Humanities & The City: Civic Leadership

Time: 6:00 - 8:00pm

Dates: January 31, February 7, February 14, February 21, February 28, March 6

Description: “Let’s Make a City!” is the imaginative invitation underlying all our programs at the Dallas Institute. Since the vision and even the idea of what a “city” is changes with each new generation, the conversation always remains vital.

This spring, we invite our most thoughtful fellow citizens to think and dream together with us…not only to reflect upon what makes our city – or any city – what it is, but what ingredients are necessary to transform a nondescript or average city into a great one.

Instructor: Seemee Ali, Ph.D

Guest Lecturers:

Mike Grace - January 31; Among other organizations, Mike Grace is a Texas Lyceum alumni, sits on the North Central Texas Economic Development District’s board of directors and executive committee of the Greater Dallas Planning Council and is a former Assistant City Manager & COO, City of Ferris, TX. He is the founding principal of Metro Development Consulting with 15+ years of experience in government, land development, planning and public policy. In 2014, he was one of 50 individuals selected worldwide to participate in The Purpose City. Additionally, he was the Partnership Award honoree at the 2016 Texas Trails and Active Transportation Conference and a D Academy Fellow (2013-2014). Mr. Grace holds a Masters of Regional/City Planning, a Bachelor of Arts & Science in Geography, and an Economic Development Certificate from the University of Oklahoma.
Zaida Basora - February 7; executive director of Dallas’ Architecture and Design Exchange. Educated at the University of Texas at Arlington (M.Arch) and Universidad de Puerto Rico (BA, Environmental Design), she has served as past president of AIA Dallas and as assistant director of public works for the City of Dallas.
GNO White - February 14; a National Poetry Slam champ whose irreverent collection “101 Breakup Poems” offers delectable and witty rejoinders to the saccharine offerings that otherwise characterize Valentine’s Day events in our city. He returns to the Institute by popular demand! Hailing from Dallas, Texas, GNO has been writing, creating, and performing creative works of literature, music, and film for over three decades. D Magazine named him "One of the 64 People Making Dallas Hot" in 2005. GNO has dabbled in broad artistic endeavors that have allowed work on projects ranging from videos to corporate marketing campaigns. Along with his premier poetry performance troupe, OIL (Ordained in Lyrics), he has done voice-over work for McDonald's, NBC, and other corporate entities. He is published - with his most noted works being "Process of Confession" and "101 Break Up Poems". He has been featured in several anthologies and literary reviews and is a twice National Poetry Slam finalist and one-time Champion (1998 and 2001).
Justin Moore - February 21; a civil rights attorney and graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA, where he studied in the same liberal arts department that trained Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. After earning his law degree at SMU’s Dedman School of Law, Justin became a prosecutor in the Dallas County District Attorney’s office, working under Craig Watkins, known for his innovations in overturning wrongful convictions. While at the DA’s office, Justin championed mental health diversion programs in honor of his brother, Josh, who died by suicide on the same day Justin received his license to practice law.
April Allen - February 28; President and COO of Dallas’ Southern Gateway Public Green Foundation, a new five-acre deck park spanning Interstate 35-E between Ewing and Marsalis Avenues. Born in Toronto, she holds an MBA from Harvard University.
Noelle LeVeaux - March 6; publisher of D Magazine since 2022, holds a B.S. in math from Spelman College and an MS in digital communication analytics from UNT. In 2006, he founded Dress for Success Dallas, a nonprofit organization for disadvantaged women. In 2010, she published a children’s book, I Miss you When I Sleep. After a 2014 diagnosis with breast cancer, she shared what she learned from her experience in her blog, Confessions of a Single Mom With Cancer.

**Please note that parking is not included in the price of the course. Free street parking is available along Routh Street or for purchase in the lot located at 2711 Routh Street.