Past Events

The last four divisive years follow decades of frustration from a lack of progress for racial justice and gender equity. Anger moved the debate into the streets, most notably with the formation of the Black Lives Matter movement and #MeToo protests, sometimes met with opposition from far right and white supremacist groups holding their own rallies and spurring on riots. President Biden made ambitious promises to address the country’s polarization born out of discrimination and inequality. The early days of his Administration featured a down payment on this promise with a flurry of executive actions and the record-setting pace for creating his own team, but can he bring about more lasting change with the help of Congress? Can he change the hearts and minds of Americans at large? Join us as we discuss the problems, the promises and the possibilities of Biden’s “Equity Agenda.” This event is the third in a spring series, Examining the First 100 Days of the Biden Administration, that focuses on the most important developments in the early days of the Biden Administration. Presented by the Suffolk University Department of Political Science & Legal Studies, in collaboration with the Ford Hall Forum at Suffolk University and hosted by GBH’s Forum Network. Image: Gina Janovitz Design ### Resources Take a look at POLITICO’s [“I Spent 11 Hours Inside the MAGA Bubble.”](https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/02/07/oan-trump-network-11-hours-466134) For research on media bias and to see a chart tracking media bias, [visit this site. ](https://www.adfontesmedia.com/) Geraldo was previously on the Daily Show with Tervor Noah discussing Latino voters and Hispanic Republicans, [learn more here.](https://www.cc.com/video/vrivo5/the-daily-show-with-trevor-noah-geraldo-cadava-the-hispanic-republican-latino-voters) Check out some of Geraldo’s thoughts about Latino politics and the partisan divide in [“The Deep Origins of Latino Support for Trump"](https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-political-scene/the-deep-origins-of-latino-support-for-trump) and in [this New York Times op-ed.](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/26/opinion/trump-border-wall.html)

The Covid-19 pandemic is the most devastating health issue of this century. It has disproportionately impacted African Americans and other marginalized populations, heightening awareness of racism as the root of America’s public health crisis. Dr. Christina M. Greer, Associate Professor of Political Science at Fordham University, moderates a discussion in three parts to examine the impact of COVID-19 and the need to retool healthcare to improve health outcomes for African Americans and other marginalized people. Covid-19 researchers from Moderna share the most up-to-date information about the vaccines and public health officials discuss plans for vaccinating underserved communities in Massachusetts. This conversation also covers the historical perspective of race, medicine and healthcare in America, especially the role that Black physicians and community health centers play in addressing the social determinants of health. Finally, meet the next generation of physicians and learn how they and their colleagues are working to end the existence of implicit bias in health care. Image: Museum of African American History ### **Links to more information** [MGH Disparities Solutions](https://www.mghdisparitiessolutions.org/dsc-team) [BU School of Public Health](https://www.bu.edu/sph/) [Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers](https://www.massleague.org/) Article: [Historically, crises have lasted longest in Black communities. Bostonians worry that COVID-19 will be no different.](https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/01/30/metro/historically-crises-have-lasted-longest-black-communities-bostonians-worry-that-covid-19-will-be-no-different/)

In this brutally honest memoir, John O. Brennan, the son of an Irish immigrant who settled in New Jersey, describes the life that took him from riding a motorcycle and wearing a diamond earring as a young CIA recruit enamored with spy work, to being the most powerful individual in American intelligence. He details his experiences serving under six presidential administrations, three Republicans and three Democrats, and what it’s been like to bear responsibility for some of the nation’s most crucial and polarizing national security decisions. _Undaunted: My Fight Against America’s Enemies, at Home and Abroad_ offers a rare and insightful look at the often obscured world of national security, the intelligence profession, and Washington’s chaotic political environment. What emerges is a portrait of a man striving for integrity; for himself, for the CIA, and for his country.

Years after his tragic death, Trayvon Martin has become a symbol of social justice activism, as has his hauntingly familiar image: the photo of a child still in the process of becoming a young man, wearing a hoodie and gazing silently at the camera. Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin, joins BPL President David Leonard to talk about who Trayvon was before his death made him an icon and inspired a renewal of a civil rights crusade. Through real life stories and compelling experiences, Fulton take us beyond the news cycle and familiar images to give the account that only she can offer: the story of the beautiful and complex child she lost. She also walks us through her experiences with unresponsive police, the hostility of the legal system, and her journey from grief and pain to power, from tragedy and senselessness to purpose. [**The Repairing America Initiative**](https://forum-network.org/series/boston-public-library-repairing-america/) is the Boston Public Library's pledge to focus its 2021 programming and services on bridging the gaps that divide America. By prioritizing economic recovery, civic engagement, COVID-19 recovery, racial equity, workforce development, and youth engagement, the BPL is working to help Americans rise above the challenges they face. This program, presented in partnership with the GBH Forum Network and is part of the Lowell Lecture Series sponsored by the Lowell Institute.

More than just a spiritual place, the Black Church in America is also the source of much of Black culture and the wellspring of political activism. The Church is the energy that fuels Black businesses and gave rise to Black educational institutions. The Church over centuries in America has given Black people a sense of value and belonging. Callie Crossley, host of Under the Radar with Callie Crossley, and Basic Black and GBH commentator, hosts a virtual conversation with a panel of distinguished scholars on the evolution of the Black church in Boston and the U.S., the role of women in the church over time and the political activism that has always had roots in the church community. This virtual live event expands upon themes presented in a new, upcoming documentary series by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. [**The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song **](https://www.pbs.org/show/black-church/) is a four-hour documentary exploring 400 years of the Black Church in America and its impact as a living institution within American culture. The series addresses the social, educational, financial, cultural and political role the Black Church has played in the lives of generations of African Americans. Major corporate support for the documentary series is provided by Johnson & Johnson. Major support is also provided by Lilly Endowment Inc., Ford Foundation, and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, PBS and public television viewers.   ## Resources   [The Black Church: This is our Story, This is Our Song](https://www.pbs.org/show/black-church/) on PBS. Hear the latest episode of [Under the Radar with Callie Crossley](https://www.wgbh.org/news/under-the-radar-with-callie-crossley) Listen to the [All Rev'd Up Podcast](https://www.wgbh.org/podcast/all-revd-up) ["The Black Church and Hip Hop Culture—Toward Bridging the Generational Divide,"](http://www.emmettprice.com/documents/PressRelease-TheBlackChurchandHipHopCulture..pdf) Edited by Emmett G. Price III, January 2012 ["In the Key of Queer: Gospel music is a calling, a gift from Black LGBTQ musicians’ hearts and souls"](http://bostonspiritmagazine.com/2021/02/in-the-key-of-queer-gospel-music-is-a-calling-a-gift-from-black-lgbtq-musicians-hearts-and-souls/) by Rev. Irene Monroe. Feb. 7, 2021

Join us for a discussion about women in medicine revealing the remarkable lives of Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman in America to receive an M.D. in 1849, and her younger sister Emily, an even more brilliant physician. Exploring their allies, enemies, and enduring partnership, award winning author Janice P. Nimura presents their story of trials and triumph. From Bristol, Paris, and Edinburgh to the rising cities of antebellum America, this richly researched new biography celebrates these two complicated pioneers who exploded the limits of possibility for women. The discussion is moderated by New York Times columnist and author Perri Klass, M.D., a Professor of Journalism and Pediatrics at New York University. This event is part of the American Stories, Inspiration Today series sponsored by American Ancestors NEHGS and the Boston Public Library. Image: Book Cover

President Biden made ambitious promises to address the country’s polarization born out of discrimination and inequality. The early days of his Administration featured a down payment on this promise with a flurry of executive actions and a record-setting pace for creating his own team, but will he bring about more lasting change with the help of Congress? Will he change the hearts and minds of Americans at large? Watch as our speakers discuss the problems, the promises and the possibilities of Biden’s “Equity Agenda.” This event is the third in a spring series, Examining the First 100 Days of the Biden Administration, that will focus on the most important developments in the early days of the Biden Administration. Guest speakers over the Spring semester will examine the ability of the 46th President and his team to affect change in some of the most vital policy areas that impact all of us. This lecture is presented by the Suffolk University Department of Political Science & Legal Studies, in collaboration with the Ford Hall Forum at Suffolk University and hosted by GBH’s Forum Network. Image: Gina Janovitz Design ### Resources See Stephanie Murray’s political coverage at POLITICO, [here.](https://www.politico.eu/author/stephanie-murray/) Learn about Martha Kumar and the White House Transition Project, [here.](https://whitehousetransitionproject.org/) Read a volume edited by Meena Bose on the Office of Management and Budget’s role in presidential policy making that Brookings Institution published in 2020, [here.](https://www.brookings.edu/book/executive-policymaking/) See all of Biden’s Record-Breaking Cabinet Nominees, [In One Chart.](https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/bidens-record-breaking-cabinet-in-one-chart/)

Hear a powerful call to action for achieving equality in leadership from Julia Gillard, former Prime Minister of Australia (2010 – 2013) as she reflects on her new book Women and Leadership. Using current research as a starting point, authors Julia Gillard and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (The World Trade Organization has appointed Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as its new director-general – making her the first woman and first African to hold the role) analyzed their experiences, interviewed women world leaders and published their joint findings in a new book, "Women and Leadership. In it they investigate the questions raised by the lack of women leaders in the national arena. Women make up fewer than ten per cent of national leaders worldwide, and behind this eye-opening statistic lies a pattern of unequal access to power. Through conversations with some of the world’s most powerful and interesting women–including Jacinda Ardern, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Christine Lagarde, Michelle Bachelet, and Theresa May – Women and Leadership explores gender bias and asks why there aren’t more women in leadership roles. Image: Book Cover

Crystal Haynes hosts a discussion about where we are 100 years after the founding of the segregated Negro Leagues.

What can mis- and disinformation scholars learn from the security studies field? What happens when security threats are inflated by governments? And how do security scholars analyze and account for civil liberties against the rise of digital search tools and surveillance? The beginning of 2021 brings with it both new and old vulnerabilities and uncertainties: the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines, cybersecurity data breaches and hacks, openings to expand state power, and opportunities for resistance. As we embrace the unsettled state of things, governments and media manipulators may capitalize on a fragile media ecosystem and shifting political landscapes. For many security studies scholars, it is important to understand how advanced information technologies create national vulnerabilities, increase instabilities in international relations, exploit and stockpile user data, and allow unauthorized people to intercept and infiltrate communications. Joan Donovan, Director of the Technology and Social Change Research Project at the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy, hosts cyber security experts Susan Landau, Erik Lin-Greenberg, and Gabrielle Lim to discuss what this means for mis- and disinformation campaigns, and how interdisciplinary collaboration can unmask new strategies for pushing back against government overreach. Photo: [Pexels/Christina Morillo](https://www.pexels.com/photo/two-women-looking-at-the-code-at-laptop-1181263/)