UMD News Releases

Duluth, MN – UMD’s Foreign Languages and Literatures department will host an Equity, Diversity, and Social Justice Expo on Tuesday, March 25 from 6 – 8 p.m. The event takes place in UMD’s Garden Room, located in the Kirby Student Center, 1120 Kirby Drive. It’s free and open to the public.

The Equity, Diversity, and Social Justice Expo is designed to encourage audience participation with six faculty members and two UMD students who will give presentations.

Bridget Park, the event organizer, says it’s being held to raise awareness about global issues. “We’re all interconnected. Coming together to find solutions, identify patterns, and understand the world we live in is part of being a global citizen.”

Amy Swensen, a senior majoring in criminology and Hispanic studies, is giving a presentation on human trafficking. She says this topic has both global and local relevance. “Sex trafficking, a major human rights violation, is happening here, but people in the Northland are sometimes unaware of the crime going on in our backyard.” Swensen believes that outreach, like this expo, will also help victims understand their rights.

The Equity, Diversity, and Social Justice Expo was made possible through UMD’s Equity Education and Diversity Funds, which advances “goal two” of UMD’s strategic plan, “Create a positive and inclusive campus climate for all by advancing equity, diversity, and social justice.”