“Straight Talk: Who Gets to be an American?”, a three-program series on immigration policy, our changing demographics, and the impact on society, has been announced by Furman University.

Sponsored by Furman and OLLIE, the program will be held on Thursday evenings 6:30-8;30 PM beginning August 30 and concluding on September 13th in Shaw Hall, Younts Conference Center.

The programs will explore how immigration has become a wedge issue in the United States, stirring fear, racism and anger on both sides of the issue. Topics include current immigration enforcement policies and their impact, the effect of immigration on jobs and the economy and what the changing demographics of the United States mean for our politics and elections.

Featured speakers:

• Stephen Legomsky, an advisor to both Democratic and Republican administrations, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, and several foreign governments on immigration and refugee policies.
• Jessica Taylor, a political reporter with NPR based in Washington, D.C., covering the 2018 midterm elections and breaking news out of the White House and Congress.
• Legendary pollsters Peter Hart and Whit Ayres. Hart founded Hart Research in 1971, and since 1989 has been the pollster for NBC News and The Wall Street Journal. His political clients have included leaders in the forefront of American politics over the past half century, from Hubert Humphrey and Jay Rockefeller, to Edward Kennedy and Bill Clinton. Ayres is a political consultant with over 30 years of experience in polling and survey research for high profile political campaigns and associations. His clients include U.S. Senators Marco Rubio, Lamar Alexander, Bob Corker, Lindsey Graham, and corporate clients including Boy Scouts of America, the Federalist Society, and the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association.

Other speakers include: Furman economist Ken Peterson; The Honorable Neal Collins, member of the S.C. House of Representatives (R – Dist. 5, Pickens County); Dr. Akan Malici, Furman professor of politics and international affairs; Sheriff-Elect of Mecklenburg County Garry McFadden; Anthony Herrera, executive director for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Furman; Basil Bacall, a Detroit hotelier from Iraq; and Julie Smithwick, executive director of PASOs.

The cost is $15 per session, or $35 for the series. Each session takes place from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. at the Younts Conference Center.

To learn more and or register for the series: http://bit.ly/2P6Efxf. For questions please call 864-294-2998.