News Release

UNC campus comes to life in September with speakers, performances, events

CHAPEL HILL – Following is a sampling of upcoming University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill events. Please use this information for calendar listings and postings and in planning your event-oriented coverage. Events are free to the public unless otherwise noted.

Sept. 5, 6
Sustainable Community Development: Does the University Have a Role?
8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Searle Center, Duke University
This multidisciplinary conference will explore the intersection between community and university in the areas of business, engineering, the environment, global health, medicine, public health and public policy. Co-hosted by the UNC School of Public Health and sponsored by the N.C. GlaxoSmithKline Foundation. A pre-conference reception will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 5, at 6 p.m. at the Nasher Museum of Art on the Duke campus. Registration is required. The conference is free and open to the public. For more information and to register, visit http://www.15501conferences.com.

Sept. 6
Conversations with Cookie: Insensitive Speech
6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Campus Y conference room
Dr. Cookie Newsom, director for diversity education and assessment for the UNC Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, will host an informal conversation about insensitive speech. How does insensitive speech affect our experience in a community? What does it mean to cross the line with words? Students, staff and faculty are welcome to participate. For more information, visit www.unc.edu/diversity. The conversation is part of a series presented by Diversity and Multicultural Affairs.

Public lecture: “Hayes: the Plantation, its People, and their Papers”
5:45 p.m.
Pleasants Family Assembly Room, Wilson Library
John G. Zehmer, author of “Hayes: the Plantation, its People, and their Papers,” newly published by the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, will show slides and discuss researching what he calls “one of North Carolina’s most historic and most beautiful estates.” For more information, contact Liza Terll at (919) 962-4207 or liza_terll@unc.edu

Sept. 7
September Prelude: The Abegg Trio
8 p.m.
Beasley-Curtis Auditorium, Memorial Hall
The complete Beethoven Trios for violin, cello and piano. Presented jointly by UNC’s Music on the Hill, Duke Chamber Arts and the Raleigh Chamber Music Guild. Call the Memorial Hall Box Office at (919) 843-3333 or visit www.carolinaperformingarts.org for tickets: $15 for the general public; $10 for UNC students. Presented by Carolina Performing Arts.      

Sept. 8
Performance: A staged reading of “The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions”
8 p.m.
Beasley-Curtis Auditorium, Memorial Hall
A staged reading of the Carolina Summer Reading Program book, “The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions” by Sister Helen Prejean will be the inaugural event of Carolina Performing Arts’ “Criminal/Justice: The Death Penalty Examined” project. Joseph Megel, artist-in-residence of the communication studies department, adapted the book with Chris Chiron, a communications Ph.D. candidate, and directed the show. Tickets are available through the Memorial Hall box office or by calling (919) 843-3333.

Drawing in the Galleries
10 a.m. – noon
Ackland Art Museum
After a brief discussion of a single work, visitors are invited to draw in a pre-selected gallery. All levels are welcome. Participants provide the dry media. For more information, visit www.ackland.org or call (919) 843-3676.

Sept. 10
Performance: “Instrument of the Tongue”
7:30 p.m.
Institute for Arts & Humanities, Hyde Hall
The Institute of Arts and Humanities presents an original song cycle, a group of songs designed to be performed in sequence as a single entity, by faculty composer Allen Anderson, featuring UNC soprano Terry Rhodes and pianist Jane Hawkins. Admission is free. Presented by the UNC music department. For more information, visit music.unc.edu or call (919) 962-1039.

Sept. 11
Book reading: “Chasing the Rain”
5 p.m.
Pleasants Room, Wilson Library
Taylor Lockwood has traveled the globe hunting for new and beautiful species to photograph, meeting other mushroom lovers, and raising awareness of this often overlooked kingdom that shares our earth. His work as an “aesthetic mycologist” has inspired nature lovers everywhere. Join us for a narrated digital slide show featuring photographs and stories from Lockwood’s new book, “Chasing the Rain: My Treasure Hunt for the World’s Most Beautiful Mushrooms.” This program is co-sponsored by The N.C. Botanical Garden and Friends of the UNC Library. For more information, call (919) 962-0522 or e-mail ncbg@unc.edu.

Sept. 12-14
Performance: “Hang It Out to Dry: Katrina’s Spun Tales”
8 p.m.
Studio 6 Theater, Swain Hall
Stories of Hurricane Katrina victims will be shared in a one-person performance by Danielle Vignes, a Ph.D. candidate in communication studies at Louisiana State University. Vignes has been collecting the stories of residents of St. Bernard Parish, La., where she grew up. The performance explores the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina’s wrath on her beloved parish through personal narratives and community stories. The performances are sponsored by the department of communication studies and co-sponsored by the Institute for the Arts and Humanities, the Center for the Study of the American South, the Southern Oral History Program and Wordshed Productions. For tickets, call the Memorial Hall box office at (919) 843-3333.

Sept. 13
“Follow Me Home”
Part of the Diaspora Festival of Black and Independent Film
7 p.m.
Stone Center Theatre
The Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black Culture and History
Directed by Peter Bratt, the film is a poetic tale exploring intercultural race relations through the lives of four artists, one African American, one Native American, and two Latino cousins, who embark on a cross-country road trip to paint a mural on the White House. Along the way, they meet a mysterious African-American woman, played by Alfre Woodard, bearing a deep secret. During the trip, they each learn things about themselves as well as each other. The film stars Benjamin Bratt and Jesse Borrego and features an appearance by Salma Hayek. Lakota Harden, a Native American activist and diversity trainer will moderate the discussion following the film. Contact Olympia Friday at (919) 962-9001 or ofriday@email.unc.edu for more information.

Performance: Al Green with special guest Lizz Wright
8 p.m.
Beasley-Curtis Auditorium, Memorial Hall
Soul and gospel king, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and nine-time Grammy Award winner, the Rev. Al Green is known the world over for his unmistakable sound and legendary hits. Embracing jazz, gospel, R&B and the singer-songwriter tradition, Lizz Wright burst on the scene four years ago with her debut CD, “Salt,” making her mark as one of the brightest new voices around. This event is sold out. Contact the Memorial Hall Box Office at (919) 843-3333 or visit www.carolinaperformingarts.org for more information. Presented by Carolina Performing Arts.

Sept. 14
Opening Reception for 20th Annual Sculpture in the Garden
5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Totten Center, N.C. Botanical Garden
The public and media representatives are invited to preview the art, meet the artists and exhibition founders Kathleen Buck and Ken Moore, and enjoy refreshments and acoustic guitar entertainment. Award winners will be announced by the judges. For more information, call (919) 962-0522 or e-mail ncbg@unc.edu.

Art after Dark
5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Ackland Art Museum
Enjoy live music, complimentary refreshments and art in the evening. For more information, visit www.ackland.org or call (919) 843-3676.

Sept. 15
Tours of Coker Arboretum
11 a.m. – noon
Coker Arboretum
Tours depart from the stone-gathering circle by Wysteria Arbor along Cameron Avenue at 11 a.m. the third Saturday of every month. Call the N.C. Botanical Garden at (919) 962-0522 or email ncbg@unc.edu for more information.

Sept. 16
Music in the Galleries
2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Ackland Art Museum
Listen to Jorge E. Izquierdo, a junior environmental science and communication studies major at Carolina, play classical guitar. Izquierdo has been playing since age 7, and his other local performances include the Carrboro Music Festival, Fiesta del Pueblo and Exploris Museum in Raleigh. For more information, visit www.ackland.org or call (919) 843-3676.

Sept. 19
Public lecture: “Green to Gold”
6 p.m.
Koury Auditorium, Kenan-Flagler Business School
Andrew Winston is the co-author of “Green to Gold: How Smart Companies Use Environmental Strategy to Innovate, Create Value, and Build Competitive Advantage.” Book signing to follow the event. Presented by the Center for Sustainable Enterprise. For more information and to reserve a seat, e-mail cse@unc.edu or call (919) 962-1499.
 
Sept. 20
“Naming Number Two”
Part of the Diaspora Festival of Black and Independent Film
7 p.m.
Stone Center Theatre
The Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black Culture and History
“Naming Number Two” explores the challenges that families endure to stay connected to one another. In the film, a Fijian family’s bond has grown worn and tattered through the years, which leaves Nanna Marie, the family matriarch, wondering what has happened to the elaborate feasts and gatherings once common in her family. Nanna Marie decides to force her self-absorbed family members to throw a traditional Fijian party, so that she can name her successor as head of the family. The film challenges and goes against casting norms by featuring celebrated black actor Ruby Dee as Nanna Marie. Contact Olympia Friday at (919) 962-9001 or ofriday@email.unc.edu for more information.
           
Lunch with One
1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Ackland Art Museum
Bring a bag lunch and join us for a lunch hour lecture in the galleries. For more information, visit www.ackland.org or call (919) 843-3676.

Sept. 23
Performance: La Boheme Live Simulcast
2 p.m.
Beasley-Curtis Auditorium, Memorial Hall
Washington National Opera is the first American opera company to present a free, live simulcast to schools across the nation. Committed to finding innovative, creative ways to bring opera to greater numbers of people and to inspire a new generation to become opera patrons, the company will present Puccini’s “La Boheme” to 19 universities, colleges and high schools across the nation through a first-of-its-kind, free, live simulcast direct from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Contact the Memorial Hall Box Office at (919) 843-3333 or visit www.carolinaperformingarts.org for more information. Presented by Carolina Performing Arts.

Screening: “The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg”
4 p.m.
Tate-Turner-Kuralt Building, School of Social Work
Filmmaker Aviva Kempner will screen her documentary, “The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg,” about the first American Jewish baseball star, who inspired American Jews facing bigotry during the Great Depression and World War II. The event is the first of the Carolina Center for Jewish Studies’ fall lecture series. Admission is free. For more information, visit ccjs.unc.edu.

Sept. 24
UNC School of Social Work Open House
6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Tate-Turner-Kuralt Building, School of Social Work
The UNC School of Social Work will host a reception for prospective students, including opportunities to meet Dean Jack Richman, speak with faculty, staff and current students and hear a faculty panel discuss program options. To reserve a seat, contact Linda Wilson, student services manager, by Sept. 19 at (919) 962-6442.

Public lecture: Harry Belafonte
“The Importance of the Arts in America”
7 p.m.
Beasley-Curtis Auditorium, Memorial Hall
Hollywood legend Harry Belafonte, an award-winning singer, actor, producer and humanitarian, will discuss the importance of the arts in America. Belafonte comes to UNC as the Frey Foundation Distinguished Visiting Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, co-sponsored by Carolina Performing Arts and the departments of Communication Studies, Dramatic Art and Music.    Tickets are free and required. Contact the Memorial Hall Box Office at (919) 843-3333 for more information.

Screening: “Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg”
7:30 p.m.
Stone Center Theatre
The Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black Culture and History
Aviva Kempner, scriptwriter, director and producer, will give a sneak peek into her current project, “Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg.” The film will feature the life and career of Gertrude Berg, the creator, writer and star of “The Goldbergs,” a popular 1930s radio show and weekly television program.

Public lecture: “Microcredit and Global Health”
4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation Auditorium
Michael Hooker Research Center
Microcredit is a financial innovation that seeks to address the issue of global poverty. Small loans are extended to the impoverished or unemployed for the purpose of their building independent businesses. Sheila Leatherman, research professor of health policy and administration at the UNC School of Public Health and distinguished associate of Darwin College at the University of Cambridge, England, will discuss microcredit as the initial speaker of the Dean’s Lecture Series, “Public Health Transformation for the 21st Century.” Lecture will begin at 4 p.m.; reception to follow at 5 p.m. For more information and to register, visit www.sph.unc.edu/events.

Sept. 27
Public Health Grand Rounds: “An Innovative Approach to Fighting Disease in Uganda”
2 p.m.
Michael J. Hooker Research Center, School of Public Health     
Part of the broadcast series Public Health Grand Rounds produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the UNC School of Public Health and its N.C. Institute for Public Health, the program shows the creation and distribution of a basic care package to address Uganda’s HIV epidemic and more broadly, the public health applications of lessons learned around the globe. While free, registration is encouraged at www.publichealthgrandrounds.unc.edu. Available as a satellite downlink or Web cast. For more information, contact Lisa Morris at (919) 843-9261.

Sept. 28, 29
Performance: Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan: Wild Cursive      
8 p.m.
Beasley-Curtis Auditorium, Memorial Hall
Schooled in martial arts, meditation, Chinese opera movement, modern dance and ballet, Cloud Gate performs a rich repertoire rooted in Asian myths and folklore and infused with a contemporary universality. In Wild Cursive, influenced by the rigor and aesthetics of Chinese calligraphy, streams of white rice paper cascade to the floor as black ink flows in abstract patterns. The liquid movement of these powerful, hypnotic dancers echoes the serpentine lines of the ink as their breath, voices and feet accompany the sounds of cicadas, wind, rainfall and temple bells. Call the Memorial Hall Box Office at (919) 843-3333 or visit www.carolinaperformingarts.org for tickets: $20-$40 for the general public; $10 for UNC students. Presented by Carolina Performing Arts.
           
Sept. 29
Fall Plant Sale
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Totten Center, N.C. Botanical Garden
The annual plant sale at the North Carolina Botanical Garden will feature native perennials, vines, shrubs and ferns propagated and grown at the University’s own Botanical Garden. Sales benefit the North Carolina Botanical Garden’s public service and conservation programs. For more information, visit ncbg.unc.edu or call (919) 962-0522.           

Ongoing Events
Sept. 1 – 29
Tour of the Garden
10 a.m., Saturdays
Totten Center, N.C. Botanical Garden
Meet at the stone gathering circle in front of the Totten Center for one-hour tour of the garden guided by staff and curators. For more information, call (919) 962-0522 or e-mail ncbg@unc.edu.

Sept. 1-30
“Memories of Summer art exhibit
Totten Center, N.C. Botanical Garden
“Memories of Summer” watercolors by Marcy Lansman, on display in the Totten Center at the North Carolina Botanical Garden. For more information, visit http://ncbg.unc.edu or call (919) 962-0522.

Sept. 4, 24
Yoga in the Galleries
noon – 1 p.m.
Ackland Art Museum
An opportunity to explore the Ackland Art Museum while learning simple yoga poses. To reserve a spot, sign up online at http://www.ackland.org/programs/yoga/.  For more information, visit www.ackland.org or call (919) 843-3676.

Sept. 5, 12, 19, 26
Chinese Brush Painting: Aquatics
9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Totten Center, N.C. Botanical Garden
Learn the ancient art of Chinese brush painting through the study of aquatic plants and animals. Simple brush techniques and ink applications will be explored. This is an expressive art form and a national passion in China. The four-class series fee is $90 for Botanical Garden members; $110 for nonmembers. For more information, visit ncbg.unc.edu or call (919) 962-0522 to register.

Sept. 6-20
Cancer art exhibit
UNC Hospitals lobby
A traveling art exhibit called “Lilly Oncology on Canvas: Expressions of a Cancer Journey” created by people affected by cancer will be on display in the lobby of UNC Hospitals. The exhibit was developed by Eli Lilly and Co. to help people affected by cancer express their emotions about the disease. The traveling show features 50 pieces in a variety of media from Lilly’s annual international art competition. The exhibit is sponsored by UNC Health Care and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. For more information visit unclineberger.org or call (919) 966-5905.

Sept. 6- 27
Nature Tales: Storytime at the Garden 
10 a.m., Thursdays
Totten Center Classroom, N.C. Botanical Garden
Every Thursday through the summer, staff at the garden welcome pre-school aged children (2-5 years) and their guardians for nature stories about plants and animals, followed by fun activities that take children out into the garden to experience nature firsthand. $5 families. For more information, visit ncbg.unc.edu or call (919) 962-0522.

Sept. 6, 13, 20, 27
Sex & The Single Plant: Pollination
1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., Thursdays
Totten Center, N.C. Botanical Garden
Explore the dynamic relationship between flowering plants and their pollinators--floral mechanisms that attract animal pollinators and direct pollination, insect senses and behaviors important to understanding this relationship, the complex ecology of this “pollination dance” and the importance of pollination to our ecosystems and to human food supplies. The four-class series fee is $110 for Botanical Garden members; $125 for nonmembers. For more information, visit http://ncbg.unc.edu or call (919) 962-0522 to register.

Sept. 6, 13, 20, 27
Local Flora
9 a.m. – noon, Thursday
Totten Center Classroom, N.C. Botanical Garden
Learn the identification and ecology of the verdant growth of the summer months. In addition to classroom lectures, your instructor will take you to a variety of local habitats for in-depth study of the summer’s woody and perennial herbaceous plants. The four-class series fee is $100 for Botanical Garden members; $120 for nonmembers. For more information, visit http://ncbg.unc.edu or call (919) 962-0522 to register.

Sept. 10, 17, 24
Botanical Illustration (Drawing II)
(Perquisite: Drawing I)
1 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., Mondays
Totten Center Classroom, N.C. Botanical Garden
In this class, students will learn everything needed to produce beautiful pencil drawings-contour drawing, seeing values, tone application, basic plant anatomy, plate composition and working with microscopes. There will be regular critiques of students’ work, and plenty of one-on-one instruction. The four-class series fee $110 for Botanical Garden members; $125 nonmembers. For more information, call (919) 962-0552 or e-mail ncbg@unc.edu.

Sept. 8, 15, 22, 29, Oct. 6
Basic Botany
1 p.m. – 4 p.m., Saturdays
N.C. Botanical Garden
This class is designed with the novice naturalist or gardener in mind, covering the basic principles of botany from taxonomy to morphology and physiology. The five-class series fee is $130 for Botanical Garden members; $145 for nonmembers. For more information, visit ncbg.unc.edu or call (919) 962-0522 to register.

Sept. 12, 27
Renaissance Computing Institute’s Renaissance Bistros
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Sept. 12, UNC Health Sciences Library
4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Sept. 27, Europa Center Room 527, 100 Europa Dr., Chapel Hill
The Renaissance Computing Institute will host two Renaissance Bistros, informal informational sessions to discuss RENCI focus areas, which will focus on disaster research, including collaborations with the state of North Carolina on hurricane and storm surge prediction and disaster planning and mitigation. Both bistros are free and open to the public. For more information and to reserve a seat, contact Jennifer Shelton at (919) 445-9697 or jshelton@renci.org.

Sept. 13, 20
Digital Camera Basics
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Totten Center, N.C. Botanical Garden
If you are thinking about purchasing a digital camera, this class will provide simple answers to your questions about what to consider when making a purchase, what all the parts in the box are for, how to download and then find pictures on your computer, organizing and printing your photos, and sharing photos with others. The series fee is $40 for Botanical Garden members; $50 for nonmembers. For more information, visit http://ncbg.unc.edu or call (919) 962-0522 to register.

Sept. 15-Nov. 16
20th annual Sculpture in the Garden
Totten Center, N.C. Botanical Garden
An outdoor exhibition of sculpture by artists with N.C. ties. For more information, visit http://ncbg.unc.edu or call (919) 962-0522.

Sept. 27, Oct. 4, 11, 18
Digital Photography Workshop
9 a.m. – 12 p.m. , Wednesdays
Totten Center, N.C. Botanical Garden
Through a combination of lecture and digital photo-taking in the garden, learn how to use your digital camera. Topics include how a digital camera works, camera controls and creativity, controlling sharpness, controlling exposure, capturing light and color. The four-class series fee is $80 for Botanical Garden members; $90 for nonmembers. For more information, visit ncbg.unc.edu or call (919) 962-0522 to register.