Arms Open WIDE

Warren Wilson College’s Inclusion Diversity and Equity (WIDE) office supports students through the points where their ethnicities, genders, (dis)abilities, ages, sexual orientations, religions, and other identities begin or intersect, and is especially intentional about supporting and reaffirming the students in our community specifically identifying (generally or in part) as African/Black, Latiné, Indigenous, Asian (ALIA), and/or Multiracial, as not only the integral stakeholders that they are, but also as essential shapers of our campus’s short and long-term vision.

How does WIDE do it?

Programming

• WIDE facilitates heritage month programming, promoting awareness, celebration, and dialogue throughout the year, including Latine heritage, Indigenous and Native American heritage, Arab American Heritage Month, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration, Black History Month, Chinese New Year, Asian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and Juneteenth.
• WIDE also hosts meetings for the WIDE ABC (Antiracist Book Club) and features general programming addressing matters pertaining to diversity impact areas.

Education

• WIDE provides a number of educational opportunities for the Warren Wilson community, including classroom/crew presentations, conferences, trainings, and workshops.

Community Building

• WIDE oversees the Engage Living and Learning Community at Sutton Hall – a space devoted to supporting student advocacy for African, Latine, Indigenous, and Asian (ALIA) communities. Its leadership team includes four Peer Advisors (PAs) and the Resident Assistant (RA). Residents not only learn experientially as they carry out their advocacy but they also participate in programming devoted to the development of those advocacy skills, whether they are utilized on campus in greater Asheville or the communities they reside in. Toward that end, WIDE also collaborates with organizations and colleges/universities in the Asheville, Black Mountain, and surrounding region.

Student Advocacy

• WIDE provides an open-door policy and supports all students in development of their multiple identities. The WIDE Office is also an advocate and response unit for student reports of bias.

Partnerships on Campus

WIDE works with a number of student groups and offices including:

• Asian Culture Club (ACC)
• Black Student Union (BSU)
• LatinX/e Student Collective (LSC)
• Indigenous Student Association (ISA)
• Queer Resource Center (QRC)
• South West Asian and North African Alliance (SWANAA)
• Spiritual Life
• First Generation and First Year Students
• Disability Office