Harvard’s “Reconnecting America” national campaign, formed following the 2016 election, identifies the root causes of national divisiveness and encourages community-based action plans that address those issues. McConnell Scholars Robert Gassman and Frank Bencomo attended the campaign kickoff and are creating programming targeted at the next generation of voters – local middle school children.

“What we want to do is instill in this younger generation how to have healthy civic dialogue and teach them how to be able to talk about important issues without having this polarized, toxic atmosphere,” Gassman said. “We thought this programming would be valuable to that age group because if we can get to them before they are polarized in high school then there would be a healthier dialogue moving forward.”

“We seem to have this sports team attitude when it comes to politics – with scoreboards and who’s winning and losing – that is dividing us,” Bencomo said. “We want to start them on a path so they can understand that these issues have history, are complex and based on policy, not just personal views.”

The two scholars have worked with local school teachers this semester to develop age-appropriate lesson plans and resources and they plan to launch the pilot program this fall as part of Constitution Week. The program will specifically target 11-and-12-year-old JCPS students.

“Robert and Frank walked away from the Harvard conference energized and ready to challenge the politically divisive rhetoric in our country,” said GlyptusAnn Grider Jones, the McConnell Center’s adviser for the Harvard IOP partnership. “They identified the U.S. Constitution as a tool to engage middle school students in the constitutional amendment process and help illustrate how student voices matter in politics.”

The McConnell Center has been part of the Harvard IOP’s National Campaign conference since 2010.

For years, Davis has been involved in movements for social justice around the world and is a leading advocate for prison reform and gender and racial equality. She is also featured in the 2016 Netflix documentary “13th” about mass incarceration in the United States. Davis has authored 10 books, the most recent of which was published in February 2016.

Her talk, titled “Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement,” brought out thousands of people from UofL and the Louisville community, far more attendees than expected. In fact, hundreds of people had to be turned away after the venue reached capacity.Ěý

“We hoped for and believed we would get a full house,” said Cate Fosl, director of the Anne Braden Institute.Ěý “But when as many people have to be turned away from such an event as those who get in, it bespeaks an incredible outpouring of enthusiasm, a desire for supportive community whereby people are not marginalized.”

The program included various poems by spoken word artist, Hannah Drake, and an introduction from Antron Mahoney, a graduate student in UofL’s department of Pan African studies.

Davis touched on a variety of controversial topics in her lecture including the recent presidential election and how we can continue to move toward equity in the United States. Among her thoughts:

2016 Presidential Election

Davis said Hillary Clinton’s historic campaign was about more than just shattering the glass ceiling, “it’s about reaching down to the very bottom and lifting to the top.”

“I am sad to say that if Hillary Clinton had been elected President we may not recognize that we are in a state of emergency.”

Electoral College

Davis believes the electoral college is obsolete and that it was designed to “give slave states with smaller populations the power to emerge as the governing forces at a national level.”

“The electoral college is a reminder that we have not extricated ourselves from slavery,” she said.

Black Lives Matter

Davis had several thoughts on the Black Lives Matter movement including:

• “Black Lives Matter is the most inclusive statement.”
• “If we ever reach a point in time when black lives actually matter, it would mean that all lives matter.”
• “We need a new political party. An independent party inspired by the black radical movement.”

Davis’ history with Louisville

Davis is very familiar with Louisville. She was a visiting professor at UofL in 2002, teaching women’s and gender studies.

Because of her work, and its controversial nature, she has also been given three keys to the city, the first of which was confiscated before being handed back. In the 1970s, Davis was denied to speak at Central High School, but was invited to speak at Reverend Gilbert Schroerlucke’s church (West Broadway UM)) instead.

Davis’ relationship with Braden

Davis also discussed her friendship with Anne Braden, the Louisvillian activist after which the social justice institution is named:

“I often ask myself what would Anne Braden do? I reflect on her theories,” Davis said.Ěý“Anne Braden was always aware of the way history pulls us back into the past.”

A Q&A followed the lecture, and younger members of the audience were encouraged to participate.

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For the final Optimal Aging Lecture for the fall semester, the Institute for Sustainable Health & Optimal Aging and the UofL Alumni Association will present a panel discussion titled “Expanded Medicare: A Single Payer Alternative.” This lecture will unpack the myths and realities of developing a national health insurance program. The lecture will be held on Nov. 9 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the University Club, 200 E. Brandeis Ave.

The panel presenters are Syed Quadri, MD, Kay Tillow and Edgar Lopez, MD, all from the national organization Physicians for a National Health Program. The PNHP is a nonprofit research and education organization consisting of 20,000 physicians, medical students and other health professionals who support single-payer national health insurance.

The panelists will discuss their common belief that too many working individuals are unable to afford health care. In addition to their roles with PNHP, the speakers are Kentucky-based professionals with expertise and experience in the state’s health system. Quadri is the co-medical director of the Hardin County Free Clinic in Elizabethtown. Tillow is the coordinator of the All Unions Committee for Single Payer Health Care, a Kentucky advocacy organization. Lopez is a Louisville-based plastic and reconstructive surgeon.

Admission is $30 per person and includes lunch. Reservations are required online. . For information, call 502-852-5629 or email OptimalAging@louisville.edu.