Dr. David Beard (English, Linguistics, and Writing Studies) is passionate about bringing together university resources (faculty insight, student creativity, and material resources, too) to solve community problems. So, it is unsurprising that he partnered with Dr. Adam Pine (Environment, Sustainability, and Geography) to ask students in his Writing and Cultures course and Pine’s Senior Capstone course to interview frontline workers in Duluth and across the state about their lives, chronicling what brought them joy, what brought them pain, and how they addressed social problems in their daily lives, such as housing and food insecurity.
After meeting with community leaders, one student, Abby Hietala (Biology & Writing Studies), reflected, "It was great to learn from a group (First Ladies of the Hillside) that is directly contributing to solving both the hunger and poverty crises in Duluth. It was even better to see that my university is making the effort to be involved in this work; it makes me feel like I'm in the right place."
While that primary research helped students gain awareness of local issues and activism, Beard “wanted to go further in serving our community and thinking more about the particular problems that frontline workers face. Using an Imagine Fund grant, we secured the services of graphic recorder Nelle Rhicard to illustrate the interviews and print posters of her illustrations.”
To create the images, Rhicard “used a reference photo from Adam and David and chose a hand-drawn style that was raw, imperfect, and had minimum detail. Since the Sketch Quotes were telling the story of frontline workers, I wanted an unpolished and gritty look—much like a day-in-the-life of the featured workers.”
Though the posters in the Kathryn A. Martin Library and Kirby Plaza amplified the voices of frontline workers and shed light on the critical food and housing challenges faced by the Duluth community, Beard wondered if there could be a more permanent way to display the information.
Enter Associate Professor Maryam Khaleghi Yazdi (Art & Design), a graphic design artist who endeavors to explore contemporary social issues, including environmental justice, the impact of the pandemic, and the ongoing pursuit of human rights. After being approached with the idea for a campus mural, Khaleghi Yazdi began analyzing information Beard and Pine provided her, generating a fictional story about a day in the life of a frontline worker, sketching, and digitalizing the illustrations before she and her friends Somy, Farnaz, and Shayan ultimately painted the mural on the fourth floor of the Humanities building at UMD.
Collaboration played a pivotal role in bringing the “Unsung Heroes” mural to life. Khaleghi Yazdi explained, “David Beard and Adam Pine provided invaluable access to critical data and insights about food and housing shelters, as well as the lived experiences of frontline workers. Their expertise and perspectives enriched the project, ensuring the mural was visually compelling and deeply rooted in the realities of those it represents. This process underscored the importance of diverse voices in storytelling and creative work, reminding me that art can serve as a bridge between disciplines, amplifying the stories and struggles of a community. By working together, we created a piece that authentically captures the essence of Duluth's unsung heroes while raising awareness about the ongoing food and housing crisis.”
Viewers of the mural have responded positively. “People who have seen it reflect on the vibrant energy it brings to the space and how its colorful, detailed design creates a welcoming and engaging atmosphere. Many have appreciated the storytelling, finding it both thought-provoking and emotionally resonant,” said Khaleghi Yazdi. She believes it helps “students better understand the realities of frontline work, its challenges, rewards, and profound impact on society so they can appreciate these vital roles and, if interested, choose this path with a more transparent and informed perspective.”
Though the mural was completed in the summer of 2024, the energy which sparked it has continued branching outward. Beard noted, “The mural contributed to designating UMD a ‘hunger free campus.’ Students in my class (and I) reached out to Vice Chancellor of Student Life, Dr. Lisa Irwin, about the hunger-free designation. Lisa picked up the work, with members of the Student Government Association, and we are now on the list of hunger-free campuses!”
Khaleghi Yazdi perhaps summed up the impact of the project best when she reflected, “collaboration is not just about dividing tasks but about weaving together diverse perspectives, skills, and passions to create something greater than the sum of its parts. Collaboration is a dynamic process built on trust, mutual respect, and the willingness to embrace others' ideas.” If this project is any indicator, it seems UMD has much to be hopeful about as students bring those skills together to answer future questions.
Find out more:
Unsung Heroes: https://sites.google.com/view/umd-unsungheroes/
Hunger-Free Designation: https://www.ohe.state.mn.us/mPg.cfm?pageID=2492 [MOU1]