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The Office of Equity and Inclusion was created to help cultivate an institutional vision and commitment to promoting the value of diversity while ensuring an equitable environment for all members of the UW Tacoma community. This means paying attention to policies and practices involving leadership, management, communication, resources, instruction, scholarship, and community building. It includes focusing attention on the demographic composition of UW Tacoma's students, staff, faculty and our surrounding community of the South Puget Sound to offer culturally responsive programs and inclusive services. In addition, we work to improve our institutional systems to ensure equal access and fair outcomes for all faculty, students, and staff. Because UW Tacoma's mission clearly states that the University exists to "educate diverse learners and transform communities by expanding the boundaries of knowledge and discovery," diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are linked to UW Tacoma's success. We are dedicated to the academic achievement of all students who will become leaders capable of positively engaging across differences in our region and our world.
Tanya Velasquez (she/her/hers)
Teaching Professor
Interim Vice Chancellor for Equity and Inclusion
Tanya is a first generation, Mexican and Chinese college graduate from the University of Washington Tacoma with a interdisciplinary bachelor's and master's degrees in Sociology and Ethnic, Gender and Labor studies. As a teaching professor for 15 years, she has offered numerous courses in sociology, race and gender, and Asian American studies. Tanya has served as a board member on the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges Cross Institutional Faculty of Color Mentoring Program and the Student of Color Conference. She served as the director of faculty engagement for the Office of Equity and Inclusion and was a co-chair for the AANAPISI Federal Grant. She is currently serving as the interim Vice Chancellor for Equity and Inclusion.
Nicole Jordan (she/her/they/them)
Director, Center for Equity and Inclusion
Nicole Jordan uses she/her & they/them pronouns and identifies as Black, queer womxn. Born and raised in Hilltop, Tacoma, WA, their deep investment in advocacy, leadership, and youth development began locally. In preparation to create and foster QTPOC spaces for healing and transformation, Nicole completed degrees from Pacific Lutheran University with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and from Evergreen State College with a Master’s in Public Administration. Nicole has served as an AmeriCorps volunteer, advocated for incarcerated youth, partnered with youth in foster care, and worked in higher education programs dedicated to supporting historically underserved students. As Director of the Center for Equity and Inclusion at UW Tacoma, her focus is on uplifting and building capacity for the most marginalized people to thrive holistically, while partnering with allies to reduce harm, inspire academic persistence and create equitable change. Grounded in critical race theory and an intersectional framework, their work aims to foster authentic relationship building and collaboration with UWT and community partners to promote a more equitable and inclusive experience for all students.
Sonja Craig Morgan (she/her/hers)
Administrative Specialist
Sonja Craig Morgan (she, her, hers) grew up in the rural woods and water environment of the Key Peninsula on the Coast Salish lands of southwest Pierce County. Sonja has over 18 years of experience in student services with the Washington State Community and Technical College System during which she focused her work on student engagement and building inclusive communities of belonging. Sonja is an alum of UWT (2014 MAIAS Community and Social Change) and has called Tacoma home since graduating from Oberlin College with a B.A. in African American Studies and Women’s Studies in 2002. Sonja can be found spending time with her friends and family, cooking, playing records on the sound system, and learning how to be abetter gardener and ally.
