The face of diversity at the University of Washington
FALL 2009
Familiar Faces Transform a familiar space FORMER ECC STUDENTS LEAD THE PROJECT TO REBUILD THE ETHNIC CULTURAL CENTER
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VIEWPOINTS ON THE WEB: UWalum.com/viewpoints
VIEWPOINTS STAFF Publisher Paul Rucker EXECUTIVE EDITOR Sue Brockmann Editor Jon Marmor Graphic Designers Michele Locatelli, Jenica Wilkie Editorial Intern Kelly Gilblom Liaison to Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity Stephanie Y. Miller Staff Writers Courtney Acitelli, Derek Belt CONTRIBUTING WRITERs Julie H. Case, Julie Garner, Shannon Messenger, Ina Zajac Photography Mary Levin, Karen Orders
VIEWPOINTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE Paul Rucker, ’95, ’02 Executive Director, UWAA, Chair Sue Brockmann, ’72 Director of Marketing, Communications and Revenue Development, UWAA
aking students of color feel at home is one of the University of Washington’s priorities. By providing places like the Ethnic Cultural Center (above) and mentoring services through The Graduate School’s Graduate Opportunities and Minority Achievement Program, the University makes the campus a welcome place. Stories, pages 6-9.
Malik Davis, ’94 Associate Director of Constituent Relations, UWAA Colleen Fukui-Sketchley, ’94 President-Elect, UWAA Board of Trustees; Corporate Diversity Affairs Specialist, Nordstrom Roger L. Grant Board Member, Multicultural Alumni Partnership Juan C. Guerra Associate Dean, The Graduate School David Iyall Assistant Vice President for Advancement, Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity Sheila Edwards Lange, ’00, ’06 Vice President for Minority Affairs and Vice Provost for Diversity
DEPARTMENTS 4 Points of View 10 360° View 12-13 FACES: Bob Charlo Donna Lou
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Tamara Leonard Associate Director, Center for Global Studies, Jackson School of International Studies
4 Spotlight: 1 The Tavon Center 15 A View from the UWAA 16 MAP Bridging the Gap Breakfast
Stephanie Y. Miller Assistant Vice President, Community and Public Relations, Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity
ON THE COVER:
Eddie Pasatiempo, ’77 President, UWAA Board of Trustees
Sam Cameron, Sam McPhetres and Alex Rolluda of Rolluda Architects put their heads together as they work on the design of the new Ethnic Cultural Center. Photo by Karen Orders.
Lois Price Spratlen, ’76 UW Ombudsman Emeritus and Ombudsman Emeritus for Sexual Harassment; Board Member, Multicultural Alumni Partnership
THE FACE OF DIVERSITY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON. FOUNDED 2004
snapshot A Dream Begins to Take Shape Delbert Miller of the Skokomish Tribal Nation opens the April 10 Land Blessing Ceremony for the University of Washington’s House of Knowledge before a crowd of several hundred people that included tribal leaders, members of many tribal nations and people from the University community. “Building a longhouse here is one of the greatest steps you could ever take for education,” Miller told the crowd, which included former Gov. Dan Evans, ’48, ’49, artist and faculty member Marvin Oliver and author Sherman Alexie. The UW plans to start construction in the near future. Participating in the land blessing ceremony are (from left) Charlotte Coté, associate professor of American Indian Studies and chair of the House of Knowledge Planning Advisory Committee; Sheila Edwards Lange, ’00, ’06, vice president and vice provost, Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity; Miller, the event’s master of ceremonies; and undergraduate student Emma Noyes of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. Photographed April 10, 2009 on the UW campus by Anil Kapahi.
“ Building a longhouse here is one of the greatest steps you could ever take for education.”
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n this 15th year of MAP’s Bridging the Gap Breakfast, there are several events and developments that must be recognized. Sadly, this will be the first year since the Samuel E. Kelly Award was established in 1997 that he cannot be present. He contributed so much to the University of Washington for students of color and from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. But his legacy continues to inspire us to pursue his and MAP’s goals of greater diversity, opportunity and inclusion in all areas of the University.
“ I want to express our thanks for the support we have received over the past 15 years.”
It is noteworthy that Dr. Kelly joined the UW in 1970, just before the Ethnic Cultural Center was completed. Since that time, the center has grown to serve more than 60 UW student organizations. That is one example of how the University has responded to the needs of students. On behalf of the MAP board and advisers, I want to express our thanks for the support we have received over the past 15 years. Our scholarship endowment reached almost $300,000 before the recession-led decline in endowment value. Through our Breakfast fundraising, we have awarded nearly $20,000 annually in scholarships to deserving students. Including this year, we will have honored nearly 80 distinguished alumni and community leaders, and seven organizations that have contributed to diversity and opportunity in our region.
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n July 27, 2009, we celebrated the life of the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity’s founder and first Vice President, Dr. Samuel E. Kelly. We were honored that the Kelly family chose to have this celebration on the UW campus that Dr. Kelly loved so much. He used to say, “Come to the UW, it will change your life.” Dr. Sam, as the students called him, served 22 years in the U.S. Army and was the first African American hired in the Washington State Community College system. When he became the first African American senior administrator at the UW in 1970, students of color were 7 percent of the student body. Today, they make up 30 percent. Provost Phyllis Wise, speaking on behalf of the University administration, talked about Dr. Kelly’s leadership, his inspiration, vision and heart. Former Vice President and Provost Rusty Barceló commented that Dr. Sam set a positive process in motion that will be continued. Dr. Quintard Taylor, having just completed Dr. Kelly’s autobiography, noted that the story was one of enormous triumph and that his life is a prism through which we can look at the major events of the 20th and 21st centuries. If you would like to view the Celebration of Dr. Kelly’s life, please visit www.uwtv.org/programs.
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We continue to work with the UW Alumni Association, the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity and other campus departments to reach out to alumni of color. These supportive relationships, and your ongoing support, will sustain the success of MAP well into the future. With sincere appreciation,
The models Dr. Kelly developed in higher education were unique and first of its kind. As we move forward with the Ethnic Cultural Center Building Project and other diversity initiatives such as the House of Knowledge, we will be reminded of his legacy and contributions. Diversity is a core value of the University of Washington and we will continue to embrace the philosophy that excellence is impossible to achieve without diversity. Sheila Edwards Lange, Ph.D., ’00, ‘06 Vice President for Minority Affairs Vice Provost for Diversity
Thaddeus H. Spratlen, Ph.D. MAP President, 2009–10 You can support the Multicultural Alumni Partnership Endowed Scholarship by going to www.washington.edu/ alumni/meet/groups/map.html
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You can support the Samuel E. Kelly Endowed Scholarship by going to: http://uwfoundation.org/diversity
THE LEGACY OF
SAM KELLY 1926—2009
THE UW’S FIRST VP FOR MINORITY AFFAIRS OPENED THE DOORS OF DIVERSITY By Julie Garner
Few people have the personal courage to speak truth the way Samuel E. Kelly, ’71, did to University of Washington President Charles Odegaard in 1970. Tapped to lead a new minority affairs program at the UW, Kelly told Odegaard that he would take the position only if he could grow the program even during economic downturns, if he got the budget he needed, and only if he was appointed vice president for the Office of Minority Affairs. “I didn’t want my office to be behind the football stadium in a little shed,“ he recalled in a taped oral history project about social justice and the history of diversity at the UW. Kelly, who died July 6 at the age of 83, was a trailblazing titan for diversity who cracked open doors virtually closed to students, faculty and staff of color at the UW. Thousands of minority and economically disadvantaged students who have earned degrees from the UW over the past 30-plus years did so supported by programs that Kelly pioneered. Kelly himself earned a Ph.D. in higher education administration from the UW in 1971. A lifelong advocate of education and a retired lieutenant colonel with 22 years in the U.S. Army, Kelly gave the position everything he had for almost a decade, working with discipline and creativity to increase the numbers of underrepresented students at the UW and to ensure their success. “It’s 39 years later, and diversity is one of the six core values of the UW. Sam Kelly did the groundwork,” says Emile Pitre, ’69, associate vice president for minority affairs. Today, the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity (OMA&D) continues to offer programs that carry on Kelly’s legacy. In 2005, an annual lecture series was begun to honor Kelly’s contributions. Personally and professionally, Kelly was a study in contrasts. He was known for his straight-talking, no-nonsense style, an approach some found
“ He was a man with a very, very big heart.” Samuel E. Kelly, ’71, was the UW’s first vice president of minority affairs. He died July 6th at the age of 83. Photograph courtesy of Donna Kelly.
provocative. Eventually, though, most people found there was another side to him—a warm and deeply caring side. Pitre first met Kelly when he was a UW graduate student. “When Sam and I met, we didn’t meet on great terms, but it turned into a great friendship and he served as a mentor for me for many years. He had great compassion,” he says. Like many grad students, Pitre and his family were scraping by. Then tragedy befell the Pitres when their young daughter died. “We decided to take the body to Louisiana to bury her there, but we lacked the finances to do so. We borrowed money and took her anyway. While we were away, Sam collected money and when we returned, we had the money to cover our expenses. He was a good man and I’ll always be grateful for what he did for me and for the many, many,
underrepresented minorities and economically disadvantaged students,” Pitre recalls. Sheila Edwards Lange, ’00, ’06, the current vice president of OMA&D, remembers when she was the interim vice president and had applied for the permanent position. Kelly invited her to dinner. “It was kind of like an interview,” she recalls. Later, after she was appointed to the position, she discovered that Kelly had written a supportive letter on her behalf, one she had not solicited. “It was so kind,” she says. “He was a man with a very, very big heart.” Contributions can be made to the Samuel E. Kelly Endowed Scholarship Fund. Visit www.uwfoundation.org/SamKelly. Julie Garner is a Seattle-area freelance writer who writes frequently for Viewpoints 5
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Where students feel right
“ We are an educational, leadership and resource center.This is a laboratory of learning, civic engagement, and center of leadership formation.” This architectural model shows what the new Ethnic Cultural Center will look like when it opens in 2012. Photo by Karen Orders.
at home
A new Ethnic Cultural Center will provide more space and the same kind of encouragement and support that means so much to students of color By Julie Garner
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If what the poet Christian Morgenstern says is true: “Home is not where you live, but where they understand you,” then the Ethnic Cultural Center has been home for thousands of students of color at the University of Washington over the past 38 years. Completed in 1972, the ECC was erected to serve a small number of minority students. But today, more than 60 student groups in 22 offices use the building. The center has always been a place where students from underrepresented communities can find familiar faces similar to themselves, staff who care about their academic and personal wellbeing, and where students can meet, interact, and build community. At the ECC, students learn leadership-development skills, share and understand different cultural perspectives, and become the
leaders of tomorrow. While this mission remains the same, a big change is coming to the ECC. In the spring of 2010, the ECC will be razed and a new, three-story center will be built on the existing site at 3931 Brooklyn Ave. N.E. in Seattle. The new Ethnic Cultural Center will be almost triple the size of the current structure, with completion set for August 2011. (During construction, ECC functions will most likely be relocated to Condon Hall.) “We are an educational, leadership and resource center. This is a laboratory of learning, civic engagement, and center of leadership formation,” says ECC Director Victor Flores. This bedrock mission originated from the demands the Black Student Union presented to UW President Charles Odegaard in 1968 for a center on campus for academic and cultural development. What the Black Student Union might not have foreseen was how significant an effect the ECC would have on the students who used it. For instance, earlier this year, a former ECC student leader, John Amaya, ’01, ’05, took part in highlevel discussions in Washington, D.C., to seek the
“ Home is not where you live, but where they understand you.”
confirmation of a Puerto Rican American, Sonia Sotomayor, to the U.S. Supreme Court. He credits his experience at the ECC with helping him get where he is today—a trial lawyer with the U.S. Department of Justice. “What I got out of the ECC was instant community,” Amaya says. “I learned from and grew with students who looked like me, who had similar experiences.” He was also appointed as the Student Regent on the UW Board of Regents, an experience he says would not have been possible without the leadership lessons he learned at the ECC.
“ What I got out of the ECC was instant community. I learned from and grew with students who looked like me, who had similar experiences.” A Seattle firm, Rolluda Architects, has been awarded the project of rebuilding the ECC, and brings special insight to the work. The firm’s principal, Alex Rolluda, ’89; project manager Sam Cameron, ’75; and Sam McPhetres, ’99, ’07, an intern architect with the firm, bring deep understanding of the project’s importance to students. All three were part of the ECC during their years at the UW. Sheila Edwards Lange, ’00, ’06, the UW’s vice president for minority affairs and vice provost
The team at Rolluda Architects working on the Ethnic Cultural Center are (from left) Sam McPhetres, Larry McFarland, Taine Wilton, Alex Rolluda (seated), Sam Cameron, and Dennis Christianson. Photo by Karen Orders.
for diversity, is delighted the architects are ECC alumni. “They understand firsthand the significance that the building has in contributing to the recruitment and retention of students of color,” she explains. The architects’ personal experience informs their work to ensure the same strong sense of community that has meant so much to students in the past. Intern Architect McPhetres is a case in point. When McPhetres came to the UW from the Pacific Island of Saipan, he was shocked and overwhelmed by the size and population of the University of Washington. “It was the first time I had ever operated a parking meter. I turned the knob like I had seen on TV and the yellow flag popped up saying ‘you’re illegally parked.’ I didn’t know I had to turn the knob that last little bit. It may be insignificant to some, but it was culture shock for me,” he recalls.
McPhetres was homesick when a friend told him about the Micronesian Islands Club at the UW’s Ethnic Cultural Center. After McPhetres visited the ECC, his college experience quickly improved. “Because of the family I formed, I persevered and now, years later, I am part of the future ECC,” he says proudly. Funding for the building is bundled with two other capital projects at the UW: the Husky Union Building (HUB) and Hall Health. Money for all three projects comes in part from a student fee increase of $95 per student that was authorized by the Board of Regents this past summer. To keep up on the progress of the Ethnic Cultural Center project, visit www.washington.edu/diversity. Julie Garner’s last piece for Viewpoints was the special Spring 2009 issue on “40 to Watch”
What about the murals? One of the first questions that comes up when the rebuilding of the Ethnic Cultural Center is mentioned is: what will happen to the murals? The ECC, which opened in 1972, has four multipurpose rooms, named after one of the four major ethnic groups: Asian/Pacific Islander Room; Chicano Room; Native American Room; and Black Room. Each has a wall-sized mural. The murals are perhaps the most beloved physical feature of the ECC. Although there are some problems with asbestos, the planning committee is working with the architects to explore options for incorporating the murals in some form into the new building. — Julie Garner
Students of all generations love the murals, like this one in the Native American Room. Photo by Kathy Sauber. 7
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Graduate student Eligio Martinez Jr. has benefited greatly by working with his mentor, Frances Contreras. Photo by Karen Orders.
SHAPING STUDENTS & THE SYSTEM MENTORING MAKES AN IMPACT FOR UW GRADUATE STUDENTS OF COLOR By Julie H. CASE
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ere it not for her mentor, Summer Lockerbie, ’01, ’04, would not be working on nuclear non-proliferation right now. Perhaps she’d be working in industrial science, for a company like 3M, Dow or ExxonMobil, instead of trying to combat and detect weapons of mass destruction before they enter the United States. Like Lockerbie, who was mentored by Paul Panetta, a scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, students at the University of Washington have for years benefited from mentoring—whether it is formal or informal, peer-to-peer, faculty-to-student or professional-to-student. While many people may think of mentoring as career focused, at the university level mentorship goes beyond that. It prepares students—especially graduate students—to succeed and provides valuable guidance on how to handle life at a major public university. For graduate students from underrepresented communities, mentorship can be even more critical.
“I think academia is very difficult to navigate, and a lot of students of color and underrepresented minorities don’t have familial resources—such as parents who went to graduate school—so they don’t really have some of the ways of knowing what mainstream students do,” says Sabrina Bonaparte, a sociology grad student. “Being a woman of color in a classroom, sometimes I hesitate to voice my opinion or provide an alternative perspective,” Bonaparte says. “The conversations I have with my mentors (as I have multiple) allow me to talk about my work or my position as a graduate student, freely, outside of the classroom setting, in an environment where I feel more comfortable to speak openly.” While individual departments offer mentorship opportunities to graduate students, the Graduate School and GO-MAP—the Graduate Opportunities and Minority Achievement Program—play a critical role in helping students of color survive at the UW. “For underrepresented minority students— many of whom are often just one of one or two underrepresented students in their department— GO-MAP provides a university-wide community that gives them a sense of belonging and a chance to meet students of color from other departments in social settings that are very inviting,” says Juan Guerra, associate dean of the Graduate School and director of GO-MAP. In fact, says Guerra, such mentorship goes beyond helping students survive; it helps them thrive. Mentoring represents a signature service of the UW Graduate School that has garnered national attention. In fact, the UW Graduate School is the first organization to become a “columnist” for Inside Higher Education, a major national online publication. “I don’t really think I’d be here if I didn’t have good mentors,” says Bonaparte. To combat the heavy workloads and stress associated with grad school, Bonaparte’s adviser, Sociology Professor Charles Hirschman, has helped her manage her workload, given her guidance and helped her set realistic goals for work projects. He also introduces her to colleagues at professional conferences and via e-mail so she has the opportunity to meet the big names in the field, which she likely wouldn’t have the opportunity to do otherwise. The kind of mentoring students need during their academic career is always in flux, says
Biochemistry Professor David Kimelman (right) has been mentoring graduate student Savannah Benally. Photo by Karen Orders.
Rebecca Aanerud, ’90, ’93, ’98, assistant dean of the Graduate School. Not only do relationships sometimes fall apart, students’ needs change during their academic career. “Mentoring at the graduate level will change in the course of somebody’s graduate education,” Aanerud says. “So the mentoring that has to happen when students first enter is going to be different than when they are finishing up course work, when they are doing exams, when they are working on their dissertation.” That’s where the Graduate School and GOMAP come in: they provide students the opportunity to come together from across campus and meet other grad students and faculty. GO-MAP, for example, helps students in different fields figure out how to navigate very similar issues, from how to choose a mentor—be it in chemistry or fine art—to how to prepare for graduate exams. As part of its drive to address the needs of underrepresented students, GO-MAP also offers two brown-bag lunch seminars—Voices in Academia and Voices in the Community—which connect faculty, staff or community members with a small group of students for discussions. Voices in Academia, in particular, enables students to connect with faculty outside of their department. Faculty mentors provide guidance on subjects such as how to publish a scholarly research paper
“ I don’t really think I’d be here if I didn’t have good mentors.”
or how to attend a conference or present a paper. Mentors from the community may offer students advice on how to enter the job market and much more. One of Lockerbie’s mentors, Paul Panetta, not only helped shape her decision to work for the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, he provided guidance on how to effectively handle political and sticky situations. “I used him a lot as a sounding board for how to deal with difficult situations or interactions with other people—my advisers, or other grad students, for example,” says Lockerbie. “He provided a lot of guidance for me on how to handle things gracefully; how to smoothly interact and be aware of political situations and such, and those pieces are valuable to me still today.” More than just serving as a sounding board, Panetta critiqued Lockerbie as she prepared to present papers to scientific audiences, and even went so far as to become a member of her doctoral committee. Over the past 20 years, the percentage of minority enrollment in the UW Graduate School has steadily increased—from 7 percent in 1988 to nearly 18 percent in 2008. (The fastest growth in minority graduate student enrollment has occurred since 2004, when enrollment was 14.1 percent.) With the strength of the Graduate School’s mentoring initiatives, it’s clear that graduate students of color at the UW will continue to experience more success than ever before. Julie H. Case is a Seattle-area freelance writer 9
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360° View: DIVERSITY FROM EVERY ANGLE MILESTONES American Indian Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences has been elevated to departmental status. Although AIS classes have been offered at the UW since 1970, the creation of the department will help strengthen existing relationships with tribal leaders and attract prospective students. The Q Center, which serves the University of Washington’s LGBTQI campus population, marked its fifth anniversary on March 5. Seattle Attorney Jenny Durkan, ’85, was nominated by President Obama to become U.S. Attorney for Western Washington. If confirmed, she will become the first openly gay U.S. Attorney in the nation’s history. John N. Vinson became the University of Washington’s first African American police chief when he was hired Feb. 23 to replace the retired Vicki Stormo. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration posthumously recognized Bell M. Shimada, ’56, for his achievements in oceanography by naming a research vessel in his honor. Born in Seattle of Japanese immigrant parents, Shimada was a fishery research biologist who researched the spawning and feeding patterns of tuna. The UW was named Government Agency of the Year by the Northwest Minority Supplier Development Council for nearly doubling the amount of money it spends on diverse companies. Oscar Eason Jr., a member of the UW President’s Minority Community Advisory Committee and recipient of the Multicultural Alumni Partnership’s 2006 Dr. Samuel E. Kelly Award, was reappointed for a second term as chair of the Washington State Commission on African American Affairs by Gov. Chris Gregoire, ’71. 10
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From tiny island to big news In November, Johnson Toribiong, ’72, ’73, was elected president of Palau, an island nation in the Pacific Ocean 500 miles east of the Philippines. A former ambassador to Taiwan with Juris Doctor and Master of Law degrees from the UW School of Law, he was one of the best-known criminal defense lawyers in the nation of 20,000 inhabitants—but little-known outside of Palau. That changed in June, when, 120 days into his term, he offered to take 13 Chinese Muslims who had been jailed at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp. Toribiong, a former U.S. Attorney, says the men—ethnic Uighurs—were unfairly jailed for years without a trial and are no longer considered dangerous terrorists. —Kelly Gilblom Photo by Itsuo Inouye/AP Wide World Photos
IN MEMORY Ricardo Aguirre, ’63, a former Husky football star and longtime Chicano/Latino social activist, died July 3. A founding member of El Centro de la Raza in 1972, he was instrumental in paving the way for the Educational Opportunity Program and Office of Minority Affairs at the UW. He was 72. Jack S. Calvo, ’34, an avid world traveler whose parents were among the first Turkish settlers in Seattle, died March 13. He was 94. Mary Pang, a former UW student who owned a Seattle frozen-food business, died March 6 at the age of 87. Known for her superb Chinese cooking, Pang and her husband turned a small family business into a milliondollar enterprise.
Tak T. Seto, ’53, regional director of government and international affairs at The Boeing Company, died Jan. 6. He moved to the United States from Japan in his 20s and earned a degree in business from the UW. He was 80. Daniel V. Thayer, ’86, who assisted local Tribes in his work at the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office in Everett, died Feb. 2. He was 64. Frank S. “Bonsey” Yanagimachi, ’48, recipient of the Purple Heart and Bronze Star medals during World War II, died Jan. 7. He worked at KING Broadcasting for 35 years. He was 89. Margaret Misao Yasuda, ’50, a former nurse with the King County Public Health Department, died May 29. She worked in the county’s well-baby clinic, travel immunizations and visiting nurse division. She was 85.
A painting by Alfredo Arreguin, ’67, ’69, “The Return to Aztlan,” has been installed in one of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery’s permanent collections. The work depicts historical Mexican labor activists, referring to both the mythical homeland of the Aztec people and the cultural realm of greater Mexico.
PEOPLE IN THE NEWS Annie Lam, ’97, was honored with the Shirley and Herb Bridge Endowed Professorship for Women in Pharmacy this past fall. She plans to use the funds to help establish a new medication-therapy-management training and consultation program in the UW School of Pharmacy. JPMorgan Chase & Co. named Phyllis Campbell, ’87, as the new chairman of the Pacific Northwest region. She previously served as the president and CEO of The Seattle Foundation. Dr. Sheila Edwards Lange was appointed 2010 president-elect of Women in Engineering ProActive Network Science and Engineering. She was also appointed to the Board of Director’s for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Puget Sound Affiliate. The Asian Bar Association of Washington honored David K. Y. Tang, a UW Foundation Board member, with its President’s Award. Tang, a partner at K&L Gates, is the first Asian Pacific American to be a managing partner of a major law firm in the United States. Ernie Aguilar, one of the creators of the Washington State Commission on Hispanic Affairs, was honored for his dedication to the Latino community of Washington during the annual Hispanic/Latino Legislative Day festivities. His scholarship fund at the UW Foster School of Business assists Latino students pursuing master’s degrees in business administration.
Rob Piñón, UW School of Dentistry student, received the first Pacific Continental Bank Partner in Diversity scholarship. The award recognizes one student seeking to address oral health disparities. Piñón has lived and studied around the world, including as a missionary for several years in South America. He will use the scholarship to educate ethnic minorities on the importance of proper oral health care. Norm Rice, ’72, ’74, has been named president and CEO of The Seattle Foundation. He had been chairman of Enterprise Community Partners, a national affordable housing nonprofit. He is also a distinguished visiting practitioner at the UW’s Evans School of Public Affairs. Three UW graduates were inducted into the Garfield High School Golden Graduate Hall of Fame: Carver Gayton, ’60, ’72, ’76, a former Boeing executive and UW lecturer; Vivian O. Lee, ’58, ’59, a founder of the UWAA Multicultural Alumni Partnership; and former Uwajimaya CEO Tomio Moriguchi, ’61. John Amaya, ’01, ’05, a trial attorney with the U.S. Dept. of Justice, met with White House senior staff to talk about the confirmation process for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor.
UW TACOMA Students in a UW Tacoma class learned about multicultural issues in special education last spring with help from a panel of campus staff and student leaders. Laura Feuerborn, assistant professor of education, invited six staff members and students to speak to her class about their experiences with multicultural education. “Hopefully, my students gained additional perspectives and a deeper understanding of some of the more controversial issues involved in educating exceptional students with diverse backgrounds,” Feuerborn says. Staff from the Office of Student Involvement participated, along with leaders from UW Tacoma’s student groups. UW Tacoma will host the Symposium on Native American Issues in Higher Education on Oct. 7. Speakers include tribal leaders and educators Billy Frank, Michael Pavel, Charlotte Coté and Kristina Ackley. The program runs from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. at UW Tacoma. For more information, contact Sharon Parker, 253-692-4861.
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faces: BOB CHARLO Charlo honored for iconic image Photographer Bob Charlo, ’04, became the fourth person and the first American Indian inducted into the City of Enumclaw Walk of Fame, in recognition of his work in the community and his photographs of American Indian imagery. The ceremony and dedication of a plaque took place this summer. One of Charlos’ photos was featured as the signature image of the recent PBS American Experience five-part documentary series, “We Shall Remain.” In addition to teaching photography to tribal youth on the Muckleshoot Reservation, Charlo, 56, owns and operates Buffalo River – Fine Art Photography in Enumclaw. Bob Charlo was photographed July 1, 2009 on the Muckleshoot Reservation by Karen Orders.
MAKING AN INDELIBLE IMAGE Bob Charlo’s photograph of a lone teepee in Central Washington captured the appreciation of American Indians and non-Indians alike and became the iconic signature image of a five-part PBS documentary series. By Jon Marmor Bob Charlo, ’04, has taken great pride in being the first enrolled member of the Kalispel Nation in Eastern Washington to graduate from the University of Washington when, in 2004, he earned a bachelor of arts degree from the School of Art in interdisciplinary visual arts. For the past 20 years, he has made a name for himself both as a photographer and for the past four years teaching photography to Native youngsters from the Muckleshoot Tribe. But Charlo recently became something of a celebrity when PBS decided to use one of his photographs as its signature image to promote a five-part documentary series on the American Indian experience and history called “We Shall Remain.” The photograph,“Nespelem,” features a lone teepee set against a dramatic, cloudy sky, and the American flag supported and waving over the teepee. Charlo took the image in the summer of 1992 on the Colville Reservation in central Wash12
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ington while attending an annual celebration in Nespelem. PBS came across the image after someone picked up a note card or poster with the Nespelem image on it at a gift shop at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. PBS American Experience, out of Boston, got in touch with Charlo and the rest is history. “They are labeling it as an iconic image,” says Charlo. “To me, it still represents that we—Native people—are still here and still as vibrant as we were 500 years ago. We are not or ever will be a conquered people. We have always been and still remain a contributing people.”
As a UW student, Charlo had a solo exhibit of his work at the HUB. He has since had exhibits all over the west, including Chile. —Jon Marmor
To order a print of his “Nespelem” photo and to see more of Charlo’s award-winning photographs, visit his Web site at www.bcharlofineart.com. Jon Marmor is editor of Viewpoints
faces: DONNA LOU
OPENING THE PATH TO HIGHER EDUCATION Applying to college isn’t easy for anyone, let alone lowincome students without many resources. Donna Lou’s work with College Access Now is working to change that. By Ina Zajac
Applying to college can be utterly intimidating, even for the most prepared and confident high school students. Dealing with the array of deadlines, testing requirements, essays and financial aid forms can be daunting. But for low-income students without access to mentors and other educational resources, these mountainous piles of paperwork can seem insurmountable. Thanks to the College Access Now (CAN) program, deserving, economically disadvantaged high school students are getting the help they need to prepare for and handle the college admission process. Donna Lou, ’81, serves as a board member for CAN, and is one of that organization’s most tenacious advocates—because years ago, she was one of those students. Known for her efforts as a dynamic community organizer, Lou not only dedicates her time and resources to CAN, but also works with The Seattle Foundation, Social Venture Partners and The Washington Women’s Foundation. “I am the first in my family to attend college and know that there was never much encouragement for me to attend a university,” Lou says. “Nor was there anyone in my immediate family who could help me figure out if this was the right path for me to take.” She credits a high school counselor for inspiring her to consider attending the UW, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in political science —and a life with unlimited possibilities. The aim of College Access Now is simple: if given support, resources and guidance, every stu-
Joining Donna Lou (second from left), College Access Now board member, at Garfield High School are (from left) Christine Chew, College Access Now executive director; Garfield High School graduate Roy Wang, who is attending the UW this fall; and Jennie Flaming, program director of College Access Now. Photo by Karen Orders.
dent has the potential to succeed in college. CAN offers test preparation for the SAT and ACT tests, admission process guidance, help finding financial aid and scholarship opportunities, as well as assistance with the transition to college. Volunteer mentors offer advice on how to seek out letters of recommendation and how to write personal essays. Students can also learn how to complete and submit applications for federal student aid and scholarships. High school students must demonstrate they are serious about college before they can participate in the program. They must take an SAT
preparation course, volunteer at least eight hours of community service, and maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or higher. Lou says the CAN program speaks to her because she knows firsthand how significant its program offerings are. “If it had not been for that high school counselor, the path to where I am now may never have happened,” she says. “I know now that having a college degree helped open doors for me.” Ina Zajac’s last piece for Viewpoints was on the Martinez Foundation
College Access Now at a glance The College Access Now program is dedicated to helping promising, low-income young people prepare for and earn admission to college.
Donna Lou was photographed August 6, 2009 by Karen Orders at Garfield High School in Seattle.
It is an independent non-profit organization supported by private foundations, the Parent Teacher Student Associations of Garfield and Franklin high schools, and individual donors. For more information about CAN, go to http://www.collegeaccessnow.org or call 206-252-2312. 13
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spotlight: TAVON CENTER
PLANTING THE SEEDS
OF OPPORTUNITY By Shannon Messenger Several years ago, Ali Vafaeezadeh, ’86, and his wife, Therese, were struggling to figure out what to do when their disabled daughter, Sabah, turned 18. “It really hit home when we found ourselves filling out guardianship paperwork when other parents were working on college applications. The options for our daughter after high school were dismal,” says Ali. In the fall of 2008, they opened the Tavon Center in Issaquah, which features a teaching facility and therapy gardens. It’s a place where disabled young adults whose limitations preclude regular employment can continue to learn life skills after high school and become contributing members of the community. The program focuses on horticulture as a form of sensory therapy—Sabah loves being outdoors and digging in the dirt—as well as a means to develop gardening skills and community-based entrepreneurship. The first harvest of Tavon crops was sold at the Issaquah Farmers Market this past 14
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summer. The teaching center is equipped with a full kitchen where students learn nutrition, meal preparation and to bake goods destined for sale at local coffee shops. Ali came to the U.S. from Iran in 1976 because
“ Watching our clients spend time together has been amazing.” his parents were determined that he be educated in the States. He graduated from UW in 1986 with degrees in art and architecture, and started his own residential design-build company, Bana Design. Sabah—the first of their three children—was born in 1984. Her disability, recognized early but to this day still undiagnosed, set the Vafaeezadahs on a mission to provide the best care and most normal upbringing available. Sabah spent several years in public and private school programs, but at graduation found few opportunities for continued participation in her community. “Once we
Left: Ali Vafaeezadeh, ’86, founded the Tavon Center after wondering how his disabled teenage daughter would handle life after high school; Top right: sale of goodies made at the Tavon Center raise money for programs; Bottom right: therapy with animals at the Tavon’s Casa deGoats has had a big impact on clients. Photos by Karen Orders.
understood the reality of Sabah’s future,” says Ali, “it became my job to change it. I could build the place where Sabah and others like her would achieve everything non-disabled people were entitled to.” Close family friends offered a favorable lease on a five-acre site, and the new house, designed by Ali, was built with materials and labor donated by contractors he works with. Daniel Winterbottom, a UW associate professor of landscape architecture, provided the master garden plan. Tavon Center is currently zoned to accommodate 12 clients, but the Vafaeezadahs are working to change this. “Watching our clients spend time together has been amazing,” says Therese, a nurse practitioner. “Each day at Tavon is filled with meaningful activities, and it is working exactly as we hoped. Our next step is to make it bigger, so we can serve the disabled community and as a result, the community at large, better.”
Shannon Messenger, ’88, is a Seattle-area freelance writer.
A VIEW FROM THE PRESIDENT I remember my first day of classes as a University of Washington freshman, and being in a math class that was almost as big as my entire high school. It was a pretty intimidating sight. Having a sense of belonging and conEDDIE PASATIEMPO necting to a smaller group that one can relate to is important in making the UW more intimate. But getting lost in this vast student population and not being able to relate to anyone or anything is a real possibility. I was fortunate to be involved in Husky athletics; it gave me that sense of belonging and connection. My dorm mates and later, my fraternity, also provided that. Unfortunately, I wasn’t initially aware of the great resources of the Ethnic Cultural Center. There weren’t many people on campus who looked like me or whom I could turn to as role models or mentors. It’s amazing to see how far our University has come. When I was a student, less than seven percent of the student population was minorities.
Today, that figure tops 30 percent. Moreover, I have the honor to represent all of you and our diverse communities as the new president of the UW Alumni Association. But the real story here isn’t about access— it’s about success. The ECC provides a safe haven where students can build confidence and grow socially and culturally as much as academically. Our University and its students know how valuable this is, which is why they have committed to spend $15.5 million to rebuild the ECC, even in tough economic times. I am thrilled that diversity is now at the forefront of our University. And I’m proud of the UWAA for being involved in so many diversity efforts—from sponsoring ethnic graduations and supporting the MAP Breakfast to providing mentors through the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity. It’s a surefire recipe for success, both now and in the future.
Eddie Pasatiempo, ’77 UWAA President, 2009-10
Campus datebook Calendar of Events OMA&D's "The weekend" oct. 23-25, 2009 Be a part of Homecoming at the UW with the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity. October 23, 2009 Alumni Mixer Mingle with alumni of color for live music and light appetizers. Time: 8 p.m.-1 a.m. Where: Hotel Deca, 4507 Brooklyn Avenue N.E., Seattle
October 24, 2009 MAP Bridging the Gap Breakfast Celebrate alumni award winners and scholarship recipients. Time: 7 a.m. Where: HUB Ballroom, UW Seattle
October 24, 2009 Tailgate and Homecoming Game
NEW DIVERSITY NETWORKING RECEPTION TO HELP STUDENTS The UWAA and Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity are teaming up for the inaugural Diversity Networking Reception on Jan. 27. Students from the UW Mentor Program and other OMA&D students will have the opportunity to meet with UW alumni, staff and friends from a wide range of career fields. Several current and past members of the UWAA Board of Trustees with a particular interest in diversity initiatives were among the first to sign up as volunteers for the reception.
Group rate tickets to the UWOregon football game will save you $20. Time:TBD Where: Husky Stadium
At a glance
October 25, 2009 Sunday Brunch
Diversity Networking Reception
Enjoy a spectacular brunch at Ivar’s Salmon House. Space is limited. Time: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Where: Ivar’s Salmon House
January 27, 2010 4:30-6 p.m. HUB West Ballroom, UW Seattle Want to help? If you’re interested in sharing your career experiences with students, e-mail Don Gallagher at dongal@u.washington.edu.
For more information, visit http:// depts.washington.edu/omad/ weekend.shtml or call 206-685-3422
For other diversity events, visit www.washington.edu/ diversity/calendar.php
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4333 Brooklyn Avenue NE Box 359508, Seattle, WA 98195-9508
MAP BRIDGING THE GAP BREAKFAST TO HONOR LEADERS IN DIVERSITY Distinguished Alumnus Award recipients:
Marty Bluewater, ’71, has been executive director of United Indians of All Tribes Foundation since June 2008. A graduate of the UW School of Business, he served as director of the UW’s College Work-Study Program and is a past director of the Seattle Indian Service Commission.
Bettie Sing Luke, ’64, is an educator and activist who co-chaired the revival of a “Day of Remembrance” that resulted in a much-publicized art installation commemorating Japanese Americans who served their country during World War II. She also led efforts to oppose racial profiling by police in Eugene, Ore.
Date: Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009 Time: 7 a.m. Where: HUB Ballroom, UW Seattle Tickets: $45
Diane A. Martin, ’74, ’80, is associate director of career services at the UW. For nearly three decades, she has guided and helped sustain two UW student organizations, the Association of Black Business Students and the National Society of Black Engineers. In addition, she has made numerous contributions as a leader and board member of MAP.
Distinguished Community Award recipient: Dorry Elias-Garcia is executive director of the Minority Executive Directors Coalition of King County. Her contributions to social justice and economic opportunity date to the 1970s and the founding of El Centro de la Raza, as well as key programs at the Atlantic Street Center. She co-chairs the King County Human Services Levy Oversight Board and serves on other nonprofit and public agency boards as well.
For more information, visit UWalum.com or call the UWAA at 206-543-0540
The Dr. Samuel E. Kelly Award recipient: Jerry Large, staff columnist at The Seattle Times, writes columns Monday and Thursday focusing on topics related to race, gender and class. His columns reflect the mission of MAP and the legacy of the late Dr. Samuel E. Kelly, ’71, as they enrich and inform readers about diversity, inclusion and the understanding of differences in our community, society and world.
The 2009 Diversity Award for Community Building recipient: Michelle Habell-Pallán is an associate professor in the UW’s Women Studies Department and an adjunct professor in the UW School of Music. She is a recepient of the Rockefeller Foundation Humanities Research Award as well as a Woodrow Wilson Foundation Research Award for her research and writing on gender, popular music and culture.