Noted crusader for racial justice inspires Everett crowd

Cornel West captivated an Everett audience with his words and stories, his unflinching look at a painful history and his inspiring call for love, service and integrity.

“It takes courage to find your voice.”

“Always allow suffering to speak.”

“Education is not just about your careers, although I hope you have marvelous careers. It’s about your calling.”

Those and other words shared by West still resonate a week after the noted author, professor and crusader for justice drew nearly 800 people to the Edward D. Hansen Conference Center at Comcast Arena.

“He touched on integrity, compassion and love. But he also kind of challenged us to examine our ideas of living, pushing us to dive deeper and see issues beyond ourselves,” said Jacquelyn Julien, an Everett Community College graduate now studying at UW Bothell.

Everett Community College sponsored West’s talk as part of its recognition of Black Legacy Month. This week, the college will keep the focus on topics raised by West, a professor, graduate of Harvard and Princeton universities, and author of “Race Matters” and many other books. A meeting to talk about West’s presentation will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday in the Henry M. Jackson Conference Center’s Wilderness Room on the EvCC campus.

“We heard things that may trigger some emotions or thoughts. This creates a space to continue that conversation,” said Jerod Grant, director of EvCC’s Outreach, Diversity and Equity Center. “What are people thinking? Where can we go from here? Did anything Dr. West said apply in the work you do, or in your everyday life?”

Julien, 35, plans to attend Thursday’s meeting. So does Tiarra Fentress, another UW Bothell student and an EvCC employee who introduced West to his Everett audience.

Fentress, 20, of Lynnwood, said it is difficult to describe West’s talk, which was an eloquent reflection on African-American history, today’s popular culture and economics, his own literary and musical tastes, and nothing less than the meaning of life.

“He emphasized what it means to be human, to interact with one another and to have those preconceived notions and judgments,” Fentress said. “That person in front of you is filled with experience and truth.”

Fentress, whose focus at UW Bothell is American ethnic studies, hopes for a career in education. West, she said, “truly embodies what an educator stands for. It’s inclusive, not ‘I know better than you.’”

West lauded his heroes, among them Martin Luther King Jr., Stokely Carmichael, the author W.E.B. Du Bois and other forces in the American civil rights movement.

He didn’t shy away from past horrors, the violence and inhumanity of slavery, or his views about struggles for black Americans today. For more than 200 years, he said, it was illegal to teach black people to read and write. He is appalled today that more than 20 percent of children in our country live in poverty. He sees no sense in the incarceration of people, largely racial minorities, on “soft drug” charges.

West challenged his audience with four questions, each acknowledging hurts while looking ahead with hope: “How does integrity face oppression?” “What does honesty do in the face of deception?” “What does decency do in the face of insult?” And “How does virtue meet brute force?”

Irvin Enriquez, 25, was among a small group of EvCC students who met with West just before his speech. “That was a great experience,” said Enriquez, who added that his own civil rights struggle is the push for immigration reform. Enriquez asked West for advice. “He said that a minority has to inspire the majority for change to be done. That opened my eyes,” Enriquez said.

In his talk at Comcast, West shared wisdom for all. “We’re not here that long,” West said. “The question is, what kind of human being are we between the womb and the tomb? What quality of love and service did you render?”

Julien has several of West’s books, including “Race Matters” and “Hope on a Tightrope: Words and Wisdom,” which the author signed for her. “He wrote my name and ‘Stay strong,’” Julien said.

Julie Muhlstein: 425-339-3460; jmuhlstein@heraldnet.com.

Talk about it

A meeting to discuss Cornel West’s talk in Everett last week is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday in the Henry M. Jackson Conference Center’s Wilderness Room, Everett Community College, 2000 Tower St., Everett. The talk is for anyone who heard West’s talk; the public is welcome.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

Everett mall renderings from Brixton Capital. (Photo provided by the City of Everett)
Topgolf at the Everett Mall? Mayor’s hint still unconfirmed

After Cassie Franklin’s annual address, rumors circled about what “top” entertainment tenant could be landing at Everett Mall.

Everett
Everett man sentenced to 3 years of probation for mutilating animals

In 2022, neighbors reported Blayne Perez, 35, was shooting and torturing wildlife in north Everett.

The Washington State University Snohomish County Extension building at McCollum Park is located in an area Snohomish County is considering for the location of the Farm and Food Center on Thursday, March 28, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Year-round indoor farmers market inches closer to reality near Mill Creek

The Snohomish County Farm and Food Center received $5 million in federal funding. The county hopes to begin building in 2026.

Dorothy Crossman rides up on her bike to turn in her ballot  on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett leaders plan to ask voters for property tax increase

City officials will spend weeks hammering out details of a ballot measure, as Everett faces a $12.6 million deficit.

Starbucks employee Zach Gabelein outside of the Mill Creek location where he works on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024 in Mill Creek, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mill Creek Starbucks votes 21-1 to form union

“We obviously are kind of on the high of that win,” store bargaining delegate Zach Gabelein said.

Lynnwood police respond to a collision on highway 99 at 176 street SW. (Photo provided by Lynnwood Police)
Police: Teen in stolen car flees cops, causes crash in Lynnwood

The crash blocked traffic for over an hour at 176th Street SW. The boy, 16, was arrested on felony warrants.

The view of Mountain Loop Mine out the window of a second floor classroom at Fairmount Elementary on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County: Everett mining yard violated order to halt work next to school

At least 10 reports accused OMA Construction of violating a stop-work order next to Fairmount Elementary. A judge will hear the case.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.