Mubanga Kalimamukwento, LL.M. ’20: Human Rights Advocate, Published Author

Mubanga Kalimamukwento, LL.M. ’20 is a Fulbright scholar and a native of Zambia. She is also a novelist who plans to continue to pursue her twin interests of law and literature.

You are a human-rights attorney in Zambia. Can you describe a little bit about that experience?

I have actually been practicing criminal law for the past two years, but have worked in various areas since 2013. I consider myself more of a human rights advocate through my writing and like to think about the relationship between literature, especially about minorities, and the development of human rights legislation and policy.

You are also a Fulbright scholar who completed a fellowship at the University of Minnesota. Could you describe a bit about that experience and how it connects to your decision to pursue an LL.M.?

I was a Hubert H. Humphrey (Fulbright) Fellow in the 2018/2019 cohort and, as part of that, decided to take the Introduction to American Law Class offered by the Law School. I was already considering studying for my LL.M., and took the class to get a better understanding of the legal system and also to help me decide if the United States would be the right place for me to study.

Why did you choose to come to Minnesota Law for your LL.M.?

Zambians pride themselves on being welcoming to guests and I'm always proud when I hear visitors say how at home they felt in Zambia. Because of this, I’ve come to find that whenever I visit a country, I gauge my whole experience on how “at home” I feel in a place. In Minnesota, at the University, and especially in the Introduction to American Law Class, I felt at home right away and that was a big part of my decision.

What do you hope to get out of your LL.M. experience?

As I said, I am very interested in the relationship between literature and the law, so going forward, I’m sure my studies and career will continue to inspire the kind of stories I put out into the world.

What do you plan to do after graduation?

I’m planning on pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree focusing on creative writing and write more creative non-fiction pieces on human rights for minorities in Africa.

What are three words describe you best?

The incurable optimist.

Any hobbies or interest that you would like to share?

If it wasn’t already clear, I love to write, and with that, comes my love for reading.

Anything else you’d like to tell the Minnesota Law community about yourself? 

My first novel, The Mourning Bird, a first-person narrative of the life of a homeless girl in Lusaka, Zambia, is available in paperback on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.