As a culture, we are often focused on beginnings— the start of things instead of the endings. Acclaimed sociologist and MacArthur prize-winning Harvard professor Lawrence-Lightfoot examines moments that define how we transition through our lives. From looking at an Iranian teenager who leaves the political strife of his native land, to a middle-aged gay man who reflects on his ‘exit’ from the closet, to the director of a hospital ICU who oversees patients facing death, Lawrence-Lightfoot examines new ways of seeing our farewells.
Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, a MacArthur prize-winning sociologist, is the Emily Hargroves Fisher Professor of Education at Harvard. As a sociologist, she examines the culture of schools, the patterns and structures of classroom life, socialization within families and communities, and the relationship between culture and learning styles. She is the author of ten books, including Balm in Gilead, The Third Chapter and her most recent work, Exit: The Endings that Set Us Free.
Robin Kramer has been an active leader in Los Angeles civic affairs for over three decades. She was the first woman to hold the position of Chief of Staff to both Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Richard Riordan, and was a senior executive at the California Community Foundation, Broad Foundation and Coro Southern California. She is currently working as Senior Advisor to The Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands, chairs the Pitzer College Board of Trustees, and serves as one of five commissioners of the Port of Los Angeles, the economic engine for Southern California.
ALOUD audio is presented by the Library Foundation of Los Angeles and made possible through support provided by The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, the Righteous Persons Foundation, City National Bank, K&L Gates, KPMG, Sue and David Rosenblum, Wallis Foundation, Donna and Martin J. Wolff and The Boudjakdji Foundation. Additional support provided by The Council of the Library Foundation, Library Foundation members, and the Los Angeles Public Library. Media support provided by KPPC 83.9 FM and KUSC 91.5 FM. ALOUD theme composed by Larry Karush.