Chicana/o/x Studies

10 Junio 2020
We, the directors of the four Diversity Programs at EWU, write to express our grief and outrage at the recent state-sanctioned killings of so many Black people. We join multitudes of others nationally and internationally in protest and demand an end to anti-Black police and state violence. We have been reeling from the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on our communities, and then we got hit with this terrifying upsurge in state violence. Some have suggested these are two different crises, but we know better.

The pandemic and this surge in racist violence are both deeply rooted in a history of white supremacy that values white lives and property above all else. We know this nation was founded in Indigenous genocide and dispossession, built through Black enslavement, and developed via the exploitation of immigrant labor –those oppressive structures are not just our past, but very much our present. This moment is revealing these truths for many beyond our QTBIPOC communities.

We are inspired by the outpouring of solidarity and resistance across the globe, the country, and right here in Spokane. As educators, we are particularly moved by the youth who are acting with brilliance and courage. We are at a tipping point and they are unrelenting in their demands for true social transformation.In this historic moment, we are putting all of our collective weight on Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s long “arc of the moral universe” to bend it more quickly toward justice.

Dr. Deirdre Almeida, Director, American Indian Studies
Dr. Scott Finnie, Director, Africana Studies
Dr. Nydia Martinez, Director, Chicana/o/x Studies
Dr. Judy Rohrer, Director, Women’s and Gender Studies

Dear Eagle Community,

Last week I received a letter written by an Asian–American student expressing fears and concerns in the midst of COVID-19. Anti-Asian racism and xenophobia, dislike or prejudice against people from other countries, worldwide are on the rise. Frequent occurrences of people publicly referring to COVID 19 as the “Wuhan” or “China Virus” has fueled the flames of hate crimes, and racist language targeted against Asian Americans. Last March, a Korean woman was punched in the face and grabbed by her hair, and parents in K-12 schools are reporting an increase in bullying and racist taunts toward Asian students. On May 8, 2020, United Nations Secretary-General stated, “the pandemic has unleashed a tsunami of hate, xenophobia, scapegoating and scare-mongering” and urged governments to act now to strengthen the immunity of our societies against the virus of hate.

It is deeply concerning when Eastern students are afraid to leave their rooms or to express thoughts in class for fear of retaliation. Students have also reported pointed fingers, laughing taunts and evil looks by their peers. I want to reassure our Asian American and Pacific Islander students that they are an important and necessary part of the EWU Community. Their presence on campus is always welcome and encouraged. EWU believes diversity is a value to our community and critical to our scholastic endeavors.

If students feel in danger at any time, they are urged to contact the EWU Police Department immediately.

Please don’t hesitate to contact my office if we may be of support or a resource to students, faculty and staff in addressing these issues. Eagles are “all in” and must continue acting with grace to foster a culture of respect, inclusivity, commitment and honesty, and celebrate diversity.

Dr. Shari Clarke

Vice President for Diversity & Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer

Dial 911 if you have a life-threatening emergency or crime in progress

• For non-emergency police assistance: 509.359.7676
• EWU Spokane Campus, dial 509.358.7995
• Office phone (during business hours): 509.359.6498

Students who have any fears, concerns or apprehensions, or just want to talk with someone are urged to contact:

Counseling and Wellness Services
509.359.2366 | cws@ewu.edu

Dean of Students
509.359.7924 | DOS@ewu.edu

Multicultural Center
509.359.4004 | mcc@ewu.edu

Office for Diversity & Inclusion
509.359.4705 | diversityandinclusion@ewu.edu

Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies
509.359.2847 | cmartin22@ewu.edu

Pride Center
509.359.7870 | pride@ewu.edu

In addition, Dr. Pui-Yan Lam, Professor of Sociology, is offering her expertise for faculty seeking additional resources, including workshop presentations presented last spring for K-12 educators and parents. She may be contacted at plam@ewu.edu.

The Chicana/o/x Studies Program has a dual mission at Eastern Washington University. The program’s first mission is to actively contribute to enhancing the opportunity and participation of Chicanos/Latinos in higher education. This mission is achieved by actively recruiting and supporting Chicano/Latino students to have a positive and successful academic career.

A parallel CHST mission is to contribute to EWU’s goal of addressing diversity, by providing all students, regardless of ethnicity, with a Chicana/o/x Studies curriculum leading to a comprehensive understanding and appreciation of the Chicano/Latino community and relevant issues. CHST is committed to staging initiatives that adhere to and meet its dual mission. The Chicana/o/x Studies Program is divided structurally into three distinct program components. These include recruitment, student support services, and other CHST activities.

The Chicana/o/x Education Program’s student recruitment efforts are focused on various activities aimed at encouraging Chicano/Latino students to pursue higher educational opportunities at EWU. Specific recruitment activities include: visiting high schools and community colleges, staging university base student visitations, participating in educational and community career fairs, using the Spanish media (radio, television, and newspapers) to disseminate information about educational opportunities at EWU, networking with Chicano/Latino community organizations and other recruitment focused initiatives.

For more information, email chst_program@ewu.edu.

The Chicana/o/x Studies Program provides a variety of academic and non-academic support services benefiting students. Academic services include advising, guidance towards scholarship information, mentorship opportunities, cultural-based initiatives, linkages for tutoring needs and a college orientation class. CHST also assists students to become familiar with university regulations and practices and advocates on the students’ behalf with other university departments and offices.

The Chicana/o/x Studies Program maintains contact with both the Chicano and non-Chicano communities throughout the state of Washington. The program’s outreach efforts include seminars, lectures, cultural and art exhibitions for both the community on campus and surrounding area.

On the national level, the Chicana/o/x Studies Program actively participates with the National Association for Chicana & Chicano Studies, an organization which promotes research relevant to the Chicano community.

As a regional public university, EWU reaches out to all diverse populations of our region. We strive to be a welcoming, friendly place for all students.

One of our strategic planning initiatives is to work toward the federal designation of a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). For an institution to qualify as an HSI, it must have at least a 25% Latinx/Hispanic student population. Our stretch goal is to be designated an HSI by 2023. Receiving this designation could provide EWU with access to resources that will benefit the entire student body. However, much more importantly, the extensive planning work on this initiative is helping us identify opportunities and challenges not only for the fastest growing population in our state but also for all prospective and current students.

A Hispanic Serving Institution is defined by federal law as an institution of higher education that has an enrollment of undergraduate full-time equivalent students that is at least 25 percent Hispanic students at the end of the award year immediately preceding the date of application.

If you are curious to learn more about Eastern Washington University’s Hispanic Serving Institution Initiative including; their objectives, committee information, and more, please visit their webpage.

EWU HSI Webpage