Montgomery College Presents Dr. Pinkney in Athenaeum Symposia

Montgomery College’s Frank Islam Athenaeum Symposia presents Dr. Hercules Pinkney Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. in the Bioscience Education Center, BE151, on the Germantown campus. Dr. Hercules Pinkey will share his personal reflections and experiences related to the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The fall 2014 Speaker Series includes timely, stimulating topics delivered by today’s leading experts in international affairs, the arts, politics and economics. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Dr. Hercules Pinkney is President Emeritus of Montgomery College and Executive Leadership Advisor of Elaunchers.com. In his role as Vice President and Provost of the Germantown campus, Dr. Pinkney was the College’s point person for the Bioscience Education and Conference Center on the Germantown campus. Thus, it is fitting that he be the inaugural speaker in the breathtakingly beautiful and innovative Bioscience Education Center.

Among his many honors, Dr. Pinkney was appointed for three consecutive terms by the Governor to serve on the Maryland Life Sciences Advisory Board, was named Educator of the Year by the African American Chamber of Commerce, and was named by Leadership Montgomery as County Leader of the Year in 2010.

Dr. Pinkney’s leadership is notable not only in Montgomery County and at Montgomery College but also in his active participation in the Civil Rights Movement spearheaded by Martin Luther King. Always an advocate for equal rights for all, Dr. Pinkney participated in protests against the suppression of free speech rights and for the protection of black voters from police brutality. Throughout his career, Dr. Pinkney has fought for the principles of justice for all.

View or print a list of Fall 2014 speakers.

Schedule of remaining speakers:

Wednesday, October 1, 11 a.m.
REYNA GRANDE: AUTHOR OF THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US 
In The Distance Between Us, Ms. Grande writes about her life before and after emigrating from Mexico. When Reyna was a toddler, her parents left for the U.S. to find work, leaving Reyna and her siblings behind in Mexico. In 1985, Reyna, age 9, entered the U.S. Ms. Grande received the American Book Award and Latino Book Award for her novels Across a Hundred Mountains and Dancing with Butterflies.

Thursday, October 9, 7 p.m.
SOUTH AFRICAN AMBASSADOR EBRAHIM RASOOL: SOUTH AFRICA TODAY: ITS CHALLENGES AND TRIUMPHS
Before becoming the South African Ambassador to the United States, Ambassador Rasool was a Member of Parliament and the Governor of the Western Cape Province. Ambassador Rasool has a long history of involvement in the anti-apartheid struggle. He has also been a leader in the economic development of South Africa and the recipient of the Nelson Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights.

Thursday, October 23, 7 p.m.
CLEMANTINE WAMARIYA: A REMARKABLE CHRONICLE: FROM HER RWANDAN GENOCIDE ESCAPE TO HER GRADUATION FROM YALE UNIVERSITY
Ms. Wamariya’s story is one of resilience amidst chaos and destruction. During the Rwandan Genocide, Clemantine lived for six years in refugee camps in seven different African countries. In the year 2000, the International Organization for Migration brought her to Chicago. Although she had no formal education before the age of 13, Ms. Wamariya has recently been awarded a B.A. degree from Yale University.

Monday, November 3, 7 p.m. 
JULIE-HERA DESTEFANO: Written by Akbar Ahmed and Directed by Manjula Kumar, Followed by Distinguished Panel: Director, Actors, and Frank Islam
Julie-Hera DeStefano is completing an unprecedented documentary on the obstacles women of war confront upon returning home to their “normal” lives. A filmmaker, Ms. DeStefano launched this project to explore the psychological and social dynamics of women in combat and to follow their reintegration into civilian life. She has interviewed and videotaped over 100 female veterans returning from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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