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Mrs. Jebeh Edmunds: A mother of two boys, ages 5 and 8, is a first grade teacher in the Duluth, MN school district. Previously, Mrs. Edmunds was the Director of the African American Cultural Center with the Duluth School District. Mrs. Edmunds has given numerous local and regional presentations related to diversity, African-American heritage, and cultural competency. She has a bachelors degree in Communication from the University of Minnesota Duluth and a post-bach teaching certificate from the College of St. Scholastica. She graduated with a Masters of Science in Teaching from The College of St. Scholastica in May 2015. Jebeh came to the United States in 1982 on a minor J-2 visa status with her parents who were escaping the conflict in Liberia by enrolling in graduate programs in the U.S. Her journey to citizenship took 30 years. Her journey in educating others is a lifelong passion.

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Dr. Jennifer Reierson: A mother of a boy (8) and girl (5), earned her PhD in Communication from North Dakota State University in 2009. Her areas of research and expertise include public relations, risk and crisis communication and at-risk or under-served populations. She has conducted research with immigrants and refugees and taught Intercultural Communication. As an Assistant professor at both The College of St. Scholastica and the University of Minnesota Duluth, she was involved in initiatives focused on diversity. Her publications span international, national and regional journals. She has presented her research at numerous national and international conferences, as well as local non-profit events. Also an undergraduate at the University of Minnesota Duluth, she first learned of Jebeh’s story when the threat of deportation led to student support and awareness of Jebeh’s unique situation. Jen currently works as an Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota Duluth and as a Public Relations Strategist with Flint Group.

We’d like to acknowledge the support of our husbands. Their expertise and encouragement to pursue our passions strengthened our resolve and gave us the courage to jump in.