Non-White Disappearing Task Force

In January 1974, Vice-President and Provost Ed Kormonday constituted the Non-White Disappearing Task Force (DTF) to address and review the concerns of people of color at Evergreen. The DTF was hampered by a charged atmosphere following the Board’s acceptance of Affirmative Action for Evergreen and the specific issues surrounding conversations on race in the ‘70s. It took over three months for the members of the DTF to read reports submitted by budgetary heads and faculty, as well as attending meetings, talking with people, and discussing courses of action.

The Non-White DTF was chaired by Academic Dean, Rudy Martin, and had the following members, who were primarily people of color: Sally Fixio, Mary Hillaire, Alan Karganilla, Maxine Mimms, Willie Parson, Dave Carnahan, Elena Pereze, Jacob Romero, Marian Williams, York Wong, and Thomas Ybarra.

Among the recommendations put forward by the DTF members, they highlighted the importance of regular cultural awareness training for faculty, staff, and students as well as prioritizing the hiring of qualified people of color to campus positions. Some of the specific recommendations included free, uncensored space in the Cooper Point Journal and on KAOS radio, and ensuring that non-white groups were represented on the Services and Activities Fee Review Board.

This DTF was part of the move to create space on the Evergreen campus for people of color. The members of the DTF were also primary in creating the Non-White Coalition, which morphed into the current model of First Peoples Multicultural, Trans, and Queer Support Services.