FRANK Talks Topic List

How is beauty portrayed in the movies we watch? In the ads we are exposed to? Popular culture, or the dominant culture, has played a key role in defining the standards of beauty in America and across the globe. We celebrate blondness, fairness, blue-eyes, and slender figures (in women). What advantages and privileges are associated with these Western standards of beauty? How do beauty standards impact the ways we interact with each other? Let’s talk about the notion of beauty and how it is defined and represented in our present society. We will discuss how beauty is portrayed, personified, shaped, and challenged today.

Contact: Kaari Aubrey |  kaari.aubrey@gmail.com 

We use certain words to identify our gender, race, and role in society. These words can place us into social categories: male – female, white – black. Have these categories always been part of our language? How does language develop alongside and shape our social systems and values? Just as our society evolves over time, the language we use can reflect that evolution. Join us for a conversation about how we can demonstrate respect and inclusivity through the words we use to describe ourselves and each other.

Contact: Kaari Aubrey |  kaari.aubrey@gmail.com 

There has been a lot of attention on pronouns in the news headlines recently—from state bills aimed at regulating pronouns in the classroom to social media platforms offering pronoun options. So, what is a pronoun? How are pronouns related to gender identity, such as cisgender, transgender, nonbinary? What are gender identities? Is there a difference between gender identity and gender expression? Bring your questions about pronouns, gender identity, and other terms, and join us for a discussion about the power of pronouns and why they matter.

Contact: Erick Tanchez |  Erick.tanchez.jr@mesacc.edu 

What we imagine a “jock” or a “nerd” to be is shaped by media representations and popular culture. What people experience in their everyday lives, however, often differs from these representations, yet stereotypes are powerful. Stereotypes often lead to biases, or behavior in favor or against a group of people. Sometimes it is a conscious bias. More often, it is an unconscious or implicit bias. Unintentionally, people make judgments about their co-workers, their neighbors, or the random people they interact with day-to-day. So, how do we recognize stereotypes? What can we do about them? Join us for a conversation about how stereotypes form and the effects they have on our community.

Contact: Derek Keith | derekjkeith@gmail.com 

We often hear about the widening wealth gap in the United States. If we look back through history, federal policies and discriminatory practices, from redlining to the current gender wage gap, have contributed to lasting social and economic inequities. Who holds the wealth now? How was that wealth acquired? Can we move toward a more equitable system? Let’s take a closer look at the origins of the wealth gap and discuss the inequities that persist today.

Contact: Dr. Matthew Whitaker | mw@dstrategiesllc.com 

White nationalism, or white supremacy, has been considered an ideology on the fringes of society. But media news coverage today shows us a more public movement of white nationalist groups and leaders–from the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville to the white supremacist livestreamer, Nick Fuentes. What are white nationalist groups? Are their conspiracy theories, such as the great replacement theory, new, or a repeat of long-held beliefs? How is white nationalism impacting our society? Is white nationalist ideology moving into mainstream society? Join us for a discussion about what white nationalism looks like today and what we can do in response.

Contact: RJ Shannon |  Rjshannon54@gmail.com 

Social movements for human rights are front and center in the public discourse. Social media platforms have created new spaces for social activism. People are galvanized by new state legislation and supreme court decisions. From Black Lives Matter to LGBTQ+ rights to the #MeToo movement, communities are organizing and marching. What are these social movements? How do these movements intersect? What happens when these movements for human rights have competing interests? Join us for a discussion about navigating colliding interests and working together for social justice.

Contact: RJ Shannon |  Rjshannon54@gmail.com 

The first amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects press freedom. Freedom of the press is important because it plays a vital role in informing citizens about public affairs and monitoring the actions of government. But what happens when public trust in the media is eroded by sensationalism, foreign influences or bots, fake news, and business monopolies? Who makes the news and what is newsworthy? Is non-partisan news coverage based on facts even still possible? What is the role of the media in keeping us informed today, and who is accountable when intentional misrepresentation occurs? Join us for a critical look at the impact of the media in a democratic society.

Contact: Gail Rhodes | glrhodes@asu.edu 

Voting is an essential part of the electoral process. How do we vote? Where do we vote? What is the process for voting? Join us for an interactive thought exercise: Imagine a scenario where all Arizonans are required to vote. You are responsible for voter turnout. How do you ensure you get voters to the polls? How do you keep them informed? Let’s talk about what it means to have access to voting and voting information.

Contact: Mathew Nevarez | mathew.nevarez@gmail.com

Environmental sustainability, access to voting, public education—these are all civic issues affecting communities. What is a community? How can you participate in one? Join us for a lively discussion about what it means to be a part of a community and how you can engage with issues that matter to you. Together we will learn how we can be more civically engaged and bring about positive change.

Contact: Mathew Nevarez | mathew.nevarez@gmail.com

The debate over what happens in the classroom continues to escalate as politics creep into curriculum. What can be taught, what can be said, and what pronouns teachers can use are all in question. What are the new bills and school policies being introduced in Arizona? How is legislation in other states influencing the national conversation about education? How does the regulation of books, curriculum and speech in the classroom affect students and teachers? What we teach our children now will have lasting ramifications, so what effect will this have on our society long-term? Join us for a discussion about the current Arizona education legislation and school policies shaping our future.

Contact: Derek Keith | derekjkeith@gmail.com 

Federal laws protect undocumented children and their families when accessing K-12 education, but what happens after graduation? Undocumented students face many hurdles as they transition into adulthood—from finding legal employment to obtaining a driver’s license to going to college. How do undocumented students access higher education? What role do state laws and regulations play in the question of education and legal status? Is there a right pathway to citizenship for students when they reach adulthood? Let’s talk about undocumented students, who has the right to higher education, and the complexities of immigration in America.

Contact: Erick Tanchez |  Erick.tanchez.jr@mesacc.edu 

Where do we dump our toxic waste? Where do we bury contaminated soil? Where do we put our industrial waste facilities? Hazardous sites are most frequently placed near Black and brown neighborhoods. Environmental pollution, whether dirty air or contaminated water, has disproportionately impacted communities of color for decades. Years of governmental support for housing discrimination through practices such as redlining created communities segregated along racial lines. Red-lined neighborhoods then became targets for environmental degradation. Zoning and city and state permits perpetuated environmental racism, whether intentional or not. Now the climate crisis is compounding the impact on communities of color–from extreme heat to increasing natural disasters (and unequal relief responses). Join us for a timely discussion on the history of environmental racism and the movement for environmental justice that began in the 1970s and continues to grow today.

Contact: Dr. Matthew Whitaker | mw@dstrategiesllc.com 

In today’s digital world, anyone can publish their writing. Anyone can make a movie. The democratization of knowledge or content creation has given a voice to untold stories. But there is a flipside. Who, or what, gets to create knowledge? Can AI systems create knowledge? When Chat GPT writes a student’s paper, is that original research? What are the different systems and standards for creating knowledge? As consumers of knowledge, how can we know what is real and what is manipulated? What is original and what is derivative? Join us for a conversation about knowledge and authenticity in the era of AI.

Contact: Dr. Andrea Christelle | andrea@sedonaphilosophy.com