2024 was a busy year for Communities for Our Colleges. At the center of our work is outreach, education, and training that builds student leadership and power. This work included: Organizing in 14 community college campuses across WA, 124 student leaders trained to share their stories, outreach that engaged 8369 students and parents, and 12 student fellowships.
All of this resulted in 20 earned media stories in 2024, 4,000+ signatures delivered on a letter to Governor Inslee, 50k+ reach on social media, 120 stories collected, 54 students testifying at public hearings, our first action day with more than 130 students, parents, and faculty members attending, and our first grassroots leadership conference.
DECEMBER: Dafne, student at Everett Community College, testifies in front of the WA Senate’s Higher Ed. & Workforce Dev. Committee hearing on the importance of expanding access to financial aid, investing in mental health, food access, affordable housing, and paid internships for undocumented students.NOVEMBER: Communities for Our Colleges presents at the National Facing Race Conference in Saint Louis, Missouri.OCTOBER: Yakima’s October Event, in which students and family members came together to build a vision for equity in higher education.AUGUST: Students across the state strategize with equity officers about how to build inclusive campus communities and create effective outreach strategies that involve students and communities in setting priorities through the Equity Action Plans.AUGUST: Students after our first statewide grassroots leadership conference.
JUNE: Student leaders and stakeholders coming together to envision an expansion of work-study for all.
MAY: Students and family members engage with the Washington Student Achievement Council and Grandview’s School District.APRIL: Students being interviewed by King 5 in Seattle on what HB 1889 would mean for them.APRIL: Student leaders doing a workshop at the Students of Color Conference at Green River College.MARCH: Communities for Our College leaders join Gov. Inslee in the signing ceremony for HB 1889.FEBRUARY: Student leaders testifying in support HB 1889, which allows persons to receive professional licenses and certifications regardless of immigration or citizenship status.JANUARY: Paul testifying in support of the Washington Promise Program, which would provide free tuition, wrap around supports, and advising for students attending community and technical colleges throughout the state. See the rest of our students testifying here.JANUARY: Students in Olympia rallying in support of free college.
