The Wake

Environmentally and politically conscious students gathered on Northrop Mall to eat fair trade bananas, cookies and chips Sept. 26 in celebration of MPIRG’s 35th Anniversary.

The student group Minnesota Public Interest Research Group, MPIRG, had their first meeting of the semester following the celebration. MPIRG is a non-partisan, non-profit grassroots organization run entirely by students. Last semester MPIRG organized events including Take Back the Night, a river cleanup and concert, and a bike workshop.

This semester, the group has three task forces: fair trade, environment and democracy. Nicole Yarbrough, leader of the fair trade task force says her group will try to get Java City on West Bank to only use fair trade beverages and the group will start a faith-and-community outreach program to encourage churches to use fair trade coffee for meetings and events. MPIRG is also working to make Minnesota apparel fair trade.

Katy Adams, leader of the democracy task force says this semester she is focusing on the mayoral debates. Her task force will have a voter registration drive and work to raise awareness about Fair and Clean Elections, a coalition of more than 60 organizations devoted to making fundamental changes to the electoral system. Also in the works is an art and democracy festival that will feature local art, spoken-word and music. The festival will bring attention to issues such as electoral structural discrimination. “Our system works to get certain people not to vote,” Adams says.

One of MPIRG’s founding members, Jon Gutzman, spoke at the celebration. MPIRG petitioned to become a student group at the U in 1971, during a time of political unrest, but still before the pinnacle of Vietnam War protests. Gutzman says in the spring of 1970, campus was shut down because the United States invaded Cambodia. “You couldn’t walk on the Washington Bridge without seeing long-haired fellows on blankets selling beads and drug paraphernalia,” Gutzman says. Despite the changes the campus has seen over time, Gutzman says there is still a need for students to get involved and be active. He reminded the audience that only 42 years ago it was legal to discriminate against people based on race, religion and creed. Gutzman commended MPIRG for continuing to work to prevent social injustice. “Live strong,” Gutzman says.

MPIRG welcomes new members and meets Mondays at 4:30 p.m. in Coffman Union room 324.