Thursday Evening Speaker Series

Thank you to Anthology of Farmington Hills for their generous sponsorship of the Thursday Evening Speaker Series. Speaker presentations will be at Next with seating dictated by room size for social distancing. A few speakers will still be held on Zoom, indicated in the topic description.

  • Michigan Women in & Around the Labor Movement

    Michigan Women in & Around the Labor Movement

    Thursday, August 18, 2022 | 6:00-7:00pm

    Daniel Clark, Ph.D. - Professor-Oakland University Department of History Women were instrumental in the rise of unionization in Michigan and were involved in various labor conflicts during the middle of the twentieth century. In addition, many women who worked for wages were not heavily involved in their unions but simply tried to hold jobs to help support themselves and their families. Dr. Daniel Clark provides an overview of these experiences and also looks at the lives of women who were autoworkers during this period.

  • A Remarkable Entrepreneur

    A Remarkable Entrepreneur

    Thursday, August 25, 2022 | 6:00-7:00pm

    Ken Johnson, Inventor, Entrepreneur & Motivational Speaker

    Ken Johnson grew up in Detroit. In 1977, at the young age of 18, he started working at Ford Motor Company’s River Rouge Plant as a welder. One year later, he starting a game manufacturing company in his parents’ basement, producing games he invented. His fi rst big success came in 1982, when he invented the well-known Phase 10 card game. Five years later, Ken licensed the manufacturing and distribution rights of Phase 10 and began receiving royalties from the worldwide sales. Today, Phase 10 is produced by Mattel, sold in over 30 countries and remains the second best selling card game in the world. In 2012, he was nominated for a TAGIE Award — the Oscar Award of the toy and game industry. In 2013, he founded “The Inventors Academy.” The Academy is a free online community designed to provide simple education, resources and community to both new and experienced inventors. He is author of The Simple Plan: Six Easy Ways to Make Millions From Your Ideas. 

  • The Art of Glass Blowing

    The Art of Glass Blowing

    Thursday, September 15, 2022 | 6:00-7:00pm

    Albert Young, BFA, MFA, Owner of Michigan Hot Glass Workshop & Professor at College for Creative Studies

    Albert Young has been operating an independent glass studio and school since 1983 and has been a pivotal member of the Detroit areas glass community. Albert owns Michigan Hot Glass Workshop, Michigan’s oldest independent glass blowing school. He teaches all levels of glass blowing and creative thinking. His sculptures can be seen around the world and at The Habitat Gallery in Royal Oak.