EMU Today

YPSILANTI – Ethriam Brammer, director of the TRIO Student Support Services Program at Eastern Michigan University, will speak on the topics of diversity, equity and inclusion to presidents from a selection of western Michigan universities on Friday, Oct. 6.

Brammer will deliver the keynote address at the West Michigan Presidents’ Compact Committee’s annual "Senior Development Day," to be held at Davenport University in Grand Rapids.

His address is entitled, "'Towards ‘An Invigorating Autumn of Freedom and Equality:’ Diversity, Equity and Inclusion on College Campuses." 

Brammer notes the title is drawn from a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who, as part of his legendary "I Have A Dream" speech, said, "This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality."

The Compact Committee is comprised of all of the presidents and other top administrative officials from Aquinas College, Calvin College, Cornerstone University, Davenport University, Ferris State University, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids Community College, Hope College and Kuyper College.

Brammer, a writer and scholar from El Centro, Calif., oversees TRIO SSS as part of EMU’s Institute for the Study of Children, Families & Communities.  He holds a doctorate in English from Wayne State University and a Masters of Fine Arts degree from San Francisco State University.

He is a translation scholar, translating a number of works of early U.S. Latino/a literature. He is also a passionate advocate for increasing children’s literacy and has been deeply involved in efforts to support programs such as El Día del Niño/El Día del Libro and PRIME TIME Family Reading Time, two programs supported by the American Library Association. 

He is also the author of two original bilingual children’s books: “My Tata’s Guitar/La guitara de mi tata” (Arte Público Press, 2003) and “Allá en el Rancho Grande/The Rowdy, Rowdy Ranch” (Arte Público Press, 2004).

About Eastern Michigan University

Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest university in Michigan. It currently serves 22,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Health and Human Services; Technology, and its graduate school. EMU is regularly recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website.