Panel to discuss human trafficking in Minnesota Nov. 13 at Saint Mary’s

Three young women from the Philippines were rescued from the sex industry where many girls end up after they are trafficked. They are now living in a shelter where they are provided an education and counseling so they can regain their childhoods.

WINONA, Minn. — Human trafficking occurs in every Minnesota county, and the Twin Cities are one of the 15 largest trafficking centers in the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

On Nov. 13, a panel of experts from throughout the state will gather at Saint Mary’s University’s Winona campus to discuss “Sold: Human Trafficking in Minnesota and Beyond” including:

• global aspects of trafficking;
• human rights, especially women’s and children’s issues;
• impact on rural and urban Minnesota;
• how to talk about the issue; and
• initiatives underway to combat trafficking.

Panelists will include Dennis Cusick, Upper Midwest Community Policing Institute; Sister Marlys Jax, Sisters of Saint Francis at Assisi Heights; Michele Garnett McKenzie, Advocates for Human Rights; and Grant Snyder, Minneapolis Police Department. The moderator will be Fred de Sam Lazaro, director of the Under-Told Stories Project at Saint Mary’s University and a correspondent for PBS NewsHour.

The event will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in Figliulo Recital Hall, located in the SMU Performance Center. The public is invited, and refreshments will be provided. Register online at www.smumn.edu/SOLD.

The same event will be held on SMU’s Twin Cities campus Tuesday, Nov. 12, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in Saint Mary’s University Center, 2540 Park Ave., Minneapolis.

This event is made possible by the Under-Told Stories Project as seen on the PBS NewsHour, and is sponsored by the Hendrickson Institute for Ethical Leadership at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.

Saint Mary’s to host discussion about ‘fragile’ nations March 20

WINONA, Minn. — The public is invited to a panel discussion about “Fragile Nations and the Minnesota Connection” Tuesday, March 19, and Wednesday, March 20, at Saint Mary’s University's Twin Cities and Winona campuses.

More than 50 nations are in a state of fragility or conflict today. From Haiti to Somalia, these countries suffer from weak infrastructure, internal conflict and economic despair, often severely impacting the security and well-being of their local populations — with global consequences. Throughout the world, efforts are being made to stabilize these nations. Does peace finally have a chance?

Fred de Sam Lazaro, director of the “Under-Told Stories Project” at SMU and a correspondent for PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer will lead an in-depth look at these fragile nations, the peacebuilding efforts to stabilize them and a panel discussion on the local impact for Minnesota communities.

Special guests will include Jina Moore, a Pulitzer Center journalist who specializes in post-conflict and human rights reporting;  Dr. David Lynch, chair of the Saint Mary’s Department of Social Science (on March 20); and  Hassen Hussein, adjunct professor, M.A. in Management Program (on March 19).

This events will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 19, in the Saint Mary's University Center, 2540 Park Ave., Minneapolis, and 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 20, in Figliulo Recital Hall, located in the SMU Performance Center on the Winona campus.

This events are made possible by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, the Under-Told Stories Project as seen on the PBS NewsHour, and are sponsored by the Hendrickson Institute for Ethical Leadership at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.

The “Under-Told Stories Project,” produced by and in partnership with Saint Mary’s University, shares stories from around the globe through PBS NewsHour and other media organizations. The partnership brings de Sam Lazaro to the university’s Minneapolis campus, provides new learning opportunities to Saint Mary’s students, and is intended to raise awareness for the local ramifications of global issues.

Saint Mary’s to host panel discussion about global education issues Nov. 14

On Wednesday, Nov. 14, the Under-Told Stories Project, Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting and Saint Mary’s University will host a forum on “Closing the Global Gap: The complex issue of education in a global era.”

In America today, there is concern about a persistent achievement gap in our education system. Whether it is a drive to maintain global competitiveness or a desire to catch up, efforts are underway in many countries to rethink and modernize education. The mastery of reading, writing and math are no longer enough. Students need to think critically, reason, problem-solve and communicate effectively in a global economy. 

The public forum — scheduled for 7 to 8:30 p.m. — will include a digest of the latest reporting on issues associated with youth education. International journalist Fred de Sam Lazaro will lead a distinguished panel and moderate a discussion with the audience. De Sam Lazaro is director of the Under-Told Stories Project, a program that combines international journalism and teaching at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota. He is a regular contributor to PBS’ “NewsHour” and the network’s “Religion and Ethics Newsweekly.”

Panelists will include:

• Nathalie Applewhite, managing director of the Pulitzer Center

• Dr. Efe Agbamu, executive director, English Language Learners, St. Paul Public Schools

• Brother. Ed Siderewicz, assistant to the president for First-Generation and Lasallian Initiativs, Saint Mary’s University

The event is free and open to the public and will be held in Figliulo Recital Hall, located in the SMU Performance Center. For more information, go to www.smumn.edu/globalgap.

Congresswoman McCollum among panelists at March 13 Event On World Population Impacts

MINNEAPOLIS – Congresswoman Betty McCollum, award-winning journalist Dennis Dimick from National Geographic, and Saint Mary’s University professor David Opp will come together on March 13 to lead a discussion on global population issues and how the world’s rapidly growing population of 7 billion people is impacting our lives.

“Our panelists bring perspectives and insights as varied as they are deep to the issue of population. We hope to bring home the relevance to our community – students in particular – of what might seem like a distant issue,” said Fred de Sam Lazaro, director of the UnderTold Stories Project at the Minneapolis campus of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. De Sam Lazaro will moderate the event, “Population in Perspective.”

Congresswoman Betty McCollum is recognized among her colleagues for addressing issues in some of the world’s most densely populated, impoverished regions. She is the founder and co-chair of the Congressional Global Health Caucus, a bipartisan group that studies and educates people about international public health issues. She serves on the U.S. Congressional International Conservation Caucus, which promotes natural resource conservation to support habitat and biodiversity protection, poverty alleviation, economic development, and regional safety. Congresswoman McCollum has also been an outspoken advocate for global human rights as a member of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus.

Dennis Dimick, executive editor for the environment at National Geographic magazine, leads the publication’s coverage of energy, climate and sustainability issues. He guided its creation of a year-long 2011 series, “7 Billion,” focused on global population and its impact. (The world’s population exceeded 7 billion in October 2011, according to the United Nations.) The series delved into issues including demographics, food security, climate change, fertility trends, and biodiversity – all as they relate to population. Dimick has overseen projects that have been recognized by the Overseas Press Club, the Society of Environmental Journalists, and Pictures of the Year International.

David Opp teaches global economics and sustainable development in the MBA program at Saint Mary’s University.

The public is invited to this free event at Saint Mary’s University Event Center at 2540 Park Avenue in Minneapolis from 6-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 13.

For more information and to RSVP, visit www.smumn.edu/populationforum. The event is sponsored by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, National Geographic, Hendrickson Institute for Ethical Leadership, Saint Mary’s University, PBS NewsHour, UnderTold Stories, and the Minnesota International Center.

About the Under-Told Stories Project

The Under-Told Stories Project is a collaborative project involving international journalism and teaching. It produces high-quality, multimedia reporting from around the world for public and commercial news outlets. It also engages students from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota in courses, internships and mentoring opportunities to help them reflect on the world’s under-reported news stories and gain hands-on skills in media production.

Saint Mary’s to host panel discussion on population

National Geographic editor serves as guest panelist

WINONA, Minn. — How can we sustain a planet that has 7 billion people and is expected to have 9 billion inhabitants by 2050? The public is invited to discuss “Population in Perspective: How Will 7 Billion People Change Your Life?” Wednesday, March 14, at Saint Mary’s University.

The event’s special guest Dennis Dimick, executive editor on the environment for National Geographic, was architect of a year-long 2011 National Geographic series called “7 Billion” on global population and its impact.

Dimick will join panelists Fred de Sam Lazaro, director of the “Under-Told Stories Project” and a correspondent for PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer; Josephine Marcotty, environmental reporter for the Minneapolis Star Tribune; and Dr. David Lynch, chair of the SMU Department of Social Science.

This critical discussion — featuring a digest of the latest reporting on issues associated with population growth — is from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in Page Theatre, located in the SMU Performance Center.

This event is sponsored by Hendrickson Institute for Ethical Leadership, the Under-Told Stories Project, and the Minnesota International Center, as part of a collaboration with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, PBS NewsHour and National Geographic.

The “Under-Told Stories Project,” produced by and in partnership with Saint Mary’s University, shares stories from some of the world’s most remote locations through PBS NewsHour and other media organizations. The partnership brings de Sam Lazaro to the university’s Minneapolis campus, provides new learning opportunities to Saint Mary’s students, and is intended to raise awareness for the local ramifications of global issues.

For more information, contact Sabrina Kelly at skelly@smumn.edu or (612) 238-4507.

Saint Mary’s to host panel discussion on food insecurity

Nationally recognized journalist Fred de Sam Lazaro to report on trip to East Africa

WINONA, Minn. — The public is invited to experience a real and emotional taste of the dire conditions of East Africa during a discussion on “From the Famine Frontline: The Complex Issue of Food Security” Thursday, Nov. 17, at Saint Mary’s University.

Fred de Sam Lazaro, director of the “Undertold Stories Project” and a correspondent for PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, and his team will have recently returned from the famine frontlines of East Africa. Joined by other panelists, de Sam Lazaro invites the public to participate in a discussion about how to feed a complex world whose population will climb to 9 billion by mid-century.

“East Africa’s crisis demands our immediate attention but the famine’s causes are a deep and complex web of economics, politics, conflict, climate uncertainty and social indifference — a threat that could persist well into the future,” he said.

The event will be moderated by Jon Sawyer, executive director of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. Other panelists will include Dr. David Lynch, chair of the SMU Department of Social Science, and Sharon Schmickle, foreign affairs and science correspondent for MinnPost.com.

SMU will host two of these critical discussions. The first will be on its Twin Cities campus, and the second is from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, on the Winona campus. The event will be held in Salvi Lecture Hall, located on the third floor of Saint Mary’s Hall.

For more information and to reserve a seat, go to www.smumn.edu/foodinsecurityforum.

The event is sponsored by Saint Mary’s University, the Hendrickson Institute for Ethical Leadership and the Under-Told Stories Project, in conjunction with the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting.

The “Under-Told Stories Project,” produced by and in partnership with Saint Mary’s University, shares stories from some of the world’s most remote locations through PBS NewsHour and other media organizations. The partnership brings de Sam Lazaro to the university’s Minneapolis campus, provides new learning opportunities to Saint Mary’s students, and is intended to raise awareness for the local ramifications of global issues.

PBS NewsHour reporter explains ‘Under-Told Stories’ Project at Saint Mary’s event

WINONA, Minn. — Fred de Sam Lazaro, director and reporter for PBS NewsHour’s program “Under-Told Stories,” spoke at Saint Mary’s University Tuesday during the President’s Roundtable breakfast. The Under-Told Stories Project is sponsored by Saint Mary’s and hosted by the Hendrickson Institute for Ethical Leadership at SMU’s Twin Cities campus.

The Under-Told Stories Project produces reports on health, poverty, and environmental and economic issues from the most remote and underdeveloped locations in the world. De Sam Lazaro and Nicole See, the show’s producer, are working to raise awareness of the local ramifications of global issues. UTS activities and staff also give Saint Mary’s students exposure to hands-on experiences in developing regions of the world.

Saint Mary's University welcomes noted journalist to Minneapolis campus

“Under-Told Stories” project connects Twin Cities to under-reported stories of poverty, global health, and the environment

MINNEAPOLIS – Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota announced today its partnership with the “Under-Told Stories” project, which shares stories from some of the world’s most remote locations through PBS NewsHour and other media organizations. The partnership brings “Under-Told Stories” Director Fred de Sam Lazaro to the university’s Minneapolis campus, provides new learning opportunities to Saint Mary’s students, and is intended to raise awareness for the local ramifications of global issues.

A resident of Saint Paul, de Sam Lazaro is the face of the “Under-Told Stories” project. He has reported from almost 50 countries and has served PBS NewsHour since 1985. He regularly covers global health, poverty and development, environmental issues, and social entrepreneurship. He led the first American news crew that reported on the crisis in Sudan’s Darfur region, and he also directed films from India and the Democratic Republic of Congo for the acclaimed PBS documentary series, Wide Angle.

What the partnership means locally

De Sam Lazaro and longtime “Under-Told Stories” producer Nicole See will make their home at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, and specifically the university’s Hendrickson Institute on Ethical Leadership, as part of the project’s joint commitment to journalism and teaching. Students in the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs will have access to hands-on experiences in some of the world’s developing regions. “Under-Told Stories” content will also be incorporated into the curricula of numerous Saint Mary’s courses.

“Saint Mary’s and the Hendrickson Institute provide the ideal home for our project at so many levels,” de Sam Lazaro said. “Both foster an engagement with the major global issues of the day, and our journalism is a ‘shoe-leather’ complement to the learning and debate that come from textbooks and seminars, bringing home the relevance of these issues.”

Recent “Under-Told Stories” topics include the election in Southern Sudan, Pakistan’s flood recovery, India’s strained water supply, and Iraqi refugees exiled in neighboring nations. De Sam Lazaro has also covered stories in the United States, including ancient manuscript preservation in Minnesota and technology’s impact on the patient-doctor relationship in American hospitals. “Under-Told Stories” segments are featured regularly on PBS NewsHour nationwide and are available to view anytime at undertoldstories.org.

“Fred’s solutions-oriented stories bring hope out of despair and make issues from half a world away relevant to Americans,” said Lindsay McCabe, executive director of the Hendrickson Institute for Ethical Leadership at Saint Mary’s University. “‘Under-Told Stories’ raises awareness of poverty, while shedding light on the opportunities and lessons to be found in impoverished places. This aligns well with Saint Mary’s commitment to diversity, accessibility, social justice, and ethical stewardship.”