Athenian Dialogue - A Choice of Weapons
| Course code: | 25-SS-122 |
|---|---|
| Dates: | January 23, 2025 Alternate Course Dates |
| Meets: | Th from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM |
| Hours: | 6.00 |
| Location: | Live Online via Zoom |
| Instructor: | Janice Bates |
| Fee: | $100.00Fee Breakdown |
Description
Book Selection - "A Choice of Weapons" by Gordon Parks
Gordon Parks (1912–2006)—the groundbreaking photographer, writer, composer, activist, and filmmaker—was only sixteen in 1928 when he moved from Kansas to St. Paul, Minnesota, after his mother's death. There, homeless and hungry, he began his fight to survive, to educate himself, and to fulfill his potential dream.
This compelling autobiography, first published in 1966, now back in print by popular demand and with a new foreword by Wing Young Huie, tells how Parks managed to escape the poverty and bigotry around him and to launch his distinguished career by choosing the weapons given him by "a mother who placed love, dignity, and hard work over hatred." Parks, the first African American to work at Life magazine and the first to write, direct, and score a Hollywood film, told an interviewer in 1999, "I saw that the camera could be a weapon against poverty, against racism, against all sorts of social wrongs. I knew at that point I had to have a camera." (Summary on back of book) (296 pages)
Notes
Meeting Times9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Eastern
8:00 AM - 3:00 PM Central
7:00 AM - 2:00 PM Mountain
6:00 AM - 1:00 PM Pacific
with a 60-minute break
Facilitator: Janice Bates, MMC
Janice is an experienced municipal clerk, Athenian Dialogue facilitator, and speaker. She has served as Clerk of Council for Tipp City, Ohio since 2011. She is active in both the Ohio Municipal Clerks Association (OMCA) and the International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC). Within the OMCA, she has served in the roles of president, vice president, immediate past president and city board member. While on the OMCA Board, her priority was increasing membership and educational opportunities. In 2019, she was sworn in as the IIMC Region V Director.
Janice holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in art and art history with a concentration in photography from Wright State University. In addition, she is an Athenian Leadership Society Fellow with Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) and Master Municipal Clerk (MMC) credentials from the IIMC.
The book must be purchased separately on your own. Please read the entire book prior to the session. Athenian Dialogues will be held live online using Zoom meetings. VCU will provide you with a link where you can connect through your PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, or Android device. We encourage full participation and require that all clerks have their cameras on and be seen for the entire session.
Registration Options
IIMC Points
To earn International Institute of Municipal Clerk (IIMC) education points, participants must fully participate in the dialogue and successfully complete a written assessment within 30 days of the last session. Submission instructions will be provided via email at the end of the dialogue. The facilitator will review and provide feedback and approve the submission in order for the participant to earn the IIMC education points.
Attendance Only
To earn an "attendance only" certificate toward your fellow application to the IIMC Athenian Leadership Society, clerks must fully participate in the entire dialogue.
Cancellation and Refund Policies:
You may cancel your registration up until two weeks before the start date, and receive a full refund minus a $35 credit card processing fee. After that date, no refunds will be given. Cancellations must be received via email at ocpe@vcu.edu
In the unlikely event that this workshop is cancelled or postponed due to insufficient enrollments or unforeseen circumstances, the university will fully refund registration fees, but cannot be held responsible for any other expenses, including change or cancellation charges to include but not limited to airlines, hotels, travel agencies, or other organizations.
Student/Participant Conduct:
Participants are subject to all university policies applicable to students, unless a specific university or VCU Continuing and Professional Education policy explicitly states otherwise. University policies governing students are available at https://vcu.public.doctract.com including:
Student Code of Conduct
Honor System and Standards of Academic Conduct
Preventing and Responding to Discrimination
Title IX Sexual Harassment Policy-Interim
Sex-Based Misconduct Policy-Interim
For Academic Accommodations, please visit https://ocpe.vcu.edu/courses/policies.html#accommodations
There are still openings remaining at this time.
