Project Director, Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools at Rainier Beach High School for Washington Building Leaders of Change (WA-BLOC)
Seattle
Sociology major 2010
Wright is an educator, community organizer, spoken-word artist, and competitive amateur boxer, residing and working in south Seattle. She calls herself a committed and passionate advocate for equity and racial justice, working to create spaces that magnify personal narratives, challenge societal injustices, and foster creative community engagement. With a background in sociology, Wright is the project director of the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools at Rainier Beach High School and co-founder of WA-BLOC.
How does your time at SPU connect to the work you’re doing today?
My mentors at SPU fostered my leadership capacities and connected me with the tools, resources, and communities that have ignited my sense of self and purpose. I continue to collaborate and learn from the transformative community leaders I was introduced to during my SPU years and value the authentic community SPU nurtured for me and my career field.
Who made a difference in your SPU education?
Dr. Rod Stiling, Susan Lane, Kevin Neuhouser, Owen Sallee, and Tali Hairston each have invested endless hours and energy into me during my time at SPU and beyond. Simply, but most profoundly, they listened. Through our conversations together, sometimes lasting hours, they encouraged who I was becoming and to find strength in accepting my full self. They brought joy and passion to the classroom/work, each seeking to live into their own potential as much as they encouraged it in me.
What advice do you have for students about life after graduation?
Don’t be afraid of discomfort because it is often a place of profound growth.
