Figures of the Speech: The New Wave

One week into the new semester and campus is already awash with lectures, seminars, and meetings for all interests. Here are a few stand-outs from the lecture line-up for this week:

“Global Health: Sierra Leone’s Classroom” on Monday February 9, 4:30 in Dodds Auditorium– Part movie, part lecture, this event sponsored by the Woodrow Wilson School features the premier of the documentary “Pride of Lions,” which tells the story of survivors of war in Sierra Leone, and a lecture by Dan Kelly ’03, the Founder and Executive Director of the Global Action Foundation, an organization which focuses on treatment for amputees. Go for the free food; stay for the warm and fuzzy feeling that people can still do good things in the world.

“Call+Response Screening and Panel” on Tuesday February 10, 4:30 screening and 6:00 panel in McCosh 50 – This is might be the one you stand in line for. The film, “Call+Response,” a critically acclaimed documentary about the plight of 27 million slaves around the world and the state of the modern abolition movement, will be screened first, followed by an expert panel featuring Professor Cornel West and the film’s director, Justin Dillon. Go for Cornel West; stay because you have to wonder, “27 million? How is that even possible?”

“National Teach-In on Climate Change” on Wednesday February 11, 4:30 in Robertson Bowl 001—I know everyone says that they are experts on climate change, but these people actually are. Rather than focus on obscure scientific minutiae or sweeping policy changes, this event breaks climate change down into three key topics: Economic Implications and the Role of Government, Media and Climate Change, and Climate Change and Global Development. Go for a crash course in the many ways in which climate change is rocking our world, and stay for Jon Braman, Ukulele-rapper extraordinaire. Yea, I said ukulele-rapper. Beat that.