Hagan Center Events

George M. Johnson: October 25^th

A Morning with George M. Johnson presentation, followed by a Q&A

October 25, 2023 at 10:30 a.m.
SCC LAIR Auditorium (Bldg 6)
Spokane Community College campus
1810 N. Greene St.

The award-winning Black non-binary author and activist is one of the 2022 TIME100 Next, TIME‘s annual list of rising stars, as well as one of Out’s 100 Most Influential LGBTQ People. They use their inspiring life story to teach individuals, corporations, and policymakers about LGBTQIA+ activism and social justice in healthcare.

This is not a virtual event, but is open to the public, and free, with no registration required.

Candy Chang: May 22^nd

A Morning with Candy Chang (presentation, followed by a Q&A)

May 22nd, 2024, at 10:30 a.m.
SCC Lair Auditorium (Bldg 6)
Spokane Community College campus
1810 N. Greene St.

World-renowned artist and urban designer Candy Chang engages communities to share everything from their greatest hopes to their deepest anxieties in public. The Atlantic calls her artwork Before I Die “one of the most creative community projects ever.” In her captivating and intimate talks, she demystifies the creative process, inspires personal reflection, and provokes new ideas for community and well-being.

Making Space for Creativity and Innovation

Where do good ideas come from? Through historic inspirations and personal experiences, Candy Chang shows that innovation rarely comes from a flash of genius, but instead from an open-minded attitude of curiosity and experimentation. She demystifies her path to show how her meandering journey led her to create her most famous projects, and how each of us can embrace our eclectic backgrounds to make our own discipline. She also shares how her experiences as an introvert led her to create participatory public art projects, and how the moments when we struggle most can be turned into our greatest opportunities to serve others.

From a street art project that grew into a nation-wide startup to the global Before I Die project, now in over 2,000 cities, Chang discusses strategies that can be applied to all communities, from workplaces to neighborhoods, and shares tools that have helped her cultivate her own creativity.

This is not a virtual event, but is open to the public, and free, with no registration required.

Wajahat Ali: April 13th, 2023

“The Daily Beast columnist and former New York Times writer, TED speaker, award-winning playwright, and Peabody-nominated producer uses his platform to fight tirelessly for social change—with boldness, hope, and humor.”

Wajahat Ali is the author of Go Back to Where You Came From, one of Amazon’s best books of the year. He is a columnist for The Daily Beast, and has written for publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic. He has spoken at TED, Google, and the United Nations, among others, and his TED Talks have been viewed over three million times.

Ali is a first generation Pakistani-American who grew up as, what he calls, the “good minority." But after 9/11, people viewed him as the “bad minority.” This lived experience motivated Ali to advocate for people of color through writing and public speaking.

The presentation takes place on April 13th at 10:30 a.m. in the Lair Auditorium on the Spokane Community College campus (1810 N. Greene St., Building 6). The event will include a presentation with Q&A to follow. This is not a virtual event, but is open to the public, and free, with no registration required.

Nic Stone: November 1^st, 2022

Join us for a morning with New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone, author of Dear Martin and Odd One Out.

Stone was born in a suburb of Atlanta. She worked and lived in Israel for several years before returning to the US to pursue writing full time. Having grown up being exposed to multiple cultures, religions and backgrounds, Stone endeavors to bring these varied perspectives and influences to her work. Her New York Times best-selling novel, “Dear Martin”, tells the story of a young black man who experiences the racism in the law enforcement community first-hand and to cope with his experience he begins to write letters to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Stone will discuss the topic “On Being Human: The Power of Storytelling” which will touch on how marginalization is rooted in the subconscious dehumanizing of other people. She will unpack the key differences between equity, equality, and liberation. She will demonstrate how the messaging in books we read shape the way we see the world and the people in it.

This talk will help audiences tune in to the stories of others and unlock their own – finding within themselves the listeners and storytellers our world needs to effectively address social injustices.

The presentation takes place on November 1 at 11:30 a.m. in the Lair Auditorium on the Spokane Community College campus (1810 N. Greene St., Building 6). The event will include a presentation by author Nic Stone with a book-signing and Q&A to follow. This is not a virtual event, but is open to the public, and free, with no registration required.