2024 EXPERTS & AFICIONADOS
INSPIRATION FROM AROUND THE CORNER AND ACROSS THE GLOBE
2024 SPEAKERS AND EVENTS
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DECEMBER 22, 2024 | HUMANLIGHT CELEBRATION | REASON, COMPASSION, AND HOPE
Human Light is a secular holiday that occurs annually on December 23rd. It's a day to celebrate and express the positive, secular, human values of reason, compassion, and hope. HumanLight illuminates a positive, secular vision of a happy, just and peaceful future for our world, a future which people can build by working together, drawing on the best of our human capacities. DUMPLING POTLUCK TO FOLLOW! Human Light is a relatively new holiday, without a lot of defined traditions, so we've added one to the festivities—a dumpling potluck followed our presentation! This celebrates all humans as you can not find a human civilization without some kind of dumpling that is part of their traditional cuisine. |
Dean L. Rosen, Psy.D.
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DECEMBER 8, 2024 | I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS JUST HAPPENED! COPING WITH OUR ELECTION RESULTS | DEAN L. ROSEN, Psy.D.
Many fear the unknown consequences of a new presidential regime. It can be easy to panic, but we have to go forward with our lives. Dr. Rosen will help us with strategies to cope and go forward when we fear the worst for ourselves and our country. Dean L. Rosen has been a clinical psychologist in independent practice for the past four decades in St. Louis County. He has also been an activist for LGBT+ rights and served as president of St. Louis PFLAG for more than 20 years. He’s spoken to many congregations and workplace settings on embracing change. |
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DECEMBER 1, 2024 | UGANDA HUMANIST SCHOOLS TRUST
Uganda Humanist Schools Trust was set up as a charity in November 2008 to raise funds to help Ugandan Humanists to establish schools that offer inclusive education based on reason, compassion and tolerance. All schools teach the Uganda national curriculum and prepare students for public examinations. At the same time, they aim to develop self-confident students who care for each other and for their local communities. The schools encourage students to be open minded and questioning. They are taught to respect evidence and to appreciate the need for shared human values. In order to foster a spirit of understanding, students are introduced to both religious, as required by the national curriculum, and secular humanist life stances |
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10 | A CELEBRATION OF GRATITUDE | WITH HELP FROM THE WISE WORDS OF ROBIN WALL KIMMERER
"Give thanks for what you have been given. Give a gift, in reciprocity for what you have taken. Sustain the ones who sustain you and the earth will last forever." With a Robin Wall Kimmerer prerecorded talk, followed by members reading the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address, and help from our SEEKers, we explored the beautiful world of gratitude, reciprocity, and The Honorable Harvest exquisitely explained by Robin Wall Kimmerer. As a botanist and member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Kimmerer embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. She brings these lenses of knowledge together to show that the awakening of a wider ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world. For only when we can hear the languages of other beings are we capable of understanding the generosity of the earth, and learning to give our own gifts in return. |
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NOVEMBER 3, 2024 | MUSIC SUNDAY | HOME GROWN TALENT AND ENTHUSIASTIC LISTENING
Music Sunday, one of our favorite events! This is our opportunity to enjoy musical entertainment from within our Society. Do you play a musical instrument? Do you enjoy singing? If so, please plan now to participate! This is NOT a talent show or competition of any kind. All levels of performance are welcome. If you'd like to collaborate with others and perform together, that's great! Serious music, parodies, cover songs, original work...anything goes! |
Louise Jett, Ethical Culture Leader
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OCTOBER 13, 2024 | ETHICAL THINKING AND DECISION-MAKING | LOUISE JETT, ETHICAL CULTURE LEADER
Every day, moral questions pop up all around us—in the news, at work, even on the sidelines of our kids’ soccer games. We face tough questions about the fairness of our country’s approaches to foreign policy, the ethics of life-extending medical treatments, the rights of people experiencing homelessness, and more. It’s not easy to tackle these issues. How do we start thinking about them? What questions should we ask? What should we keep in mind? Join Ethical Culture Leader Louise Jett as she explores Ethical Thinking and Decision-Making. Curious and compassionate, Louise Jett (she/her) is an Ethical Humanist, media specialist, graphic designer, writer and artist. In short, she is an educator and storyteller who strives to approach challenges with optimism and enthusiasm. An American Ethical Union certified Leader, she is truly inspired by people who are dedicated to empowering and caring for others. Louise loves connecting with new friends and old. She enjoys thinking deeply, good conversations, reading, playing video games and spending time with her family and pets. |
Dr. Layla Goushey
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OCTOBER 6, 2024 | PALESTINIAN HISTORY | DR. LAYLA GOUSHEY
This presentation was helpful for teachers and anyone who wanted to learn more about Palestinian history and related regional events that occurred during the late 1800s through 1948. We reviewed primary source documents from archival records to invite discussion about the roots of contemporary events. Dr. Layla Goushey (she/her) holds a Master of Fine Arts in CreativeWriting, an M.A. in History, and a PhD in Adult Education: Teaching and Learning Processes. |
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
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SEPTEMBER 29, 2024 | BUILDING AN INTERGENERATIONAL MOVEMENT FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE | VIRTUAL AEU PLATFORM: CROSS-GENERATIONAL CLIMATE ACTIVISM with THIRD ACT AND FRIDAYS FOR FUTURE
As Climate Week comes to a close, a panel convenes to look at the unique intergenerational nature of the Climate Justice Movement. Humans of all ages are teaming up to meet the ethical imperative of Climate Justice and to grow this movement. This panel will explore the intergenerational modes and methods that youth and elders have employed, in connecting across their generational divides for this global movement. |
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SEPTEMBER 22, 2024 | INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE OBSERVANCE | 2024 GLOBAL PEACE DAY THEME: CULTIVATING A CULTURE OF PEACE
Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire.But achieving true peace entails much more than laying down arms. It requires the building of societies where all members feel that they can flourish. It involves creating a world in which people are treated equally, regardless of their race. The 2024 Global Peace Day Theme is Cultivating a Culture of Peace. This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption of the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace. Learn more here. |
Eric Johnston, Battalion Chief, O’Fallon Fire Protection District
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SEPTEMBER 15, 2024 | CPR TRAINING | ERIC JOHNSTON, BATTALION CHIEF WITH THE O’FALLON FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
With a half-million cardiac arrests each year, CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) can help save a life if a person's breathing or heart stops. It's not just for healthcare workers and emergency responders. In fact, CPR can double or triple the chance of survival when bystanders take action. Learn CPR so you're prepared for the minutes that matter the most. Battalion Chief, Eric Johnston with the O’Fallon Fire Protection District will conduct a CPR training class. Eric holds Missouri certifications in Firefighter I & II, Officer I & II, Fire Service Instructor I, and Paramedic. |
Tina Meier, Founder and Executive Director, Megan Meier Foundation
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AUGUST 25, 2024 | MEGAN'S STORY: THE LASTING IMPACT OF BULLYING, CYBERBULLYING, AND SUICIDE | TINA MEIER
Tina Meier, Founder and Executive Director of the Megan Meier Foundation, shares her daughter’s story and shows first-hand the devastating effects of bullying, cyberbullying, and suicide. Megan’s story touches students, parents, and educators in a deeply profound way reminding us to think before we speak, click, or act. Through Tina’s inspirational and educational message, the audience develops an empathetic awareness and understanding of others and are empowered to: “Be Megan’s Voice... Be the Change!” On October 16, 2006, Tina Meier’s life took a devastating turn when her 13-year-old daughter, Megan Taylor Meier, took her own life after being cyberbullied by an adult neighbor posing as a fictitious boy on MySpace. In 2007, Tina Meier founded the Megan Meier Foundation, a non-profit organization whose mission is to support and inspire actions to end bullying, cyberbullying, and suicide. The Megan Meier Foundation has evolved into a global bullying, cyberbullying, and suicide prevention foundation serving over 685,000 people. |
Allison Hile
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AUGUST 11, 2024 | ABORTION IN MISSOURI—WHAT’S NEXT AND WHY | ALLISON HILE
What if the ballot initiative reinstating Roe doesn’t pass? What if it does? What will be different for people seeking abortion care in Missouri? What has changed in the past two years since Roe fell? Get an inside view of what’s going on and what you can do. Allison Hile has a master’s in counseling psychology with an emphasis in human sexuality. She worked at Hope Clinic, an independent abortion clinic across the river in IL, for 30 years, ran a statewide organization that trained adults to be better sexuality educators, and when she retired, she helped found the Missouri Abortion Fund and continues to serve on their board. Recently, a nurse asked her if she had any questions and she replied, “Yes! Do you know about the Missouri Abortion Fund? We help Missourians pay for care wherever they have to travel!” Allison and her husband, Matthew, have been members of the Ethical Society of St. Louis for 40 years. |
Rabbi Jordan Gerson
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AUGUST 4, 2024 | PERSPECTIVES ON ISRAEL, THE ONGOING CONFLICT, AND THE RISE OF ANTISEMITISM | RABBI JORDAN GERSON
Rabbi Jordan Gerson, WashU Hillels Silk Foundation Campus Rabbi and Chief Experience Officer will be discussing the connections of the Jewish people to the land of Israel, the founding of the modern state, the conflict with her neighbors and the Palestinian people including the current cycle of violence, and the rise of antisemitism here in America and around the world. Rabbi Jordan Gerson grew up in St. Louis. After graduating from Binghamton University with his bachelor's in Jewish Studies with a concentration in Jewish History, he attended the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in Los Angeles, California. In 2011 he was ordained and also received his Master’s degree in Rabbinic Studies. After three years in a small congregation in Northwest Florida, Rabbi Jordan returned to St. Louis as WashU Hillel’s Silk Foundation Campus Rabbi. For nearly 10 years Rabbi Jordan or RJ, as he is affectionately called by his students, has worked to support pluralism within the Jewish community at WashU and build connections with the broader campus community. During his time at WashU, Rabbi Jordan has led nearly 20 trips to Israel for both Jewish and non-Jewish students bringing almost 700 students to Israel to learn about Jewish identity and coexistence. |
Gary Sudin
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JULY 28, 2024 | THE SECRET AND HIDDEN MEANINGS OF COMMON NURSERY RHYMES AND FOLK SONGS | GARY SUDIN
Did you ever wonder where Humpty Dumpty came from? The meanings behind "Three Blind Mice", "Pop, Goes the Weasel", and other nursery rhymes? Or the meaning of the song, "Oh! Susanna"? All of these have history that has changed considerably over time. Gary Sudin shared his knowledge about the meanings behind your favorite childhood songs and rhymes through story telling and live musical performance. Gary has lectured around the world on emerging technologies for 15 years, and has run a computer networking company for 46 years. His vocation and hobbies include photography, travel, old cars, music, guitars, recording, humor, acoustics, technology, and his family. He takes all his hobbies to extremes. He has played guitar and been onstage throughout the world, with the likes of Tommy Emmanuel, Muriel Anderson, and Martin Simpson. |
Dr. Christopher Harris
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JUNE 30, 2024 | ALL-SOCIETIES PLATFORM: STANDING UP TO BOOK BANNING | DR. CHRISTOPHER HARRIS
Attempts to ban books from all types of libraries continue to rise at an unprecedented level across the country. The American Library Association reported attempts to censor 4,249 unique titles of library books and resources in 2023. This is the highest number of attempted book bans since ALA began compiling data about censorship in libraries more than 20 years ago and a 65% increase over 2022. Learn how concerned people can support the Freedom to Read along with the many partners of the Unite Against Book Bans campaign led by the ALA. Dr. Christopher Harris is the Director of a School Library System in Western New York and a Senior Policy Fellow with the American Library Association. He was a participant in the first American Library Association Emerging Leaders program in 2007 and was honored as a Library Journal Mover and Shaker in 2008. His policy work with the ALA has included equity of access to ebooks, coding for youth, and most recently the Unite Against Book Bans campaign. Dr. Harris is an author, speaker, gamer, and member of his local public library board of trustees. |
Hugh Taft-Morales, Ethical Culture Leader
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JUNE 23, 2024 | BEYOND WAR AND SILENCE | HUGH TAFT-MORALES, ETHICAL CULTURE LEADER
On April 4, 1967, at New York City’s Riverside Church, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the speech “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence.” In it, he condemned the harm done by the war to poor people here and in Vietnam. And he called for its immediate end by nonviolent means. As the current heartbreaking violence in the Middle East leads to both angry shouting and fearful silence, Hugh Taft-Morales looks to King’s wisdom for guidance in discussing the crisis without becoming polarized. How can we avoid dehumanizing people and planting the seeds for future killing? How can we speak up constructively? Hugh Taft-Morales serves as Leader of the Baltimore and Philadelphia Ethical Societies. He is Secretary of the National Leaders Council and is a member the American Ethical Union’s Lifespan Education Team. He taught history for twenty-five years in Washington, D. C. He lives in Takoma Park, Maryland, with his wife, they have three wonderful adult children. Hugh's hobbies include yoga, playing guitar, singing, and watching way too much sports. |
Amy Miller, Interim Director, Ethical Society Saint Louis
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MAY 5, 2024 | AMY MILLER, INTERIM DIRECTOR AT ETHICAL SOCIETY SAINT LOUIS | EASYISH: KEYS TO (RELATIVELY) EASY RELATIONSHIPS
From a decade of marriage and relationship counseling and coaching comes a working theory that relationships should be hallmarked by relative ease and moreover, can be whatever you want them to be! Clinical social worker, mediator, author, and current Interim Director of the Ethical Society of St Louis, Amy L. Miller, offered a candid and interactive exploration of what healthy relationships look like. |
Dan Zarlenga, Missouri Department of Conservation
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APRIL 21, 2024 | BRINGING BACK NATURE | DAN ZARLENGA
Dan Zarlenga from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will discuss efforts to bring back native species and habitat, from deer and turkey in Missouri's forests, to prairies in St. Louis' urban cemeteries. Dan is the Media Specialist for MDC's St. Louis region, where he has served for the past 16 years. Prior to that he worked for 12 years in the audio/video production unit at MDC's state headquarters in Jefferson City. With a BA in Communications, he began his career in radio and video production prior to coming to MDC. |
Greg Bonin,
Ethical Culture Leader |
APRIL 14, 2024 | JOY IS AN ACT OF RESISTANCE | GREG BONIN, ETHICAL CULTURE LEADER
What is the work of human relationships, and what role does joy have in resistance, survival, and thriving? Ethical Culture Leader Greg Bonin explores the concept of Durable Joy. “Joy is an act of resistance” originates from a title published by poet Toi Derricotte. Ethical Culture Leader Greg Bonin is the AEU's Director of Administration and Organizational Culture, and a Candidate for ministerial fellowship with the Unitarian Universalist Association. Greg specializes in institutional and organizational facilitation, bringing a praxis grounded in embodiment, humanistic interdependence, and reflective inquiry as a method for lifelong formation. Greg is especially curious about queering practices that create spaces where transformative paradigms can emerge. |
Rick Beemer, NASA Solar System Ambassador
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APRIL 7, 2024 | SOLAR ECLIPSE | RICK BEEMER
Rick Beemer has had a passion for space exploration since watching the first lunar landing live as a child. Even then he was educating the neighborhood kids about the Apollo program with demonstrations using models of the Saturn V rocket, space photographs, and other space related items. During his lifelong career in the financial services industry, he learned that what he enjoyed most was learning and educating others, which led him to working as a professional trainer, presenter, facilitator, and voiceover artist. In the role of Solar System Ambassador, Rick is able to combine his two passions of space exploration and helping others to learn.) |
Randy Best, Ethical Culture Leader
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MARCH 24, 2024 | ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | RANDY BEST, ETHICAL CULTURE LEADER
Randy Best recently had a conversation with ChatGPT. It was informative, and did not illustrate any of the misinformation and creativity that Artificial Intelligence often presents. Although his experience was all right, Artificial Intelligence is a subject of concern in many areas. Randy spoke about his experience with A.I. along with his concerns about how it may alter humanity’s future. A life-long member of Ethical Culture, Randy was born in St. Louis and grew up attending the St. Louis Ethical Society. Since 2016 Randy serves as the Leader of the Northern Virginia Ethical Society. Previously, he was Leader of the Ethical Humanist Society of the Triangle and the Ethical Society Without Walls. Randy received a B.A. from Grinnell College and a Master’s Degree from Harvard University. He is also a graduate of the Humanist Institute, certified Mediator, and Pastoral Counselor. Randy has four grown children who were homeschooled. Randy is also an avid bicycle rider. |
Melanie Williams,
President, Pursuit 3416 |
MARCH 10, 2024 | END ALL CRIMES AGAINST THE INNOCENT | MELANIE WILLIAMS
Melanie Williams is Founder and President of Pursuit 3416, a network of passionate people partnering with various entities to bring awareness and equip the community with tools to be advocates to end Grooming, Social Media Manipulation, and Human Trafficking. Pursuit 3416 believes there is a desperate need for education and awareness of the impact and tragedy grooming and human trafficking is having on this generation. Their objective is to provide tools to help stop this heinous crime. Fiercely driven to end all crimes against the innocent, Melanie has seen first hand the effects of those manipulated and abused. Working with Sex Trafficked Survivors for over 9 years lead Melanie to enter the battle on the other side. Her goal is to squash this insidious crime before it begins. |
John Daken
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MARCH 3, 2024 | PERSPECTIVES ON ETHICAL SOCIETY LEADERSHIP | JOHN DAKEN
The philosophy undergirding the movement of Ethical Societies in the U.S. is egalitarian — recognizing the inherent worth of every individual and inviting its adherents to help those around them to achieve their full potential. Such a philosophy calls for inclusive decision-making and humble leadership. Yet the movement’s founder Felix Adler assumed a heroic role that has served as a model for the movement’s professional leaders ever since. This address will examine what might have led Adler to fall short of his own philosophy, then propose how the movement can revitalize itself by embracing a new kind of leadership. John Daken has been a member of the ethical movement for over 25 years. He pursued training for professional Ethical Culture leadership in 2005-07 before disenrolling in favor of lay leadership roles. He went on to serve as President of the Washington Ethical Society and is presently a Board member of the American Ethical Union. He makes his home in Silver Spring, MD. |
Cheri Crockett
Don Crozier
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FEBRUARY 25, 2024 | LWV: PARTICIPATING IN DEMOCRACY AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS | CHERI CROCKETT & DON CROZIER
Participating in democracy is a right and obligation that goes far beyond voting in the national elections. Governments on the local and state levels are every bit as important but it can be much harder to find information about what is going on at these levels of government and to know how to make your voice heard about the issues you care about at these levels of government. This League of Women Voters presentation will provide you with the information and the tools you need to fully participate in your state and local governments so that you can help to shape the policies that your elected officials adopt for your state and community. The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan organization whose primary role is registering voters, ensuring access to the ballot and helping citizens to be informed about the issues important to them. Cheri Crockett is a retired CPA who moved to St. Charles with her husband Jack in 2019 to be closer to their daughter and son-in-law. Since moving to the area, she has taken up voting rights as her new unpaid profession becoming actively involved in the League of Women Voters through serving on the LWV Metro St. Louis Board of Directors, Co-Chairing the Membership Committee and Co-Leading the St. Charles Unit. When she is not doing League work, Cheri and her husband coordinate the Walk-up Food Pantry at New Hope Presbyterian Church and she enjoys walking, reading and contemplative practices. Don Crozier is a retired aerospace engineer who has been involved with voting rights for a number of years. He's done volunteer work for the League of Women Voters and the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition and is the St Charles County coordinator for the nationwide Election Protection program. Don ran unsuccessfully for Missouri State Senate in 2010. |
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FEBRUARY 11, 2024 | DARWIN DAY | CELEBRATING SCIENCE, EDUCATION, AND HUMAN WELL-BEING
A fun day of interactive learning about science, life on our globe, and the theory of evolution. It was a great time for humans 1 to 100! International Darwin Day is celebrated on February 12th to inspire people throughout the globe to reflect and act on the principles of intellectual bravery, perpetual curiosity and learning, scientific exploration, and hunger for truth. Darwin Day is a day of celebration, activism, and international cooperation for the advancement of science, education, and human well-being. |
Darwin's theories and belief in human unity was in direct contrast to the majority of his contemporaries. To learn more about Darwin's intellectual bravery, his involvement in the abolitionist movement, and understand what he risked by publishing On the Origin of Species, we recommend the following well-researched book, Darwin's Sacred Cause: Race, Slavery and the Quest for Human Origins by respected Darwin scholars, Adrian Desmond and James Moore. You can also watch James Moore's lecture on the book here.
Ashwini Kherdekar
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FEBRUARY 4, 2024 | ENGAGING IN COLLECTIVE RACIAL HEALING WORK | ASHWINI KHERDEKAR
Systemic racism is embedded into the structures that surround us as helping professionals, including in our schools, government offices, legal systems, and non-profit entities. Yet, although racism exists, we don't often talk about its effects on us. Ashwini (Ash) Kherdekar (Ash-win-ee, she/her/hers) believes that we can all begin to heal from the effects of systemic racism by changing our intra- and interpersonal interactions. In this workshop, participants "leaned in" and tried some practical activities that engage a collective healing process. Ash is a Clinical Social Worker whose work, in recent years, has centered on building cultures of understanding through leadership development, interpersonal communication development, and by building strong relationship within groups. Ash has had a long career working with diverse populations in a variety of organizational settings. It is Ash's desire to help organizations improve their cohesion, connection, and communication AND do so mindfully, with a focus on diversity, inclusion, and equity. Ash has two graduate degrees, one in Interpersonal Communication from New York University and one in Social Work from the City University of New York. |
Mama Lisa,
Fundisha Enterprises International |
JANUARY 28, 2024 | TRADITIONS FROM THE DIASPORA | MAMA LISA
Mama Lisa is the president, founder, and artistic director of Fundisha Enterprises International, which focuses on empowering the community through the preservation of African culture and the celebration of performing arts traditions from the Diaspora. With more than 40 years of professional performance experience, Mama Lisa brings seasoned expertise in academics, percussion, dance, storytelling, craft and oral history. The University City Municipal Commission on Arts & Letters has named Mama Lisa Gage as its Returning Artist for the 2023-24 school year. The renowned artist entered the school district of University City as a sixth grader and graduated from University City High School in 1980. We are very excited to welcome Mama Lisa Gage. |
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JANUARY 7, 2024 | YOU'RE THE ENEMY—WELCOME BACK | PANKAJA BROOKE DOCUMENTARY
This documentary tells the story of how some brave American veterans of the war in Vietnam have found resolution and healing by coming back to the place their country devastated, to help heal the legacy of the war. The amazing forgiveness and optimism of the Vietnamese people as they welcome these former enemies with open arms is the most potent form of therapy for the Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, and the guilt, which made the lives of many U.S. veterans so painful when they returned home. You can watch YOU'RE THE ENEMY—WELCOME BACK here. Pankaja's film received an Honorable Mention at the My Hero 10th Annual Film Festival, and was an Official Selection of the Impugning Impunity Alba Human Rights Documentary Film Festival, and the London International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema. |