Bridging Research and Community: The 2025 Global Justice and Equity Conference at Duke University
The 2025 Global Justice and Equity Conference at Duke University was sponsored by the von der Heyden Global Fellowship (vdH Fellowship), Office of Global Affairs, and the John Hope Franklin Center for Interdisciplinary and International Studies. The conference explored the intersection of community engagement and research, focusing on environmental justice and the responsibilities of researchers to collaborate with and respect the communities they study. Three panels were developed and hosted by the vdH Fellows that included panelists from Duke University, NC State University, East Carolina University, UNC-Chapel Hill, and the local Durham nonprofit Communities In Partnership. Together, the panelists provided actionable insights on conducting responsible, collaborative, and impactful research that prioritizes community needs and perspectives.
Panel themes included 'Asking the Right Research Question in Approaches to Environmental Justice,' 'Collaborative Research in Action,' and 'Responsible Storytelling.' North Carolina, known as birthplace of the environmental justice movement, gained recognition after Warren County residents protested a toxic waste landfill in the late 1970s. This protest highlighted racial and economic environmental disparities and helped nationalize environmental justice efforts. One of the conference panelists, Jennifer Richmond-Bryant of NC State University, referenced Warren County while discussing her study of toxic particulate matter near a Colfax, Louisiana, waste facility. As in Warren County, her findings linked proximity to the facility with adverse health effects, confirmed by toxic compound measurements.
The Global Justice and Equity Conference allows for the continuous discussion of important themes and ideas while providing a platform for scholars and community members to share their research projects and crucial findings.