AVELA UW

As we’re getting closer to February we’re happy to announce that the Black History Month Speaker Series is back!! ???????? To celebrate Black History Month we’ve invited 4 incredible speakers, Dr. Alexander Catchings, Dr.Ajima Olaghere, Dr.Princess Imoukhuede and Dr. Joy Williamson-Lott to lead engaging discussions around Black history and culture. Starting February 7th to February 28th we’ll be hosting the series EVERY FRIDAY from 10:30-1:00pm!? ??Paul G.Allen Building (Room 691) ??Food will be provided RSVP at tinyurl.com/BHMSS-25. Hope to see you there!

AVELA has partnered with Reboot Representation to tackle an ambitious goal: doubling the number of BLNA women graduating with computing degrees by 2025. ???????? We're proud to share that we've achieved that milestone – 2 years ahead of schedule. This achievement is a win for the future of tech. By partnering with Reboot, we’re helping build a more inclusive and highly skilled technical workforce who will shape our future. AVELA has been instrumental in Reboot’s efforts to increase the representation of BLNA individuals in computing degrees. Check out our Instagram bio to see Reboot’s 2024 Annual Impact Report!

As 2024 is wrapping up we want to reflect on the amazing year we’ve had! Much gratitude to everyone who has participated and contributed to Avela, this couldn’t have been done without community!! Cheers to 2025!!

What a quarter it's been! ?? From leading engaging classes to hosting impactful community events, AVELA has been a hub of STEM education, growth, and opportunity. This quarter, we’ve taught 1,200 students, hosted Scholarship Nights to celebrate achievements, and organized the Hip Hop Climate Conference to drive meaningful conversations. Through collaboration we’ve brought people together to learn, connect, and inspire. Here's to celebrating these highlights and looking forward to even greater things ahead!

Huge congratulations to our very own Ngozi Ezeokeke for winning the BECU Member Volunteer of the Year Award! This award honors exceptional individuals who go above and beyond in serving their communities, and for all the good change she promotes, Ngozi is well-deserving of this distinction. As part of the award, Ngozi had?the honor of nominating a nonprofit to receive $50,000 — and she chose AVELA!! AVELA was named one of the winners of BECU's People Helping People Awards, which honor organizations that promote positive change by serving others. The awards are given out annually to celebrate outstanding work in the communities they serve. A big shout out to Ngozi Ezeokeke for the nomination. Thank you so much to BECU for this award!

The Hip Hop Climate Conference was a great success! From the insightful discussions with our panelists on climate solutions and justice, to the amazing artist performances. A huge thank you to everyone involved in making this conference possible! To our speakers Mayor Bruce Harrell, Sheley Anderson, Angie Nuevacamina, Sarah Doherty, Stephen Tyson Jr., Ed.D., Vikram Iyer, Anthony-Paul (AP) Diaz, Esq., Afi H. Tagnedji, Nya Domkam, Jessica Ray, Alyssa Macy, Daniel Ratner, Maynard Okereke, Chardonnay B. and Albert Hughes, thank you for your inspiring words and educating us on how meaningful change can take place. To our artists, @sa-roc, @phillyfreeway, @vinrock, sol messiah, @easy a.d., @206 zulu, The Residency and MACKLEMORE, LLC, @jakeone, and @hueytheartist for the engaging and amazing performances. Major thanks to the Hip Hop 4 Peace team of Tina Marie Tyler, Rayshon Harris, Kaitlyn Tyson, Nikia Shanard, FocalFuse LLC, Lindsey von Busch, and Terreyl Kirton for bringing this event to life. A huge shout out to the founder of Hip Hop is Green, Keith Tucker, and our very own founder here at AVELA UW, Kyle Johnson for having the vision to pioneer such an event. Finally a special thank you to: Our Sponsors: HASHICORP |?University of Washington Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity | University of Washington | SPEEA Aerospace Career Enhancement (ACE) | City of Seattle | EDI Grant | University of Washington Clean Energy Institute | Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering | Washington Conservation Action | University of Washington | College of Engineering | Focal Fuse?| CS4Env Community Partners: NAACP - State Area Conference, Alaska, Oregon, Washington | National Society of Black Engineers | Society of Black Engineers | The Black Student Journal | The Residency | Clean Water Foundation | Creative Justice | 206 Zulu | Mommy’s Melanated Minis | Plant Based Foods Association | Black Leaders in Business | HIP HOP 4 PEACE Tablers: Clean Energy Institute | Creative Justice | 206 Zulu | SPEEA Aerospace Career Enhancement | Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation | Hip Hop Is Green Clean Water Foundation | Hip Hop Is Green | The Residency | NSBE | The Black Student Journal | Mommy’s Melanated Minis | Black Leaders in Business | CS4Env

Join AVELA on November 14th & December 12th, from 5:00-8:00pm for our 3rd annual scholarship night series! We will be assisting students with college applications, FAFSA, scholarships and more! High schoolers will receive 1:1 application support from AVELA university scholars, current UW students, and our corporate partners! Enjoy free food, swag, and raffles from our partners! November 14th, 5:00 - 8:00 pm - Garfield High School?(400 23rd Ave, Seattle, WA 98122) Receive 1:1 support for the University of Washington application! (Due Nov.15th) December 12th, 5:00 - 8:00 pm - University of Washington Ethnic Cultural Center (3931 Brooklyn Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105) RSVP to receive application support or volunteer here: tinyurl.com/2024-AVELA-SN

Join AVELA on November 14th & December 12th, from 5:00-8:00pm for our 3rd annual scholarship night series! We will be assisting students with college applications, FAFSA, scholarships and more! High schoolers will receive 1:1 application support from AVELA university scholars, current UW students, and our corporate partners! Enjoy free food, swag, and raffles from our partners! November 14th, 5:00 - 8:00 pm - Garfield High School?(400 23rd Ave, Seattle, WA 98122) Receive 1:1 support for the University of Washington application! (Due Nov.15th) December 12th, 5:00 - 8:00 pm - University of Washington Ethnic Cultural Center (3931 Brooklyn Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105) RSVP to receive application support or volunteer here: tinyurl.com/2024-AVELA-SN

Last day to vote!

In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, AVELA will be hosting a Lotería (Spanish word for Lottery) game night! Join us this Friday for a traditional Mexican board game with prizes and snacks available at 4:45pm in Loew Hall 215.