April 8: Advocate for disabled and abuse victims to speak
By Steve Nakata, Student Affairs and Enrollment
PULLMAN, Wash. – A nationally recognized advocate for disability justice and justice for victims of child sexual abuse will give a free, public lecture at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, in the CUB junior ballroom at Washington State University.
Mia Mingus identifies as a queer, physically disabled Korean woman – a transracial and transnational adoptee born in Korea, raised in the Caribbean, nurtured in the southern United States and living on the west coast.
She is a writer, community organizer and core member of the Bay Area Transformative Justice Collective (BATJC), which builds and supports responses to child sexual abuse that do not rely on state agencies such as the police, prisons and the criminal legal system. Mingus advocates prison abolition and urges other activists to critically and creatively think beyond what she calls the nonprofit industrial complex.
She was recognized last year by the White House as a Champion of Change, an honor bestowed on Americans doing exemplary work to uplift their communities. She also made Go Magazine’s list of “100 Women we Love.”
In 2009 she was named one of the “30 Most Influential Asian Americans Under 30” by an Internet blog called Angry Asian Man. She made Campus Pride’s Hot List as one of the top 25 LGBT speakers each year between 2009 and 2011. She was honored with the 2008 Creating Change Award by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.
Mingus’ WSU appearance is co-sponsored by the Women’s Resource Center and the Gender Identity/Expression and Sexual Orientation Resource Center (GIESORC).
Both centers are celebrating anniversaries this year 20 years for GIESORC and 40 for the center.
“These two centers have been vital to positive changes we have seen in terms of recognizing, supporting, valuing and encouraging the success and experiences of LGBT individuals and women on our campus,” said Heidi Stanton Schnebly, GIESORC director. “It is great that we have partnered to bring this wonderful speaker to WSU.”
Contacts:
Heidi Stanton Schnebly, WSU GIESORC, 509-335-0692, hstanton@wsu.edu
Steve Nakata, communications director, WSU Student Affairs and Enrollment, 509-335-1774, nakata@wsu.edu
