Day 1 – Monday, Oct. 17

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12:30 pm

Ganz Hall

Race and the City

For decades, America’s racial divisions have seen their starkest expression in cities whether through segregation laws or practices such as red-lining. This panel will explore the causes of our urban racial problems and how we can begin to dismantle the racial divisions that trouble the city landscape.

Panelists:
Adam Green, Professor of History, University of Chicago
Mary Pattillo, Professor of Sociology and African American Studies, Northwestern University

Moderator:
John Fountain, Professor of Journalism, Roosevelt University

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7:00 pm

Virtual

Culture as a Gateway to the American Dream

Chicago is blessed with numerous cultural institutions that have national and even international reputations. This panel will bring together leaders from a number of these to discuss the role of culture in urban life and as an avenue for the American dream.

Panelists:
Daniel Greene, President, The Newberry Library
Carlos Tortolero, Founder and President, National Museum of Mexican Art
Michelle Larson, President, Adler Planetarium

Moderator:
Regina Buccola, Professor of English, Roosevelt University

Day 2 – Tuesday, Oct. 18

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12:30 pm

Ganz Hall

Herb H. Franks Endowed Seminar in Political Science: A New Deal for the City

Even as many cities face incredible challenges—aging infrastructure, a lack of affordable housing, and underfunded school systems to name only a few—urban policy makers and planners are focused on revitalizing cities. What does a more equitable and inclusive urban environment look like? Our panelists will discuss the latest ideas to revitalize our cities and explore new approaches to long-standing urban problems.

Panelists:
Larry Bennett, Professor Emeritus, DePaul University
Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, Alderman, 35th Ward Chicago
Lisa Yun Lee, Executive Director, National Public Housing Museum

Moderator:
Bradford Hunt, Professor of History, Loyola University Chicago

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7:00 PM

Virtual

Is the American Dream Sustainable?

The science of urban ecology demonstrates that cities are not mere technological constructions, distinct from and diametrically opposed to nature, but complex ecosystems. As laboratories for sustainable innovation, such as green rooftops, cities offer a unique vantage point for re-imagining the sustainability of the American Dream. Using Chicago as a prime exemplar, our panel consisting of students and alumni will explore how urban sustainability advancements and environmental justice activism are redefining how we think about and work toward the American Dream.

Panelists:
Yesenia Balcazar (BA ’18), Senior Resilient Community Planning Manager at the Southeast Environmental Task Force
Kiera Carpenter (BA ’24), SUST Student Associate, College of Arts & Sciences; RU Student Steward for 2022-23 in the Resilience Studies Consortium
Dan Lyvers (BA ’21), Chief Operating Engineer at the Stickney wastewater treatment plant, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicagoland

Moderator:
Mike Bryson, Professor of Sustainability Studies, Roosevelt University

Day 3 – Wednesday, Oct. 19

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12:30 pm

Ganz Hall

Matthew Freeman Lecture: “The Blood, The Brain, The Barriers”

Sponsored by the Mansfield Institute for Social Justice and Transformation and the College of Science, Health, and Pharmacy

The U.S. is facing a shortage of doctors by 2035. At Roosevelt University, our College of Science, Health and Pharmacy (CSHP) has been created to “prepare our diverse and driven students to succeed in these essential positions” (co-Dean Kelly Wentz-Hunter). Students pursuing careers in the medical profession find many challenges including financial burdens and a lack of access to knowledge about the process of entering medical school and other areas of medicine. As the director of a research lab at the National Institute of Health, Dr. Jackson will speak to the cutting edge preclinical and clinical studies she is leading in her lab. Her team is working to develop treatment strategies for brain tumor patients through pharmacologic means. As an award-winning mentor, Dr. Jackson will also speak to the process of mentoring in the profession and how students and others should work with mentors toward pursuing their own dreams and goals. In every aspect of her work, Dr. Jackson is developing important medical understandings while creating pathways for other aspiring researchers and medical professionals to succeed.

Speaker:
Sadhana Jackson, MD, National Institute of Health

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5:00 PM

Ganz Hall

CCPA Performance: Discovering Our Voices in Chicago

Chicago has long welcomed artistic migrants, immigrants, and émigrés. These have been individuals and communities who have brought their cultures to the city, adopted and adapted traditions among its neighborhoods, and ultimately found unique voices in this space. Students and faculty from across the Chicago College of Performing Arts will perform Hard bop tunes beloved by postwar jazz audiences, an art song by Florence Price, an alumnus of the Chicago Music College, and musical theatre selections that demonstrate how our students still come to Chicago, like generations past, and find a space in which they can ask provocative and personal questions about their identity through their artistry. Brief commentary between sets will complement the musical performance.

Program:

Tunes from CCPA Hard Bop Combo
Led by Prof. Henry Johnson

Florence Price, Songs to the Dark Virgin
Charles Butler, baritone
Prof. Dana Brown, piano

A Review in Color
Fia Hunter
Makenzy Jenkins
CCPA Hard Bop Combo

Guests visiting the Roosevelt University facilities must show their proof of vaccination, a valid state ID and fill out the daily self-assessment survey at the campus safety kiosks upon arrival. For more information about COVID-19 protocols, please visit the COVID-19 response website.

Register Now!

When: October 16–20, 2022 | 430 S. Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605. Join the conversation about what it means to be an American in these challenging times. All events are free and open to the public, but registration is requested.

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