Workshops

At Excelerate Success, we ignite sustainable social and systemic change by leveraging community voice and power to identify and confront opportunity gaps.  Through individual and collective transformation, we work to create learning spaces that honor the unique identities and lived experiences of every person. To learn more about our work, visitwww.unitedwayspokane.org/excelerate-success

Excelerate Success

Excelerate Success builds relationships with local people from impacted communities who have anti-oppression expertise and partners with them to offer workshops that center their voices and their messages.

Join us for an interactive workshop facilitated by Spectrum Center's Education Team and hosted by Excelerate Success

Join us for Trans & Gender Diversity, a dynamic workshop facilitated by Spectrum Center's Education Team and hosted by Excelerate Success.

Working with LGBTQ+ Communities:  An Interactive workshop facilitated by Spectrum Center's Education Team and hosted by Excelerate Success.

Intersecting Identities is a dynamic workshop facilitated by Spectrum Center's Education Team and hosted by Excelerate Success.

Join Spectrum Center for two phenomenal workshops in two days:  Intersections of Identity and Trans & Gender Diversity

Intersections of Identity / Trans & Gender Diversity (two workshops)

An interactive online workshop by Tara (Qallaq) Ramos

Working with LGBTQ+ Communities is a dynamic workshop facilitated by Spectrum Center's Education Team and hosted by Excelerate Success.

Bias: Understanding & Interrupting is a dynamic workshop facilitated by Spectrum Center's Education Team and hosted by Excelerate Success.

Deep Dive Into Safer Spaces for LGBTQ+ People (LGBTQ+ 102 / Allyship) 
Hosted at an intermediary level, it is highly encouraged participants have taken Introduction  to Safer Spaces. Building upon concepts learned in Intro to Safer Spaces, participatns will deepen their understanding of the gender and sex spectrums, practice different examples of allyship, and engage in thoughtful reflection about how their organization serves LGBTQ+ populations. 
Learning Objectives May Include:
1- Participants will explore the intersections of their own sex, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity 
and/or
2- Participants will reflect on and relate to intersectional LGBTQ stories
3- Participants will be able to identify ways to enact LGBTQ+ positive change within their organizations
4- Participants will actively practice different forms of intervention and allyship

This training is brought to you by Spectrum. 
Spectrum is the organization opening an LGBTQIA2S+ center in Spokane. Our project is informed by community voices sourced over a year of research, meetings and a community-wide questionnaire. Spectrum’s mission is to create a safe, intersectional, intergenerational, LGBTQIA2S+ community gathering space that celebrates a resilient, healthy community through social connectedness and support, arts and culture, access to resources, and leadership development. The long term vision is for Spectrum to be the primary change agent for the LGBTQIA2S+ community by advocating for social progress in Eastern Washington. We support a thriving and diverse population through education, social events, services, social activism, visibility, and by uplifting and collaborating with other organizations.
In keeping with the vision of our organization, Spectrum created a team focused on education. In advocating for a progressive agenda that shapes spaces to be affirming for all, we believe it is our responsibility to provide trainings throughout the Inland Northwest to educate others on the specific needs of the LGBTQIA2S+ community. By educating the broader community, we can ensure that all spaces are not just safe, but affirming for our LGBTQIA2S+ community.
We have a training team comprised of three core members as well as additional members who present on speciality areas. Our core trainers built a curriculum that can be tailored to meet the needs of any organization. 
Our Trainer Bios: 
Vanessa E. Delgado (pronouns: she/her/hers) has served as the inaugural Director of the Multicultural Center at Eastern Washington University since March 2018. Vanessa was born and raised in the border city of El Paso, TX. She holds a B.S. in Psychology from Texas A&M University and a M.A. in Mental Health Counseling from Northern Arizona University. Prior to working for Eastern Washington University, Vanessa was an Assistant Director at the University of Kansas, overseeing the Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity. Vanessa also worked at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs as the LGBT Program Director from 2012- 2015, during which she brought LGBTQ+ training to the United States Air Force Academy and Peterson Air Force Base.
Shantell Jackson (she/her/hers) Shantell currently serves as the Coordinator of Multicultural and Residential Education at Eastern Washington University. She holds a B.S. in Political Science and History from Keuka College and is completing her master’s degree in Communications and Public Administration at Eastern Washington University. Shantell has worked in Higher Education for 14 years where she facilitates various trainings including: cultural humility, cultural competency, and implicit bias. In her role at Eastern Washington University, Shantell also works to support historically underrepresented students. Outside of her work at EWU, Shantell is a multimedia visual artist that explores the human condition, our histories, and stories through writing and visual installations. 
SR (she/her/hers, they/them/theirs) is Appalachia born, Flint, MI raised and earned their bachelor’s in English Literature and Gender Studies from Pace University in NYC. SR completed graduate work in Adult and Higher Education at the University of South Dakota, interning with TRiO programs, Multicultural Student support, and other areas of student affairs including Housing and Residence Life. SR spent time working in Residence Life and teaching at Western Kentucky University supporting first-generation students, low-income students, and students of color in their work prior to joining the Gonzaga Community to focus on intercultural development. 
SR began hosting and facilitating workshops around gender, sexuality, racial justice, and intergroup communication professionally in 2013. Like many social justice activists before them, SR found their voice and passion in collective learning and liberation work as an undergraduate student in New York City working with other queer people and first found themselves writing, teaching, and facilitating in 2008. Now, with over a decade of justice work, SR often shares in their workshops that their greatest lessons have been around the necessity of grounding this work in love, hope, respect, and a healthy dose of humor (as appropriate).

Deep Dive into Safer Spaces for LGBTQ+ People (Repeat) 

Deep Dive Into Safer Spaces for LGBTQ+ People (LGBTQ+ 102 / Allyship) 
Hosted at an intermediary level, it is highly encouraged participants

Considering Intersecting Identities
This highly experiential workshop will provide participants with language and frameworks for understanding the intersections of social identities. Using reflection, activities, and role-play, facilitators will challenge participants to apply this understanding to how identity influences our presence and interpretation of the world. 
Learning Objectives:  
1 - Participants will examine the difference between personal and social identities
2 - Participants will be introduced to terms and definitions related to social identities, and systemic oppression 
3 - Participants will explore Harro’s (2008) Cycle of Socialization as it relates to bias and oppression on individual, interpersonal, and societal levels  

This training is brought to you by Spectrum. 
Spectrum is the organization opening an LGBTQIA2S+ center in Spokane. Our project is informed by community voices sourced over a year of research, meetings and a community-wide questionnaire. Spectrum’s mission is to create a safe, intersectional, intergenerational, LGBTQIA2S+ community gathering space that celebrates a resilient, healthy community through social connectedness and support, arts and culture, access to resources, and leadership development. The long term vision is for Spectrum to be the primary change agent for the LGBTQIA2S+ community by advocating for social progress in Eastern Washington. We support a thriving and diverse population through education, social events, services, social activism, visibility, and by uplifting and collaborating with other organizations.
In keeping with the vision of our organization, Spectrum created a team focused on education. In advocating for a progressive agenda that shapes spaces to be affirming for all, we believe it is our responsibility to provide trainings throughout the Inland Northwest to educate others on the specific needs of the LGBTQIA2S+ community. By educating the broader community, we can ensure that all spaces are not just safe, but affirming for our LGBTQIA2S+ community.
We have a training team comprised of three core members as well as additional members who present on speciality areas. Our core trainers built a curriculum that can be tailored to meet the needs of any organization. 
Our Trainer Bios: 
Vanessa E. Delgado (pronouns: she/her/hers) has served as the inaugural Director of the Multicultural Center at Eastern Washington University since March 2018. Vanessa was born and raised in the border city of El Paso, TX. She holds a B.S. in Psychology from Texas A&M University and a M.A. in Mental Health Counseling from Northern Arizona University. Prior to working for Eastern Washington University, Vanessa was an Assistant Director at the University of Kansas, overseeing the Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity. Vanessa also worked at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs as the LGBT Program Director from 2012- 2015, during which she brought LGBTQ+ training to the United States Air Force Academy and Peterson Air Force Base.
Shantell Jackson (she/her/hers) Shantell currently serves as the Coordinator of Multicultural and Residential Education at Eastern Washington University. She holds a B.S. in Political Science and History from Keuka College and is completing her master’s degree in Communications and Public Administration at Eastern Washington University. Shantell has worked in Higher Education for 14 years where she facilitates various trainings including: cultural humility, cultural competency, and implicit bias. In her role at Eastern Washington University, Shantell also works to support historically underrepresented students. Outside of her work at EWU, Shantell is a multimedia visual artist that explores the human condition, our histories, and stories through writing and visual installations. 
SR (she/her/hers, they/them/theirs) is Appalachia born, Flint, MI raised and earned their bachelor’s in English Literature and Gender Studies from Pace University in NYC. SR completed graduate work in Adult and Higher Education at the University of South Dakota, interning with TRiO programs, Multicultural Student support, and other areas of student affairs including Housing and Residence Life. SR spent time working in Residence Life and teaching at Western Kentucky University supporting first-generation students, low-income students, and students of color in their work prior to joining the Gonzaga Community to focus on intercultural development. 
SR began hosting and facilitating workshops around gender, sexuality, racial justice, and intergroup communication professionally in 2013. Like many social justice activists before them, SR found their voice and passion in collective learning and liberation work as an undergraduate student in New York City working with other queer people and first found themselves writing, teaching, and facilitating in 2008. Now, with over a decade of justice work, SR often shares in their workshops that their greatest lessons have been around the necessity of grounding this work in love, hope, respect, and a healthy dose of humor (as appropriate).

Considering Intersecting Identities
This highly experiential workshop will provide participants with language and frameworks for understandi

Deep Dive Into  Safer Spaces for LGBTQ+ People

Introduction to Safer Spaces for LGBTQ+ Folks (LGBTQ+ 101) 
This interactive workshop introduces participants to language related to the LGBTQ+ community, as well as basic concepts of allyship and inclusive practices. This is the primer workshop to prepare for our level 2 training where participants dive deeper into the practice of being an ally and examining organizational change. (Excelerate Success will be making a level 2 training available in October to those who attend this level 1 training)
Learning Objectives Include: 1- Participants will learn a brief history of LGBTQ people to help humanize and situate the LGBTQ+ existence within the larger societal context  2- Participants will understand basic LGBTQ+ terminology and vocabulary  3- Participants will examine intersectional LGBTQ experiences 4- Participants will be able to articulate the difference between sex, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity  5- Participants will be introduced to the basic form of allyship
This training is brought to you by Spectrum. 
Spectrum is the organization opening an LGBTQIA2S+ center in Spokane. Our project is informed by community voices sourced over a year of research, meetings and a community-wide questionnaire. Spectrum’s mission is to create a safe, intersectional, intergenerational, LGBTQIA2S+ community gathering space that celebrates a resilient, healthy community through social connectedness and support, arts and culture, access to resources, and leadership development. The long term vision is for Spectrum to be the primary change agent for the LGBTQIA2S+ community by advocating for social progress in Eastern Washington. We support a thriving and diverse population through education, social events, services, social activism, visibility, and by uplifting and collaborating with other organizations.
In keeping with the vision of our organization, Spectrum created a team focused on education. In advocating for a progressive agenda that shapes spaces to be affirming for all, we believe it is our responsibility to provide trainings throughout the Inland Northwest to educate others on the specific needs of the LGBTQIA2S+ community. By educating the broader community, we can ensure that all spaces are not just safe, but affirming for our LGBTQIA2S+ community.
We have a training team comprised of three core members as well as additional members who present on speciality areas. Our core trainers built a curriculum that can be tailored to meet the needs of any organization. 
Our Trainer Bios: 
Vanessa E. Delgado (pronouns: she/her/hers) has served as the inaugural Director of the Multicultural Center at Eastern Washington University since March 2018. Vanessa was born and raised in the border city of El Paso, TX. She holds a B.S. in Psychology from Texas A&M University and a M.A. in Mental Health Counseling from Northern Arizona University. Prior to working for Eastern Washington University, Vanessa was an Assistant Director at the University of Kansas, overseeing the Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity. Vanessa also worked at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs as the LGBT Program Director from 2012- 2015, during which she brought LGBTQ+ training to the United States Air Force Academy and Peterson Air Force Base.
Shantell Jackson (she/her/hers) Shantell currently serves as the Coordinator of Multicultural and Residential Education at Eastern Washington University. She holds a B.S. in Political Science and History from Keuka College and is completing her master’s degree in Communications and Public Administration at Eastern Washington University. Shantell has worked in Higher Education for 14 years where she facilitates various trainings including: cultural humility, cultural competency, and implicit bias. In her role at Eastern Washington University, Shantell also works to support historically underrepresented students. Outside of her work at EWU, Shantell is a multimedia visual artist that explores the human condition, our histories, and stories through writing and visual installations. 
SR (she/her/hers, they/them/theirs) is Appalachia born, Flint, MI raised and earned their bachelor’s in English Literature and Gender Studies from Pace University in NYC. SR completed graduate work in Adult and Higher Education at the University of South Dakota, interning with TRiO programs, Multicultural Student support, and other areas of student affairs including Housing and Residence Life. SR spent time working in Residence Life and teaching at Western Kentucky University supporting first-generation students, low-income students, and students of color in their work prior to joining the Gonzaga Community to focus on intercultural development. 
SR began hosting and facilitating workshops around gender, sexuality, racial justice, and intergroup communication professionally in 2013. Like many social justice activists before them, SR found their voice and passion in collective learning and liberation work as an undergraduate student in New York City working with other queer people and first found themselves writing, teaching, and facilitating in 2008. Now, with over a decade of justice work, SR often shares in their workshops that their greatest lessons have been around the necessity of grounding this work in love, hope, respect, and a healthy dose of humor (as appropriate).

Introduction to Safer Spaces for LGBTQ+ Folks (Repeat)

Introduction to Safer Spaces for LGBTQ+ Folks (LGBTQ+ 101) 
This interactive workshop introduces participants to language related to the LGB

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Bias: Understanding & Interrupting

Trans & Gender Diversity

Working with LGBTQ+ Communities

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