The First Friday Forum speaker series provides lectures of importance and interest to help inform the entire community about this ever-changing world.
The First Friday Forum speaker series provides lectures of importance and interest to help inform the entire community about this ever-changing world.
All programs are offered at 1:30 p.m. on the first Friday of the month and are sponsored by the Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church (LOPC). Attend the programs that interest you with no subscription or entry fee. When available, recordings are posted below.
The February through May programs are available simultaneously in the Sanctuary on the Lafayette campus and via livestream. To livestream these programs click Watch in the upper right corner of this page The Watch link provides access to all LOPC live events. The option to select First Friday Forum will appear a few days before the program. Registration is not required.
The June program is only available on Zoom. Zoom registration will be available on this page in late May.
May 2024 Program:
On May 3, Laura Beth Nielsen, Professor of Sociology and Law at Northwestern University and Research Professor at American Bar Foundation, will deliver her presentation “The Transformative Power of Prison Education.” Dr. Nielsen will demonstrate how and why prison education serves everyone. She says, “It’s inspiring to see the passion for learning that these students have.” A number of universities offer similar programs, but Northwestern is one of the very few that offers a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university. The work is supported by the national endowment for the humanities, a few generous donors, and Northwestern University as part of its commitment to decarceration.
Remaining 2024 Calendar:
June 7 – Gordon Chang, Oliver H. Palmer Professor in Humanities at Stanford, “Forgotten, Even Ignored, the Chinese Who Built the Western Portion of the Transcontinental Railroad.” Dr. Chang says, “They should be remembered and honored for their contributions, and my talk will restore their lives, work, and sacrifices to our history.” His published research has focused on the relationship between race and ethnicity in America and its impact on U.S. and Asian diplomatic and cultural relations. This program is only available on Zoom.
Contact Us:
To communicate questions or suggestions to the First Friday Forum team, send an email to fff@lopc.org. If you attend a webinar, your email address is added to the email list. If you want to receive First Friday Forum emails, please click here to subscribe or resubscribe. To unsubscribe, click here
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