Events
Events
Upcoming Events
William R. and Linda K. Cotter Discourse and Deliberation Series
Working to Recognize Wabanaki Tribal Sovereignty: A conversation with tribal and Maine Legislative Leaders
Tuesday, October 3, 2023 | 7 PM -8:15 PM | Ostrove Auditorium, Diamond Building
For more than 40 years, legislation in the state of Maine has prevented the Wabanaki Nations — the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, Mi’kmaq Nation, Passamaquoddy Tribe, and Penobscot Nation — from exercising their inherent tribal sovereignty.
Please join Maulian Bryant LL.D ’22, Penobscot Nation Ambassador; Aaron Dana, Passamaquoddy Tribal Representative to the Maine House of Representatives; Rachel Talbot Ross, Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives (D-Portland); and Rick Bennett, Maine State Senator (R-Oxford) as they discuss how this has resulted in decades of social and economic impacts to the Wabanaki people and how they are building a movement for tribal sovereignty in Maine.
A reception with coffee and dessert begins at 6:30 PM. Remarks will begin at 7 PM. An RSVP is recommended as seating is limited. The event will also be live streamed and recorded.
Learn more about this issue, the history of Wabanaki sovereignty in Maine, and the unique and precedent-setting approaches the Maine legislature and Wabanaki tribal leaders are using to address both by visiting the website for the Wabanaki Alliance.
The Creator's Game: The indigenous roots of the game called "Lacrosse"
Monday, October 2, 2023 | 7 PM -8:15 PM | Ostrove Auditorium, Diamond Building
The game of Lacrosse is one of the Haudenosaunee’s most revered traditions, a celebration of health, strength, courage, leadership, and fair play, and spirituality as a “medicine” game.
Join Michael-Corey Francis Hinton, citizen of the Passamaquoddy Tribe (Sipayik), and partner with the law firm of Drummond Woodsum as he discusses the history of the Creator’s Game and how its traditions and values impact indigenous and non-indigenous communities today.
This event is sponsored by Colby Athletics, the Center for the Arts and Humanities, and the Goldfarb Center and is part of the Play Seminar Series, which is co-sponsored by the Departments of Cinema Studies, English and Creative Writing, Government, Sociology, Spanish, the Latin American Studies Program, and the Oak Institute for Human Rights.
Reception and Panel Discussion with Ghetto Gastro
Thursday, September 28, 2023 | 6:00-9:00PM | Gordon Center for the Creative and Performing Arts
Ghetto Gastro, a globally-recognized collective of chefs, is made up of curators and cultural practitioners who use food as a tool to tell stories about the Bronx, where they come from, and the cultures that inspire them. Their work reflects the ethos and spirit of working across disciplines, geographies, and cultures for the sake of community empowerment, community building, and social justice.
Ghetto Gastro’s visit to Colby’s campus represents a campus-wide co-sponsorship of this momentous event, including the Colby Arts Office, Campus Dining, Campus Life, SGA, the Center for the Arts and Humanities, the Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs, the Department of African American Studies, and the Lunder Institute for American Art as partners.
A pre-panel reception starts at 6PM with appetizers, cocktails, and mocktails inspired by the Black Power Kitchen. The panel discussion begins at 7PM and will be moderated by Erica Wall, Director of the Lunder Institute for American Art. The reception resumes following the panel with a celebratory battle of the DJs. This is a no-cost ticketed event.
Past Events
2023 - 2024
The International War Against Democracy: Current Threats and Building a Stronger Future
September 12, 2023
Democracies worldwide are under sustained attack. At the heart of all democracies are their institutions, with the justice sector at its core, buttressed by media, civil society and others which reflect the voice of those nations’ peoples. These institutions are the focus of anti-democratic forces’ efforts, in all parts of the world, including the US. To defeat these dictators, autocrats and other anti-democratic leaders and movements requires urgent action at all levels: locally, nationally and through multilateral coordination. Drawing on his decades-long career as a diplomat and public servant, Ambassador (retired) Robert Gelbard ’64, LL.D ’02 shares his call to action and offer insights into preserving a future for global democracy.
Robert S. Gelbard is a former U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia, East Timor and Bolivia. In addition to his ambassadorial postings, Mr. Gelbard has served in several senior Foreign Service positions under Presidents Clinton, George H. W. Bush, and Obama, including as President Clinton’s Special Representative for the Balkans. A decorated public servant, and Peace Corps volunteer, the Ambassador has had a long and distinguished career in diplomacy and democracy-building. He is also a former Colby Trustee
Linda Cotter Speaker Series
Unlivable: How a changing climate will force a global migration
August 9, 2023
2022 - 2023
Policy and Practice Solutions
for Addressing Childcare Shortages
May 31, 2023
On May 31, 2023, the Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs partnered with the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston to host “Policy and Practice Solutions for Addressing Childcare Shortages,” a half-day event bringing together stakeholders on the leading edge of identifying solutions to Maine’s childcare crisis, one of the more vexing public policy issues of the day. The convening highlighted the relationship between childcare access challenges and the workforce, private sector opportunities to shift the current policy landscape on this issue, and practices being utilized by several Maine-based companies to support working parents. In addition, the event also sparked an original student-faculty research project led by Professor Nick Jacobs in collaboration with Claudia Miner ‘23; Gabriel Rivas Orellana ‘23; and Zoe Onyango ‘25. Read more about the event in Colby News.
2023 Freedom of Expression Symposium
April 18, 2023
Congratulations to the winners of the 2023 Freedom of Expression Symposium!
An annual policy competition sponsored by the Goldfarb Center, the Freedom of Expression Symposium is an opportunity for any student on campus to pitch their brilliant idea for making the world a better place through policy change. The theme of the 2023 Symposium was healthcare. Read all of the inspiring policy ideas presented at this year’s competition here.
Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights: Protecting People and Innovation
April 13, 2023
AI is transforming our lives. As tech companies, researchers, and users advance the technology, what policies should govern its use? How should we think about our rights and responsibilities in this changing landscape? In what ways can computer scientists and policy experts work together to create effective guidelines and regulatory practices to create a responsible AI future?
Sorelle Friedler Ph.D., the Shibulal Family Associate Professor of Computer Science at Haverford College and co-author of the Biden Administration’s AI Bill of Rights, took part in a conversation co-hosted by the Davis Institute for Artificial Intelligence, the Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs, and the Departments of Computer Science, Science, Technology, and Society (STS), and Anthropology about the policy challenges presented by this technology and how lawmakers, practitioners and advocates are responding.
Sick in the System: Addressing Healthcare Inequalities in Prisons
April 7, 2023
A lunch with Joseph Jackson, Executive Director of the Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition
Join us for a conversation with Joseph Jackson, a leading advocate for prison healthcare reform in Maine. With 19 years of personal experience inside the Maine Department of Corrections, Jackson brings a unique perspective to the topic. As the Advocacy Director of the Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition, he has overseen the proposing, pushing, and enacting of many pieces of legislation related to prison healthcare. Jackson’s insights and experiences will challenge and inspire us to think critically about the role of healthcare in the criminal justice system.
In addition to his role at MPAC, Mr. Jackson is the Founder of Maine State Prison charter of the NAACP and served on its Executive Committee in several capacities. While incarcerated, earned his Associate and Bachelor’s degrees with summa cum laude honors from University of Southern Maine. He was the first prisoner in Maine to be selected to University of Southern Maine’s Stonecoast MFA in the Creating Writing graduate program and he is the Advocacy Director with Maine Inside Out.
Addressing the Challenges of Gun Violence in America with Data Informed Solutions
February 9, 2023
Featuring Daniel W. Webster, ScD, MPH, from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, joined by Darcie N. McElwee, United States Attorney for the District of Maine
Dr. Webster, one of the nation’s leading experts on the prevention of gun violence, has published widely on the impacts of gun policies on homicides, suicides, and gun trafficking and has led studies of community violence intervention programs, youth violence prevention, and intimate partner violence. He is the lead editor and contributor to Reducing Gun Violence in America: Informing Policy with Evidence and Analysis.
Unrest in Iran: Recent Protests and the Future of Women's Rights
February 8, 2023
A conversation with award-winning journalist Azadeh Moaveni
Azadeh Moaveni is a journalist, writer, and associate professor at NYU, where she directs the Global Journalism Program. Her books and articles explore the interaction between gender and armed conflict, and how women’s rights, security, and political participation are impacted by war and authoritarianism. As a correspondent for the Los Angeles Times and Time Magazine, she covered the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and has reported from Egypt, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, and Tunisia.
2022 William R. and Linda K. Cotter Debate Series
Is the Era of Big Government Over, or is it Just Beginning?
Thursday, November 17, 2022 | 7:30 p.m. | Diamond Building-Ostrove Auditorium
Over the past three years, Americans have witnessed a profound change in the size and scope of government not seen in decades: public-health mandates, direct cash payments to individuals, growing divisions between “red” and “blue” states, and trillions of dollars in new spending. While not perfect, many look back and see evidence that government works, that it can be made to work better, and that the time has finally come to redefine Americans’
relationship with public authority in a country long skeptical of “big” government. Others have taken the opposite lesson: experts got more wrong than they did right, because they are apt to usually get it wrong; massive spending continues to create moral hazard in the marketplace; big government is a root cause of the country’s deepening political divisions. What does “good
government” look like in an era of growing inequality and social division? What lessons should we take from the last few years in redesigning government programs? Can we fix government, or is it doomed to repeat its mistakes?
The fall Cotter Debate will bring to campus two leading thinkers to discuss both sides of this issue, to reflect on Americans changing relationship with government, and to consider what should be done to make it work better. Megan McArdle is a Washington Post columnist who writes regularly on issues related to government policy, finance, and the economy. The author of The Up Side of Down: Why Failing Well Is the Key to Success, she has also written for The Atlantic, Newsweek, The Daily Beast, and Bloomberg View. Donald Moynihan is the McCourt Chair at the McCourt School of Public Policy, where he co-directs the “Better Government Lab.” His research has informed key policymakers from the U.S. Office of Management and Budget to the United Nations, and was cited in both President Obama’s and President Biden’s budget
proposals.
The debate will be moderated by Nicholas Jacobs, assistant professor of government at Colby.
A dessert bar and Goldfarb branded swag will be available.
Ukrainian Photojournalists to Receive Lovejoy Award for Courage in Journalism Their coverage of the atrocities in Mariupol “defines courage”
Friday, October 14 | 4 p.m. | Lorimer Chapel, Colby College
In its continuing efforts to recognize individuals who put themselves at personal risk for the sake of truth-telling, Colby College will honor two Ukrainians with the 2022 Elijah Parish Lovejoy Award for Courage in Journalism.
Mstyslav Chernov, a visual journalist and writer, and photojournalist Evgeniy Maloletka are being recognized for exceptional bravery in covering the Russian invasion of Ukraine, specifically in Mariupol, for the Associated Press. They will receive the award Friday, Oct. 14 at 4 p.m. The annual event will take place in Lorimer Chapel on Colby’s campus.
“Just as Elijah Lovejoy risked his life to expose atrocities, Mstyslav Chernov and Evgeniy Maloletka knew that showing the world what was happening in Mariupol was a cause worthy of the ultimate sacrifice,” said President David A. Greene. “Their selflessness in the face of extreme danger comes through in every photograph, video, and personal account of the Russian invasion and will forever be part of the history of this war. We are honored to have their names and their work associated with the Lovejoy Award.”
Havel and Our Crisis
An International Conference of Scholars and Leaders
September 28-30, 2022
The Goldfarb Center is proud to be one of the supporting partners for this conference at Colby, which will include lectures, talks, discussions, film screenings, and theater performances honoring Václav Havel. Havel (1936-2011) was one of the 20th century’s greatest champions of freedom, democracy, human rights, European integration, and transatlantic cooperation. The conference organizer is Visiting Assistant Professor of Government Milan Babik.
Ukraine War: The Holiday from History is Over
Linda Cotter Speaker Series
August 4, 2022
2021 - 2022
A Conversation with Musician, Entrepreneur, and Podcast Host, Eric Nam: Rising Violence Against Asians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders
April 28, 2022
In March 2021, Colby faculty led a community conversation about the ongoing and increasing violence directed at Asians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders. The conversation ranged from the role of immigration policies, historical events, stereotypes, and other factors that relate to the uptick in violence.
The Goldfarb Center continued the dialogue with Korean-American pop superstar Eric Nam. Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Eric is a multi-faceted singer, songwriter, entertainer, and host. He is one of the most popular and recognizable celebrities in Asia and has been named GQ Korea’s Man of the Year, Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia, and YouTube’s Artist Trending On The Rise. As a student at Boston College, Nam focused on international studies and social justice issues and was a very active member on campus. He has used his voice to speak out about hate crimes and inspires students to be changemakers.
The conversation was moderated by Colby Assistant Professor of Psychology Jin X. Goh, who is also a member of the Goldfarb Faculty Advisory Committee. This was an in-person only event.
2022 Symposium Winners
April 26, 2022
The annual theme for 2021-22 was Freedom of Speech. In April 2022, eight student semi-finalists presented their policy proposals on Freedom of Speech. Topics ranged from Free Speech at Colby: Problems and Recommendations, to Enhancing Freedom of the Press in the United States.
The winners were decided by a faculty panel, which included Professors Christel Kesler, Aaron Hanlon , and Jin Goh, all members of the Goldfarb Faculty Advisory Committee. The top prize went to Serena Klebba ’25 for her work on Freely Informing Consent: A Pland to Change Mandated Pre-Abortion Counseling, second place went to Amir Jiru ’24 and Chris Ward ’24 who teamed up to focus on Misinfo Ed: Addressing Social Media Misinformation Through Education, and third place was awarded to Anna doRosario ’25 for her compelling thoughts on A Turning Point: Time for an “FDA for Tech”.
Politics & Pizza
April 15, 2022
The Global Pandemic Response: Reflections & Next Steps
George J. Mitchell International Lecture Series
April 7, 2022
Each year the Mitchell Series brings a prominent policy leader to campus for a dinner and lecture designed to foster interaction with students, faculty, and members of the greater Waterville community. The series is in honor of former U.S. Senator, statesman, international negotiator, and Waterville native George Mitchell.
The prestigious guest speaker for 2022 is Gayle E. Smith, who has served as a top advisor on international issues for three American presidents and is one of the world’s leading experts on global development and global health security. In 2021, Smith took on a temporary role at the request of the Secretary of State and served as US State Department’s Coordinator for Global COVID Response & Health Security, where she played a leading role in the US effort to end the global pandemic. She is currently the CEO of the ONE Campaign. Dr. Nirav Shah, the Maine CDC Director, introduced Gayle at the Colby event.
Check out a recorded version below and learn more about Gayle Smith and the Mitchell Flagship Event.
Colby Faculty Panel: Global Perspectives on Free Speech
March 28, 2022
The Goldfarb Center hosted a panel related to this year’s annual theme, Freedom of Speech, with Colby professors speaking to the topic through a global lens. Questions that were addressed included how do policy approaches to free speech vary across countries? Is the US approach to free speech exceptional? What kinds of historical and contemporary factors help us understand different countries’ orientations toward free speech? What global and geopolitical forces shape policies on free speech?
The panel included Jen Yoder, the Robert E. Diamond Professor of Government and Global Studies and a member of the Goldfarb Faculty Advisory Committee, Jun (Philip) Fang, Visiting Assistant Professor of Sociology, and Nazli Konya, Visiting Assistant Professor of Government. Christel Kesler, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Sociology, moderated the panel discussion.
This event was live streamed at colby.edu/livestream
Social Media, Political Polarization, & Free Speech
March 17, 2022
How has social media shifted the way we consume and share information? Has the surge of digital platforms driven (or not) America’s growing political divide? What policies can balance the protection of free speech with malicious disinformation campaigns?
The Goldfarb Center hosted a high-level panel discussion, tackling these questions and more and exploring the nexus between social media, political polarization, and free speech. Panelists included Roger McNamee, a tech venture capitalist and author of Zucked: Waking Up to the Facebook Catastrophe; Renée DiResta, technical director of Stanford Internet Observatory; and Chris Vlasto, an ABC News senior executive producer. Kimberly Flowers, executive director of the Goldfarb Center, moderated the conversation.
For more information on Roger McNamee, please visit www.prhspeakers.com
Screening of The Social Dilemma Documentary
March 15, 2022
Researching for Public Impact: How to Use Your Knowledge to Impact Policy
March 11, 2022
The workshop was led by Andrew Pope and Kristina Mensik from the Scholars Strategy Network. Andrew is the Director of Training at the Scholars Strategy Network. In this role, he works closely with staff and leaders from across the network to develop trainings that empower scholars to use research to improve public policy. Andrew has a PhD from the History Department at Harvard University. Kristina is the Trainings Fellow at SSN, where she supports researchers in the policy process. In addition, Kristina is a policy advocate and researcher largely focused on state legislatures, incarceration, and political participation.
Building Bridges: How Can Academic Research and Public Policy Inform Each Other?
March 10, 2022
Check out the Goldfarb Center’s online recording of this hour-long event where we considered the role that academic research plays in informing and impacting public policy. Learn from Maine lawmakers and policy advocates about ways you can help drive evidence-based public policy on pressing contemporary issues. And learn more about the Maine Scholars Strategy Network, an organization working to strengthen democracy and improve public policy by linking academic expertise with journalists, civic organizations, and policymakers.
Winifred Tate, Associate Professor of Anthropology at Colby moderated the panel that included Rep. Jessica Fay, serving House District 66 in the Maine House of Representatives, Rep. Charlotte Warren, serving House District 84 in the Maine House of Representatives, and Julie Ann Smith, Executive Director, Maine Farm Bureau.
Politics & Pizza: War in Ukraine
March 4, 2022
The Colby Government Department hosted a panel discussion in light of recent events in Ukraine. The panel examined the current situation in the region, and more importantly, the underlying reasons why. The panel also discussed the stakes of the invasion, and international response.
The event featured William R. Cotter Distinguished Teaching Professor Ken Rodman, Visiting Assistant Professor Milan Babik, and Visiting Assistant Professor Tizoc Chavez. It was moderated by Robert E. Diamond Professor of Government and Global Studies Jennifer Yoder.
The Role and Rise of Disinformation
February 17, 2022
The Goldfarb Center welcomed Lisa Kaplan ’13, founder and CEO of Alethea Group, who discussed disinformation in the digital age. From public policies to social media tactics, Kaplan explored how the general public, government, and private companies alike can protect and mitigate disinformation and social media manipulation in today’s world.
The event was hosted in-person for the Colby community. The recorded event can now be live-streamed at colby.edu/livestream.
Free Speech in the Classroom: Conflict and Contradiction
January 11, 2022
The Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs hosted a conversation featuring Jan Plan visiting faculty Bernardine Dohrn and William Ayers. The talk was a contemporary conversation about how to respond to the desires, demands, and questions in classrooms today. What contradictions and conflicts, complexities and controversies, emerge when we consider free speech in the classroom? This is part of a series of events the Goldfarb Center has hosted this year in line with its focus on freedom of speech.
Hong Kong's Crackdown on Free Speech: A Conversation with Nathan Law
December 7, 2021
The Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs hosted a conversation with Nathan Law, a well-known democracy activist and the youngest Legislative Councilor in Hong Kong history, about the lack of free speech and expression in Hong Kong. Law spoke about the history and current state of free expression in Hong Kong and the need to raise international support for the advancement of its democracy and human rights. He also discussed his new book, Freedom: How We Lose It and How We Fight Back, which was released the same day.
In 2016, Nathan Law became Hong Kong’s youngest elected lawmaker at just 23. A year later, he was imprisoned by the Chinese authorities for his part in the Umbrella Movement. He has since been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his pro-democracy advocacy and named one of TIME magazine’s People of the Year 2020.
Law signed copies of his book that were given away to audience members after the event.
On the Docket: A Legal, Medical, and Historical Perspective on Reproductive Autonomy and What Is Happening Now at the U.S. Supreme Court
November 30, 2021
The Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs hosted on campus two leading voices on reproductive rights: Skye Perryman, formerly the chief legal officer and general counsel for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and currently president and CEO of the Democracy Forward Foundation, and Dr. Jen Villavicencio, an obstetrician-gynecologist with a public policy expertise who works in anti-racism and reproductive justice in addition to providing abortion care.
This event explored historical, legal, and medical perspectives regarding reproductive autonomy in the United States with a particular focus on the current U.S. Supreme Court term. Our speakers examined recent changes to abortion laws, including the Supreme Court’s consideration of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, which was heard on December 1, and its implications on medical care, health care access, and the law. Panelists also discuss Texas Senate Bill 8 and other developments in reproductive health policy. The event was moderated by Kimberly Flowers, Executive Director, Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs.
Does Free Speech Give Us Better Science?
November 16, 2021
Q&A with ACLU'S Senior Staff Attorney Emerson Sykes on Free Speech Protections on Campus
November 12, 2021
The Goldfarb Center hosted a thoughtful talk with one of the nation’s top First Amendment litigators on free speech issues ranging from protest rights, Black student activism on campuses, and the recent string of state classroom censorship bills. The event was an open Q&A session where Colby students had the opportunity to ask Mr. Sykes anything, which might include discussing his current cases and free speech work, free speech protection trends, or the historical role of student activism.
Fighting Hate Speech, Defending Free Speech: A Conversation with Nadine Strossen
November 4, 2021
The Goldfarb Center hosted a conversation with civil liberties leader and free speech expert Nadine Strossen, former ACLU president, and author of Hate: Why We Should Resist It with Free Speech, Not Censorship. The event officially kicked off a series of programming related to freedom of speech, the center’s theme this year. Ms. Strossen engaged in a robust Q&A with Colby students, faculty, and staff on issues ranging from how to effectively resist hate speech to free speech on college campuses. She talked about constitutional rights, the role of social media, and much more.
Fed Up: Should the Federal Reserve be responsible for addressing economic inequality?
October 28, 2021
2021 Elijah Parish Lovejoy Award
October 1, 2021
This year, the Lovejoy Award honored eight journalists for their courage and determination while facing intimidation by the U.S. Department of Justice. These journalists from the New York Times, Washington Post, and CNN, were subjected to the U.S. government’s subpoena of phone and email records related to leak investigations. They never wavered from their pursuit of important stories under these circumstances and remained resolute in their commitment to freedom of the press. The 2021 Lovejoy Award winners are Matt Apuzzo ’00, Adam Entous, Adam Goldman, Eric Lichtblau, Greg Miller, Ellen Nakashima, Michael S. Schmidt, and Barbara Starr.
New York Times reporters Matt Apuzzo ’00 and Adam Goldman joined in a conversation with Nancy Barnes, senior vice president and editorial director at NPR and a member of the Lovejoy Award Selection Committee. President Greene offered remarks and presented the awards.