The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Florida International University is hosting lecture exploring history of Hispanic culture in Florida and America. Hispanic American is a general term used to identify persons who are linked to the Spanish-speaking nations in the Americas, originating from their cultural and historical ties to Spain. Although accurate, it does not provide us with a complete description of these culturally rich and diverse societies. Upon deeper

In 1961, two friends from Broadway visited Key West. Peter Pell and Jim Russell fell in love with their surroundings: brightly-colored flowers, exotic fruits, and resplendent birds. Residents urged them to open a silk-screening factory, which became Key West Hand Print Fabrics. The company began printing and selling textiles to visitors, and hired an artists name Suzie dePoo who produced a marvelous array of tropical imagery on fabrics. One of

Often overlooked in its contribution to film history, Florida has played a key role in creating the modern entertainment industry. This presentation discusses how Florida became a "third coast" to the American film and television industries over the past one hundred years. Starting with the first film pioneers in Jacksonville during the 1900s and 1910s to South Florida's television boom during the 2000s and 2010s, Florida has inspired countless exciting

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Florida International University is hosting lecture exploring the history of Black freedmen and women in relation to the Seminole Nation. People of African ancestry have been an integral part of Florida's history since the period of Spanish colonization. Free and enslaved persons came to the Florida shores during the 16th century as explorers and settlers. Seeking freedom, asylum, and independence, they established maroon communities,

Florida Memorial University will host two panel discussions exploring the impact of COVID-19 in South Florida. This first panel will focus on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), with FMU used as a case study of how HBCUs experienced COVID-19. Panelists will discuss the process and results of a campus-wide survey that sought to find answers related to: 1) Vaccine Hesitancy and 2) The HBCU experience during the pandemic. Panelists

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Florida International University is hosting a second lecture series on Folk Music from the 60s in collaboration with Brockway Memorial Library. The 1960s was a tumultuous time in America. The Civil Rights movement and The Vietnam War affected a new generation commonly called "the Baby Boomers", who were now entering college and expressing their freedom and power. Beatniks, then hippies, represented an alternative lifestyle

WGCU Public Media, along with the SWFL Alpha Educational and Leadership Foundation, are hosting a screening and discussion of "With a Made Up Mind: the History of the Black Vote in Southwest Florida." From Jim Crow legislation at the turn of the century to today's push to return civil rights to citizens who have served their felony sentences, this short film examines the history of the fight for ballot access

WGCU Public Media will screen a short documentary about the history of the Black vote in Southwest Florida titled, "With A Made Up Mind." After the 18-minute video, the facilitator will discuss related issues and themes from the documentary with the group. For example, what current issues around voting and local elections are challenging to your community? The group will also discuss possible solutions. The facilitator will invite attendees to

Folktales, passed down from generation to generation, convey and preserve the cultural knowledge, beliefs, values, and customs of the cultures that they come from, like windows into each community. This presentation of Florida folk and their communities showcases how folk tales and folklore can tell a great deal about the values and views of a culture and serve as a means to understand one another. Admission and parking are free

WGCU Public Media is hosting a screening and discussion of "With a Made Up Mind: the History of the Black Vote in Southwest Florida." From Jim Crow legislation at the turn of the century to today's push to return civil rights to citizens who have served their felony sentences, this short film examines the history of the fight for ballot access in Florida. WGCU will ask if there are other