Past Events Archive

Join us for the launch of Democracy on Screen — a film series presented as part of the Ford School's Resilient Democracies initiative. This series celebrates the role of storytelling and creative expression in shaping, challenging, and expanding our understanding of democracy and civic empowerment. Through powerful films, we’ll explore how everyday people and grassroots movements drive change, amplify marginalized voices, and reimagine what democracy can be.

The documentary film Slay the Dragon (2019) is about the history and destructive impact of partisan gerrymandering in the United States and the grassroots efforts to fight against it. The film highlights how gerrymandering—the manipulation of voting district maps to give one party an unfair advantage—has become an extreme threat to American democracy. It explores how a well-funded, coordinated initiative following the 2008 election used data analytics to redraw district lines with extreme precision, cementing a partisan advantage in many states for years to come.

Join us for the launch of Democracy on Screen — a film series presented as part of the Ford School's Resilient Democracies initiative. This series celebrates the role of storytelling and creative expression in shaping, challenging, and expanding our understanding of democracy and civic empowerment. Through powerful films, we’ll explore how everyday people and grassroots movements drive change, amplify marginalized voices, and reimagine what democracy can be.

TRUE FALSE HOT COLD is a documentary series about climate, beliefs and better conversations. Filmed in Emery County, Utah, a region with high levels of climate skepticism, the series features short episodes with candid interviews and slice-of-life vignettes of local residents, including farmers, ranchers, and coal miners, to understand their perspectives and find common ground. The goal is not necessarily to achieve agreement, but to practice empathy, curiosity, and dignity in conversations across divides.

Engage in discussion about the artwork and the role of art and artists as catalysts for civic empowerment and democracy.

The work fosters dialogue on identity, community, and civil engagement. Through bureaucratic forms, papers, postures, language, and aesthetics, audiences are invited to participate in respectful dialogues and playful interactions with the artist. As the 2025 Roman J. Witt Artist-in-Residence, Kirby spent 12 weeks on campus from January through March of 2025 meeting with students, faculty, and staff from the Stamps School and across U-M. Based on these conversations, Kirby devised a site-specific installation that seeks to amplify the voices of the U-M community, uphold the value of democratic civic engagement, and highlight the power of art in building solidarity and mutual respect.

At Ashesi, Patrick has reimagined higher education by integrating ethics, entrepreneurship, and critical thinking into the curriculum, while fostering global partnerships that amplify impact. His story is a powerful reminder that global engagement is about more than crossing borders—it’s about building connections that inspire meaningful change.

The conversation will be guided by Valeria Bertacco, Vice Provost for Engaged Learning and Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Together, they will explore themes of leadership, education, technology, and the future of global engagement.

In honor of Constitution Day on September 17, join U-M faculty experts for a discussion on some of the Constitution’s most important features:

• Executive orders
• Separation of powers and control over elections
• Due process and habeas corpus
• The rule of law—its meaning, importance, and challenges

Even if you think you know the Constitution, this event will give you new insights. Come with your curiosity, questions, and concerns.

When: Tuesday, September 17, 7:00-10:00 pm
Where: Annenberg Auditorium, Ford School
Speakers: U-M professors from Law, Political Science, and Communication & Media
Who: U-M students and the U-M community

Free pizza + free pocket Constitutions (limited supply)!

Deaf President Now! chronicles the historic 1988 student-led protest at Gallaudet University and the movement that demanded — and won — the appointment of the university’s first Deaf president. More than a story of protest, Deaf President Now! is a powerful tribute to leadership, identity, and the enduring fight for representation. The Democracy on Screen film series celebrates the role of storytelling and creative expression in shaping, challenging, and expanding our understanding of democracy and civic empowerment.