CLASS AND POVERTY

Shooting or Falling Stars? (Yatzari Venzor, Monika Williams; FORUM 1, FORUM 3; US 217): Students in this forum will examine socio-economic status by playing an interactive game. After drawing a specific "status," players will make decisions and compete, all the while managing unequal resources.

GENDER AND LGBTQ+

From #MeToo to #TimesUp: What's New in Gender Studies Since Tri I? (Emily Perez, Elissa Wolf-Tinsman; FORUM 1 ONLY; SADLER): We invite students who have taken Gender Studies to engage in conversation about gender’s role in events that have happened since tri 1—from #metoo to #timesup to school shootings. We will provide short videos and articles as discussion starting points, and we welcome suggestions from participants prior to the forum.

Can You Hear It? Objectification in Popular Music (Mia Cravitz, Emily Dawson; FORUM 1, FORUM 2, FORUM 3; US 122): Our forum will be interactive and engaging to all students in the Upper School! Anyone who listens to music will be able to enjoy and take part in a meaningful group discussion. We will begin by defining objectification and explaining why popular music is a perfect example of how gender norms are portrayed in American pop culture. By listening to songs, watching music videos, and examining lyrics, we will discuss an important issue regarding popular culture and the implications of objectification.

Rape Culture in the 21st Century (Catie Groves, Sadie Jenkins, Caroline Gillespie; FORUM 1, FORUM 2; US 203): In this forum we will have thoughtful discussion about consent, healthy relationships, and how to talk to someone about this issue.

HISTORY, LAW AND POLITICS

Tibet: Reality vs. Reports (Thanh Luong; FORUM 1 ONLY; US 138): What is Tibet? The mystical land that has been countlessly written about and filmed but rarely visited. How can you distinguish what you read, hear, or see about the Tibetan people, culture, history, and even political relations from its reality? Learn about how a Chinese American posing to be a Chinese national find his own cultural identity and understand the political and cultural landscape of Tibet through his 2,000 mile journey in the land of the skies.

Killing Killers? An Exploration of Capitol Punishment (Walt Jones, Avery Lin, Elliott Chase; FORUM 1, FORUM 2, FORUM 3; US 140): In this forum, students will broaden their knowledge of capital punishment (also known as the death penalty) both by participating in group discussion and delving into a case study. Participants will use critical thinking skills to articulate their stances and contribute to discussion throughout the workshop. Ultimately, students will be encouraged to form their own opinions on capital punishment and will walk away with greater knowledge of where they stand on the issue.

The Ongoing Battle with Gun Violence in the United States (Grace Lukkes, Alia Davis; FORUM 1, FORUM 2; US 215): Students working together to think of solutions to bring an end to gun violence.

Gerrymandering and Representative Democracy (Pete Horsch, Austin Harvey; FORUM 1, FORUM 2, FORUM 3; US 123): Does partisan Gerrymandering violate the "one-person, one-vote" mandate in the Equal Protection Clause of the US Constitution? What is Gerrymandering anyway? How does packing and cracking work? Are efficiency gaps, compactness, and having competitive districts good ways to measure Gerrymandering? How does ensuring representation for communities of interest and having majority-minority districts impact the discussion? Can mathematicians solve this problem?

MUSIC, ARTS, SPORTS, WELL-BEING, AND RELATIONSHIPS

Empathy through Virtual Reality (Youth Philanthropy Board: Eric Bear, Cecilia Needham, Lila Arnold, Charlie Wallace, Aly Gallagher, Ruthie Angevine, Lena Schneck; FORUM 1 ONLY; US 141): Technology has recently lead us to stray from empathy and human interaction. How can we use it to recalibrate our sense of empathy? Better yet, can we use Virtual Reality (VR) to improve mental health? Come and talk about the pros and cons of VR in mental health.

Social Justice and Revolution Through Art Over Time (Galilea Landa-Posas, Joanna Cotto; FORUM 1 ONLY; US 142): We will explore how different movements in the past compared to different movements today have been shaped by art or have shaped art.

So You Call Yourself A Leader? (Gabe Bernstein; FORUM 1, FORUM 2 ONLY; US 218): People all over the world, in various walks of life, call themselves leaders. What does it take to truly lead? What makes some leaders more successful than others? Here at Colorado Academy, we have many opportunities for students to develop and strengthen leadership qualities. Do you consider yourself a leader in the classroom? In the hallways? On stage? On the athletic fields, gyms or in the pool? In this Forum, we will discuss qualities of great student leaders in schools, and identify challenges that leaders face on a daily basis that ask them to make hard choices. If you identify as a leader, or want to learn more, and discuss what leadership demands, this Forum is for you!

RACE, ETHNICITY AND NATIONALITY

In Whose Honor?: Race and Team Names (Dr. Jon Vogels; FORUM 1, FORUM 2; US 125): In Whose Honor? takes a critical look at the long-running practice of "honoring" Native American Indians by using them as mascots and nicknames in sports. In this moving and award-winning documentary, Native Americans speak out about the hurtful and harmful effects of stereotyped sports images on both Natives and non-Natives alike.

Why Are College Athletes Not Paid? (Will Ungar, Alex Main, Kathleen Law; FORUM 1, FORUM 2, FORUM 3; US 226): In this forum, we will discuss everything relating to college male athletics. Colleges save tons not paying athletes. Lots of these college athletes, many of which are black, are brought in from inner-city schools with the promise of education rather than money, in exchange for playing sports, but many of the athletes don’t make it pro and end up majoring in a subject not very useful in the modern world or just simply don’t graduate. Is this a form of modern slavery? We will watch some clips on the subject and discuss. No prior knowledge of the subject is necessary to attend.

Color, the hidden “ism" (Christina Joymon; FORUM 1, FORUM 2; US 216): Many people are not aware of the dangers of colorism and the stereotypes that follow it. In this workshop, there will be an overview of where colorism began followed by examining current cases in the world today. By having an open discussion we can expose colorism, its danger on society and how we can fight it.

Difficult Conversations: The Politics of Dialogue (Paul Kim; FORUM 1 ONLY; US 219): There are a variety of topics that are difficult to talk about in the world. In this forum, we will explore the contexts and complexities about discussing issues around difference in American society.

Representation Matters (Ali Kittle; FORUM 1, FORUM 2, FORUM 3; US 221): This forum will look at how media informs so much of what we think about ourselves. We'll consider a variety of different media- music, videos, movies, print- and how our identities are constructed. We'll focus on Beyoncé, Janelle Monae, Black Panther, Lupita Nyong'o, Scandal, in addition to other awesome women.

The New Jim Crow? Mass Incarceration in the United States (Adrian Michael Green; FORUMS 1 - 3; US 121): Participants in this forum will watch the full documentary entitled, "13th" by director Ava DuVernay. The film and forum explores the intersection of race, justice, and mass incarceration in the United States. The film 13th is titled after the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which freed the slaves and prohibited slavery (unless as punishment for a crime). Those that sign up for this forum must note that this session runs the entire Forum session with Forum 1 + Forum 2 watching the film and Forum 3 having a deep debrief and discussion.

SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY (GENERAL)

Stick it to the Man (Eli Henry, Gwylym Cano ; FORUM 1, FORUM 2; US 124) Using forum theatre we will explore concepts of authority within our school, country, and world. Gwylym Cano has spent years working with people of all ages using this form of theatre/story telling to create authentic, engaging conversations through various games and exercises.

So You Want To Be Normal? (Cooper Bedin, Anna Krutsinger; FORUM 1, FORUM 2; US 222): Exploring math and math education around the world and in our community—we will talk about why so many people hate math and trying to shed some light on what makes it so special and important.

Taking The Human Rights Temperature of CA (Liam Caplan, Daniel Lopez; FORUM 1, FORUM 2, FORUM 3; US 210): Participants will evaluate CA's human rights climate using criteria derived from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).The subsequent discussion will focus on identifying areas strength as well as weaknesses, and developing an action plan to begin addressing particular concerns.

Activism 101 (Josie Valadez Fraire; FORUM 1, FORUM 2; US 143): Participants in this forum will get an in-depth opportunity with our conference keynote speaker about civic engagement and ways to plug into social issues. By the end of this forum, participants will walk away with tangible ways to be a more thoughtful and active citizen.

College 101: Jeopardy Game Night (Samah Mohamed; FORUM 1, FORUM 3; US 120): CA Alum Samah Mohamed will address her experience at the college level and provide insight and engagement about current issues with an interactive game of Jeopardy. So come test your knowledge on the in's and out's of what college is. You will be split into teams. From academics to social life you will be tested on it all! The winning team will have bragging rights across campus!

Quiet Space to Meditate (FORUM 3 Only; US 227,229,231,232): students will have the opportunity to experience a guided meditation and reflect about the conference.