*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE *
UNION THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY TO LAUNCH “FAITH IN AMERICA”
YEARLONG SERIES OF PUBLIC DISCUSSIONS ON CRITICAL SOCIAL ISSUES
MICHELLE ALEXANDER, BILL MOYERS, KARENNA GORE AND OTHER
SOCIAL JUSTICE AND FAITH LEADERS TO TAKE PART IN SPEAKER SERIES
New York, NY (October 6, 2016) Rev. Dr. Serene Jones, President of Union Theological Seminary, announced “Faith in America,” a new free yearlong series of monthly public discussions to be held at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, located at 121st Street and Broadway. Each public conversation will focus on important national issues related to faith and social justice.
“Faith in America will help sustain public dialogue on matters of critical importance that tend to rise, and quickly fall, from the public view in our 24-hour news cycle,” said Rev. Dr. Serene Jones. “I am so proud that Union Theological Seminary, which is dedicated to academic excellence and social justice, is bringing these important conversations by distinguished speakers to our students and New York community.”
Dr. Jones will introduce each evening of “Faith in America” discussion, and panels and talks are expected to include major social justice and faith figures, such as Michelle Alexander, Bill Moyers, and Karenna Gore.
The range of topics will address the critical need for faith and the political process, economic inequity, racial injustice, mass incarceration, criminal justice reform, police-community relations, the environment, the longevity revolution, and global interfaith and social issues.
“Faith in America” Calendar — Fall/Winter 2016 – 2017
*All guests and dates are subject to change
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
Invisible Woman: The Experience of Women and Girls in the Era of Mass Incarceration, hosted by Michelle Alexander, Visiting Professor at Union Theological Seminary and author of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. Panelists include: Susan Burton, Executive Director, A New Way of Life and Co-Founder of All of Us or None; Gina Clayton, Executive Director, Essie Justice Group; Andrea James, Founder Families for Justice as Healing and author of Upper Bunkies Unite And Other Thoughts on the Politics of Mass Incarceration; and Teresa Younger, President and CEO, Ms. Foundation for Women.
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Post-Election Analysis, hosted by Bill Moyers, Managing Editor at Moyers & Company; and additional guests to be announced.
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
The Aging of America: A New Workforce for Social Justice, co-sponsored by Encore.org, hosted by Ruth Wooden President of Public Agenda at Union Theological Seminary M.A., May, 2016 with Ellen Goodman, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and founder of The Conversation Project; and Lester Strong, NBC Nightly News Anchor Boston MA and CEO at AAPR Experience Corps.
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
Premiere of the PBS documentary film, “An American Conscience: The Reinhold Niebuhr Story.” Panel discussion will include Martin Doblmeier, Emmy Award-winning filmmaker; Gary Dorrien, Reinhold Niebuhr Professor of Social Ethics, Union Theological Seminary; and additional guests to be announced.
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Black History Month: Police Community Relations, hosted by Rev. Fred Davie, Vice President, Union Theological Seminary. Panel will include community leaders and leading police officials.
Faith in America events are free to the public. Union Theological Seminary will stream them live. and the series will be archived on Union’s website.
For more information or to register, please visit www.utsnyc.edu/FaithInAmerica
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CONTACT:
Ian Rees
[email protected] | 215.869.9064
Beatrix Maes
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Gary Zarr
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