
ABOUT US

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MEET OUR TEAM
Rashad C. Norris,
President & Founder, Relevant Engagement LLC.
Faculty, Communications, African American Studies & Human Relations
Professor Rashad Norris is a nationally renowned educator with roots in
Jacksonville, Florida, Spanaway, WA & Cameroon. He received his BA
in Marketing Communication with a Minor in English from the University
of Puget Sound where he also played basketball. He earned his Master’s
in Public Administration from the Evergreen State College. He has
served as adjunct faculty in Communications at Highline College and
Centralia College. He has also taught Human Relations for Bates
Technical College. As the founder of Relevant Engagement Consulting
LLC, "Brother Rashad" partners with school districts, colleges &
universities, the State of Washington (DYHS) Department of Child, Youth
and Families Services Community, Reentry and Parole Programs Juvenile
Rehabilitation by conducting culturally relevant healing sessions with incarcerated teens as a part of the youth's re-entry process.
In addition to his work he has extensive experience in creating black and
brown male engagement programs and services, and providing proven
youth of color engaging strategies.
Professor Norris has lead some of the most renowned trainings in the
state of Washington. He leads powerful workshop sessions for
professional development with teachers and administrators
from local and state school districts regarding student engagement
practices. Rashad also delivers motivational presentations that uplift
young people in the community through keynote addresses, seminars, professional development workshops, and conference presentations to
adults working in the education system. He has a proven track record
and history of being called to inform, teach, and put into practice the
work that he has created to help him engage effectively using DEI
content. Professor Norris coaches & teaches for the Department of
Children, Youth & Family Services Juvenile Rehabilitation, (Naselle
Youth Camp & Green Hill 2021-22, Canon View, Oakridge, Sunrise,
Touchstone and Woodinville), and the Department of Vocational
Rehabilitation (Franklin Pierce, Puyallup, Issaquah, Shoreline and
Tacoma Public Schools). Brother Rashad posses a Social Justice,
Anti Racist, and Equity minded approach that has gifted him the ability,
creativity, and communication style to create spaces for authentic
dialogue and tangible outcomes that reaches diverse audiences.
He is the founder of the Blackand Brown Male Summit & Young Educated
Ladies Leading at HighlineCollege and Honor Educate Respect Others.
Since 2018, he has co lead the MOCA Men of Culture Academy & Center
for Guided Pathways.
MICHAEL TUNCAP,
Consultant (Guided Pathways & Men of Culture Academy)
Faculty Advising, Ethnic Studies, Humanities & Social Sciences,
Professor Tuncap has worked in education, nonprofit and leadership
since 1998. Tuncap was born in Aniguak, Guam & raised in Tacoma/
Lakewood. He was the founding Director of the Pacific Islander Student
Commission at UW Seattle. Former Director the Office of Diversity, Equity
& Inclusion at Green River College & the Interim Director of TRIO SSS at
Seattle Central College. Tuncap earned his Bachelors Degrees in Communications & American Ethnic Studies (minor in Political Science)
at the University of Washington in Seattle. He studied race in
Charlottesville as a Ralph Bunche fellow at the University of Virginia.
Professor Tuncap was selected as a Public Policy & International Affairs
Institute Fellow in the Goldman School and later earned his MA in
Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley. In 2007, he earned a certificate in
Leadership from the National Pacific American Leadership Institute at
Kapiolani Community College in Hawaii. He served on three Guam
Delegations to the United Nations in New York City, special commitee
on Decolonization, 2007-2009.
Tuncap is an indigenous race scholar and co-founder of several
movements including the UW LEADERS program, the WA State Diversity
Equity in Hiring & Professional Development (2013), UW Student
Ambassadors Program (2000), & the Men of Culture Academy (2018).
Professor Tuncap taught 1,200 undergraduates in the Department of
Ethnic Studies (& Fall program for freshmen) at UC Berkeley 2003-2009.
Since 2005, Tuncap has served as a consultant & trainer for Community
and Technical Colleges in Washington State. He served as a Visiting
Professor of Ethnic Studies at the Evergreen State College, Adjunct
Professor in Humanities at SPSCC, Sociology at Northwest Indian
College, Diversity & Global Studies at Highline, Englishat Shoreline,
Tacoma Community College & Evergreen, Ethnic Studies &
Communications at TRIO UB for Lincoln, Mount Tahoma, Foss & Clover
Park High Schools & the College of Education at UWT. His research and
students are published in Matamai: the Vasa in Us (2010), Pacific Voices
Talk Story (2003) & Breathing Stories 2 Life (2012) He served as advisor
on Community Colleges for the Discovery Center at the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation 2019-21. He co leads DEI in Washington's Community
& Technical Colleges (2020-2023). Since 2013, Tuncap has served as the
faculty representative for the WA State Faculty & Staff of Color
Conference. Since 2021, he has taught pre college pathways in Ethnic
Studies (Pacific Islander Studies, Humanities and Social Sciences for
Relevant Engagement, the Department of Children, Youth & Family
Services Juvenile Rehabilitation, (Naselle Youth Camp & Green Hill
2021-22, Canon View, Oakridge, Sunrise, Touchstone and Woodinville),
and the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (Franklin Pierce,
Puyallup, Issaquah, Shoreline and Tacoma Schools).
MISSION STATEMENT
To engage youth, adults, institutions and community organizations with Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, advancing conversations and creating activities that encourage all to achieve a new personal awareness.
National Research, Local Innovations
VISION STATEMENT
To bring relevant engagement to every individual searching for new ways to find success.