(Posted March 21, 2019)

Huntingdon, Pa. – Former U.S. Representative Donna Edwards, who served Maryland’s 4th congressional district , and is now an MSNBC commentator, will give a Women’s History Month address at Juniata College on Wednesday, March 27 at 7 p.m. in Alumni Hall, Brumbaugh Academic Center. The event is free and open to the public. 

"Ms. Edwards can offer some insight about how shifting national demographics are influencing the political landscape—especially relative to views that are more embracing of diversity of thought, identity, experience and inclusion,” says Marita Gilbert, Dean of Institutional Equity and Inclusive Excellence. “I believe the Juniata community could benefit from hearing the perspective of someone with an underrepresented background who has experienced several ideological and demographic shifts.”

Edwards was one of only six black women in her graduating class when she earned bachelor’s degrees in English and Spanish from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C. Later, she earned a law degree from the Franklin Piece Law Center (now the University of New Hampshire School of Law) in 1989. She served as a U.S. representative in Maryland from 2008-2017.

A lawyer, politician and an activist, Edwards served in director roles for organizations like the National Network to End Domestic Violence, Public Citizen, the Center for a New Democracy and the Arca Foundation, a progressive philanthropic organization. 

Now, Edwards is a national co-chair of the progressive organization, Health Care Voter. 

“I believe the Juniata community could benefit from hearing the perspective of someone with an underrepresented background who has experienced several ideological and demographic shifts.”

—Marita Gilbert, Dean of Institutional Equity and Inclusive Excellence.

Edwards’s visit is part of the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion's Series for Inclusive Excellence, which hosts events that present an opportunity to advance Juniata’s institutional goal of creating a campus community of inclusiveness from the classroom to the residence hall room to the conference room. Each event from the series is open to all members of both the Juniata and Huntingdon communities. To learn more, visit: www.juniata.edu/diversity.

The last event in this spring series will include a presentation by Evelyn from the Internets on Sunday, April 15. 

--Written by Taylor M. Smallwood ’19--   

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.