Past Events

Environmental justice warrior, Rhodes Scholar, and founder of Black Girl Environmentalist Wanjiku "Wawa" Gatheru converses with Boston Public Library President David Leonard as part of the Boston Public Library 2023 Lowell Lecture Series You are Here: Climate Change and What’s Next. For Wanjiku "Wawa" Gatheru, caring about the environment started early. While farming with her mom and grandmother as a child, the conversations would often turn to saving the earth. The first-generation American of Kenyan descent became even more invested when taking an environmental science class in high school, when she learned that social justice and climate issues were deeply intertwined. Everything suddenly became personal. “It was in this call I learned that the environment had everything to do with me,” she says.

The AIEX project at the Applied Ethics Center at UMass-Boston investigates our interactions with AI, especially our tendency to imagine that technologies such as chatbots have human-like awareness. Although projecting consciousness on non-sentient objects is an ancient human tendency, AI introduces worrisome complications. Dr. Eisikovits discusses the psychological effect of communicating with sophisticated AI technologies, and explains why we need guardrails to protect against both manipulation and misinformation.

The dramatic story of W. E. B. Du Bois's reckoning with the betrayal of Black soldiers during World War I—and a new understanding of that era and of one of the great twentieth-century writers. When W. E. B. Du Bois, believing in the possibility of full citizenship and democratic change, encouraged African Americans to “close ranks” and support the Allied cause in World War I, he made a decision that would haunt him for the rest of his life. For more than two decades Du Bois attempted to write the definitive history of Black participation in World War I. His book, however, remained unfinished. Drawing on a broad range of sources, most notably Du Bois’s unpublished manuscript and research materials, Williams tells the surprising story of this unpublished book, bringing new insight into Du Bois’s struggles to reckon with both the history and the troubling memory of the war. The Wounded World offers a fresh understanding of the life and mind of arguably the most significant scholar-activist in African American history. Presented by the American Inspiration Series from American Ancestors/NEHGS in partnership with Boston Public Library and GBH Forum Network.

Join Mayor Michelle Wu and other women leaders for an MWPC and GBH sponsored discussion about DEI in government and education, and the private sector. Chief Secretary April English, Mayor Michelle Wu, Town Administrator Lisa Wong, BPS Superintendent Mary Skipper, and The Partnership COO Carmen Arce-Bowen will join us for conversations moderated by Yemisi Oloruntola-Coates and Meg Woolhouse.

Why is it that historic figures such as Samuel Adams, James Otis, and John Hancock are remembered as heroes, yet Metacom—the Wampanoag leader whom the English called King Philip—is virtually unknown? The year 2025 will mark the 350th anniversary of the devastating and bloody conflict between New England colonists and Indigenous people that is most commonly known to history as King Philip’s War. However, very little is known about his campaign to end English mistreatment and his fight for independence and property rights for his people. Throughout the 1830s, Willam Apess, a Pequot minister and activist, continued fighting for Indian rights. Revolutionary Spaces is proud to celebrate the legacy of both Apess and Metacom at A Community Reading of William Apess’s Eulogy on King Philip (Metacom), where we commemorate the ideals for which they fought—ideals that were not so different from those that Americans fought for in 1775.

This talk is produced in partnership with the Institute for New England Native American Studies (INENAS) at the University of Massachusetts Boston and the Northeastern Humanities Center.

Moderating is J. Cedric Woods (Lumbee), Director of INENAS. Drew Lopenzina, Professor of Early American and Native American Literature at Old Dominion University, provides historical context for the eulogy and the 19th-century events that informed Apess’s writing. Guest speakers then read excerpts from the eulogy followed by a brief panel discussion to critically address the history of Native American conversion to Christianity, the significance of King Philip’s War, and the importance of Apess’s eulogy.

Schuyler Bailar (he/him) was the first openly transgender D1 NCAA athlete. Since graduating from Harvard University in 2019, Schuyler has become an internationally celebrated inspirational speaker, author, and advocate for trans inclusion, radical body acceptance, and mental health awareness. He is also recognized as a top social media LGBTQ+ educator and advocate. In his talk, Schuyler shares his personal journey and discusses some of the recent legislation affecting trans rights. He also speaks about the importance of trans inclusion and strategies for taking action. Following a moderated conversation, Schuyler engages with members of the Suffolk community in an audience Q&A moderated by Bobbi Van Gilder, PhD, assistant professor, Communication, Journalism, & Media Department, Suffolk University. Photocredit : Envato

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Public transit is essential to the well being of the Commonwealth, and is key to addressing climate change, promoting social equity, and supporting a vibrant economy. Yet with a litany of safety challenges, the MBTA may be the worst public urban transit system in the nation - it is certainly the oldest - and the system most in need of repairs. Even with billions of dollars spent to try and fix the system, from the public’s perception it is worse than ever. And there is no public plan or timeline for when it will be fixed. With Governors and managers of the recent past failing to meet these challenges, can a new Governor and General Manager be expected to do the job? Can the Legislature? And what is the job that needs doing? Those are the questions we'll be pursuing with our expert panel.

In 1989 Harvard University Press published the book _A Forest Journey, a history of human civilizations from the Sumerians to the present _revealing that without vast supplies of wood from forests, the great civilizations of Sumer, Assyria, Egypt, Crete, Greece, Rome, the Islamic World, Western Europe, and North America would never have emerged. Never. The book was recognized as a Harvard Classic in Science and World History and listed as one of the university’s One Hundred Great Books. Its author, John Perlin, continued his research and field work over the next 25 years and when asked by Patagonia to update the book in light of the escalating climate crisis, he was well prepared to do so. Biodiversity for a Livable Climate and GBH Forum Network are honored to present John Perlin and his book _A Forest Journey: The Role of Trees in the Fate of Civilization_. The 2023 edition of the book concludes with two new chapters on the importance of mature and old-growth forests for our survival. The ability of trees to remove co2 from the atmosphere and sequester it safely in soils and roots is now well known. But the role of trees in keeping the Earth temperate by emitting water into the atmosphere, reducing heat and supplying rain to distant areas cannot be underestimated in a world where drought and warming increase exponentially. John Perlin reminds us, “_Humanity needs trees more than ever before. But this time intact._” ### Resources [Link to John Perlin's book](https://aforestjourney.com/) [Review of the book in LA Times](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/books/story/2023-02-10/forgotten-classic-a-forest-journey-by-john-perlin-reissued-by-patagonia) [Chapter Summaries](https://www.patagonia.com/on/demandware.static/-/Library-Sites-PatagoniaShared/default/dw297d2869/slots/RMA/PATA_AForestJourney-Summary-010923.pdf)

Recent concerns about the long-term implications of artificial intelligence apps like Chat GPT have prompted journalists, academics and entrepreneurs to seek a temporary halt to the training of AIs saying "AI systems with human-competitive intelligence can pose profound risks to society and humanity." In this Forum, we consider the direct and also unseen impacts of utilizing a tool that has yet to be regulated or even fully understood. **Gary Marcus**, scientist, entrepreneur, and author of "Rebooting AI: Building Artificial Intelligence we can trust" is Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Neural Science at NYU and host of the podcast Humans versus Machines. **Jane Rosenzweig** is Director of the Harvard Writing Center, freelance writer and author of Writing Hacks newsletter. **Wesley Wildman** is a Professor of Philosophy, Theology, and Ethics + Computing & Data Sciences at Boston University.. **Andrew Kimble**, Director of Online Lifelong Learning at BU School of Theology, will act as moderator. ### Resources [The moratorim explained - Thehindu.com](https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/explained-the-moratorium-call-on-chatgpts-successor/article66689078.ece) [Guy Marcus' podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/humans-vs-machines-with-gary-marcus/id1532110146) [Jane Rosenzweig's article in the boston Globe about what we lose when machines do the writing (published before ChatGPT was released)](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/what-we-lose-when-machines-do-the-writing/ar-AA13WJdW) [Jane Rosenzweig's newsletter](https://writinghacks.substack.com/) [Would AI replace jobs? From the BBC](https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20230418-ai-anxiety-artificial-intelligence-replace-jobs) [Article on CDS Policy on Generative AI Assistance (GAIA) in courses](https://www.bu.edu/cds-faculty/2023/03/24/cds-adopts-generative-ai-chatgpt-policy/) [BU GAIA Policy](https://www.bu.edu/cds-faculty/culture-community/conduct/gaia-policy/) [Wesley's research center: The center for Mind and Culture](https://mindandculture.org/) [ChatGPT and large language model bias (cbsnews)](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chatgpt-large-language-model-bias-60-minutes-2023-03-05/)

Dipesh Chakrabarty holds a BSc degree from Presidency College, University of Calcutta, a postgraduate Diploma in management from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, and a PhD in History from the Australian National University. He is the Lawrence A. Kimpton Distinguished Service Professor in History, South Asian Languages and Civilizations. He is the Faculty Director of the University of Chicago Center in Delhi, a faculty fellow of the Chicago Center for Contemporary Theory, an associate of the Department of English, and by courtesy, a faculty member in the Law School. His publications include several monographs and many articles including Provincializing Europe: Postcolonial Thought and Historical Difference (Princeton, 2000; 2008); The Climate of History in a Planetary Age (Chicago, 2021); and One Planet, Many Worlds (Brandeis, forthcoming 2023). He is a founding member of the editorial collective of Subaltern Studies, a consulting editor of Critical Inquiry, a founding editor of Postcolonial Studies and has served on the editorial boards of the American Historical Review and Public Culture. He was one of the founding editors of the series South Asia Across the Disciplines. He served on the Board of Experts for non-Western art for the Humboldt Forum in Berlin and was a member of the Scientific Advisory Board to the Center for Global Cooperation Research (Bonn and Essen) for a few years from 2012. He is also an Associate in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Technology, Sydney, 2018-2022. Chakrabarty is the recipient of the 2014 Toynbee Foundation Prize for his contributions to global history and of the 2019 Tagore Memorial Prize awarded by the Government of West Bengal for his book The Crises of Civilization. He was awarded the degree of DLitt (Honoris Causa) by the University of London (conferred at Goldsmiths) in 2010 and an honorary doctorate by the University of Antwerp, Belgium, in 2011. He was awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Calcutta (conferred on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the Institute in 2011). He was elected an honorary fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities in 2006 and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2004.   Co-sponsored by The Park Street Corporation Speaker Series.