In UC Davis Health news releases like these from the Violence Prevention Research Program ...

• “Spikes in Handgun Purchases After High-Profile Events Linked to More Firearm Injuries” (Aug. 26, 2019)
• “Case Studies Suggest That Protection Orders Play a Role in Preventing Mass Shootings” (Aug. 19, 2019)

... we see numbers and analysis related to the national epidemic of gun violence. In this year’s Campus Community Book Project, we see 10 of the victims, ages 9 to 19 — all from one day, across the country.

WHAT WE ARE READING

• The book is available in paperback at UC Davis Stores at the discounted price of $10.99 (a $5 savings), and is available for loan from the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; contact the book project by email if you wish to borrow a copy.
• See all previous campus books: 2002-03 to 2018-19.

Another Day in the Death of America: A Chronicle of Ten Short Lives, by Gary Younge, is UC Davis’ 18th annual community book. Begun in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the book project is seen as a means of sparking dialogue among faculty, staff, students and the wider community — respectful dialogue among people who may have diverse viewpoints on the topic at hand.

In addition to reading the same book, the campus community and general public are invited to attend a range of programs related to the book or the year’s overall theme (violence-gun violence in 2019-20).

This year’s schedule includes lectures, conversations, forums, roundtables, exhibitions, films — and even a stage production, The Burials, by a youth theatre company — on the Davis and Sacramento campuses and in the surrounding communities. Most events are free; all are open to the public.

The book and theme also will turn up in classes, and the author will visit the Davis campus, Monday, March 2, to participate in a free Forum @ MC and give an evening lecture (paid admission required) at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts. More information below.

A conversation, an exhibition

Book project programming begins this week with A Conversation on Gun Violence in the UC Davis Health Diversity and Inclusion Dialogue Series, and a related event, a healing circle, the same day; and an exhibition set to open Friday (Sept. 27) at Shields Library.

• A Conversation on Gun Violence: From National Context to Local Action — With participants from the Violence Prevention Research Program and the UC Davis Wraparound Hospital-based Violence Intervention Program. Noon-1 p.m. Thursday (Sept. 26), auditorium, Comprehensive Cancer Center. Lunch provided. Register here.
• CircleUP Healing Circle — Presented by the UC Davis Health Office for Equity, Diversion and Inclusion in collaboration with the CircleUP Employee Resource Group. 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, Betty Irene Moore Hall. Light refreshments provided. Register here.
• Exhibition: Gun Violence in America — Learn about the interdisciplinary nature of this year’s book project topic. In addition to the book selection, this exhibition will showcase materials on constitutional law, military/firearms history, gun violence, conservation, medicine and sociology. Sept. 27-Oct. 31, Shields Library, lobby (near the entrance).

Campus talks and Focus on Film

THE CALENDAR

• See the book project calendar of events.
• The schedule also is included on this poster (PDF).

A UC Davis librarian and a professor will give lectures the following two weeks on the Davis campus:

• “A Short History of Modern Firearms: Terms and Concepts Relevant to Current Debates on Gun Violence” — Presented by Matthew Conner, librarian, Carlson Health Sciences Library and Shields Library. A discussion will follow, facilitated by the presenter and Fred Bach. 5:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3, 167 Shields Library.
• “Guns and Conspiracy Theories” — Presented by Kathryn Olmsted, professor, Department of History, and Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies. 4-5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9, Meeting Room D, Student Community Center.

The Mondavi Center will present a Focus on Film series — free of charge — comprising three movies that align with the book project theme. Each screening will be at 2 p.m. on a Sunday.

• Nov. 3 — Bonnie and Clyde
• Jan. 12 — Badlands
• May 3 — Hell or High Water

Tickets are free but required. Click on the links above, then click on “Tickets.”

Other programs include ...

• “Firearm Violence: The Science and What Clinicians Can Do” — Talk by Garen Wintemute, director of the Violence Prevention Research Program, 9-10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, 1222 Education Building, Sacramento campus, as part of the School of Medicine’s Alumni Weekend Forum. Wintemute is a professor of emergency medicine and the Susan P. Baker-Stephen P. Teret Chair in Violence Prevention.
• The Burials — Inspired by Antigone, this play by Caitlin Parrish is a modern tale of civic responsibility that explores the aftermath of a school shooting, racism, police brutality and one family’s response to the gun epidemic. Presented by the Acme youth theatre company of Davis. 7 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 9-11 and 16-18, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12 and 19, Veterans Memorial Theatre, 203 E. 14th St. A panel discussion with UC Davis faculty members is scheduled after the show on Thursday, Jan. 16. Tickets will be sold on the theatre company’s website and at the door.

Author’s visit and STILL/HEAR

The Mondavi Center will be the venue for the author’s visit and an interactive, community driven exhibition, all on Monday, March 2.

• Forum @ MC — A panel discussion plus performances by Sacramento Area Youth Speaks, or SAYS, and the Davis Threshold Choir, 2:30-4 p.m., Jackson Hall. Free admission.
• Lecture — Gary Younge, 8-9:30 p.m., Jackson Hall. Click on the link for ticket information. A book signing will follow the lecture.
• Exhibition — STILL/HEAR, visualizing the scale and impact of gun violence across American history. Community members are invited to participate in doing research for the exhibition, and to help prepare it. Information on community workshops will be posted here.

Project partners

This year’s book project reflects partnerships with nearly 50 campus and community collaborators. The Campus Community Book Project is especially proud to partner with First-Year Seminars and other departments to encourage  instructors to teach the book project in coursework across the disciplines.

Students, faculty, staff and community members are all welcome to participate in the Campus Community Book Project. For more information on getting involved, please contact ccbp@ucdavis.edu.

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