Diversity

Every January, the Jacob Lawrence Legacy Residency program invites an up-and-coming Black artist to exhibit new work and carry on the legacy of the late Jacob Lawrence. This year, the exhibition showcases Simon Benjamin, a Jamaican multidisciplinary artist and filmmaker based in New York. The School of Art + Art History + Design is mentioned.

Like many little girls, a young Kristi Yamaguchi loved playing with Barbie. With a schedule packed with ice skating practices, her Barbie dolls became her “best friends.” So, it’s surreal for the decorated Olympian figure skater to now be a Barbie girl herself. Sapna Cheryan, professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted.

Rotarians gathered in April for an insightful panel discussion on the deepening connections between the Pacific Northwest and South Asia. The event boasted a distinguished lineup of speakers, including Radhika Govindrajan, associate professor of anthropology at the UW.

Jordan Jones has been appointed as the next Director and Curator of the Jacob Lawrence Gallery, to begin in April 2024. In her role as Director and Curator, Jones will provide curatorial, programming, and administrative leadership and oversight in a newly renovated state-of-the-art exhibition space within the School of Art + Art History + Design at the UW Seattle campus. 

E.J. Koh’s debut novel affirms her place among powerful American storytellers. Shawn Wong, professor of English, is mentioned.

National Poetry Month takes place every year in April. Its purpose is to increase awareness and appreciation of poetry nationwide. This year, Seattle residents will have the privilege and pleasure of discovering, installed throughout various parts of the city, poems by local poets on topics of place and sustainability. Jayme Yen, former artist in residence in design at the UW, is mentioned.

Brittany Kamai, an astrophysicist with knowledge of Pacific Islanders' Indigenous navigation using the sky, is teaching a new UW course, Pacific Indigenous Astrophysics.

Five local Native American artists and cultural workers shared their feelings about how Lily Gladstone’s Oscar nomination blazes a new path for Indigenous creatives as well as the racist tropes still targeting Native Americans in the media. Charlotte Coté, professor of American Indian studies, is interviewed.

Many terms in the Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEAI) field are frequently used but rarely understood fully. A 10 part video series, entitled “On Our Terms,” was released by the Burke Museum, aiming to reflect on these DEAI terms and offer community-based definitions.

Identity Unboxed, a podcast created by alums Tiana Cole and Brad Blackburn III, explores the experiences of Black professionals in the Seattle area.

The U.S. Postal Service unveiled the Lunar New Year "Year of the Dragon" Forever stamp in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District in Seattle on Thursday. The Postal Service printed 22 million stamps that are now on sale at post offices and usps.com. Connie So, teaching professor of American ethnic studies at the UW, is quoted.

The United States Postal Service is celebrating Lunar New Year with a new commemorative stamp. The “Year of the Dragon” stamp is on sale now at post offices across the country and on usps.com. Connie So, teaching professor of American ethnic studies at the UW, is quoted.

In her book “Grandmothering While Black: A Twenty-First Century Story of Love, Coercion and Survival,” LaShawnDa Pittman, associate professor of American ethnic studies at the UW, plumbs the nuances of the role of contemporary Black grandmothers in today’s landscape.

As a dialect coach, Tré Cotten (MFA, 2017, Acting) has gained national attention for his ability to help actors bring authenticity to their characters. 

After internal chaos earlier this month, OpenAI replaced the women on its board with men. As it plans to add more seats, Timnit Gebru, Sasha Luccioni and other AI luminaries tell WIRED why they wouldn't join. Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.