On the vibrant campus of the Everett Community College, students from across Snohomish County file in from big yellow buses for the Students of Color Career Conference, colloquially known as SOC3, on March 23 at 7:45 a.m. Organized by the Everett Community College Diversity and Equity Center, this annual conference provides local middle and high school students of color with an opportunity to consider and reflect upon their aspirations and future career goals with local professors and professionals of color. 13 Glacier Peak students attended the conference with teacher Kara Veach and College and Career counselor Kari Winckler as the group Chaperones.  

The conference opened in the Everett Community College Walt Price Fitness Center with a welcome ceremony by the Quil Ceda Tulalip Elementary School cultural leadership group that included rhythmic drumming, powerful vocals, and dancing by students and staff members of the school and was followed by speeches from those such as the Everett Community College Board of Trustees Chair, Toraya Miller and Everett Community College interim president Darrell L. Cain. 

“Are you all ready for what you are about to receive?” asked Miller the crowd. “I have been with y’all folks before at another SOC3 and each time I come I am just…just filled with such hope and love because y’all are here and I know you’re my peoples and that you’re going to carry us, you are truly the VIPs here.” 

The keynote speaker was Tony Nabors, the CEO and Owner of Racial Equity Insights, a company dedicated to providing consulting services about racial equity to organizations, non-profits, schools, and more. He also is active and has a following on social media where he provides insight into racial equity and diversity issues.  

“A lot of people in this room have probably experienced situations where the world was not fair just because of their skin color,” said Nabors as he addressed the conference attendees. “I decided to commit my life to creating a better world for all of us here in this room and businesses, organizations, all of that.” 

Following the speeches, students broke out into different classrooms where panels of professionals of color discussed how education had impacted them, the different ways that they achieved their goals and career aspirations, and what they had to overcome to build their careers. 

Perhaps the most eventful portion of the conference was after lunch. As more people settled into their seats in the fitness center after having lined up for their turn to receive a paper plate of two slices of Alphy’s Pizza and a Capri Sun, the arts section of the conference began, the first of which being a steel pan performance. Steel pans, also known as steel drums, are often tied to the cultural self-expression for many in Trinidad and Tobago within Carnival resistance with roots in the 1700s from enslaved Africans that were brought to the Caribbean. 

During the performance, a few brave students stepped down from the risers, approached the floor, and began to dance. It was not long before the floor was covered in students dancing to the music. A large dance circle was formed as students took turns dancing in the middle in a show of joy and impromptu fun. 

The conference ended with many students bringing home entire boxes of leftover Alphy’s Pizza as schools were dismissed to their buses one by one. Many carried free tote bags and merchandise from the various career opportunities and jobs that tabled at the event as well as the thoughtful discussions that took place to ponder over. 

“I thought it was really fun seeing a ton of different cultures and people of color all together in one room and I think it’s something that we lack at GP,” said Junior Perlita Martinez, an attendee of the conference. “It was really beautiful seeing everyone get all rowdy for the musical performances and the cultural sharing. I think that was awesome.”