Erika Lee lecture

At 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21 award-winning author and historian, Erika Lee, will present the virtual lecture "Xenophobia in America," describing America's long history of prejudice against people from other countries. The event is free and open to the public. The link to attend can be found on luther.edu/events.

Drawing on her extensive experience as a scholar of immigration history, Lee will offer reflections and facilitate a discussion on American xenophobia: its historical origins, its political power and persistence, and its threat to a more just and inclusive social order. Her conversation partners will include Todd Green, Luther College associate professor of religion and interim director of the Center for Ethics and Public Engagement; Evelyn Montoya, a Luther sophomore and the current president of Luther's student organization Latines Unides; and Maria Leitz, co-founder of Collective Action for Racial Equity (CARE) and a member of Decorah's Human Rights Commission.

Erika Lee is the granddaughter of Chinese immigrants and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area,. She received her Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. Recently Lee was elected into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, awarded an Andrew Carnegie Fellowship, and was named Vice President of the Organization of American Historians. She currently serves as Regents Professor and the Director of the Immigration History Research Center at the University of Minnesota. Lee's views on immigration history have been featured in a variety of major media outlets, including CNN, NBC, the BBC, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and Time Magazine.

Lee's lecture is sponsored by Luther College's Center for Ethics and Public Engagement, and the Civic Sustainability Initiative, offering programming in partnership with the local community designed to build connections, foster conversation, and inspire actions toward a more just and livable world.

Luther College is home to more than 1,800 undergraduates who explore big questions and take action to benefit people, communities and society. Our 60+ academic programs, experiential approach to learning and welcoming community inspire students to learn actively, live purposefully and lead courageously for a lifetime of impact. Learn more at luther.edu.