Monthly schedules

Program for March 1, 2020

**SPEAKER:**
**Alissia Canady**, Managing Attorney, Canady Law Firm, (former Kansas City councilwoman)

Program for Feb 23, 2020

SPEAKER:
Kenneth S. Schmitz, (discussant), Emeritus professor of physical chemistry and environmental studies

This documentary is relevant at a time when treaties are meaningless and rollbacks on environmental protections are not slowing down by an administration that believes human-induced climate change is a hoax.

Program for Feb 16, 2020

**SPEAKER:**
**Jamie Jackson,** an activist for Palestinian human rights with “Citizens for Justice in the Middle East” (CJME). CJME and CoR KC are co-sponsors of this event.

This documentary follows the story of four young Palestinians who have been detained and imprisoned in the military system, providing us a lens into a key structure of oppression in the occupied territories. On average 500 Palestinian children are detained every year.

Program for Feb 9, 2020

SPEAKER:
David Burnham, Paleontologist, University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum, returning from celebrated recent discoveries (e.g., New Yorker Magazine, CBS Morning Television, KC Star newspaper)

Program for Feb 2, 2020

SPEAKER:
Rick Randolph, M.D. retired U.S. Army Colonel, Chief Medical Officer, Heart to Heart International (hearttoheart.org), worked with WHO (World Health organization), tracked epidemics: cholera and Ebola in Africa (Liberia)

Program for Jan 19, 2020

**Joyce McGautha,** President of SANKOFA and former director of Urban Community Leadership Academy

Program for Jan 26, 2020

**Robert Stewart,** editor of *“New Letters”* magazine; poet, essayist
*Robert will read selections from his latest book of poems, Working Class (2018, Stephen Austin State University Press)”*

Program for December 1

**Kenneth S Schmitz,** (discussant)
Emeritus professor of physical chemistry and environmental studies.
*It is suggested the audience take notes on the material in the documentary*

Program for December 8

Program for December 15

**Cecilia Belser-Patton,** organizer with Missouri Jobs With Justice (mojwj.org)
*Using art and activism as tools for teaching self-actualization, Cecilia uses artivism to create the just and open world in which she wishes to live in.*
DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER THIS PROGRAM IS CANCELLED FOR TODAY AND MOVED TO JANUARY

Program for December 22

**Kenneth S Schmitz,**(discussant)
Emeritus professor of physical chemistry and environmental studies.
After 30 years of crystal-clear science on global heating, the general public seems unconcerned about the real consequences, positive as well as negative, of the failure to act. Confusion is not only fed by climate deniers and special interest groups, but also by the focus of scientists solving the problems associated with effects rather than causes.

Program for December 29

**Fred Whitehead (convener), poet, author and freethought historian**
*What are the lessons of the recent past; and, prospects for 2020. All are welcome to participate*

PAST PROGRAMS:

Program for November 22

**SPEAKER:**
**Harvey Williams,** KC Melting Pot founder and executive director (kcmeltingpot.com)

Program for November 10

**SPEAKER:**
**Michael Caddell,** Radio Free Kansas
(call-in talk show, noon to 2 pm daily, CST: 6:45 &:16 8652)

Program for November 17: A documentary film showing

**Kenneth S Schmitz,** (discussant)
Emeritus professor of physical chemistry and environmental studies

Program for November 24

**SPEAKER:**
**Max J Skidmore,** Ph.D., University of Missouri: Curators’ Professor of Political Science and
Thomas Jefferson Fellow

Program for October 27

**SPEAKER:**
**James Webb,** Economist
*Kuhn’s theory of scientific change has been very influential. What can we say about scientific inquiry in*
*light of the tectonic revolution in geology (and other episodes)?*

Program for October 20

**SPEAKER:**
**Jim Haas, Ed.D**., is a retired public school teacher, principal, and university director, a Milken Family Foundation National Educator, and a National Scholar in the Humanities.

*We’ll take a trip back in time that paints our culture’s roots in the European Middle Ages using*
*a humanities palette and a broad brush helpful in understanding contemporary issues*
*from the Middle East to Constitutional government*.

Program for October 13: Film Showing

*The film will explore the two most important questions of the Trump era:*
**How did we get here and how do we get out?**
**Open discussion:** everyone is invited to participate

Program for October 6

**SPEAKER:**
**Layla**, BADIL Worker and **Jaime Jackson**, member of
Citizens for Justice in the Middle East
(KC group advocating for peace and justice for Israel and Palestine)
BADIL’s Vimeo Page: https://vimeo.com/badilresourcecenter
**Here are links to the two films:**
“The Sun is Due to Rise”: https://vimeo.com/231350633 [duration 16:43]
“Forcible Transfer in the Old City of Hebron”: https://vimeo.com/193368711 [duration 5:48]

Program for September 29

**SPEAKER:**
**Fred Whitehead**, poet, author, grassroots historian.

Program for September 22: Film Showing (Documentary)

**SPEAKER:**
**Kenneth S. Schmitz,** Emeritus professor of physical chemistry and environmental studies

That art and science are manifestations of the same thing is the theme of the documentary in which four prominent scientists explore their views from their scientific fields of expertise on the “Circus de Soleil” production of “Mystere.” A discussion follows the documentary.

Program for September 15

**SPEAKERS:**
**Lewis Diuguid**, Author, Journalist, Editor, formerly with Kansas City Star, Harvard University’s
Lois M. Lyons award for Conscience and Integrity in Journalism; and,
**Bette Tate-Beaver,** Executive Director National Association for Multicultural Education ( **www.nameorg.org** ), a 100% Volunteer Driven Organization

*This paper was presented at Seoul National University at the Korean Association for*
*Multicultural Education Conference (see NAME website for details)*

Program for September 8

**SPEAKER:**
**Judy Ancel**, President of crossbordernetwork.org
and other delegation members
This summer, a delegation of Americans sponsored by “Cross Border Network” visited Honduras to investigate why so many families with children were leaving and making the long trek to Trump’s border.
*We’ll discuss the results of this investigation.*

Program for September 1

**Discussants:**
**Luis Flores**, Cognitive Psychologist,
**Ken Schmidt**, UMKC Professor Emeritus of Biophysical Chemistry
and Environmental Studies Faculty,
**James Webb**, Economist

Program for Aug 4:

Click on our Essays section to view a copy of Barbara’s presentation which includes a bibliography

Program for Aug 11:

The historical fiction film “The Imitation Game” about Alan Turing won an academy award. But, nothing in the film actually happened. This history lesson focuses on the forces that shaped the invention of the computer and the intellectual and mathematical effort that was hidden from the public for decades, but almost certainly won World War II, and ending with a discussion of the origins of “Artificial Intelligence.

Program for Aug 18:

**SPEAKER:**
**Gordon Elliott,** Consultant
(background in Physics, Engineering and Computer Science)

Program for Aug 25: Film Showing

**Jamie Jackson (Discussant),** a local activist with Citizens for Justice in the Middle East (CJME).
CJME and CoR KC are co-sponsors of this event.

This documentary was the last chance for many Israelis and Palestinians who lived the event to share their riveting and moving personal recollections. The film reveals the shocking events surrounding the creation of one state and the expulsion of a nation. (go to www.1948movie.com/guide.html for a discussion guide)

July 7:

July 14:

July 21:

There are two main parts that comprise the presentation. The first part is a Trivia section on the history of Bridge. Participation is optional. The second part deals with Audrey Grants “Bridge at a Glance” which summarizes the criteria for opening bids at designated levels. It is shown that all of the elements can be faithfully generated by a natural system based on the understanding of two general concepts: 1) the distribution of cards, and 2) the philosophical view that “above average quantities” play a central role in Bridge.

July 28:

SPEAKERS:
**Fred Whitehead,** Writer, Freethought Historian
**Mike Hoey,** Grassroots Historian

June 2:

SPEAKER: **Don Bell**, former Presbyterian Minister, Biblical scholar

June 9: Film Series

**Open discussion:** Everybody is welcome to participate

June 16:

The Problem is False: Religion is the Issue

SPEAKER: Don Bell, former Presbyterian Minister, Biblical scholar

June 23: Open discussion

Mike Hoey, (Discussant)

June 30: Open discussion

*For the video of the talk, click* *here*
*For the description about the book, click here*

Mike Hoey, (Discussant)

May 2019

May 5: “Heading For Extinction and What To Do About It”

Lee Gum, Local Facilitator for Extinction Rebellion

May 12: “Pets Helping Those in Need: Pet Therapy”

Sharon Woodrum, Program Director, Pets for Life.

May 19: “Cooperatives: Democracy At Work”

Darnell Hunt, community activist/ organizer

Comparing cooperatives to the current capitol-driven workplace.

May 26: “American Educational Reform: Ill Effects of High-Stakes Testing”

Argun Saatcioglu, Associate Professor of Education and Sociology, K.U.

April 2019

April 7: “A Look at the Green New Deal – It’s Beginning and Future”

SPEAKER: Mehdi Shariati, Ph.D., Professor of Economics, Sociology, and Geography

April 14: “Medical Marijuana/Hemp and Tilapia – What Ties Them Together? … Dre Taylor”

SPEAKER: Dre Taylor, Sustainable Agriculture

April 21: “Organizing for Housing Justice: Eviction, Homelessness and Public Policy in Kansas City – A Community Discussion”

DISCUSSANTS: Tara Raghuveer (www.evictionkc.org), organizer of KC Tenants, a grass roots group dedicated to empowering renters: Tiana Caldwell is a leader in KC Tenants Union: Jordan Young, is health director of MO Jobs with Justice – a panel discussion led by Ian Munro, William Jewell College emeritus professor of English

Tara’s research on eviction and poverty in Kansas City was featured in the New York Times, New Yorker, Guardian, among others, and was cited in the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Evicted by Mathew Desmond, (Penguin Random House, N.Y., 2016). In November 2017, she spoke on eviction before the City Council of Kansas City, MO (https://vimeo.com/244567154).

April 28: “In Conjunction with the Greater Kansas City IWW Labor Film Series: Norma Rae (1987)”

DISCUSSANT: Christian Wade, member of the Greater Kansas City Industrial Workers of the World (IWW).