The E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has announced its 2015-16 lecture series, "Activism." This year the forum will welcome four well-known activists – Jose Antonio Vargas, Bill McKibben, Wes Moore and Sheryl WuDunn – who, while championing different causes, all possess a compelling fusion of courage, intelligence and charisma that allows them to share messages of transformation with the world.
"Activism" will examine the origins of activists and the characteristics of effective social and political movements, narrated with candor by men and women who have inspired generations.
"This year's theme was chosen in light of many local, national and international efforts to provoke social, cultural and political change," said David Wilson, UNL associate vice chancellor for academic affairs and academic administrator of the E.N. Thompson Forum. "The forum committee selected these four speakers to help us better understand four current issues and the people and movements that are working to advance them.”
The 2015-16 E.N. Thompson Forum lectures, each held at the Lied Center for Performing Arts, are:
Sept. 15, 7 p.m.-- Jose Antonio Vargas, journalist, filmmaker and founder of Define American, a media and culture campaign that seeks to elevate the conversation around immigration and citizenship; will present "Define American: My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant." The lecture is sponsored by the University Program Council.
Oct. 6, 7 p.m. – Bill McKibben, scholar, writer, environmentalist and founder of 350.org, the first global grassroots climate change movement; will present "The Climate Fight at Its Peak." The lecture is sponsored by the Institute of Agricultural and Natural Resources, the UNL Environmental Studies Proram and the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program.
Jan. 19, 7 p.m.– Wes Moore, youth advocate, author, Army combat veteran, former White House fellow and social entrepreneur; will present "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates." The lecture is sponsored by the Office of Academic Success and Intercultural Services.
Feb. 2, 7 p.m. – Sheryl WuDunn, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author; will present "Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide." The lecture is sponsored by the College of Journalism and Mass Communications, the UNL Women's Center, the Center for Civic Engagement and the UNL Study of the U.S. Institute on Civic Engagement.
Lecture summaries and biographical information on each of the speakers is available on the Thompson Forum's website, http://enthompson.unl.edu.
Free tickets will be available starting Aug. 24 from the Lied Center for Performing Arts. To order tickets, go to http://liedcenter.org/enthompsonforum or call the Lied Center ticket office at 402-472-4747. Forums are general admission events; seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Lectures are streamed at the Thompson Forum's website and are available live on Lincoln cable TV channel 80 or 5 and channel 71.16 or 71.14 without a cable box; and UNL KRNU radio 90.3 FM. All lectures are interpreted for the deaf and hard of hearing.
The Thompson Forum is a cooperative project of the Cooper Foundation, the Lied Center and UNL. It was established in 1988 with the purpose of bringing a diversity of viewpoints on international and public policy issues to the university and the residents of the state to promote understanding and encourage debate.
— Steve Smith, University Communications