Difficult Dialogues: Is This What Democracy Looks Like? – SOLD OUT

Difficult Dialogues: Is This What Democracy Looks Like? – SOLD OUT

by | Sep 11, 2024

Door time: 5:30 PM

Event time: 6:00 PM

Registration for this event is full.

Supported by the Betsy Hitchcock Foundation

A community discussion about the nature and evolution of democracy in the US.

Is American democracy broken, as some commenters suggest, or is it deeply imperiled and potentially on the verge of becoming so, as others do? Given what are frequently received as frustrations with or threats to democracy—of voter suppression, “post-truth” politics, the normalization of political violence, the erosion of democratic guardrails, and the intensification of partisan polarization—must we now be resigned to charting the decline and fall of democratic norms and institutions, viewing each election with anxiety and dread as if it might be our last? Or is it still possible to reinvigorate democratic norms and institutions, and in so doing provide an antidote to such frustrations and threats? This community dialogue aims to explore not only what community members may perceive as threatening to democracy or indicative of its fragility or decline, but also to explore how we got here and where we might go from here, especially with regard to reinvigorating some of the norms and institutions of American democracy.

Moderator:

Steve Vanderheiden received his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2001 and joined the CU-Boulder faculty in 2007 after six years at the University of Minnesota Duluth. He specializes in normative political theory and environmental politics and has published on topics ranging from Rousseau’s social thought to SUVs and democratic theory. In addition to graduate seminars in political theory, Vanderheiden teaches the introductory Western Political Thought survey course, Politics & Literature, Liberalism and Its Critics, and Environmental Political Theory.

 

The Center for Humanities & the Arts (CHA) mission is to promote arts and humanities by being a dynamic hub on the CU Boulder campus and by creating connections within the Boulder community.

Our purpose is to hold dialogues on topics considered difficult, provocative, or controversial, among constituents that may have strong conflicting views. 

Our objective is NOT to necessarily agree, fix anything, prove anyone right or wrong, or alter anyone’s position. 

We are committed to fostering productive dialogues in the hopes that minds and hearts might expand. We ask that you 

  1. Keep an open mind 
  2. Be respectful of others 
  3. Listen with the intent to understand 
  4. Speak your own truth

We expect to experience discomfort when talking about hard things. Remain engaged and recognize that the discomfort can lead to problem-solving and authentic understanding. 

 

This is a free event. Click “Get Tickets” to RSVP.

Located in the Rocky Mountain Climbers Club, on the lower level of the Community House.

Dom Flemons Presents The Bronze Buckaroo Film & Songster Show

Dom Flemons Presents The Bronze Buckaroo Film & Songster Show

by | Sep 4, 2024

Presented By KGNU

Door time: 7:30

Show time: 8:00

ACT I

“Dom Flemons Presents Black Cowboys” features a live performance of songs from his Grammy-nominated album, interwoven with scenes from the iconic 1939 film, “The Bronze Buckaroo.” Released during the Golden Age of Hollywood Westerns, “The Bronze Buckaroo” broke barriers as an all-Black cast film, offering a rare and powerful representation of Black cowboys on the silver screen. Starring the legendary Herb Jeffries, the first African-American singing cowboy to achieve mainstream success, the film showcases Jeffries’ remarkable talent and charisma. This unique presentation transports audiences back to the Old West, celebrating the often-overlooked contributions of African Americans to cowboy culture. Flemons’ performance breathes new life into classic cowboy songs, while the film’s visuals offer a rare glimpse of Black cowboys on the silver screen.

**Drawn from the collection of The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, this new version of “The Bronze Buckaroo” was re-edited by Vania Kinard for this special presentation. Total time 38 minutes.

“The best way to experience Dom Flemons is, of course, live and on stage, but with the liner notes to peruse while listening, this comes pretty close.” -Country Standard Time

ACT II

During the second half of the show, Dom Flemons takes you on an entertaining journey through a century of American roots music. This concert experience showcases the rich tapestry of Black country music traditions and incorporates Flemons’s original songs from his GRAMMY-nominated album “Traveling Wildfire”. His extensive knowledge of musical history along with his travel experiences bring to life the stories and sounds of Black America. His carefully curated selection of songs spans a wide range of genres, including folk, blues, country, and bluegrass, offering a comprehensive overview of the roots music landscape. As he performs, Flemons weaves in personal anecdotes and historical insights, providing a deeper context for the music and its cultural significance. Experience the evolution of American music through the lens of Black artists who shaped the genre, and gain a deeper appreciation for the enduring power of roots music to inspire, uplift, and connect us all through Dom Flemons music.

About Dom Flemons

Dom Flemons is known as “The American Songster®” since his repertoire covers over one hundred years of American roots music. Flemons is a folk musician, black country artist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, music scholar, historian, actor, slam poet, record collector, curator, podcaster, cultural commentator, influencer, writer, and the creator, host, and producer of the American Songster Radio Show on WSM in Nashville, TN. He is the Co-Founder and original member of the GRAMMY Winning Carolina Chocolate Drops.

ALL TICKET PRICES ARE INCLUSIVE OF SERVICE FEES

Imaging the Storm-Tossed Winds of Outer Space

Imaging the Storm-Tossed Winds of Outer Space

by | Aug 21, 2024

Low Ticket Alert!

This is a featured event of the Astronaut Ice Cream Space Series at Chautauqua

Presented in partnership with:

Door time: 7:00

Show time: 7:30

Since the 1960s, we’ve known that “outer space” between planets is full of a tenuous mix of magnetic field and fast-moving gas: the tumultuous, continuously expanding outer atmosphere of the Sun itself. This material sweeps over the Earth continuously, giving rise to “space weather” including aurora right here in Colorado. NASA’s PUNCH mission, scheduled to launch in early 2025 and be operated from downtown Boulder, will image this intriguing and beautifully structured material as it streaks outward across the void.

Dr. Craig DeForest:

Dr. Craig DeForest is the Director of Solar and Heliospheric Physics at the Southwest Research Institute, leads the Polarimeter to UNify the Corona and Heliosphere (PUNCH) mission for NASA, and is the former Chair of the American Astronomical Society’s Solar Physics Division. He works to better understand how our nearest star affects the planet we live on. He has conceived and built several new types of scientific instrument, and holds four patents on instrumentation and image processing methods. DeForest lives in Nederland, CO with his wife and two teenagers, and skis Eldora regularly.

ALL TICKET PRICES ARE INCLUSIVE OF SERVICE FEES

Challenger and Hubble: Preventable Failures

Challenger and Hubble: Preventable Failures

by | Aug 21, 2024

Low Ticket Alert!

This is a featured event of the Astronaut Ice Cream Space Series at Chautauqua

Presented in partnership with:

Door time: 7:00

Show time: 7:30

As NASA’s Director, Astrophysics, Dr. Pellerin had a payload in Challenger’s cargo bay, and led the team that built, launched, and repaired Hubble. Although the root causes of failures appeared to be technical, the Failure Review Boards found that they were social. Dr. Pellerin will explore these (generally ignored) causes, and how they could have be remedied, if acknowledged.

Charles (Charlie) Pellerin, PhD (Astrophysics), MBA (Harvard Business):

In 1970, NASA/Goddard Space Center gave Charlie their highest patent-related monetary award for a “Two-axis Fluxgate Magnetometer” (US patent). He published in IEEE Transactions, then earned a PhD in Astrophysics from Catholic University of America publishing in Solar Physics and the Astrophysical Journal. He then received their Alumni Award for Outstanding Achievement in Science. Charlie then earned an “Executive MBA” at the Harvard Business School’s Program for Management Development.

In 1983, NASA made Charlie Director, Astrophysics. He led this multi-billion-dollar program for a decade launching twelve satellites. NASA awarded him the Creative Management Award, then an Outstanding Leadership Medal. Charlie invented and implemented the $20 Billion Great Observatories Program. For this, the American Astronautical Society gave Charlie their highest award, the Space Flight Award.

In 1990, Charlie’s team launched Hubble Space Telescope into space with a flawed mirror. He then mounted the successful repair mission that fixed the telescope. For this NASA awarded him a very unusual 2nd Outstanding Leadership Medal.

NASA surprised him with the Distinguished Service Medal, “when the contribution is so extraordinary that other forms of recognition would be inadequate” for a decade of leadership in Space Astrophysics. Charlie also received “Presidential Rank” awards from Ronald Reagan and from Bill Clinton for “sustained superior accomplishment.”

In 1993, Charlie joined the University of Colorado’s Business School as a professor of Leadership. He created “21st Century Leadership” for honors-undergrads, MBAs, and executives. His classes had the highest ratings in the college, consistently “A+.”

In 1995, when business CEO’s asked him to bring this material into their companies, Charlie founded “4-D Systems” with sales of $50 Million during 2002 to 2012. His team won the International Coach Federation’s 2007 Prism Award for “enhanced excellence and business achievement with quantitative measurements…”

China Aerospace made Charlie an “Honorary Professor,” and Asia America Multi-Tech Association of China made Charlie a “Professor,” the first foreigner and ninth person ever to receive this honor.

Following Hubble’s 25th anniversary, David Frigerio, an LA-based screenwriter wrote a movie about Charlie’s life and Hubble. Screenplay completed, we have a “Sizzle Reel,” https://bit.ly/3maD1C0 to market the film, which COVID has delayed completing.

COVID ended his international workshops, effectively closing his teambuilding business. His book, “How NASA Builds Teams” (Wiley, 2009) sells well in English and ten other languages, with “best-seller” status in China. All his intellectual property is free to all and his YouTube channel has educational videos at ​https://bit.ly/3wff6py.

He and his wife, Junko, recently rebuilt their Boulder house after the 2020 Calwood wildfire. They now particularly enjoy travelling to Ryokans (Traditional Japanese Inns). And he continues to support “4-D Systems” providers, worldwide.

ALL TICKET PRICES ARE INCLUSIVE OF SERVICE FEES

Sturtz with Micki Balder

Sturtz with Micki Balder

by | Aug 7, 2024

Presented By KGNU

Door time: 7:30

Show time: 8:00

Sturtz

Sturtz’s music stands out for its distinctive, soothing instrumental and vocal harmonies. The acoustic quartet – Andrew Sturtz [vocals, guitar], Jim Herlihy [banjo], Courtlyn Carpenter [cello], and Will Kuepper [bass] – falls somewhere at the intersection of folk and soul, with lead singer Andrew Sturtz’s melodic vocals soaring over the lower string instrumentals. Sturtz is based in Boulder, CO, and has toured across the U.S. opening for groups like the Eli Young Band, Trout Steak Revival, Lillie Mae, the Band of Heathens, and Smooth Hound Smith. NPR’s All Songs Considered described the band as “a reassuring breath of fresh air that pulls me back to simpler times” in their April 2020 blog. Sturtz released their debut album You’ve Done this Before in August 2021, and now they are hard at work touring on this album and writing songs for their next album. When they’re not playing music, you’ll probably find them milling flour, farming, laying in a creek, or eating native foliage. 

Micki Balder

Denver-based singer-songwriter Micki Balder explains your feelings and experiences using the words you couldn’t find. With tender vocals and subtle fingerpicking reminiscent of First Aid Kid and the Weepies, she tells musical tales of bittersweet stories, budding love, and heartbreak, bringing her listeners together to participate joyfully in the sorrows of the world.

ALL TICKET PRICES ARE INCLUSIVE OF SERVICE FEES

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