In your area November 5 & 13, 2008

RICHARD RODRIGUEZ – Essayist Richard Rodriguez discusses how America – and every American - is shaped by the continual interaction of cultures, blurring boundaries between “black” and “white”, Hispanic and Anglo. He is the author of the critically acclaimed books Hunger of Memory, Days of Obligation: An Argument With My Mexican Father and Brown: The Last Discovery of America.

In your area February 17 & 19, 2009

NEIL deGRASSE TYSON – As Director of the Hayden Planetarium and host of the PBS magazine “NOVA Science NOW”, Dr. Tyson is one of the most high profile astrophysicists in America. He hopes to use the state-of-the-art Hayden to capture the scientific curiosity of a new generation of young people. His recent books include One Universe: At Home in the Cosmos, Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries, and Origins, the companion book to his acclaimed four-hour miniseries on the PBS program “NOVA.”

In your area March 6, 2009

DAN MOLDEA – An unrelenting investigative journalist, best-selling author Dan Moldea focuses on the world of organized crime in America in the highly acclaimed Hoffa Wars and Dark Victory. His controversial book Interference linked the NFL to the Mafia and embroiled Moldea in a landmark legal battle. He has also published the definitive books on the murder of Robert Kennedy, the O.J. Simpson case, and Vincent Foster's suicide.

In your area March 11, 2009

FREDERICK LANE – If personal privacy is something we truly value, how do we find a balance with the role of emerging technologies?  Attorney and technology expert Lane takes a hard look at the rapid evolving laws governing computers, privacy and free speech, at home, in school and in the workplace.  Look for his recent books The Decency Wars: The Campaign to Cleanse American Culture and The Court and the Cross: The Religious Right’s Crusade to Reshape the Supreme Court.

In your area March 24, 2009

ROBERT BULLARD – Leading the battle for environmental justice, from dealing with the toxic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to curbing urban sprawl, Dr. Bullard tells the stories of frontline warriors who are fighting environmental and human rights abuses. His research and activism challenges government and industry policies that place people of color and the poor at special risk. He is the author of 14 books, including Growing Smarter: Achieving Livable Communities, Environmental Justice, and Regional Equity and The Black Metropolis in the Twenty-First Century: Race, Power, and the Politics of Place, which were released in 2007.

In your area April 14, 2009

MARGARET LOWMAN - Involved in long-term studies of rainforest regeneration, Lowman has developed canopy techniques, including ropes, walkways, hot air balloons, construction cranes, and combinations of these methods. She frequently speaks about her jungle adventures and about rainforest conservation to educational groups. She continues to travel worldwide to “map the canopy for biodiversity”, and to work on conservation.

In your area April 21, 2009

TISSA HAMI – From Islamic fundamentalists to white liberals to good old-fashioned racists, no one is safe from stand-up comic Tissa Hami’s sharp wit.  One of the world’s few female Muslim stand-up comics, she hopes that her comedy will help break down stereotypes about Muslim women and foster understanding between Iranians and Americans, though she warns that people who disapprove of her act will be taken hostage.