Beacon NY.
Three fun-yet-informative visual presentations about the fascinating world of the FBI, Rubik’s Cubes and Spaces on the Spectrum. We hear from former FBI Agent James Gagliano, Author & Vassar Sociology Professor Dr. Catherine Tan and Math extraordinaire Dr. Joe Kazemi. Friday July 18th at 7:30pm at The Howland Cultural Center in Beacon, NY. With fun music, prizes, libations and guaranteed good company: Doors at 7pm. Be there and be square! Tickets: https://bit.ly/nnhv-july18
“Behind the Badge: The Inside Story of the FBI – The World’s Premier Law Enforcement Agency” by James Gagliano.
In his talk, James will cover the FBI’s proud, yet complicated 117-year history and candidly address and examine “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” of the domestic law enforcement agency charged with keeping Americans safe – at home and overseas. The talk will includes successes and controversies, declassified covert operations, and both accurate/inaccurate Hollywood portrayals of the organization that Gagliano devoted quarter-century of his life.
The truth is out there!
James A. Gagliano is a retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent and serves on the board of directors of the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund (LELDF). He is a 1987 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and doctoral candidate in Homeland Security at St. John’s University. He frequently appears in media circles as a law enforcement and security analyst. A recovering politician, he just successfully completed two terms (2021-2025) as mayor of his beloved community of Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York. His wife Tiffany, a practicing attorney, is smarter, prettier and far more accomplished than he is.
“Life Lessons Humans Can Learn From Rubik’s Cubes” by Joe Kazemi
In a playful, not too nerdy and hopefully humorous manner, Joe lists 20 lessons imagining Rubik’s Cubes speaking to us as though they are our best friends, sage elders, or even caring therapists. Instead of a therapist couch however, Joe brings a collection of Rubik’s cubes of various types and sizes for everyone to see, touch, handle, and twist as much as they like!
Joe is a nerdy Hudson Valley area resident, a friendly mathematician, and an avid cuber who loves using Rubik’s Cubes in his work as a tutor and a counselor.
“Quacks and Snake Oil: The Futile Search for an Autism Cure” by Catherine Tan
Catherine Tan explores the world of parents, medical practitioners, and peddlers who continue to believe in the long debunked vaccine-autism myth. The myth has stoked parents’ fears of disability and contributed to a decline in vaccination rates. Yet, for some parents, the myth is a source of hope that forges a path toward autism “recovery.” Believing in a vaccine-autism link, parents reimagine their autistic children as temporarily injured and sick people. Now, with the installation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary, Catherine Tan’s research teaches us what can we expect from a neoliberal approach to healthcare.
Catherine Tan is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Vassar College. She is author of Spaces on the Spectrum: How Autism Movements Challenge Experts and Create Knowledge (Columbia University Press). Her research on health and wellness has been published in academic journals, like Social Science & Medicine, Social Studies of Science, and Ethnic and Racial Studies. Her writing has also appeared in public outlets, including Newsweek, Time, and CNN. Beyond teaching and research, Catherine enjoys horseback riding, creating stained glass lamps, and hiking with her dog, Piscola.