Salons at Stowe

Since 2008, Salons at Stowe has become a forum for lively discussion on important contemporary topics that concerned Harriet Beecher Stowe.

With every series, new topics are introduced and past topics are explored in more detail. Invited Salon guests briefly speak about their experience with the topic and then the floor is opened for group discussion.

The 21st-century parlor conversations are designed to inspire you to move from dialogue and debate to action on current social justice issues.

2008

March 27- Women in Politics: Making a Difference
Susan Bysiewicz, Connecticut Secretary of State
Theresa Younger, Connecticut Permanent Commission on the Status of Women

April 10- Women in Politics: Making a Difference, Part II
Beth Bye, Connecticut State Representative
Eunice Groark, Former Connecticut Lieutenant Governor and former Hartford City Council

April 24- Human Trafficking/Modern Slavery
Krishna Patel, Smuggling and Trafficking of Persons Investigative Task Force (STOP IT)
Jane Rodas, Project Rescue and Assist New Americans at the International Institute of Connecticut, Inc.

May 8- Faith as a Driver for Social Justice Activism
Shelley Copeland, Capitol Region Council of Churches
Mary Lee Morrison, Pax Educare

May 22- Access to Healthy Food: Challenges and Responses
Jack Hale, Knox Parks Foundation
Carolyn Hoffman, Junior League of Hartord, FreshPlace Project
Jiff Martin, American Farmland Trust, Working Lands Alliance

September 11- “No Child…” TheaterWorks Hartford

September 25- No Child Left Behind: Arts and Culture in Hartford’s Education System
Eddie Duran, Kinsella Magnet School for the Performing Arts
Dulcie Giadone, Hartford Children’s Theater
Kelvin Roldan, Connecticut State Representative

October 9- Race, Politics and Gender Today
Dr. Stephanie Chambers, Trinity College
Dr. Daryl McMiller, University of Hartford

October 23- Hunger and a Sustainable Harvest
Marissa Cloutier, University of Hartford
Bill Duesing, Northeast Farming Association of Connecticut

November 6- Literacy and the Schools
Dr. Margie Gillis, Haskins Literary Initiative
Elaine Zimmerman, Connecticut Commission on Children

November 20- Literacy for Adults
Karen Theroux, YWCA Read to Succeed

2009

January 22- Dear Mr. President: An Open Letter to Barack Obama
Dr. Cheryl Greenberg, Trinity College
Guy West, Political Activist

February 5- Coalitions: Success Against the Odds
Dr. Adrienne Fulco, Trinity College
Theresa Younger, Connecticut Permanent Commission on the Status of Women

February 26- “To Kill a Mockingbird” Hartford Stage

March 5- Stowe Lobbying Lincoln: Celebrities as Activists
Dr. Eugene Leach, Trinity College
Duby McDowell, Duby McDowell Communications

March 19- Race Matters in 2009
Glenn Cassis, Connecticut African American Affairs Commission
Yvette Melendez, Connecticut State University System

April 2- Equalizing Access to Health Care
Filomena Soyster, MALTA House of Care Foundation
Jill Zorn, Universal Health Care Foundation

April 16- How to be an Advocate
Bernadine Silvers, Sheldon Oak Central, Inc.
Elaine Zimmerman, Connecticut Commission on Children

April 30- Poverty: Is the American Dream Broken?
Susan Dunn, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut
Diane Randall, Partnership for Strong Communities

May 14- Single Sex Education: Is Separate Better?
Patrick Moore, Covenant Preparatory School
Katherine G. Windsor, Miss Porter’s School

May 28- Human Trafficking
Raymond Bechard, Ahava Kids
John Weiss, Project Rescue and Assist New Americans, International Institute of Connecticut, Inc.

July 9- Hunger in Connecticut
Gloria McAdam, Foodshare, Inc.
Jane Gottier, Westmoor Park

July 23- Reclaiming Hartford’s Neighborhoods
Tom Condon, The Hartford Courant
Ken Johnson, Northside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance

October 8- Can Apologies Correct Historical Injustices?
Glenn Cassis, Connecticut African American Affairs Commission
Kenneth Green, Connecticut State Representative

October 22- Is Prison the New Slavery?
Cordell Leighton James, Community Activist
Theresa Lantz, Retired Connecticut Commissioner of Corrections

November 5- Sheff v. O’Neill: Status and Future of Equal Education
Dr. Jack Dougherty, Trinity College
Wesley Horton, Attorney

November 19- Teaching Diversity
Rabbi Donna Berman, Charter Oak Cultural Center
Allan Wilson, The Discover Center

2010

January 7- Economic Empowerment through Art
Chris Baker, Hartford Stage
David O’Connor, Aid to Artisans

January 28- “Gee’s Bend” Hartford Stage

February 11- National Service: Can We Renew American Together?
Susan Dunn, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut
Kimberly Silcox, Eastern State Connecticut University

February 25- Young People Making a Difference
Michele Cote, The Purpose Project
Pamela Trotman Reid, Saint Joseph College

March 11- From Spiritualism to the Internet: Platforms for Women
Dawn C. Adiletta, History Matters
Elizabeth White, People Digital

March 25- “Give me your tired, your poor....huddled masses, yearning to breathe free”
Andre Blaszczynski, Tunxis Community College
Robert Fishman, Connecticut Refugee and Immigrant Coalition

May 13- How History Helps Us to Understand and Better the Present
Elizabeth Devine, Hall High School and students
Dr. Eugene Leach, Trinity College

May 27- “Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North”
Katrina Browne, The Tracing Center on History and Legacies of Slavery

June 10- The Changing Media
Moraima Gutierrez, US Small Business Administration
Christine Stuart, CT News Junkie

June 24- Teaching Acceptance
Leigh Cogle, West Hartford Police Department
Eileen Hurst, Central Connecticut State University

July 8- Volunteer Vacations
Michael Brett, Habitat for Humanity
Matt Farley, University of Connecticut Community Outreach

July 22- Creativity and Change
Carlos Hernandez Chavez, Musician, Muralist and Educator
Judy Dworin, Judy Dworin Performance Project
Colin Haskins, Riverwood Poetry Fest

September 16- Banning Books: Who Decides?
Ramona Harten, Cheshire Public Library
Craig Hotchkiss, The Mark Twain House & Museum

September 30- Who Speaks for the Animals?
Annie Hornish, Connecticut State Representative
Carol Pirek and Gabriella Gonzalez-Wong, Hidden Treasures Adoption Center
Pamela Rickenbach, Blue Star Equiculture

October 14- Engaging Neighbors, Building Communities
Rev. Dr. Edward Hortsmann, Immanuel Congregational Church
Cary Wheaton, Billings Forge Community Works

October 28- Beyond No Child Left Behind: Education Update
Dr. Stephen Adamowski, Hartford Public Schools Superintendent
Claire Shin, Achievement First School, Hartford

November 18- Re-Abolishing Slavery
Jamee Herbert, Not for Sale
Kathleen Liner, Federal Bureau of Investigations
Theresa Flores, Survivor and Author

Harriet Beecher Stowe Center

Salons at Stowe