Some people believe that the world we live in is not perfect. While this idea may lend itself to caffeine-fueled political debates in coffee shops and on college campuses all over the country, few people actually take their concern a step further and devote their lives to work as a force for good in the world.

Mary Duvall is a Gustavus grad who has taken that extra step by working as a community organizer and humanitarian. Duvall graduated in 2005 with a major in religion and, after living in India for a year,accepted a job with Lutheran World Relief (LWR).

LWR is a nonprofit organization that works to help those in need in the Midwest and around the world and to educate and promote activism in churches and communities. LWR works with other NGOs, like Amnesty International, to increase awareness about humanitarian issues in struggling communities across the globe.

Duvall describes her work as “trying to encourage Midwest constituents as citizens to work for peace and justice around the world.” To do this, she speaks with community members (especially those involved in church congregations) about important humanitarian issues and encourages them to talk to their representatives and take action to affect change. The ultimate goal is to change government policy toward these humanitarian issues and make U.S. communities more active and sympathetic in their political attitudes.

Duvall is based in Minneapolis, but her work takes her throughout Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, Illinois and other states in the Midwest. She has traveled to Columbia twice and will also go to Sudan later this year in order to help struggling communities in those affected areas.

“In most cases, the government is one of the problems that people in these areas face, so we can’t work with them,” said Duvall. Instead, Duvall meets with communities that are supported by LWR, helping them out as best she can and “hear[ing] about the realities of their life, what’s going on and what needs to happen.” It then becomes her responsibility to tell their stories to communities in the American Midwest and encourage them to act.

Because she spent a year in India, Duvall says that she feels a special attachment to that region, but according to her, the “critical problems” are in places like Sudan, Columbia and Uganda. The political turmoil and violence in these regions has received increased attention in this election year, and when asked about these conflicts Duvall said, “Millions of people are being killed. It’s just ridiculous that we aren’t doing anything about it.”

She is, however, wary about direct government aid. “Just the fact that although there’s poverty and oppression and conflict around the world, that doesn’t mean that the people can’t take care of those problems themselves. They just need to be empowered. If we can help communities start thinking about long-term development, that’s what we want to do. People can’t be dependant on hand-outs; they need to learn to take care of themselves.”

Duvall always knew that she wanted a career that involved social activism, especially after working as an intern in Gustavus’ Center for Vocational Reflection, and thus far she has been very happy in her work. As an intern, she assisted with Gustavus’ summer servant leadership programs, which she describes as “programs for college students who actually want to do something worthwhile over the summer.”

For students who want to make a difference in the world around them, she has some advice: “Focus on what makes you happy and what can make a difference. In your own churches, in your own jobs, try to make a difference. Just be active in whatever way you can.”

Duvall also has some wisdom for students who are hoping to be as satisfied in their careers as she is. “Don’t focus on making money. Obviously there has to be some of that, but focus on what makes you happy and whatever is going to make a difference,” she said.

“What I’m doing now is really my vocation. I think someone once said, ‘Your vocation is where your truest passions and the world’s deepest needs meet.’ This is what I want to do because of the good works that can come out of it, but it’s also what I want to do because it makes me excited.”