Black Lives Matter co-founder to deliver UH Mānoa keynote

The civil rights activist who co-founded the Black Lives Matter movement has been selected as an endowed chair at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Alicia Garza, a special projects director for the National Domestic Workers Alliance and principal at the Black Futures Lab will headline a live presentation “The Purpose of Power: How We Come Together When We Fall Apart” on September 24, at 12 p.m.

Read the full new story here…

David Cole will serve as a Dan and Maggie Inouye chair from February 9-17, 2019

David Cole As national legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union, David Cole supervises over 1,400 state and federal lawsuits and a network of nearly 2,000 attorneys. Cole has litigated extensively before the U.S. Supreme Court and has won important cases on immigration, free speech, education, and extrajudicial detentions. An endowed professor at Georgetown, Cole is an influential essayist and the author of several books, including Less Safe, Less Free (2007), Enemy Aliens (2004) and No Equal Justice (2004).

Cole will serve as a Dan and Maggie Inouye Distinguished Chair in Democratic Ideals in February 2019.

PUBLIC LECTURE

Liberty’s Defense: Lessons from the Legal Resistance

Thursday, February 28, 2019, 7:00 pm

Lecture will be interpreted for the hearing impaired.

Orvis Auditorium

Watch the lecture livestreamed here:

http://www.hawaii.edu/itunesu/vlive/?s=davidcole.sdp

Angela Davis

Political activist Angela Davis is the spring Inouye Distinguished Chair in Democratic Ideals

Renowned American political activist, scholar and author Angela Davis has been selected as the spring 2016 Dan and Maggie Inouye Distinguished Chair in Democratic Ideals at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

“We are thrilled with the appointment of Professor Davis, whose pursuit of social justice in the U.S. and abroad now spans nearly a half century,” said Chancellor Robert Bley-Vroman. “She is a complex and sometimes controversial figure, and we see this as a wonderful opportunity to reintroduce her to a new generation of students and community members.”

Davis’ rise to the national scene came in 1969, when she was removed from her teaching position in UCLA’s philosophy department due to her social activism and membership in the Communist Party, USA. A year later, she was placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List on false charges and was the subject of an intense police search that drove her underground, culminating in one of the most famous trials in recent U.S. history. During her 16-month incarceration, a massive international Free Angela Davis campaign was organized, leading to her acquittal in 1972.

Professor Davis’ long-standing commitment to prisoners’ rights dates back to her involvement in the campaign to free the Soledad Brothers, which led to her own arrest and imprisonment. Today she remains an advocate of prison abolition and has developed a powerful critique of racism in the criminal justice system.

A founding member of Critical Resistance, a national organization dedicated to the dismantling of the prison industrial complex, she urges people to imagine a world without prisons and to help forge a 21st century abolitionist movement. More recently, she has been active in the Black Lives Matter movement.

A prolific writer and lecturer, she is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the History of Consciousness and feminist studies departments at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

As part of her month-long term as the spring 2016 Dan and Maggie Inouye Distinguished Chair in Democratic Ideals, Davis will be guest teaching a graduate course on American punishment alongside American Studies Professor Robert Perkinson. The course examines the history of American criminal punishment, from the birth of the penitentiary to the rise of the prison-industrial complex.

Public events

  • Friday, April 8: Keynote presentation at UH Mānoa’s Kennedy Theatre, 7–8:15 p.m.
  • Wednesday, April 13: Community Dialogue on Civic Engagement with Angela Davis and John Waihee, Mission Memorial Auditorium, 6–7:30 p.m.

Davis at Mānoa in the 90s

The last time Davis was featured at a keynote lecture at UH Mānoa was in the mid 1990s, when she drew nearly 900 people into the Campus Center Ballroom.

“She lit up the room, drawing relevance from her civil rights and Black Power activism in the 1960s and 1970s to present a searing critique of the prison-industrial complex that emerged in the 1980s and 1990s,” recalled American Studies Professor David Stannard. “As we now enter an election year marked by divisive and demagogic rhetoric, the powerful voice of Angela Davis is one that we all need to hear.”

Reflected Daniel and Maggie Inouye’s son, Ken, “I think my parents would be pleased with the selection of Angela Davis as this year’s distinguished chair. Both of my parents always encouraged a healthy dialogue from all sides of an issue when tackling the tough problems of the day, and they respected individuals who stood by their beliefs, even in the face of government opposition.”

More about the Dan and Maggie Inouye Distinguished Chair

Established in 2005 by the UH Board of Regents, the Dan and Maggie Inouye Distinguished Chair in Democratic Ideals brings significant public figures to Hawaiʻi to foster public discourse regarding democratic ideals and civic engagement.

The chair is housed in the Department of American Studies in the College of Arts and Humanities and the William S. Richardson School of Law at UH Mānoa.

Human Rights Activist Ngugi wa Thiong’o Lecture

Original article: UH News

April 28, 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Manoa Campus, Campus Center Ballroom

Renown author and human rights activist Ngugi wa Thiong’o is the 2008 Inouye Distinguished Chair in Democratic Ideals.

He will deliver a keynote address titled, “The Myth of Tribes in African Politics.”

Throughout his career, Ngũgĩ has received numerous honors, including endowed university chairs, honorary doctorates, peace prizes and book awards. In the 1960s, he studied at universities in Kenya and England, and returned to become a professor of English at Nairobi University. He established a theater and wrote a series of novels and plays published in Kenya and throughout the world that were critical of colonial rule.

Stung by his criticism, authorities arrested Ngũgĩ in 1977 and sentenced him to maximum-security imprisonment. Amnesty International and other human rights organizations demanded his freedom as “a prisoner of conscience.” The campaign was successful, but during a subsequent trip to England, Ngũgĩ received word that he was targeted for assassination should he return to Kenya. He became an exile from his homeland at the same time that he was being celebrated as one of Africa’s most influential authors of the twentieth century.

This event is co-sponsored by the UH Manoa Department of American Studies and the William S. Richardson School of Law

Ticket Information
Free and open to the public.

Event Sponsor
American Studies, Manoa

More Information
Theo Gonzalves, 956-8570, theo@hawaii.edu

Dan and Maggie Inouye Chair in Democratic Ideals

Posted: April 30, 2009
Original article: UH Foundation

What becomes of a 16-year-old from New York who attends the University of Hawaiʻi and leaves in 1968? In the case of Richard Parsons, he attained positions of increasing responsibility, becoming Chairman and CEO of Time Warner from 2002-2008, and then serving on President Obama’s economic transition team, before accepting the position of Chairman of the Board of Citigroup Inc.

In April 2009, Richard Parsons returned to the UH Mānoa campus, this time as the Dan and Maggie Inouye Chair in Democratic Ideals. This Chair, held jointly in the William S. Richardson School of Law and the Department of American Studies, engages scholars and public figures dedicated to sharing their knowledge and experiences.

During his campus stay, Parsons met with students and faculty and presented a public lecture entitled “The Global Financial Crisis: Origins and Solutions” to an overflow crowd at Kennedy Theatre. Donors, including special guests Senator Inouye and his wife Irene Hirano, also enjoyed meeting the Parsons.

Mr. Parsons and his wife Laura met some of the students who have received the Laura Parsons Endowed Scholarship at UH Mānoa, and shared UH stories over lunch.

Public invited to ‘A Conversation with W.S. Merwin’

Acclaimed poet named 2012 Dan and Maggie Inouye Distinguished Chair in Democratic Ideals

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Contact: Diane Chang, (808) 956-0391
Posted: Feb 16, 2012
Original article: UH News

W.S. Merwin—two-time Pulitzer Prize Award winner, National Book Award recipient and U.S. Poet Laureate from 2010-11—is coming to the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa campus as the 2012 Dan and Maggie Inouye Distinguished Chair in Democratic Ideals. “A Conversation with W.S. Merwin” will take place at Kennedy Theatre on Thursday, March 1, 2012, at 7:30 p.m.

After the free public presentation, which is sponsored by the Office of the Chancellor, Merwin will hold a book signing in the lobby of Kennedy Theatre, where a number of his titles will be available for purchase.  In addition, he is scheduled to hold an informal question-and-answer session with students while visiting the UH Mānoa campus.

On Saturday, March 31, “An Evening with W.S. Merwin” will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the McCoy Studio Theater at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center in Kahului.

Said Chancellor Virginia S. Hinshaw, “Our University is highly honored to host these presentations by Mr. Merwin, a resident of Hawai‘i whose works reflect a deep appreciation for our natural surroundings and the need for their preservation.”

Merwin has been a force in American poetry for 60 years, receiving nearly every major award for poetry, including two Pulitzer Prizes—for The Carrier of Ladders and The Shadow of Sirius—as well as the National Book Award, the Tanning Prize, the Bollingen Prize, the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize and the Lannan Lifetime Achievement Award.  In 2010, he was appointed the 17th United States Poet Laureate by the Librarian of Congress.

The Dan and Maggie Inouye Distinguished Chair in Democratic Ideals at UH Mānoa engages scholars and public figures dedicated to sharing their knowledge and life experiences.  With an emphasis on democratic processes and the importance of public life, the Chair enhances understanding of the unique context of Hawai‘i, Asia and the Pacific within the traditional positions of power and influence in the U.S.

Doors to the March 1 keynote address at Kennedy Theatre will open at 7 p.m. for the 7:30 p.m. event. Seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

On-campus parking is available behind Kennedy Theatre for $6.

Lecture & Reception with Independent Film Movement Godfather, John Sayles

2014 Dan and Maggie Inouye Distinguished Chair in Democratic Ideals

February 21, 2014
Original article: UH Foundation

Before John Sayles’s public lecture, the “Godfather of the independent film movement” mingled with donors, and UH faculty and friends at small reception held in the Ethnomusicology Courtyard.

UH Mānoa Chancellor Tom Apple, Dean of the College of Arts & Humanities Peter Arnade and Associate Dean College of Arts & Humanities Tom Brislin highlighted Sayles’s many creative achievements, and thanked donors for their role in helping bring individuals of the highest caliber to our community to share their expertise, through endowments like the Dan and Maggie Inouye Distinguished Chair in Democratic Ideals.

Sayles is an award-winning director, writer, actor and author. He is credited with writing and editing most of his projects, including his latest film, Go For Sisters, and his recent historical novel, A Moment In The Sun. Sayles supports his directing career as a “writer for hire” in Hollywood. His book Thinking In Pictures: The Making Of The Movie Matewan, is still taught in film classes. He wrote and directed several films that have been nominated for Academy Awards, including Lone Star and Passion Fish. Sayles also directed three music videos for Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the USA, I’m on Fire, and Glory Days.


The Dan & Maggie Inouye Distinguished Chair in Democratic Ideals at UH Mānoa engages scholars and public figures dedicated to sharing their knowledge and life experiences. With an emphasis on democratic processes and the importance of public life, the Chair enhances understanding of the unique context of Hawaiʻi, Asia and the Pacific within the traditional positions of power and influence in the U.S.

Renowned economist will address what’s at stake in presidential election

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

Contact:
Robert Perkinson, (808) 956-6599
Associate Professor, American Studies

Posted: Oct 24, 2012
Original article: UH News

Christina D. Romer—former first chair of President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisors, a New York Times columnist and professor at UC Berkeley—has been named the 2012 Dan and Maggie Inouye Distinguished Chair in Democratic Ideals. She will give a free public presentation at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, October 30, 2012, at Orvis Auditorium on the UH Manoa campus.
Fundamental economic questions have dominated one of the most consequential presidential election campaigns of our time. As a prominent economist, Romer will shed light on policy choices that the winner of the presidential election will face, and offer her own evidence-based recommendations to rebuild the American economy.
Romer is an expert on macroeconomic volatility and the causes of the Great Depression. The recipient of numerous awards, she is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Professor Romer received her PhD from MIT and is currently the Class of 1957-Garff B. Wilson Professor of Economics at UC Berkeley.
Doors to the October 30 presentation at Orvis Auditorium will open at 6:30 p.m. for the 7 p.m. event. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. On-campus parking is available for $6.
The Dan & Maggie Inouye Distinguished Chair in Democratic Ideals at UH Manoa engages scholars and public figures dedicated to sharing their knowledge and life experiences. With an emphasis on democratic processes and the importance of public life, the Chair enhances understanding of the unique context of Hawaii, Asia and the Pacific within the traditional positions of power and influence in the U.S.
antoni oposa

“Climate Justice for Future Generations” by A. Oposa Jr., 2015 Inouye Chair

February 17, 7:00pm – 8:00pm
Manoa Campus, Keoni Auditorium, Imin Center Add to Calendar


Do the future generations deserve the Earth that we are leaving behind in the face of the ongoing climate crisis? If not, what is it that we must do to change course?

This lecture explores new ways of thinking to shift the economic mindset from reckless consumption to mindful restoration. It will also examine the environmental policy, law, and cultural infrastructure that will facilitate this mind-shift in the highly vulnerable Asia-Pacific region. The lecture will address the shift from Consumption Economics to Restoration Economics through various proactive projects including: edible landscaping, the road sharing movement, and turning the rooftop of the Richardson Law School into a solar power plant. It also includes the planned a legal action in the International Court of Justice on the legal duties of States to protect humankind of the future generations from the climate crisis.

About the 2015 Inouye Chair

ANTONIO A. OPOSA, JR. (Tony) is one of Asia-Pacific’s leading voices in the global arena of Environmental Law. His work is internationally known for establishing in the Philippines’ highest Court of Law the principle of inter-generational responsibility (Minors Oposa vs. Philippine Government, 1993). His enforcement work, both in the Courts and on the field, has earned him the prestigious TOYM (The Outstanding Young Man) of the Philippines award and the highest UN award in the field of the Environment—the UNEP Global Roll of Honor. He has organized and led some of the most daring direct action enforcement operations against environmental crime syndicates. He has been the object of death threats and assassination plots, one of which resulted in the murder of his comrade and co-worker Jojo de la Victoria.

In 2008, after a ten-year legal battle against eleven Philippine government agencies, he won an unprecedented case to compel these agencies to clean up Manila Bay. The agencies were directed by the continuing mandamus order to report the progress of the clean up to the Supreme Court every 90 days.
He holds a business degree from the De La Salle University, a law degree from the University of the Philippines and his Master of Laws from the Harvard Law School, where he was the commencement speaker of his graduating class.

A scuba diver and avid nature lover, Oposa established the SEA Camp (Sea and Earth Advocates) in the white-sand shores of Bantayan Island in the Central Philippines. The School is powered by renewable energy, recycles water, and is truly an experiential learning center for sustainable living. With volunteer fishermen, enforcement operatives, divers, and ordinary citizens, young and old, he organized the famous Visayan Sea Squadron. Aside from being a para-legal action team, the volunteer teachers and divers also help local communities establish marine sanctuaries.

“For his path-breaking and passionate crusade to engage Filipinos in acts of enlightened citizenship that maximize the power of the Law to protect and nurture the environment, for themselves, their children, and generations yet unborn,” he received the 2009 Ramon Magsaysay Award, often referred to as the Nobel Peace Prize of Asia.

 

Ticket Information
Free, open to the Public

Event Sponsor
Chancellor’s Office, William S. Richardson School of Law, American Studies Department, College of Social Sciences, Manoa Campus

More Information
(808) 956-8478, http://manoa.hawaii.edu/inouyechair/