UW-EC professor awarded MLK Social Justice Leadership Award

Feb. 8—EAU CLAIRE — Heather Ann Moody, associate professor and program director for American Indian Studies at UW-Eau Claire, has been awarded the university's highest honor in equity, diversity and inclusion work.

On Tuesday, Moody was presented with the 2023 Martin Luther King Jr. Social Justice Leadership Award during the university's annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, UW-Eau Claire announced in a news release.

The award, established in 2018, recognizes a campus community member who has demonstrated an "exceptional ability to advocate for underserved and underrepresented groups and who leads, organizes and engages the community in the difficult work of equity, diversity and inclusion through their voice, vision and actions," the university stated.

Moody, an enrolled member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, teaches with a focus on American Indian history and culture, contemporary tribal issues, communities and sovereignty, the university stated. She is also an expert consultant regarding Wisconsin Education Act 31 requirements for K-12 and higher education.

Moody told the university she is" humbled and honored" to receive this award, and feels "a little strange" in the sense that she sees her advocacy work as inherent in her job, and something she hopes to see all campus members engage in more and more, the university stated.

"I just feel compelled to speak up and do what I can to make sure we are both attracting and retaining the people we need here, the people who our students need here to help them succeed," Moody stated. "Honestly, it's what we should all be doing — advocating for our students and fellow faculty and staff. We need all these hardworking colleagues to make this campus all we can be."

Moody has a bachelor's degree in American Indian studies from UW-Eau Claire, a master's degree in American Indian studies from the University of Arizona and a doctor of education degree in teaching and learning from the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

Teresa O'Halloran, interim assistant chancellor for EDI at UW-Eau Claire, told the university she is thrilled with this selection for the 2023 award.

"Heather is a highly regarded professor who has shown herself to be a tireless community builder and advocate for social justice at UW-Eau Claire and beyond," O'Halloran stated. "She has provided strong leadership in recent years not only for our American Indian studies program but also for campuswide efforts including the launch of our Center for Racial and Restorative Justice and our EDI Strategic Plan."