Wallace House Presents our 2024-2025 lineup of live events with Mazin Sidahmed, Bret Stephens, Lydia Polgreen, María Elena Salinas and Stephen Henderson. Please mark your calendars for the events below and join us.
The 37th Annual Hovey Lecture with Mazin Sidahmed of Documented “Sorting Immigration Facts from Fiction: The Power of Local Reporting Amid National Politics”
Tuesday, September 10, 2024 | 5 PM Reception following lecture
Wallace House Gardens, 620 Oxford Road An in-person outdoor event
Join Mazin Sidahmed, 2021 Knight-Wallace Reporting Fellow and co-founder of the non-profit newsroom Documented, for a discussion on how shifting our journalism focus from national coverage to local news outlets and from “reporting about” to “reporting for and with” immigrant communities can help us discern immigration fact from fiction and improve outcomes for everyone.
This is an in-person event and will not be live-streamed. However, a recording of the lecture will be available on our website following the event.
WCEE Distinguished Lecture. Verses from a Nation in Transition. Ukraine in Photographs by Joseph Sywenkyj
Monday, October 21, 2024 | 5:30 PM Weiser Hall Room 1010 | 500 Church Street
Free and open to the public
Joseph Sywenkyj is the 2024-25 Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia’s Distinguished Fellow, and a Knight-Wallace Fellow at the University of Michigan. An award-winning American photographer of Ukrainian descent, Sywenkyj has lived and worked in Ukraine for the last two decades. He is a frequent contributor to publications in Europe and Eurasia and to The Wall Street Journal, and his photographs have been exhibited in galleries and museums, including the United Nations Visitor’s Lobby in New York and the Taras Shevchenko National Museum in Kyiv.
“Election Perspectives” with Bret Stephens, Lydia Polgreen, María Elena Salinas and Stephen Henderson
Wednesday, October 23, 2024 | 6 PM
Rackham Auditorium 915 E Washington St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Free and open to the public
Join Wallace House Presents for a live event featuring New York Times columnists Bret Stephens and Lydia Polgreen, alongside ABC News’ María Elena Salinas, in conversation with Stephen Henderson of WDET. As part of the University of Michigan’s Year of Democracy, Global and Civic Engagement initiative, this special event will offer insightful perspectives on the presidential candidates and critical issues shaping the 2024 election. Don’t miss the chance to hear these acclaimed journalists discuss and debate the latest developments on the campaign trail as this historic election reaches its critical final phase.
Co-Sponsors: Gerald R. Ford School U-M’s Year of Democracy, Global and Civic Engagement initiative
2025 Knight-Wallace Fellow Dieu-Nalio Chery
“Contextualize Haiti’s Demising Situation” Photo Project with Dieu-Nalio Chery
Friday, September 13, 2024 | 10:20 AM
Michigan Union Room 2210 2nd Floor 530 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Free and open to the public
Our 2025 Knight-Wallace Fellow, Dieu-Nalio Chery, will present his photojournalistic work showcasing Haiti’s descent at the first annual symposium titled: “Contextualize Haiti’s Demising Situation.” Dieu-Nalio Chery is a freelance photojournalist from Haiti who is now based in Michigan. For over a decade, Chery worked for The Associated Press, documenting the profound beauty, searing pain and upheaval in his homeland.
The symposium will bring together scholars and specialists in Haitian Studies, filmmakers, photographers and community leaders to discuss current issues relevant to Haiti, the Haitian diaspora, and actors involved in development in Haiti.
Co-Sponsors: College of Literature, Science and the Arts Office of Academic Mulicultural Initiatives (OAMI) School of Social Work (Diversity Equity and Inclusion) Rackham Graduate School International Institute
Wallace House Presents our 2023-2024 lineup of live events with Rachel Swarns, Raney Aronson-Rath, and Kara Swisher. Please mark your calendars for the events below and join us.
The 36th Annual Hovey Lecture with ProPublica’s Anna Clark
“Government Secrecy from Flint to Oxford: Freedom of Information and the Public’s Right to Know”
5 PM | September 12, 2023 Reception following lecture
Wallace House Gardens, 620 Oxford Road An in-person outdoor event
For nearly two decades of reporting from and about Michigan, 2017 Knight-Wallace Fellow and ProPublica journalist Anna Clark has covered numerous consequential stories, from the Flint water crisis to the mass shooting at Oxford High School. Join her for a discussion on the dangers of a culture of secrecy for Michigan and beyond and what it takes to push back.
This is an in-person event and will not be live-streamed. A video recording will be available on our website after the event.
“Haiti’s Current Crisis: A Human Rights Perspective” 4 PM | Monday, Sept. 18, 2023
An in-person event at Weiser Hall Room 555 500 Church Street
Free and open to the public
Human rights violations are systematic in Haiti. The situation has worsened considerably since the multiplication of massacres in 2018 and the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July 2021. The gangs control large areas of the country and practice a scorched-earth policy. Knight-Wallace Fellow and Haitian journalist Roberson Alphonse will share his observations on the Haitian tragedy.
The U-M Space Institute will host a special screening of the Netflix documentary about the design and launch of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and a panel discussion featuring 2013 Knight-Wallace Fellow and Film Director Shai Gal and Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, the previous Associate Administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, as well as other experts in space and astronomy.
“Unknown: Cosmic Time Machine” follows the ambitious decades-long mission to create and deploy the largest-ever space telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope. The documentary showcases a remarkable team of NASA engineers and scientists as they take a giant leap in trying to understand the mysteries of the universe.
For eight years, Martin Baron served as executive editor of The Washington Post, leading its newsroom from Jeff Bezos’s purchase of the paper to the election and presidency of Donald Trump. Join Baron in conversation with Stephen Henderson for a discussion on Baron’s new book “Collision of Power: Trump, Bezos and The Washington Post,” as he details his tenure at The Post and examines larger issues of the press and its role in democracy.
CNN anchor and Chief Washington correspondent, Jake Tapper
4:00 PM | Friday, Nov. 3, 2023
Lydia Mendelssohn Theater 911 N University Ave, Ann Arbor
Free and open to the public Register Here Registrations are not required, but allow us to send you event updates and reminders. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Join us for a special event featuring CNN anchor and Chief Washington correspondent, Jake Tapper, as part of the continuing series: “Democracy in Crisis: Views from the Press.” Tapper will be joined in conversation with Wallace House Director, Lynette Clemetson. Their wide-ranging discussion will cover the state of democracy and the role and responsibility of the press in a democratic society, as well as how Tapper’s experience of being an anchor and correspondent informs his craft of writing.
Tapper’s newly released book, “All the Demons Are Here,” will be available for purchase at the event. The author will stay for a short book signing after the program.
This event is presented by the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy in partnership with Wallace House Center for Journalists and U-M Democracy & Debate.
Co-sponsors: Alumni Association of the University of Michigan
A Book event with Laura Meckler
“Dream Town: Shaker Heights and The Quest for Racial Equity”
6:30 PM | Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2023
Literati Bookstore 124 E Washington Street, Ann Arbor
Free and open to the public
Literati Bookstore is proud to welcome Laura Meckler to present and discuss her book “Dream Town: Shaker Heights and the Quest for Racial Equity.” in collaboration with Wallace House Center for Journalists and the Department of English Language and Literature at The University of Michigan. She’ll be joined in conversation by Dr. Brianne Dotson.
In-person and open to the public Event will also be streamed here.
Register Here Registrations are not required but allow us to send you event updates and reminders.
What is the responsibility of American institutions in reparative justice?
Join New York Times journalist and author Rachel Swarns in conversation with Wallace House director Lynette Clemetson, as she discusses her book “The 272: The Families Who Were Enslaved and Sold To Build the American Catholic Church,” a story of servitude and slavery spanning nearly two centuries and detailing the beginnings of Georgetown University and the U.S. Catholic Church. Swarns’s journalism started a national conversation about universities with ties to slavery.
Swarn’s book, “The 272,” will be available for purchase at the event.
Co-Sponsors: Center for Racial Justice housed at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy Center for Social Solutions Donia Human Rights Center Eisenberg Institute for Historical Studies
Knight-Wallace Fellow Kat Stafford ’22 and Anna Clark ’17
EIHS Symposium: The Role of History in Investigative Reporting
Noon | Friday, January 19, 2024 1014 Tisch Hall
Free and open to the public
Join Knight-Wallace Fellows Kat Stafford ’22 of Reuters and Anna Clark ’17 of ProPublica as they discuss “The Role of History in Investigative Reporting,” moderated by University of Michigan historian Stephen A. Berrey.
Hosted By: Eisenberg Institute for Historical Studies
Co-sponsor: Wallace House Center for Journalists
2024 Knight-Wallace Fellow Iuliia Mendel
WCEE Distinguished Lecture: “The Fight of Our Lives”
5:30 PM | Monday, Feb. 19, 2024
Rackam Amphitheatre, 4th Floor
Free and open to the public
Join Knight-Wallace Fellow Iuliia Mendel for a discussion of her book “The Fight of Our Lives.”
Written with the sound of Russian bombs and exploding shells in the background, Mendel details life lived under the Russian siege of her home country, Ukraine, in 2022. She says goodbye to her fiancé, who joins the front lines like many other Ukrainian men. Throughout this story of Zelenskyy, Ukraine, and its extraordinary people, Mendel reminds us of the paramount importance of truth and human values, especially in these darkest times. Mendel held the position of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Press Secretary for over two years until the spring of 2021.
Co-sponsors: Center for European Studies International Institute Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies
WCEE Film and Eisendrath Symposium Event
20 Days in Mariupol Oscar nomination for Best Documentary
Documentary screening and discussion 5:30 PM | Monday, February 5, 2024
Michigan Theater 603 E Liberty St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis
An AP team of Ukrainian journalists trapped in the besieged city of Mariupol struggle to continue their work documenting atrocities of the Russian invasion. As the only international reporters who remain in the city, they capture what later become defining images of the war. The documentary shows vivid, harrowing accounts of civilians caught in the siege and a window into what it’s like to report from a conflict zone and the impact of such journalism around the globe.
The screening will be followed by a Q&A with producers Raney Aronson-Rath and Michelle Mizner.
The Eisendrath Symposium honors Charles R. Eisendrath, former director of Wallace House, and his lifelong commitment to international journalism.
Co-sponsors: Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia International Institute Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies
WCEE Film: Life to the Limit
Documentary screening and discussion
5:30 PM | Monday, February 12, 2024
Michigan Theater 603 E Liberty St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis
During the period that spanned from the Revolution of Dignity to the full-scale war between Russia and Ukraine, accomplished Ukrainian film producers Pavlo Peleshok and Yurko Ivanyshyn assumed the dual roles of defenders of their nation and chroniclers of its unfolding tragedy. Drawing on their personal film archives and fragmented memories, the pair assembled a mosaic of the causes and consequences of today’s Russian-Ukrainian war, starting from the end of 2013. As volunteers, Peleshok and Ivanyshyn ventured to the frontlines and hotspots of the Donbas region, risking their lives to capture the reality of the conflict. Even amid the ceaseless turmoil, they remained steadfast in their determination to create content that would convey the stark truth of the war to the wider world.
The screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Pavlo Peleshok.
Co-sponsors: Wallace House Center for Journalists International Institute Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies Center for European Studies
An Evening with Kara Swisher and Mary Barra
6 – 7:30 PM | Monday, March 18, 2024
Rackham Auditorium 915 E Washington St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Register Here Registrations are not required but allow us to send you event updates and reminders.
Award-winning journalist Kara Swisher has interviewed nearly every consequential innovator and tech entrepreneur working today. Her new memoir, “Burn Book: A Tech Love Story,” is an insider’s tale of success, failure, hubris and optimism. As Detroit gains influence in technology and the EV revolution, Swisher sits down with Mary Barra, chair and CEO of General Motors, to discuss her new book and explore the dynamic interplay of legacy companies, innovation, strategic bets on the future, and tech’s potential to solve problems and not just create them.
Co-sponsors: Gerald R. Ford School U-M Democracy & Debate U-M School of Information
CREES Lecture With Author Mikhail Zygar
War and Punishment: Putin, Zelensky and the Path to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
5:30 – 7 PM | Thursday, March 21, 2024
Rackham Amphitheater | 4th Floor 915 E Washington St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Russian-born author, political journalist and historian Mikhail Zygar will discuss his book “War and Punishment,” a story about an alternative, anti-imperialist Russian historical narrative. Starting last fall, all high school students in Russia are required to study history using a textbook written by Putin’s former minister of culture (and his ghostwriter), Vladimir Medinsky. Zygar debunks all the myths Putin’s history textbook promotes, and the the myths Putin uses to justify the war in Ukraine.
Zygar’s book, “War and Punishment,” will be available for purchase at the event.
Welcome remarks by Tabbye Chavous, Vice Provost for Equity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer
In 2013, longtime China correspondent Scott Tong came to the Knight-Wallace Fellowships to research China’s on-again, off-again ties with the global community and how it connected with his own family. The resulting book, “A Village with My Name: A Family History of China’s Opening to the World,” examines nationalism and globalization through the stories of five generations of Tongs.
Now a co-host of “Here and Now,” Tong returns to Wallace House to discuss Beijing’s increasing authoritarianism and international aggression and what it means for its future and that of globalization.
This is an in-person event and will not be live-streamed. A video recording will be available on our website after the event.
An evening with Anna Quindlen in conversation with Anne Curzan
“Write for Your Life” 6 PM | Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022
An in-person event at Rackham Auditorium 915 Washington Street
Free and open to the public
Best-selling author Anna Quindlen says recording our daily lives in an enduring form is more important than ever, urging all of us to pick up a pen and find ourselves. Join Anna Quindlen and Anne Curzan, LSA Dean and English Professor, for an in-person discussion about Quindlen’s book “Write for Your Life,” and learn how anyone can write and why everyone should.
Co-sponsors: College of Literature, Science, and the Arts Department of English Language and Literature Detroit Public Television Literati Bookstore Michigan Radio
Ira Shapiro with Chris Marquette
“The Betrayal: How Mitch McConnell and the Senate Republicans Abandoned America” 6 PM ET | Monday, Oct. 24, 2022
An in-person event at Weill Hall, Betty Ford Auditorium, Room 1110 725 S. State Street
Join Ira Shapiro, author and former Hill staffer, and Chris Marquette, Knight-Wallace Fellow and congressional reporter, for a discussion on Shapiro’s new book, “The Betrayal: How Mitch McConnell and the Senate Republicans Abandoned America,” our current political climate, and the state of democracy in these fractious times.
Hosted by: Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy
Co-sponsors: Alumni Association of the University of Michigan Democracy & Debate
Special Screening of the feature film “She Said,” and conversation with Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey
In October 2017, Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey of The New York Times broke the story of Harvey Weinstein’s decades of sexual abuse allegations and ignited the #metoo movement. Meet the reporters behind the groundbreaking expose and watch the feature film, “She Said,” based on their book of the same name. The conversation with Kantor and Twohey will follow the movie screening.
This event will not be live-streamed. Wallace House and its co-sponsors will not receive any proceeds from ticket sales.
Co-sponsors: College of Engineering College of Literature, Science, and the Arts Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
An MLK Symposium Event with Linda Villarosa
“Under the Skin: The Hidden Toll of Racism on American Lives and on the Health of Our Nation”
4:30 PM | Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023
An in-person event Annenberg Auditorium, Ford School
Wallace House Presents Linda Villarosa, journalist, educator and writer for The New York Times Magazine, as she examines racial inequities and bias in U.S. medical care and the devastating consequences on the health and well-being of Black Americans.
Wallace House Presents journalist and scholar Jelani Cobb,in conversation with Ford School Dean Celeste Watkins-Hayes, as part of the continuing series: “Democracy in Crisis: Views from the Press.” Watch Cobb, dean of Columbia Journalism School and staff writer for The New Yorker, as he examines race, historic challenges to democracy, the impact of the media, and how these inform our current moment.
February 24 marks one year since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian-born retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, former Director for European Affairs for the United States National Security Council examines the current state of the war and its impacts on the Ukrainian people, the implications for global security, and prospects for peace and rebuilding.
Discussion moderated by Geneviève Zubrzycki, professor of sociology and WCEE Director, and John Ciorciari, professor of public policy and director of the Ford School’s Weiser Diplomacy Center.
Featuring a special performance by members of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus of North America.
The event will conclude with a candlelight vigil on the Diag.
This evening is organized by the Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia in partnership with the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies; Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures; Ukrainian Club at U-M; Weiser Diplomacy Center; and Wallace House Center for Journalists.
An Evening with CNN Anchor Chris Wallace and Governor Gretchen Whitmer
6 pm | Wednesday, March 8
An in-person event at Rackham Auditorium 915 E Washington Street
This is a free and ticketed event Tickets are required to attend
Wallace House Presents CNN AnchorChris Wallace and Governor Gretchen Whitmer as part of the continuing series: “Democracy in Crisis: Views from the Press.” Join this hour-long special event with Mr. Wallace and Governor Whitmer as they discuss politics, public service, the media, and the state of our democracy, with opening remarks by the University of Michigan PresidentSanta Ono.
As natural disasters become more frequent and devastating, how can newsrooms better prepare for the reporting and operations challenges posed by these emergencies?
Covering Natural Disasters is a one-day symposium developed by current Knight-Wallace Fellow María Arce to bring together journalists, extreme weather experts, and emergency managers in a small group to discuss best practices for covering disasters and solutions to working with limited resources amid the destruction and tragedy of these events.
This symposium is an opportunity for editors, staff reporters, and freelancers to learn, connect and be better prepared to cover the next natural disaster with new skills and trauma-informed practices
The Eisendrath Symposium with Fred de Sam Lazaro of PBS NewsHour
“Under-Told Stories: Keeping International Stories in the News”
Wallace House Presents Fred de Sam Lazaro,executive director of the Under-Told Stories Project and correspondent for the PBS NewsHour, as he takes a critical look at the world’s underreported events and awakens us to understand the daily concerns of faraway people who increasingly affect our lives. A 1989 Michigan Journalism Fellow (later named the Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellowship), de Sam Lazaro founded Under-Told Stories a journalism project focused on the consequences of poverty and the work of change agents addressing them telling stories about the world’s biggest challenges including climate, food and water, and human rights.
