Media
Crossing Racial and Social Divides
The United States is moving toward being a majority-minority country where less than half of our population will be classified as white. Already four states and the District of Columbia have more than 50% non-white populations, and, as of 2015, Nevada was evenly split white and non-white. A central question for our multiracial and multicultural United States is how to achieve both unity and appreciation for racial and ethnic diversity. The key is talking and collaborating across differences.
In this presentation, Dr. Patricia Gurin will describe the challenges we face in talking and collaborating with people whose racial/ethnic backgrounds and experiences differ from our own, and offer the example of intergroup dialogue as an effective practice for accomplishing it.
Patricia Gurin is the Nancy Cantor Distinguished University Professor Emerita of Psychology and Women’s Studies at the University of Michigan. She is a Faculty Associate of the Research Center for Group Dynamics at the Institute for Social Research and of the Center for African and Afro-American Studies, and she directs the research program of the Program on Intergroup Relations, a curricular program co-sponsored by the College of LS&A and the Division of Student Affairs. A social psychologist, Dr. Gurin’s work has focused on social identity, the role of social identity in political attitudes and behavior, motivation and cognition in achievement settings, and the role of social structure in intergroup relations.
This program is co-sponsored by the University of Michigan Department of Psychology.
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Martin Bandyke Under Covers: Martin interviews Matthew Desmond, author of Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City
Harvard sociologist and MacArthur "Genius" Matthew Desmond has written a landmark work of scholarship and reportage that will forever change the way we look at poverty in America.
In this brilliant, heartbreaking book, Matthew Desmond takes us into the poorest neighborhoods of Milwaukee to tell the story of several families on the edge. Arleen is a single mother trying to raise her two sons on the $20 a month she has left after paying for their rundown apartment. Scott is a gentle nurse consumed by a heroin addiction. Lamar, a man with no legs and a neighborhood full of boys to look after, tries to work his way out of debt. Vanetta participates in a botched stickup after her hours are cut. All are spending almost everything they have on rent, and all have fallen behind.
The fates of these families are in the hands of two landlords: Sherrena Tarver, a former schoolteacher turned inner-city entrepreneur, and Tobin Charney, who runs one of the worst trailer parks in Milwaukee. They loathe some of their tenants and are fond of others, but as Sherrena puts it, “Love don’t pay the bills.” She moves to evict Arleen and her boys a few days before Christmas.
Even in the most desolate areas of American cities, evictions used to be rare. But today, most poor renting families are spending more than half of their income on housing, and eviction has become ordinary, especially for single mothers. In vivid, intimate prose, Desmond provides a ground-level view of one of the most urgent issues facing America today. As we see families forced into shelters, squalid apartments, or more dangerous neighborhoods, we bear witness to the human cost of America’s vast inequality—and to people’s determination and intelligence in the face of hardship.
Martin Bandyke’s interview with Matthew Desmond was originally recorded on March 9, 2016.
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Navigating the Immigration Experience: Author Saundra Amrhein Discusses Her Book “Green Card Stories”
Author Saundra Amrhein shares life stories depicted in her book, Green Card Stories, including the legal, social, emotional, financial, and spiritual obstacles that mirror what immigrants continue to face across the USA.
Green Card Stories depicts 50 recent U.S. immigrants—each with permanent residence or citizenship—in powerfully written short narratives and compelling portraits. Each story is as old as the foundation of this nation, but also reflects the global trends and conflicts of the 21st century. Arriving from all corners of the globe, coming for work, love, to study, invest, or escape persecution, the people in this book share a steely resourcefulness and a determination to fulfill their potential in America.
Saundra Amrhein is a freelance journalist, writer, author, speaker, and reporter writing articles, news, and blogs about immigration and Cuba. A former reporter at the St. Petersburg Times, she has been a journalist for more than 21 years, focusing on immigration, asylum, and refugee issues.
This event was held in conjunction with Ann Arbor District Library’s film and discussion series: Latino Americans: 500 Years of History.
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Sex on TV: What Are We Learning? Why Does It Matter?
The mainstream media has emerged as a prominent force in the sexual education of American youth, with teens consuming nearly 7.5 hours of media a day. Yet relying on media models of sex and courtship can be problematic because portrayals are often narrow, unrealistic, and gender stereotypical. In addition, mainstream media often feature a hyper-sexualized ideal for women that may encourage young women to value themselves mainly for their beauty and sexual appeal. This lecture discusses several studies that investigate how regular exposure to mainstream media affects young peoples’ sexual attitudes, expectations, and experiences.
L. Monique Ward is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan. She received her Ph.D. in developmental psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles. Her research examines how media use and parental messages contribute to gender and sexual socialization. This program was co-sponsored by the University of Michigan Department of Psychology.
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The Alternative Press: Then & Now
AADL hosts a fun and wide-ranging conversation with several local alternative press leaders about their experiences running an alternative press. Discover what motivated them to start and how their missions may have changed over the course of their runs; the technological and financial challenges; how the Internet and social media have altered the landscape; and their views on the role of the alternative press in our communities then versus now.
Panelists include:
Harvey Ovshinsky (Moderator): Harvey started The Fifth Estate when he was 17 years old. It has become the longest running alternative newspaper in the country, and is about to celebrate its 50th birthday.
Ted Sylvester and Laurie Wechter: Ted and Laurie founded Agenda in the 1980s and ran it through the 1990s. Agenda was an independent, non-aligned newspaper that served Ann Arbor and nearby towns as a forum for the area’s many liberal/leftist activist groups and nonprofit human service organizations.
Barbara Barefield: Barbara worked on alternative newspaper The Ann Arbor Sun in the 1970s. The newspaper was the mouthpiece for the White Panther Party and the succeeding Rainbow People’s Party before being an independent publication devoted to local issues, left-wing politics, music, and arts.
Dave Askins: Dave, with Mary Morgan, ran The Ann Arbor Chronicle from 2008-2014. The Ann Arbor Chronicle was an online newspaper focusing on civic affairs and local government coverage.
If you want more information about these publications, The Ann Arbor District Library hosts the online archives of Agenda, The Ann Arbor Sun, and The Ann Arbor Chronicle and you can view past issues of Agenda and The Ann Arbor Sun at Old News and past articles from the Ann Arbor Chronicle at the Ann Arbor Chronicle Archive.
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Bright Nights Community Forum: Support for Caregivers: Managing Behavioral Symptoms of Individuals with Dementia
While many people think of dementia as a memory problem, what is not as well known is that behavioral problems like depression, anxiety, wandering, and aggression are seen in almost every person over the course of their illness. It is these behavioral symptoms that seem to cause the biggest problems in management, function, hospitalizations, nursing home placement, and also in caregiver outcomes like stress and depression.
To address this issue, researchers from the University of Michigan Program for Positive Aging have developed an innovative online tool called the WeCareAdvisor. The tool uses a step-by-step approach designed to assist with the assessment and management of behavioral symptoms, giving them a tailored ‘prescription’ for managing the behavior they are dealing with. It also includes safety considerations and strategies to help reduce caregiver stress.
To learn more about the impact of depression and anxiety on individuals with dementia, including strategies to prevent and manage stress in caregivers, the University of Michigan Depression Center in collaboration with the Program for Positive Aging and the Ann Arbor District Library will present this discussion. Helen C. Kales, MD, Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Program for Positive Aging at the University of Michigan and Research Investigator at the VA Center for Clinical Management Research, will give a brief overview presentation highlighting the latest research on best practices for supporting individuals with dementia with challenging behaviors, including the innovative new WeCareAdvisor tool.
This will be followed by questions and discussion with a panel of experts including Cathleen Connell, Ph.D., Chair, Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health; Mary Blazek, MD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School; and Laura M. Struble, PhD, GNP-BC, Clinical Associate Professor and Program Lead, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner & Clinical Nurse Specialist Programs, Department of Health Behavior and Biological Sciences, University of Michigan School of Nursing.
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ICPJ Podcast: Donna Ainsworth, Ahmad Rahman and Chuck Warpehoski
Donna, Ahman and Chuck talk about how they became involved with ICPJ; the organization's general operation through leadership transitions; the formation of some ICPJ task forces and annual events; and running a newsletter. Donna Ainsworth was director of ICPJ from 1988-1992. Ahmad Rahman came in late 1992 and worked as office staff to edit the newsletter. Chuck Warpehoski, current director of ICPJ, became involved with ICPJ in 2003.
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ICPJ Podcast: Lucia Heinold and Laron Williams
In this episode Lucia Heinold and Laron Williams talk about their involvement on ICPJ's Racial and Economic Justice Task Force (REJ) and the many strides the group has made in bringing discussions of race to the community. Laron discusses his early involvement with ICPJ where, as the only African American on the REJ steering committee, he felt a need to address the organization's discussions of race. Lucia and Laron also talk about their recent involvement in the "Understanding Race" exhibit at the Exhibit Museum and related community discussions, as well as efforts to bring film and book discussions to the Ypsilanti community in partnership with the Ypsilanti District Library.
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Super Seniors: Independent, Engaged, Connected
Want to be a “super senior”? If you are approaching the senior years, or have an aging parent, this event addressed several complex issues that seniors are facing: Independent and Assisted Living, Estate Planning, and Rehabilitation. Four local experts discussed these issues and offered answers to big questions. The panel included:
Assisted Living -Beth Conway, Sales & Business Development Consultant with StoryPoint Senior Living. Beth has been involved in senior living for several years with special dedication to Assisted Living and Memory Care. She is an active committee member with the Alzheimer's association and truly feels that research is getting close to help stop the progression of the disease. She is an activist for seniors and enjoys being able to help and educate them on all options that are available for their wellbeing.
Estate Planning - Kyra Sims, Attorney Legacy Law Kyra was particularly drawn to the Estate Planning practice area as a result of her father being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Witnessing firsthand the negative effects that result from not having a comprehensive plan in place motivates her to go the extra mile for our clients. By working at Legacy Law Center, she is able to aid individuals in making complex and meaningful decisions for themselves and their families. Kyra is an Ann Arbor native who received her undergraduate degree from The University of Michigan. Upon graduation, she attended Howard University School of Law where she received her J.D. She is currently an active member of the State Bar of Michigan and the Washtenaw County Bar Association.
Independent Living - Debbie Adams, Director American House Carpenter Debbie has been the Director of American House Carpenter for seven years. She enjoys both the residents and their families. She has been an advocate for seniors in many roles and has a background as a rehab social worker, activities director, and as a caregiver. The aging process is often complex and sometimes scary, and she believes it is her role to offer each senior an opportunity to experience joy, understanding, and solutions and to honor their beautiful human spirit.
Rehabilitation - Courtney Hayes, Heartland Admissions Coordinator Courtney is an Eastern Michigan graduate majoring in Marketing and Communications. She started her journey with Heartland Health Care Center a little over four years ago. She enjoys being an advocate for patients and has watched patients who she never thought would walk again, walk out Heartland’s doors and return home to their lives.
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ICPJ Podcast: Bart Beavin and Mary Hathaway
In this episode, Mary Hathaway talks about the friendship and initial involvement of her husband, John, with ICPJ leaders Russell and Barbara Fuller. Mary later became active in international arms control and attended the 1982 march in New York City to protest the nuclear arms race. She also talks about the split among local activists during discussions about becoming a nuclear free zone.
Bart Beavin arrived in Ann Arbor in 1966 after a 10-week tour of the Middle East and Europe in which he became sensitive to what was happening in Palestine Israel. While this topic has been his chief social justice issue for over 50 years, he recounts many activities and events with the ICPJ and the Wesley Foundation during the Vietnam War era, from counselling young men on draft resistance, attending the 1968 march in Washington D. C., and making a trip to the Dow Company to protest the company's sale of napalm.