Dr. Basu is the 2014 Jana Mackey Lecture Speaker

On April 30th, Dr. Urmi Basu will be this year’s Jana Mackey Distinguished Lecture speaker on the campus of the University of Kansas. The presentation is scheduled for 7:00pm in the Kansas Union Ballroom.

Dr. Basu has been nationally recognized for her work on human trafficking and gender rights advocacy.  She is the founder of New Light, a secular community development project in India that provides education and shelter to girls and women at high risk of commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking. Her work was recently featured on PBS Independent Lens as part of the Half the Sky Movement, a transmedia project that raises awareness and takes action to end global oppression of women and girls based on the work of Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn.

In honor and memory of Jana Lynne Mackey, the University of Kansas established the “Jana Mackey Distinguished Lecture Series” under the direction and support of KU’s Emily Taylor Center for Women and Gender Equality. Jana dedicated her short life to pursuing social justice and true equality for all women. In an effort to continue her important work, this lecture series was established to raise awareness about issues close to Jana’s heart, namely breaking down barriers and fostering opportunities to secure women’s rights leaders and experts with the dual purpose of enhancing understanding and calling for involvement and service while providing a platform for discussion and dialogue. Learn more here.

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