Newsletter

Dear colleagues, students, and friends of Ethnic Studies,

It has been a difficult few months for our BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities in this country. As we end the academic year, our communities are under assault and yet, one of the most amazing things that I have witnessed in the last two weeks has been the tremendous demonstration of love, strength, and joy of community as thousands of people have come out to call the end of inhumane and violent deportations happening across the country. The strength emanating from our communities highlights the urgent need for Ethnic Studies to expose systemic racism and injustice, challenge dominant narratives around immigration, and build solidarity across communities of color.

Over the last two quarters, we have been met with many challenges as our students, staff and faculty have been impacted by rapidly changing policies. Although we are new and small, our department’s faculty have been working hard to create safe spaces where students can thrive in the classroom, offices, departments, and beyond. We began preparing for mass deportations in the fall by having students think proactively about how folks in our communities would be affected. In the Latinx Migration course, students created a Zine filled with resources and information on immigration, detention, and the real ID Act, among other topics. We also have worked closely with the Blue Resource Center since January to offer Know Your Rights trainings across campus. During spring quarter, students in the Policing and Abolition course also worked collaboratively to create a Zine that provides pertinent information on detention, incarceration, prisons and punitive justice, transformative justice, and de-escalation.

These Zines which offer pertinent information are available in print or download, by contacting our office. These are just a few examples of the work our Ethnic Studies students and faculty are working together to not just survive but thrive and care for each other during difficult times. 

As we close the academic year, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention several important milestones for Ethnic Studies since January. First, we are expanding our faculty by two in fall, welcoming professors in both Asian American Studies and Latinx Studies. The addition of Jane Wong and Andy Aguilera, respectively, will expand our offerings to include new classes on food, popular culture, and infuse our curriculum with creative forms of inquiry and writing. For more information on our faculty and future courses, please go to our department’s web page. Second, we successfully created two new minors in Black Studies and Native & Indigenous Studies will launch in the fall. Last, we are partnering with four High Schools in Whatcom and Skagit counties as part of Western’s College in the High School initiative.

We look forward to establishing new relations and partnerships in our communities in the coming year. Please reach out if you have ideas for future collaborations and/or initiatives on which you may want to partner with us.

Warm Regards,

Lourdes Gutierrez Nájera

Chair, Ethnic Studies

The program in Black Studies provides students with an interdisciplinary approach to the history, culture, and politics of peoples of African descent. In addition, this program offers a closer examination of Black leaders, activists, feminists, writers, artists, and scholars and their contributions to the development of the United States.

Courses range from in-depth studies on specific issues in Black Studies to classes on comparative political and cultural issues including social movements, activism, representation, and identity formation. Together, they provide context for understanding the varied experiences of Black people in American society.

The minor in Native and Indigenous Studies provides students with in-depth understanding of the cultures, traditions, arts, and current social issues facing Native and Indigenous peoples on Turtle Island. The minor encourages ethical and respectful collaborations with Native and Indigenous peoples in our communities on educational, environmental, creative and political projects. 

In February, we hosted Dr. Violet Showers Johnson, Professor of History at Texas A&M University and Director of the Division of Arts and Sciences at Texas A&M University-Qatar. She presented a compelling examination of identity formation and transformation across transnational boundaries. Drawing from her extensive scholarship on African and Afro-Caribbean immigrants in the U.S. including her book, The Other Black Bostonians and African & American: West Africans in Post-Civil Rights America, Dr. Johnson explored the complex intersections of race, ethnicity, and migration through multiple cultural lenses.

In May, Dr. Scott Kurashige presented "Organizing and Retaining Hope in Times of Crisis,” where he drew from 17 years of writing and organizing with Grace Lee Boggs to discuss how we can promote democracy and create a world sustained by collective care. 

Scott Kurashige is the Director of the AANAPISI (Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions) center at Shoreline Community College. He also serves as president and literary executor for the James and Grace Lee Boggs Foundation. He is author or co-author of four books, including The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the Twenty-First Century with Grace Lee Boggs. 

We also co-sponsored the following events with the English and History Departments:

• Not Your China Doll: the Life and Career of Anna May Wong - Katie Gee Salisbury
• Women of Color in Pacific Northwest History - Dr. Megan Asaka and Dr. Quin’Nita Cobbins-Modica
• Synergies Lecture Series - Xochitl-Julisa Bermejo and Dr. Renee Hudson

In her first year at WWU, Dr. Babers taught multiple courses which included Intro to Ethnic Studies and Intro to Black Studies. She will be teaching Black Middle Class and will be the advisor for the new Black Studies minor.

When she’s not in the classroom, Dr. Babers is exploring different ways of storytelling as an author, filmmaker and screenwriter, for which she won an award for best screenplay this spring. She is also partnering with local community members to revive the Whatcom County NAACP. 

Prof. Elia had a busy year in Ethnic Studies with teaching courses new to her like Ethnic Studies Theory and Palestine and Transnational Solidarity. She also travelled to Ottawa, Michigan, and Illinois for speaking engagements. Not only that she published an article “We Warned You that Gaza Would Define US Elections” and is working on a manuscript for her next book.

She is also involved around campus as a member of the Faculty Academic Council and advisor to the Arab Student Association.

The Inaugural Chair of the department, Prof. Gutierrez, taught Intro to Latinx Studies, Migration, and Ethnic Studies Theory this year.

She was very involved with Blue Group as their faculty advisor, helping with a very successful Undocumonth celebration. She also facilitated many Know Your Rights Trainings for our campus allies to better support our undocumented students in case of an ICE raid.

Professor Mo taught six courses this year including Intro to Ethnic Studies, Intro to Native & Indigenous Studies, Indigenous Resurgence, and Indigenous Feminisms.

When she’s not teaching, she is the undergraduate degree advisor getting students declared as Ethnic Studies majors. She worked with the chair to create the Native & Indigenous Studies minor that will be available in Fall 2025.

She also advises the Native American Student Union, NASU Powwow Committee, and SACNAS Club. This year’s 40th Annual NASU Powwow was well attended with 1,500 students, faculty, and community members in attendance. 

In her first year as Department Manager, Julie learned a lot about supporting an academic department and about Ethnic Studies in general. She even took one of our classes: Intro to American Studies. She’s excited to learn more about Ethnic Studies and help grow the department in the upcoming year.

July Newsletter