As human beings, we all need safety, connection, respect, and to be heard - regardless of race, class, gender, or myriad other differences.

The WDRC is proud to partner with expert trainers from the REACH Center to provide Exploring Equity and Cultural Humility. This three-hour workshop inspires and empowers participants to:

• Honor human diversity

• Grow cultural self-awareness and understanding

• Explore the history and culture of diverse ethnic and cultural groups

• Examine the historical and institutional power of “isms” - racism, sexism, classism, etc.

Instructor: Julie Mauermann has worked in the early childhood education field for 30 years, implementing programming in public school, community college, and public library settings with a focus on uplifting equity and increasing inclusion of all young children and their families. Julie works at the Bellingham Library as a children’s library specialist. She also works as an equity and early childhood consultant. Julie is a senior trainer for the REACH Center and is dedicated to reflective and shared learning to address inequity.

Instructor: Heather Jefferson is a Lummi Nation member, a mother and grandmother, and an educator who is committed to providing high-quality education with humility and grace. She brings a wealth of experience from over 30 years of working in classrooms with students from Pre-K through adult professionals. For the past 8 years, she has been supporting local schools and social agencies with training and facilitation on ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and REACH (Respecting Ethnic and Cultural Heritage).

Instructor: Masa DeLara is a facilitator, trainer, and educator in the areas of early childhood education, culture and diversity awareness, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), resilience, and trauma-informed environments. She is a senior trainer for the REACH Center in partnership with Western Washington University and is a certified NEAR (Neurobiology, Epigenetics, ACEs, Resilience) trainer in Washington State. Masa has a deep commitment to equity, inclusion, and social justice.

About REACH

For more than 30 years, the REACH (Respecting Ethnic and Cultural Heritage) Center, a nationally recognized non-profit, has positioned itself as one of the most respected providers of cultural diversity services. The Center specializes in providing services to agencies throughout the United States, Canada, and Australia. The Center carries out its work through a cadre of nationally certified trainers. There are over 250 REACH trainers throughout the United States and Australia who have established records in public speaking, group facilitation, program and curriculum development, and multicultural education and ethnic history research and training.