Northrop, the Institute for Advanced Study, and the University Honors Program today announce a new collaborative Spotlight Series to present lectures, panel discussions, exhibits, and other events throughout the academic year around a topic of timely interest. The 2019-20 series focuses on Environmental Justice and features six different events offering perspectives from a variety of voices in the field, including academics and practitioners from multiple disciplines. Campus leaders, artists, policymakers, and funders will explore several critical aspects surrounding the intersection of the environment and equity. These events are free and open to the public and run 3:30-5:00 pm Thursdays in Northrop’s Best Buy Theater.

Artists in all art forms facilitate important cultural work within communities, especially those affected by climate change or environmental issues that intersect with identity and economics. Often artists are uniquely qualified to see unexpected solutions to problems and to create perspectives to help people understand challenging ideas. This panel discussion brings together Minnesota artists working in several media, including Ananya Chatterjea, Shanai Matteson, and others, to discuss their experiences and artistic perspectives of environmental justice on a regional and global scale.