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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T183000
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SUMMARY:USM Forum on American Democracy: Foundations of Free Expression
DESCRIPTION:Keynote with Dr. Jonathan Friedman\nWednesday\, September 9\, 2026 \n\n\n \n5:00 – 6:30 PM | Hannaford Hall\, Abromson Center  \nUniversity of Southern Maine (USM) 2026–2027 Series: A Focus on Free Speech \nHosted by President Jacqueline Edmondson \nDr. Jonathan Friedman\, Sy Syms managing director of U.S. free expression programs at PEN America\, will launch the second year of the Forum series with a keynote addressing the critical role of freedom of speech in American democracy. Drawing from extensive work in advocacy and public discourse\, Friedman will explore how protecting free expression strengthens civil society and empowers universities like USM to remain vibrant centers for open inquiry and intellectual growth. \n\n\n\nAbout the USM Forum on American Democracy\n\n\n\nThe USM Forum on American Democracy is a year-long public series designed to engage the University of Southern Maine and the broader community in thoughtful conversations on the foundations and future of democratic society. Hosted by President Edmondson\, the Forum invites multiple perspectives on timely civic topics through keynote speakers\, panel discussions\, and campus-wide engagement. \n\n\n\nEach year\, the Forum explores a central theme. For its second year\, the focus is on freedom of speech – its foundational role in a democratic society\, the modern challenges and protections surrounding it\, and how we foster open\, robust dialogue within our communities and campuses today. \n\n\n\nBy engaging voices from across campus\, across ideologies\, and across communities\, the Forum seeks to deepen our collective understanding of democratic ideals. Whether you’re a student thinking about your role in shaping the future\, an educator nurturing thoughtful dialogue\, or a community member seeking unity in complexity\, this conversation will leave you inspired and equipped to take part in building a democracy that works for all of us. \n\n\n\nA thank you to the Pond Family Foundation\, the sponsors of the USM Forum on American Democracy.
URL:https://usm.maine.edu/calendar-of-events/event/usm-forum-on-american-democracy-foundations-of-free-expression/
LOCATION:Hannaford Hall — Abromson Community Education Center\, 88 Bedford St\, Portland\, ME\, 04101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Lecture or panel discussion,Student activities
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ORGANIZER;CN="Office of the President":MAILTO:usm.president@maine.edu
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260923T163000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260923T183000
DTSTAMP:20260916T123603Z
CREATED:20260824T133412Z
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UID:10036114-1790181000-1790188200@usm.maine.edu
SUMMARY:A.I. Refusal in Education and Beyond
DESCRIPTION:a conversation with Hannah Cyrus and Janna Ahrndt\n \nSkeptical about the generative A.I. hype? Want a space to discuss the whys and hows of refusal? Just curious?  \nJoin Hannah Cyrus (Digital Media Librarian at Bangor Public Library) and Janna Ahrndt (Assistant Professor of Art and Interim Director of the Maker Innovation Studio (MIST) Lab at USM) to learn about how generative A.I. works\, how (un)reliable it is as an information source\, and more about USM’s contract with Chat GPT Edu\, including surveillance and privacy issues and implications for intellectual freedom. We will also have resources about how to disable generative A.I. on your devices. \nThis event is free and open to the public. \nRoom change: 7th Floor Glickman Library (Briggs room\, formerly the University Events Room) \nAdditional logistics: \n\nAccommodations: If you have questions about accessibility or need to request accommodations (e.g. interpreters\, materials in electronic format\, etc.)\, please describe them in the event RSVP form. Requests should be made as soon as possible to allow sufficient time for the accommodation process.\nParking: Parking at USM is not free; please visit the Parking Services website for more information.\nHealth: Masks optional. Please consider masking or staying home if you are sick.\nFood: Snacks provided!\n\nHosted by the University of Southern Maine Libraries & Learning Outreach Committee with generous support from the Osher Map Library and the UMS A.I. Task Force.
URL:https://usm.maine.edu/calendar-of-events/event/a-i-refusal/
LOCATION:Glickman Family Library\, 314 Forest Avenue\, Portland\, ME\, 04101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Lecture or panel discussion
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260929T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260929T200000
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SUMMARY:We Will See You Bleed:  A book talk with Ron Currie
DESCRIPTION:The Franco-American Collection at the University of Southern Maine invites you to a book talk with Maine Franco-American novelist Ron Currie about his new novel\, We Will See You Bleed. Join us at the University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston campus\, 51 Westminster St. in Lewiston\, room 170\, on September 29\, 2026 at 6 pm for the event. There is no fee for our programs\, which are made possible by the generous sponsorship of the Québec Delegation in Boston. \nAward-winning author Ron Currie dazzled readers last spring with his exhilarating\, genre-bending turn to crime\, The Savage\, Noble Death of Babs Dionne. Named an April IndieNext Pick and a best book of the year by the Wall Street Journal\, Vulture\, NPR\,org\, and more\, this viscerally drawn literary thriller—centered around a matriarchal crime syndicate in small-town Maine—earned effusive critical acclaim upon publication and has already been optioned for production as a Netflix series. Crucially\, the novel introduced readers to Babs Dionne\, the flawed\, complicated\, captivating antiheroine at its center\, whose ferocious\, unbending love for her community and ruthless capacity for violence inspired comparisons to Tony Soprano and Vito Corleone. Such rarified comparisons speak to just how masterfully and reverently Currie has rendered Babs\, her kin\, and the world she rules with her cast-iron fist—a world in which brutality\, identity\, and family are the only objective truths. \nThis summer\, Babs Dionne is back and more bitter than ever in We Will See You Bleed\,  the highly anticipated second novel in Currie’s Waterville trilogy exploring the generations of \nDionne women in Little Canada’s hardscrabble\, tight-knit Franco-American community. A prequel to the events of The Savage\, Noble Death\, this propulsive\, epic crime saga transports readers back to the mid-1980s to chart Babs’ violent origin story against the backdrop of a historic labor strike. With the breathless suspense\, dark humor\, and profound empathy that earned its predecessor national media attention from the Wall Street Journal\, Los Angeles Times\, NPR\, Boston Globe\, Chicago Tribune\, Seattle Times\, Air Mail\, and more\, Currie’s sixth novel weaves together high stakes suspense with deep emotional resonance to craft a small-town story about class struggle and cultural identity that unfolds with the urgency of a Shakespearean drama. The book also features both return appearances from Babs’indelible cast of henchwomen and introduces new characters\, including Babs’ late husband Rheal—making this both an anticipated continuation of this world and a fresh entry point for new readers into the Dionne universe. \n  \nUnable to join us in-person? Here’s a link to register to attend on Zoom: https://maine.zoom.us/meeting/register/KW0mRcFRRIi62hKAaLh65Q \n  \nFor more information or to register\, contact the FAC archivist\, Anna Faherty at anna.faherty@maine.edu or by phone (207) 753-6545. If you have questions about disability access or need to request disability accommodations (e.g. sign language interpreters\, materials in electronic format\, etc.)\, please contact Anna. Requests should be made as soon as possible to allow sufficient time for the accommodation process.
URL:https://usm.maine.edu/calendar-of-events/event/we-will-see-you-bleed-a-book-talk-with-ron-currie/
LOCATION:Franco-American Collection — LAC\, 51 Westminster St\, Lewiston\, ME\, 04240\, United States
CATEGORIES:Lecture or panel discussion
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