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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260521T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260521T200000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20260514T133237Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260514T133237Z
UID:20007258-1779390000-1779393600@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:A LITTLE MORE SOCIAL: HOW SMALL CHOICES CREATE UNEXPECTED HAPPINESS\, HEALTH\, AND CONNECTION
DESCRIPTION:There’s a paradox at the core of human life. We are a uniquely social species — and connection is genuinely good for us — yet we routinely choose isolation over engagement. We avoid the stranger in the next seat. We stay stuck in small talk. We hold back gratitude we genuinely feel. Every day\, we pass up chances to connect with strangers\, colleagues\, friends\, and family\, forfeiting the happiness and health that come with a richer social life. \nNicholas Epley\, Ph.D.\, the John Templeton Keller Professor of Behavioral Science and faculty director of the Roman Family Center for Decision Research at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business\, has spent his career studying how we connect. In his new book\, A Little More Social: How Small Choices Create Unexpected Happiness\, Health\, and Connection\, he explains that our social fears are built on expectations that are reliably too pessimistic. We overestimate the awkwardness of a conversation with a stranger. We underestimate how much a small gesture of appreciation will mean to the person who receives it. We reach for our phones when what we want is a real exchange. \nEpley’s great insight is that the fix doesn’t require a personality overhaul. Introverts and extroverts alike benefit from nudging themselves toward slightly more social choices. Small acts\, consistently practiced\, have an outsized effect on the parts of life that matter most. Bridging the gap between two people is easier than we think\, and the rewards are larger than we expect. \nEpley will be in conversation with David Brooks\, staff writer for The Atlantic and the inaugural Senior Presidential Fellow at Yale University’s Jackson School of Global Affairs. He is the author of several #1 New York Times bestsellers\, including The Social Animal\, The Road to Character\, and The Second Mountain. His most recent book is How to Know a Person. \nBook Giveaway: FAN is giving away copies of A Little More Social. to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event is suitable for youth ages 12 and up. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/a-little-more-social-how-small-choices-create-unexpected-happiness-health-and-connection/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260514T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260514T200000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20260506T143018Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260513T194127Z
UID:20007250-1778785200-1778788800@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:AMERICA\, U.S.A.: HOW RACE SHADOWS THE NATION'S ANNIVERSARIES
DESCRIPTION:Celebrated public intellectual Eddie S. Glaude\, Jr.\, Ph.D. (FAN ’20\, ’24)\, presents a groundbreaking analysis of the vicious cycles of American history and the country’s enduring refusal to face its true nature\, especially at the moments when national anniversaries steer us back toward the mythology meant to disguise the truth. \nAmerica\, U.S.A.: How Race Shadows the Nation’s Anniversaries\, deliberately formulated and beautifully written\, details a heart-wrenching exploration of America’s legacy. It is a magnificently complex combination of lessons and voices\, from W.E.B. DuBois and John Dos Passos to Herman Melville and Martin Luther King\, Jr.\, that\, together\, paint a sprawling and honest tableau of the United States\, its complicated past\, and ever more tenuous future. Glaude’s is a powerful voice of conscience in our tumultuous world. He pulls no punches\, calling on us to interrogate our conceptions of innocence and freedom and the stories we tell ourselves about our past and present. \nCentered around the major celebrations of America’s milestone birthdays across 250 years of history\, the book offers a riveting look at the battles over who has a stake in writing the American story. Devastatingly candid\, profoundly moving\, and deeply reflective\, America\, U.S.A. is a shining meditation on how we must reckon with a grim past to strive for the better angels of our future. \nGlaude is the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor at Princeton University and author of New York Times bestselling Begin Again and We Are the Leaders We Have Been Looking For. He frequently appears in the media\, as a columnist for TIME Magazine and as an MSNBC contributor on programs like Morning Joe and Deadline White House with Nicolle Wallace. He also regularly appears on Meet the Press on Sundays. \nHe will be in conversation with Imani Perry\, JD\, Ph.D.\, the Henry A. Morss\, Jr. and Elisabeth W. Morss Professor of Studies of Women\, Gender\, and Sexuality and of African and African American Studies at Harvard University and the Carol K. Pforzheimer Professor at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute. Perry is the author of nine books\, including the New York Times bestseller South to America which received the 2022 National Book Award for Nonfiction. She is a 2023 recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship and has been awarded fellowships from the Guggenheim and Pew Foundations. \nBook Giveaway: FAN is giving away copies of America\, U.S.A. to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event is suitable for youth ages 12 and up. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/america-u-s-a-how-race-shadows-the-nations-anniversaries/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260507T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260507T200000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20260429T142337Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260429T142337Z
UID:20007227-1778180400-1778184000@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:HOW TO START: DISCOVERING YOUR LIFE'S WORK
DESCRIPTION:Before Jodi Kantor became a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist whose reporting toppled media magnates and sparked reform worldwide\, she was kicked off her college newspaper. \nThat early stumble is central to her new book\, How to Start: Discovering Your Life’s Work\, a guide for young people navigating political upheaval\, skyrocketing costs of living\, and the unsettling unknowns of AI. Kantor has spent her career anticipating uncomfortable truths about the changing workplace. Now she turns that same unflinching eye toward the question facing a generation: how is anyone supposed to find and start their life’s work? \nKantor sets aside platitudes and false hope in favor of something more useful. Work\, she argues\, is not just how we spend our time. It’s our engine of progress: how cancer therapies get invented\, political campaigns get won\, thrilling art gets made and finds its audience. Against that backdrop\, she offers two organizing principles to help young people discover their calling: craft and need. Paired together\, they provide a framework for the hardest early-career decisions: how to think about money\, how much risk to take on\, when to push back against conventional wisdom. \nPowerful and provocative\, How to Start is a statement of faith for uncertain times\, offering wisdom\, strategy\, and a set of aspirations built to launch careers and sustain them for a lifetime. \nIn addition to her 2017 Pulitzer\, which she shared with Megan Twohey (FAN ’19) for their reporting on Harvey Weinstein\, Kantor has been the recipient of many awards and honors\, including the Columbia Alumni medal\, the George Polk Award\, and Time Magazine’s list of 100 most influential people of the year. In 2025 she joined the New York Times‘ Washington bureau’s Supreme Court team full-time. \nKantor will be in conversation with Jennifer Breheny Wallace (FAN ’23\, ’26)\, an award-winning journalist and bestselling author of Mattering and Never Enough. She is the founder of The Mattering Institute and co-founder of The Mattering Movement\, a nonprofit whose mission is to create cultures of mattering in schools and educational spaces. \nBook Giveaway: FAN is giving away copies of How to Start to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event is suitable for youth ages 12 and up. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/how-to-start-discovering-your-lifes-work/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260416T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260416T200000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20260408T133849Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260408T133849Z
UID:20007171-1776366000-1776369600@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:AN OBJECTIVE LOOK AT MEDITATION METHODS AND ENLIGHTENMENT
DESCRIPTION:For this event\, clinical and research psychologist Elaine Aron\, Ph.D.\, author of the international bestseller The Highly Sensitive Person\, will discuss her new book Spirituality Through a Highly Sensitive Lens: An Objective Look at Meditation Methods and Enlightenment. In it she offers the first ever objective overview of meditation methods and paths to enlightenment. \nWhy spirituality through a “Highly Sensitive Lens”? This is not a book or a talk just for highly sensitive people (HSP)\, though Aron is one. She reflected on meditation and enlightenment for years and saw a huge need for objective\, complete information on all the many kinds of meditation and on all views of enlightenment. There were no books that fully described all forms of meditation and that provided the necessary information to make an informed choice. \nFurther\, most people do not realize that every form of meditation began with the purpose that you\, the meditator\, would reach nirvana. God Realization. Enlightenment. Awakening. Yet meditation teachers often do not talk much about it. They are apprehensive that students will see view it as unattainable or will aim for it and be disappointed. \nAron wants meditation and enlightenment discussed together\, as they were meant to be. She maintains that a spiritual supernova exploded in the Sixties\, but like a distant supernova\, its light has only now reached us. Many people began meditating back then\, and while many stopped\, some continued for fifty or more years. Suddenly more people\, both meditators and others\, are “waking up” to a state of profound inner peace\, unshakeable calm\, and clearer focus. There are hundreds of books and websites about this person’s enlightenment and that person’s method of getting there\, but no overview of this chaos or the actual research on it. \nBut what about all those unethical spiritual teachers you hear about? Aron is very interested in this issue\, explaining that one can “wake up” and still need to “clean up” your complexes. She addresses both in every chapter\, and how to avoid being a casualty\, whether due to tendencies in a teacher or in yourself. \nAron will be in conversation with Mary Commerford\, Ph.D.\, a clinical psychologist\, psychoanalyst\, and instructor at an analytic training institute in NYC. She was for 21 years the director of the counseling center at Barnard College. Before switching to clinical psychology\, trained in ministry at Yale University Divinity School\, working subsequently as a chaplain. She has been a member of a meditation community for over 40 years. \nThis event is suitable for youth ages 12 and up. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/an-objective-look-at-meditation-methods-and-enlightenment/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260408T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260408T130000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20260318T161809Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260318T161809Z
UID:20007105-1775649600-1775653200@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:BORN TO FLOURISH: HOW NEW SCIENCE AND ANCIENT WISDOM REVEAL A SIMPLE PATH TO THRIVING
DESCRIPTION:Richard J. Davidson\, Ph.D.\, and Cortland Dahl\, Ph.D.\, are among the world’s foremost neuroscientists and contemplative teachers. In Born to Flourish: How New Science and Ancient Wisdom Reveal a Simple Path to Thriving\, they draw on decades of research from the Center for Healthy Minds and the non-profit Humin to offer something rare: a program that is both scientifically grounded and immediately livable. \nThe book is built around four practices — Awareness\, Connection\, Insight\, and Purpose — that together train the brain to move from stress and anxiety toward clarity and calm. Awareness invites full presence with our emotions\, allowing us to meet life’s inevitable ups and downs with steadiness rather than reactivity. Connection cultivates kindness and appreciation\, deepening relationships and a sense of belonging. Insight draws on self-inquiry to loosen the grip of old narratives. Purpose anchors us in core values\, sharpening the judgment we need to make sound decisions. \nWe are born with a natural capacity to flourish — but capacity requires cultivation. The encouraging finding from Davidson and Dahl’s research is that just a few minutes of daily practice produces measurable change. Born to Flourish makes that practice accessible wherever life finds you: commuting\, doing chores\, lying in bed. For anyone navigating depression\, despair\, or loneliness\, or simply seeking more from their mental and emotional life\, the book offers a clear and actionable way forward. \nDavidson is the William James and Vilas Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison the founder and director of the Center for Healthy Minds and of the nonprofit Humin. Dahl is a research scientist at the Center and the Chief Contemplative Officer at Humin. \nDavidson and Dahl will be in conversation with Jacqueline Moreno\, Chief Service Officer of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission\, overseeing the agency’s public-facing direct service work with students\, families\, schools\, colleges\, and partner organizations across Illinois. \nBonus Book Giveaway: FAN is giving away copies of Born to Flourish to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event is suitable for youth ages 12 and up. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/born-to-flourish-how-new-science-and-ancient-wisdom-reveal-a-simple-path-to-thriving/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260317T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260317T200000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20260304T142418Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260306T220115Z
UID:20007075-1773774000-1773777600@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:THE CREATIVITY CHOICE: THE SCIENCE OF MAKING DECISIONS TO TURN IDEAS INTO ACTION.
DESCRIPTION:Anyone who has ever participated in a brainstorming session knows that most of us do not lack ideas. Yet many people never breathe life into them. To turn inspiration into real achievement\, you must decide to act—and then decide to act again and again\, despite obstacles\, until your thoughts take shape and come to life. This is what psychologist Zorana Ivcevic Pringle\, Ph.D.\, calls the creativity choice. \nIn her new book The Creativity Choice: The Science of Making Decisions to Turn Ideas into Action\, Pringle—a senior research scientist at Yale University’s Center for Emotional Intelligence—draws on twenty years of research to dispel one of our most stubborn myths: that creativity is an innate gift reserved for the Albert Einsteins\, Steve Jobses\, and Coco Chanels of the world. In fact\, creativity is a decision. And it is one that anyone can learn to make. \nWith stories ranging from an entrepreneur who built a national nonprofit\, to a YouTuber who turned a hobby into a professional career\, to a business leader who established a company culture of innovation\, Pringle illuminates how people make creative ideas happen. She shows what it takes to get started\, the psychological and emotional tools needed to navigate the creative process\, and the social conditions that allow creativity to flourish—from the casual relationships that spark unexpected ideas\, to the close bonds that sustain risk-taking and perseverance. \nAmong her key insights: problem finding matters more than problem solving; emotions are not obstacles to creativity but valuable information that can be strategically harnessed; and the difference between a one-hit wonder and a consistent innovator often comes down to the quality of one’s social network. Pringle also explores why people who genuinely want to be creative so often avoid it\, and how accepting the anxiety that accompanies originality is itself the first creative act. \nPringle studies the role of emotion\, emotional intelligence\, and self-regulation in creativity and well-being\, as well as how to use the arts (and art-related institutions) to promote emotion and creativity skills. She will be in conversation with Marc Brackett\, Ph.D. (FAN ’19\, ’25)\, the founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence\, a professor in the Child Study Center at Yale University\, and the author of the 2019 bestselling book Permission to Feel and 2025’s Dealing with Feeling. \nThis event is suitable for youth ages 12 and up. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/the-creativity-choice-the-science-of-making-decisions-to-turn-ideas-into-action/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260313T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260313T130000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20260225T143946Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201807Z
UID:20007067-1773403200-1773406800@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:DOPAMINE KIDS: A SCIENCE-BASED PLAN TO REWIRE YOUR CHILD'S BRAIN AND TAKE BACK YOUR FAMILY IN THE AGE OF SCREENS AND ULTRAPROCESSED FOODS
DESCRIPTION:Nearly everything you’ve heard about dopamine is wrong. It’s not the molecule of happiness — it doesn’t give us pleasure; it gives us motivation. Today\, unprecedented “dopamine surges” pull us toward technology and ultraprocessed foods like magnets\, many times a day\, and neuroscientists have now begun to understand how these surges alter our choices\, habits\, and moods — driving adults and kids toward activities that bring no real enjoyment and leave us feeling sad\, lonely\, anxious\, and depressed. \nWhen Michaeleen Doucleff\, Ph.D. (FAN ’21)\, set out to address her own family’s screen time and dependence on processed foods\, she discovered that study after study refuted nearly everything the media claims about dopamine. She took that new neuroscience and merged it with practical experience to shift the power dynamic back to families — so that instead of devices and foods controlling us\, we control them. The result is Dopamine Kids: A Science-Based Plan to Rewire Your Child’s Brain and Take Back Your Family in the Age of Screens and Ultraprocessed Foods\, a five-step operating manual for habit remodeling that helps parents create boundaries\, replace screen time with equally enticing alternatives\, remove triggers\, and celebrate new choices — ultimately weakening the neurological pull of devices and making dopamine work in a family’s favor. \nDoucleff’s research culminates in a four-week plan to build screen-free sanctuaries that protect conversation\, focus\, sleep\, and adventure. Where Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation sounded the alarm about screens\, Dopamine Kids is the handbook for solving the problem — teaching kids a healthy relationship with technology and food while meeting their genuine biological and emotional needs. Doucleff has a chemistry doctorate from UC Berkeley\, a postdoctoral fellowship at the NIH\, more than a decade covering children’s health for NPR’s science desk\, a Peabody Award\, and the New York Times bestseller Hunt\, Gather\, Parent. \nDoucleff will be in conversation with Heidi Stevens\, Director of External Affairs for the University of Chicago’s TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health. She writes a weekly nationally syndicated column\, “Balancing Act.” Stevens has been a FAN board member since 2021. \nBonus Book Giveaway: FAN is giving away copies of Dopamine Kids to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event is suitable for youth ages 12 and up. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/dopamine-kids-a-science-based-plan-to-rewire-your-childs-brain-and-take-back-your-family-in-the-age-of-screens-and-ultraprocessed-foods/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260226T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260226T200000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20260209T175353Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260209T175353Z
UID:20007033-1772132400-1772136000@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:Picky: How American Children Became the Fussiest Eaters in History
DESCRIPTION:Are children naturally picky\, or did pickiness develop over the past century? Picky: How American Children Became the Fussiest Eaters in History by historian Helen Zoe Veit\, Ph.D.\, is an eye-opening investigation into why American kids no longer eat broadly and with gusto. As an award-winning historian of American food\, Veit demonstrates compellingly that mass childhood pickiness is a cultural invention – not a biological inevitability. \nPickiness used to be almost nonexistent. Well into the 20th century\, Americans saw children as joyful omnivores who were naturally curious and eager to eat. Kids in the past loved spicy relishes\, vinegary pickles\, and bitter greens. They spent their allowances on raw oysters and looked forward to their daily coffee. American parents of the past assumed children could enjoy the same food as adults\, and they almost always did.\nSo how did modern kids become such incredibly narrow eaters? Picky shows how fussy eating gradually\ncame to define “children’s food” and to reshape American diets at large. And maybe most importantly\, it\nexplains how we can still use parenting tools from the past to raise happy\, healthy\, wildly un-picky kids\ntoday. \nVeit is an associate professor of history at Michigan State University and the director of the “What America Ate” and “America in the Kitchen” projects. She was an advisor for HBO’s The Gilded Age\, and her work is often cited in The New York Times\, Washington Post\, Wall Street Journal\, and more. Veit will be in conversation with John Waller\, Ph.D.\, Associate Professor of the History of Science and Medicine at Michigan State University who has published seven books spanning science\, medicine\, and social history\, and has just completed a major study of group dynamics across the past 12\,000 years of human history. \nBonus Book Giveaway: FAN is giving away copies of Picky to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on\nthe webinar registration page. \nThis event is suitable for youth ages 12 and up. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and\nYouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/picky-how-american-children-became-the-fussiest-eaters-in-history/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260224T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260224T203000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20260209T173727Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260209T173727Z
UID:20007032-1771959600-1771965000@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:The Balancing Act: Creating Healthy Dependency and Connection Without Losing Yourself
DESCRIPTION:Licensed therapist Nedra Glover Tawwab\, LCSW (FAN ’23)\, has built a remarkable platform exploring relationships and self-care—two New York Times bestsellers\, 1.8 million Instagram followers\, a weekly podcast\, and a widely-read newsletter. Her newest book\, The Balancing Act: Creating Healthy Dependency and Connection Without Losing Yourself\, extends her groundbreaking work by offering a roadmap to relationships that honor both dependency and individuality. \nWith signature clarity and honesty\, Tawwab explores what it means to cultivate healthy dependency in contrast to the extremes of hyper-independence or codependency that many of us struggle with. While her previous books examine the importance of setting boundaries for internal peace\, The Balancing Act combines boundary-setting with building and maintaining relationships through genuine connection. Covering attachment styles\, family systems\, social media habits\, and cultural norms\, Tawwab addresses why we swing between hyper-independence and hyper-dependence\, how to recognize unhealthy patterns from codependency to indiscriminate distrust\, and practical strategies for strengthening relationships while maintaining individuality. \nEach chapter combines relatable vignettes\, expert guidance\, and reflective questions that empower readers to evaluate their patterns\, navigate conflict\, and build relationships that feel authentic\, nourishing\, and balanced. Whether seeking more closeness with a partner\, clarity with a friend or family member\, or greater agency in your own life\, The Balancing Act offers a path toward connections that sustain rather than drain you. \nTawwab will be in conversation with Natalie Y. Moore\, an award-winning journalist and author and senior lecturer and director of audio programming at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. \nBonus Book Giveaway: FAN is giving away copies of The Balancing Act to randomly selected Zoom\nattendees. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event is suitable for youth ages 12 and up. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/the-balancing-act-creating-healthy-dependency-and-connection-without-losing-yourself/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260219T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260219T200000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20260209T173813Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260209T173813Z
UID:20007031-1771527600-1771531200@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:Shared Wisdom: Cultural Evolution in the Age of AI
DESCRIPTION:In Shared Wisdom: Cultural Evolution in the Age of AI\, Alex “Sandy” Pentland\, Ph.D.\, delves into the history of innovation\, emphasizing how technologies and cultural inventions have shaped human society. Humanity’s great leaps forward—the rise of civilizations\, the Enlightenment\, and the Scientific Revolution—were all propelled by cultural inventions that accelerated our rate of innovation and built collective wisdom. Solving today’s global challenges\, from climate change and pandemics to failing social institutions\, will require similarly fundamental inventions. \nShared Wisdom provides a unique perspective on human society and offers insights into how we can use technologies like digital media and AI to augment\, rather than replace\, our human capacity for deliberation. Drawing on his expertise in both social science and technology\, Pentland bridges the gap between these disciplines and offers a holistic view of the challenges and opportunities we face in the age of AI. By examining our deep history\, he argues that the better we understand the key factors that accelerate cultural evolution\, the greater our chances of surmounting our current problems. \nPentland is a Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI and Toshiba Professor of Media Arts & Science at MIT’s Sloan School of Management. He is a serial entrepreneur\, was named one of the “100 People to Watch This Century” by Newsweek and “one of the seven most powerful data scientists in the world” by Forbes. He is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering\, an advisor to Abu Dhabi Investment Authority Lab\, and an advisor to Google\, AT&T\, and the UN Secretary General. Pentland will be in conversation with Lisa Kay Solomon (FAN ’24)\, a lecturer and the Futurist in Residence at the Stanford University d.school. She is the host of the How We Future podcast and Substack and the co-author of the bestselling books Moments of Impact and Design a Better Business. \nBonus Book Giveaway: FAN is giving away copies of Shared Wisdom to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event is suitable for youth ages 12 and up. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/shared-wisdom-cultural-evolution-in-the-age-of-ai/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://gortoncenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Copy-of-FAN-800-x-600-website-image-70.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260216T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260216T200000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20260204T145138Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260216T025041Z
UID:20007017-1771268400-1771272000@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:THE WAY OF EXCELLENCE: A GUIDE TO TRUE GREATNESS AND DEEP SATISFACTION IN A CHAOTIC WORLD
DESCRIPTION:In The Way of Excellence: A Guide to True Greatness and Deep Satisfaction in a Chaotic World\, bestselling author and performance coach Brad Stulberg offers a practical guide to realizing our potential amid the chaos of modern life by reconnecting to ourselves through the pursuit of excellence. Combining modern science\, timeless wisdom\, and actionable strategies\, Stulberg redefines excellence—not as a finish line to cross\, but as an ongoing process of growth and becoming that allows us to reach our fullest potential while staying deeply connected to our values and what truly matters. \nInspired by research from diverse fields and grounded in real-world application\, Stulberg frames excellence as the integration of mastery and mattering\, providing a clear\, sustainable path for pursuing meaningful goals with focus and intention. Unlike “hacks” and the hustle culture of “pseudo-excellence\,” this book champions meaningful challenges that align with our values and goals and foster deep satisfaction\, fulfillment\, and contribution. \nStulberg explores critical principles such as defining and living in alignment with your values\, cultivating focus\, prioritizing consistency over intensity\, building genuine confidence\, and creating environments that foster our best performances. He shows how striving for genuine excellence can reconnect us to ourselves\, our work\, and each other\, creating lives rich in meaning and purpose. \nStulberg is the bestselling author of The Practice of Groundedness and Master of Change\, and coauthor of Peak Performance. He regularly contributes to The New York Times\, and his work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal and The Atlantic\, among other outlets. He is co-host of the podcast excellence\, actually and is on faculty at the University of Michigan. \nStulberg will be in conversation with Angela Duckworth\, Ph.D. (FAN ’12\, ’16)\, the Rosa Lee and Egbert Chang Professor at the University of Pennsylvania\, faculty co-director of the Penn-Wharton Behavior Change for Good Initiative\, and founding faculty co-director of Wharton People Analytics. She is also co-host of the podcast No Stupid Questions. \nBonus Book Giveaway: FAN is giving away copies of The Way of Excellence to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event is suitable for youth ages 12 and up. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/the-way-of-excellence-a-guide-to-true-greatness-and-deep-satisfaction-in-a-chaotic-world/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://gortoncenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Copy-of-FAN-800-x-600-website-image-69.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260212T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260212T200000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20260128T145405Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260129T155856Z
UID:20006998-1770922800-1770926400@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:OF BOYS AND MEN: WHY THE MODERN MALE IS STRUGGLING\, WHY IT MATTERS\, AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
DESCRIPTION:Boys and men are struggling. Profound economic and social changes of recent decades have left many losing ground in the classroom\, the workplace\, and the family. While the lives of women have changed\, the lives of many men have remained the same—or in some cases\, worsened. \nIn the widely praised book Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling\, Why It Matters\, and What to Do about It\, Richard V. Reeves\, Ph.D.—a father of three sons\, a journalist\, and the founding president of the American Institute for Boys and Men (AIBM)—takes on the complex and urgent crisis of boyhood and manhood. Reeves argues that our attitudes\, institutions\, and laws have failed to keep up\, and that politicians across the ideological spectrum have offered more heat than solutions. \nReeves examines the structural challenges facing boys and men and offers fresh\, evidence-based solutions that turn the page on the corrosive narratives surrounding this issue. Of Boys and Men makes the case that helping the other half of society does not require abandoning the ideal of gender equality. The book was named a “Best Book of 2022” by The New Yorker and The Economist and was a 2024 Summer Reading Selection of Barack Obama. \nIn addition to leading AIBM\, Reeves is a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution\, where he previously held the John C. and Nancy D. Whitehead Chair in Economic Studies. His work has appeared in The Atlantic\, The Wall Street Journal\, and The New York Times. Earlier in his career\, Reeves was director of the U.K.-based think tank Demos\, director of futures at the Work Foundation\, principal policy adviser to the U.K. minister for welfare reform\, social affairs editor at The Observer\, economics correspondent at The Guardian\, and a researcher at the Institute of Psychiatry at the University of London. \nReeves will be in conversation with David Schreiber\, MD\, a psychiatrist specializing in child\, adolescent\, and adult crisis care. Dr. Schreiber is the CEO and co-founder of Compass Health Center\, which provides in-person and virtual Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) services across Illinois\, Maryland\, Minnesota\, and Wisconsin\, with additional virtual care available in Washington\, DC\, and Virginia. \nBONUS BOOK GIVEAWAY! FAN is giving away paperback copies of Of Boys and Men to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event is suitable for youth ages 12 and up. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/of-boys-and-men-why-the-modern-male-is-struggling-why-it-matters-and-what-to-do-about-it/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://gortoncenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Copy-of-FAN-800-x-600-website-image-68.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260211T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260211T200000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20260128T144217Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260206T150647Z
UID:20006997-1770836400-1770840000@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:LUCKY BY DESIGN: THE HIDDEN ECONOMICS YOU NEED TO GET MORE OF WHAT YOU WANT
DESCRIPTION:“Luck is when preparation meets opportunity\,” Seneca\, the ancient Roman philosopher\, once said. For many of us\, luck feels like pure chance—the result of outcomes blindly doled out by the universe. A coworker scores coveted World Series tickets; a friend finds the love of their life on Tinder; a neighbor’s child gets into the best preschool in town. But what if Seneca was right—and luck is more than chance? What if there are hidden markets all around us—ones we navigate every day in work\, education\, and life—that dictate who gets what? And what if it’s possible to learn how to sway the odds in our favor? \nAccording to Wharton economist and market designer Judd Kessler\, Ph.D.\, we do have the power to make our own luck. In Lucky by Design: The Hidden Economics You Need to Get More of What You Want\, Kessler pulls back the curtain on the hidden markets we routinely encounter\, explaining the rules by which they operate and how to make choices that lead to better outcomes. In familiar markets—such as the stock market or your local farmer’s market—what we get depends on how much we’re willing to pay. Hidden markets don’t rely on prices; instead\, they follow a different set of rules\, and you can’t simply buy your way into a better position. \nKessler shows that the world doesn’t have to work this way. By revealing how hidden markets function and where we go wrong\, he offers practical insight into making smarter choices when money\, merit\, and timing aren’t what determine the outcome. \nKessler is the inaugural Howard Marks Endowed Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. His research and writing have appeared in The New York Times\, The Wall Street Journal\, The Washington Post\, Scientific American\, Harvard Business Review\, Politico\, NPR\, Hidden Brain\, Freakonomics\, and more. \nKessler will be in conversation with Corinne Low\, Ph.D. (FAN ’25)\, associate professor of business economics and public policy at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Low is the author of the 2025 book Having It All: What Data Tells Us About Women’s Lives and Getting the Most Out of Yours. \nBONUS BOOK GIVEAWAY! FAN is giving away copies of Lucky by Design to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/lucky-by-design-the-hidden-economics-you-need-to-get-more-of-what-you-want/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://gortoncenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Copy-of-FAN-800-x-600-website-image-67.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260129T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260129T200000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20260114T160120Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260114T160120Z
UID:20006941-1769713200-1769716800@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:MATTERING: THE SECRET TO A LIFE OF DEEP CONNECTION AND PURPOSE (EVENT 2 OF 2)
DESCRIPTION:In her groundbreaking new book Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose\, award-winning journalist and bestselling author Jennifer Breheny Wallace (FAN ’23) argues that mattering—the feeling that we are valued and have the chance to add value—is a core human need\, as essential to our well-being as food and water. Yet in today’s world\, that need is increasingly unmet\, with serious consequences. As mental and social health crises surge\, we often point to social media\, the pace of modern life\, or polarizing politics. Wallace reveals a deeper\, more fundamental problem: what she calls “an erosion of mattering.” \nDrawing on rigorous research and deeply moving stories\, Wallace explores what happens when people lose—and regain—the sense that they matter. From burned-out employees and overwhelmed caregivers to those navigating grief or major life transitions\, Mattering shows how lives are transformed when we are reminded\, in small but intentional ways\, that we are seen\, valued\, and needed. Wallace identifies the essential components of what she calls a “mattering core”: recognizing your impact\, being relied on (but not too much)\, feeling prioritized\, and being truly known and invested in. \nBoth a diagnosis and a remedy\, Mattering offers a clear call to action along with a practical blueprint for change. With accessible insights and actionable takeaways\, Wallace shows how to strengthen our own sense of mattering—and how to build cultures of mattering in our homes\, workplaces\, and communities—at a moment when it has never been more urgent. \nWallace will be in conversation with Kelly Corrigan\, author of four New York Times bestselling memoirs about family life: The Middle Place\, Glitter and Glue\, Lift and Tell Me More. She is the host of PBS’ Tell Me More and the top 1% podcast Kelly Corrigan Wonders. \nBonus Book Giveaway: FAN is giving away copies of Mattering to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event is suitable for youth ages 12 and up. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/mattering-the-secret-to-a-life-of-deep-connection-and-purpose-event-2-of-2/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://gortoncenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Copy-of-FAN-800-x-600-website-image-66.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260129T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260129T130000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20260114T155401Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260120T183848Z
UID:20006940-1769688000-1769691600@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:MATTERING: THE SECRET TO A LIFE OF DEEP CONNECTION AND PURPOSE (EVENT 1 OF 2)
DESCRIPTION:In her groundbreaking new book Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose\, award-winning journalist and bestselling author Jennifer Breheny Wallace (FAN ’23) argues that mattering—the feeling that we are valued and have the chance to add value—is a core human need\, as essential to our well-being as food and water. Yet in today’s world\, that need is increasingly unmet\, with serious consequences. As mental and social health crises surge\, we often point to social media\, the pace of modern life\, or polarizing politics. Wallace reveals a deeper\, more fundamental problem: what she calls “an erosion of mattering.” \nDrawing on rigorous research and deeply moving stories\, Wallace explores what happens when people lose—and regain—the sense that they matter. From burned-out employees and overwhelmed caregivers to those navigating grief or major life transitions\, Mattering shows how lives are transformed when we are reminded\, in small but intentional ways\, that we are seen\, valued\, and needed. Wallace identifies the essential components of what she calls a “mattering core”: recognizing your impact\, being relied on (but not too much)\, feeling prioritized\, and being truly known and invested in. \nBoth a diagnosis and a remedy\, Mattering offers a clear call to action along with a practical blueprint for change. With accessible insights and actionable takeaways\, Wallace shows how to strengthen our own sense of mattering—and how to build cultures of mattering in our homes\, workplaces\, and communities—at a moment when it has never been more urgent. \nWallace will be in conversation with Robert Waldinger\, MD (FAN ’23)\, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School\, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development at Massachusetts General Hospital\, and cofounder of the Lifespan Research Foundation. He is the bestselling author of The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness. \nBonus Book Giveaway: FAN is giving away copies of Mattering to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event is suitable for youth ages 12 and up. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/mattering-the-secret-to-a-life-of-deep-connection-and-purpose-event-1-of-2/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://gortoncenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Copy-of-FAN-800-x-600-website-image-65.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260122T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260122T200000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20260114T154813Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260114T154813Z
UID:20006939-1769108400-1769112000@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:PARENTING ANXIETY: BREAKING THE CYCLE OF WORRY AND RAISING RESILIENT KIDS
DESCRIPTION:Parenting is hard—especially for families navigating anxiety. Today’s parents face an overwhelming volume of advice shaped by rigid cultural ideals of what “good” parenting looks like\, particularly when it comes to managing children’s fears and worries. How do you raise resilient children in an age of uncertainty? How do you parent effectively when you yourself are anxious? \nMuch of the advice parents encounter\, unfortunately\, encourages responses that can increase the long-term risk of anxiety in children. In trying to protect kids from discomfort\, well-intentioned parents may block experiences children need to build courage\, confidence\, and resilience. \nIn her new book Parenting Anxiety: Breaking the Cycle of Worry and Raising Resilient Kids\, Meredith Elkins\, Ph.D.\, a clinical psychologist and faculty member at Harvard Medical School\, brings clarity to this increasingly urgent conversation. Drawing on her clinical work with children and families—and her own experience as a parent—Dr. Elkins helps parents rethink so-called “negative” emotions such as fear\, sadness\, and guilt\, and understand how modern parenting pressures contribute to anxiety in both children and adults. She encourages families to clarify their values and adopt a “love and limits” approach—balancing compassion with healthy boundaries while resisting the urge to shield children from every discomfort. \nDr. Elkins offers concrete\, evidence-based guidance for families experiencing everyday anxiety as well as those coping with anxiety disorders. This indispensable resource provides a clear roadmap for helping both children and parents build adaptability\, emotional flexibility\, and resilience across all stages of development. \nDr. Elkins will be in conversation with Rebecca Jenkins\, superintendent of Libertyville D70 in Libertyville\, IL. Jenkins has presented about leadership at the National Conference on Education by the American Association of School Administrators\, the award-winning PowerTrip conference for women in education; at the Illinois Association for Superintendents; and with Google at the ASU+GSV summit\, a global meeting for leaders in education\, technology\, and workforce development. \nBonus After-Hours Event: FAN donors are invited to attend a private After-Hours event hosted by Elkins that will start immediately after the webinar. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event is suitable for youth ages 12 and up. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/parenting-anxiety-breaking-the-cycle-of-worry-and-raising-resilient-kids/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://gortoncenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Copy-of-FAN-800-x-600-website-image-64.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260112T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260112T200000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20260107T142609Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260107T142609Z
UID:20006906-1768244400-1768248000@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:THE RUNNING GROUND: A FATHER\, A SON\, AND THE SIMPLEST OF SPORTS
DESCRIPTION:For Nicholas Thompson\, author of the new book The Running Ground: A Father\, a Son\, and the Simplest of Sports\, running has always been about something more than putting one foot in front of another. He ran his first mile at age five\, using it to connect with his father as his family fell apart. As a young man\, it was a sport that transformed\, and then shook\, his sense of self-worth. In his 30s\, it was a way of coping with a profound medical scare. \nBy his early 40s\, Thompson had many accomplishments. He was the editor in chief of a major magazine; a devoted husband and father; and a passionate runner. But he was haunted by the recent death of his brilliant\, complicated father and the crack-up that derailed his father’s life. Had the intensity and ambition he’d inherited made a personal crisis inevitable for him as well? \nThen a chance offer gave him the opportunity to train for the Chicago Marathon with elite coaches. Giving himself over to the sport more fully than ever before\, he discovered that aging didn’t necessarily put you on an unbroken trajectory of decline. For seven years after his father died\, Thompson transforms his body to perform at its highest capacity\, and the profound discipline and awareness he builds along the way changes every aspect of his life. Throughout the narrative\, he weaves in stories of remarkable men and women who have used the sport to transcend some of the hardest moments in life. \nThe Running Ground is a story about fathers\, sons\, and the most basic and most beautiful of sports. \nThompson is the CEO of The Atlantic\, a position he has held since 2021. He was previously the editor-in-chief of WIRED and the editor of NewYorker.com. He films a daily video on tech policy for LinkedIn and has roughly two million followers across social media platforms. He writes a monthly newsletter\, The Most Interesting Reads\, which currently has about 500\,000 readers\, about the best things he has read recently. \nThompson has long been a competitive runner; in 2021\, he set the American record for men 45+ in the 50K race. \nThompson will be in conversation with David Epstein (FAN ’16\, ’20)\, a science writer and author of the New York Times bestsellers Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World\, and The Sports Gene. His forthcoming book\, Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better\, will be published in May 2026. \nBONUS BOOK GIVEAWAY! FAN is giving away copies of The Running Ground to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/the-running-ground-a-father-a-son-and-the-simplest-of-sports/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://gortoncenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Copy-of-FAN-800-x-600-website-image-63.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20251118T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20251118T130000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20251112T145845Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251112T145845Z
UID:20006782-1763467200-1763470800@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:TINY EXPERIMENTS: HOW TO LIVE FREELY IN A GOAL-OBSESSED WORLD
DESCRIPTION:In Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World\, Anne-Laure Le Cunff\, Ph.D.\, argues that rigid goal setting is out of step with the complexity of modern life. Instead of being paralyzed by uncertainty or trapped in toxic productivity\, she shows how curiosity\, small tests\, and playful experimentation can help us grow in ways that are more sustainable\, creative\, and meaningful. \nHer tools for cultivating an experimental mindset are both science-backed and deeply practical—timely guidance in a world where many feel burned out\, stuck\, or unsure of their next steps. \nDrawing on scientific evidence and her own journey from tech executive to neuroscientist and entrepreneur\, Le Cunff invites us to rethink ambition itself. Can we replace fixed ladders with growth loops? And what would it mean to live a life defined not by control\, but by curiosity? \nLe Cunff is an award-winning neuroscientist and entrepreneur. She is the founder of Ness Labs\, where her weekly newsletter reaches more than 130\,000 readers. Her research at King’s College London focuses on the evolutionary neuroscience of curiosity. She previously worked at Google on digital health projects and has received support from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)\, the British Neuroscience Association\, and the King’s Engaged Research Network. \nLe Cunff will be in conversation with Susan Dominus (FAN ’25)\, Pulitzer Prize-winning staff writer for The New York Times Magazine and author of the 2025 book The Family Dynamic: A Journey into the Mystery of Sibling Success. \nBONUS BOOK GIVEAWAY! FAN is giving away copies of Tiny Experiments to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/tiny-experiments-how-to-live-freely-in-a-goal-obsessed-world/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://gortoncenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Copy-of-FAN-800-x-600-website-image-62.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20251113T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20251113T200000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20251112T144009Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251112T144009Z
UID:20006781-1763060400-1763064000@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:THE MIND ELECTRIC: A NEUROLOGIST ON THE STRANGENESS AND WONDER OF OUR BRAINS
DESCRIPTION:Stories are etched into the very structure of our brains\, coded so deeply that the impulse for storytelling survives and even surges after the most devastating injuries. But our brains are also porous—the stories they concoct shaped by cultural narratives about bodies and illness that permeate the minds of doctors and patients alike. In the history of medicine\, some stories are heard\, while others—the narratives of women\, of Black and brown people\, of displaced people\, of disempowered people—are too often dismissed. \nIn The Mind Electric: A Neurologist on the Strangeness and Wonder of Our Brains\, neurologist Pria Anand\, MD\, reveals—through case study\, history\, fable\, and memoir—all that the medical establishment has overlooked: the complexity and wonder of brains in health and in extremis\, and the vast gray area between sanity and insanity\, doctor and patient\, and illness and wellness\, each separated from the next by the thin veneer of a different story. \nMoving from the Boston hospital where she treats her patients\, to her childhood years in India\, to Isla Providencia in the Caribbean and to the Republic of Guinea in West Africa\, she demonstrates repeatedly the compelling paradox at the heart of neurology: that even the most peculiar symptoms can show us something universal about ourselves as humans. \nAnand is a graduate of Yale University and Stanford Medical School\, and she trained in neurology\, neuro-infectious diseases\, and neuroimmunology at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. She is now an assistant professor of neurology at Boston University School of Medicine\, and she cares for patients at Boston Medical Center. \nAnand will be in conversation with Anupam B. Jena\, MD\, Ph.D. (FAN ’23)\, the Joseph P. Newhouse Professor of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School and a physician in the Department of Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is the host of the Freakonomics\, MD podcast\, and co-author of Random Acts of Medicine: The Hidden Forces That Sway Doctors\, Impact Patients\, and Shape Our Health \nBONUS AFTER-HOURS EVENT: FAN donors are invited to attend a private AFTER-HOURS event hosted by Anand and Jena that will start immediately after the webinar. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/the-mind-electric-a-neurologist-on-the-strangeness-and-wonder-of-our-brains/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://gortoncenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Copy-of-FAN-800-x-600-website-image-61.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20251022T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20251022T200000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20251013T135900Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251013T174052Z
UID:20006737-1761159600-1761163200@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:VALIDATION: TRANSFORM YOUR RELATIONSHIPS\, INCREASE YOUR INFLUENCE\, AND CHANGE YOUR LIFE
DESCRIPTION:We all spend an absurd amount of energy trying to get people to listen to us\, and despite our best efforts\, we often fail. But what if the secret to changing behavior was to demonstrate acceptance? \nEnter validation — communication that one is mindful\, understands\, and empathizes with another person’s experience\, thereby accepting it as valid. When validation-based treatment\, also known as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)\, was introduced over thirty years ago\, it revolutionized psychology and facilitated change even amongst those patients who were highly resistant to it. Yet\, its practice has remained largely buried in treatment manuals and research articles written for psychologists — until now. \nWith Validation: How the Skill Set That Revolutionized Psychology Will Transform Your Relationships\, Increase Your Influence\, and Change Your Life\, psychologist and DBT expert Caroline Fleck\, Ph.D.\, brings these validation techniques out of therapy and into everyday life to help anyone decrease conflict\, strengthen relationships\, and change behaviors—in themselves and in others. \nPart memoir and part practical guide\, Fleck explains how and why validation is a catalyst for transformation. She draws on her two decades of experience to shows how anyone can develop the DBT skills of a therapist through the “Validation Ladder”: an actionable eight-step model that will help cultivate and communicate acceptance across relationships and unlock the potential for growth. \nFleck will be in conversation with Kelly Leonard\, Vice President of Creative Strategy\, Innovation\, and Business Development at The Second City in Chicago. He is the author of the acclaimed book Yes\, And and hosts the popular podcast Getting to Yes\, And for Second City Works and WGN radio. \nBONUS AFTER-HOURS EVENT: FAN donors are invited to attend a private AFTER-HOURS event hosted by Fleck and Leonard that will start immediately after the webinar. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/validation-transform-your-relationships-increase-your-influence-and-change-your-life/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://gortoncenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Copy-of-FAN-800-x-600-website-image-57.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20251020T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20251020T200000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20251013T133124Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251013T133124Z
UID:20006736-1760986800-1760990400@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:ROBIN HOOD MATH: TAKE CONTROL OF THE ALGORITHMS THAT RUN YOUR LIFE
DESCRIPTION:Everything we do today is recorded as data that’s sold to the highest bidder. Plugging our personal data into impersonal algorithms has made government agencies more efficient and tech companies more profitable. But all this comes at a price. It’s easy to feel like an insignificant number in a world of number crunchers who care more about their bottom line than your humanity. It’s time to flip the equation\, turning math into an empowering tool for the rest of us. \nIn his new book Robin Hood Math: Take Control of the Algorithms That Run Your Life\, award-winning mathematician Noah Giansiracusa\, Ph.D.\, explains how the tech giants and financial institutions use formulas to get ahead—and how anyone can use these same formulas in their everyday life. Through real-world events and relatable examples\, Giansiracusa makes math fun and relevant\, equipping readers with simple math hacks and streamlined formulas that can be applied immediately. You’ll learn how to handle risk rationally\, make better investments\, take control of your social media\, and reclaim agency over the decisions you make each day. \nGiansiracusa\, an associate professor of mathematics at Bentley University and a visiting scholar at Harvard University\, has spent his career studying algorithms and society. He has penned over a dozen prominent op-eds at outlets including Scientific American\, TIME\, WIRED\, Slate and more. He excels at explaining complex math to wide audiences and has been on national television programs discussing timely topics like AI-generated misinformation and the importance of mathematical literacy. \nIn a society that all too often takes from the poor and gives to the rich\, math can be a vital democratizing force. Robin Hood Math helps you to think for yourself\, act in your own best interests\, and thrive. \nSiracusa will be in conversation with Karen Saxe\, Ph.D.\, senior vice president\, government relations\, for the American Mathematical Society. She is Professor Emerita at Macalester College where she served as chair of the Department of Mathematics\, Statistics\, and Computer Science. \nBONUS AFTER-HOURS EVENT: FAN donors are invited to attend a private AFTER-HOURS event hosted by Giansiracusa and Saxe that will start immediately after the webinar. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/robin-hood-math-take-control-of-the-algorithms-that-run-your-life/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://gortoncenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Copy-of-FAN-800-x-600-website-image-56.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250925T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250925T200000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20250910T141214Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250910T141214Z
UID:20006686-1758826800-1758830400@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:MASTERY: WHY DEEPER LEARNING IS ESSENTIAL IN AN AGE OF DISTRACTION
DESCRIPTION:How much information is forgotten almost immediately after it is taught? How many students graduate from high school unprepared for careers where lifelong learning is essential to succeed? These problems stem from an educational system that uses time spent in a classroom and the results of standardized\, multiple-choice tests as proxies for actual understanding. In their new book\, Mastery: Why Deeper Learning is Essential in an Age of Distraction\, educators Tony Wagner\, Ed.D.\, and Ulrik Juul Christensen\, MD\, call for a radical new system of learning\, where students progress individually when they demonstrate that they can use what they have learned—no matter how long it takes to get there. This is called mastery learning\, and it is the future of education. \nThis book shows how mastery learning is already being used in the United States and around the world\, from kindergarten to college and in the workplace. Through conversations with teachers\, students\, parents\, policymakers\, and employers\, Wagner and Christensen show how mastery improves motivation and prepares students for productive work\, an engaged civic life\, and personal growth and well-being. They also outline the challenges of adopting mastery learning and how to overcome them. Mastery is an urgent call to action to transform education for all. \nChristensen is a globally recognized authority in learning technology\, and a co-founder of Area9 Group\, a leader in personalized and adaptive learning. His current focus is on Area9 Lyceum\, which has integrated the group’s educational investments and technologies to develop the fourth-generation adaptive learning platform and to pioneer four-dimensional education. \nWagner currently serves as a Senior Research Fellow at the Learning Policy Institute. He was the founder and co-director\, for more than a decade\, of the Change Leadership Group at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He is the author of eight books\, including the international bestseller The Global Achievement Gap. \nChristensen and Wagner will be in conversation with Fernande Raine\, Ph.D.\, a historian\, serial entrepreneur\, and Founder and Co-Lead of History Co:Lab. \nBONUS BOOK GIVEAWAY! FAN is giving away copies of Mastery to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/mastery-why-deeper-learning-is-essential-in-an-age-of-distraction/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250917T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250917T200000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20250903T161146Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250903T161146Z
UID:20006656-1758135600-1758139200@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:AFTER THE SPIKE: POPULATION\, PROGRESS\, AND THE CASE FOR PEOPLE
DESCRIPTION:Most people on Earth today live in a country where birth rates already are too low to stabilize the population: fewer than two children for every two adults. In After the Spike: Population\, Progress\, and the Case for People\, economists Dean Spears\, Ph.D.\, and Michael Geruso\, Ph.D.\, sound a wakeup call\, explaining why global depopulation is coming\, why it matters\, and what to do now. \nIt would be easy to think that fewer people would be better—better for the planet\, better for the people who remain. This book invites us all to think again. Despite what we may have been told\, depopulation is not the solution we urgently need for environmental challenges like climate change. Nor will it raise living standards by dividing what the world can offer across fewer of us. Spears and Geruso investigate what depopulation would mean for the climate\, for living standards\, for equity\, for progress\, for freedom\, for humanity’s general welfare. And what it would mean if\, instead\, people came together to share the work of caregiving and of building societies where parenting fits better with everything else that people aspire to. \nWith new evidence and sharp insights\, Spears and Geruso make a lively and compelling case for stabilizing the population—without sacrificing our dreams of a greener future or reverting to past gender inequities. They challenge us to see how depopulation threatens social equity and material progress\, and how welcoming it denies the inherent value of every human life. More than an assembly of the most important facts\, After the Spike asks what future we should want for our planet\, for our children\, and for one another. \nGeruso is an economic demographer\, public economist\, and associate professor of economics at the University of Texas at Austin. He served as a senior economist at the White House Council of Economic Advisers\, where he advised on issues of health and demography. He holds bachelor’s degrees in engineering\, political science\, and philosophy\, and earned his Ph.D. in economics from Princeton. \nGeruso will be in conversation with Katy Milkman\, Ph.D.\, the James G. Dinan Professor at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the host of Charles Schwab’s popular behavioral economics podcast Choiceology. She is also the co-founder and co-director (with Angela Duckworth\, Ph.D.\, FAN ’12\, ’16) of the Behavior Change for Good Initiative at Penn. \nBONUS BOOK GIVEAWAY! FAN is giving away copies of After the Spike to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/after-the-spike-population-progress-and-the-case-for-people/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250903T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250903T200000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20250903T154424Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250903T154424Z
UID:20006654-1756926000-1756929600@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:DREAM SCHOOL: FINDING THE COLLEGE THAT'S RIGHT FOR YOU
DESCRIPTION:Attending college has long been a rite of passage for millions of teens and a bedrock of the American dream. But that well-worn path has lately taken a wrong turn\, denying admission even to super-achievers and putting intolerable stress on family finances. Now\, in Dream School: Finding the College That’s Right for You\, Jeff Selingo (FAN ’20\, ’21\, ’22) shifts the spotlight from how colleges pick students to how students can better pick colleges. \nWith test-optional policies and grade inflation leveling the playing field for applicants\, getting into prestigious schools has become a kind of lottery. “Plan A” may work out\, but increasingly it isn’t—so Selingo urges families to ditch the “Top 25 or bust” mindset and look beyond the usual suspects. Hidden-gem schools with incredible value and rich opportunities are waiting to be discovered. \nBacked by unparalleled research—and an eye-opening survey of more than 3\,000 parents—Dream School reveals what really matters in a college: strong job prospects after graduation\, hands-on learning experiences\, and a sense of belonging. To help students find their perfect match\, Selingo highlights 75 accessible and affordable colleges that will satisfy those priorities. \nOrganized into three easy-to-digest sections\, Dream School explains why elite college degrees turn out to matter less than you think\, why many parents and students are choosing value over prestige\, and how to make sure the degree really pays off. \nSelingo is a New York Times bestselling author of three books on education and the job market. For more than twenty-five years\, his in-depth reporting and storytelling have provided practical insight about the future of higher education and the workforce to university leaders\, corporate executives\, as well as students and parents. \nSelingo will be in conversation with prominent New York Times journalist Frank Bruni (FAN ’15)\, author of Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be\, about the college admissions mania; The Beauty of Dusk; and most recently\, The Age of Grievance. He is the Eugene C. Patterson Professor of the Practice of Journalism and Public Policy at Duke University\, teaching media-oriented classes in the Sanford School of Public Policy. \nBONUS BOOK GIVEAWAY! FAN is giving away copies of Dream School to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/dream-school-finding-the-college-thats-right-for-you/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250522T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250522T130000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20250509T134754Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250521T191217Z
UID:20006429-1747915200-1747918800@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:ORIGINAL SINS: THE (MIS)EDUCATION OF BLACK AND NATIVE CHILDREN AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF AMERICAN RACISM
DESCRIPTION:If all children could just get an education\, the logic goes\, they would have the same opportunities later in life. But this historical tour de force makes it clear that the opposite is true: The U.S. school system has played an instrumental role in creating and upholding racial hierarchies and racism\, preparing children to expect unequal treatment throughout their lives. \nIn her new bestselling book Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism\, Eve L. Ewing\, Ed.D. (FAN ’18) demonstrates that our schools were designed to propagate the idea of white intellectual superiority\, to “civilize” Native students and to prepare Black students for menial labor. Education was not an afterthought for the Founding Fathers; it was envisioned by Thomas Jefferson as an institution that would fortify the country’s racial hierarchy. Ewing argues that these dynamics persist in a curriculum that continues to minimize the horrors of American history. The most insidious aspects of this system fall below the radar in the forms of standardized testing\, academic tracking\, disciplinary policies\, and uneven access to resources. \nBy demonstrating that it’s in the DNA of American schools to serve as an effective and underacknowledged mechanism maintaining inequality in this country today\, Ewing makes the case that we need a profound reevaluation of what schools are supposed to do\, and for whom. This book will change the way people understand the place we send our children for eight hours a day. \nEwing is an associate professor in the Department of Race\, Diaspora\, and Indigeneity at the University of Chicago and the author of four books\, including Ghosts in the Schoolyard: Racism and School Closings on Chicago’s South Side. Her work has been published in The New Yorker\, The Atlantic\, The New York Times\, and many other venues. \nEwing will be in conversation with Ta-Nehisi Coates (FAN ’17\, ’19)\, author of The Beautiful Struggle\, We Were Eight Years in Power\, The Water Dancer\, The Message\, and Between the World and Me\, which won the National Book Award in 2015. He is the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship. \nBONUS BOOK GIVEAWAY! FAN is giving away copies of Original Sins to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/original-sins-the-miseducation-of-black-and-native-children-and-the-construction-of-american-racism/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250521T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250521T200000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20250509T134028Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250521T190539Z
UID:20006428-1747854000-1747857600@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:HOW TO STOP TRYING: AN OVERACHIEVER'S GUIDE TO SELF-ACCEPTANCE\, LETTING GO\, AND OTHER IMPOSSIBLE THINGS
DESCRIPTION:Have you ever heard someone say\, “I’m trying to make it work\,” and thought\, “That sounds like a great idea”? Probably not. Because the thing about trying is that it’s tiring; it’s labor. Anyone who has tried to have fun or to relax or to fall asleep knows this to be true. \nAnd yet: we exist within a culture that encourages us—often with a frantic urgency—to try\, and try harder. We are told to try a different approach\, try to do or be better\, try to squeeze in a little bit more. This is especially true of women\, who not only have to try harder than men to receive access to the same opportunities and resources\, but who are also conditioned to try in the name of meeting others’ needs and expectations\, often at the expense of their own well-being. \nIn her new book\, How to Stop Trying: An Overachiever’s Guide to Self-Acceptance\, Letting Go\, and Other Impossible Things\, writer Kate Williams tackles hustle culture head-on\, exploring the ways in which women are primed to become relentless strivers. From the workplace to motherhood\, from relationships to “self-care”—no arena of a woman’s life is safe from the pressure to exceed expectations. This conflation of self-worth with achievement\, she argues\, is both toxic and counterproductive\, as the qualities we most seek—happiness\, meaning\, purpose—are not earned but rather owned. \nKnown for her astute cultural analysis and pitch-perfect observations of generational trends\, Williams takes readers on a journey rooted in her own struggle to divest from an overachieving identity\, including the realizations that came in the wake of a painful fertility challenge. Deeply felt\, passionately argued\, and often laugh-out-loud funny\, this is a book for every woman who has ever wondered what would happen if she stopped trying so hard—and just let go. \nWilliams will be in conversation with Jennifer Mathieu\, the critically acclaimed author of seven novels for young adults including Moxie\, which is now a major motion picture directed by Amy Poehler (Netflix). Her books have been translated into over twenty languages. A former journalist\, Mathieu is a graduate of Northwestern University and has been a teacher for nearly twenty years. \nThis event suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/how-to-stop-trying-an-overachievers-guide-to-self-acceptance-letting-go-and-other-impossible-things/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250513T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250513T200000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20250505T133256Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250505T133256Z
UID:20006425-1747162800-1747166400@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:THE FAMILY DYNAMIC: A JOURNEY INTO THE MYSTERY OF SIBLING SUCCESS
DESCRIPTION:An Olympic athlete. An award-winning novelist. A successful entrepreneur. All raised under one roof. What can we learn from those families whose children aim high and succeed\, sometimes in widely varied fields? Just as important: What were the costs along the way\, and what can we glean from their travails and triumphs? \nIn her new book\, The Family Dynamic: A Journey into the Mystery of Sibling Success\, the acclaimed Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times journalist Susan Dominus offers compelling profiles of six such families in search of the factors that led to their success—was it an inherited quality\, a specific way of parenting\, the influence of a sibling\, or a twist of luck? Inspired by the iconic Brontë sisters\, whose remarkable literary success prompted endless speculation\, Dominus\, the mother of twin teenagers\, sought out contemporary high-achieving families who shared intimate stories of their upbringing. She introduces us to the Chens\, young parents who fled their country’s one-child policy to open a Chinese restaurant in Appalachia—then sent four children to elite colleges and on to careers that give back in technology and medicine; the Groffs\, whose claim to fame is not just an award-winning novelist but an Olympic athlete and a notable entrepreneur; the Wojcickis\, whose daughters made inroads as STEM pioneers in Silicon Valley; and the Murguias\, who rose from exceptionally humble origins to become powerful jurists and civil rights champions. Woven into these and other stories is an account of centuries of scientific research into the ongoing question of nature versus nurture. \nElegantly written and extensively researched\, The Family Dynamic is more than a checklist of how-to’s. It’s a deep and moving exploration of the complexity of family life and the rewards—and burdens—of ambition. \nDominus will be in conversation with Lisa Damour\, Ph.D. (FAN ’19\, ’20\, ’21\, ’23)\, the author of three New York Times best sellers: Untangled\, Under Pressure\, and The Emotional Lives of Teenagers\, which have been translated into twenty-three languages. She co-hosts the Ask Lisa podcast\, works in collaboration with UNICEF\, and is recognized as a thought leader by the American Psychological Association. Damour authored the monthly Adolescence column for The New York Times\, is a regular contributor to CBS News\, and created Untangling 10to20\, a digital library of premium content to support teens and those who care for them. \nThis event suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/the-family-dynamic-a-journey-into-the-mystery-of-sibling-success/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250512T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250512T200000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20250501T132306Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250501T132306Z
UID:20006420-1747076400-1747080000@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:THE AI CON: HOW TO FIGHT BIG TECH'S HYPE AND CREATE THE FUTURE WE WANT
DESCRIPTION:Is artificial intelligence going to take over the world? Have big tech scientists created an artificial lifeform that can think on its own? Is it going to put authors\, artists\, and others out of business? Are we about to enter an age where computers are better than humans at everything? \nThe answer to these questions\, linguist Emily M. Bender\, Ph.D.\, and sociologist Alex Hanna\, Ph.D.\, make clear\, is “no\,” “they wish\,” “LOL\,” and “definitely not.” This kind of thinking is a symptom of a phenomenon known as “AI hype.” Hype looks and smells fishy: It twists words and helps the rich get richer by justifying data theft\, motivating surveillance capitalism\, and devaluing human creativity to replace meaningful work with jobs that treat people like machines. In The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech’s Hype and Create the Future We Want\, Bender and Hanna offer a sharp\, witty\, and wide-ranging take-down of AI hype across its many forms. \nBender and Hanna show you how to spot AI hype\, how to deconstruct it\, and how to expose the power grabs it aims to hide. Armed with these tools\, you will be prepared to push back against AI hype at work\, as a consumer in the marketplace\, as a skeptical newsreader\, and as a citizen holding policymakers to account. Together\, Bender and Hanna expose AI hype for what it is: a mask for Big Tech’s drive for profit\, with little concern for who it affects. \nBender\, a professor of linguistics at the University of Washington\, and Hanna\, director of research at the Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR)\, will be in conversation with Timnit Gebru\, Ph.D.\, founder and executive director of DAIR. DAIR is an interdisciplinary and globally distributed AI research institute rooted in the belief that AI is not inevitable\, its harms are preventable\, and when its production and deployment include diverse perspectives and deliberate processes it can be beneficial. \nBONUS AFTER-HOURS EVENT: Attendees who purchase a copy The AI Con from FAN’s partner bookseller The Book Stall are invited to attend an AFTER-HOURS event hosted by Bender and Hanna that will start immediately after the webinar. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/the-ai-con-how-to-fight-big-techs-hype-and-create-the-future-we-want/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250506T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250506T130000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20250501T142848Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250501T142848Z
UID:20006421-1746532800-1746536400@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:GRAND ROUNDS: SHIFT: MANAGING YOUR EMOTIONS — SO THEY DON'T MANAGE YOU
DESCRIPTION:Whether it’s anxiety about going to the doctor\, boiling rage when we’re stuck in traffic\, or devastation after a painful break-up\, our lives are filled with situations that send us spiraling. But as difficult as our emotions can be\, they are also a superpower. Far from being “good” or “bad\,” emotions are information. When they’re activated in the right ways and at the right time\, they function like an immune system\, alerting us to our surroundings\, telling us how to react to a situation\, and helping us make the right choices. \nBut how do we make our emotions work for us rather than against us? Acclaimed psychologist Ethan Kross\, Ph.D.\, has devoted his scientific career to answering this question. In his new bestselling book Shift: Managing Your Emotions — So They Don’t Manage You\, he dispels common myths—for instance\, that avoidance is always toxic or that we should always strive to live in the moment—and provides a new framework for shifting our emotions so they don’t take over our lives. \nShift weaves groundbreaking research with riveting stories of people struggling and succeeding to manage their emotions—from a mother whose fear prompted her to make a spur-of-the-moment decision that would save her daughter’s life mid-flight to a nuclear code-carrying Navy SEAL who learned how to embrace both joy and pain during a hellish training activity. Kross spotlights a wide array of tools that we already have access to—in our bodies and minds\, our relationships with other people\, and the cultures and physical spaces we inhabit—and shows us how to harness them to be healthier and more successful. \nKross is the director of the Emotion and Self-Control Laboratory at the University of Michigan and professor in its top ranked psychology department and Ross School of Business. His book Chatter: The Voice in Our Head\, Why it Matters\, and How to Harness It was an international bestseller. \nKross will be in conversation with David Schreiber\, MD\, a psychiatrist specializing in child\, adolescent\, and adult crisis care. Dr. Schreiber is the CEO and co-founder of Compass Health Center (CHC) and Compass Virtual. \nBONUS BOOK GIVEAWAY! FAN and Compass Health Center are giving away copies of Shift to randomly selected Zoom attendees who are also clinicians. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/grand-rounds-shift-managing-your-emotions-so-they-dont-manage-you/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250505T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250505T200000
DTSTAMP:20260617T130445
CREATED:20250501T144612Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250501T144612Z
UID:20006422-1746471600-1746475200@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:CHANGE THE WALLPAPER: TRANSFORMING CULTURAL PATTERNS TO BUILD MORE JUST COMMUNITIES
DESCRIPTION:How can ordinary people fight for social justice? Can individual actions change structural inequality? In Change the Wallpaper: Transforming Cultural Patterns to Build More Just Communities\, social psychologist Nilanjana Dasgupta\, Ph.D.\, offers a science-driven approach to achieving social change\, arguing that small changes to the “wallpaper”—the local cultures around us—are far more effective in producing structural change locally than seeking change through bias awareness training\, symbolic acts\, or relying solely on good intentions. \nBy integrating knowledge across diverse fields—including psychology\, neuroscience\, education\, sociology\, economics\, public health\, urban studies\, cultural geography\, and landscape architecture—Dasgupta shows how attitudes and beliefs take root in our mind based on what we see and hear every day. This wallpaper nudges our behavior to create or reinforce small inequalities that go unnoticed and accumulate over time. Disrupting these patterns and habits requires creating opportunities for social mixing across lines of difference\, allowing new relationships to form\, and promoting a better understanding of unfamiliar others’ experiences\, followed by organizing and collective action. Together\, these types of experiences and actions bring real change within our reach—in workplaces\, in neighborhoods\, in cities and towns. Dasgupta provides fresh\, actionable approaches for everyone interested in working toward justice for all. \nDasgupta is a Provost Professor of Psychology and the founding Director of the Institute of Diversity Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She will be in conversation with Jerry Kang\, the Ralph and Shirley Shapiro Distinguished Professor of Law and Distinguished Professor of Asian American Studies at the UCLA School of Law. \nBONUS AFTER-HOURS EVENT: Attendees who purchase a copy Change the Wallpaper from FAN’s partner bookseller The Book Stall are invited to attend an AFTER-HOURS event hosted by Dasgupta that will start immediately after the webinar. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/change-the-wallpaper-transforming-cultural-patterns-to-build-more-just-communities/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
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END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR