Program Overview
You don’t need to be a student or live near a college to hear an intriguing talk from a scholar or expert. In communities throughout Washington State, Speakers Bureau presenters give free public presentations on history, politics, music, philosophy, spiritual traditions, and everything in between.
Our roster of 34 Speakers Bureau presenters is made up of professors, artists, activists, historians, performers, journalists, and others—all chosen not only for their expertise, but also for their ability to inspire discussion with people of all ages and backgrounds. Hundreds of Speakers Bureau events take place each year. Each talk lasts about an hour.
To reach as many Washingtonians as possible, we partner with a wide range of organizations, including libraries, schools, museums, historical societies, retirement homes, community centers, and civic organizations. These organizations host and publicize the events.
Find a Speakers Bureau event near you. We also encourage nonprofit organizations to host a speaker.
Speakers Bureau is made possible with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the State of Washington via the Office of the Secretary of State, and the Thomas S. Foley Institute of Public Policy and Public Service at Washington State University, and generous contributions from other businesses, foundations, and individuals.
Upcoming Events
Storm Warning: Historic Weather in the Evergreen State
Local broadcaster and historian Feliks Banel explores our region’s darkest weather days and most infamous storms. With archival photos, radio, and TV clips, Banel takes us back in time to hear stories of those who survived some of the worst Pacific Northwest weather in recorded history. Further, Banel explores how these storms can revive our […]
- When
- 1:30 pm, Sunday
January 26, 2020 - Where
- Harstine Island Community Hall
3371 E Harstine Island Rd N
Shelton, WA 98584 United States
Racism thrives in silence. It’s when we stop talking to one another about our beliefs that prejudices go unchallenged, and the gap between us widens. Yet race is one of the most difficult topics to discuss in American society. If we are to heal many of our country’s social, economic, and political divides, we can’t […]
- When
- 2:00 pm, Sunday
January 26, 2020 - Where
- First United Methodist Church
1934 108th Ave NE
Bellevue, WA 98004 United States
Let It Not Happen Again: Lessons of the Japanese American Exclusion
In March of 1942, 227 Japanese Americans were forcibly removed from their homes on Bainbridge Island by the US Army. Starting with this small community, a national strategy began, with more than 120,000 Japanese American men, women, and children forcibly removed and incarcerated during World War II. Clarence Moriwaki shares the story of Bainbridge Island—the […]
- When
- 12:00 pm, Monday
January 27, 2020 - Where
- Seattle University School of Law
901 12th AVE
Seattle, WA 98122 United States
Let It Not Happen Again: Lessons of the Japanese American Exclusion
In March of 1942, 227 Japanese Americans were forcibly removed from their homes on Bainbridge Island by the US Army. Starting with this small community, a national strategy began, with more than 120,000 Japanese American men, women, and children forcibly removed and incarcerated during World War II. Clarence Moriwaki shares the story of Bainbridge Island—the […]
- When
- 6:00 pm, Wednesday
January 29, 2020 - Where
- Puyallup Public Library
324 S Meridian
Puyallup, WA 98371 United States
From Mexican to Mexican-American: A Family Immigration Story
As immigration has become more hotly debated in the United States, the arguments have become cartoonish, with one side often painted as naïve and another as xenophobic. What has become lost is the human story of immigration to America, with all its complexity, heartache, and hope. Professor Carlos Gil sought to understand immigration by tracing […]
- When
- 12:00 pm, Thursday
January 30, 2020 - Where
- Foley Speakers Room, Bryan Hall 308
Washington State University
Pullman, WA 99164 United States
From Mexican to Mexican-American: A Family Immigration Story
As immigration has become more hotly debated in the United States, the arguments have become cartoonish, with one side often painted as naïve and another as xenophobic. What has become lost is the human story of immigration to America, with all its complexity, heartache, and hope. Professor Carlos Gil sought to understand immigration by tracing […]
- When
- 4:15 pm, Thursday
January 30, 2020 - Where
- Smith Center for Undergraduate Education (CUE) 202
Washington State University
Pullman, WA 99164 United States
Let It Not Happen Again: Lessons of the Japanese American Exclusion
In March of 1942, 227 Japanese Americans were forcibly removed from their homes on Bainbridge Island by the US Army. Starting with this small community, a national strategy began, with more than 120,000 Japanese American men, women, and children forcibly removed and incarcerated during World War II. Clarence Moriwaki shares the story of Bainbridge Island—the […]
- When
- 1:15 pm, Wednesday
February 5, 2020 - Where
- Cascadia College
18345 Campus Way NE
Bothell, WA 98011 United States
Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Principal’s Office?
Beginning as early as preschool, Black students are disproportionately suspended and expelled from school. As many of these students reach adulthood, these punishments can lead to legal trouble, creating what some call the “school-to-prison pipeline” that affects many Black communities. Why are Black students punished more than others in the classroom? Based on his extensive […]
- When
- 12:00 pm, Thursday
February 6, 2020 - Where
- Eastern Washington University
EWU 205 Monroe Hall
Cheney, WA 99004 United States