2024 Equity for All

Dr. Shari Clarke

Dr. Shari Clarke is a three time nationally recognized, award-winning diversity educator. She most recently served as the inaugural Vice President for Diversity & Senior Diversity Officer at Eastern Washington University. She is a passionate and highly sought after orator on issues of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

Dr. Clarke states she is committed to providing voice and visibility to individuals and groups who have historically been overlooked and not included at the table. An avid writer, she has written multiple thought pieces and articles including how Twilight Teaches Cultural Diversity based on the popular Twilight vampire series.

Dr. Clarke is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She serves on the Greater Spokane Inc. Leadership Advisory Council, she has served on the Downtown Spokane Partnership Board, the YWCA Board of Directors in Walla Walla and Spokane, the American Association of University Women and the City of Spokane Mayor’s Advisory Council. She was selected a 2023 Woman of the Year by the Spokesman-Review.

Dr. Clarke holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Nebraska, an MA in College Student Personnel from Bowling Green State University, and a BA in Sociology from Lane College.

Dr. Clarke and her husband are the parents of two sons. She is also a Bonus Mom, avid Jazzerciser, voracious reader, a Power Shopper, a devoted Nana and a Hoop Mom-because her sons were so awesome on the basketball court!

Prosparetti Coleman

Prosparetti Coleman, a community educator, advocate, and wellness coach, is dedicated to improving the health outcomes of Black and Brown women and girls through culturally relevant education, prevention, body-centered practices, and community healing initiatives. As the Founder and Director of I Hear You Sis, she focuses on providing safe culturally centered healing and wellness spaces.

With a Masters in Business Administration from Whitworth University, Prosparetti also holds certifications from The American Fitness and Health Professionals in Holistic Nutrition and Wellness Coaching. Additionally, she has received training in meditation, trauma-informed coaching, and somatic breathwork and movement.

Grounded in the belief in the power of storytelling and collective healing, Prosparetti emphasizes avenues of healing that resonate with lived experiences, speak to the soul and body, and honor cultural heritage and ancestry. I Hear You Sis facilitates healing circles, peer support groups, and other community-based initiatives, providing safe spaces for individuals to share their experiences, connect with others, and support for holistic well-being.

Prosparetti aims to create a community where Black and Brown women and girls feel valued, supported, and empowered to prioritize their health and well-being. One that fosters healing and empowerment for current and future generations.

Monica Guzman

Monica Guzman is the mother of 4 boys, originally from Guatemala, and a social worker at Latinos en Spokane. Thanks to Shades of Motherhood and Latinos en Spokane, I was presented with the opportunity to study as a doula. I have always been interested in becoming a doula because of the need that exists in our community. There are many Latin women who face a pregnancy being alone and without any support. I was in the same situation and now I can be with mothers and provide support.

It is a pleasure to serve my community helping mothers to- be bring their babies into the world .

Symetria Gongyin

Symetria Gongyin / yaʔšnmá is Spokane, Makah, and Thai-Am and has been born and raised in the City of Spokane. Symetria received a Bachelor’s Degree from DePaul University in Business Marketing in 2017. Her professional career began in the public health non-profit sector, utilizing her lived experience to provide technical assistance to providers and community-based organizations who aimed to address health equity gaps in their communities. Since 2023, Symetria has been on staff with heɫmxiɫp Indigenous Birth Justice (IBJ) and the IBJ Network to support culturally rooted programming for Native community members along the life continuum. Symetria believes every family should have access, choice, and community support when it comes to their health.

Dr. Melodi Wynne

Melodi Wynne, Ph.D. is a citizen of the Spokane Tribe, a mother of four plus one, grandmother of seven plus one, sister, auntie, daughter, and many other family roles. Dr. Wynne received a Bachelor Degree from EWU in psychology, and a certificate in Alcohol and Drug Studies in 2007. In 2018 she earned a Ph.D. in Community and Cultural Psychology from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, and a graduate certificate in Conflict Resolution. Her studies focused on indigenous research issues and methodologies, culture and identity, human and social development, community empowerment, culture and conflict, and facilitation for community change.

Dr. Wynne is part of the team at the Spokane Tribal Network, and other projects around the region, which enables her to work with colleagues to meet justice issues for women and children and the land, revolutionize Tribal Food Sovereignty, elevate healing centered engagement for trauma informed community, integrate cultural healing lifecycle models, and other decolonizing and indigenizing projects in wellness, education, environmental, and community systems.

Alondra & Anna

Singer & Pianist

Alondra & Anna had decided to perform for Equity for All because they had connected over their shared bond over music and wanted to take the opportunity to continue to share their passion for music.

Alondra was born and raised in Tri-Cities, Washington. In 2020, Alondra moved to Spokane where she is currently working as a support advocate while pursuing her master’s degree in social work. Alondra has been performing since she was six years old. As she got older, Alondra had sung for many community events throughout high school and college. Alondra has performed at talent shows, spoken word art events, conferences etc. Alondra’s favorite genre of music is R&B. Music has always been a creative and safe outlet that Alondra uses as a form of self-expression & self-care.

Anna has spent most of her life on the west side of Washington state, but after graduating Summa Cum Laude with a BA in Business Administration with a focus in International Business in 2020, Anna moved out to Spokane. Currently Anna is working as a legal advocate with plans to one day open a nonprofit, centered around music and serving at-risk youth, of her own. Anna grew up in a very musical family and has been playing instruments, writing songs, and performing for audiences for as long as she can remember. In high school, Anna’s original song won first place in a statewide songwriting competition. Anna has always found music to be her outlet – the place where she can process through the good and the bad while expressing all that she feels. Currently, Anna’s favorite genres of music are Rock and Hip Hop – she’s also a sucker for anything by Taylor Swift.

Alethea Sharea Dumas

Singer

My name is Alethea Sharea Dumas. I am passionate about Equity, antiracism, restorative justice, and healing work. Graduated from Lewis and Clark High School in 2012, and graduated in 2016 with a double bachelor degree in Women’s studies, and Critical culture, gender, race studies, and triple minor degrees in human development, popular culture, and sociology at WSU. I currently work for the Way to Justice as the Director of Community Engagement where we disrupt and dismantle systems of oppression, and I sit on the board for Spectrum Center Spokane, Black Lens, and Takeall foundation. I am obsessed with sunflowers, I love music, and I enjoy singing!

Sara Palmer-Janvier

Jingle Dancer

Sara is Umatilla, Nez Perce, Coeur D’Alene and is an enrolled member of the Colville Confederated Tribes. She was born in Grand Coulee Dam and raised on the Colville Reservation. Sara grew up dancing at powwows and practicing longhouse traditions. Young Sara started dancing at 5 years old as a fancy dancer, dabbled some in the traditional category as a teen and as an adult, dances jingle dress. Sara has traveled all over the Pacific Northwest participating in powwows. Dancing brings Sara great joy, healing, healing for others and opportunities to catch up with old friends/family and make new friends all over Indian Country.

Vanessa Pete

Singer

Venessa Pete is an enrolled member of the Colville Confederated Tribe. She is of the Okanogan and San Poil bands of her tribe. Venessa is a mother of 3 children, 23, 14, and 12. Venessa is a junior at Eastern Washington University. She has completed the Indigenous Studies degree and is currently working on completing her minor in Addiction and her major in Human Resources. Venessa has been working in table games at Northern Quest Casino for 11 years and is hoping to use her degree to move up in her company. Venessa has been singing since she was about 12 years old, and she also dances at various powwows and competes in women’s jingle.