And now it is Friday. Again. Seems like Friday happens almost every week! Amazing how that works out.
Hey some important and cool stuff to talk about this week.
First, thanks to the hard work of Lindsey with support from Carol, Scott, me, and partners from across the college and the university we are finalizing a really important program responding to the Newsom symbolic assault.
ACT Human Rights Film Festival with its partners the College of Liberal Arts, the Department of Ethnic Studies, and the Department of History is producing “Symbols and History of Lynching in America.” The program includes screening an excellent documentary An Outrage that explores the history and consequentiality of lynching in the South. The program also will include short presentations from history and ethnic studies faculty, a round table with students, and plenty of time for Q and A.
Date:   Wednesday, September 27
Time:   5:30–7:30
Place:  LSC Theater
As we finalize marketing materials, we will get those to you so you can help promote the program to your students.
In my world, this is exactly the sort of thing the College of Liberal Arts and our departments can do to address acts of terrorism like noose displays. We can provide the historical, social, and cultural context that helps explain the awful power of such displays. We can provide forums for conversations about the pain these displays cause. And we can offer hope for future action that is more human and more humane.
As evidence that our scholarship is woven tightly with these engagements, see two recent publications by Julia.
With co-author Dr. Roberto Avant-Mier, entitled “Despicable Others: Animated Othering as Equipment for Living in the Era of Trump“, published in Journal of Intercultural Communication Research. Co-authored with Roberto Avant-Mier.
“France en Marche: Communicating Hope” in NCA’s Communication Currents.
Meanwhile, Scott and Hye Seung have a new book chapter out.  “Postnetwork Television and Netflix’s Gilmore Girls:A Year in the Life,” in David Scott Diffrient, ed., Screwball Television: Critical Perspectives on Gilmore Girls [2nd edition] (Syracuse University Press, 2017). This is a new chapter appearing in the 2nd edition of Scott’s edited collection on the Gilmore Girls.
Well done all of you! We rock!
As you know the confusing conversation about DACA continues. Who knows where we will end up with these conversations but the uncertainty about the DACA students’ status is stressful for all of us but especially for the Dreamers and their families and friends. In an interview on NPR this morning, one of the DACA recipients said the constant shifts and deep uncertainties feels like psychological torture. Let’s continue to support all of our students in the best ways we know how—with love, care, respect, and rigor.
I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend. Maybe you will go see the amazing volleyball team take on CU over at Moby. Perhaps you have ordered a flat of late season tomatoes and you will be turning them into tomato sauce. Others of you will be taking care of children and running errands.
For me, a trip to the farmer’s market, some time with friends at Linden Street Café, and a bit of writing nearly every day.
Be well, friends.
Yours,
Greg