2025 Winter Luncheon Series

Oyster Restoration in Herring Bay 

presented by

Birgit Sharp, Master Naturalist and Volunteer for Advocates for Herring Bay and the American Chestnut Land Trust

Oysters are often referred to as the “ecosystem engineers” of the Bay. Discover the many contributions oysters make to the health of the Bay and to humans. Learn about ongoing restoration efforts in the Chesapeake region, and the specific initiatives taking place locally in Herring Bay.

SOLD OUT

The Architects of Toxic Politics in America: Venom and Vitriol 

presented by

Kenneth Walsh, Veteran White House Correspondent, Historian, and Author

In The Architects... Walsh demonstrates the toxicity of the current political moment and the forces that have created it. This book focuses on presidents and administrations as well as “non-presidential” architects of toxic politics: other politicians, campaign strategists, activists, and media figures. 

Curating 400 Years of African American History across the Chesapeake Heartland

presented by 

Darius Johnson, Digital Justice Fellow at Washington College Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience, Trustee on the board of the Maryland Historical Trust

Johnson explores the rich, complex stories of African Americans in the region and their connections to the cultural and natural landscapes of the Chesapeake Bay. Central to this discussion is the idea that attracting diverse engagement—through descendant communities, local partnerships, and broader public participation—leads to more authentic, equitable, and impactful interpretation. Such engagement not only uncovers underrepresented histories but also fosters a deeper connection to place and heritage for all audiences. 

Fiction as Truth Telling: Capturing the Palestinian American Experience 

presented by

Susan Muaddi Darraj, Author and Tenured Professor of English Literature at Harford Community College and Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at Johns Hopkins University 

With her latest book, Behind You is the Sea, Susan Muaddi Darraj "faces stereotypes about Palestinian culture head-on and, shifting perspectives to weave a complex social fabric replete with weddings, funerals, broken hearts, and devastating secrets." 

Fake Photography 

presented by

Tim Laur, Photographer, Professor, U.S. Air Force, Lt. Colonel (Ret.)

The evolution of photography and fake photography and its impact.

Sustaining What Has Sustained Us: Understanding the Value of Coastal Landscapes 

presented by

Ebram Victoria, PhD candidate in Architecture, Urbanism, and the Built Environment at Morgan State University 

The presentation will act as a blueprint for how displaced communities can retrace their steps and return back to the land that needs them as much as they need it. Explore how to identify existing ecological assets, map memories, and engage multi-generations in sustaining what sustains them.  

 Ebram’s research aims to reframe our relationship with nature, particularly water, as being inherently therapeutic and necessary for survival. 

African Safaris Benefiting Locals 

presented by

John Wakeman-Linn, PhD Economist, retired from the International Monetary Fund

Safaris started as something conducted by Europeans for Europeans, and have evolved to the point where today, the best game lodges are owned and run by locals and greatly benefit the local communities. John will share fascinating stories and pictures from some of his many safaris. 

John Wakeman-Linn has lived in Africa twice, in Zambia and Tanzania. He has also visited a dozen African countries. Most importantly, he has been on literally hundreds of African safaris over the past 30 years. 

Elizabeth Cady Stanton-Equality for All! 

presented by

Mary Ann Jung, Award-winning Actress and Smithsonian Scholar 

SOLD OUT

While Stanton is best known for her long contribution to the woman suffrage struggle, she was also active and effective in winning property rights for married women, equal guardianship of children, and liberalized divorce laws so that women could leave abusive marriages which harmed the wife, the children, and the economic health of the family.