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Press releases, media coverage, blog updates, and resources for journalists.
Latest from the Blog
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Homelander in the Age of MAGA
What The Boys Teaches Us About Pro-Social Shame in K–12 Education Part 1 I recently completed the Amazon Prime series, The Boys. Its premise and the character arc of the primary antagonist, Homelander, helped me articulate an issue I have long observed regarding zero-shame initiatives in K–12 schools. Although Homelander is fictional, the pattern of…
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Fighting Back Against FAIR: Why Authentic Ethnic Studies is Under Attack in Seattle and Across Washington State
By Dr. Tracy Castro-Gill On Wednesday, June 3, 2026, WAESN’s Executive Director, Dr. Castro-Gill, gave public testimony to the Seattle School Board. This blog post builds on that testimony and includes important calls to action. My name is Dr. Tracy Castro-Gill. I am the co-founder and Executive Director of Washington Ethnic Studies Now, and the…
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A Special Kind of Betrayal: The Violence and Hypocrisy of Cis Men of Color in Organizing
Part 2: Asuka by Asuka Conyer My entry into this work was colored by a particular kind of exploitation: the “glitter” of being a mixed child in the eyes of old white men looking for their next “hot mentee.” I look back now at the insane, personal texts I received at fifteen and sixteen years…
In the News
15 Seattle parent advocacy groups supporting education
The Seattle’s Child article lists 15 parent advocacy groups in the Seattle area, including WAESN, and highlights their roles in supporting families, influencing policy, and amplifying parent voices in education.
September 25, 2025
SERIES | Stop Performative Politics, Recenter Youth of Color, and Invest in Ethnic Studies Now
WAESN Youth Advisory Board and NAACP Youth Council leaders argue that political gestures around ethnic studies in Washington State are too often performative rather than substantive and call on lawmakers and school leaders to meaningfully invest in ethnic studies that center youth of color, support educators, and transform curriculum and pedagogy.
November 15, 2024
SERIES | After Decades of Advocacy and Minimal Action, It’s Time for Washington State to Invest in Ethnic Studies and End ‘Curriculum Violence’
After decades of advocacy with only token progress, the WAESN’s Executive Director, Dr. Castro-Gill, and Director of Policy and Public Affairs, Oliver Miska, push Washington State to seriously fund and implement ethnic studies and to end the “curriculum violence” that harms marginalized students via biased content, exclusion, and identity erasure.
October 1, 2024
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