Race and Equity

Dr. Georgia McDade, the first African-American to earn a Ph.D. in English from the University of Washington, discusses her history as a writer.

Dr. Quintard Taylor, professor emeritus of history, explains the history of interracial marriage in Washington.

"No-No Boy," a Seattle-set novel addressing Japanese internment has been revived by the University of Washington press. Tamiko Nimura (PhD, English, 2004) is referenced.

David McGrath of the College of the DuPage writes about criticism of his earlier op-ed suggesting that the name of the Chicago Blackhawks be changed: "This story ... about the corpses of more than 200 children found at a Canadian Indigenous boarding school may open the eyes of those same fans to the fact that the name change is not about them or their sports pleasures and preferences, but about Native American youth, victims of ethnic cleansing and atrocities on this continent for centuries — people who continue to suffer today because of dehumanizing stereotypes such as the Blackhawks logo." Stephanie Fryberg, professor of American Indian studies at the UW, is referenced.

“BIPOC has become a trendy acronym among people interested in diversity issues, but this is not good. The ‘B’ stands for Black people, the ‘I’ is for Indigenous persons and the ‘POC’ stands for people of color. This effectively shunts Hispanics or Latinos aside,” writes Carlos Gil, professor emeritus of history at the UW.

Ralina Joseph, Center for Communication, Difference, and Equity Director and Presidential Term Professor in the UW Department of Communication, discusses the Center's upcoming conference.

Wing Luke Museum’s “Asian American Women Rising: NOT Your Model Minority” was a masterfully crafted webinar on May 22, with the goal of inspiring viewers to participate in our democracy for the purpose of ending hate and violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders\, especially women. The UW's Connie So, teaching professor of American ethnic studies, and student Tianna Andresen are quoted.

It is sometimes the first time Asian Americans experience racism: at school and, more specifically, in the school cafeteria. The experience has been dubbed the "lunchbox moment," when a child brings a lunch packed by their parents at home — a dish that may be from their cultural background. The UW's Michael Spencer, professor of social work, and Connie So, teaching professor of American ethnic studies, are interviewed.

At least 15 states are trying to ban schools from teaching critical race theory and the 1619 Project. Christopher Parker, professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

Washington has enacted a number of police reforms since George Floyd was murdered one year ago. Among them is a mandatory 8-hour course, broken up into sessions, for police recruits on the history of racism and policing. Alexes Harris, professor of sociology at the UW, is mentioned.

Christopher Sebastian Parker, professor of political science, discusses what sparked the summer of social unrest.

Ana Mari Cauce discusses the one-year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd.

Universal, Sony and Warner have paid out just a portion of the money they promised to give, VICE found — revealing a disconnect between how they’ve publicly characterized their donations and what’s really happening behind the scenes. Megan Ming Francis, associate professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

One year after the killing of George Floyd and the largely peaceful protests it spawned, the BLM movement has achieved mainstream recognition in the United States and beyond, with protests last summer hitting all seven continents. But the movement now faces the same challenge many grassroots efforts have: how to move beyond the recognition toward concrete solutions. Christopher Parker, professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

From dragon ladies to geeky sidekicks, being Asian in America comes with complicated and contradictory expectations. Douglass Ishii, assistant professor of English at the UW, is interviewed on "Speakers Forum." [The interview with Ishii begins at 14:00]