Thursday Evening Speaker Series

Exploring the Music of East Africa

Thursday, July 17, 2025 | 6:00-7:30pm

Mark Stone - Associate Professor, School of Theater, Music & Dance, Oakland University, Coordinator of World Music and Percussion and Composer

Professor Stone will share kalimba traditions from Uganda and South Africa.  Known by many names throughout the African continent, in Uganda the kalimba is called akogo and in South Africa it is called mbira. It is a popular instrument in both countries, performed in a wide-range of social contexts.  Stone studied Ugandan music as a graduate student at Makerere University in Uganda and is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University of South Africa.  He has worked with many celebrated musicians in both countries, including Walusimbi (Uganda) and Dizu Plaatjies (South Africa).  Stone's presentation will explore the background of akogo/mbira traditions and include demonstrations of the music played on these instruments.

Current Events in International News and Headlines

Thursday, July 24, 2025 | 6:00-7:30pm

Gus Mondalek, International Affairs Expert Join international affairs and politics expert Gus Mondalek for an in depth look at multiple international news headlines from different regions of the world. Gus Mondalek will draw upon his vast knowledge and experience in international affairs to provide an understanding of global happenings that reaches far beyond the headlines. Attendees will come away with an advanced comprehension of news stories from around the globe. This program is generously sponsored by American House Village at Bloomfield.

Sakura Instrumental Performance

Thursday, July 31, 2025 | 6:00-7:30pm

Experience the beauty and learn the cultural traditions behind the folk music and dances of Japan. Named after the Japanese word for cherry blossom, Sakura is an instrumental and performance group that celebrates traditional Japanese music and dance. Sakura will teach participants about the music and instruments, and also provide instruction on the dancing style known as Bon Odori. This program is generously sponsored by American House Stone and Bank of Ann Arbor. 

Behind the Scenes: Enriching the Lives of Animals at the Detroit Zoo

Thursday, August 7, 2025 | 6:00-7:30pm

Grace Fuller, Ph.D., Senior Director of Animal Welfare and Research at the Detroit Zoological Society’s Center for Zoo Animal Welfare

Did you know that an inter national jewel of zoo animal welfare exists right here in Royal Oak, Michigan? The Detroit Zoological Society is a globally recognized champion for the well-being of wildlife. In addition to providing the utmost care and enrichment to exhibit animals, the Detroit Zoo has also given sanctuary to tens of thousands of animals in peril all over the world.

Animal care professionals across the globe look to the Detroit Zoo as the experts in animal welfare best practices and policy. Dr. Grace Fuller, Senior Director of Animal Welfare and Research at the Detroit Zoological Society, and leader of the DZS’s Center for Zoo Animal Welfare will provide an in depth and cutting edge look at what the Detroit Zoo is doing to enrich the lives of the wildlife in its care and ensure that each animal thrives. 

The Life and Work of Wildlife Rehabilitators

Thursday, August 14, 2025 | 6:00-7:30pm

Keirstie Carducci, Licensed Michigan Wildlife Rehabilitator, Founder and Director of Out-Back Wildlife Rehab Center

Every year hundreds of thousands of tiny dramas unfold in Michigan as wildlife are hit by cars, inadvertently relocated, injured, or trapped. This is especially true when wildlife mothers can’t return to the babies they had been caring for. Who steps in to rescue, rehabilitate, and raise the orphans? Licensed wildlife rehabilitator Keirstie Carducci has been spending sleepless nights responding to wildlife emergencies, bottle feeding countless orphaned wildlife, and releasing rehabilitated animals back into the wild for decades. Her vast experience has helped to inform veterinarians on how best to take care of wildlife in peril, and her amazing stories drew the attention of the Detroit Free Press, which did an entire article just about her in 2023. A true Michigan hero, Keirstie will come to Next to tell her stories of success and heartbreak in the life of a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. This program is generously sponsored by Bank of Ann Arbor.

The Life and Thought of H. Odera Oruka. Pursuing Justice in Africa

Thursday, August 21, 2025 | 6:00-7:30pm

Gail Presbey, Professor of Philosophy and Chair of the Philosophy Department, University of Detroit Mercy

Henry Odera Oruka was one of the most influential figures in 20th-century African philosophy. During the early years of the decolonization of African countries, as universities worked to redefine themselves, Odera drove changes to curricula and research.  A tireless advocate for democracy and human rights in Africa, he repeatedly intervened in the political debates of his time.  The narrative unfolds from the personal to the global, from Africa to the world and from African philosophy to the wider field of philosophy.

 

Exiled in Motown

Thursday, August 28, 2025 | 6:00-7:30pm

Ann O’Neill, President of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), Detroit, and Mary Kamidoi, JACL Treasurer and Camp Survivor

You've heard the story of Japanese American incarceration during World War II. But do you know what happened next? Shortly after arriving in the camps, the United States government set into motion its plans for resettling Japanese Americans elsewhere. Even before the end of the war, Japanese Americans were hired out of the camps into labor and industrial and secretarial jobs in Chicago and Detroit. Exiled to Motown is a collection of oral histories of the settlement and persistence of the Japanese American community in Detroit and how it continues to change and flourish as we eye the third decade of the 21st century.