Staff, faculty and students gathered in the Miller Hall Collaborative Space at Western Washington University on May 7 to celebrate and present projects that centered around environmental efforts and making the campus a more equitable place through the Sustainability, Equity, and Justice Fund (SEJF). The space was filled with colorful decorations, good-smelling food, and warm laughter.
A group of people enjoy food and presentations at the Sustainability, Equity, and Justice Fund showcase at the Miller Hall Collaborative Space on May 7, 2025, in Bellingham, Wash. SEJF showcases the wide range of projects and efforts to improve Western’s campus. // Photo by Jaimee Wacker
The event included a dozen projects that were student and faculty-led. These projects include everything from an environmentally friendly tie-dye event to creating a mentor program for Latine. All were funded by the SEJF, which works to build a more long-lasting sustainable campus and equitable programs.
Grant Program Manager Zinta Lucans and Student Ambassador Meli Bernal said the event is a way to display projects completed this year. These projects weren’t just about sustainability but included community-building aspects.
“Most people, when they hear that word, they think of just environmental sustainability, which is composting or recycling or solar panels. But it's worth mentioning sustainability is so much more than that. It includes social justice and equity,” Lucans said. “The projects we see come through are very much about community building or giving students a sense of belonging on campus, especially for groups that don't feel like they have that currently or don't find support elsewhere. They'll come to our program.”
Meli Bernal, Sustainability, Equity, and Justice Fund student ambassador, is shown presenting the projects that were funded this year and how they have impacted the campus at the Miller Hall Collaborative Space on May 7, 2025, in Bellingham, Wash. Bernal is a first-generation student who went to college and developed her passion for sustainability and justice from her work in campaigning for better food access in high school. // Photo by Jaimee Wacker
The program works to make sure different groups around campus are adequately funded and have a place at Western. The public showcase offers a chance for students to talk to the creators of these projects and encourages students to spark their own ideas for projects.
Jack Hueso, a fourth-year student, said he enjoyed the parts of the projects where Black, Indigenous and People of Color students were centered because it benefits the community at Western by providing funding to programs helping BIPOC students excel.
“There was La Bienvenida and the Multicultural Business Scholars Association (projects),” Hueso said. “They particularly address the needs for different marginalized groups of students on campus.”
La Bienvenida is a project that will help fund a mentorship program next year. This will help new and current students in the Latine or Hispanic community get mentorship they usually wouldn’t receive. The hope is to increase retention rates and increase diversity at Western.
Multicultural Business Scholars Association is a club that will use the fund for bigger events, having speakers, running workshops and hosting cultural food socials. The club supports students of color in the College of Business and Economics by creating opportunities to make connections and learn.
The showcase highlights the need for sustainability and environmental justice work to consider social justice issues. Experts in this sector, like Andrea Marpillero-Colomina, GreenLatinos’ policy, research + data analytics advisor, said to address issues in the environment, we need to build a community.
“Incredibly important in the social justice and environmental justice movement is to build connections,” Marpillero-Colomina said. “It’s gonna make your work better.”
Grace Wang, director of Sustainability Engagement Institute, presents the yearly trends in grant funding at the Miller Hall Collaborative Space on May 7, 2025, in Bellingham, Wash. The program collects $350,000 every year from students to fund Sustainability, Equity, and Justice Fund projects. // Photo by Jaimee Wacker
Jaimee Wacker (she/her) is a campus life reporter for The Front. She is a visual journalism major. Outside of The Front, she can be found making videos and interacting with the many ethnic student clubs here at Western. You can reach her at jaimee.thefront@gmail.com.
