• May 26
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• Pomeroy

IN PERSON: Double Crossed: The American Missionary Spies of World War II

What made a good missionary also made a good spy, or so thought American intelligence agencies in World War II. These religious men and women carried out covert operations, bombings, and assassinations—confident that their nefarious deeds would eventually help them achieve their mission by expanding the kingdom of God. Historian Matthew Avery Sutton tells the […]

• May 25
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• Anacortes

IN PERSON: Whiskey and Wiretaps: The Northwest’s Rumrunning King

On Thanksgiving Day, 1925, Roy Olmstead was trapped by federal prohibition agents and their Tommy guns on a lonely Puget Sound dock. His reign as the Northwest’s most prolific bootlegger had ended. But big questions—political, cultural, and legal—remained. Why did Olmstead, the youngest lieutenant in Seattle Police Department history, form a secret gang to take […]

• May 21
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• Ilwaco

IN PERSON: Will the 2020s Roar like the 1920s?

A pandemic, protests, and economic jolts ushered in the so-called “Roaring Twenties.” Americans adjusted in ways both innovative and counterproductive. What lessons from the 1920s can we apply to our own looming 20s? Historian William Woodward charts the eerily familiar developments of a century ago: shattered idealism, social clashes, domestic terrorism, culture wars, disorienting technologies, […]

• May 19
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• Richland

IN PERSON: Understanding Israel

How much do Americans really know about the people and culture of Israel? How can we foster a better understanding of this intricate state and its neighbors? Join Professor Nancy Koppelman as she explores 12 features of Israel’s history, diverse ethnic and religious ways of life, governance and justice structures, and educational system. This talk […]

• May 18
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• Seattle

IN PERSON: After the Blast: Mount St. Helens 40 Years Later

On May 18, 1980, the world watched in awe as Mount St. Helens erupted, killing 57 people and causing hundreds of square miles of destruction. Everyone thought it would take ages for life to return to the mountain, but scientists who visited soon after were stunned to find plants sprouting up through the ash and […]

• June 1

ONLINE: What I Learned from My #MeToo Journey

As long as there have been men in positions of political power, there have been young women working for them who face harassment in the workplace. While we know sexual harassment happens in many industries and professions, there seems to be a preponderance of such stories around elected officials. And in the days and weeks […]

• May 26

ONLINE: What Laughter Tells Us: Asian Americans, Comedy, and Belonging

Laughter shapes the way we listen to each other, and can be a signal of who belongs—and who doesn’t. While everyone finds different things funny, we all have experienced laughter. And what we find funny shapes how we interconnect. Through clips of Asian American stand-up comedians, Professor Michelle Liu explores how humor can change the […]

• May 25

ONLINE: Double Crossed: The American Missionary Spies of World War II

What made a good missionary also made a good spy, or so thought American intelligence agencies in World War II. These religious men and women carried out covert operations, bombings, and assassinations—confident that their nefarious deeds would eventually help them achieve their mission by expanding the kingdom of God. Historian Matthew Avery Sutton tells the […]

• May 25

ONLINE: How Latina/Latino Representation Can Improve Democracy

Latinas/Latinos, the largest ethno-racial group in Washington State and in the nation, are grossly underrepresented in powerful segments of society, contributing to what some scholars refer to as a “demographic divide.” While the United States is an increasingly diverse society, this diversity is not reflected in important spheres of influence and power. In just one […]

• May 19

ONLINE: The Samurai Code: How Bushido Changes Lives

Bushido—the way of the warrior—is the code of ethics practiced by the samurai warriors of ancient Japan, a code which includes courage, integrity, benevolence, respect, honesty, honor, and loyalty. Through her own story of using Bushido to overcome a traumatic brain injury, Lori Tsugawa Whaley shows how the code can help people find hope, resilience, […]