Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon has threatened a Justice Department investigation into a Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) outdoor camp promoted by professors at Central Washington University (CWU).

The threat followed backlash after a video, shared by the Libs of TikTok X account and since deleted from YouTube and other platforms, showed two CWU faculty members promoting an upcoming geology retreat described as catering exclusively to a race-restricted minority.

In the video, CWU senior lecturer Nick Zentner said, "So is this open to everybody? Not really," before the clip abruptly cut off. He added, "But there’s a growing number of people who are younger and are from much more diverse backgrounds who typically don’t go to those events for a bunch of reasons. So this is a BIPOC community event."

CWU assistant professor of geology Hannah Shamloo praised the nonprofit organization hosting the event, the Bronze Chapter, for its efforts "to increase the participation of BIPOC members in the outdoors." Shamloo stated, "Historically, members of BIPOC haven’t had the same opportunities for safe engagement with the outdoors, and so Nick and I are here to really extend a warm welcome and encouragement to members of BIPOC to come join us and engage with the geology that we love so much."

Central Washington University clarified that it is not affiliated with the Bronze Chapter and has no direct involvement, financial or otherwise, in the event scheduled for August 21. The Bronze Chapter's website does not explicitly restrict attendance based on race, but the event is described as a "POC-centering geology sleepover summer camp" and offers sponsorships for BIPOC and mixed-race individuals and families.

The Justice Department's interest in investigating the event highlights ongoing debates about race-specific programs and inclusivity.

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