It Matters!: Engage, Participate & Vote
The Center for Community Engagement (CCE) is excited to announce a dynamic series of non-partisan, election-related events designed to foster civic participation and education across campus and the wider community. In collaboration with various campus departments, the SSU Center for Community Engagement, SSU HUB Cultural Center, SSU University Library, SSU Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), SSU Department of Political Science, Cheryl Peterson Memorial Lecture Fund, and the League of Women Voters of Sonoma County, the “It Matters!” program aims to empower individuals with the knowledge and enthusiasm necessary to actively participate in the electoral process.
Please note that this series has concluded for the year. However, we recommend you look at the line-up of events below to get an idea of what we will offer in future years!
Series Events from Fall 2024
Defending Voting Rights: Past, Present, and Future
September 11th | 12-1pm | Stevenson Classroom 1301
Join the HUB Cultural Center for an engaging panel discussion on the intricate history of gender, race, immigration, and voter suppression within the context of voting rights. For questions or accommodations, please contact austindi@sonoma.edu.
It Matters! Opening Reception
September 11th | 5-7pm | Wine Spectator Learning Center Patio | Watch the Recording
Join the Center for Community Engagement with campus and community partners for a kick-off reception to It Matters. We will have light refreshments, voting-related swag, and remarks on the It Matters! campaign. For questions or accommodations, please contact cce@sonoma.edu.
CSU Ballot Bowl
Ongoing during Fall 2024 | Online
The California University and College Ballot Bowl is a friendly competition where higher education campuses compete to register the most students to vote and showcase civic engagement efforts. The California Secretary of State Students Vote Project hosts the Ballot Bowl only during an even numbered year ahead of the general election. Register to Vote!
Associated Students Voter Registration Tabling
September 17th | 12pm | Seawolf Plaza
Are you registered to vote? Getting registered is quick and easy! Stop by the Associated Students’ registration tables, listen to the live DJ, and get registered to vote for the first time or re-register in Sonoma County. Help SSU and Sonoma County break more registration and voting records and win the Ballot Bowl by getting registered to vote!
Alumni Association Panel Discussion
September 18th | 5:30pm-8pm | Student Center Ballrooms | About the Speakers | Watch the Recording
Sonoma State University has many experts on recent domestic and geopolitical events within its faculty. On September 18th, we'll highlight some of that expertise with a panel discussion on the upcoming elections in the United States, with a focus on the presidential race and on California's major races and propositions.
Join us for an engaging discussion that offers our alumni, students, and community members valuable insights in an age of overwhelming information. Sonoma State's experts will guide you in understanding what information truly matters and how to view upcoming events, particularly as we approach November 5th, with a more informed perspective. The event will take place in person and will be streamed online. This event is free, but you must register. Limited seats are available. Complimentary parking will be available. If you have questions about the event, please contact the Alumni Engagement Office at alumni@sonoma.edu or (707) 664-2426.
Fed by Algorithms: How Technology Takes Advantage of Human Nature and Reshapes Political Movements
September 25th | 12-1pm | Stevenson classroom 1301 | View the Slides
The rise of online news and social media has transformed how we discover, consume, and share information in ways that many may not understand. Technology improves our ability to be connected and informed, while also increasing access to misinformation and disinformation and (sometimes inadvertently) sowing division. Join us for a lively discussion of the evolving information ecosystem and how it has impacted the political sphere, particularly in the U.S. Presented by the University Library.
Latinx Community & Voting
October 9th | 12-1pm | Stevenson classroom 1301 | View the Slides | Recording coming soon
Join the CCE and the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters for a facilitated panel discussion of Latinx elected officials on their experiences running for office and the impact of the Latinx vote on local and state elections. For questions or accommodations, please contact cce@sonoma.edu.
The Initiative Wars: Financing of Ballot Measures, November 2024 Ballot
October 16th | 12-1pm | Stevenson classroom 1301 or remote | View the Slides | Watch the Recording
What exactly is going on with all the ballot measures on the California and Sonoma County ballots? Who is behind them, and who is financing these measures? How do voters prepare themselves to make informed choices? Come learn the "behind the scenes" story about what is on the ballot this November.
SSU students move beyond the pro-con of ballot measures and examine the groups and interests behind the ten statewide measures and the two local ballot measures on the Sonoma County ballot. Fast-paced and informative, our students present information about what is really going on as voters face the deluge of advertising on the November ballot. This event is hyflex - attend in person or attend on Zoom.
Shaping Perceptions: The Role of AI in the Spread of Misinformation
October 23 | 12-1pm | Stevenson classroom 1301 | View the Slides - 1. Dr. Sullins and 2. Instructor Kyle Falbo | Recording coming soon
Dr. John P. Sullins, from SSU's Philosophy Department, will discuss the use of AI-generated images in political advertisements. He'll explore how it has never been cheaper or easier to create photo-realistic, yet false images. Through recent examples, Dr. Sullins will highlight the powerful role images play in political discourse and explain why viewers must become more skeptical and discerning in today's media landscape.
Kyle Falbo, from SSU's Center for Teaching Engagement & Technology, will dive into the legal and ethical challenges surrounding AI-generated content, with a focus on the recent legal case in California where a judge blocked a new AI law. Using the high-profile Kamala Harris deepfake case involving Elon Musk as a jumping-off point, Falbo will examine the delicate balance between free speech, satire, and the risks posed by deepfakes. Falbo will demonstrate both how simple generating such content can be and the safeguards companies are employing to help reduce harm. This event is hyflex - attend in person or attend on Zoom.
Governing Climate: How Science and Politics Have Shaped Our Environmental Future
November 6th | 12-1pm | Stevenson classroom 1301
How can we explain and assess the politics of climate change as it stands in the United States on November 6, 2024? Here, a day after the U.S. Presidential Election, sociologist and author Zeke Baker frames the apparent immediacy of the political moment with reference to a long-term, historical perspective on the relationship between climate, science, and government. The talk and discussion is grounded in Baker's recent book, Governing Climate (University of California Press, 2024).
It Matters: What’s Next
November 13th | 12-1pm | Stevenson classroom 1301 or remote | View the Slides | Recording Coming Soon!
The SSU campus community is invited to join our community partners, our media associates, and SSU Political Science faculty members to discuss the election results and analysis of what happened in the presidential and down-ballot elections 2024.
Ongoing Installations and Attractions
SSU Student Activism: A Look Into Engagement via the Archives
From Sonoma State’s start in 1961, student-led activism has been an integral part of campus life. Come see materials from the Library’s University Archives demonstrating SSU student engagement and dissent over the decades in the Special Collections displays near the 2nd floor entrance. We’ll have photographs, event posters, fliers, and ephemera on topics including campus safety, political figures, and social justice.