Enjoy free online lectures from the comfort of your home. We've been enlightened and entertained in the past by authors, artists, public officials, historians and more. Even some LLC members with great stories to tell. Admission is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required.
Our Lecture Organizer and Host Jane Adler is an internationally syndicated columnist and syndicated cartoonist. She has also been featured on local and national television. Speaker suggestions welcome! Email Jane at brownbaglearn@gmail.com.
Jane Adler's LinkedIn | Read Hey Rhody's Storied Career, an article spotlighting Jane's career
"LLC is greatly inexpensive and has a wonderful variety of courses. I enjoy being exposed to and stimulated by subjects about which I previously only had limited knowledge.”
Susan Van Horne, Swansea, MA
Wednesday, September 30 @ 4 PM
Veronique Day, Executive Director of Alliance Francaise of Providence
"Discovering France: Le Périgord"
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If you enjoy travel, history, landscapes, and French Culinary tradition, this lecture will be of particular interest. Veronique Day, Executive Director of Alliance Francaise of Providence, will tell us about Le Périgord, an iconic region of France roughly covering the Dordogne department. The Périgord has everything: breathtaking lush landscapes with sinuous river valleys, medieval castles atop rocky cliffs, and amazing prehistoric sites. It is also the heart of French culinary tradition, as well as the cradle of prehistoric art and studies. With no less than 10 picturesque sites classified as Plus beaux villages de France, 1,000 medieval castles, and many listed "monuments historiques," the Périgord possesses a vast cultural heritage. Whether you’ve been there or have always meant to go, this illustrated talk is a chance to experience the Périgord in an engaging way and perhaps provide a little inspiration for your next trip.
Véronique Day, the Executive Director of Alliance Francaise of Providence, was born in Paris and recently moved to Providence. She relocated here from New Orleans where she lived for 20 years. Véronique has a strong background with non-profits as a director and has been a teacher of French and French literature in various high schools.
Monday, October 19 @ 4 PM
Sylvia Ann Soares, Actress, Educator, and International Performer
"Silvy Tory: A Declaration of Independence"
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Live Performance: One Woman Show
Don’t miss this live engaging and thought-provoking presentation, “Silvy Tory: A Declaration of Independence,” performed by accomplished actress, Sylvia Ann Soares. Through her compelling portrayal of Silvy Tory, an elderly woman once enslaved in Rhode Island, history comes alive in a personal and powerful way. Set on July 3, 1837, Silvy reflects on what independence truly meant in her lifetime. Her story weaves together vivid memories of the burning of the Gaspee, the Revolutionary War, the Rhode Island Black Regiment, and the lives of Black communities in early Rhode Island. It’s a meaningful and memorable program.
Sylvia Ann Soares is an accomplished actress and educator with a rich and varied career spanning stage, television, and international performance. A Cape Verdean artist and original member of Trinity Repertory Company in 1962, she has performed overseas, contributed to New York’s 1960s Black Theatre Movement, appeared in regional theater and national tours, and worked in 1970s television. A graduate of CCRI and Brown University, Sylvia is a proud member of AEA and AFTRA-SAG. She is especially passionate about bringing history to life by portraying historical figures of color and sharing their stories with today’s audiences.
Thursday, October 22 @ 4 PM
Bill Harley, Storyteller and Two-Time Grammy Winner
"A Life in Song and Story"
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Recognized by audiences and peers as one of the finest performing storytellers in the country, Bill Harley has made a life telling stories, singing songs, and writing books. In this time together, Bill will share his insights about creating and performing, the nature of story, and the role of art in our splintering culture. Songs, stories and humor all included.
Try not to miss this outstanding performance.
Bill is well-traveled, well-read, well-educated, well-spoken and well-loved. Accompanied by his guitar, his narrative songs and stories, both original and traditional, are a celebration of our common humanity. Best known for his work with children and families, his ability to navigate through a confusing world with humor and wisdom is evident in his masterful storytelling as well as his numerous award-winning recordings and books. A two-time Grammy winner, he is vibrant, outrageous, unpredictable and genuine with songs and stories about growing up, schooling and what it is to be human—our connections with one another and with the planet we share. Recognized by audiences and peers as one of the finest performing storytellers in the country, his work has influenced a generation of children, parents, performing artists and educators. Bill tours internationally as a performing artist, author and keynote speaker from his home in Seekonk, Massachusetts.
Wednesday, October 28 @ 4 PM
Sheldon Whitehouse, United States Senator from Rhode Island
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Representing the Ocean State since 2007, Senator Whitehouse plays a key role in crafting policies to address climate change, strengthen the justice system, and fight corruption. He is the top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and he serves as a senior member on the Judiciary Committee, the Finance Committee, and the Budget Committee.
Thursday, November 5 @ 4 PM
C. Evan Stewart, Author, Retired Senior Law Partner, Visiting Professor at Cornell University and an Adjunct Professor at Fordham Law School; Frequently Featured in National Media
"William Henry Seward’s Quest to Save the Nation During the Secession Winter (November 1860-April 1861)"
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In the winter of 1860, one man, William Henry Seward, Senator from New York (the presumptive favorite for the 1860 Republican nomination for president, defeated by Abraham Lincoln on the third ballot,) labored mightily to effectuate his plan to save the Union. Because of history’s (and historians’) heavy bias to portray Lincoln as almost saintly, Seward’s prodigious efforts have either been ignored, given short shrift, or looked upon as something less than honorable. Based upon original archival research and a comprehensive review of secondary sources, C. Evan Stewart will tell us the story of Seward’s efforts.
C. Evan Stewart recently retired as a senior partner in an international law firm headquartered in New York City. He is a visiting professor at Cornell University and an adjunct professor at Fordham Law School. In addition, he is a contributing columnist for the New York Law Journal, New York Business Law Journal, and the Federal Bar Council Quarterly. He has published approximately 300 articles on a variety of legal subjects, is frequently featured in the national media and regularly speaks across the country on securities, professional responsibility, and complex litigation issues. He is the author of William Henry Seward’s Quest to Save the Nation During the Secession Winter (November 1860-April 1861); Myron Taylor: The Man Nobody Knew; The Worst Supreme Court Decisions, Ever!; and Law in American History (and in Mine).
Tuesday, November 10 @ 4 PM
Sheida Soleimani, Federally Licensed Migratory Bird Rehabilitator
"The World of Wild Bird Rehabilitation"
Click to register for this free Webinar
Sheida Soleimani is a federally licensed migratory bird rehabilitator and founder of Congress of the Birds, Rhode Island's only avian-specific wildlife rehabilitation center with an onsite release facility. In this presentation, Soleimani offers a behind-the-scenes look at the world of wild bird rehabilitation, introducing audiences to the remarkable biology, behavior, and resilience of the birds that arrive for care each day. From emergency rescues and medical treatment to the complex process of preparing birds for release, she will explore what it takes to return wild animals to their natural lives while reflecting on the ethical questions that shape rehabilitation work. Drawing on stories from more than a decade of caring for thousands of patients, Soleimani will also discuss how observation and wildlife rehabilitation can deepen understanding of birds and our relationship to the environments we share.
Sheida Soleimani is an Iranian-American artist, educator, activist, and federally and state-licensed migratory bird rehabilitator. She founded Congress of the Birds in the basement of her home, where it began as a small rehabilitation clinic before growing into Rhode Island's only avian-specific wildlife rehabilitation center with an onsite release facility.
Thank you to our previous speakers:
Tim Beard, Former CIA Officer and Security Expert and Author of the Look Twice Trilogy
"Staying Safe: Travel, Safety, Cybersecurity, and Fraud"
Presented September 22, 2026
Annie Guest, Therapist, Attorney, Author, and Interior Designer
"Beyond Décor – Creating Spaces That Feel Right"
Presented May 14, 2026
Dale Atkins, Licensed psychologist, Author and frequent guest on NBC's Today and CNN
"The Importance of Grandchildren Creating Lasting Memories with Grandparents"
Presented May 4, 2026
Educator and Historian Carol Cohen as Eleanor Roosevelt
"A Walk Through the Garden with Eleanor Roosevelt"
Presented April 20, 2026
William J. Kole, Veteran Journalist, Former Foreign Correspondent, and Author of In Guns We Trust: The Unholy Trinity of White Evangelicals, Politics, and Firearms
"Why Christian Gun Culture Makes Us All Less Safe"
Presented April 15, 2026
Gayle Hanrahan Performs Original Monologues: The Miller Family and THIS Girl
Actress, Playwright, and Theater Collaborator
Presented March 30, 2026
Dr. Nizam Missaghi, Physician and Author of Passport to Freedom: From Tehran to Triumph
"Life Under the Islamic Republic"
Presented March 25, 2026
Tim Reuben: Lawyer and Author of Tequila
"Human Complexity"
Presented March 16, 2026
Genealogist Heather Pouliot Kisilywicz
"Discovering Ancestral Journeys to Rhode Island"
A talk co-sponsored by the Lippitt House Museum with an Introduction by Museum Director Cathy Saunders
Presented February 26, 2026
Dana Guyer, Palliative Care Physician
Associate Professor of Medicine at Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
Facing Serious Illness with Resilience, Grace, and Preparedness
Presented January 26, 2026
Otho Eskin, Former Officer of U.S. Foreign Service, Attorney and Author
Witness to History – Former Officer of U.S. Foreign Service Talks About His Long, Illustrious Career and How It Influenced Future Novels
Presented January 15, 2026
Matt Burriesci, Executive Director of the Providence Athenaeum and Author of Dead White Guys: A Father, His Daughter, and the Great Books of the Western World
Presented November 3, 2025
Sanford Levinson, Professor of Law and Government, University of Texas Law School and Visiting Professor of Law at the Harvard Law School, and Author of several books on the US Constitution
Reforming the United States Constitution
Presented October 30, 2025
Tamara Lanier, Author, From These Roots: My Fight with Harvard to Reclaim My Legacy
Presented October 15, 2025
Dr. David Weed, Historian
King Philip's War
Presented October 8, 2025
A live performance of John Gardner's one-woman play, Days of Vengeance, performed by talented Actress Bette Smith
Presented September 29, 2025
Dr. Marschall Runge, Author and Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs at the University of Michigan and CEO of Michigan Medicine
Great Healthcare Disruption: Big Tech, Bold Policy, and the Future of American Medicine
Presented September 11, 2025
U.S. Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island
A View from Washington
Presented September 8, 2025
Wendy Nilsson, M.Ed, CPSI, Superintendent of the Providence Parks Department
Roger Williams Park: History and Renewal
Presented Wednesday, May 7, 2025
William J. Kole, Award-winning Journalist and Author
Living to 100 Whether You Want To Or Not
Presented April 28, 2025
Ed Iannuccilli, MD, Author
The First Italians to Come to Rhode Island
Presented April 22, 2025
Sheldon Whitehouse, United States Senator from Rhode Island
Presented April 2, 2025
A live dramatic reading of Menopause Mama written, acted, and sung by the incredible Rose Weaver, Television, film, music, and solo performer and writer
Presented March 31, 2025
Elizabeth Mosier, Volunteer Technician at Philadelphia’s Independence National Historical Park Archaeology Laboratory, Author, Creative Writing Teacher
Using Everyday Objects, Ephemera, and Heirlooms to Tell a Family Story
Presented March 19, 2025
Mary M. Flynn, PhD, RD, LDN
The Truth About Diets: Finding Long-Term Weight Management
Presented February 10, 2025
Jessi Rowe, LCSW-C
Sex After Sixty: Older and Wiser
Presented January 21, 2025
Resources on Aging, Sexuality, and Intimacy | Safe Sex for Older Adults
Linda Kushner, Author
The Fight That Saved the Libraries: A True Rhode Island Story
Presented October 28, 2024
Secretary of State Gregg Amore
Election Integrity for 2024
Presented October 23, 2024
Linda Bloom, LCSW and Charlie Bloom, MSW, Relationship Counselors/Authors
Secrets to the Best Relationships
Presented September 24, 2024
John Kostrzewa, Writer of the Walking Rhode Island column for The Providence Journal
Fall Hikes - Walking Rhode Island
Presented September 16, 2024
Ben Nacar, Pianist and Composer
The Evolution of the Cadenza: Lecture and Live Piano Recital
Presented September 12, 2024
Stephen Kaplan and Marilyn Kaplan
Experiencing Israel at War: A Recent Visit to Israel
Presented May 20, 2024
Joe Petteruti
Author, A Night She’d Remember: My Grandmother's Experience on the Titanic
Presented May 9, 2024
Steve Kidd
Director and Resident Actor, Gamm Theatre
Theatre Arts Teacher, Moses Brown School
Sigh/Omelas: A live one man show
Presented April 29, 2024
Andrew Starcevic
Peace Corps Regional Recruiter – RI, MA, CT
Office of Volunteer Recruitment and Selection Serving in Namibia
Presented April 17, 2024
Charles Clarkson, PhD
Director of Avian Research, Audubon Society of Rhode Island
What Audubon is Doing to Protect Birds
Presented April 4, 2024
David N. Cicilline
President and CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation
Former Rhode Island Congressman
Presented March 27, 2024
Marjorie Turner Hollman
Author, Do You Want to Take an Easy Walk?
Presented March 20, 2024
Dr. David Weed
Coordinator, Sowams Heritage Area Project
Creating a New National Heritage Area in East Bay, RI and nearby Massachusetts
Presented February 21, 2024
Oleksandr (Alexander) Kreshchuk
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Music Department, Artist in Residence
Ukraine: Known and Unknown
Presented February 6, 2024
Rick Beyer
Co-Author, The Ghost Army of World War II (a NYT Bestseller)
Award-Winning Documentary Filmmaker
Presented January 24, 2024
