Sonoma’s Praxis Peace Institute has lined up a robust speaker series for November, open to both Praxis members and the public on Zoom.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1st at 4:00 pm (Pacific) on Zoom
Tickets: www.praxispeace.org $15 for Praxis members (non-members: $20)
THOM HARTMANN
The Demise of the Middle Class and How to Rescue Our Future. In Thom’s new book, “The Hidden History of the American Dream,” he traces the rise of the American middle class through FDR’s progressive policies and its downfall with the Reagan era’s economic deregulations. He presents actionable solutions to revive what some have called “the American Dream,” including wealth and inheritance taxes, supporting unions, and re-nationalizing public spaces and transportation. This is a well thought out plan of how we can improve our country’s policies going forward. And, of course, we will discuss the upcoming election, which at this point will be only 4 days away!
Thom Hartmann is a New York Times bestselling author and quintessential progressive talk show host. His daily 3-hour radio-TV show is syndicated world-wide and reaches over half a billion homes. As a journalist, Hartmann has covered many international hot spots, including Egypt, the Philippines, Uganda, Colombia and India. He helped set up famine relief programs, schools, and refugee centers in these areas. He is also a psychotherapist and has written books on ADHD in addition to his many politically-oriented books. Thom is also a brilliant historian who specializes in American history. His ten-book Hidden History series is an excellent road to understanding American history — the information we didn’t learn in school.
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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7 at 4:00 pm – Note Different Day!
Free Discussion for all Praxis Member
Topic – The Election: the results, the fallout, and what Next?
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89709810536
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8 at 4:00 pm – LIVE on Zoom from Cuba!
Tickets: www.praxispeace.org
$15 for Praxis members (non-members: $20)
MARC FRANK – Our Man in Havana
After the collapse of Cuba’s energy grid on October 18th, the Cuban government is working feverishly to restore power across the nation. Schools and workplaces are closed. Only vital services remain open as of October 23rd. The passage of Hurricane Oscar exacerbated the situation, which tore down power lines, flooded rivers, and ultimately caused the collapse of Cuba’s largest power plant.
Marc Frank is an American journalist who writes for Reuters and the Financial Time. He has lived in Havana, Cuba for the past 30 years and is in an excellent position to tell us what is happening on the ground in Cuba today. How is the Cuban government coping with this disaster? How are the 60+ years of US economic sanctions impacting the daily life of Cubans? Have the sanctions changed at all under Biden? Are there aid groups helping from outside Cuba, including from the US?
Marc is also the author of Cuban Revelations: Behind the Scenes in Havana, one of the most authoritative and readable books on Cuba. He writes about the historical context for the revolution and examines the social, political and economic issues that have shaped Cuba today. Don’t miss this on-the-ground interview with an expert on Cuba.
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15 at 4:00 pm (Pacific) on Zoom
Tickets: www.praxispeace.org
$15 for Praxis members (non-members: $20)
ANDREW KIMBRELL
The Rise and Fall of Human Domination – And, the Re-emergence of Earth Consciousness
Andrew Kimbrell is one of Praxis Peace Institute’s leading thinkers and activists. He has been part of our community since 2009 when he was a presenter and led a workshop at the Praxis conference, “The Economics of Peace,” in Sonoma, CA.
This program will focus on what Kimbrell calls the “Genesis Trap,” the dominator myth that has directed much of western culture for almost two millennium. He will discuss the paradigm that has shaped our world and what it will take to release ourselves from this doomed story. The scaffolding of a different paradigm must emerge in order to escape from the attachment to myths that are destroying humanity and the planet. This material will comprise a philosophical framework for the Praxis conference to be held in Dubrovnik, Croatia in the fall of 2025 as part of Praxis Peace Institute’s 25th Anniversary programs.
Andrew Kimbrell is a public interest attorney, author, and advocate for sustainable agriculture. He is the founder and executive director of the Center for Food Safety in Wash. DC, and the International Center for Technology Assessment (ICTA). He is also the co-founder of Foundation Earth and the president of the Board of Humane Farm Animal Care. He served as Policy Director at the Foundation for Economic Trends for eight years. In 1994, he was named one of the 100 leading visionaries in the world by the Utne Reader In 2008 The Guardian named Kimbrell one of 50 people in the world “most likely to help save the earth. He also holds a graduate degree in psychology and is the author of The Masculine Mystique. Andrew is an accomplished pianist, who almost became a concert pianist in his youth. He begins each day playing Bach.
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6 at 4:00 pm (Pacific) Tickets: www.praxispeace.org
$15 for Praxis members (non-members: $20)
JOSHUA EYLER
Failing Our Future: How Grades Harm Students, and What We Can Do About It.
Eyler’s book by the same title is an indictment of the grading system in American schools and colleges―as well as a blueprint for how we can change it. One of the most urgent and long-standing issues in the US education system is its obsession with grades. In his new book, “Failing Our Future,” Joshua R. Eyler shines a spotlight on how grades inhibit learning, cause problems between parents and children, amplify inequities, and contribute to the youth mental health crisis.
Eyler illustrates how grades interfere with students’ intrinsic motivation and perpetuate the idea that school is a place for competition rather than discovery. Grades force students to focus on rewards and distract them from exploring ideas or pursuing interests beyond what they’ll be tested on. In fact, grades significantly impede the learning process. They are also significantly affecting children’s physical, emotional, and psychological well-being. Rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation have spiked, and academic stress tied to grades is a leading cause of this escalation. This is a must-see program for all parents, grandparents, educators, and people interested in improving education in America.
Joshua Eyler is the Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning and a clinical assistant professor of teacher education at the University of Mississippi. He is also the author of “How Humans Learn: The Science and Stories behind Effective College Teaching.” He previously worked on teaching and learning initiatives at Columbus State University, George Mason University, and Rice University. He received his B.A. in English from Gettysburg College in 2000 and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Medieval Studies from the University of Connecticut in 2006.
He writes about teaching, learning, parenting, and popular culture.
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