A few weeks ago, UW-Superior hosted photographer Wing Young Huie for a 3-day campus-wide conversation focused on issues of race. A Duluth native, Huie is internationally renowned for his award-winning photography that reflect the changing cultural landscape of our communities. Huie encouraged students, faculty, and staff to explore our biases as we interpret photographs and come to know the stories behind the photos, which underscore the complexity of the notions we have surrounding diversity.

Huie's visit culminated in a campus-wide "Chalk Talk" allowing participants the opportunity to ask questions of someone they do not necessarily know to give us insight into the preconceptions we have of each other. The resulting photographs captured both the dialogue and faces of participants  - and challenged us to look beyond these assumptions. These powerful photographs are on display in the YU Atrium.

Student groups hosting informal discussions during meals included Gender Equity, Sojourners, Teacher Education, Chinese Student and Scholars, World, and Multicultural Students. Visual and Communicating Arts, and Educational Leadership students attended lectures and workshops, while select Visual Art students, under the direction of Pope Wright, shadowed and documented
Huie's visit through photographs and sketches. Teacher Education students worked with Huie to move forward a photography project designed to create an inclusive environment using photographs UW-S pre-service teachers working with Superior school children to visually reflect the diversity within our campus and
community. The Duluth-Superior community was invited to participate in a Chalk
Talk event Wednesday evening as well.

Wing Young Huie grew up in Duluth, Minnesota, the only child in his Chinese-American family of eight born in the United States. His work was featured recently in the RACE: Are We So Different? exhibit at The Depot in Duluth. At the closing reception for this exhibit, now touring the country, Duluth Mayor Donald Ness proclaimed the day, September 27^th, 2012, "Wing Young Huie Day," in honor of Mr. Huie's, "inspirational work that challenges us to opens our eyes to the diversity and cultures that surround us."

Huie's visit to UW-Superior was made possible through collaborative support from the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Gender Equity Center, International programs, Campus Life, the Departments of Educational Leadership, Visual Arts, Communicating Arts, and Social Inquiry, the Chancellor's Office, and UW-Superior Making Excellence Inclusive grant funds. Organizers for the events included Mary Lee-Nichols, Beth Austin, Chip Beal, Tammy Fanning, Eri Fujieda, Kathy Hubbard Tara Kachgal, Carol Knoble, Mary Lee-Nichols, Ephraim Nikoi, Ivy Vainio, and Pope Wright.