Special Events   

This presentation features a first-hand perspective and experience of a state senator as he discusses the history of the Massachusetts State House as well as what is entailed during typical day of a public elected representative. Join Senator John F. Keenan to learn more about our gold domed building on Beacon Hill as well understand what the senator does with his days during and outside of the legislation session.

The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) and the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) jointly present this interactive session. The ABMC – the preeminent guardian of America’s overseas commemorative cemeteries and memorials – honors the achievements of the U.S. armed forces by preserving their legacy of service and by seeking new and innovative ways of reflecting the evolving nature of sacrifice. As the national institution that documents America’s stories through art, the SAAM reveals key aspects of America’s culture and history through its collection. During this 90-minute interactive session, representatives of ABMC and SAAM help contextualize the history of memorials, monuments, and art in their collections. Honor, sacrifice, and service are themes that both artists and war memorial designers have brought to life using many different forms of symbolism and allegory. Participants will explore the visual elements of sculpture, architecture, and 2-dimensional works to gain a greater understanding of how art and design conveys these themes, and how the meaning of memorial objects may change over time. 

In January 1941 Franklin D. Roosevelt’s extraordinary State of the Union Address proclaimed his intention to secure and expand democracy at home and promote democracy everywhere in a world then threatened by fascism and imperialist aggression. The Four Freedoms FDR defined in that speech—Freedom of speech and expression, Freedom of worship, Freedom from want, and Freedom from fear—quickly became philosophical and rhetorical foundations for extending his domestic New Deal and using American power to promote global democratic development. They also became justifications for making the United States a global “super power “ that required a massive standing army, navy, and air forces; a worldwide network of military bases, a permanent military-industrial-university complex, and an ever-growing arsenal of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, all of which diverted resources and brainpower away from domestic democratic reforms while promoting fear of communism abroad and at home. This lecture includes discussion of these complications, as well as a review of the sources of FDR ideas about human rights and liberal internationalism, and a look at contemporary public responses to the Four Freedoms speech.

Curious to learn about what others are reading this summer (or have read during the winter)? Have you ever found yourself at the beach, in your backyard, or on a bench during the summer wishing you had a book with you? Need a break from the computer screen? This event allows participants to share book titles and quick, personal reviews to help others build their summer reading lists. Don’t have a book to share? No problem! Join and listen to recommendations that might inspire you to check them out.

No one at Camp Jened could have imagined that those summers in the woods together would be the beginnings of a revolution. Down the road from Woodstock, a revolution blossomed at a ramshackle summer camp for teenagers with disabilities, transforming their lives and igniting a landmark movement. In the early 1970s, teenagers with disabilities faced a future shaped by isolation, discrimination and institutionalization. Camp Jened in the Catskills, exploded those confines. Jened was their freewheeling Utopia, a place with summertime sports, smoking and make-out sessions awaiting everyone, and campers experienced liberation and full inclusion as human beings. This 2020 award winning, Oscar-nominated documentary also features Judy Heumann whose memoir (Being Heumann) is OLLI at UMass Boston's pick for its summer common read program. Program Note: Viewing and discussion will take place both online (Zoom) and in-person (Thayer Public Library in Braintree). Participants can also watch the film on their own (via Netflix or Amazon Prime) and still join for the discussion portion.

No one at Camp Jened could have imagined that those summers in the woods together would be the beginnings of a revolution. Down the road from Woodstock, a revolution blossomed at a ramshackle summer camp for teenagers with disabilities, transforming their lives and igniting a landmark movement. In the early 1970s, teenagers with disabilities faced a future shaped by isolation, discrimination and institutionalization. Camp Jened in the Catskills, exploded those confines. Jened was their freewheeling Utopia, a place with summertime sports, smoking and make-out sessions awaiting everyone, and campers experienced liberation and full inclusion as human beings. This 2020 award winning, Oscar-nominated documentary also features Judy Heumann whose memoir (Being Heumann) is OLLI at UMass Boston's pick for its summer common read program. Program Note: Viewing and discussion will take place both online (Zoom) and in-person (Thayer Public Library in Braintree). Participants can also watch the film on their own (via Netflix or Amazon Prime) and still join for the discussion portion.

Grab your favorite summer food, pull up a chair, and immerse yourself in this 2-hour fun-filled art workshop! Using a medium of your choosing (drawing or painting), we will develop our hand-eye coordination by rendering what we see in front of us onto our own paper. We will learn how value studies can help us with full color artworks. Some prior drawing or painting experience is helpful but not mandatory. Program Note: The workshop facilitator will email out a list of supplies recommended for this workshop a week in advance.

When Senator Edward Kennedy sponsored the Refugee Act of 1980, he urged his congressional colleagues to pass a bill that would “welcome homeless refugees to our shores” and “give statutory meaning to our national commitment to human rights and humanitarian concerns.” The Refugee Act has transformed the United States over the past 45 years. However, the U.S. refugee and asylum system has never entirely lived up to the lofty goals that Senator Kennedy articulated, and the federal government now appears to be abandoning them entirely. In this lecture, Professor Rosenbloom will assess both the achievements of the Refugee Act and its shortcomings, and examine how immigrant communities are organizing to demand a better future.

You’re invited to check out the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UMass Boston and what awaits if you join our learning community! Spotlight on OLLI is our open house event where prospective members (and current ones) can explore a mini-classroom experience, learn what OLLI offers members, and connect with one another. This program will be offered at three locations: online via Zoom, in-person at Thayer Public Library, and in-person at the UMass Boston campus. Each location will offer a specific learning experience and there will be one common presentation for all to enjoy by the Cleveland Art Museum. After the classroom presentations, all participants will learn more specifics about OLLI at UMass Boston. Refreshments will be served at the two in-person locations, and for those joining us at UMass Boston, you’ll be able to enjoy a Boston Harbor cruise after the event has ended! Please be sure to register for the correct location.

You’re invited to check out the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UMass Boston and what awaits if you join our learning community! Spotlight on OLLI is our open house event where prospective members (and current ones) can explore a mini-classroom experience, learn what OLLI offers members, and connect with one another. This program will be offered at three locations: online via Zoom, in-person at Thayer Public Library, and in-person at the UMass Boston campus. Each location will offer a specific learning experience and there will be one common presentation for all to enjoy by the Cleveland Art Museum. After the classroom presentations, all participants will learn more specifics about OLLI at UMass Boston. Refreshments will be served at the two in-person locations, and for those joining us at UMass Boston, you’ll be able to enjoy a Boston Harbor cruise after the event has ended! Please be sure to register for the correct location.

You’re invited to check out the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UMass Boston and what awaits if you join our learning community! Spotlight on OLLI is our open house event where prospective members (and current ones) can explore a mini-classroom experience, learn what OLLI offers members, and connect with one another. This program will be offered at three locations: online via Zoom, in-person at Thayer Public Library, and in-person at the UMass Boston campus. Each location will offer a specific learning experience and there will be one common presentation for all to enjoy by the Cleveland Art Museum. After the classroom presentations, all participants will learn more specifics about OLLI at UMass Boston. Refreshments will be served at the two in-person locations, and for those joining us at UMass Boston, you’ll be able to enjoy a Boston Harbor cruise after the event has ended! Please be sure to register for the correct location.

The thrilling, true story of a prolific criminal’s many identities and exploits. The Man Who Shot J. P. Morgan is a riveting tale of false identities, radical political beliefs, and ambitious criminal schemes set during the tumultuous time shortly before the United States entered World War I. In 1906 and 1915, Cambridge, MA was the location of the national news story when a Harvard Ph.D. candidate and adjunct professor poisoned his wife nine days after childbirth. Cambridge police and court proceedings continued for nine years later when he emerged as a Cornell Ph.D. and bombed the U.S. Capitol and shot J.P. Morgan.  This true story of deceit and brilliance is chronicled in Mary Noé’s narrative nonfiction book The Man Who Shot J.P. Morgan, A Life of Arsenic, Anarchy and Intrigue.

OLLI's Walking SIG (Shared Interest Group) invites you to experience a walk with fellow OLLI members and guests along Boston's Grand Boulevard! Discover the stunning beauty and charm of Commonwealth Avenue through a combination of exercise, conversation, and history as you pause to learn more about the statues that are placed on the mall. The goal of the Walking Group is to promote a healthy lifestyle through walking as well as to provide a chance for socialization with other OLLI members. The group takes advantage of the area’s natural resources (both urban and rural). Walks usually take about 90 minutes, and the group can accommodate walkers of various abilities, both tortoises and hares! Program note: More precise details on where to meet will be sent out to registered participants. During the regular school year, an active membership is needed to participate in OLLI's Shared Interest Groups activities. Check out all of OLLI's SIGs! 

The transition from colonial rule to national independence was a pivotal time in American history. Participants will explore colonial and early federal art that tells the story of growing national ambitions, territorial expansion, and the beginning of industry. The Smithsonian American Art Museum’s presentations encourage participants to share their thoughts and to participate in the conversation over the 75-minute presentation.  

America’s best idea, the separation of church and state, is under attack by those who espouse Christian nationalism, which seeks to conflate religion and the state by means of religious symbols and taxpayer support for religious education. This is both bad theology and bad history. Jesus himself declared that his kingdom “was not of this world,” and the nation’s founders emphatically were not, as David Barton and other Christian nationalists argue, evangelical Christians. Painfully aware of the wars of religion in Europe and England, the founders wanted to avoid the entanglement of church and state while guaranteeing freedom of religion. In so doing, they were drawing on the ideas of Roger Williams, a former Puritan who founded the Baptist tradition in America. Williams wanted to separate the “garden of the church” from the “wilderness of the world” by means of a wall of separation – in large measure because he wanted to protect the integrity of the faith from interference by the state. The First Amendment has worked remarkably well throughout American history, and those who would seek to abrogate the separation of church and state are actually working against their own interests.

Why do artists keep sketchbooks? What do I draw in my sketchbook? This workshop is for anyone interested in incorporating regular artmaking into his or her life. We will discuss the benefits of using sketchbooks to enhance the artmaking practice. Most of the workshop will be spent drawing in your sketchbook from photographs. We will practice capturing the most important elements of a scene and editing out unnecessary details. Other topics include thumbnail sketches, gesture drawing, color experimentation, and more! By the end of the workshop, you will have many ideas on how to use limited amounts of time to create art.  Program Note: The workshop facilitator will email out a list of recommended supplies for this workshop a week in advance.

What was it like to live in WW2 Los Alamos, NM where the world's first atomic bomb was built? What were the considerations that went into dropping nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? How did their use influence nuclear policy after the war? Inspired by the research for her historical novel, Hill of Secrets, set in WW2 Los Alamos, author Galina Vromen will bring alive that momentous period. This will be followed by a discussion with Genny Peterson, OLLI program coordinator and a 20th-century historian, about the issues that led to the legacy of nuclear proliferation today.

Are you or a loved one considering Downsizing but unsure where to start? Come to this workshop designed specifically for older adults and their families led by a team of professionals from Coldwell Banker Realty who specialize in helping seniors transition smoothly into their next place. Whether you're planning to move soon or just exploring your options, this workshop will provide valuable insights to guide you. 

We are living in the age of anxiety; a situation that often makes us feel as if we are locked into endless cycles of stress, sleeplessness and worry. But what if we had a way to leverage our anxiety to help us solve problems and fortify our well-being? What if instead of seeing anxiety as a curse, we could recognize it for the unique gift that it is? In this workshop, we will be learning about ways to work with anxiety and see it as essential for our survival. This will be a combination of lecture, discussion and meditation, breathing exercises.

When Senator Edward Kennedy sponsored the Refugee Act of 1980, he urged his congressional colleagues to pass a bill that would “welcome homeless refugees to our shores” and “give statutory meaning to our national commitment to human rights and humanitarian concerns.” The Refugee Act has transformed the United States over the past 45 years. However, the U.S. refugee and asylum system has never entirely lived up to the lofty goals that Senator Kennedy articulated, and the federal government now appears to be abandoning them entirely. In this lecture, Professor Rosenbloom will assess both the achievements of the Refugee Act and its shortcomings, and examine how immigrant communities are organizing to demand a better future.

Artists living in America have often visualized and engaged with social issues through their artistic practice. Participants will examine 18th-21st century art to discover the range of approaches artists have used to make their voices hear. The Smithsonian American Art Museum’s presentations encourage participants to share their thoughts and to participate in the conversation over the 75-minute presentation. 

One of the essential elements of all 2D art and design (both representational and abstract) is composition. During this workshop we will explore the following guiding questions: what is composition; why do artists need to understand composition; how can being intentional about composition enhance a future piece of art. This workshop is for anyone interested in learning the basics about composition. Using thumbnail sketching, students will have the opportunity to experiment with composition. Students are welcome to bring their own photographs for inspiration or may choose to draw from photographs provided by the instructor. Some prior drawing experience is helpful but not necessary. Program Note: The workshop facilitator will email out a list of supplies recommended for this workshop a week in advance.

This 90-minute presentation will introduce participants to a wholistic approach towards health and wellness using an assessment tool known as the Wheel of Health. Nine areas will be explored as you identify challenges/successes in nine areas: movement, nutrition, environment, relationships, personal development, spirituality, sleep & rest, work life balance, and mind & body. The outcome is to encourage participants to develop a personalized plan with goals and strategies for healthy living, stress management, and/or personal growth.

The lives of African American artists lend insight into the context of their works. Learn about the diverse body of artwork created by African American artists and the historical, social, and cultural events, as well as the life experiences, that inspired their work. The Smithsonian American Art Museum’s presentations encourage participants to share their thoughts and to participate in the conversation over the 75-minute presentation. 

The many current threats to free speech include: “cancel culture,” which penalizes those who question prevailing orthodoxies; rampant self-censorship about “sensitive” topics; Big Tech wielding unprecedented power to restrict and chill expression; government officials pressuring Big Tech to suppress even more material; campus assaults on academic freedom; state laws that bar the teaching of “divisive” concepts; federal and state laws (including President Trump’s executive orders) that have some positive and some negative implications for free speech, including on campus; federal and state laws that restrict minors’ access to sexually oriented online expression; public officials’ (including the President’s) initiation of defamation lawsuits against their critics; and weak public support for free speech, the media, and universities, according to polls. This presentation will discuss the pros and cons of free speech and censorship, addressing legal principles, and policy considerations.

The world has recently been turned upside down with a worldwide pandemic, political unrest, climate change and the threat of war. All of these events are making many of us feel disconnected, fearful and unsure about the future. Connecting to ourselves and finding ways in which to be resilient, calm down the fear response in the nervous system and activate the relaxation response is crucial during these times. We have so much more power over our responses than we can even imagine. In this presentation, learn how to accept the moment, find inner peace and learn coping strategies to help you surf the waves of uncertainty.

Five Wishes is the first advance directive outlining your personal, emotional, and spiritual needs and medical wishes. It provides a vehicle for you to choose the person you want to make healthcare decisions for you if you are unable to make them for yourself. Five Wishes allows you to describe precisely how you wish to be treated if you get seriously ill. During this program, participants will have an opportunity to reflect on their wishes, and the facilitator will review how to complete a Five Wishes document. Participants will have an opportunity to reflect on their wishes and blank, legal copy of the Five Wishes for their personal use. Program Note: Required physical materials for this presentation will be mailed out to each participant. Therefore, registration for this program will close on August 4 to ensure materials are received in a timely manner.

The concept of freedom has evolved over the course of American history from the founding ideas in the Bill of Rights that citizens should be able to live their lives without government interference to the 20th century concept that people should be able to fulfill their potential--if necessary, with the help of government. Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms spoke to the contemporary version, although want and fear do not appear in the Constitution. However, two obstacles have prevented the full realization of FDR’s vision and hinder those who advocate for it today: the persistence of 18th century beliefs with respect to property rights; and the structure of American political institutions. The U.S. system of checks and balances was designed to restrain the elected legislature, which the Framers understood from history would be susceptible to demagogues and mob rule. By dividing the legislature and empowering state governments, they inadvertently impeded Congress’ ability to act during times of emergency. Frustrated lawmakers and citizens turned to the presidency to lead. When crises passed, Congress typically would reassert its powers, aided by our state-oriented parties and independent judiciary. The parties today, however, have nationalized and are deeply polarized, and the Supreme Court has begun to empower the person of the president, while disempowering the executive branch. The essence of the American experiment for nearly 250 years has been preserving the best of our constitutional system, while adapting to the current needs of citizens and communities. The way forward is contentious and uncertain, but it must start with restoration of Congress and a more balanced exercise of power.

What stories are caught in the corners of your life? When was the last time you gave yourself creative space?  As we move towards the returning light of the New Year, give yourself some time to write. Through writing prompts, silly and serious, and writing sessions, (short and medium, up to 20 minutes) your imagination will be invited to the page. Participants will be encouraged to share their work and offer positive comments to others. Prior creative writing experience is not necessary. Please come ready to write, please keep camera on during sharing and prompts to encourage our special community.

Enjoy a walking excursion with OLLI’s Walking SIG as they wind their way through Boston's Northeastern University campus taking in the various sights and history of this urban campus. Founded in 1898 as the Evening Institute for Younger Men, Northeastern now boasts 13 campuses, including the 73-acre Boston location which is designated as an urban arboretum, award winning modern architecture, state of the art dorms, public art murals, and sculptures. The goal of OLLI's Walking SIG (Shared Interest Group) is to promote a healthy lifestyle through walking as well as to provide a chance for socialization with other OLLI members. The group takes advantage of the area’s natural resources (both urban and rural). The walks usually take about 90 minutes, and the group can accommodate walkers of various abilities, both tortoises and hares! Program note: More precise details on where to meet will be sent out to registered participants. During the regular school year, an active OLLI membership is needed to participate in OLLI's Shared Interest Groups activities. Check out all of OLLI's SIGs!  

Through Being Heumann, one of the most influential disability rights activists in U.S. history tells her personal story of fighting for the right to receive an education, have a job, and just be human. Paralyzed from polio at eighteen months, Judy Heumann's struggle for equality began early in life. From fighting to attend grade school after being described as a ‘fire hazard’ to later winning a lawsuit against the New York City school system for denying her a teacher’s license because of her paralysis, Judy’s actions set a precedent that fundamentally improved rights for disabled people.

Join OLLI this summer for our common read selection, Being Heumann, and attend one of our book discussions on this memoir and celebrated human rights activits. OLLI Reads is open to all OLLI members and guests, and allows us to come together as a community reading and discussing the same book. We hope you will be part of our OLLI Reads.

The concept of a collective Latino identity began to emerge in the United States in the mid-20th century. Explore how Latino artists shaped the artistic movements of their day, often using their work to communicate with a larger public about social justice and themes of diversity, identity, and community. The Smithsonian American Art Museum’s presentations encourage participants to share their thoughts and to participate in the conversation over the 75-minute presentation. 

Through Being Heumann, one of the most influential disability rights activists in U.S. history tells her personal story of fighting for the right to receive an education, have a job, and just be human. Paralyzed from polio at eighteen months, Judy Heumann's struggle for equality began early in life. From fighting to attend grade school after being described as a ‘fire hazard’ to later winning a lawsuit against the New York City school system for denying her a teacher’s license because of her paralysis, Judy’s actions set a precedent that fundamentally improved rights for disabled people.

Join OLLI this summer for our common read selection, Being Heumann, and attend one of our book discussions on this memoir and celebrated human rights activits. OLLI Reads is open to all OLLI members and guests, and allows us to come together as a community reading and discussing the same book. We hope you will be part of our OLLI Reads.

The issue of slavery versus freedom reared its ugly head in this court case, more than two decades before the Civil War exploded in 1861, concerning the fate of a group of Africans after they rebelled aboard the Spanish schooner La Amistad (“Friendship”) in 1839. The Amistad trials delved into the question of whether enslaved people could be considered property. They pitted the American government against the Spanish government, President Martin Van Buren against Secretary of State John Forsyth, the executive branch against the judicial branch, and abolitionists against slave traders. The presenter frames the trials as the first civil rights case in American history and highlights how the trials exposed divisions within the US government and society regarding slavery and its legality. This case finally received the recognition it deserved from Stephen Spielberg’s 1997 Academy Award-nominated feature film, Amistad. 

Through this informal conversation, Charlie Carr recounts his interactions with Judy Heumann, and the friendship and mentorship that resulted from their work and advocacy for independent living. Charlie was institutionalized for seven years in his youth and fought his way out by co-founding the Boston Center for Independent Living in 1974. He was inspired by Judy who was working at the Center for Independent Living in Berkley, CA at the time. Their lives continued to be intertwined as Charlie lent his voice and support to protests and movements to fully include people with disabilities in society. While Judy’s efforts were focused in California, Charlie and others led the way in Boston, most notably during 1977 to get section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 passed. Join OLLI as we welcome Charlie Carr for an afternoon of conversation, history and inspiration. Charlie highly encourages (insists) that folks ask questions along the way to make the program more interactive and fun.