by Yen Huynh November 19, 2018
Interview with Tavares J. Terry, MPA 2016
Originally from Warm Springs, Georgia, Tavares attended high school in Spanaway, Washington and completed his bachelor’s degree at Evergreen’s Tacoma Campus. Prior to pursuing an MPA in Public & Nonprofit Administration, Tavares held a number of jobs ranging from fast food to truck loading and youth coaching to nightclub managing. It was his two children and instructors he had during his time at TESC Tacoma that inspired him to continue striving. He expresses his great appreciation to Peter Bacho, Barbara Laners, Olga Inglebritson, and Gilda Sheppard for their encouragement of the MPA program, willingness to share resources, and help in navigating options.
As a person of color and an adult learner, Tavares chose to pursue an MPA to learn how to navigate and excel within state government, to ultimately be the change he wished to see in the world. Evergreen was the right fit for him as at Evergreen he did not feel like a number and seminar discussions were how he learned best.
The comradery, discussions, and collaborations were some of Tavares’ favorite experiences of the program. He recounts a particularly moving moment during his very last class session wherein his cohort was able to witness the 2016 Paddle to Nisqually canoe journey. Observing the asking of permission to land and tribal protocols was highly humbling.
To current and prospective MPA students, Tavares sends congratulations and a bit of alum advice: “The road will be bumpy, but understand that the difference you will make in your life, the life of your family, and the lives of those in need will be well worth it. You will be joining, or have recently joined, a family of people that you can count on forever (including me). If it were easy, then everyone could do it. Keep coming to every session, stay engaged in the material, and remember that after your first night – you are closer to the end than the beginning.”
Since completing his MPA, Tavares has gone on to become the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Administrator for the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services’ Aging and Long Term Support Administration. Tavares is responsible for the statewide EDI planning and implementation that ensures the administration is delivering culturally and linguistically appropriate services, as well as confirming that staff are valued and heard. In this role, he has become a Certified Diversity Executive, which makes certain that his efforts are based in research.
Tavares finds himself utilizing his MPA in everyday situations, both professionally and personally. Professionally, he uses his MPA skills to help guide decision making, analyze policies and bills, and carryout root cause analysis. Tavares emphasizes that with MPA, one receives the effort that they put in, and if the effort is there, then there will be no shortage of friendships, knowledge, and opportunities.