Santa Monica College Presents Social Justice Lecture Series

By Lookout Staff

September 10, 2018 -- Subtle racism, the achievement gap and teaching mathematics for social justice are among the topics explored this fall during Santa Monica College's Social Justice Lecture Series, college officials announced this week.

All presentations are free and will be held either on the Santa Monica College main campus, 1900 Pico Boulevard, or at the SMC Center for Media and Design, 1660 Stewart Street.

The series kicks off a week from Tuesday with a lecture by UCLA Professor of Education Dr. Tyrone C. Howard titled “The Counter Narrative: Reframing Success of High Achieving Black and Latino Males in Los Angeles County.”

Howard -- who is also Associate Dean of Equity and Diversity and Chief Diversity Officer in the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies -- "will discuss his research on academic achievement in urban schools and the achievement gap facing African American and other culturally diverse students.

Howard, who is also the founder and director of the Black Male Institute, received the American Educational Research Association’s lifetime achievement award for exemplary research on diversity.

Cosponsored by the SMC Associates, Equity Steering Committee, and SMC UndocuAlly Program, the talk takes place at 11:15 a.m. in the Main Stage at Theatre Arts Complex.

The series continues September 20 with a lecture by CSULB College of Education Professor Dr. Lindsay Peréz-Huber titled “Using Racial Microaggressions to Understand Everyday Racism.”

Pérez-Huber will examine "the conceptual framework of racial microaggressions, and talk about how students of color are often viewed from deficit perspectives within educational institutions, resulting in subtle, everyday forms of racism that can hinder academic success."

She will also discuss "what individuals and institutions can do to challenge and disrupt these microaggressions."

The discussion will be held at 11:15 a.m. in Stromberg Hall (HSS 165).

On October 9, Dr. Antonia Darder will present “A Pedagogy of the Oppressed for Our Times: Paulo Freire 50 Years Later,” which will discuss the world-renowned Brazilian educator and philosopher's seminal work.

Darder -- who is LMU Professor of Education Leadership and the Leavey Presidential Chair of Ethics and Moral Leadership -- will examine "the revolutionary roots of Freire’s ideas and discuss how the political wisdom of the educational ideas he advocated then are even more relevant and salient for the world now."

The discussion will be held at 11:15 a.m. in Stromberg Hall (HSS 165).

The series continues October 11 with a lecture by Dr. Kyndall Brown, executive director of the California Mathematics Project and co-director for the UCLA Mathematics Project, titled “Teaching Mathematics for Social Justice.”

Brown, who has helped LAUSD implement standards-based mathematics programs in secondary schools, will discuss "the importance of quality mathematics and social justice teaching for equity to exist in the classroom."

The talk is cosponsored by the SMC Associates and will be held at 11:15 a.m. in Stromberg Hall (HSS 165).

On October 16, award-winning poet, writer, and performer Denice Frohman will present “The Power of the Spoken Word,” a selection of poetic pieces accompanied by commentary that provides "insight about the power each one conveys."

The former Women of the World Poetry Slam Champion, Frohman's work has appeared in "The Adroit Journal," "Nepantla: An Anthology for Queer Poets of Color" and "Women of Resistance: Poems for a New Feminism."

The event is cosponsored by the SMC Social Sciences/Philosophy Department, SMC English Department and Associated Students of Santa Monica College and will be held at 11:15 a.m. in the Main Stage at Theatre Arts Complex.

The fall series concludes with a screening of "California's Forgotten Children," a feature documentary directed by Melody Millerabout that explores child sex trafficking.

"The film recounts true stories of girls and boys who were commercially sexually exploited in California and are now survivors and courageous leaders fighting for the rights of victims worldwide," organizers said.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Miller, a cinematographer and creative storyteller whose awards include The Motion Picture Association of America Award, Women in Film Award and Loreen Arbus Cinematography Award.

The event is sponsored by the SMC Associates, SMC Film Studies program, and SMC Communication & Media Studies Department.

The film screening and discussion will be held at 6:30 p.m. in SMC Center for Media and Design (CMD) Room 180.

Unless noted above, all presentations are sponsored by the SMC Student Equity/STEM, SMC Black Collegians, SMC Adelante Program, SMC Center for Teaching Excellence, EOPS/CARE, Guardian Scholars Program, I.D.E.A.S. at SMC, and the History Peer Learning Program.

All programs are subject to change without notice, and new speakers may be added to the series. Up-to-date details are posted at smc.edu/eventsinfo and available by calling 310-434-4100.