Montgomery County Community College’s (MCCC) annual Presidential Symposium encourages dialogue on diversity and inclusiveness among students, faculty, staff and the community. Through this opportunity of education and discussion, participants can reach a deeper understanding of today’s issues.

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This year’s Presidential Symposium will feature the topic of “Our American Story and Immigrant Roots” with guest speaker Rinku Sen, an author, activist, president/executive director of the racial justice organization Race Forward and publisher of Colorlines.com.

The Symposium is free and open to the community and will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 7, at 12:30 p.m. in MCCC’s Science Center Theater, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell, with simulcast to South Hall Room 216, West Campus, 101 College Drive, Pottstown and Room 217, The Culinary Arts Institute, 1400 Forty Foot Road, Lansdale. Reserve your free ticket.

Sen will be discussing “Our Immigrant Story” based on her book, The Accidental American: Immigration and Citizenship in the Age of Globalization, which received several awards, including the Nautilus Book Awards Silver Medal.

In connection with the Symposium, MCCC will host an array of related events and activities throughout the semester, including:

* A Faculty Panel Discussion, “Immigration & the American Story,” on Oct. 1, 12:30-2 p.m. Faculty members include Geography Assistant Professor Wayne Brew, History Instructor Sanket Desai, History Associate Professor Dr. Theresa Napson-Williams, Anthropology Assistant Professor Dr. Lynn O’Brien, Sociology Assistant Professor Dr. Mustafa Saatci and Dean of Social Science Dr. Aaron Shatzman, who will serve as the moderator. This free event will be held in MCCC’s Science Center Theater, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell, with a simulcast to South Hall Room 221, West Campus, 101 College Drive, Pottstown.

* Voter registration tables will be available at both campuses on Oct. 1 during the Faculty Panel Discussion, as well as information about the contest for students and employees to share their “American Story.”

* World Cuisine Wednesdays will be held at MCCC’s Central Campus in Blue Bell on Oct. 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 and will feature cuisine from around the world.

* Gallery exhibition, Quizás Mañana, Nov. 8 to Jan. 18. This art exhibition will feature the paintings, drawings and light projections highlighting the family history and identity of internationally renowned Philadelphia artist Michelle Angela Ortiz. The opening reception will be held on Nov. 8, from 5-7 p.m. Both the reception and exhibit are free and open to the community.

* Student theatre performance, Nov. 8-11, of the Presentation about the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, from the German Sudwestafrika, Between the Years 1884-1915 (written by playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury. MCCC students will be performing this comedy/drama in MCCC’s BlackBox Theater (Science Center lower level) in Blue Bell. Tickets go on sale Oct. 1. Visit mc3.edu/livelyarts and click on “Student Performances” for tickets.

* The performance of Finding Communidad/Finding Community: an Intergenerational Storytelling of Norristown on Dec. 7, at 10:30 a.m. in MCCC’s Science Center Theater, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. Told by Eisenhower Middle School students and MCCC’s theater students, Finding Community explores the heritage and identity of the Norristown community. Students will conduct interviews with community members and use these interviews and other materials to compose a suite of poems and monologues.

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