Believe with us.

The name CRE2 was inspired by the imperative form of the verb creer in Spanish, cree, which means believe.

CRE2 brings the research force of Washington University to study how race and ethnicity are integral to the most complex and challenging issues of our time. We believe in field-defining research, innovative learning, and strategic engagement that will transform scholarship, policy, and clinical interventions where race and ethnicity are at the center. 

Research art

Believe in Research

We galvanize and incubate new research architectures and vocabularies, insurgent methodologies and practices, and novel interventions.

Learning art

Believe in Learning

We design next-generation learning opportunities and innovative environments that bring our community members together.

Community Art

Believe in Community

We cultivate the cross-campus hub where local, national, and global citizens and leaders can connect, collaborate, and believe together.


Featured News

Ahead of their visit to campus on October 12 for ¿Quién soy? Y ¿Quiénes somos?: A Panel Discussion, poets Yesenia Montilla and Matt Sedillo were interviewed by Heartland Journalism Fellows, Keona Dordor and Lydnsey Ellis.

Read the article “How Marginalized Voices Break Barriers: Visiting Latine Poets Talk Honoring the Personal and the Political through Poetic Craft” below.

How Marginalized Voices Break Barriers

Visiting Latine Poets Talk Honoring the Personal and the Political through Poetic Craft

By: Keona Dordor & Lyndsey Ellis, 2023-2024 Heartland Journalism Fellows


On Thursday, October 12, The Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity & Equity will welcome Latine poets Roy GuzmánYesenia Montilla, and Matt Sedillo to Washington University in St. Louis for a panel discussion in celebration of Latine Heritage month.

The evening will focus on the poets’ use of poetry to fuel social change and how their work addresses race and identity. Ahead of the event, we were delighted to speak with two of the featured guests, Yesenia Montilla and Matt Sedillo, to learn more about their relationship with poetry.

Poetry found me and has never let go

Yesenia Montilla

For Yesenia Montilla poetry is a meditation, identity, desire, and a vehicle for liberation. Poetry for Latine folks often carries a significant cultural and historical weight. It provides a medium through which they explore their roots, celebrate their cultural heritage, and commemorate the struggles and achievements of their communities.


Featured Research

CRE2 Faculty Affiliate Featured on the National Women’s History Exhibit on Black Feminism

CRE2 Faculty Affiliate, Marlon Bailey, has been featured on the National Women’s History Exhibit on Black Feminism that is at the MLK Memorial Library in Washington, DC as well as online. Watch a clip from his interview here.

CRE2 Graduate Affiliate Publishes in the Hispanic Review

CRE2 Graduate Affiliate, Juan Manuel Ramírez Velázquez‘s article “Sowing Wheat and Other Merits:The First “Black Conquistador” of the Mexican Field” was published in the Hispanic Review. Read it here.