Student activist Julia Hall ’19 takes every opportunity she can to educate people about women’s reproductive rights.

Last semester, Hall, who is majoring in gender and women’s studies and political science, devoted her Sunday mornings to cold calling Rhode Island residents about reproductive rights issues. A volunteer for the advocacy nonprofit The Woman Project, Hall also collected signatures of URI community members and supporters of reproductive rights on fabric squares that will be stitched together in a quilt to be delivered to the Rhode Island State House. She has also volunteered on a postcard campaign, penned an op-ed for The Good Five Cent Cigar, and created a fact sheet as part of a social media campaign to advance her cause. Her goal is to make a career of advocacy.

This semester, Hall is involved in an independent study of human trafficking in Rhode Island with Professor Donna Hughes, a leading international researcher on sex trafficking, the Eleanor M. and Oscar M. Carlson endowed chair in the department of Gender and Women’s Studies, and director of the department’s graduate certificate program. Hall’s work involves looking at local case law on human trafficking and adding to Hughes’ research as well as that of students who’ve preceded her.

URI makes it easy to pursue advocacy work, Hall said.

“If you want to get involved, there are a ton of clubs and classes that can get you started. You definitely get a sense of accomplishment and a sense of community,” Hall said. “You’re not just sitting there wishing you could do something. You’re taking initiative and doing for yourself and others.”