Race and Equity

  • Opinion: What this mayoral election owes 'Black Seattle'

    "These are not abstract debates. They cut to the marrow of how we live in a city where the Black share of the population has dwindled, where rising housing costs shove families south to Tukwila and Federal Way, where wealth gaps mean our elders have fewer cushions and our kids fewer chances. Representation matters, yes. But what does it mean when symbolic victories don't lead to material change?" writes columnist Marcus Harrison Green. LaShawnDa Pittman, associate professor of American ethnic studies at the UW, is quoted.

    10/09/2025 | South Seattle Emerald
  • A Netflix Film, Then a UW Degree

    Before earning his UW degree in American Indian studies, Devin Sampson-Craig took a break to act in a Netflix film about basketball players on the Navajo Nation reservation.

    August 2025 Perspectives
  • Opinion: Marvels Ironheart reimagines AI through a black girls lens

    "What might the virtual assistant in your phone sound like if the artificial intelligence that powered it emerged from the consciousness of a Black girl from Chicago?" writes Timeka Tounsel, associate professor of Black studies in communication at the UW. Golden M. Owens, assistant professor of cinema & media studies at the UW, is quoted.
    Forbes
  • 5 years after George Floyds death, where does Black Lives Matter stand?

    As the five-year anniversary of George Floyds murder approaches, KING 5 is examining the current state of the Black Lives Matter movement. Alexes Harris, professor of sociology at the UW, is interviewed.
    KING 5
  • Survey reveals views on Asian Americans in the US

    The Asian American Foundation's study shows increased concerns about Asian American loyalty and national security. Connie So, teaching professor of American ethnic studies at the UW, is quoted.
    KING 5
  • Analysis: Claims of anti-Christian bias sound to some voters like a message about race, not just religion

    "President Donald Trump and members of his administration have long used allegations of anti-Christian discrimination as a rallying cry for supporters, arguing that policies and laws on issues like school prayer and LGBTQ+ rights threaten Christians right to express their beliefs," co-write the UW's Clara Wilkins, associate professor of psychology, and Rosemary (Marah) Al-Kire, a postdoctoral researcher of psychology.
    The Conversation
  • Philly group remembers gun violence victims through music

    William Dougherty, assistant professor of composition in the UW School of Music, is raising awareness about gun violence through “Hearing Philadelphia,” a community music project aimed at honoring the voices of those affected by gun violence and providing healing. Dougherty, who joined the UW faculty in January 2025, started the Healing Philadelphia project two years ago to help his community through music.

    WHYY/NPR
  • UW professor battles a direct, frontal assault on Black history

    When Quintard Taylor, professor emeritus of history at the UW, launched BlackPast in 2007, he didnt realize attacks on history would make the site as necessary as it has proved to be.
    The Seattle Times
  • UW professor battles a direct, frontal assault on Black history

    When Quintard Taylor, professor emeritus of history at the UW, launched BlackPast in 2007, he didnt realize attacks on history would make the site as necessary as it has proved to be.
    The Seattle Times
  • For the planet and the people, Margo Okazawa-Rey asks, How deep is your love?

    Things were a little bit different at Town Hall on March 4. Things were a little bitwarmer. Activist and educator Margo Okazawa-Rey was in the house.Linh Thy Nguyn, assistant professor of American ethnic studies at the UW, is quoted.
    Northwest Asian Weekly
  • Celebrating Black Composers

    A video project led by School of Music professor Stephen Price highlights the work of Black composers for organ and provides historical context.

    April 2025 Perspectives
  • March to remember Chinese expulsion in Seattle highlights immigrants

    The event commemorated the 1886 expulsion of 350 of Seattles Chinese residents, who were forced to board a ship for San Francisco, where they were then deported to China. Connie So, teaching professor of American ethnic studies at the UW, is quoted.
    Northwest Asian Weekly
  • March to remember Chinese expulsion in Seattle highlights immigrants

    The event commemorated the 1886 expulsion of 350 of Seattles Chinese residents, who were forced to board a ship for San Francisco, where they were then deported to China. Connie So, teaching professor of American ethnic studies at the UW, is quoted.
    Northwest Asian Weekly
  • DEI rollbacks highlight the uneasy relationship between corporations and Black consumers

    DEI policies have been in the crosshairs since President Donald Trump arrived back in the White House. Many corporations have been proactively choosing to downsize their DEI programs or eliminate them completely. But one company is facing a unique level of backlash: Target.Timeka Tounsel, associate professor of Black studies in communication at the UW, is interviewed.
    KUOW
  • Analysis: A boycott campaign fuels tension between Black shoppers and Black-owned brands evoking the long struggle for consumer citizenship

    "In my research on marketing campaigns aimed at Black women, I've examined how the struggle for consumer citizenship complicated the dynamic between Black entrepreneurs and consumers," writes Timeka Tounsel, assistant professor of Black studies in communication at the UW.

    The Conversation