Professor Erika Lee, poet Cathy Park Hong, and George Takei are interviewed by wbur.

Erika Lee is one of five UMN Twin Cities researchers who have been elected as members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nation’s most prestigious honor societies, which honors those making preeminent contributions to their fields and the world. Members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.

As we face the largest economic collapse since the Great Depression, it is worth recalling the roots of our contemporary labor laws in the efforts to overcome that crisis. History professor, William P. Jones, explores how New Deal-era labor laws must be refreshed and improved to support and empower today’s essential workers.

A story by NPR highlights the social issues surrounding Asian populations amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Erika Lee, a historian at the University of Minnesota who studies history, immigration and epidemics, is featured in the Code Switch podcast.

Professor Iraj Bashiri devoted his career to accurately depicting the unique communities of Central Asia. Upon his retirement, he reflects on his career, which has spanned across languages, cultures, and countries.

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History professor Erika Lee studies xenophobia, and asserts that American immigration laws don’t have to be drawn from a place of fear or hatred. “We needed to have an honest, brave conversation about the democratic values on which the country was founded,” she says.

John Little, PhD student in history and American Indian Studies, explores what Native American veterans' experiences were like during and after the Vietnam War. "They were fighting on two fronts: they were battling racism and stereotypes, while also fighting for the US Army,” he says.

Kathryn Reyerson teaches her students how to “think like a pirate.” Her course, Piracy in the Mediterranean: The World of Merchants and Pirates, explores cross-cultural interaction, global connections, and the identities of people who set out to sea during the Middle Ages.