A Freedom Rider’s Reflection and Call to Action
Published: October 20, 2025 | Author: Ali Maynard | Read Time: 2 minutes
Joan Trumpauer Mulholland, a Freedom Rider and civil rights icon, has dedicated years of her life to overcoming racial discrimination. Along with her son, Emmy-winner filmmaker Loki Mulholland, she travels the globe to educate the next generation on this issue. The mother-son duo recently spoke at Southern Utah University and reflected on Joan’s story.
Making the right choice is rarely easy, but for Joan Trumpauer Mulholland, there was never a question in her mind. As a young, white girl growing up in the South, Joan was acutely aware of the racism that permeated her daily life. So, when the opportunity arose for her to protest against segregation, Joan took it without a second thought.
“You didn’t want to follow the rules,” her son, Emmy-winning filmmaker Loki Mulholland, stated during their speech.
“Of course not!” Joan exclaimed. “Why would I do that?”
For her insistence on racial equality, Joan has been shot at, attacked, and even hunted down by the Ku Klux Klan. However, despite the constant danger, Joan never once stopped advocating for change.
“It’s better to die for something you believe in,” Joan said, “than get hit crossing the street while you’re in the crosswalk. You can still get hit and killed. You’re gonna die sometime, might as well be for something good.”
By sharing her remarkable story with her witty humor and iron-clad resolve, Joan urges the next generation to aid their communities in any way they can.
When asked if she had anything to say to the students of SUU, she merely smiled. “Get out there and cause some good trouble,” she said.
Her call to action is echoed in everything she does, such as creating the Joan Trumpauer Foundation with Loki, a program dedicated to ending racism through education. Loki’s documentary, An Ordinary Hero, also further expounds on her experiences and unique insight.
Joan and Loki’s speech was also a part of the ongoing Eccles APEX lecture series, an unique opportunity to learn from speakers from around the world. The presentations cover a diverse range of topics and disciples, and all events are free and open to the public.
Tags: Campus Tradition and History Student FacStaff Alumni APEX Parents Community
Contact Information:
Brooke Heath
435-586-5400
brookeheath1@suu.edu