Forum: Celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the Signing of the Universal Declaraton of Human Rights
Queens Library, Forest Hills - Thursday, Dec 13, 2018, 6-7:30pm
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, drafted by representatives from around the world, was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948 as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations. As the chair of the United Nations Human Rights Commission, Eleanor Roosevelt was the driving force in creating the 1948 charter of liberties which will always be her legacy.
Join us to learn more and to celebrate the anniversary with a hand copying experience of this important document. We’ll have copies so you can select and write out the sections most meaningful to you - a great way to understand what's in it. It will be an enlightening experience to share with fellow participants and a perfect ending to a year of inspiring, informative Let’s Talk Democracy events!
We’ll provide light refreshments and invite you to bring snacks that reflect your heritage.
FREE PROGRAM
Queens Library Forest Hills, 108-19 71st Avenue, Forest Hills, NY 11375 | 718.268.7934
Immigration: A Deep Dive into Its History and Current Laws
Session II -Getting at the Roots [Thursday, November 8, 2018] Jane Guskin and David Wilson, authors of “The Politics of Immigration” will discuss immigration today, including the global, political and economic forces that shape migration; the racial and political implications of U.S. immigration law, policy, and practice; and related issues.
Session III - The Money Question [Thursday, November 15, 2018] Jane Guskin and David Wilson, authors of “The Politics of Immigration” will examine the relationship of immigrants to jobs and the economy.
ABOUT JANE GUSTKIN AND DAVID L. WILSON
Jane Guskin and David L. Wilson have been writing since 1990 about immigration, labor, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Their articles have appeared in Truthout, NACLA Report on the Americas, MRZine, The Huffington Post, and other publications. For over twenty years, they co-edited Weekly News Update on the Americas, an English-language bulletin covering grassroots news from Latin America. Guskin also edited a companion publication, Immigration News Briefs. Guskin and Wilson are both based in New York City, where they work for immigrant and labor rights.
FREE PROGRAM
Queens Library Forest Hills, 108-19 71st Avenue, Forest Hills, NY 11375 | 718.268.7934
MANHATTAN SERIES:
The Structure of Federal, NY State and City Governments
6-Week Series - Thursdays, Sept 20 - Oct 18, 2018, 5:30pm
Would you like to understand our political system better and have the tools to improve it? Join us for a community conversation to learn about how our federal, state and local governments are structured and how you can make an impact. This 6-week series will cover different topics each week with different experts.
Empower yourself to make the changes you want by learning how the system works & what you can do to get government to respond to you.
FREE PROGRAM
New York Public Library, Tompkins Square 331 East 10th Street (212) 228-4747
Immigration: A Deep Dive Into Its History and Current Laws
Queens Library, Forest Hills - Monday, October 29, 2018, 6-7:30pm
SESSON 1 - Understanding the History. Join us for an important and timely exploration into our immigration laws and how they have been applied over the years. We kick off our 3-week Immigration Civics Series with Mae Ngai, a nationally recognized expert on the History of U.S. Immigration. Ms. Ngai will explain the role immigration has played in our country and the reality of immigration today. The series continues on Thursdays November 8 and November 15.
ABOUT MAE NGAI
Mae Ngai, is a national authority on the history of immigration and a professor at Columbia University. She is the author of Imposible Subjects: Illegal Aliens and the Making of Modern America (2004), and The Lucky Ones: One Family and the Extraordinary Invention of Chinese Ameria (2010). More info...
FREE PROGRAM
Queens Library Forest Hills, 108-19 71st Avenue, Forest Hills, NY 11375 | 718.268.7934
Midterm Elections: The Stakes
Queens Library, Forest Hills - Thursday, October 18, 2018, 6-7:30pm
Through voting we have the opportunity to influence the government. Yet almost half of U.S. citizens who are eligible to vote do not and voter turnout drops off even more for midterm elections. So, what are the stakes when we don’t exercise this privilege? Join us as we dive into the issues and choices facing us with the help of Adam Eichen, activist, communications strategist and co-author of Daring Democracy.Back by popular demand, he’ll prepare us to be better informed for the upcoming General Election on Tuesday, November 6th.
ABOUT ADAM EICHEN
Adam Eichen is a writer, researcher, and political organizer working to build a democracy that represents and empowers all voices in society. He serves as Communications Strategist for Equal Citizens and as a member of the Democracy Matters board of directors. In 2016, he was appointed deputy communications director for Democracy Spring, a historic national mobilization comprising more than a hundred organizations working for campaign finance and voting rights reform.
FREE PROGRAM
Queens Library Forest Hills, 108-19 71st Avenue, Forest Hills, NY 11375 | 718.268.7934
Join us as City Council Member Helen Rosenthal and State Committee Member Ben Yee shed light on the upcoming New York primaries and elections. Learn how people get on the ballot, what the issues are, and how they’re being addressed by the candidates. This workshop will help you understand how the election process really works in time for the New York State Primary on Thursday, September 13th and the General Election on Tuesday, November 6th.
FREE PROGRAM
Queens Library Forest Hills, 108-19 71st Avenue, Forest Hills, NY 11375 | 718.268.7934
Demystifying City Politics and Figuring Out Where We Fit In
Queens Library, Forest Hills - Thursday, June 7, 2018
Join us for an informative look into NYC politics by social justice and political activist Sabrina Farber. Gain an understanding of our local government and insight on how to get it to work for you. Empower yourself to make the changes you want and hold our elected officials acountable.
FREE PROGRAM
Queens Library Forest Hills, 108-19 71st Avenue, Forest Hills, NY 11375 | 718.268.7934
About Sabrina Farber
Sabrina Farber is a social justice and political activist who currently serves on the board of directors of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah in Manhattan. She is co-chair of CBST’s Thursday social justice group, Resistance! Calls & Cards, which lobbies elected officials and appointees about issues most pressing for our community. She is co-chair of the CBST Sanctuary initiative which partners with the New Sanctuary Coalition to support immigrants who are fighting orders of detention and deportation and to lobby elected officials to create a path to citizenship for all. She spent 6 months as a full-time volunteer for the Hillary Clinton campaign which galvanized her into becoming more engaged in politics. In January, she was arrested in Washington after participating in an action demanding a clean DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) bill.
Delays, Re-Routing, Station Closings...What Can We Do to Get Our Subway Back on Track
Queens Library, Forest Hills - Thursday, May 24, 2018
New York City and the region can’t survive without a good public transportation system. Find out what's really going on and hear possible solutions from our expert panelists:
Jamison Dague, Director of Infrastructure Affairs of the Citizens Budget Commission
Rebecca Bailin, Campaign Manager, Riders Alliance
Sheldon Teicher, graduate student in history at the CUNY Graduate Center and "subway/train buff"
TOPICS:
A short history of the system
Governance issues regarding the MTA Board, the governor's powers, and the relative position of other officials
Financing issues regarding operating and maintenance budget, capital budget, and revenue flows
Recommended actions for citizens to assist the reform process
Open discussion and questions from the audience
FREE PROGRAM
Queens Library Forest Hills, 108-19 71st Avenue, Forest Hills, NY 11375 | 718.268.7934
Let's Talk Democracy Expands to Manhattan!
Join Us for Our 8-Week Series, March 14 - April 25, 6:30-8pm
If you want to better understand how our government and political systems work, then this civic series is for you. It will cover everything from the basis of the Constitution to how federal, state and city goverment are structured to the tools that can help citizens like you make an impact.
Empower yourself to make the changes you want by learning how the system works and getting the government to respond to you.
FREE PROGRAM
Seward Park Library, 192 East Broadway, New York, NY 10002-5597 | 212.477.6770
SCHEDULE OF CLASSES - WEDNESDAYS, 6:30 - 8:00PM
March 14
March 21
March 28
April 4
April 11
April 18
April 25
Federal Government: Separation of Powers among the Executive, Congressional and Judicial Branches
State Government: Role of Governor, State Senate and State Assembly
Electoral System and Roles of Citizens/Local Residents-Advocacy and Lobbying
City Government Part 1: Structure and Elected Officials, City Council
City Government Part 2: Community Boards, Advocacy and Lobbying
DARING DEMOCRACY Book Talk @53rd St. Library
Housing and Land Use - GOLES
Let's Talk Forum: Daring Democracy - Meet the Authors/Queens
Queens Library - thur, apr 19, 2018 , 6-7:30pm
Join us as legendary Diet for a Small Planet author Frances Moore Lappé and organizer-scholar Adam Eichen present their optimistic book Daring Democracy: Igniting Power, Meaning, and Connection for the America We Want. With riveting stories and little-known evidence, they expose the well-orchestrated effort that has robbed Americans of their rightful power and discuss the positive actions citizens can take to achieve historic change.
Meet the authors and and join us for a discussion of the last part of the book, "Creating Solutions Together," which illustrates that even in this divisive time, Americans are uniting across causes and ideologies to create a “canopy of hope” the authors call the Democracy Movement. Let’s Talk Democracy provides this Forum to get everyone thinking, talking...and taking action. We invite you to join us in the conversation!
Books will be available for sale and signing.
Let's Talk Forum: Daring Democracy - Meet the Author in MANHATTAN
author ADAM EICHEN JOINS US AT THE
53RD ST LIBRARY IN MANHATTAN - WED, APrIL 18, 2018, 5-6:45pm
With insightful understanding of post-election reactions to current events, authors Frances Moore Lappé and Adam Eichen have written an optimistic book for Americans who are asking, What do we do now? Let’s Talk Democracy provided this community read event to get everyone thinking, talking...and taking action.
The authors joins us for a discussion of the last part of the book, "Creating Solutions Together," which illustrates that even in this divisive time, Americans are uniting across causes and ideologies to create a "canopy of hope" the authors call the Democracy Movement.
FREE PROGRAM
53rd Street Library, 18 W. 53rd Street, New York, NY 10019 | 212.621.0670
Toward a More Perfect Union: Making Your Voice Heard Encore
WORKSHOP led by prof.essor michael krasner wed, mar 28, 2018, 6-7:30pm
Following our 6-week civics workshop, instructor Michael Krasner returns with a look back at our political state of the union. This workshop will review and analyze the first+ year of Trump's presidency in the context of the larger trends in American politics, as well as the methods, issues and emotions that produced his victory. Professor Krasner will take us through possible futures for American politics and will paradoxically, include the idea that the present and future are not about Trump but about us. Opening remarks will be made by Dennis Walcott, President/CEO of Queens Library.
FREE PROGRAM
Queens Library Forest Hills, 108-19 71st Avenue, Forest Hills, NY 11375 | 718.268.7934
ABOUT MICHAEL KRASNER, PROFESSOR AT QUEENS COLLEGE
An expert in government and politics, Michael Krasner is co-director of Queen's College’s Taft Institute for Government, which promotes better understanding of the political process among young people; he also is associate director of the Michael Harrington Center for Democratic Values and Social Change. Since 1970 he has taught courses on politics and the media; presidential, gubernatorial and mayoral elections; American foreign policy; public policy; and arms control and disarmament.
A 2-SESSION WORKSHOP - Queens Library in forest hills, tHUR, FEB 15 AND thur, apr 19, 2018 , 6-7:30pm
With insightful understanding of post-election reactions to current events, authors Frances Moore Lappé and Adam Eichen have written an optimistic book for Americans who are asking, What do we do now? Let’s Talk Democracy provided this community read event to get everyone thinking, talking...and taking action.
SESSION 1 - A deep dive into the first 2 sections of the book to help us understand how we got where we are. Attendees of our civics seminar "Toward a More Perfect Union" led discussions of critical topics they’ve identified in the book.
SESSION 2 - The authors joins us for a discussion of the last part of the book, "Creating Solutions Together," which illustrates that even in this divisive time, Americans are uniting across causes and ideologies to create a "canopy of hope" the authors call the Democracy Movement.
Toward a More Perfect Union: Making Your Voice Heard
A 6-SESSION CIVICS SERIES - THURSDAYS, OCT TO NOV, 2017
Let's Talk Democracy (formerly IWWA) held a civics series at the Forest Hills Library that covered everything from the basis of the Constitution to what citizens could do to make an impact. Titled “Toward a More Perfect Union: MAKING YOUR VOICE HEARD,” this exciting, informative workshop was led by Queens College Political Science Professor Michael Kassner. The seven workshops took place on Thursdays, October 5 to November 16, 2017. Admission free.
ABOUT MICHAEL KRASNER, PROFESSOR AT QUEENS COLLEGE
An expert in government and politics, Michael Krasner is co-director of Queen's College’s Taft Institute for Government, which promotes better understanding of the political process among young people; he also is associate director of the Michael Harrington Center for Democratic Values and Social Change. Since 1970 he has taught courses on politics and the media; presidential, gubernatorial and mayoral elections; American foreign policy; public policy; and arms control and disarmament.
We are deeply grateful to Michael Krasner for his scholastic contributions to our first workshop series. His willingness to show up to our first session in spite of a personal injury that day is a testiment to his unfailing commitment to our cause.
We greatly appreciate the extraordinary support of The Taft Institute at Queens College and the help that allowed us to realize our dream.
We are very grateful to Queens Library for their ongoing support of our organization and to the Forest Hills branch in particular for providing a welcoming venue for our events and activities.
Special thanks to the NY Public Library and the Seward Park Brnach for their help in our expansion to Manhattan.
