Social justice is the theme for SCC's Democracy Days, Sept. 14-17

Published: 08/24/2015

Democracy Days’ mission is “to examine the history, health and functioning of democracy in America and abroad.” The multi-day forum has been held annually at SCC since September 2001.

Democracy Days 2015’s guest speakers are Terrell Carter (noon Sept. 14), Sylvester Brown Jr., (11:30 a.m. Sept. 15) and Amy Hunter with Pastor Cori Bush (noon Sept. 16). These and all but two of the other presentations will take place in the Social Sciences Building auditorium; the exceptions (see below) will be held in the Student Center, Room 205. 

Democracy Days 2015 also features a panel at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16, led by SCC President Ron Chesbrough on “The Role of Higher Education in Promoting Democratic Principles and Social Justice.” He and five faculty panelists will examine higher education as a vehicle for inculcation of small ‘d’ democratic principles.

Additionally, there will be two presentations on Clybourne Park, a play which is being staged at SCC Sept. 30-Oct. 4; a showing of the film Selma and a separate panel discussion on the film’s themes; an open-mic session for students to discuss current issues; as well as presentations on the Magna Carta, the Declaration of Independence, Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail,” the Affordable Care Act, white privilege, the expatriate experience, secularism, grand juries and the historical and cultural differences in establishing democracy in different parts of the world. 

Clybourne Park is a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning play by Bruce Norris about race and property ownership, picking up where Lorraine Hansberry’s seminal A Raisin in the Sun left off. Clybourne Park is presented by Center Stage and will be performed Wednesday-Sunday, Sept. 30-Oct. 4, at SCC. The director and cast will discuss the themes of the play at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 14, and faculty will discuss the play at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16.

Over the event’s 15 years, Democracy Days presenters have often been SCC faculty, representing a variety of academic backgrounds. This year, history, political science, communications, philosophy and theater are the academic disciplines at the foundation of the forum.

This marks the 15^th year of Democracy Days, which was founded by Michael Kuelker, professor of English. The first forum was held on Sept. 27, 2001, and featured an interdisciplinary panel discussion on the implications of the terror attacks that had occurred just days before.

“From the beginning I’ve wanted Democracy Days to be a catalyst for dialogue and to bring what we do at SCC into contact with the larger community on issues that concern us all,” Kuelker said.

The event integrates with the college’s mission and activities in a variety of ways. Sophomore students enrolled in capstone classes, for instance, have the option of pursuing the issues raised during Democracy Days through research-based essays.

“We are living in the midst of a new wave of the civil rights movement, a new era of consciousness and challenge, and so many social, economic, political and criminal justice issues come into focus. A college campus like ours is an ideal place to learn about and confront the challenges.”

For more information, email mkuelker@stchas.edu. 

St. Charles Community College is a public, comprehensive two-year community college with associate degrees and certificate programs in the arts, business, sciences and career-technical fields. SCC provides workforce training and community-based personal and professional development as well as cultural, recreational and entertainment opportunities. For more information, visit stchas.edu.

SCC Democracy Days 2015 Schedule:

Monday, Sept. 14

10 a.m.          Clybourne Park: An Introduction by the Director and Cast
Hear a lively discussion led by the SCC cast and director Tracy Bono about Clybourne Park, Bruce Norris’ searing drama which will be staged at SCC from Sept. 30-Oct. 4. The play is a marvel of language and explores race in America from the standpoint of property ownership and community. Copies of Clybourne Park are available in the SCC Library. 

11 a.m.          One Nation – Indivisible
Students from the SCC Secular Student Alliance explore the history and importance of secularism. In the application of its principles, secularism can unify diverse populations. Gaining mindfulness of one's experience in college provides a great opportunity to gain the exposure required for sociopolitical awareness and skeptical inquires. The Secular Student Alliance also seeks to provide insights on some of the options and resources students have in exploring secularism.

Noon              Terrell Carter on the Post-Ferguson Racial Divide
Terrell Carter, author of Walking the Blue Line: A Police Officer Turned Community Activist Provides Solutions to the Racial Divide, brings a wealth of experience in addressing race, community and criminal justice. As an African American from the Ville in St. Louis, Carter found himself subjected to racial profiling. As a St. Louis City police officer, he witnessed everything from daily heroism and instances of corruption in the police force to the best and worst in city life. Hear his ideas and join the conversation. The presentation is sponsored by the SCC Sociology Department and the SCC Arts & Humanities Division.

1 p.m.             The Declaration of Independence: Facts and Myth
Randy Beck, SCC adjunct faculty in history, explains the history of the Declaration of Independence in regards to Thomas Jefferson's authorship, choice of words and myths that surround this first great document in American history. 

2:30 p.m.       Tension: Ferguson, Birmingham and the Mind
Recent events in Ferguson undoubtedly elevated levels of social tension within our city, state and nation. Was this tension a necessary condition of effecting positive social change? In his now famous 1963 “Letter From Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther King Jr. claims that a certain kind of tension is often essential to change in a free and open society. In the course of arguing for this thesis, King makes an analogy between himself and Socrates, an ancient creator of tension within the mind. Charles DeBord, SCC assistant professor of philosophy, expounds on this point of Dr. King’s analogy by explaining and analyzing the ancient concept of dialectic and locating it within the Socratic method. He then extends the analogy into the practical realm, arguing that some of the tensions arising out of Ferguson fit Dr. King’s analogy while others do not.


Tuesday, Sept. 15

10 a.m.          In the News: An Open-Mic Session for Students
Lisa Davis, SCC adjunct faculty in political science, holds an open forum for students’ views, questions and experiences regarding current events and political issues that are impacting their lives. See how real politics can be. The dialogue will be conducted in a way to allow people to speak their minds without fear of ridicule.   

11:30 a.m.     Sylvester Brown Jr. on Social Justice & Activism After Ferguson
**Special Guest Lecture**
Sylvester Brown Jr. is a voice for self-empowerment and justice. A journalist and self-described “change agent,” Brown is the founder of When We Dream Together, a nonprofit aimed at revitalizing urban communities. He is the founder and executive director of the Sweet Potato Project in St. Louis whose programs teach at-risk youth entrepreneurial skills. Brown will address the intersecting issues of social justice in our time. The presentation has been made available by a grant from the SCC Foundation.

1 p.m.             White Privilege and Democracy
Denise Halel, SCC adjunct faculty in communication, will discuss privilege, which occurs when one group has something of worth that is denied to others just because of the groups they belong to, an advantage that results in something favorable or positive. This discussion requires that we leave our comfort zone and explore what it means to benefit from unearned privilege.

7 p.m.             SELMA [film]
SCC will present the acclaimed film “Selma” about the struggle for civil rights and a discussion led by Paul Roesler, SCC professor of political science. The SCC Criminal Justice Department and SCC Student Activities are sponsoring Selma. Discussion of the film will be held at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 17. 

Wednesday, Sept. 16 

10 a.m.          Grand Juries: The Use and Abuse of America’s Most Secret Judicial Process
When grand juries were used to dismiss cases against two police officers who killed African-Americans, questions were raised about the purpose and lawful use of grand jury proceedings. This presentation by Bob Gill, instructional media manager, will relate the history of the procedure, its use over the years and discuss ways to improve or change grand juries to make them more fair and transparent.

11 a.m.          Clybourne Park: A Discussion
Join SCC faculty as they examine Bruce Norris's Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning play Clybourne Park and the ramifications of race and ethnicity on our society and selves. Copies of the play are available in the SCC Library. SCC Center Stage Theatre will perform Clybourne Park from Sept. 30-Oct. 4.  

Noon              The Struggle to Establish Democracy – SC 205
The historical reasons for the development of democracy in America are far different than those of other countries, particularly in Asia and the Middle East. Steve Randoll, associate professor of history, explores how the differences in culture and history in different countries around the world have shaped the struggle to democratize in those countries, particularly in the Middle East, and have impacted the specific forms democracy has taken in those countries that have successfully democratized, such as Japan. This presentation takes place in the Student Center (SC) 205. 

Noon              Amy Hunter & Pastor Cori Bush on Race & Progress
** Special Guest Presentation **
Two African American women report from the frontlines of the latest wave of the civil rights movement. Amy Hunter, a recent TED Talk presenter, is the director of racial justice for the YWCA of St. Louis, which is “dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.” Cori Bush is a pastor with Kingdom Embassy International Church and nursing supervisor who has been active counseling and organizing. Rachel McShane, SCC adjunct faculty in biology, chairs the discussion.

1 p.m.             The Role of Higher Education in Promoting Democratic Principles and Social Justice
SCC President Ron Chesbrough and faculty panelists discuss higher education as a vehicle for inculcation of small ‘d’ democratic principles and as a promoter of social justice. The panelists include Mitch Harden, assistant professor of psychology, Vicky Herbel, associate professor of sociology, Grace Moser, assistant professor of history, Ron Pettus, associate professor of history, and Isaac Ruedin, professor of philosophy.


Thursday, Sept. 17

10 a.m.          Obamacare Two Years LaterIt has been two years since the Affordable Care Act was first implemented. Paul Roesler, SCC professor of political science, discusses how the law made it through Congress and its successes and failures. Roesler will conclude with a discussion of “where we go from here,” including possible changes that could improve the law, and leave plenty of time for questions and comments. 

11:30 a.m.     SELMA: A Panel Discussion
Is history repeating itself? Many have drawn comparisons between the modern protest movement surrounding the deaths of Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Freddy Gray, Eric Garner and the events of the civil rights movement. The film Selma really drives the similarities home. Grace Moser, SCC assistant professor of history, moderates an interdisciplinary panel, discussing Selma and similarities to events post-Ferguson and in the modern protest movement.  

11:30 a.m.     Magna Carta – An 800-Year Anniversary Presentation in SC 205
This year marks the 800^th anniversary of Magna Carta, but it is hard to say who is more excited about this; the British or the Americans. This seminal document is looked upon as a cornerstone of America’s system of justice. Debra Crank-Lewis, SCC professor of history, will look at the document’s origins in and impact on Britain and will then explore how this document has affected America and the notion of governmental authority and individual liberty. This presentation takes place in the Student Center (SC) 205.

1 p.m.             Expatriate: Immigrant, Traitor, Multicultural or All of the Above?
Virginia Guneyli, SCC associate professor of English, is a teacher, author and expat who will discuss the evolution of the word expatriate as well as her own experiences with identity and culture as they relate to that word. She will share an interview with expatriate peers and authors and answer questions from the audience.