Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R) of North Carolina's 5th Congressional District - began our interview with a brief history of what led her on her journey toward leadership.  From her days as a School Board Member, Professor at Appalachian University, President of Mayland Community College, NC State Senate then Seven Term Congresswoman, she revealed that her beginnings were humble and hard work guided her path.

As Chair of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, she detailed her work to improve the experiences of students of all ages. From the repeal of the Bush era's "No Child Left Behind" to improving the student loan accountability standards, Congresswoman Foxx continues to fight for educational standards that will improve the lives of young student learners and older students to obtain jobs.

Regarding the present divide in our nation, Foxx emphasized the need to focus on our positive military strength world wide and on supporting our veterans. When asked if the military should add Peace & Conflict Studies Professionals she said, "I think we are not an aggressor nation...We all want peace."

Retired Police Chief & Current Director of Public Safety for Guilford College William Anderson shared his thirty years of experience as a veteran police commander and 4 time Police Chief.  

The many conflicts that have received public attention and negative notoriety in the news during the last 20 years has stimulated a gradual opening of awareness in a police system that continues to face challenges between officers and members of the public.  William discussed how he and the public safety department at the college had systematically addressed multiple needs for training over the last two years in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Mr. Anderson further commented in detail on newer state training protocols for police officers that include de-escalation.  He clarified that officers have mandatory requirements for training on a yearly basis.  

He discussed how these training protocols could continue to include to help police and public safety officers to enhance their ability to interact with the public. We discussed the effectiveness of building bridges of trust in the communities that officers work in so that relationships can be established. In this way, problems can be worked on collaboratively.

It's the topic no-one will bring up or talk about - the Trump Presidency and scandals. The short and long term effects that the political divide in America deepen by the day and month, as individuals on both sides of the aisle avoid even speaking the President's name in public.

Dr. Roy Schwartzman and Dr. Thom Little Little and I analyzed the reasons why this topic has been the GOP elephant in the room. We further discussed it's affect on millennials - who seem so disconnected that they have turned off public media.

We discussed ways to reconcile this divide and begin conversations, debates and respectful discussions about the events that have been happening. I recommended that these begin with changes in our public/mass media - bringing topics out and showing viewers how to talk to one another without grandstanding, "1 uping," and "I'm right" "your wrong" exchanges that make things worse.  We emphasized the need that each individual has for recognizing of confirmation bias by turning off comfortable viewing and listening and turning on opposite views for consideration.

Award winning student journalists: Praveena Somasundarum (Pulitzer Center Fellow) and Abby Bekele, Photo journalist from The Guilfordian discussed with surprise guest: Dr. Cheryl Hatch, Professor of English the latest journalism awards won by Guilford College.  

The Society of Professional Journalists, Region 2 (NC, VA, Maryland, & Washington, D.C.) Mark of Excellence awards have been given for about 60 years and this year was the first collection of wins for Guilford College.  Praveena (2017 Pulitzer Center Fellow) won first place for her coverage of the Newcomer's School in Greensboro. Abby won first place in photo journalism for her picture of Former Vice-President Joe Biden (a guest during Guilford's Bryan Series this year). Abby also was a finalist for her photo of football action play.

Praveena, Abby & Cheryl went on to discuss their "take" on the state of contemporary journalism - both in print and on television.  Both Praveena & Abby wanted to focus their future work in journalism on stories that were not in the headlines. Both advocated for the presentation of the objective facts from editorializing and analysis shows.

Cheryl added her experience and perspectives on how the field of journalism needs to stay true to the objective presentation of fact and Brough in the fact that Ted Koppel (when he was a guest at Guilford College's Bryan Series) emphasized his disapproval of the bleeding of objective journalism and commentary. 

Since our first beginnings as a nation, our culture has been shaped by cycles of violence. Even though there were periods of significant peace, a focus on our violent history paved a pattern of errors in reaction and formed a "tradition" that we have had a hard time overcoming.

Dr. Mike Sistrom pointed out that the period between 1890 through the early 1900's marked an influential era of violent reaction that may have formed our 20th century patterns of gun violence.  

Dr. Aqueil Ahmad discussed the history of use of guns in America. Both sides of the gun issue were brought forth, including the call by Retired Supreme Court Justice, John Paul Stevens to throw out the 2nd Amendment all together. I highlighted that this may make for a unique science fiction story line.  

We discussed how the American forms of media (movies, television, comics, video games) continue to believe that violence sells and seem to refuse to consider the impact that intricate storytelling could offer by way of discussing conflicts without violence.

I will continue this discussion next week with college student journalists.

Nicole Kaufman, licensed counselor joined me for our last women's history month show discussing relationships from a woman's perspective. We began by touching on the recent scandals in the news: "Stormy Daniels," Karen McDougal & Summer Zervos. We did not discuss the details of these incidents but rather how these factors are changing us. We compared current events to the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

Describing the new monogamy, Nicole brought research data reflecting current data on cheating and the author Ester Perel. She discussed her books:  "Mating in Captivity" & "The State of Affairs." Ms. Perel is an innovative writing, describing how to keep relationships successful with monogamy and what / how to survive affairs through counseling.

We discussed how women may or may not experience vulnerability in relationships. Nicole presented that women are no longer the "weaker sex." I presented that I feel that women are still categorized and often vulnerable and that the invisible judgments and stereotypes must continue to be questioned and talked about to stimulate change to solidify in the millennial generation.

Ann Hardee, Business Owner, Real Estate Agent & Retired Flight Attendant shares her experience as a working woman from the late 1970's to present.  Ann began her professional career as a flight attendant (stewardess) for United Airlines.

She shared the specifics written into work expectations for women and men in the airline industry that were expected then. From the requirements to wear high heeled shoes, false eyelashes, short skirts and weight requirements that female "stewardesses" (the professional title then) had to adhere to. While men did not have these requirements nor any similar ones.

Ann also revealed that women and men were paid equal salaries (as steward/stewardess). We discussed how the airline industry (originally dominated by female workers) had enabled this reality of equal pay that working professional women enjoy today.

Ann further discussed what it has been like to be a real estate agent during the same time frame and the differences in how she herself was treated as a female home buyer in years past - as opposed to today. She discussed how both real estate agents and flight attendants had evolved to be gender neutral professions. And that both were unusual in that respect and both enjoy equal pay for both men and women.

As a business owner, Ann talked about the freedom of not being subject to many of the same power imbalances that other working women may face. She shared her insights on how women must be confident going forward and continue to work hard for their goals in the work place when the pay and atmosphere is unequal.

Covering the Journalist As Witness Conference (March 17-18) at Guilford College and in continued support of Women's History Month, we focused on women in journalism and the experiences that participants will have at this upcoming event.

From the earliest days of women in journalism through today, Cheryl Hatch and Richard Tsong Taatarii discussed women such as Dickey Chapelle, who indeed was a well known photojournalist from the WWII era through the Vietnam War. We discussed media legends like Barbara Walters and Diane Sawyer - whose rivalry we've moved on from but continue to teach us a great deal about the human psyche. We also touched on the impact of the Mary Tyler Moore, whose broad appeal influenced - not only women in journalism - but working women everywhere.

Students who come to and experience the Journalist As Witness Conference will have the opportunity to experience real reporting and hands on work with career journalists who wish to share their craft and provide this unique experiential weekend of speakers and workshops - furthering the goal of enhancing journalism in the future.

The "Seeking Justice" public radio talk show begins our honor of women borrowing this year's National Women's History month theme: "Nevertheless, She Persisted." Gwen Erickson, Tiffany Holland, and Sarah Thuesen present first a history of the women's movement and women's studies in colleges.  

As these departments soon evolved into women, gender and sexuality studies, all three guests described how the intersection of these aspects of women's history helped shape the last decades of our American experience. 

The impact of the #MeToo Movement, began by an African American woman ten years ago, which resurged last year has reawaken the women's movement and all three discussed this impact and where the movement may go from here.

Nora Jones from The Partnership Project talks about the Racial Equity Institute (REI) workshops such as Phase I - which educates participants about racial equity and stimulates discussions that empower and encourage while promoting increased awareness and understanding.

Nora described the Phase II workshops as empowering individuals to take action - such as letter writing, community organization, protest movements and fostering active community discussions.  She discussed how these workshops are customized and read the list of upcoming workshops this spring.

Mrs. Jones further expounded upon the excellent research initiatives that REI, Cone Health and other collaborative partners have accomplished and how the results of this research served to stimulate the creation of a Greensboro chapter of the Sisters Network.