When it comes to race, religion, politics and cultural identity most of us exist in a bubble. Too often we associate with people like ourselves, limiting our ability to identify with those who are different. Nadia Al-Samarrie is the exception. As the child of an American Catholic mother and an Iraqi Moslem diplomat father, she has lived in Iraq and Iran, and in California, where she went to high school. She’s witnessed and experienced racial and cultural tension throughout much of her life: as an American in the Middle East, being an Iraqi in Iran, and in the racial crossfire between white and Black communities here in the U.S. She sees herself and others as spirits defined not by their ethnic background, but by their unique life experiences. A conversation with Nadia will make the world seem smaller and more universal. She says, “We need to remember that tolerance unites us. We need to see and accept people as they are, understanding that no matter how different they may appear, they all want to feel safe, loved, and accepted.” Nadia’s new memoir is “From Bagdad to Berkeley: A Woman’s Affair.” An author and diabetes expert, she has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, and other major cable networks. Contact her at (415) 741-3545; nalsamarrie@rtirguests.com
Category: Problems Facing Our Nation
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America’s Deadly Divorce from Science
Harvard University professor Naomi Oreskes believes that the social contract between science and American society is broken beyond repair. “The unfortunate reality is that our elected government is increasingly populated with many men and women who do not merely ignore scientific facts, they appear to despise them and the people who produce them. They see science as something that stands in the way of their political goals, and therefore must be pushed out of the way.” The author of “Why Trust Science?” says the solution isn’t a call for more science or the restoration of “scientific integrity,” whatever that is. She says, “As scientific conclusions become more indisputable, the machinations of those who are threatened by it become more outrageous. There comes a point when maybe one simply has to accept that the dream has died and it is time for a new one.” Naomi Oreskes is professor of the History of Science at Harvard University and the author of nearly 200 books, scholarly papers, and articles. Her opinion pieces have appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post and other major publications. Contact her at oreskes@fas.harvard.edu
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New Documentary Goes Inside a Migrant Caravan
Nat Geo’s new documentary “Blood on the Wall” takes viewers to Central America, as a caravan of migrants seeking a better life heads north to the United States, while narco-traffickers — part of the cause for the caravan — move drugs and money back and forth across the same border. The film, from Academy Award-nominated director Sebastian Junger and Emmy-winning producer Nick Quested, explores the depths of corruption plaguing Mexico and Central America and the policies of the past that have made it impossible for everyday people to find justice. Shot in the same journalistic style as their other films, “Hell on Earth: The Fall of Syria and the Rise of ISIS,” “Korengal,” and the Oscar-nominated “Restrepo,” the documentary highlights the humanity of the migrants and shows how politics, the drug trade, violence, and the desire for safety result in unbelievable anguish happening in plain sight. Producer Nick Quested is available for interviews. Contact Johanna Ramos-Boyer at (703) 991-8328; jboyer@rtirguests.com