Dawn-Elissa Fischer, a Washington University alumna and associate professor of Africana studies at San Francisco State University, spoke about her research into hip-hop and her efforts to improve racial diversity.

Aasif Mandvi, an Indian-American comedian known for appearances on “The Daily Show” and HBO’s comedy series “The Brink,” discussed his new book “No Land’s Man” and the representation of minorities in Hollywood at the annual Congress of the South 40-sponsored lecture on Oct. 29.

Rebecca Ginsburg defined the role that universities could play in helping former prisoners stay out of prison in the kickoff lecture of the 2015 Smart Decarceration Conference.

Marcia Ochoa, a professor from the University of California, Santa Cruz, spoke about transgender issues in Venezuela as a part of the women, gender and sexuality studies “Decentering the West” lecture series.