A student group at Flagler College takes a deep dive into the effects of political misinformation and media bias in a campus event dubbed a “Civic Revival.” The event features John Gable, cofounder and CEO of AllSides, a technology company that aims to puncture political illusions based on mis- or disinformation, and to break through cultural silos that prevent civic engagement and community connection. The forum, “The Understanding Crisis: Why We All Can’t Seem to Get Along,” will be held in Lewis Auditorium at 6 p.m. Wednesday and is open to the public.

Resources for conducting insightful and respectful community conversations can be found at Living Room Conversations.

Guests:

• John Gable, cofounder and CEO of AllSides
• Gabriel James, founder and president of Pathway America

Boys to men

Former Jaguars linebacker Lonnie Marts Jr. is the father of five kids, but when he was growing up, his own father was not around. The experience inspired him to found Level the Playing Field Leadership Academy, a program designed to offer young men academic and emotional support while increasing their exposure to opportunities for cultural enrichment and character development. The program is open to boys ages 10-12, and participants remain in the program through age 21. We talk to Marts and a program participant about the power of male role models and the role the larger community can play in offering young men a helping hand.

Guests:

• JaQari Matthews, program mentee and First Coast High School senior
• Lonnie Marts Jr., former Jaguars linebacker, CEO and founder of Level the Playing Field Leadership Academy

Reprising Black silent films

The legacy of late Jacksonville silent filmmaker Richard Norman is celebrated in a new documentary project by students at The Performance Academy. Norman, a white director and producer who earned fame and fortune creating so-called “race films” featuring all-Black casts, has only one surviving film, The Flying Ace, from 1926. But he continues to inspire young filmmakers. The students’ short film Mute merges silent film traditions with modern themes. We discuss it ahead of the film’s premiere at the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville at 6:30 p.m. Friday.

Guests:

• Jackson Boatwright, director of Fade to Black and Mute
• Nathan Boatwright, actor portraying Richard Norman
• Dylon Berryhill, executive producer of Fade to Black and Mute
  Kathryn McAvoy, executive director of The Performance Academy