DEMOCRACY in the Public Space

REDRAWING FREEDOM

A Spring 2026 Lecture Series

Our Mission

The School of Behavioral and Social Sciences at Modesto Junior College is committed to fostering critical thinking, civic engagement, and democratic participation. Through our Democracy in the Public Space lecture series, we bring together leading scholars, activists, and thought leaders to examine the foundations of freedom, equality, and justice in contemporary society.

We believe that democracy thrives when diverse voices engage in meaningful dialogue about the most pressing issues of our time. This lecture series creates a space for our community to explore complex questions about rights, responsibilities, and the ongoing work of building a more just and equitable society.

REDRAWING FREEDOM

The School of Behavioral and Social Sciences's Democracy in the Public Space series returns in Spring 2026 with a timely and provocative new theme: Redrawing Freedom. Building on the Spring 2025 and Fall 2025 series Being American, this semester explores how freedom is defined, contested, and reshaped in a deeply polarized political moment.

Previous conversations examined separation of powers and checks and balances, immigration and citizenship across American history, voting rights and gerrymandering, and the enduring legacy of the Fourteenth Amendment. Spring 2026 turns toward the present—asking how the First and Fourteenth Amendments are being interpreted, defended, and challenged today.

Through lectures, performances, and panel discussions, Redrawing Freedom brings together historians, legal scholars, artists, economists, students, and public leaders to examine free speech, capitalism, due process, equal protection, academic freedom, and racial justice. The series is bookended by two events in collaboration with the Ethnic Studies Speaker Series, centering Asian American history, memory, and resistance.

Together, these events invite the campus and broader community to reconsider a fundamental question:

Who gets to define freedom—and at what cost?

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LECTURE SERIES

3MAR

SPEAKING AGAINST SILENCE

Emily P. Lawsin

Filipina Spoken-Word Poet, Asian American Historian

What happens when personal memory becomes public history? Performance poet, historian, and award-winning ethnic studies educator Emily P. Lawsin blends spoken-word poetry with oral history to explore Filipino American life, resistance, and belonging. Through humor, remembrance, and power, Lawsin addresses why breaking silence is essential to justice—and how redefining history reshapes freedom itself.

Time: Tuesday, 12:00 PM

Location: MJC MSR, West Campus

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Emily P. Lawsin, Filipina Spoken-Word Poet
10MAR

FREE SPEECH & POWER

Marie McMullan

Student Press Council, FIRE | Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression

An exploration of the tension between free expression and institutional power. How do we balance the right to speak freely with the responsibility to create inclusive communities? This conversation examines the evolving landscape of free speech on college campuses and in public discourse.

Time: Tuesday, 2:30 PM

Location: Forum 110, MJC East Campus

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First Amendment text
18MAR

CAPITALISM OR FREEDOM?

Trevor Jackson

Economic Historian, UC Berkeley

Does capitalism enhance or constrain human freedom? Economic historian Trevor Jackson examines the historical relationship between market economies and individual liberty, challenging us to reconsider assumptions about economic systems and democratic values.

Time: Wednesday, 2:30 PM

Location: Forum 110, MJC East Campus

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Trevor Jackson, Economic Historian from UC Berkeley
26MAR

DUE PROCESS & EQUALITY

Rachel Van Cleave

Visiting Professor of Law, University of the Pacific

How do legal protections ensure—or fail to ensure—equal treatment under the law? This lecture examines the principle of due process and its role in protecting individual rights and promoting equality in our justice system.

Time: Thursday, 11:30 AM

Location: Forum 110, MJC East Campus

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Rachel Van Cleave, Visiting Professor of Law
1APR

ACADEMIC FREEDOM

Student, Faculty and Community Panel

Panel Discussion

What does academic freedom mean in practice? Students, faculty, and community members discuss the importance of intellectual freedom in education, the challenges facing educators and learners today, and the role of academic institutions in protecting diverse perspectives.

Time: Wednesday, 11:30 AM

Location: Forum 110, MJC East Campus

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Panel discussion on Academic Freedom
16APR

EXCLUSION & BELONGING

Dr. Scott Kurashige

Asian American Historian

Who belongs in America, and who decides? Dr. Scott Kurashige examines the history of exclusion and the ongoing struggle for belonging in American society, with particular attention to Asian American experiences and the broader implications for democracy and citizenship.

Time: Thursday, 12:00 PM

Location: Sierra Hall B137, MJC West Campus

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Dr. Scott Kurashige, Asian American Historian

Past Series

Since its inception, Democracy in the Public Space has brought leading thinkers to campus to explore fundamental questions about American democracy. From constitutional foundations to contemporary challenges, our archive captures vital conversations about citizenship, rights, and justice across multiple semesters.

Explore the Archive

Join the Conversation

All events are free and open to the public. RSVP to receive event reminders and updates.

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Contact Us

School of Behavioral & Social Sciences

Modesto Junior College

Phone: 209-575-6130

Email: [email protected]

Accessibility

All venues are wheelchair accessible.