Our Executive Order: Recent Episodes
Our Executive Order
The Office of Civic Engagement and the Ethnic Student Center from the Associated Students of Western Washington University join together to give you the histories and realities of voting!
In this episode, we spoke with several guests, each with a different background and perspective regarding campus safety and security.
Their perspectives, research, and experiences are valuable in working to understand the complex subject of policing and campus safety at educational institutions.
We want to thank each of our featured guests for taking the time to meet with us and share their valuable work.
The Complex Social Interaction Lab
Washington State University
David Makin
https://labs.wsu.edu/csi/
Forward Montana
Grace Benasutti
https://forwardmontana.org/
More about Montana House Bill 102
https://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billpdf/HB0102.pdf
The second ID: critical race counterstories of campus police interactions with Black men at Historically White Institutions
By DeMarcus A Jenkins, Antar Tichavakunda, and Justin Coles
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13613324.2020.1753672
In this episode, Nathalie and Anna Corinne sit down with Makela, a Western graduate and community member with experience serving folks facing housing insecurity and homelessness. Makela offers some helpful background regarding the causes of houselessness; she dispels some common misconceptions; and she offers steps that Western students can take to serve our neighbors experiencing homelessness.
Resources:
https://plymouthhousing.org/
https://www.desc.org/what-we-do/housing/housing-first/
https://www.oppco.org/publications/
https://www.wliha.org/
https://evictionlab.org/
In this episode, Adah and Anna Corinne sat down with Teri from the Opportunity Council to discuss the issue of homelessness in the Bellingham area. Teri offered some great examples that helped clarify the meaning behind some of the terms we often hear when discussing homelessness. She also provides concrete examples of how to help serve people experiencing houselessness and how to meet people where they are to serve them.
https://www.facebook.com/OCHomelessServices
GoodSpaceGuy is a long-time Washington resident and has run for elected positions over 20 times.
His platform includes improving our communities through meaningful engagement, a competitive market approach, and investment in orbital space colonies.
Running as a third-party candidate has allowed him to experience community and political life in a unique way.
In this episode, Good SpaceGuy joins us to talk about his experiences running as a third-party candidate, key aspects of his political platform, and a new take on how to better our communities.
He emphasizes the possibility of orbital space colonies as a way to improve the quality of workers' lives and protect our planet.
Thank you, GoodSpaceGuy, for joining our podcast!
In this episode, Jude and Stephen from the OCE sit down with Yasmin, Tara, and Liam from FairVote Washington. FairVote is a non-profit, volunteer-based organization that pushes for election reform. Yasmin, Tara, and Liam share their experiences with FairVote and their efforts in pushing for election reform. They also help break down what ranked-choice voting is and its benefits compared to our current system of voting in Washington State and the U.S.
https://fairvotewa.org/
https://www.instagram.com/fairvotewa/
https://www.facebook.com/FairVoteWA/
This episode is part two of our "Reasonable Accommodations?" episode released on April 5th. You can listen to this podcast as a stand-alone or go back to part one for some more context. In this episode, Adah and Jude continue the conversation with Iris (a recent WWU graduate) and Charlotta (a coordinator in the Disability Outreach Center) who share their experiences as students with disabilities. They talk about institutionalized ableism, issues within the medical field, and they discuss ways that we can work to support our peers with disabilities. We want to thank both Iris and Charlotta for their time and for the valuable conversation.
Disability Outreach Center (DOC) https://as.wwu.edu/sairc/disability/
Disability Access Center (DAC) https://disability.wwu.edu/
In this special episode, Jude is joined by Malik, ASWWU’s President, to talk about Ramadan and their own experiences. They talk about fasting, their unique experiences growing up, the Muslim community at Western, and religious accommodations in education institutions.
In this episode, Chelsea and Jude delve into the topic of jury duty and jury selection, how the court system can be incredibly biased, and how this applies to a case that many of us currently have our eyes on: the Derek Chauvin case.
Resources
Jury Selection https://www.uscourts.gov/services-forms/jury-service/learn-about-jury-service
https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/prejudice-and-prosecution-juror-racism-at-issue-in-tulsa-county-da-election/
https://eji.org/reports/illegal-racial-discrimination-in-jury-selection/
Court TV https://www.courttv.com/
Full Ballot Talk with Professor Ceci Lopez Ballot Talk: Why do we elect state Justices and Judges? With Professor Ceci Lopez.
In this episode, Adah and Jude sit down with Iris (a recent WWU graduate) and Charlotta (a coordinator in the Disability Outreach Center) to talk about their experiences as students with disabilities. They talk about reasonable accommodations and how professors don't always create equitable learning conditions or standards. We want to thank both Iris and Charlotta for their time and for the valuable conversation.
Disability Outreach Center (DOC) https://as.wwu.edu/sairc/disability/
Disability Access Center (DAC) https://disability.wwu.edu/
In this episode, Anna Corinne sits down with Professor Melina Juarez from the Political Science and the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies departments to talk about intersectional feminism. Professor Juarez helps unpack the topic of feminism in the United States and beyond, the dominant narratives of feminism that have been pushed forward, the importance of pushing back against a single narrative, and how we can work to "decolonize our minds" to become better intersectional feminists.
In this episode, Adah and Anna Corinne talk about performative activism versus allyship and how we can all work to be better allies. They draw from personal experiences and understandings to talk about learning as a process and the importance of unpacking biases to understand systems of inequality and better help others.
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The Invisible Knapsack http://convention.myacpa.org/houston2018/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/UnpackingTheKnapsack.pdf
Is Reverse Racism Real? http://www.aclrc.com/myth-of-reverse-racism
Becoming a Better Ally https://sojo.net/articles/our-white-friends-desiring-be-allies
In this special podcast episode, Our Executive Order collaborated with Heart to Heart, a podcast run by Brea, who attends the University of Pennsylvania, and Kim, who attends Brown University.
Together, we delve into the shared experiences of being university students, while comparing the differences between WWU and their private, east coast schools. This episode centers on the shortcomings of universities in terms of serving BIPOC students and communities through meaningful, structural change, and how that has impacted us in our respective institutions.
Heart to Heart
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/heart2heartpodcast/
Anchor https://anchor.fm/hearttoheartpod/episodes/Pdophilia--Race-a-conversation-about-whats-happening-to-Black-girls-ersldm
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1mjtneY5ixYFj8RbD053VY
In this episode, Jude and her roommate sit down to talk about their experiences as women in the workplace. They talk about the different jobs they each have had, the work environments, and how being women have impacted, and continue to impact, their experiences.
In this episode, Jude (WWU's Director of Legislative Affairs) and Nicole (WWU's ASVP for Governmental Affairs) sit down to discuss the history of Black legislators on the local, state, and national level and the importance of intersectional representation in leadership roles. They each draw on their own knowledge, touching on the experiences they have each had in their respective roles.
In this collaborative episode with the AS Review, Adah, Jude, and PJ sit down to talk about the shortcomings of the AS, their roles within their respective offices, and how each of their offices are working to better serve BIPOC students and meet the BSO demands.
BSO Demands
https://as.wwu.edu/gov/board/
https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/wp.wwu.edu/dist/8/1109/files/2020/06/BSO-DEMANDS.pdf
Western Black History Month Events
https://www.wwu.edu/black-history-month
OCE
https://www.instagram.com/aswwu_oce/
AS Review
https://www.instagram.com/asreview/
Black History Month Resources
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QBe8lZs0YvxRGens6O6Y-DwcJjHdN7tMvpVmGFZivYs/edit?usp=sharing
This episode is the first in our four-week segment on Black History Month. In this episode, Nathalie, Jude, and Anna Corinne sit down to talk about Black History Month, the Office of Civic Engagement's plans for the month, and ways to get involved. They also discuss white privilege and how learning about it ties into civic engagement and better understanding our communities.
0:30 What is Black History Month?
1:51 AS and OCE Plans for the Month
4:22 White Privilege
17:30 Legislative Action
24:45 Tying it all in to Civic Engagement
Resources
Black History Month
https://abcnews.go.com/US/history-black-history-month/story?id=60922761
https://www.crresearch.com/blog/black-history-month-an-introduction-to-african-american-history-culture
White Privilege Resources
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/wow-i-m-racist-time-viral-encounters-white-spaces-are-n947311?fbclid=IwAR1JX_CGV0Tu-Dz1DVfoWIanpJxgSmD1PnMLq3tPJu0w3ex9WGS58OJBte0
https://www.oprahmag.com/life/relationships-love/a32824297/color-blind-myth-racism/
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/white-privilege-racism-ibram-x-kendi-robin-diangelo/
https://www.apa.org/research/action/speaking-of-psychology/white-privilege?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=apa-podcast-sop-racism&utm_content=ep110-white-privilege
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/things-white-people-say-highlight-privilege_l_5edeafafc5b637b87e22cee0
Five Stages of Understanding White Privilege http://www.nancyrust.com/2018/03/the-5-stages-of-white-privilege-awareness-5/
The Invisible Knapsack Activity http://www.loyno.edu/engage/sites/loyno.edu.engage/files/mac_gallavan_act1.pdf
Heteropatriarchy and the Three Pillars of White Supremacy https://read.dukeupress.edu/books/book/3/chapter-abstract/95859/Heteropatriarchy-and-the-Three-Pillars-of-White?redirectedFrom=fulltext
The DEI Bill Call to Action https://www.instagram.com/p/CKchyH6JJdY/
In this episode, Adah, Chelsea, and Anna Corinne sit down to talk about what's going on in our country. They discuss the impeachment trial proceedings for former President Trump, the roles of President Biden and Vice President Harris, the executive orders that have been signed so far, as well as the cabinet member and other appointed position candidates.
0:43 Impeachment Trial
5:21 First 100 Days of the Biden/Harris Administration
7:58 Powers of the Vice President
12:02 Cabinet and Appointed Positions Candidates
Resources
Live Updates on Biden Presidency and Trump Impeachment
https://edition.cnn.com/politics/live-news/biden-presidency-trump-impeachment-1-25-21/h_5055887180eb9760edce8d8f37fe20b6
Impeachment Proceedings
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/outstanding-questions-trumps-2nd-impeachment-trial-approaches/story?id=75253857
https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/21/politics/nancy-pelosi-impeachment-timing/index.html
Executive Orders Signed So Far
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/20/us/biden-executive-orders.html
Cabinet Appointees
https://www.npr.org/2020/11/17/933848488/biden-administration-heres-who-has-been-nominated
https://www.brookings.edu/research/tracking-president-joe-bidens-cabinet-and-appointees/
In this episode, Jude, Anna Corinne, and Chelsea sit down to discuss Martin Luther King Jr. day while talking about the gaps in their K12 civic education. They focus on how civic education has been whitewashed and sanitized to make it more comfortable to digest, and they mention some of the implications of that. They also shine a light on a few notable women of the civil rights era, who are often left out of the narrative.
0:16 Our K12 Civic Education
8:01 Juneteenth
15:01 Coretta Scott King
19:45 Claudette Colvin
Our Friend Marvin
Our Friend, Martin
The Sanitization of MLK https://www.vox.com/identities/2018/4/4/17193286/martin-luther-king-assassination-50th-anniversary-jeanne-theoharis
Coretta Scott King
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/03/coretta-scott-king-extract
https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/coretta-scott-king
Claudette Colvin https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/12/01/rosa-parks-the-name-you-know-claudette-colvin-the-one-too-many-dont/
In this episode, Adah, Jude, and Nathalie sat down to talk about their experiences with Lobby Days, what's it's like, and what they have taken away from their experiences. They also highlight the upcoming lobbying opportunities that will be available to Western students.
1:05 Their Experiences Lobbying
6:05 Lobbying Opportunities
10:38 What Will Lobbying Look Like This Year? & agenda items
13:30 Past Successes
Western Lobby Day https://as.wwu.edu/gov/lobby-day/
Western Lobby Day Agenda 2021 https://asvuwwu.blob.core.windows.net/media/up/2020/12/ss-agenda_nOCv0j3.pdf
In this holiday special episode, Nathalie, Adah, Anna Corinne, and Chelsea sit down to talk about the ways that they will be celebrating the holidays during COVID. They also talk about different ways to give back to the community through volunteering and shopping locally this season.
0:17 How We Are Celebrating the Holidays During COVID
7:11 Holidays and Civic Engagement
9:26 Shopping Local this Holiday Season
15:30 Creative and Unique Gift Ideas
OCE Instagram www.instagram.com/aswwu_oce/
ESC Instagram www.instagram.com/wwuesc/
Longer Local Gift Guide https://linktr.ee/achuffman/
"Think Local" Gift Card https://app.yiftee.com/gift-card/bellingham
In this podcast episode, Jude, Chelsea, Jana, and Anna Corinne sit down to talk about the Ethnic Student Center, their experiences with it, and how the ESC space helps facilitate relationship building and campus involvement.
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ESC Instagram: www.instagram.com/wwuesc/
ESC Website: https://as.wwu.edu/esc/
In this episode, Nathalie and Adah sit down to discuss veteran experiences on university campuses, military recruitment, and the ways that Western aims to connect with and support veteran students.
0:33 Veteran Experiences on Campus & Common Struggles
4:10 Adah's Experience
6:09 Military Recruitment
12:43 Resources on Western's Campus
15:55 Nathalie's Experience Working w a Veteran
Resources for Veterans
Western's Veteran's Outreach Center https://as.wwu.edu/sairc/voc/
Western's Veteran's Services VSO https://wp.wwu.edu/veteranservices/
Western's SAIRC https://as.wwu.edu/sairc/
Bambi Lewis- AS Veterans Community Coordinator // as.veterans@wwu.edu
In this episode, Adah and Anna Corinne explain the electoral college and how it works. They also discuss the unprecedented 2020 election, controversey surrounding mail-in ballots, as well as national and statewide election results.
Topics Discussed:
0:19 What is the Electoral College? & How Does it Work?
3:33 Increased Mail-In Ballots
8:04 Controversey and Court Cases
12:14 Battleground States
15:20 Washington State Results
Resources
What is the Electoral College?
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/what-is-the-electoral-college_n_2078970
Mail-in Voting Information
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/501577-heres-where-your-state-stands-on-mail-in-voting#:~:text=Five%20states%20%E2%80%94%20Colorado%2C%20Hawaii%2C%20Oregon%2C%20Washington%20and,mail%20also%20comes%20at%20a%20cost%20for%20states
https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2020/politics/mail-in-voting/
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/map-states-accept-mailed-ballots-after-election-day-n1246044
Trump Campaign Court Cases
https://www.ktvu.com/news/trump-campaign-strategy-shifts-from-getting-votes-to-filing-lawsuits
NY Times Election Results
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/11/03/us/elections/results-president.html
Whatcom County Election Results
https://results.vote.wa.gov/results/20201103/whatcom/
Washington State Election Results
https://results.vote.wa.gov/results/20201103/
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris' Speech- Saturday Nov. 7th
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris Full Victory Speeches | WSJ
In this episode, we have pulled out highlights from the Local and State Candidate Form hosted by the Office of Civic Engagement last Tuesday. We have focused on the issues of the college debt crisis, institutional racism and defunding the police, and fair and free elections. We hope that you learn a bit about these candidates and their positions on the important issues.
0:49 Candidate Introductions
7:41 College Tuition and Debt-Crisis
15:30 Improving Internet in Whatcom County
18:14 Institutional Racism, Biases, and Defunding the Police
33:20 Improving Elections and Democracy in Washington
Our Youtube with the Full Candidate Forum
ASWWU OCE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoeaqhNqa5LNB6TS-VIv68Q
Participating Candidates
Lieutenant Governor: Marko Liias
Whatcom Public Utilities Commissioner (District 1): Christine Grant and Jeffrey McClure
WA Legislative State Rep (District 40 - Position 2, District 42 - Position 1 & 2): Alex Ramel, Russ Dzialo, Sharon Shewmake, and Alicia Rule
WA Supreme Court Justice (Position 3 & 6) Dave Larson, Raquel Montoya-Lewis, and Richard Serns
US Congressional Representative (District 1 & 2): Suzan DelBene, Rick Larsen, and Timothy Hazelo
Whatcom Superior Court Judge (Position 2 & 4): Evan Jones, James Erb, David Freeman, and Jim Nelson
WA Secretary of State: Kim Wyman and Gael Tarleton
WA Governor: Jay Inslee
For the full list of candidates for every position on the ballot, visit:
https://voter.votewa.gov/genericvoterguide.aspx?e=866&c=99#/
In this episode, Adah and Chelsea sit down to discuss the suffrage movement and how it left out BIPOC women. They cover both the historical implications of the suffrage movement, as well as the suppression of BIPOC voters and other marginalized communities that we see today.
0:20 History of Suffrage
2:02 BIPOC Suffragists
3:14 Who Wasn't Included in Suffrage?
3:52 BIPOC Rights to Vote
6:48 Literacy Tests, Voter ID Laws, Addresses, and Poll Taxes
8:13 More About Literacy Tests
10:25 More About Poll Taxes
11:16 Suppressing Indigenous Voters
12:10 Working-Class Voters
13:38 Harris County Voter Suppression
15:41 Benefits of Mail-In Voting
17:15 BIPOC Women
Resources
History of Suffrage
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/08/17/us/suffrage-movement-photos-history.html
Barriers to Voting in the US
https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/barriers-to-voting-in-the-us/
Texas and Harris County
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-reduces-mail-in-ballot-drop-off-locations-2020-election/
Voters sue Texas governor over ballot drop box limit
Indigenous Voter Barriers
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/vote-overcoming-barriers-for-native-american-voters/
https://www.npr.org/2016/10/11/497563881/native-americans-face-unique-barriers-to-voting
Voter Suppression Black Voters
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/07/poll-prri-voter-suppression/565355/
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/08/17/us/suffrage-movement-photos-history.html
In this episode Nathalie, Chelsea, and Anna Corinne discuss the Washington State ballot, focusing on the positions and measures on the ballot specific to Washington and Whatcom County.
Filling out the Ballot 1:20
Federal Positions 2:10
Statewide Positions 3:52
Legislative Positions 8:30
Judicial Positions 10:50
County Commissioner 12:30
Ballot Initiatives 13:10
Dates, Deadlines, and Other Info 17:55
Resources
All County Voter Guide https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/voters-guide/2020/2020-general-election-voters-guide.aspx
Whatcom Voter Guide https://www.sos.wa.gov/_assets/elections/voters-guide/2020/--ed29whatcom.pdf
Register to Vote/ Update Address http://vote.wa.gov/
Voter Engagement Center at WWU https://www.facebook.com/events/732251403993484
Referendum 90 Resources and Information
Bill Information: https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5395&Initiative=false&Year=2019
OSPI Curriculum Information: https://www.k12.wa.us/student-success/resources-subject-area/sexual-health-education
Advisory Vote No. 32 https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5323&Initiative=false&Year=2019
Advisory Vote No. 33 https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5628&Initiative=false&Year=2019
Advisory Vote No. 34 https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=6492&Initiative=false&Year=2019
Advisory Vote No. 35 https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=6690&Initiative=false&Year=2019
Engrossed Senate Joint Resolution https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=8212&Initiative=false&Year=2019
In this episode, Jude and Adah sit down to discuss voter suppression, covering registration restrictions, felonies, list purging, and voter ID laws. They also touch on the highly talked about mail-in ballots and whether there is potential for widespread fraud in this upcoming election.
1:45 Adah's Experience Registering to Vote
3:55 Voter ID Laws
5:35 Mail-in Ballots and 1840 Voting Attacks
8:02 Right to Vote
9:40 Voter Suppression
10:08 Voter ID Restrictions
13:55 Voter Registration Restrictions
16:18 Felonies and Voter Suppression
19:30 List Purging
25:40 What Can I Do? - a call to action
Additional Resources
Voter Purges https://www.brennancenter.org/sites/default/files/2019-08/Report_Purges_Growing_Threat.pdf
Blocking Voter Suppression https://www.aclu.org/news/civil-liberties/block-the-vote-voter-suppression-in-2020/
Election Laws in Washington State https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/election_laws.aspx
Rates of Fraud- Mail-in Ballots https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2020/06/02/low-rates-of-fraud-in-vote-by-mail-states-show-the-benefits-outweigh-the-risks/
More About Mail-in Voting https://www.nytimes.com/article/fact-checking-mail-in-voting.html
In this podcast, Nathalie, Chelsea and Jude talk about what their experience with voting was like growing up and also touch on the importance of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. They also discuss voter turnout and make predictions for voter turnout in the upcoming election. Special thanks to Eva Sáuve for our intro music!
Topics Covered
0:50 The Importance of Studying Voter Turnout
2:15 Who Votes and Who Doesn't?
5:53 Why is Voter Turnout So Low?
12:27 What Increases Voter Turnout?
18:00 Voter Turnout Predictions in This Election
Additional Sources
MIT Election Data: Voter Turnout https://electionlab.mit.edu/research/voter-turnout
Men and Women Voter Turnout https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/08/18/men-and-women-in-the-u-s-continue-to-differ-in-voter-turnout-rate-party-identification/
Midterm Voter Turnout https://www.npr.org/2018/11/08/665197690/a-boatload-of-ballots-midterm-voter-turnout-hit-50-year-high
Wisconsin Primary High Voter Turnout https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/04/15/wisconsin-primary-had-extraordinarily-high-voter-turnout/
Tune in next week as we will be discussing voter suppression.
This podcast is an honest space to discuss the role of our students in the U.S. political system and the historical and current nature how that system works in the United States. We go into the two AS offices that came together to create this podcast: the Office of Civic Engagement and the Ethnic Student Center and we meet our show hosts!
Transcript coming soon!