Power of Storytelling at UMD’S Equity, Race, Ethnicity Summit

More than 400 people were set to participate in the event held both in person and through zoom.

DULUTH, Minn.- Members of the BIPOC community hoped to build more bridges with the power of their stories at UMD’s annual Summit on Equity, Race and Ethnicity.

More than 400 people were set to participate in the event held both in person and through zoom.

Workshops focused on community leaders sharing personal stories accounts of events and more around a wide range of topics to gain a better understanding through storytelling.

“We connected with my gram which means village talking about the past present and future and how that led to kind of my story of where I am today,” said Azrin Awal, a presenter at the event.

“Kind of encouraging people to also notice their own stories and the power that they have in those stories how they can use those stories to build those connections and those bridges,” she said.

Meanwhile, organizers with the Commission on Equity Race and Ethnicity say they chose the theme in hopes to bring this divided society a little closer together with stories.

“What the world needs more than anything else is connection between the pandemic and all the political divides  the idea of showing our stories has the power to break across some of those divisions and boundaries and separations,” said Carol Wallace, Co-Chair, Commission on Equity, Race, and Ethnicity

UMD has hosted a summit like this nearly every year since 2003.