UPCOMING EVENTS
OPEN TO ALL!

September 10, 2024

Maxwell Frost, US Representative (FL 10th District)

David Hogg, Co-Founder and President, Leaders We Deserve

Will Young People Vote in November?

Two articulate activist members of Gen Z offer their observations about how young people perceive the current political scene and the Presidential candidates. They offer thoughtful ideas about how we can activate younger people to vote in November.

View the video here.

June 11, 2024

David Leonhardt

How American Capitalism Has Evolved — Are We Losing the American Dream?

Our summer host Barry Nolan draws out New York Times columnist David Leonhardt on a mosaic of intriguing issues. Get David’s clear insights – delivered with good humor, ease, and credible data – about why Democrats must listen without disdain to public opinion on topics like immigration and gender equity … how both Democrats and Republicans have mobilized popular resentment against those in power … what “make America great again” really means to people … why abortion is not necessarily a winning issue for politicians … and much more.

View the video here.

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May 8, 2024
Derek Reich and Zander Moricz 
How We Can Preserve the Ideals of Florida's Education System

Welcome to our summer 2024 Zoom series, with a fresh format hosted by Barry Nolan, award-winning TV reporter and anchor.  Barry leads a lively conversation with two local young people who are hard at work for change: Zander, a Harvard student and Executive Director of the Social Equity through Education Alliance (SEE) and Derek, a Sarasota High School teacher who is running for State House District 73.  A lively and timely discussion with two people whose efforts will make a difference in November.

View the video here.

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February 6, 2024

Heather Cox Richardson 

Democracy Awakening — Notes on the State of America

Former WBZ-TV Boston anchorwoman Liz Walker directs fascinating and wide-ranging questions to historian, writer and blogger Heather Cox Richardson, in the company of more than 200 quests at our February 6 luncheon. Heather tells us why and how we are at risk for losing key aspects of our democracy and what we can do to defend it. She shares in her observations on why a minority of voters passionately support Trump, the disturbing rise in anti-Semitism, the complicated situation in the Middle East, and much more.

View the video here.

October 3, 2023

Anna Eskamani

An "Opportunity Agenda" For Returning Sanity to Florida

Democratic star Anna Eskamani explains how she is building trust by understanding different communities’ needs, and helping to address them. She shares her concerns about the influence of corporate money on Florida politics -- for example, with clean water and other environmental remediations -- and outlines her plans for creating change in Tallahassee.

View the  video here.

September 5, 2023

The Giffords Center for Gun Violence Team

We Can Prevent Gun Violence in Florida

Ryan Busse, former firearms executive, Nico Bocour, VP for State Initiatives and Cassie Baars, Florida Development Manager describe how the gun industry's irresponsible marketing is stoking our nation's radical right-wing and helping to spike domestic violence. They describe Giffords' Florida programs to educate the public, end the gun lobby's stranglehold on our political system, and achieve common-sense gun laws.

View the video here.

July 11, 2023

Emily Brown

Yes, We Can Reform the U.S. Immigration System

Attorney Emily Brown, Director of the Immigration Clinic at the Ohio State University, explains the main paths by which noncitizens immigrate to the U.S. -- and how they present enormous barriers to achieving legal status. Learn why our immigration system is broken and what Congress, the President, and we all can do to fix it.

View the video here.