Can We Talk Across Divides? virtual town hall
November 3 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm MST
by Carolyn Classen, blogger
PBS Books invites you to a Virtual Town Hall Author Talk with acclaimed journalists Nolan Finley and Stephen Henderson to explore their new release, The Civility Book. Once adversarial editorial voices on opposite sides of the political spectrum, these authors have now joined forces to share an inspiring message: civil conversation is not only possible, it’s essential.
In this live, interactive event hosted by Heather-Marie Montilla, Nolan and Stephen will talk about the personal journey that led to this collaboration, the real-world challenges they’ve faced, and the everyday ways their Four Pillars of Civility can help families, friends, and communities stay connected despite differences.
Viewers will have the chance to submit their own questions during the conversation, making this more than just an author talk—it’s a town hall for anyone who’s ever wondered how we can disagree without tearing each other down.
https://bookshop.org/widgets/book/book_featured/113350/9780814352182?full_info=true
Host
Heather-Marie Montilla
Heather-Marie Montilla, a dynamic integrative leader, is an educator and nonprofit manager. She has worked in the nonprofit sector and libraries for over two decades, making a positive impact in arts, cultural, educational, and community-building arenas.
Having joined the PBS Books team as their Library Bureau Chief in Fall 2018, Montilla is now the National Director of PBS Books and has interviewed more than 150 writers. In addition, she is a faculty member at Michigan State University and Eastern Michigan University for their Arts and Cultural/Entertainment Management Programs. Having been an Executive Director for 8 years, Heather has a wide range of experience in management, finance, strategic planning, marketing, and fundraising. Heather holds a MPA From Columbia University, a MLIS from Wayne State University, and a bachelor’s from Duke University. She lives in Chicagoland, and is married with four children, a dog, and a bird.
Guests
Stephen Henderson
Journalist
Stephen Henderson is an American journalist and winner of the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary and the 2014 National Association of Black Journalists Journalist of the Year Award—both received while writing for the Detroit Free Press. A native of Detroit, Henderson is a graduate of the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and the University of Michigan. Since 2015, he has been the host of Detroit Today on WDET, and in 2020, he founded BridgeDetroit, where he serves as executive editor. Henderson is cohost of One Detroit and host of American Black Journal on Detroit Public Television.
Nolan Finley
Author & Journalist
Nolan Finley has held many positions at the Detroit News since the start of his career there as a copy boy, including city editor, business editor, politics editor, and deputy managing editor. In 2000, he was named editorial page editor, where he directs the expression of the newspaper’s editorial position on various national and local issues and writes a column in the Sunday newspaper. He graduated from Schoolcraft College and Wayne State University, and in 2012, he was inducted into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame. Finley was also a cohost of One Detroit on Detroit Public Television.”