I am a writer and attorney with Resilient Indigenous Sisters Engaging (R.I.S.E.) Coalition. I received my B.A. from the University of Minnesota Morris (’13) and J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School (’19). Early in my career I provided pro bono or “low bono” representation for activists opposed to the Enbridge Line 3 Pipeline in northern Minnesota. Prior to practicing law, I wanted to be a storyteller. My nonfiction interests include state political history and literature, law and mental illness, and civic republican political theory. I think it’s fair to call my published fiction writing fabulist / magic realist. My writing has appeared in Minnesota History, Middle West Review, Popshot Quarterly, and elsewhere. Now I write legal documents.
I am a recipient of numerous awards and fellowships, including the Humphrey School’s Mondale Research Fellowship (’13), a Springboard for the Arts Hinge Arts Residency (’16), and a Minnesota Historical Society Legacy Research Fellowship (’17). My article “Senator Allan Spear and the Minnesota Human Rights Act” received Minnesota History‘s 2016 Solon J. Buck Award for Best Article of the Year.
As a student at the University of Minnesota, I served as chairman of the Student Senate (’12) and two terms as a student representative to the Board of Regents (Rep, ’12-13; Chair, ’17-18). Of these experiences, I am most-proud of pushing the University to publicly support same-sex marriage (its most-controversial stand since opposing the Vietnam War). The student representatives’ 2018 report — “New Expectations” — is available online (here).
In addition to my writing and public service, I served one contract in the Minnesota National Guard as a lower-enlisted infantryman (’16-’22) [SPC PRESTON, J.D.]. I was activated during the Minneapolis Uprising and later sought to alert the state to the problem of right-wing extremism following what I took to be an underwhelming response to the January 6 Insurrection and attack on the capitol. I responded to my State’s silence by deciding to become a movement attorney [What’s a movement attorney? IDK! that’s just what the people I admired called themselves :)]. Thus far it’s worked out pretty well.
Highlights:
- My article on “Senator Allan Spear and the Minnesota Human Rights Act” received Minnesota History‘s 2016 Solon J. Buck Award for “Best Article of the Year.”
- I am the creator of Giraffes Drawn By People Who Should Not Be Drawing Giraffes, a high-brow conceptual art project and/or absurdist conversation starter (depending on who you ask). It’s been recognized by both The Huffington Post and way too many people I’ve run into at parties.
- In 2018, after Ilhan Omar decided to run for U.S. Congress, I was one of several candidates who ran for her open District 60B State House seat in the DFL Primary. In 2019, I ran for a 6-year term on the University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents. (Although the Regent Candidate Advisory Committee recommended me to the legislature’s Joint Higher Education Committee, I was not selected).
- Anything you would ever want to know about the content of my character can be found in an essay I published on January 6, 2024, titled “Four Decembers Turned to January.”
Curriculum Vitae (CV): [Email me]
Email: JoshuaPPreston [at] Gmail [dot] com
Twitter: @JPPreston
Instagram: @joshuappreston
Joshua Panduro Preston 
ACAB definitely includes the National Guard who occupied my city.
You should be ashamed of yourself.
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Panduro? That sounds made up. Nice try.
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Rectal itch
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I’m wondering why your bio makes no mention of your active duty in the Minnesota National Guard until 2022, including deployment to the Twin Cities to suppress popular protest. To me that feels strongly in conflict with being a “movement attorney”.
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Hey Joshua, it’s Ziandrea from our old job. I just downloaded your article about “ The Legal Implications of Detecting Alzheimer’s Disease Earlier” and from I read so far, I’m glad you wrote it. I was discussing that recently again with family about getting ourselves check as a precautionary act to do. I can’t wait to take the time to read your whole paper about it. I hope you and your family are doing wonderful!
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