No Registration Required
Open to members only, except for January 9th Open House
All Programs are In-Person
East Campus Forum Auditorium
12:15 pm – Cookies, tea and coffee
1:00 pm – Presentation
January 9 – Connecticut Attorney General
OPEN HOUSE! Bring a friend, or two!
Please join Connecticut Attorney General William Tong as he provides an update on key issues affecting our community, discusses notable lawsuits impacting our state, and provides insight into his responsibilities and priorities as he works to uphold justice and protect the public interest.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong graduated from Brown University and the University of Chicago Law School. He is the 25th Attorney General to serve Connecticut since the office was established by the state constitution in 1897 and has recently been elected as President of the National Association of Attorneys General. He took office in 2019 and is serving his second term. Attorney General Tong is a national leader in many of the most consequential lawsuits and investigations in our country today, including bipartisan, multistate efforts to hold the addiction industry accountable for its role in the opioid crisis; to restore fair competition and prices in the generic drug industry; to hold social media giants accountable for the harms they may cause to children and young people; to stop robocall scammers; and to ensure corporations safeguard our personal information from misuse and respect consumers’ rights regarding the collection and use of their information.
January 16 – The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion
Join us for an overview of the history of this treasured institution, an iconic 19th-century National Historic Landmark. View images of the newly restored spaces and artifacts following the Mansion’s $18 million renovation supported by the City of Norwalk and the State of Connecticut. The presentation concludes with a sneak peek at an exciting calendar of events and a special offer to members of Lifetime Learners.
Susan Gilgore, PhD, joined the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum as assistant director and became the museum’s executive director. She has been responsible for overseeing general museum operations, fundraising activities, and conceptualizing and managing programs and exhibitions that have received local, regional and national recognition.
January 23 – Free Speech: Know Your Rights: How Free Expression
Shapes Democracy and You
Explore the history and legal foundations of protest in America in this interactive session with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Learn how the First Amendment protects free speech and peaceful assembly and gain practical insight into the rights and responsibilities of those who exercise their rights through protest and other forms of free expression. The ACLU is a non-profit, non-partisan, legal and advocacy organization that works to defend and preserve individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
Amber Vlangas has served as the Fairfield County representative of the American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut for four years. Amber brings decades of experience as an activist, educator and nonprofit leader where she has focused on building understanding, inspiring people to action and highlighting civic engagement as vehicles for change.
January 30 – How to Have a Healthy, Non-Toxic Home
The environment we live in plays a crucial role in our health, from air quality and sleep hygiene, to the products we use daily. Learn how to make healthy choices in your home. Improve sleep, promote wellness and enhance your overall quality of life by taking simple, effective steps to reduce exposure to hidden, harmful chemicals.
Dr. Tania Elliott is a board-certified physician, Chief Medical Officer and entrepreneur. After more than a decade leading groundbreaking programs in women’s health, primary care, and longevity medicine, she is now focused on optimizing people’s health span, by focusing on the impact of everyday choices on lasting health.
February 6 – Dressmaker to Mary Todd Lincoln: Elizabeth Keckley
Learn about an ex-slave who bought her own freedom and became a dressmaker and fashion designer just before and during the Civil War. She dressed wives and daughters of senators and cabinet members, including the First Lady of the Confederacy.
She went on to dress the First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln, and later wrote a scandalous book about her relationship with Mrs. Lincoln and the Lincolns in the White House. According to today’s standards it was not scandalous at all. After her time at the White House, she continued with her dressmaking business into the 20th century.
Allen Despres’ favorite profession was as a United States Park Ranger, giving tours and lectures on the 19th century at the Statue of Liberty and Grant’s Tomb. A Norwalk resident all his life, he has always been fascinated with history.