Lectures
ALL is pleased to present short form lectures of interest to our learning community and will announce them as presenters are confirmed. If you are interested in making a presentation or have a suggestion, please contact mmyenokida@gmail.com.
December
Bellingham Cruise Terminal, Bellingham, WA, 10 a.m. - noon
To be rescheduled
$20 for members and non-members
During the past year, ALL’s lecture series on artificial intelligence has examined this technology’s emerging impact on medicine, government, education, ethics, and even art. In this capstone lecture, Shawn Kemp, the dynamic innovator who launched our AI series, explores the rapidly evolving role of artificial intelligence and its profound impact on our daily lives, relationships, and sense of self.
From automation in the workplace to the integration of AI into personal routines and creative expression, we are living in an era where technology is reshaping what it means to be human. This discussion delves into the ongoing ethical, societal, and emotional implications of AI, asking important questions about identity, responsibility, and the future of human connection.
How will AI influence our values and purpose? What opportunities and challenges lie ahead as we navigate this new era? Please join us as Shawn returns to consider the intersection of technology and humanity and what it means for the future.
Lecturer: Shawn Kemp
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Shawn Kemp has a degree in industrial design. As an entrepreneur and innovator, he helped launch dozens of products including the very first Xbox website. Today, as a technologist, he works with companies and non-profits focusing on user experience, community organizing and data. His work embraces the AI paradigm shift that is impacting every aspect of a business.
On a personal level, he has been inspired to produce artwork using cutting-edge generative algorithms and precision laser technology. Pushing the boundaries of traditional art, AI allows him to merge the organic beauty of math with the precision of modern science.
March
Bellingham Cruise Terminal, Bellingham, WA, 10 a.m. - noon
March 13, 2025
$20 for members and non-members
The Second Trump Administration: Populism, Race and Two American Nations
Since 2009, I have been arguing that the United States is two nations, not one; that racial attitudes are central to each national identity; and that social movements of a populist character have critically shaped each national identity.
Since 2016, I have explored the manner in which Donald Trump’s movement on the right and Bernie Sanders’s movement on the left are manifestations of right and left populism.
In this lecture I will do three things. First, I will examine the impact of right and left populism on the 2024 presidential election. Secondly, I will look at the role of race in each campaign. Finally, I will offer some thoughts on the future of the republic in this era of polarization fueled by differences over race and racial identity.
Lecturer: Dr. Vernon Damani Johnson
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Dr. Vernon Damani Johnson is the retired Ralph Munro Distinguished Professor of Civic Education, Department of Political Science, Western Washington University.
His research focus is comparative settler colonial states in the global system. Damani has authored several scholarly and popular articles and two books on issues ranging from revolution in Africa to race and identity in American politics. In the wake of the murder of George Floyd, he has advised both grassroots groups and government officials on ways to eliminate systemic racism from American institutions.