World House: Fostering a Global Citizen

by Claire Salinas, History Scholar and Humanities Council Programs Volunteer

In 1967, Martin Luther King challenged Americans to see themselves as dwellers in a “world house” of international neighbors, “a world-wide fellowship that lifts neighborly concern beyond one’s tribe, race, and class.” First evoked in his 1964 acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize, the vision of a “World House” called for a more peaceful society in which the pursuit of justice transcended the boundaries of local belonging. To end “the triple evils of racism, poverty, and militarism” on a global scale both demanded and forged, inexorably, a global citizenry.

Five decades on, it is a commonplace to describe our 21^st century world as inter-connected, shaped by the global currents of trade, communications, militarism, and political protest. What, then, are the implications of global citizenship in 2014? Are we all global citizens by virtue of living in this era, or does the notion imply a more intentional outlook and fundamental shared ethical values, such as those Dr. King ascribed to it?

We think these questions resonate especially deeply in the international, globally-connected city that is DC, with its well-travelled inhabitants. And we want to hear from you! What does being a global citizen mean to you? In what ways do you consider yourself to be a global citizen? To start thinking about these issues, have a look at the short reading and questions below, and leave us your comments, questions, and reactions. Then join us for the discussion with panelists Rachel Weiner, Elizabeth Ogunwo, both former Peace Corps volunteers, and GWU Anthropology professor Robert Shepherd. Let’s start a global dialogue!

What: Humanitini: World House

When: October 16, 6:30-8:30pm

Where: The Coupe (3415 11th St NW)

1.      What are some of the attributes of the global citizen? What role does travel play in shaping global citizens? What are the benefits of being a well-travelled person, and how does it increase our understanding of, and concern for, humanity?

2.      Do global citizens have a responsibility to uphold common humanity and dignity on a global scale? Do the world’s wealthy citizens (Americans and others) have an ethical duty to end extreme inequities and injustices, such as poverty and racism?

3.     What must we teach students and others to make them truly and effectively globally connected, and able to interact easily and skillfully anywhere and with anyone?

4.     What does studying or promoting the humanities bring to being a world citizen?

Read Dr. Martin Luther King's thoughts about what it means to live in a "World House." 

Event Recap: Humanitini- Conversations on Great Streets: Mount Pleasant!

 

The Humanities Council hosted HUMANITINI ™, the smart happy hour, on Thursday, April 24 at Don Juan Restaurant. This edition of Humanitini, “Conversations on Great Streets: Celebrating Historic Mount Pleasant Street” was moderated by Washington City Paper Journalist Aaron Weiner. The conversation offered attendees a perspective on the history, culture, and heritage of the vibrant Mt. Pleasant street corridor and community.

Panelists included Alberto Ferrufino owner of Don Juan Restaurant, Pedro Aviles, founder of Aviles Associates, LLC and Peter Stebbins, a 25 year resident of Mt. Pleasant.

Approximately 60 attendees filled Don Pablo Restaurant and they both learned and shared their perspectives on the changing Mount Pleasant demographics, business climate and opportunities for growth.

Conversations on Great Streets is a series created by the Humanities Council to engage residents around the history and great treasures of some of D.C.’s well-known corridors.

Take a look at photos from Humanitini, and stay connected with the Humanities Council for upcoming events.

Reflecting on the Life of Lawrence Guyot

Civil Rights Legend Was a Recent HCWDC Program Panelist

By: Priya Dadlani

Lawrence Guyot, who endured violent beatings as a young civil rights worker during the early 1960’s fighting for black suffrage, died November 23 at his home in Mount Rainier, MD. Guyot 73, had long battled illness.

Lawrence Guyot, Image Credit: wamu.org

Born in Pass Christian, Mississippi on July 17, 1939, Lawrence Thomas Guyot Jr. grew up with his father who was a contractor. Guyot attended Tougaloo College in Tougaloo, Mississippi. This historically black college had a few white faculty members but welcomed white students to attend. He graduated with a degree in chemistry and biology in 1963. While still in college he became concerned with human rights and equality so he joined the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and traveled around Mississippi drumming up support for the civil rights cause through meetings and conventions.

During his fight for black suffrage Guyot was defied, incarcerated and beaten as he led fellow members of SNCC and other  student volunteers from around the country in helping African Americans in Mississippi vote. He then gained publicity and pushed more blacks to fight for their suffrage when he began serving as chairman of the integrated Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. This party was formed to replace the all-white state Democratic Party. Although it didn’t succeed in its primary goal, the party’s efforts paved the way for the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

The physical violence Guyot endured did not deter him or defeat him, and today he is known for his unwavering dedication to his cause. While incarcerated at the Mississippi penitentiary Parchman Farm, he was brutally beaten and went on a 17-day hunger strike during which he lost 100 pounds.  “It was a question of defiance,” Guyot said during an interview with NPR in 2011. “We were not going to let them have complete control over us.”

                Later in life, Guyot was pro same-sex marriage when it was illegal everywhere in the United States. Many times he reflected on the fact that he married a white woman when interracial marriage was illegal in some states, and he gave tremendously inspiring speeches on the meaning and the goal of the civil rights movement. In 2011, Guyot again lent his wisdom and experience to the public as a panelist for a 2011 Humanitini program on gentrification.

Although Lawrence Guyot has passed on, his perseverance and dedication to civil rights and human equality will never be forgotten. He has been, and will always be a true inspiration to people all over the world, fighting for a cause.  “There is nothing like having risked your life with people over something immensely important to you,” he said in 2004. “As Churchill said, there’s nothing more exhilarating than to have been shot at — and missed.” 

Humanitini Comes to Axum Restaurant and Bar!

Happy Hour Conversations On Today's Hot Topics

Our signature think-and-drink event is back starting Tuesday, February 21st and then every Tuesday after until March 13. The Humanitini is a relaxed discussion between a panel of experts and a happy hour audience on topics of timely interest or importance. Topics will include:

• Distortions of the District - Talk to local film experts about the way Washington DC has been portrayed in both feature and documentary film. Confirmed panelists include filmmakers Aviva Kempner, Ellie Walton, and Steven Nero; as well as representatives from DC Film Girl, Our City Film Festival, and the DC Film Alliance. The panel will be moderated by Amy Saidman of SpeakeasyDC.

• The Coexistence of Trains, Cars, Bikes, and Humans - Discuss everything transportation related in Washington, DC! The panel will look at all sides of issues ranging from Metro fare hikes and congested freeways to transportation informed urban planning and bike lanes. Confirmed panelists include Josh Moskowitz from the District Department of Transportation, Monika Samtani, ‘The Extra Mile’ Transportation Anchor, WUSA9 Morning News, Daniel Hoagland of the Washington Area Bicyclists' Association, Ben Goldman of DCStreets Blog (http://dc.streetsblog.org/), and Jenifer Joy Madden from Greater Greater Washington. The panel will be moderated by Amy Saidman of SpeakeasyDC. 

The final two programs will take place at Axum Restaurant and Bar at 1934 9th Street, NW!

• Caps, Nats, Wiz, and 'Skins: Finding Community Identity Through Sports - We'll take a humanities spin on local sports fandom. Our panelists and the audience will explore the District's unique sports identity. Can a city with a large transient population attract dedicated home-team supporters? Confirmed panelists include Brian Tinsman from The Redskins Blog, Kyle S. Yeldell from National Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation, Howard University Soccer Head Coach, Michael Lawrence, American football tight end Leonard Stephens, and Edwin Henderson from the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation. The panel will be moderated by Amy Saidman of SpeakeasyDC. This Humanitini will also feature Demont “Peekaso” Pinder, local artist well known as being the art director for JIVE recording artist Raheem DeVaughn. He will paint a sports themed piece during the panel discussion and it will be auctioned off at the end of the program.

• Occupy DC: What is the Price of Freedom? - This program will take a street-level look at the Occupy DC protest, examining its origins and goals as well as the effect it has had on local businesses and city agencies. Confirmed panelists include community activist and lobbyist Erik Jones, and Sinclair Skinner, Legba Carrefour, and Megan Brett from Occupy DC Media team. This panel will be moderated by Andy Shallal, founder of Busboys and Poets.  

  The events are completely free and open to the public (donations accepted).

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Stay Up Late With the Humanities Council

Check Out Our Lineup for the First Art All Night: Nuit Blanche DC

Washington art and culture is taking over the night on September 24-25, and the Humanities Council will be doing its part at the Warehouse Theatre, 645 New York Ave, NW, from 7PM to 3AM. The event, called Art All Night: Nuit Blanche DC is modeled on similar festivals popular in Europe. The concept has recently been replicated on this side of the Atlantic in Montreal, Toronto, New York, and Miami among others, and starting this year, the nation's capital will begin to get in on the fun!

The Humanities Council's set kicks off with Thomas Sayers Ellis, a poet and photographer who will demonstrate his latest work – a photography exhibition on Go-Go, currently on display at The Gallery at Vivid Solutions, called (Un)Lock It: the Percussive People in the Go-Go Pocket. Sayers will project his images, using them to tell the story of Go-Go, the “non-stop, vernacular dance music unique to Washington, DC.”

At 8PM, If Not For Grace, will demonstrate another artistic style unique to Washington, DC – Hand Dance. The organization will offer a lecture, performance, and a participatory demonstration in which the audience will be invited to hand dance in the authentic DC style!

Later, the Humanities Council will bring its popular Humanitini to the stage. The evening's discussion “From Clubs to Pub,” will uncover the unique culture of DC night life, and will explore how it has changed throughout the years. Panelists will include Kate Micheal of K Street Kate, club DJ Adrian Loving, and opera follower-turned-nightlife scene man, Mood Bacho. The discussion will be moderated by Amy Saidman of SpeakeasyDC, and, as always, will turn on audience participation!

Washington, always a center of literary activity, has become a haven for modern poets and spokenword artists, and thus, no celebration of DC culture would be complete without a poetry slam! In partnership with the National Underground Spokenword Poetry Awards, the Humanities Council will offer a $200 prize to the best of the evening's registered participants. Make sure to drop in on the Warehouse Theatre for this one; the slam is set to begin at 10:30PM and will carry us over into the next day, ending at 1:30AM. The poets lined up for the event are seasoned competitors, so count on being impressed. If you think you have what it takes, step up to the open mic after the competition and show them what you've got!

After the poetry slam and open mic, grammy-nominated progressive hip-hop artist, Christylez Bacon will take over the stage until 3AM. As a performer, Christylez multi-tasks between various instruments such as the West African djembe drum, acoustic guitar, and the human beat-box (oral percussion), all while continuing the oral tradition of storytelling through his lyrics. Christylez will close out the evening, sending the audience out into the night, eyes and minds full, looking forward to next year!

Art All Night: Nuit Blanche DC will take place on the night of September 24-25th all across the Mt. Vernon Square and Shaw neighborhoods of Washington. Check out the event website for more information on participating artists and event sites.

Your Humanitini

What Do You Want to Discuss Over Drinks, DC?

For four weeks in a row, from the end of July to the beginning of August, panelists and after-work barhoppers weighed in on some of the District's most pressing current issues at a series of Humanitini events. The Humanitini was developed several years ago by the Humanities Council as an attempt to get DC's younger population mixing, engaging, and talking. Generally the program topics are on issues felt keenly by the target audience including: internet dating, social media, and gentrification; clearly the scope of what can be discussed over a drink is wide open. 

Amy Saidman of SpeakeasyDC moderates the recent Humanitini,
"Sex, Scandals, and Social Media."

The format, on the other hand, is pure humanities. The civic engagement style makes use of a moderator who encourages a panel of experts to share their experiences, but the true character of a Humanitini event is revealed as the audience discussion begins to heat up. Opinions often differ, but the relaxed atmosphere encourages respect and allows meaningful conversation with little animosity. 

The past four Humanitinis were held at Bar 7 on Mt. Vernon Square, and Tabaq Bistro along the bustling U Street corridor in NW. The topics included: Sex, Scandals, and Social Media; Coming Out and Speaking Out; White House or Black House? (an powerful discussion on gentrification and changing demographics); and The ABC's of DC: Americans, Blogging, and Culture.

 

Each Humanitini attracted an engaged audience, and it is likely that the topics will make appearances in future iterations of the program. In the meantime, however, we are trying to get some additional feedback from those who attended the events, and some impressions from others who might be interested in joining the fun in the future! 

If you have a great idea for a Humanitini topic, please let us know via one or more of our points of contact listed below. What are the big issues in DC right now? What are the trends? Have you noticed something new that you are dying to discuss with a diverse group? 

Respond by:

• Commenting on this post!
• Leaving a post on our Facebook Wall - http://www.facebook.com/HumanitiesCouncilofWashingtonDC
• Fire a Twitter Post @HumanitiesDC
• Email programs[at]wdchumanities[dot]org
• Give us a call at 202-387-8391

Humanitini Continues!

Tonight's Conversation Tackles a Contentious But Important Topic

Though Humanitini events are meant to be both fun and informative, they can also cover complex and challenging issues. Tonight's Humanitini panelists have been assembled to discuss gentrification; that ever present, yet hazy socio-economic force that at once seems to bring improved standards of living, and increased displacement.

Perhaps one of the biggest problems with gentrification, or new urbanism, is that people are often unwilling to speak openly and honestly about it. Humanitini provides the perfect opportunity for people to express their views on the subject in a safe, judgement-free environment.

Entitled "White House or Black House?," tonight's Humanitini will begin at 6pm at Bar 7. The discussion usually lasts about an hour, and the panelists stick around to talk to the crowd, so stop by whenever you like. The conversation will be led by Rachel Grossman of Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company; scholar Sybil Roberts; Shani Hilton, author of “Confessions of a Black Gentrifier”; scholar Lawrence Guyot; and Jennifer Ragins. Amy Saidman of SpeakeasyDC will moderate.

This Summer's Humanitini series will wrap up next Wednesday with "The ABC's of DC: Americans, Blogs, and Culture." Panelists including Free in DC's Amy Melrose, the Pink Line Project's Philippa Hughes, and the renowned Prince of Petworth will talk about blogging your way to the top!

Sex, Scandals, and Social Media

First Event of the Fall 2011 Humanitini Series is a Big Hit

Last night, panelists Stef Woods, Peter Chirinos, Marc Sandalow, and Amy Argetsinger answered questions from moderator Amy Saidman and an engaged audience on sex, politics, and the media. Why do politicians think they can get away with saying one thing and doing another? What do we as a society find so intriguing about their missteps and disgrace? Is it news, or is it a guilty pleasure? Check out some of the images from the program which was held at Bar 7.

Amy Argetsinger of the Washington Post gets things started by addressing the newsworthiness of political sex scandals.

Journalist Marc Sandalow offered a list of past political sex scandals, and many from the audience immediately noticed that the chronicle was almost entirely composed of white men. What are some possible reasons for this apparent racial and gender imbalance?

The audience listened as therapist Peter Chirinos explained that political figures involved in sex scandals tend to get more satisfaction from their affairs the longer they persist.

Attorney and sex blogger Stef Woods asserted that Washington is still, in some ways, a very conservative city; uncomfortable with open discussions of sexuality.

There was plenty of time after the program for the audience to continue the conversation with the panelists over a beer - or, of course, a Humanitini!

The next Humanitini will be held on Wednesday, July 27 at Tabaq (1336 U Street, NW). The panelists will discuss the journey from gay and in the closet to activist for the LGBT community. Clarence J. Fluker of GLBT Affairs, Andrew Barnett of SMYAL, a representative from the Washington Blade, and Christopher Dyer of GLBT Affairs will be in attendance.

Check out more photos from Sex, Scandals, and Social Media on our Facebook Page!