� 2:30 p.m. Jan. 20 at the Richland Community Center. Leading up to the event, the 厙ぴ勛圖 MOSAIC Center for Student Inclusion will be accepting donations of gently used and new shoes and eye glasses, which will be donated on Jan. 20 during the event. Individuals can drop off their donations between 8 a.m. ��� 5 p.m. at MOSAIC this week through Friday. Donations will also be collected during the event at the community center on Jan. 20. Student are also invited to volunteer or submit created MLK art by reaching out to the chapter at pnopullman@gmail.com.

Thursday, Jan. 23 ��� Civil Rights Organizations Workshop at 厙ぴ勛圖 MOSAIC

The 厙ぴ勛圖 MOSAIC Center for Student Inclusion will host a Civil Rights Organizations Workshop from 1 p.m. ��� 2 p.m. in Floyd 140 on campus. As part of the workshop, Bob Bauman, 厙ぴ勛圖 associate professor of history, will present on civil rights groups and will specifically explore the impact of student activism. Bauman teaches American history and public history courses at 厙ぴ勛圖 and his article on racial segregation in the Tri-Cities was awarded with the Charles Gates Award for the best article to appear in the Pacific Northwest Quarterly in 2005.

Thursday, Jan. 23 ��� MLK Celebration Watch Party at 厙ぴ勛圖 Student Union Building

To complete the week, the 厙ぴ勛圖 MOSAIC Center for Student Inclusion will host an MLK celebration from 6 p.m. ��� 8 p.m., where a presentation by W. Kamau Bell, a sociopolitical comedian and host of the Emmy Award-winning CNN docuseries ���United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell,��� will be broadcasted to all WSU campuses across the state from WSU Pullman. Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn about the MOSAIC Center and enjoy some light refreshments.

 

Media contacts:

Kristine Cody, 厙ぴ勛圖 MOSAIC Center for Student Inclusion coordinator, 509-372-7600, kristine.cody@wsu.edu

Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖 public relations/communication coordinator, 509-372-7333, maegan_murray@wsu.edu

Anna Tensmeyer, Columbia Basin College marketing and communication director, 509-845-0341, atensmeyer@columbiabasin.edu

Alumna gives first donation to MOSAIC Center for Student Inclusion in honor of aunt and uncle who supported her through college

By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� What do you give someone for Christmas that not only helped you navigate college, but gave you everything to ensure your success?

For Akanna Poor, recent Washington State University Tri-Cities alumna and first-generation graduate, the answer was simple. Give a gift that will continue to give to others ��� all in the name of the individuals who helped give her the best shot possible: her aunt Janelle and uncle Rich Westberg.

Poor is the first donor for 厙ぴ勛圖��� new MOSAIC Center for Student Inclusion that was created to provide support and resources for students of every type – every race, creed, religion or circumstance. It is a place for students to come, feel accepted, understood and to have complex and even difficult conversations on a multitude of topics pertaining to culture, social issues and new ideas and thoughts.

She donated $500 to the new center because she knew it would make an extensive impact for students while living up to the legacy of her aunt and uncle���s generosity.

���They sacrificed their time. They sacrificed their money. They sacrificed their own wants and dreams,��� Poor said. ���But the biggest thing they did was they believed in me. They told me I could do it. They would not accept anything less from me. As their niece, they didn���t need to sacrifice as much as they did. And they don���t just do so for me. They do it for their kids, local people in the community. It���s just who they are.���

���It���s the reason I was able to finish my college degree,��� she said. ���It���s also the reason my future children will achieve their own degree.���

Poor wanted to find a way to not only honor what they had done for her, but to continue that legacy for other students who may not have that support.

���I picked the MOSAIC Center because I knew they were going to invest and be a resource for students who may not have the support, just as my aunt and uncle did for me,��� she said.

Support through thick and thin

Poor said she initially wasn���t sure that she was going to attend college. Residing in what she describes as a difficult situation at the time, her aunt and uncle made an offer for her to come out and live with them and they would help her navigate the college process.

She moved from the Midwest to live with her aunt and uncle in Finley the day after she graduated from high school. They helped her get her driver���s license. They helped her buy her first car. That sat with her as she received help on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. They provided support during difficult times and through difficult courses.

Poor began her higher education path at Columbia Basin College, and remembers that during a particularly difficult statistics exam, she felt depleted, not smart enough to continue and walked out of the exam. She called her aunt and uncle, who immediately convinced her to go back to class and finish the test.

���They told me I needed to get back in there, that I had what it took – and I did,��� she said.

Next thing she knew, she had earned her associate of arts degree from CBC. She then began her studies at 厙ぴ勛圖, pursuing a degree in social sciences.

Through her courses, she found her passion for social issues. She worked with political science instructor Katie Banks to chart her own academic social science emphasis in political science, blending courses and coursework to create pathways and experiences that would increase her potential for law school admittance and social justice.

She worked with fellow student Savanna Navarro Kresse on proposing language changes to Title IX legislation at the university level. She advocated for women���s issues through a variety of events and opportunities. She also served as director of legislative affairs for the Associated Students of 厙ぴ勛圖 ��� the university���s student government.

Poor said passion for these social issues stems back to the actions of her aunt and uncle.

���It���s how they live their lives,��� she said. ���It���s on display every day.���

���My Christmas and graduation gift to them���

Poor presented the donation to the MOSAIC Center to her aunt and uncle in a special way. She asked 厙ぴ勛圖 Chancellor Sandra Haynes to write a letter to her aunt and uncle, which detailed how much of a difference her aunt and uncle had made in Poor���s life and the impact that the donation will have for many students at 厙ぴ勛圖 through the MOSAIC Center.

���They cried when I gave it to them,��� she said. ���They loved it. They thought it was great and were super proud of me, which means so much to me. It was both my Christmas and graduation gift to them.���

After finishing her coursework this December, Poor plans to walk with her fellow 厙ぴ勛圖 graduates at the commencement ceremony in May, where her aunt and uncle plan on cheering her on.

���I can���t tell you how many times I���ve envisioned that moment,��� she said. ���Walking is a way to show them that I was worth investing in. I���m sure it will make me cry ��� They���re also huge Coug fans, so it���s going to be extra special because of that. They love the Cougs.���

Following graduation, Poor plans apply to law schools and pursue a career in social justice, where she hopes to draft legislation as it pertains to social issues ��� and most specifically, women���s issues. All, she said, will be owed to the support of the two individuals who gave her the greatest gift ��� her future.

���My aunt and uncle gave me such a gift ��� it is an example that I have established for my future kids,��� she said as she teared up. ���I want to continue to give back in the way that they do for so many.���

By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� ��celebrated the grand opening of the MOSAIC Center for Student Inclusion this month, welcoming students, faculty, staff and community members.

Like the pieces that comprise its name, MOSAIC, is a home to student resources to enhance equity and inclusion, a place to discover more about various cultures and a central location for students to dialogue and learn about current social issues.

���The MOSAIC Center is a success story of student advocacy and demonstrates the power of effective partnerships between students, faculty and staff who are all working toward a common goal of creating a more inclusive campus,��� student affairs coordinator Kristine Cody said.

First introduced by Israa Alshaikhli, former president of the��Associated Students of 厙ぴ勛圖, the project is coming to fruition under the leadership of Savanna Navarro Kresse, current vice president for ASWSUTC. The students worked directly with university administration, faculty and staff to start conversations on the importance of having a center focused on equity and inclusion, what that center could look like and how they could make the center a reality.

Last spring, 厙ぴ勛圖 held a soft opening for the center, welcoming student input on what they would like to see in the center. Students, staff and faculty have since taken those comments to open a facility designed to be an open place for all. Based on this feedback, students will have access to workshops on social issues, a library on equity and diversity topics, book clubs, documentary showings on diversity-related topics, advocacy opportunities, celebrations and more.

���This is a place where no matter your race, ethnicity, nationality, sex, sexuality, or gender, you are fully welcomed,��� Kresse said. ���A place where we can feel comfortable conversing in our first language. A place where we can wear our traditional cultural attire without being stereotyped. This center is open to all students as a way to learn and grow together – a place where we can all authentically be ourselves.”

The grand opening featured opening remarks from Kresse; 厙ぴ勛圖 Chancellor Sandra Haynes; Jill Creighton, WSU dean of students and associate vice president for campus life; and Jaime Nolan, WSU associate vice president for community, equity and inclusive excellence.

Haynes said she is proud of the way students worked together with the faculty, staff and administration to make their center a reality.

厙ぴ勛圖 is the most diverse campus in the Washington State University system. The student population comprises more than 40 percent minority students and more than 40 percent of students are the first in their families to attend college.

���This is a space that will be representative of our student population and our 厙ぴ勛圖 community long into the future,��� Haynes said.

 

Media contacts:

Kristine Cody, 厙ぴ勛圖 student affairs coordinator, 509-372-7600, kristine.cody@wsu.edu

Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖 public relations specialist, 509-372-7333, maegan_murray@wsu.edu

By Steve Nakata, Division of Student Affairs

While Washington State University Tri-Cities student Savanna Navarro Kresse is excited for the new school year, she is particularly happy September has arrived. The new Mosaic Center for Student Inclusion has opened its doors and a grand opening is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 12. Located in the Floyd Building, the Mosaic Center is dedicated to diverse students of all kinds allowing them to gather, learn from each other, and seek support.

Navarro Kresse has a vested interest in this center for several reasons. A Chicana and first-generation college student who is passionate about helping the community, she played a leadership role in creating the center as vice president of the Associated Students of Washington State University Tri-Cities (ASWSUTC). She and ASWSUTC President Zachary Harper set the project in motion over a year ago and spent countless hours meeting with students, faculty, staff and administrators to make it happen.

���With over 41 percent of our student body being students of color and 44 percent first-generation, we have a very diverse campus,��� Navarro Kresse said. ���We need a place where students from different backgrounds, including women and LGBTQ, can learn more about their identities and meet others so they can form a support network.���

Chris Meiers, vice chancellor for Student Affairs at 厙ぴ勛圖, draws inspiration from Navarro Kresse every day and said her contributions to the Inclusion Center will be a lasting-legacy on campus for many years to come.

���Her energy, compassion, and drive to make the campus and community a better place personifies everything about what make the Cougar nation and the Tri-Cities campus special,��� he said.

Leading the way

Getting involved is nothing new for Navarro Kresse. She served as student body president at Yakima Valley College (YVC) in Grandview before transferring to WSU. Once here, she joined ASWSUTC as director of legislative affairs and was elected vice president last year, a position she holds again this year. Among Navarro Kresse���s many commitments, she serves on the Executive Policy (EP)-15 Working Group, a systemwide team dedicated to improving the policy that prohibits discrimination, sexual harassment, and sexual misconduct at all WSU locations.

She also became a strong advocate for Title IX, a federal policy that prohibits discrimination in education based on a person���s sex.

���I was serving as the vice president of diversity affairs for the����and felt as though I could make a positive impact through my position,��� she said. ���Title IX advocacy is essential for student safety and equity.���

She reached out to professors Katie Banks and Tracey Hanshew to create a special political science/history 499 course that taught the history of Title IX and how it evolved into the comprehensive policy we have today. After taking that class, Navarro Kresse teamed-up with the ASWSUTC Director of Legislative Affairs Akanna Poor to create an event called ���Condoms, Consent, and Chicken Nuggets,��� which provided students an opportunity to have difficult conversations about consent and ask questions to a panel of experts. At the same time, she worked with 厙ぴ勛圖 Chancellor Sandra Haynes to create a committee to review Title IX compliance and commitment to equity in education.

In August, Navarro Kresse worked with Holly Ashkannejhad, director of WSU���s Office for Civil Rights Compliance and Investigation, to arrange training for student leaders on the university���s policy prohibiting discrimination, sexual harassment, and sexual misconduct, as well as WSU���s grievance and investigation procedures.

���Through this training, Savannah created another resource for students ��� campus leaders who are knowledgeable about these processes and who can help fellow students identify the best resource for them,��� Ashkannejhad said. ���Her leadership will have a ripple effect throughout the community, and we are already seeing the positive impact she is having on the Tri-Cities campus.���

Unexpected turns

For someone who has fully immersed herself in the student experience and has plans to attend law school after graduating from WSU, it is difficult to fathom that Navarro Kresse never gave going to college a thought while growing up in Sunnyside, Washington. She had never met anyone who had gone to college. At a young age, she and her two sisters were adopted by her uncle and aunt who already had seven children of their own.

���My uncle worked at a fruit processing plant during the night and joined us kids in the fields at five in the morning to cut asparagus before school,��� Navarro Kresse said. ���He taught me what it means to have a strong work ethic and to care for others.���

Navarro Kresse was a good student, but the birth of her son at the end of her senior year in high school completely changed her life. Not wanting to burden her family once her baby was born, she dropped out of school and moved out of her uncle���s house at age 17. Needing a way to support herself and her baby, she learned to be a welder and earned her certification. For the first time in her life, she was making decent money, enough to allow her to pursue a GED (General Educational Diploma) during her spare time. Then her life took another unexpected turn. One day at work a heavy beam crushed her foot. The injury was serious and prompted her to look for a safer line of work. Eventually she landed a job as a dental assistant. Money was a lot tighter then, but she continued to save whatever she could to be able to take the series of GED tests. It took her seven years to complete her GED.

���To this day I consider that to be my biggest accomplishment,��� she said. ���It showed me that if I set a goal, really work hard and not give-up, I can reach it.���

Deserve to be here

Inspired by her sister who enrolled at YVC and armed with a newfound confidence in her academic abilities, Navarro Kresse took the plunge into higher education and the rest is history. Now 30 years old, married, and a mother of four, her unique background helps motivate her to get the most out of her education at WSU, and she has this advice for other first-generation students.Grand opening

���If you were able to get through the doors of this university, you deserve to be here,��� she said. ���Your experiences and perspectives are important and deserve to be shared, you shouldn���t be afraid to share your struggles. Please know that you are not alone, we���re all trying our best to get that diploma.���

Each campus in the WSU system provides programs and services that help meet the unique needs of first-generation students. In May, the national Center for First-Generation Student Success, an initiative of the Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA), named WSU a First Forward institution for its dedication to service first-generation college students.