Advancing the values of diversity, equity and inclusion is core to our mission at the University of Washington. Equity Focus amplifies a sampling of the stories, news and events that highlight this great work happening across our tri-campus community.
Feature Stories
On our Terms: New video project creates shared definitions of common DEAI words through storytelling
On Our Terms is a video project by the Burke Museum, grounded in the storytelling of commonly used DEAI terms like decolonization, consultation, and healing. Through personal stories and unique perspectives, these videos present a nuanced collage of how people understand these words and invite viewers to reflect on their own definitions.
"Give joyfully": Benaroya gift bolsters Brotherhood Initiative capacity
Joe Lott, Ph.D., associate professor of education and the founding director and passionate force behind the BI, not only addresses systemic barriers affecting Black men's graduation rates but also creates a close-knit community at the UW where academic challenges meet unwavering support and understanding.
Quintard Taylor has blazed a trail to Black history of the American West—and around the world
“BlackPast and Professor Taylor’s entire body of work show most powerfully how Black history is an inextricable part of American history and world history,” wrote UW President Ana Mari Cauce in 2021. “His work—and the work of other Black history and culture scholars—reveals how much we miss when we limit ourselves to history through the lens of the powerful few.”
Championing better health for vulnerable workers
New DEOHS Assistant Professor Diana Ceballos combines her passion for health equity with expertise on workplace health and safety. Ceballos's research aims to protect the health of workers in hazardous jobs such as construction and manufacturing, as well as the health of their families.
Rabi Yunusa named 2024 MLK Service Awardee for her community-based public health work
Yunusa, who is an assistant teaching professor of Global Health and Health Systems and Population Health, has made community-based work central to everything she does as a faculty at SPH. Yunusa is a close partner of communities both in and out of the UW and is described by peers as “a cornerstone of our community, a source of inspiration and strength for all of us.”
Colleen McElroy, poet and UW’s first full-time Black female faculty member, dies
Colleen J. McElroy, a nationally known poet and the first Black woman to serve as a full-time faculty member at the University of Washington, died of natural causes Dec. 12. She was 88. McElroy was a prolific writer and dominant force in the American poetry world. As a professor, she helped hundreds of students hone their voice, shepherding future generations of writers and artists.