October 24, 2017: The Press & The Presidency

FOCIS 10th Anniversary Lecture Series: What in the World is Going On?

The Forum on Contemporary Issues in Society (FOCIS) will host "The Press and the Presidency" from 1-4 p.m. on Tuesday, October 24, in Community Arts Auditorium. Each speaker will present, followed by a moderated panel discussion and book signing reception. 

To watch the event video, CLICK HERE.

About the Panelists

Steve Cortes' broadcast career began at CNBC, where he commented on financial markets, primarily as part of the "Fast Money" franchise. In recent years he transitioned to politics, serving in 2016 as a primary TV surrogate for the Trump presidential campaign; he also was named to Trump's Hispanic Advisory Council. Postelection, Cortes remains an informal advisor to the president and is a contributor to Fox News. Cortes has worked on Wall Street for two decades as a trader and strategist; he is head strategist for BGC Partners, providing risk management strategies to banks and hedge funds. A graduate of Georgetown University, he lives in Chicago with his wife and family.

Joy-Ann Reid is a national correspondent for MSNBC, host of "AM Joy" and "The Reid Report," and author of the book Fracture: Barack Obama, the Clintons and the Racial Divide. She is former managing editor of theGrio.com, a daily online news and opinion platform devoted to stories and perspectives that reflect and affect African-American audiences. Her columns and articles have appeared in New York magazine, The Daily Beast, the Miami Herald, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the South Florida Times and on Salon.com. Reid graduated from Harvard University in 1991 with a concentration in film, and is a 2003 Knight Center for Specialized Journalism fellow. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and family.

Eugene Robinson writes a twice-weekly column in The Washington Post. His remarkable storytelling ability has won him wide acclaim, notably the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for his commentary on the 2008 presidential race. In his three decades at The Post, Robinson has been city hall reporter, city editor, foreign correspondent in Buenos Aires and London, foreign editor and assistant managing editor in charge of the paper's award winning Style section. Robinson attended the University of Michigan, where he was co-editor of The Michigan Daily student newspaper. He is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and the author of several books. Robinson, a regular contributor to MSNBC, lives in Arlington, Virginia with his wife, Avis.

Co-Moderators
Devin Scillian, Anchor, WDIV-TV and author
Vickie Thomas, Region II Director, NABJ & City Beat Reporter, WWJ/CBS Radio

Agenda
1:00 p.m.  Introductions and presentations
2:00 p.m.  Moderated panel discussion 
2:30 p.m.  Audience Q&A
3:00 p.m.  Book Signing and Reception
4:00 p.m.  Adjourn

Event Location
Community Arts Auditorium is in the Community Arts Center on Wayne State's main campus at 450 Reuther Mall. Convenient building access is available from Reuther, Ferry or Gullen malls and from Cass Avenue. Please click here for driving directions.

Program Partner
Alicia Nails, Journalism Institute for Media Diversity