The Partnership for Participatory International Policy (P-PIP) brings together a panel of speakers to discuss the environmental and human impacts of mining, featuring Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and Humphrey School alumni Kathryn Hoffman and JT Haines – both from the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA) – with opening remarks by Dean Nisha Botchwey.
The event is free but registration is required: RSVP.
Drawing from their recent delegation to Honduras with Witness for Peace, Hoffman and Haines will offer insights into the environmental and human impacts of mining on affected communities. Representative Omar will share about her travel to the region, and the policy initiatives she has supported in Congress to advocate for communities affected by mining. This discussion prompts reflection on the interconnectedness of advocacy efforts between Minnesota and Honduras, emphasizing the need for policies that prioritize environmental protection and human rights on a global scale. Join us as we explore pathways towards sustainable solutions and equitable standards for all. RSVP.
This event is co-sponsored by the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs Center for Science Technology and Environmental Policy, the University of Minnesota Environmental and Energy Law Society, and Environmental Student Association.
Rep. Ilhan Omar represents Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, which includes Minneapolis and surrounding suburbs.
An experienced Twin Cities policy analyst, organizer, public speaker and advocate, Rep. Omar was sworn into office in January 2019, making her the first African refugee to become a Member of Congress, the first woman of color to represent Minnesota, and one of the first two Muslim-American women elected to Congress. Before running for office, she worked as a community educator at the University of Minnesota, was a Policy Fellow at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and served as a Senior Policy Aide for the Minneapolis City Council.
Kathryn Hoffman, JD MPP (University of Minnesota Humphrey School 2005), is MCEA’s Chief Executive Officer. Kathryn started at MCEA as a staff attorney in 2010 with a focus on pipeline and mining proposals, and was selected to lead the organization as CEO in 2017. Former Chair of the Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy Law Section of the state bar and adjunct law professor at the University of Minnesota, this was Kathryn’s first trip to Honduras.
JT Haines, JD MPP (University of Minnesota Humphrey School 2005), is MCEA’s Northeastern Minnesota Program Director. JT started in 2019 as MCEA’s first Duluth-based staff member where he now leads the organization’s Northeastern Minnesota program and mining work. He has participated in several delegation trips to Honduras and Guatemala and is the Director of the 2014 Int’l Federation for Human Rights Award-winning film Gold Fever.