The 29th Undergraduate Research Symposium is an opportunity for students and the broader community to celebrate their work and get experience presenting research to their peers, faculty, friends and the community.
Tag: Ed Taylor
“The Power of the River” is not Ed Taylor’s first book, but it is a first for him
Ed Taylor, vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs, professor in the College of Education, academic author, scholar, board member of several international and community-based organizations and former college basketball player, will soon add memoirist to his long list of accomplishments. His memoir, “The Power of the River,” will be released by Seattle-based Hinton Publishing on April 21.
Taylor has been part of the University of Washington community since his days as a graduate student more than 30 years ago. In “The Power of the River,” readers learn about his journey from a childhood marked by loss in Lompoc, California, to his rise as an educator, scholar and leader. Along the way, he invites readers into a story grounded in community, shaped by pivotal relationships and sustained by a search for meaning in the face of adversity.
In “The Power of the River,” Taylor writes in a way that is self-reflective and personal yet expansive and universal at the same time. It is a story about what it means to belong, to be guided and to grow. Through moments of doubt and determination, from navigating the pressures placed on young Black men in collegiate athletics at Gonzaga University to finding purpose in higher education, Taylor offers readers a deeply human story about becoming. His examination of mentorship, community, education and growth offer points of connection that can open pathways forward.
At a time when higher education is under fire, Taylor’s story demonstrates the purpose and potential universities can have in individuals’ lives and in the lives of our communities.
Several public events are scheduled to celebrate Taylor’s book.
Public events
Book Launch Celebration at the Northwest African American Museum
April 29, 2026 // 7:00 p.m.
In conversation with Reggie Brown.
RSVP to this event.
Third Place Books Ravenna
May 7, 2026 // 7:00 p.m.
Q&A with Taylor to follow his book talk.
Elliott Bay Book Company
May 22, 2026 // 7:00 p.m.
In conversation with Enrique Cerna.
Folio: The Seattle Athenaeum
June 2, 2026 // 6:00 p.m.
In conversation with Colleen Echohawk.
Undergraduates learning to lead real-world change
The 2025 Spring CELEbration produced by the University of Washington’s Community Engagement and Leadership Education Center showcased the dedication and impact of Mary Gates Leadership Scholars and CELE Center program participants like Otoniel Velasquez-Paz, Braedyn Reed and Finn Guzman — all committed to leadership, community engagement and civic health. The annual event highlighted projects spanning educational equity and mentorship, civic participation and environmental justice.
Through table talks, poster presentations and lightning talks, students connected academic learning with real-world change and demonstrated a powerful truth: When supported in aligning their values with leadership, students’ impact extends far beyond the walls of campus.
“The Spring CELEbration highlights students’ deep engagement with community issues and their work to strengthen civic health and democracy,” said Fran Lo, CELE Center executive director. Here’s how these graduating seniors are preparing to take the lessons, skills and relationships they’ve cultivated through CELE Center programs into new chapters in policy, entrepreneurship, education and beyond.
Community collaborators and leaders
Supported by CELE Center programming and Mary Gates Leadership Scholarships, Velasquez-Paz, Reed and Guzman, along with all CELE Center graduating seniors, enter the next stage of their lives as community leaders. They will continue shaping neighborhoods, institutions and systems, demonstrating ethical leadership that sets the future of our communities and democracy in motion.
Civic leadership in action
Otoniel Velasquez-Paz, ’25
Major: Environmental Engineering
Programs: Dream Project, Mary Gates Leadership Scholar
Otoniel Velasquez-Paz works to expand college and career access for students in communities where a college-going culture is still developing. He is a Mary Gates Leadership Scholar and Dream Project mentor at Evergreen High School, located in the Southwest Seattle neighborhood of White Center. There, he supports the school’s college and career center by providing guidance and resources tailored to students’ goals.
As a bilingual Spanish and English speaker, Velasquez-Paz understands the unique challenges many primarily Spanish-speaking students face in the college process. These students often have limited opportunities to explore the full range of postsecondary options and need more personalized support to plan for life after high school.
“We support students in achieving whatever dreams they have,” he said. “Our goal is not just to push them toward college; it’s to support any post-high-school plans they have.”
Growing up in Moses Lake, a community with a large Hispanic population and many families involved in seasonal work, Velasquez-Paz was shaped by mentors who helped guide his path. “As a student from this community myself, I saw the need for targeted support,” he said. Velasquez-Paz launched a series of postsecondary panels focused on empowering students to take charge of their own futures.
A key feature of his project was a live document capturing panelists’ responses, translated into multiple languages including Spanish and Vietnamese. “Many students come to me wanting to speak Spanish,” Velasquez-Paz said. “Having written knowledge in their language makes a difference.”
Velasquez-Paz is an advocate for community college pathways, citing their strong language support and affordability. He attended community college before transferring to the University of Washington, and his mother is currently studying English at the same college.
He sees his work as part of a broader effort to offer hope and access amidst recent changes in federal policy that have increased barriers for undocumented students. “The goal of my project is to show students that despite these barriers, there are still people and resources they can rely on to succeed,” he said.
Velasquez-Paz received a Mary Gates Leadership Scholarship, a $5,000 award that supports undergraduates developing their leadership skills through hands-on experience, reflection and mentorship. The funding eased his financial burden and allowed him to focus on outreach and coordination. “I’ve developed skills in collaboration, public speaking and event planning, all of which are helping me grow as a leader,” he said.
His academic and leadership experiences are deeply intertwined. “Environmental justice is closely linked to social justice,” he said. “This work has given me a better understanding of the real-world impacts of environmental decisions.”
Velasquez-Paz plans to enter the private sector after graduation to gain experience, with the long-term goal of working in policy. “Engineers can design great solutions,” he said, “but without government support, nothing happens. Civic engagement has to be part of the work.”
Building more connected communities
Braedyn Reed, ’25
Major: Community, Environment and Planning
Programs: Husky Leadership Certificate, Leadership minor, Mary Gates Leadership Scholar
Braedyn Reed, ’25, believes leadership begins with curiosity and a deep love for humanity. As a participant in the Husky Leadership Certificate program, a Husky 100 honoree, and co-founder of Tread, a student-led platform connecting consumers with local businesses that share their values, Reed shared insights on leading with intention, service and impact in her lightning talk.
The Husky Leadership Certificate guides students to reflect on their leadership journey throughout their undergraduate education. Each participant is paired with a UW faculty, staff or alumni mentor and creates an e-portfolio to articulate their growth, values and vision for continued impact.
For Reed, that reflection has been key to her leadership growth. “I enjoy pushing myself to grow, but there’s no greater challenge or reward than inspiring positive change in the people and systems around me,” Reed said. “Seeing the impact I can create is deeply fulfilling.”
Reed’s drive to create meaningful impact led to the creation of Tread. One afternoon over coffee, Reed and her Tread co-founder began to ask why it was so hard to learn a local business’s moral values; like paying a living wage, practicing sustainability or fostering inclusion. That question sparked action.
“Tread is about putting your money where your heart is,” Reed said. “You can shape your community by choosing who and what you support.” Still in development, the platform has recruited volunteers and partners, built a website and begun testing its viability; a real-world experiment rooted in a year of community-building.
Over the past year, Reed has served on the U District Partnership’s Business Improvement Area Ratepayer Advisory Board. What started as an exploratory email turned into a seat at the table and deeper engagement with the neighborhood’s complex ecosystem.
“I found the behind-the-scenes look at how neighborhoods function incredibly interesting,” she said. “I learned about local businesses and municipal systems, and I shared those insights with my UW network. Any chance to get people involved is worth sharing.”
The Husky Leadership Certificate helped Reed connect her diverse experiences in mentoring, entrepreneurship and nonprofit work into a cohesive leadership philosophy. “The HLC pushed me to see my leadership as taking ownership. That it’s about stepping up to solve problems and building trust, not titles,” she said.
That mindset has helped her navigate uncertainty. “One big lesson: Don’t think too many steps ahead. Focus on the present, trust your mentors and teammates, and take it one step at a time.”
“Braedyn’s motivation to effect change, along with her introspection on leadership, truly shines,” shared mentor Sean Gehrke, assistant dean in Undergraduate Academic Affairs. “Her commitment to improving communities stands out.”
Reed sees leadership programs as transformative. “The power isn’t just in learning, it’s in the shift of seeing yourself as a leader. Confidence grows, skills build and ideas take root.”
Her advice to her peers: “Don’t wait to lead. Whether or not you have a formal role, ask how you can contribute and build a better world.”
After graduation, Reed plans to continue exploring community development strategies like Tread, apply her civic leadership skills during her internship and embrace opportunities. “I don’t have all the answers yet, but I’m excited to keep learning and experimenting.”
Reflecting on leadership
Finn Guzman, ’25
Major: Education, Communities and Organizations
Programs: Husky Leadership Certificate, Dream Project alum
For Finn Guzman, ’25, leadership means building trust, listening with intention and creating space for others. A first-generation Latino college student from Moses Lake, Washington, Guzman grew up in a community with limited access to sports and educational resources, an experience that shaped his commitment to service and advocacy in athletics.
During the evening’s table talk, Guzman shared how he explored authentic, inclusive leadership through the Husky Leadership Certificate and the Dream Project.
“The HLC gave me time to be introspective, to reflect on the person I was, who I am now and who I’m becoming,” he said. “It helped me understand that leadership isn’t about being in charge. It’s about showing up, creating space and leading with empathy.”
Through the Dream Project, Guzman mentored high school students; many of whom, like him, were the first in their families to pursue higher education. That experience deepened his understanding of community-based education and helped him connect classroom theory to real-world impact.
“In class, we talk about equity and access,” he said. “But it becomes real when you’re sitting with a student trying to figure out college on their own. That’s when you see what equity looks like in action.”
As an intern and squad leader with Rainier Athletes, Guzman continued to grow a leadership style rooted in relational care, flexibility and accountability.
“For me, coaching is more than sports,” he said. “It’s about supporting the whole student-athlete and making sure they feel safe, can show up as themselves and have someone who believes in them. I try to be the person I didn’t have growing up.”
After graduating this spring, Guzman will continue as a Double Dawg in the UW Intercollegiate Athletic Leadership master’s program, where he plans to make athletics and education more inclusive and accessible for all students.
“Sports have always been a huge part of my life,” he said. “I’m excited for the growth, challenges and opportunities this next chapter will bring.”
What you care about can change the world
When you support the Community Engagement and Leadership Education (CELE) Center, you help Huskies create a more just, equitable and thriving world. Join us today in advancing the intelligent, compassionate and ethical leaders our communities and our democracy demand.
Gallery of service and leadership
Enjoy this sampling of photos from the 2025 Spring CELEbration of Service and Leadership!
New opportunity for early-career undergraduates to engage in research
Undergraduate Academic Affairs is delighted to announce the Undergraduate Research Collective, a new paid opportunity for undergraduates with no prior research experience to connect to research in their first and second years at the University of Washington. Leaders in the Office of Undergraduate Research are the program’s visionaries, architects and builders. Startup funding is provided in part by the Ana Mari Cauce Fund for Undergraduate Research, a new giving opportunity to honor President Cauce for her leadership in and support of undergraduate research.
Undergraduate research is one of the most impactful experiences available to students, benefiting students during their time at the UW and well beyond graduation. Students who participate in research often report it reinforced what they are learning in the classroom; increased their ability to think critically; engendered a sense of pride and purpose in being involved in work that contributes to the public good; and built a foundation for their future careers. As one of America’s leading public research institutions, the UW offers first-in-class opportunities for undergraduate research.
“We see the way students light up when they connect with research — many share that their experiences were transformative,” says Sophie Pierszalowski, director of the Office of Undergraduate Research. “That said, research opportunities can be competitive and challenging to access for early career students without prior experience. These students are the future of research — our legacy of research excellence starts with them.”
The Undergraduate Research Collective is a cohort-based, two-year program designed for first- and second-year students and first-year transfer students with no prior research experience. It aims to improve systems and increase access to research for early-career undergraduates. Additionally, students in the Collective receive an $8,000 scholarship over the two years of the program.
In the first year, students develop relationships with their cohort; receive advising from the Office of Undergraduate Research; participate in a weekly seminar focused on research preparation and community-building; and are matched with and develop an onboarding plan with their faculty mentor. More than 20 faculty mentors from across disciplines have signed on to support undergraduates through the Undergraduate Research Collective.
In the second year of the program, students work on a research project with their faculty mentor for five to 10 hours per week; participate in cohort-based professional development workshops and events; and present their project at the Undergraduate Research Symposium.
Startup funding is key and is provided by the Mary Gates Endowment and the Ana Mari Cauce Fund for Undergraduate Research. The Mary Gates Endowment is one of the University’s largest endowments for undergraduates. The Ana Mari Cauce Fund was established by friends, colleagues and admirers of the outgoing UW president to honor and recognize her long-standing commitment to undergraduate research. Throughout her decades-long career at the UW, President Cauce has mentored and been influenced by undergraduate researchers and is a stalwart champion of broadening access to undergraduate research opportunities.
“Undergraduate students involved in research have the opportunity to consider questions and problems that matter,” said Ed Taylor, vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs. “The experience begins with finding their passion, thinking critically about important issues, then applying those insights toward resolving real problems. Guided by mentors and inspired by the legacy of President Cauce, UW students involved in research push the boundaries of knowledge and contribute directly to improving the lives of individuals, communities and our society writ large.”
The pilot phase of the program will support 20 students. According to Pierszalowski, “The Office of Undergraduate Research envisions a future where capacity and infrastructure for early career undergraduate research programming at the UW continues to grow. We hope to partner with departments, research centers, individual donors and other research organizations who understand the value of this work and want to help grow this interdisciplinary effort to engage early career students in research through supportive and accessible pathways.”
Applications for students to participate in this first cohort are open through July 21. Visit the Office of Undergraduate Research’s website to learn more and apply.
The Undergraduate Research Collective two-year pilot is largely funded by donations made to celebrate President Cauce’s leadership and legacy. Visit our fundraising page to learn more about how you can support this program.
Dialogue, disagreement and democracy course highlights reel
In the leadership course, “2024: Dialogue, Disagreement and Democracy,” students learned tools to engage thoughtfully with contentious issues. Offered in the autumn of 2024, this class helped undergraduates navigate complex topics, forge meaningful relationships and have productive conversations in a polarized world.
Woke Up This Morning (With My Mind, Stayed on Freedom) [video]
Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs Ed Taylor shares his talk, “Woke Up This Morning (With My Mind, Stayed on Freedom)” at the College of Education’s EduTalks: Thriving Generations on March 28, 2024. Taylor is also a professor in the College of Education.
Bridging histories in the American South
What if learning about the American South meant building bridges to both the past and the future? Instead of merely skimming the surface of history, what if you could dive deep, discovering the connections between place, community and the resilience born from oppression? What if history became personal, revealing the stories of beloved communities shaped by struggle?
This past summer, the University of Washington Honors Program, in partnership with the Community Engagement and Leadership Education (CELE) Center, offered an immersive “study away” experience that delivered on this vision of learning.
Led by community partner Sankofa Impact, students embarked on a four-week bus journey across 10 states in the South. Through “Honors American South: Foundations of Black Culture, Social Movements and Collective Liberation,” they explored the legacies of enslavement, racial terror, civil rights, mass incarceration and contemporary abolition activism — making history a shared, living narrative.
Upon returning, Vice Provost and Dean Ed Taylor, who co-taught the course, reunited with two of the students, CELE program alum LeVera Brown, ’24 (communications major and diversity minor), and Honors Program student Zoe Hesselroth, ’25 (nursing major), to reflect on the moments that shaped their journey and the lasting impact it had on their understanding of history and identity.
Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Ed Taylor: LeVera, Zoe, it’s great to see you both! The last time we met was in Houston after our trip to Galveston [in Texas]. What inspired you to join this journey to study liberation and race in America?
LeVera: This trip was personal for me. As a Black American, it’s deeply connected to my history. With much of my family still in the South, I felt compelled to learn about their realities — stories they may not have shared. Experiencing our history in an immersive way was important. Standing in those places, walking the same paths and touching the things they touched made it all the more significant for me. I knew I had to be there to understand my roots and the efforts of those who came before me. As it was my senior year, I was determined to explore what this history means for my future.
Zoe: Nursing influenced my decision to join this trip. I’m passionate about public health nursing and believe it’s crucial to understand the communities we serve and the historical context of racism. I wanted to learn more about the cultural aspects of these communities and build trust with my future patients. Understanding their experiences, including those of modern foot soldiers and their struggles, was important to me. Plus, this was my first trip to the South, which pushed me outside my comfort zone.
Ed: Community engagement matters to you also. Why was that a compelling part of this course?
LeVera: Community engagement is very important to me. I’ve done a lot of work at the Othello-UW Commons in South Seattle, serving local residents, Huskies, staff and community partners. We create a space for collaboration and support. My upbringing has centered on community, activism and social justice, making engagement a core part of my life. On this trip, I wanted to explore the roots of community engagement within the Black American community — understanding how it began and its foundational methods. That was crucial for me.
Interdisciplinary learning
Ed: Can you share how this trip aligns with the values of the Honors Program?
Zoe: First, it’s interdisciplinary, connecting different aspects of history and various spheres of education. We definitely saw that on our trip—exploring environmental justice, economic justice and how these issues relate across history and in the modern day.
The Honors Program is about empowering you to take action and be part of the change you want to see. During the application process, we were asked about social issues we wanted to work on and how our experiences informed that. A theme that kept emerging on our trip was the importance of not leaving behind what we learned but actually applying it to influence our future actions. That sense of application and connection to our backgrounds felt very much in line with the Honors Program.
Community legacies
Ed: Describe a place that tells a significant story. What was your experience and connection to it?
Zoe: Burnell’s grocery store in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans! After Hurricane Katrina, Burnell, a veteran, used his life savings to fill the neighborhood’s need for a supermarket. [The impacts of the hurricane] had forced residents to travel two hours for essentials. His store offers fresh produce, canned goods and a small restaurant, while also providing job opportunities for locals.
Walking in, you can feel the love — murals, positive messages and music create a true community hub. What started as a grocery store has evolved into something much greater. You can really feel that. Burnell’s uplifting spirit inspires others to pursue their dreams, even if they don’t know how to start. He believes in facing fears, he reminded us that “you can’t let fear control you, you must keep moving forward.”
LeVera: I loved the moment we had in Galveston at the Nia Cultural Center. Our tour guide showed us a brick wall covered with fingerprints left by enslaved people. It had been concealed in cement for years; no one even knew it was there. Then one day the cement fell off. Our tour guide mentioned this as a metaphor: the truth will always be revealed, no matter how many ways you try to cover it up.
Zoe: That felt surreal. We stepped outside after learning that enslaved people built those bricks and left their fingerprints behind. Yet, across the street, a gift shop sells T-shirts in a former slave market. This contrast highlighted how history is often overlooked, how the suffering and contributions of those who built this place aren’t being acknowledged. I had many of these “whoa” moments throughout the trip.
Ed: While there’s a lot of tourism, your guide wanted to take you deeper, sharing the history behind the place. It was clear that you were there to learn, making a distinction between just passing through as a tourist and positioning yourselves as truly present, wanting to understand and feel the history. It was powerful to witness how you all engaged with that moment.
Trust is the currency
Ed: When I think about a collection of strangers traveling together on a bus for a month through the South, it’s easy to imagine potential conflicts. Yet, so much went right. What do you think kept your group united? Was there something that helped you share those experiences and stay connected?
Zoe: Care and respect were crucial for us. We were discussing tough subjects, and it hit harder for those with personal connections to the history. Checking in on each other and genuinely caring about everyone’s well-being made a big difference. Trusting each other’s authenticity and intentions helped create a supportive environment.
It was also important to find moments of joy amidst the heaviness. Those times when we would break out in laughter on the bus really helped strengthen our bond. They were nice moments that kept us connected.
LeVera: We definitely had a lot of those moments of joy! As we were going through heavy topics we were always there for each other. As you mentioned, we did regular check-ins, asking questions like, “Hey, how are you feeling?” Those moments really went a long way for us.
Ed: Two words at the heart of this course: collective liberation. What does this concept mean to you now?
LeVera: Having experienced and learned everything we have, my view of collective liberation has expanded significantly. I believe that collective liberation starts within yourself, and I now understand that everyone has something to contribute to it. That collective liberation can take many forms, but you need to liberate yourself in order to support the liberation of others. It’s challenging to define freedom if you don’t even know what it feels like for you.
Zoe: When I think about collective liberation, the concept of people power stands out. Establishing trust in the community is crucial. Collective liberation happens on multiple levels — economic, environmental and more. It’s a process that unfolds over time. We need to recognize the foot soldiers of the past and learn from them while looking at those actively contributing today. We can play a part in it. I also think about Afrofuturism, envisioning a future and considering where we can go from here.
Ed: Where do we go from here? When you travel and hear stories of history, trauma and challenges, it’s easy to get weighed down by that heaviness. Yet, you both have emerged with a sense of joy. What gives you hope in light of the history you’ve encountered?
LeVera: What gives me hope is the people we met and their stories. It’s striking to realize that civil rights workers were often teenagers, people in their early 20s, fighting for change and being boundless. Their passion and achievements fill me with hope. If they could accomplish so much despite their challenges, I have a responsibility to carry that baton forward. They never gave up, which is why I’m where I am today.
During our trip, many people emphasized that we can’t let progress slide backward. They said things like, “We’ve worked too hard. It’s your turn now; you need to fight because things are serious.” This consistent message made me realize the importance of staying engaged. They would say, “You can do this. You can do that. You’re a creator.” Their belief in us gives me a lot of hope, too.
This autumn, let us begin again
It’s the beginning of another academic year. The leaves on the iconic cherry trees in the Quad are turning red, orange, gold. We often focus on these trees in the spring — and with good reason, the blossoms are spectacular and represent a kind of joyful renewal — but autumn and the start of classes brings its own beauty and renewal through this specific time and place.
The leaves change together, just as our students transform together through a common experience of learning at this point in time and at this public institution. The turning of the leaves, a new school year, new students coming to campus: It is hopeful and gives us all an opportunity to begin again.
In Undergraduate Academic Affairs, we create opportunities and programs that enable students to connect to, deepen and expand their undergraduate academic experiences. As a result, students are able to be fully present and be the lead protagonists in their own educational journeys.
As we all begin this new academic year, full of possibility and hope, I think of James Baldwin, who wrote, “The world is before you and you need not take it or leave it as it was when you came in.”
Many students in the UW’s history did not leave the UW as it was when they entered. They gathered, learned, organized and changed the way this very University operates and has made us a better institution. We are better today because of the people who have come through here.
The people make the institution, and students develop capacities for leadership, community engagement and scholarship that make it so they are not just at the UW, but are able to be the UW.
Emily Dickenson wrote, “Hope is the thing with feathers / That perches in the soul, / And sings the tune without the words, / And never stops at all …”
With all the challenges our local and global communities face, when I meet students, I am filled with hope anew. The UW provides students with both common academic experiences and vast opportunities to choose and create their own academic adventures. Hope perches in our souls and sings no matter what.
This class of more than 7,200 entering students is filled with new Huskies, parents, families, mentors and supporters who are here because they’ve been hopeful.
My hope for all our students is that, by finding a sense of belonging at the UW, they develop the habits of heart, grow their intellectual capacity and discover their own drive to create the world anew.
Reflections on Black History Month
Black History Month is our annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a devoted time to recognize Black achievements in U.S. history. Known as African American History Month, the period grew out of “Negro History Week,” born of the idea of historian Carter G. Woodson and other notable African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has designated the month of February as Black History Month. Canada and the United Kingdom also devote a month to celebrating Black history.
The “celebration” is often framed as a time to honor the achievements of individual Black Americans, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Ida B. Wells; now Barack and Michelle Obama and Kamala Harris are among the many iconic figures. Given our experience of 2020 and now 2021 and the magnitude of the challenges before us, recognizing individual achievements seems too narrow. Recognizing Black History Month in context calls us to, indeed, recognize individuals and to turn our view toward our nation, community and our campus. I do believe James Baldwin is right: “American history is longer, larger, more various, more beautiful and more terrible than anything anyone has ever said about it.” We have reason to celebrate, yet we need not conceal the challenges in our midst.
My experience as an African American man is not singular. I am proud of my country and at times aghast at what I see. I am a proud Husky, and yet I have moments when I do not quite feel I fit. I feel at home in my community and at my University and at times frustrated by the divisions in my community. My campus feels familiar and safe, then there are far too many moments I feel uncertain. I often feel the particular sensation that W.E.B. Du Bois described in “The Souls of Black Folk” (1903), the concept of double consciousness — defined as the struggle African Americans face to remain true to Black culture while at the same time conforming to the dominant white society. Du Bois writes, “It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness … One feels his two-ness, an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two un-reconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder.” Double consciousness is no longer limited to the lives of African Americans, many of us have lived and grown weary of living a divided life which is why we persist in our search for purpose and meaning in our lives and work.
I love the UW. I love the work I do. I try to merge into the values of our community and our campus with care. I hope that I lead and learn with integrity. I will celebrate Black History Month and in so doing, feel restrained. I am daily grateful that I can celebrate this month with all of you. I invite you to read Lucille Clifton’s poem, “won’t you celebrate with me.” She begins with a call to action, “won’t you celebrate with me” and she gives the reasons, against all odds, to celebrate.
Editor’s note: This reflection was originally part of an email to UAA staff published on February 5, 2021.
Welcome to the 2020-21 academic year
Our inter-connected and inter-dependent community is filled with people who care, and I want to remind everyone to find moments of joy and gratitude in each day.