GPCW Mission, Indigenous Commitment and DEIA+ Statements

Mission Statement

The Graduate Program in Creative Writing at Western Colorado University seeks to create transformative learning experiences for our students, built from a strong foundation that honors our students’ unique voices and is supported within inclusive environments established both virtually and at yearly residency gatherings. At Western, we hail from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences and believe that community and diversity are our greatest strengths. We not only inspire our students to grapple with challenging questions about themselves and the world, but we also foster the inquiry, equity, and agency necessary for them to practice ethical citizenship at home and far beyond our virtual classrooms and Gunnison, Colorado campus.

Indigenous Commitment

The Western Colorado University campus is built on the traditional homelands of the Ute people. It is also the site of trade, travel, gathering and healing for more than a dozen other Native tribes and is still home over 50,000 Native people in the state of Colorado.

It is Western’s responsibility as an academic institution to share knowledge about Native people and the institution’s history with them. Consistent with the University’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity, and racial justice, the Graduate Program in Creative Writing will continue building relationships with Native American communities and individuals through academic pursuits, partnerships, historical recognitions, community service, enrollment efforts, and by studying Native art and lifting Native voices.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, and Anti-Racist+ Statement

The Graduate Program in Creative Writing at Western Colorado University prepares all students to be leaders in an ever-changing world. To achieve this mission, we must attract and support a community that is diverse, inclusive, and equitable. We must maintain spaces that are both safe and brave. We recognize that academic greatness cannot be attained without a wide range of ideas, approaches, and contributions. Our understanding of diversity is similarly wide ranged and includes race, ethnicity, age, sexuality, socioeconomic class, disability, religion, citizenship status, and country of birth. We understand the ever-changing landscape of justice and rights and promise to consistently reevaluate our own culture and stay aware of how disparities in power and opportunity relate to social categories and identities, and how these disparities can divide people and groups in ways that benefit some while limiting others.

To become the inclusive community we desire, we must treat one another fairly, kindly, and with respect, fostering an environment in which no voice is silenced and all can thrive. Our commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity, and anti-racist work has the potential to disrupt and transform long-held beliefs and behaviors. The faculty and staff in the Graduate Program in Creative Writing at Western Colorado University will hold ourselves accountable for educating ourselves and our students to be resourceful, to be aware of injustice and power, and to have moral courage as a result of this commitment. The faculty and staff also understand that love is essential to any successful relationship and healthy community. And we understand how important love is to a student-centered program like ours; therefore we remain steadfast to these promises out of love for our students and community.