As our closest supporters, we wanted to invite you to join Huxley and Western alums for the inaugural Huxley Goes the Distance for Racial Equality 5K/25K, bringing awareness to racial inequality while raising funds to support scholarships for Western's BIPOC Huxley students. Support for diversity is critical to broadening the impact of Huxley students and, to that end, Western has created the Huxley Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Environmental Justice Fund to support members of these communities. Huxley's goal is to endow this scholarship with $25,000 as its permanent commitment to elevate our BIPOC students’ visions and voices long-term mission.

Link to registration here: https://runsignup.com/Race/WA/Bellingham/HuxleyEqualityRun

Let's go the distance!

Dear generous donors to the Huxley BIPOC Environmental Justice Scholarship,

‘Thank you’ just doesn’t feel like enough. We raised over $2,000 in less than 24 hours - a truly incredible achievement. You could put your money anywhere, and in a time like this, we are truly grateful that you have chosen to support this effort. 

After careful consideration, we have decided to award the goal amount of $2,000 to a single Western Washington University BIPOC student in the coming 2020/2021 academic year. One very deserving student will feel the levity of a financial burden lifted from them as they try to change the world. 

Because the importance of supporting BIPOC students in the environmental field extends beyond just this month or this year, we have decided to set the bar even higher. The Huxley BIPOC Environmental Justice Scholarship will move towards endowment in order to solidify our support of BIPOC students pursuing environmental justice at Western Washington University for decades to come. 

Our new goal seeks to raise $25,000 - the amount needed to establish this scholarship as an endowment. Our fundraising efforts will allow WWU to award $2,000 to a single BIPOC student attending or planning to attend Huxley College of the Environment each year, while still moving the needle towards the ultimate endowment goal of $25,000.

It is a lofty goal but there are few more necessary than this. In order for our natural world to see the justice and protection that it so desperately deserves, we must break down financial and institutional barriers that so many BIPOC students face. This endowment seeks to elevate those visions and voices long term.  

Again, it is with immeasurable gratitude that we thank you for your donations thus far. If you know of other groups or individuals who may be in a position to contribute, please share this with them. Help us to expand our network. Spreading the word is how we ensure that this effort maintains its strength and longevity. 

Sincerely,

Bridget Moran