New Social Justice Center adds to menu of equity services for Evergreen Community

 Evergreen’s new Social Justice Center opened via a virtual celebration on Monday, January 31, 2022.

The center is part of the legislation passed in 2021 which requires diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism training across higher education in Washington state.

With Evergreen’s longstanding mission of diversity and social justice, the center provides a new space where the college’s community can come together to advance learning and professional development at the center of equity work.

“Evergreen’s Social Justice Center is a place of learning, radical wellness, and community care for all,” said Therese Saliba, Evergreen Associate Vice President of Inclusive Excellence & Student Success. “The center and its work will help us meet the goal of creating equitable outcomes for our students, staff and faculty.”

The virtual event celebrating the new center, “Community Care as Social Justice,” will feature Cholee Gladney, Associate Dean of Climate & Belonging Education; Kara Briggs, Vice President for Tribal Relations, Arts and Culture and Dr. Leticia Nieto, Psychotherapist and Educator.

Evergreen’s Inclusive Excellence and Student Success has many services designed to support students ranging from advising, training, and funding community events. IESS works collaboratively across the college to meet student needs, and to promote belonging and academic success for Evergreen’s diverse students.

This past fall quarter, IESS and Evergreen’s Center for Community Based Learning and Action officially began their program to help students experiencing homelessness. Over two years, Evergreen will receive $186,000 and work with the Washington Student Achievement Council on the development and administration of this program. Already, 36 Evergreen students have benefited from the program which provides help with housing and essential needs such as food, clothing, hygiene supplies and other items such as kitchen ware.