Upcoming Elmhurst Events: CAC Critical Conversations

THE CITIZEN ADVOCACY CENTER OFFERS “CRITICAL CONVERSATION” FORUMS THIS FALL ON THE INTERSECTION OF RACE AND DIFFERENT ISSUES OF DEMOCRACY

Who: The Citizen Advocacy Center

What: “Critical Conversations” Forum Series examining democracy and the intersection of race and ethnicity. In addition, if you have a mobile phone, tablet, or laptop, please bring it to participate in all forum activities. Attendees without these devices will be provided alternate means to participate.

Location: All forums are to be held at the Elmhurst Public Library at 125 S. Prospect Ave, in meeting room A.

Time: All forums are held from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.

Please note that Elmhurst Public Library is not a sponsor of the organization's program.

Series Topics:

Wednesday, October 5, “The History and Current Context behind Challenges for Latinos in Public Education.” What is bilingual education, and what values does it serve? How has current bilingual education practice been influenced by the struggles against segregation and anti-immigrant racism?

Whether you were raised in a household in which a language other than English was spoken none, some, or all of the time, this program and discussion will inform you about the notion of uniformity of language in the modern nation-state and the evolution of bilingual education in the United States set against a backdrop of history, law and legal traditions, and the contemporary experiences of attendees, with a focus on Latinos/as.

Wednesday, October 19, “Public Education Funding, Diversity, and Achievement.” What accounts for race- and class-based achievement gaps? Education’s efficacy among racial groups and between socio-economic classes has been viewed through the lens of racial bias testing, discrimination or segregation in schools and classrooms, socioeconomic disparities of families and communities, differences in family interactions, teachers’ perceptions and treatment of students, overall school quality, and more. Ultimately, regardless of which education policy is implemented, the resources needed to implement policy require funding.

How do communities hold their states and school districts accountable to ensure that funding is used efficiently and effectively? During this program and discussion, attendees will explore these questions against a backdrop of how some state legislatures have made strides to address these issues.

Wednesday, November 2, “Big Brother, the Law and You.” What is the role that race and ethnicity play in determining the reasonableness of searches and seizures under Fourth Amendment jurisprudence, and what should that role be? How does law create privacy inequities between races and classes in the U.S.?

During this program and discussion, Supreme Court interpretations of the Fourth Amendment guarantee against unreasonable searches and seizures by government -- including the exclusionary rule, third party doctrine, physical trespass doctrine, and reasonableness jurisprudence -- are reviewed with a focus on how Fourth Amendment jurisprudence appears “race-neutral” but has profound racialized social consequences.

Wednesday, November 16, “Democracy, Diversity, and Third Party Candidates.” Independents are no longer predominantly white – according to one academic study of self-identified independents, more than 40% are non-white. Voters who call themselves independent describe a wide variety of political positions. Why do voters fail to develop ties to either major party? How do we account for non-partisanship among minority voters? How have third parties historically organized around racial issues? In this program and discussion, attendees will examine the role of third-parties in expressing dissent and advancing social agendas.

*RSVPs welcomed but not required: 630-833-4080 or email cac@citizenadvocacycenter.org

*These forums are made possible in part by a grant from the Illinois Humanities Council.

*The Citizen Advocacy Center engages in a multifaceted approach to building democracy through community organizing, coalition building, legal advocacy, civic education, and litigation to make government more accountable, accessible, and transparent.