SRJC plans busy spring of arts and lectures

Santa Rosa Junior College’s 2018 Arts & Lectures program features a lineup of stellar presenters and engaging themes relevant to local interests, including homelessness in Sonoma County, SRJC history, nonviolent activism, sports media and political engagement.

All SRJC Arts & Lectures events are open to the public and are free. Parking permits ($4 per day) are required for both Santa Rosa and Petaluma campuses.

Programs include:

* State of Homelessness in Sonoma County. Jennielynn Holmes and Santa Rosa council member Tom Schwedhelm lead a meaningful discussion on homelessness and the collaborative approaches, resources and best practices gleaned from other metro areas. They will talk about the scope of work being applied in the area, specifically how to move from managing homelessness to solving homelessness; what current programs are proving to be successful and how the area can further invest in them; and how everyone can be a part of the solution. The program will be March 26 from noon-1 p.m. in Randolph Newman Auditorium, Emeritus Hall on Santa Rosa Campus.

* What if Women Built a College and Everybody Came? with Gaye LeBaron: As the Santa Rosa Junior College and local communities reflect upon the college’s 100-year anniversary, various historical events and demographic trends serve as a meaningful backdrop. Acclaimed local historian and journalist Gaye LeBaron will provide an insightful historical overview of Sonoma County, shedding light on the role and legacy of Santa Rosa Junior College. Presented in collaboration with Women’s History Month and SRJC’s 100th anniversary. It will be held March 29 from noon-1 p.m. in the Girvin Family Student Activities Center, Lawrence A. Bertolini Student Center on the Santa Rosa Campus.

* Nonviolence and Human Destiny with Michael Nagler: This is a presentation of the state of the art of nonviolence today, and its significance for the cultural, economic and political shifts that are under way. Nagler will consider Gandhi’s contributions to economic theory and social change, duly adjusted to modern conditions, and place special emphasis on the paradigm shift in science regarding the potential of human nature. It will be held April 2 from noon-1 p.m. in the Randolph Newman Auditorium, Emeritus Hall on the Santa Rosa Campus.

* A Talk with Los Angeles Times’ Sportswriter Broderick Turner: Los Angeles Times’ sportswriter Broderick Turner will present and offer a workshop session with student journalists. Turner delivers a powerful message of work ethic, professionalism, follow- through, networking, media ethics and personal responsibility, a message that resonates deeply with students. The hour lecture presentation will be open to the community and a separate, targeted hour-long workshop session will be available only to SRJC student journalists. There will also be a separate meet-and-greet available to students in the Umoja Program. The presentation will be in April at a date still to be confirmed in the Carole L. Ellis Auditorium on the Petaluma Campus.

* White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son with Tim Wise: Tim Wise is the author of the book “White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son,” in which he offers a deeply personal take on whiteness, white privilege and racism in America. Wise explains how white privilege damages not only people of color, but white people as well, in the process providing an accessible and powerful introduction to the social construction of racial identities. The lecture will be April 9 from noon-1 p.m. in the Randolph Newman Auditorium, Emeritus Hall, on the Santa Rosa Campus.

* Where Do We Go From Here with Peter Coyote: Peter Coyote has been an actor in more than 145 films and an author of two books and numerous articles. In 1966, he was a founder of The Diggers, an anarchist family famous for providing free food, free stores, free medical clinics and free crash pads. From 1975-83, he served as policy advisor to Gov. Edmund Brown Jr., and as a member (and later chairman) of the California Arts Council. He was credited with many of the policies and political strategies that raised the budget from $1 million to $18 million annually. He currently lives on a small farm with two dogs and 40 fruit trees. He is a fully transmitted Zen Buddhist priest. The event will be April 23 from noon-1 p.m. in the Randolph Newman Auditorium, Emeritus Hall on the Santa Rosa Campus.