Spring Critical Issues Series – February 20, 27 and March 5, 2024 Hybrid: In person and on Zoom

Spring Critical Issues Series – February 20, 27 and March 5, 2024

Hybrid: In person and on Zoom

Hollander 240

Zoom: Meeting ID: 996 5542 5805, Passcode: 615246

 

Co sponsored by the Chaplain’s Office’s Protestant Chaplaincy and Interfaith Council Steering Committee. For more information contact Rev. Valerie (vb7) or text 413-517-5364.

 

February 20

A Palestinian Christian Story: 7:30 – 9 p.m. Hollander 240. Speaker: The Rev. Canon Leyla King is a Palestinian-American Episcopal priest who will lead a discussion on the historical and contemporary crises through the lens of her family’s experiences as Palestinian Christians. Canon King currently serves as the Canon for Mission in Small Congregations for the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas. She writes about her experiences as a Palestinian, a clergywoman and a mother at thankfulpriest.com.

 

February 27

“Hear Me” A documentary on gun violence in Berkshire County. Speaker with filmmaker Jenny Herzog: 7-9 p.m. Hollander 240. The tragedies of the school shootings of Columbine, Sandy Hook, Parkland and Ulvalde have captured our attention and grief over gun violence. Hear Me challenges us to redirect our attention to how gun violence is a daily threat to youth in Berkshire Country.

Hear Me is a new documentary featuring seven young people (ages 10-23) from Berkshire County who have been impacted by gun violence. We explore underlying root causes, health disparities, stories of impact, and a way forward–through the stories of experts. 

The cast of Hear Me has been impacted by community violence: street affiliation/gang violence, intergenerational trauma, and the criminal justice system. In our film they are the experts–on their lives, and on the root causes of gun violence. In the news, we see reports on mass shootings, urban street violence, and political debates on the proliferation of firearms in America; and yet gun violence often feels like it happens elsewhere. Our cast reminds us that gun violence is happening in every community–even Berkshire County. 

Mass shootings account for less than 1% of deaths by firearm in our country. Suicide accounts for 56%. Homicide accounts for 43%. Hear Me is about the 43%. Directed by Dave Simonds, Produced by Jenny Herzog

 

March 5

A Conversation about learning how to talk across differences: with Peter Pierson, ‘73 7:00 – 9 p.m. Hollander 240. Braver Angels is a civic renewal initiative founded in the aftermath of the 2016 election cycle. Our aim is to provide a healthy context for rigorous and respectful engagement across our national landscape. Our interactive workshop will have three goals: examine our personal places of polarization, learn and practice critical depolarizing skills, and explore ways to become personally engaged with Braver Angels type efforts. Peter Pierson, who lives in nearby Grafton, NY,  is a 1973 graduate, and father of a 2000 graduate, of Williams. Peter is actively involved with Braver Angels locally and nationally as a Moderator, Ambassador and member of a local Alliance.