UW Makerspace strives to foster a welcoming community by encouraging collaboration and embracing diversity in all its forms. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich our community.
To build upon this mission, the Makerspace has implemented new education policies for its student staff focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
Makerspace student staff are now required to attend two DEI education events a semester. These include lectures given by leading diversity educators across the state, festivals or short courses taught by student organizations, and podcasts produced by our very own students and staff.
The goal of these required trainings is to provide our staff with a variety of perspectives that will foster an understanding culture in the Makerspace. Campus DEI leaders encourage these efforts as ways to reduce bias and foster welcoming communities on campus.
Events attended by Makerspace staff this past semester included “An Evening with Giveon”, “The Journey to Justice with Ben Crump”, “Covid-19 and the Resurgence of anti-Asian Racism Confirmation” and more. By attending these events, student staff learned about the history of BIPOC communities and cultures, and how past and current events are hurting our BIPOC communities.
Student staff member, Emma F. said attending “The Journey to Justice with Ben Crump” helped her understand injustice from a new point of view. “It was eye-opening to hear about how [Ben] Crump grew up; it made me realize how recent the segregation between races really was.”
Additionally, Josie M. said she took a lot away from attending “Covid-19 and the Resurgence of anti-Asian Racism Confirmation”, including the knowledge that “using the term bias instead of a stronger word like racism can belittle the issue at hand and make it seem like anti-Asian racism and harm is not being done.”
At the UW Makerspace, we are working every day to create a welcoming and understanding community within our building. We welcome you to come check out our space, make something cool, and participate in our awesome making community!