Random Acts of Knowledge

Between 1977 and 2011, 298 men and women were sentenced to the Illinois death row. 20 of those individuals were exonerated when new evidence, or a new look with DNA analysis, proved them to be wrongfully convicted.

Attorneys with the Illinois Innocence Project discuss how people can become wrongfully convicted, and the efforts made to free those serving time for crimes they did not commit.

John Hanlon and Steven Beckett with the Illinois Innocence Project will speak at the Heartland Community College "Hawk Talks" event on April 21.

Artists often use their work to create a conversation about their environment, their innermost feelings, or concerns.  In some places, such attempts at speech are silenced. 

An Iranian artist speaks about her work, and the work of other women who face barriers not only of government censorship but even of self-censorship.

View the transcript here.

Landscape painter Douglas Johnson's exhibit "A Sense of Place" collects an array of midwestern scenes.  Some of the subject matter may seem modest: autumn farm fields and grain elevators; a laundromat or an abandoned auto repair station.

Yet Johnson says the paintings that depict familiar locations near his home town are met with moments when the light plays against the subjects and evokes mood and story.

View the transcript here.

Not many Heartland Community College freshman are veterans of the world of Illinois state politics. But today we talk to one who not only created legislation, but got it passed.  All before finishing high school.

HCC student Keagan Hall is studying early childhood education, but as a senior at Pontiac Township High School she and a classmate wrote and lobbied for legislation that would achieve additional protections for Illinois land and water.

Keagan, with the help of Pontiac high school teacher (and HCC CollegeNOW instructor) Paul Ritter, were able to create legislation that was signed into law in August of 2020.

View the transcript here.

The art exhibit My COVID Year presents work inspired by, and made during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Melissa Johnson creates textile-based work in conjunction with her scholarly research on the histories of craft and its intersections with modern and contemporary art.  During the pandemic, Johnson created work that responded to the work of Virginia Woolf, in particular to a section of the 1931 novel “The Waves.”

View the transcript here.

The art exhibit My COVID Year presents work inspired by, and made during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Photographer Rashod Taylor spent a year working from home during the COVID pandemic and produced a series of photographs documenting his 6-year old son’s life.  Taylor says the conditions of the pandemic strengthened his bond to his family, influenced his art and prompted reflections on his role as a father.

View the transcript here.

Do you know someone who acts like they are the star of their own movie and you and their other friends are just supporting players?

This type of behavior has a new name: “Main Character Syndrome,” and it can overwhelm friends and loved ones. It’s not all bad, though. Some degree of self-loving behavior is positive.  

In our Random Acts of Knowledge podcast we chat with counselor Jessica Jackson about finding the right balance of “Main Character Energy” to live a healthy life.

View the transcript here.

Even with recycling, everyday products still present us with a lot of disposable waste.

How do we teach kids to be mindful of the impact that everyday objects might have on our environment?

Conscious crafting is a fun and engaging series of activities that can help teach kids not only how to get creative but also educate a little on the re-usability of materials that can otherwise just take up space in a landfill.

View the transcript here.

Dr. Justin Rickard had little interest in school when he enrolled at Heartland Community College. But finding the right teacher at the right time sparked an interest in continuing his education.

Rickard is now an Associate Professor of Animal Science with a teaching and research appointment at Illinois State University.  He discussed his path in academia, how he has never strayed far from his interest in farming, and giving back in the classroom.

View the transcript here.

The success of business is dependent on a workforce that has developed not only job-specific skills but also the soft skills that help with cohesiveness and productivity.
Advancing a workplace that promotes equity, diversity, and inclusion is one of the most critical commitments for employers and employees alike.

Workshops like the Essential Workplace Skills series can help managers and employees alike learn what they don't know, and need to learn, about promoting a healthy, equitable business environment.

View the transcript here.