[act-ma] April 26: Barney Frank: recipient of Ford Hall Forum at Suffolk's First Amendment Award -- admission free

[Mary Curtin]

FORD HALL FORUM
AT SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY
presents

BARNEY FRANK
with their annual
Louis P. and Evelyn Smith
First Amendment Award 


proceedings moderated by 
Peter Meade

Friday, April 26, 6:30-8 pm
[take note of date change]
C. Walsh Theatre

preceded by a special
First Amendment Award Reception,
fundraiser held from
5:00-6:00 pm at the
Offices of Prince Lobel Tye LLP


(Boston, MA 02114) Ford Hall Forum at Suffolk University presents Barney
Frank with their annual Louis P. and Evelyn Smith First Amendment Award,
proceedings moderated by Peter Meade. Friday, April 26, 6:30-8:00 pm.
Admission is free and open to all. C. Walsh Theatre at Suffolk University,
55 Temple St., Boston. Wheelchair accessible and conveniently located near
the Park St. MBTA Station. For more information, contact Ford Hall Forum at
Suffolk University: 617-557-2007, www.fordhallforum.org
<http://www.fordhallforum.org/> .

[Preceded on April 26 by a First Amendment Award Reception, 5:00-6:00 pm.
The fundraiser will be held at the Offices of Prince Lobel Tye LLP, 100
Cambridge St., Boston. Further information on purchasing reception tickets
can be found at www.fordhallforum.org <http://www.fordhallforum.org/> .
Reception guests receive priority seating at the award ceremony held
afterwards in C. Walsh Theatre.]

Former Congressman Barney Frank is a Ford Hall Forum favorite, having graced
its stage seven times since 1979. Last year, he completed his illustrious
32-year tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives, throughout which he was
boldly outspoken at every opportunity. Frank consistently chose to be the
voice of those who often have no voice: Combat Zone sex workers, the
elderly, Japanese-Americans in WWII, and even animals. One of the most
powerful statements he made on his defense of civil liberties was his
opposition to "Respect for America's Fallen Heroes," proving that his
support for the First Amendment supersedes any personal agenda. In light of
how he has conducted such a vital, brave career, Ford Hall Forum presents
Barney Frank with its 2013 First Amendment Award to commend his commitment
to civic engagement, democracy, and expression.

For the past 32 years, the Ford Hall Forum's Louis P. and Evelyn Smith First
Amendment Award has honored individuals or organizations that demonstrate
extraordinary commitment to promoting and facilitating the thoughtful
exercise of our right to freedom of expression. The first award recipient
was Norman Lear back in 1981, and since then, the Forum has recognized such
luminaries as Rosa Parks, Peter Seeger, Ted Turner, Gwen Ifill, to name just
a few. 

Further background information on the participants:

Barnett "Barney" Frank represented the fourth congressional district --
district in the western and southern suburbs of Boston - in the U.S. House
of Representatives from 1981 to 2013. From 2003 until his retirement, Frank
was the leading Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee. After
graduating Harvard College and Harvard Law School, Frank worked as a
political aide before serving in Massachusetts House of Representatives from
1972 to 1980. In 1987, he became the first member of Congress to voluntarily
come out as gay. In July 2012, he married his long-time partner, James
Ready, achieving another first: no other member of Congress had ever married
a same-sex partner. Barney Frank is known for his quick wit as well as his
commitment to civil rights.

Peter Meade was appointed Chief Economic Development Officer for the City of
Boston by Mayor Thomas M. Menino in April 2011. He serves on the Mayor's
cabinet, and as Chief Economic Development Officer, leads the Boston
Redevelopment Authority, which for the past fifty years has been responsible
for Boston's planning and economic development agenda. Meade launched his
career in the 1970s, as a member of the administration of Mayor Kevin White,
where he served the City of Boston in many roles.  He later became the
President and CEO of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States
Senate, dedicated to inspiring the next generation of citizens and leaders
to engage in the public square. Meade was the Executive Vice President of
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts for over a decade and later took
over as President and CEO of The New England Council.

Coming up next in Ford Hall Forum at Suffolk University's Spring Series:

Hell in a Handbasket: the Decline of Taboos
Melissa Mohr (author, Holy Sh*t: A Brief History of Swearing), Margot
Mifflin (author, Bodies of Subversion: A Secret History of Women and
Tattoo), and Bill Downing (former President, MassCANN/NORML);
moderated by Robin Abrahams (author, "Miss Conduct" etiquette columnist).
Thursday, May 9, 6:30 - 8:00 pm
C. Walsh Theatre, Suffolk University

Not long ago, we lived in a world where cursing was verboten, only sailors
had tattoos, and smoking marijuana was confined to college experimentation.
Are these things really more prevalent today or were they acceptable long
before they reached the puritanical eyes of American society? And if they
are met with less disdain these days, is it because we're a more accepting
society or because this is the beginning of a backslide into a social world
rife with slovenly self-conduct? Moderator Robin Abrahams (author, "Miss
Conduct" etiquette columnist) talks with Melissa Mohr (author of Holy Sh*t:
A Brief History of Swearing), Margot Mifflin (author of Bodies of
Subversion: A Secret History of Women and Tattoo), and Bill Downing (former
President, MassCANN/NORML) to determine whether we can let it all hang out
or if crossing the line is a harbinger of societal disaster.

About Ford Hall Forum at Suffolk University:

Ford Hall Forum is the nation's oldest free public lecture series. The Forum
provides an open venue for sharing opinions and discussing controversial
points of view. It advances the First Amendment through freedom of
expression, encouraging attendees to engage directly with speakers. Ford
Hall Forum discussions illuminate the key issues facing our society by
bringing to its podium knowledgeable and thought-provoking orators from a
broad range of perspectives. These experts participate for free, and in
settings that promote a culture of involvement in a non-partisan
environment.

The Forum began in 1908 as a series of Sunday evening public meetings held
at the Ford Hall, which once stood on Beacon Hill in Boston. While the
original building no longer exists, the public conversations have continued
throughout the Boston area with the generous support from state agencies,
foundations, corporations, academic institutions, and individuals. In its
104th year of programming, the Forum continues to build upon its partnership
with Suffolk University. Suffolk is now housing the Forum's administrative
offices just a block away from where the original Ford Hall once stood.

Ford Hall Forum programs are made possible through the generous
contributions from individual members as well as corporations and
foundations, including American International Group (AIG), AMES Hotel,
Broadway Video, Compass Eight, The Fred & Marty Corneel Fund, Gray Media,
Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council, Helen Rees
Literary Agency, Iron Mountain, Jackson & Company, LCMG Certified Public
Accountants, The Lowell Institute, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Nellie
Mae Education Foundation, Penny Pimentel, The Pfizer Foundation, Plymouth
Rock Assurance Corporation, Prince Lobel & Tye, Saturday Night Live, Suffolk
University, True North,  and WBUR 90.9 FM.

For more information on Ford Hall Forum at Suffolk University, visit
www.fordhallforum.org. Information about Suffolk University's partnership
with the Ford Hall Forum can be obtained by contacting Mariellen Norris,
(617) 573-8450, mnorris at suffolk.edu.


###


--submitted by marycurtinproductions (on behalf of Ford Hall Forum)
c/o Mary Curtin
PO Box 290703, Charlestown, MA 02129
617-241-9664, 617-470-5867 (cell), marycurtin at comcast.net
"dedicated to staging insightful entertainment, particularly in
non-traditional venues"
www.marycurtinproductions.com
www.facebook.com/marycurtin
http://twitter.com/marycurtin
www.myspace.com/marycurtin


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://act-ma.org/pipermail/act-ma_act-ma.org/attachments/20130405/a55a6a49/attachment.html>