The College of the Siskiyous Social Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee takes a united stance to promote a sense of belonging where everyone feels valued and respected.
Our vision is to create a safe environment through celebration, education, and the challenging of beliefs, perceptions, and biases.
BA in Engineering, MA in Math, MBA in International Management from China, USA and England. Taught in several community colleges in southern CA, now tenured COS math instructor. As a project manager worked with professionals from Germany, France, and Italy for one of China's ten year national tech reforming plans. Teaching is always my passion. As a former community college student, I was amazed by the American community colleges offering the affordable possibilities for students from all backgrounds, which I didn’t see from other countries. My greatest reward and happiness is hearing from former students sharing their achievements. I like adopting a variety of teaching methods to matching students' needs for building a strong foundation for their continued education. I enjoy sharing the similarities and differences of west and east cultures, different points of view. I believe that no matter what our backgrounds, as human beings we all need love, respect, compassion, kindness, and open minds.
I am originally from California's Central Valley, and more specifically, the Raisin Capital of the World. I am multiracial, with strong Mexican influences. My childhood revolved around farming, dirt roads, spicy foods, and a modest way of life. I was the first in my family to pursue a college education. After high school I attended my local community college and earned an associate's degree, and transferred to Fresno State to earn a Bachelor's and Master's degrees. I am passionate about education and diversity, because it changed the trajectory of my life and gave me the opportunity to enter a career that I love. I aim to offer an inclusive environment, a safe space, and a path to grow, to our College of the Siskiyous students so that they may also fulfill their dreams.
Amy LaMachia was born and raised just outside of Boston, Ma. and caught the theatre bug early in life. She performed as a lead in several shows during High School and assisted with set design and painting. She spent over 35 years with a theatre group (WCT) on the east coast initially acting in many shows and then moved to directing and producing several shows and was a member of the Board of Directors. Her elaborate costume and makeup designs became a benchmark of WCT's productions. In addition, she was the artist behind the outstanding designs for WCT's programs and posters. She raised three girls and is now raising her granddaughter. She relocated to Northern California with her granddaughter in the fall of 2017 to accept the position as the Instructional Support Specialist for the Performing Arts Department.
I am a fervent advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). For me, EDI isn't just a concept; it's a way of life—a commitment to ensuring that every marginalized voice has a platform, every right is upheld, and every individual feels a sense of belonging. My journey in advocacy stems from a deep-rooted belief that diversity is not only essential but enriching. In every space I enter, whether personal or professional, I strive to foster an environment where everyone feels safe, valued, and empowered to speak their truth. Beyond rhetoric, my advocacy is grounded in action. I stand beside those who struggle to find their voice, offering strength and support. I listen intently to those whose stories need to be heard, and I speak up for those whose voices are often silenced. My vision for the future is one where equity, diversity, and inclusion are not just ideals but tangible realities. Through my unwavering dedication and compassionate leadership, I am committed to driving positive change and creating a world where everyone knows they belong.
Dr. Char Perlas is a Filipino-American and, former community college student, whose focus has been on increasing the educational opportunities of disproportionately impacted students. Since 1999, Char has served in the California Community College system in the following roles: tenured faculty instructor, program manager, accreditation lead and administrator. Char's dedication to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) is evident in her work as a Social Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion (SJEDI) Committee tri-chair. As a SJEDI tri-chair, Char has had the opportunity to invite DEIA leaders such as Lasana Hotep, Dr. Luke Wood, Dr. Jeramiah Sims, Dr. Eric Ramones, Dr. Roam Romagnoli and Dr. Crystallee Crain to educate and inform the College community of DEIA best practices and strategies. Char is excited to continue these efforts towards promoting social justice and reducing equity gaps with the hopes of ultimately providing students with an optimal learning experience.
Originally from rural upstate New York, I traveled around the world for work before settling in Siskiyous County in 2000 to raise my sons and cats. In 2016 I found my happy place at College of the Siskiyous and became a first-generation college student, graduating in 2019 with AAs in English; psychology; sociology and communications. I earned my BA in organizational leadership in 2020 and have worked at COS since 2017, currently as Tutoring Services Coordinator. I look forward to coming to work every day and connecting students with the academic support resources that will help them to achieve their goals. I believe that creating a sense of belonging for our students is critical to their success and I strive to continually listen to and learn from them in order to cultivate an environment of inclusion and belonging. I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of SJEDI.
As a Co-Chair and member of SJEDI, there are three ways in which I actively work to support and promote racial equity and inclusion at COS. They are through work within myself, the classroom, and the campus. In myself, I interrogate my own contexts and how they have impacted my journey through life. I seek out spaces and dialogue in which I can learn and grow in my understanding of other people's lived experiences. I listen more than speak, and I ask questions. In the classroom, I have spent my entire career seeking ways to ensure that the classroom I share with students is a place where every student, no matter their path, no matter their gender, their race, their sexuality, their ability, their family background, or their economic situation is loved unconditionally and embraced because of, not in spite of their uniqueness. On campus, I use my voice when appropriate, and I find ways to leverage my positionality to ensure that marginalized voices are heard. I collaborate with others to create a campus culture of relationships built on humility and trust, and I am committed to the idea "if you see something or hear something ... don't be silent, say something."
As a letter carrier for the United States Post Office for 5 years, and now as an Executive Assistant in Administrative Services for one year, I am passionate about enacting change from the ground up. I believe that change doesn't have to be done in huge gestures and leaping bounds. Sometimes, making our voices heard, pushing to ensure that all people receive the same level of service regardless of address, race, income, and orientation, can lay the foundation for better inclusion and diversity in our society.
Throughout my career I have been an advocate for the underserved and underrepresented. Before working for College of the Siskiyous I served as a Program Director for the Family & Community Resource Center of Weed where our focus was to design programs and services specific to the community of Weed. The skills I learned through that experience readied me for my work in Equity and Inclusion at College of the Siskiyous. As the Interim Director of Basecamp, our Basic Needs Resource Center I am able to work closely with students to ensure that their most basic needs are being met, while providing them with connection and support. I truly love the work that I do and working at College of the Siskiyous!
Kristi Wilson has served as College of the Siskiyou's director of human resources since March 1, 2023. A Yreka High School graduate, Kristi moved from Siskiyou County to Berkeley, California, where her fascination with cultural, ethnic, and personal diversity blossomed. Kristi's interest in the uniqueness of individuals and equal opportunity provided a natural pathway to the people side of business, and Kristi established her human resources career in the San Francisco Bay Area. Moving to the greater Sacramento region, she entered the education field and incorporated DEIA into 15 years of human resources planning, management, training, and coaching for Placer Community Action Council. In 2020, Kristi’s commitment to continual learning and personal growth led her back to Siskiyou County. Before joining College of the Siskiyous, Kristi supported the county’s K-12 schools and the county office as Siskiyou County Office of Education’s director of human resources. Kristi holds a Masters of Business Administration/Organization Leadership from Norwich University, a Bachelor of Business Administration from Fontbonne University, and SPHR, PHR-CA, and PHR certifications from the Human Resources Certification Institute.
Her passion for working with under-represented groups started early on in her academics as a first-generation and low-income student-worker at College of the Siskiyous. While working as a student leader and within the Counseling Department, She was able to connect with students and provide services based on first hand experience. Not only did this inspire her to continue her education, it also afforded her the opportunity to work with high school students within Siskiyous Upward Bound during the summer months. After completing her Bachelors degree at Chico State, she returned to College of the Siskiyous. As an alumni of this institution and TRiO programs, it is an honor to give to the students of our community.
The committee meets 1st and 3rd Fridays from 10:00 - 11:00 am via Zoom or in person in the Board Room.
2020-2021 College of the Siskiyous Faculty Equity, Social Justice, and Anti-Racism Resolution
Email: SJEDI@Siskiyous.edu
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