Law in the Headlines: Exploring Current Legal Controversies

Leora is professor emeritus of constitutional law at Western New England Univ. School of Law; founded the annual Supreme Court Conference, where she has been a speaker for 20+ years. Since becoming an emeritus professor, she has taught in the Political Science Dept., Hunter College, and other senior learner programs. 

Poetry for Pleasure in the Fall

Barry Wallenstein is the author of 12 collections of poetry, most recently It’s About Time, as well as Time on the Move and Tony’s Blues (bilingual French and English).

Enigmatic Stories

Pilar is Professor Emerita at Saint Xavier Univ of Chicago. She has taught undergraduate and graduate courses at several universities and colleges, has authored numerous scholarly articles. MA, English and PhD Comparative Literature, Univ of Chicago.

Politics 2024

Larry Geenen is a risk management consultant, former COO of the American Management Assoc., EVP of Johnson and Higgins.

What Do You Think? Op-ed Discussion

Bill Goldman has led current events discussion courses at SUNY New Paltz and Bard Lifelong Learning Institute; retired foreign service officer, US Agency for International Development.

Makers of History XXIII: The British Pitts, Titans of Philosophy, Henry Ford, and Adam Smith

Professor emeritus of English, Yeshiva Univ, he has published a dozen books and 100+ essays on historical figures, cultural history, and the relationship between religion and science.

Writing Creatively

Bonnie taught at the Center for Writing at John Bowne High School in Queens for twenty years, has been teaching adults since 2010.  Currently she also teaches writing in Ghana and at the Asian University for Women in Bangladesh.

What’s Your Name?  How About a Song?

Karen has been attending theater regularly since 1954 when Mary Martin flew past her in Peter Pan, and she ushers both on and off-Broadway.

CL&L Focus Group Discussions: Staying (or Getting) Active

Politics 2024

Judy is CL&L Executive Director, a retired qualitative researcher who conducted focus groups for over 40 years and wrote a book about the subject, The Mirrored Window.

A Look Back at Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan – Politician, Scholar, Statesman and Patriot, with His Staffer

2024, A Unique Election. Arnon Mishkin, Fox News Decision Desk Consultant, in Conversation

Inara was a long- time producer of politics for WNBC in NY.

Laugh Loudly and Carry a Big Schtick

Since the dawn of television, there have been many popular comedy variety shows on the air, including The Milton Berle Show, The Sid Caesar Comedy Hour, The Carol Burnett Show, Second City Television, and Saturday Night Live. Each show featured either a cast of regulars or guest celebrities who performed in humorous skits. In this class, we will watch a number of hilarious short episodes. Discussion questions will follow: What makes each skit funny? Is it the writing, the acting, or both? If a skit is decades old, would it still be considered politically correct to televise today?  Meish is the author of Oy Vey! A Yiddish Coloring Book?

Superb Suspense: Classic Movie Discussions

Bobbie was a writer and editor at People and US Magazines, and a researcher and producer at ABC, NBC, and CBS News. She’s a lifelong lover of movies.

Turning the Spotlight on the Process and Design of Theatrical Lighting

Victoria, a lighting designer, has worked for over a decade on Broadway, off- Broadway, and around the country as a principal lighting designer and in other lighting designer roles.

On the Waterfront 70th Anniversary: Leonard Bernstein’s Award-Winning Score

Jamie is the author of the 2018 memoir, Famous Father Girl. She is a narrator, broadcaster, and filmmaker.

A Look Back at Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan – Politician, Scholar, Statesman and Patriot, with His Staffer, Ross A. Frommer, in Conversation with Inara de Leon

Ross is VP for Government Affairs at Columbia Univ Irving Medical Center. Inara was a long-time producer of politics for WNBC in NY.

Exploring Quirky Small American Towns

Karen is author of the travel memoir Travel Mania: Stories of Wanderlust and Wanderlust: Extraordinary People, Quirky Places and Curious Cuisine.

Inside TV News: Reporting on the 2024 Olympics from Paris, with Jane Hanson in Conversation with Magee Hickey

Jane formerly co-hosted New York Live and Jane Hanson's New York on NBC-TV in the city and was co-anchor of Today in New York. She is the winner of nine Emmy Awards, former president of the NY chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences; currently a Forbes Magazine contributor.

From Tags to Riches: The Unlikely History of Graffiti

J. Robert (“J.R.”) is a native New Yorker who has been photographing graffiti in cities around the world for 40+ years. His collection of 5,000+ images is one of the largest, if not the largest, of its kind in the world.

Inside TV News: Reporting on the 2024 Olympics from Paris, with Jane Hanson in Conversation with Magee Hickey

The Climate Crisis: Past and Present

AR Hogan is a longtime science journalist, media historian, ethical vegan and environmental reporter/activist.

Grammar Wars: The English We Fight About, and Can We Find Punctuation Peace?

Ellen is the founder of the nationally acclaimed Grammar Table. Ellen’s book about the Grammar Table, also called Rebel with a Clause, was a national bestseller in 2022. Her filmmaker husband, Brandt Johnson made a new documentary about their unprecedented grammar road trip, also named Rebel with a Clause.

In Search of Edgar Allen Poe: His Life and Works

Andrew is a documentary filmmaker, adjunct professor of communication, and full-time writer/editor for the Bureau of Justice Assistance in the US Dept of Justice. 

Jewish New York’s History

Based on Paul's best-selling book, Jewish New York: A History and Guide to Neighborhoods, Synagogues, and Eateries (Pelican Publishing). He writes under three series: Cultural Guides, Social History & Biographies, and Business Technology Marketing. 

They Oughta Be in Pictures!  And They Were: Hollywood Movies on the Stories of US Presidents

Richard is an amateur historian who has spoken at CL&L about presidents and their families. 

Clearer Thinking at Every Age

Tom Rich is a qualitative researcher, a profession that demands excellent critical thinking skills.

What is Yoga and What Can It Do for You?

Erica is a 1,000-hour certified yoga therapist working in private practice; author of Your Body, Your Best Friend: End the Confidence-Crushing Pursuit of Unrealistic Beauty Standards & Embrace Your True Power  (New Harbinger, 2020). 

2024, A Unique Election. Arnon Mishkin, Fox News Decision Desk Consultant, in Conversation with Inara de Leon

Arnon, who has headed up the Fox Decision News Desk for well over a decade, will offer his knowledge and perspective on this head-spinning political year.

An Armchair Tour of The Old Bronx

Marty is an amateur historian and film fan who has taught at CL&L before and speaks at a number of NY institutions.

What an EMT Does, and Why

Mackenzie has been working as an EMT since 2018 in New Jersey, where she lives. She worked throughout the dangerous COVID-19 pandemic and continues her work as an EMT today.

Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs) and the Nature of Reality

He is the producer/host of the YouTube channel program New Realities. Additionally, he is the author of the award-winning book, Making Contact: Preparing for the New Realities of Extraterrestrial Existence, available on Amazon.

Bring Your Vision to Life: Transform Your Ideas into a Book

Michele is a professional qualitative researcher, research consultant, strategist, writer, speaker, and book coach. RCA member 40+ years; founder, QRCA So California Chapter; multiple conference speaker, chair roles. BS, Social Science, UC Berkeley. MS, Criminology, UC Berkeley.