DEIA Statement:

I have always worked to promote and contribute to a diverse, respectful, inclusive, and equitable environment for students, colleagues, and community members. However, this year, I have embarked upon an investigative journey to deepen these values, which is documented throughout this tenure portfolio, and especially in the Professional Development section of this Self-Evaluation. I am engaging in many Professional Development opportunities and learning strategies that consider anti-racism, diverse abilities, religion, gender, sexual orientation, LGBTQIA+ language, national origin, or immigration identities, perspectives, and / or experiences, as well as unconscious bias.

As shown below, I am deeply dedicated to continuous self-growth and progress through active participation in DEIA professional development and learning opportunities. I have utilized these opportunities for students, faculty, and / or staff specifically as follows:

1. Teaching practice:

   • LACCD | ODEI | CTE Employees Training: Attended LACCD | ODEIA Training, on 11/20/2023 and 3/22/2024, with District Compliance Officer, Victoria Friedman, which covered information about District policy, procedure, and legal requirements related to Title IX, DHR (Discrimination, Harassment, Retaliation), and DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility).

   • Equity Trek: Attended WLAC | Equity Trek on February 2, 2024. Faculty, staff, and administrators walked around campus and uncovered the messages physical spaces convey to students and examined how these may affect their ability to succeed. This was a great way to get our steps in while figuring out how we could reinforce existing resources at West to better support all students.

   • CRPP: I am participating in the Culturally Responsive Pedagogical Practices (CRPP) grant, guided by Tiffany Lanoix and have attended two meetings, so far. I have a canvas shell for my work, and a coach, Ronnie Felder. I have learned that strategies that will help help Black students achieve success will help all students. I have also learned through the Black Student Roundtable that in-person classes, feeling supported, and awareness of campus resources are instrumental to success. Please click the image below for our introductory pdf:
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
      

   • Access to Resources: I have therefore joined forces with Gary Dagg and Imhotep Coleman to give our FLM PRD 101 students tours of Campus Resources on the first day of class. We begin with the Welcome Center, then go to DSPS, EOPS, Admissions and Records, the Counseling Department, Basic Needs, including the Food Pantry, and Wardrobe Services. We also guide students to the Child Development Center and Mental Wellbeing and Health services. As part of this CRPP grant, I will soon provide an analysis of equity data for my division and at least one of my own classes. I will then adopt various teaching practices to increase success rates for Black students at WLAC.

   • Liquid Syllabus: According to Michelle Pacansky-Brock, a liquid syllabus is a humanizing element that ensures students start a course feeling supported by their instructor. I have created a compassionate liquid syllabus that also contains well organized student resource information. I am currently adjusting my liquid syllabus template to be more ADA accessible. Once I have achieved this goal, it will be a template for all syllabi going forward. Please see my Liquid Syllabus:
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
      

   • Mental Health: I have also incorporated a discussion of mental health awareness into my in-person classes, in which we take a deeper dive into campus and community resources such as Timely Care, and local mental health resources outside of WLAC.
      

2. Service to the college or district:

   • Student Success Committee (SSC): Knowing how important mental health and other resources are to students in addition to giving tours of WLAC resources mentioned above, I am working with the SSC to incorporate a list of these resources in a module at the top of all Canvas Shells, as is already standard at LACC. This list will also incorporate a quiz that ensures students will have viewed these resources.

   • SSC Exploring Opportunities to Capture and Amplify Students’ Voices Subcommittee: We have been brainstorming ways to encourage students’ voices to be heard, attached. Please see highlights below:

     • Help students with mental health resources.

     • Safe, small group Roundtable, social-emotional learning environment where students voice their concerns and share their successes. In-person or virtual, similar to Black Student Union CRPP Roundtable. 

     • Campus Cultural Events. 

   • IDEA FIG: I regularly attend Tim Welch’s IDEA FIG meetings where we continue to explore how we can support and promote inclusivity, diversity, equity, and accessibility for students and colleagues in our campus community. During our last meeting, we discussed our LGBTQIA+ survey and incorporating Coastline College’s Cultural Awareness Webpage into our website.

   • Dream Resource Center: On 10/23/2024, I attended the Emotions before Elections meeting to better serve our college and students with respect to Dreamers’ emotional response to the upcoming presidential election.

   • They Can’t Kill Us: I have been promoting WLAC student, Johnathan Bloodwolf Lopez's 2024 film, They Can’t Kill Us, now streaming on Amazon Prime video. This film profiles the often-unheard rich and complex history of Native American tribes through interviews of various tribes. I suggested that he bring this film to the American Film Market and connected him with WLAC student, Jade Meyer, who edited the film:
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
      

3. Community: 
   I have spent the last year attending DEIA events that promote my progress toward proficiency in DEIA-related competencies, including:

   • BRIC: On March 15, 2024, I attended the 8-Hour BRIC Summit Industry Day, held at the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity. Here, I met with leaders, educators, creators, and advocates from all aspects of the industry to collectively solve DEIA issues within entertainment, media, and tech. Together, we workshopped solutions and action plans centered on hiring practices, the threat of AI, and other DEIA issues, with the goal of creating more inclusive opportunities for underrepresented groups to be successful. Please see Keynote speakers, Wayne Brady and Mandie Taketa below:
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
      

   • 2024 Careers in Entertainment Expo: On May 16, 2024, I attended the 2024 Careers in Entertainment Expo. This DEIA event is sponsored by the Entertainment Equity Alliance (EEA), a coalition of industry-connected workforce, government and labor partners committed to ensuring equity and access to careers in the arts and entertainment industry for historically excluded and underrepresented groups. I gathered information for our students, networked, and reached out to others about West Los Angeles College Programs:
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
      

   • SCBWI Conference: In February, 2024 I attended the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) conference and reached out to Author, Cece Bell, regarding her book, El Deafo, which is based on her own childhood. She wanted to create a handbook for hearing people so they would know how to understand and communicate with deaf people without being disrespectful. The project evolved into a graphic novel where children who are deaf can see themselves positively represented in a book:
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
      

   • Broad Museum, Mickalene Thomas & Yavoi Kusama: In June, 2024, I visited the Mickalene Thomas: All about Love Exhibit. It was truly amazing, and I would have liked to spend more time enjoying it. The theme of the exhibit is for Black women to be seen and understood, and for viewers to become what feminist author, bell hooks, calls “practitioners of love:" 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     I also visited 95 year-old Japanese artist, Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrored Room—The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away. Her work is bold and inspiring. Just the title of the piece below makes us think deeply:
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
      

   • Art of Native America: The Charles and Valerie Diker Collection: On July 19, 2024, I visited the Art of Native American exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. This was an impressive exhibit, showing beautiful artwork and vibrant culture and traditions.

   • 911 Memorial Museum: I also visited the 911 Memorial Museum in New York City. It was heartbreaking and difficult to view, but necessary for all people to attend. I watched an excellent film, Boatlift, about the boats throughout the harbor that rescued over 500,000 survivors of 9/11/2001. This museum shows the ultimate price that humanity pays due to hatred:
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
      

   • The Museum of Tolerance: On October 7, 2024, I visited the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, California, to study the Holocaust, Ann Frank, and tolerance of many races and religions. This was a difficult endeavor to explore the atrocities committed during WWII. Just as with the 911 Museum, all people should visit this museum to learn religious tolerance and anti-racist practices. This museum also shows the ultimate price that humanity pays due to hatred. Please see an Albert Einstein image below, noting that Hitler put a million dollar price on his head:
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
      

   • Culver City Arts Foundation Mexican Heritage Celebration: On October 4, 2024, I attended the Tito's Tacos traditional Mexican Fiesta in Celebration of National Taco Day, including Mariachi, Folklorico, and other performances and activities. All proceeds were given to the Culver City Arts Foundation. This event was impressive and featured an amazing woman, playing a violin with the most intense passion I have ever seen:
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
      

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