For the past 40 years, large corporations have amassed increasing power over our economy, and this consolidation has had detrimental impacts on workers, small business, and our communities. In this presentation, Morgan Harper and Pat Garofalo from American Economic Liberties Project will provide a brief overview of how we got to this point, and policy changes at the local, state, and federal levels that would address this issue and put our country on a more equitable course.

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Morgan Harper is a Columbus resident, lawyer and founder of the grassroots organization, Columbus Stand Up! She is a Senior Advisor to the American Economic Liberties Project. Previously, she was a candidate to represent Ohio's Third Congressional District. Morgan was also a Vice President at Local Initiatives Support Corporation, the nation's largest community development financial institution, and worked at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau as a Senior Advisor to the first Director. 

Pat Garofalo is director of state and local policy at the American Economic Liberties Project. He is the author of “The Billionaire Boondoggle: How Our Politicians Let Corporations and Bigwigs Steal Our Money and Jobs,” and the Boondoggle newsletter on Substack. He was previously a journalist and editor at U.S. News & World Report, ThinkProgress, and TalkPoverty.org.

2020 has been fraught with devastation from extreme weather events such as wildfires and hurricanes. NBC4 meteorologist Ben Gelber explores the effects of climate change and human impact.

How do you know what to believe in the face of a global pandemic and during one of the most fraught presidential election cycles in U.S. history? Inaccurate claims are spread, often innocently, but sometimes maliciously. Learn about social media's impact on information, the data and research behind how humans absorb information, and how to guard against fake news and misinformation, by Ohio State University Professor Dr. R. Kelly Garrett.

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View the video of this program on YouTube at this link: https://youtu.be/tTOLw6O8vyY

Mindfulness is about more than relaxation and breath awareness. It’s about practicing exercises that develop attentional skills. Just as physical exercise strengthens the body, mindfulness practice strengthens attention. Discover with Mindfulness Coach Daron Larson how developing your attentional fitness—with or without meditation—develops capacities for relating more effectively to the challenges of daily living.

Fifty years after the bloody tragedy at Kent State in May 1970, it remains a vivid symbol of the deep divide generated by the Vietnam War.  Professor Michael Flamm explores the emergence and impact of the antiwar movement as well as the events and legacies of a fateful day.

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View the video of this program on YouTube at this link: https://youtu.be/xOGUTzjmrQY

In conjunction with the 15th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina & our book club pick The Yellow House, Dr. Hasan Jeffries examines how race & class were tied up in the devastation of Katrina. 

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View the video of this program on YouTube at this link: https://youtu.be/sXO_b-4qGbY

The 2005 crisis created by Hurricane Katrina was a clear demonstration of how institutional racism and inequality have created vast disparities between black and white communities. When the storm devastated New Orleans, the mainstream media initially focused on its destruction and and economic impact, but left the role of racism and its disproportionate devastation on communities of color virtually untouched. 

Dr. Hasan Jeffries lends a historic perspective to our virtual BPL book club pick, The Yellow House, which is set over decades in New Orleans. In this program, Dr. Jeffries discusses how race and class impacted not only the results of Hurricane Katrina, but continue to effect the country's response to natural man-made disasters today. 

For more information about Dr. Hasan Jeffries please visit his bio at https://history.osu.edu/people/jeffries.57

On July 30th, 2020, Ohio State University Professors Ned Foley & Steven Huefner led a discussion about the impacts of COVID-19 on the 2020 election cycle, including challenges during the primaries, mail-in voting, and more. 

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View the video of this program on YouTube at this link: https://youtu.be/C-YoSlRPR8Q

On March 9, 2020, Dr. Abigail Norris Turner, an infectious diseases epidemiologist and Associate Professor at Ohio State University, presented on the current coronavirus epidemic. She discussed what is currently known about this virus’s origin and spread, and explained the rationale and effectiveness of control measures in place in Ohio and around the world. An extensive Q&A follows the presentation.

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As an epidemiologist, Dr. Turner has conducted domestic and international research for nearly 20 years. Her research characterizes the behavioral, clinical and immunological factors associated with increased risk of disease acquisition.

NOTE: As more information is learned about the Coronavirus outbreak, the understanding of the epidemic is changing. Please consult reputable public health resources for up-to-date information.

Columbus Public Health

Ohio Department of Health

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

World Health Organization

What factors helped Bexley become a prosperous inner-ring suburb? How did Columbus's geography of opportunity change over time? Jason Reece, Assistant Professor of City and Regional Planning at the Knowlton School of Architecture, discusses the history and impact of factors such as housing discrimination and credit access behind Bexley's development and the development of other Columbus neighborhoods.

Jane Austen's last, unfinished novel, Sanditon, follows a man attempting to transform a small seaside town into a health resort. Screenwriter Andrew Davies (Pride and Prejudice), has finished the story and it began airing as a Masterpiece series on PBS on January 12. Dr. Jamison Kantor, Assistant Professor of English at The Ohio State University, provides context around the world events and details of Jane Austen's life that shaped this novel.