Alec Baldwin, Vera Institute of Justice, Joi Ito to Join Chicago Ideas Curiosity Series Lineup

CHICAGO, Jan. 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Chicago Ideas announced today the lineup for its Curiosity Series this spring, which includes Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actor and writer Alec Baldwin discussing his memoir Nevertheless, Managing Partner at Emerson Collective Arne Duncan and Vera Institute of Justice's interactive "Reimagining Prison" event, Director of the MIT Media Lab Joi Ito in conversation about creativity & technology, world-renowned satirist Bassem Youssef on how he became the "Jon Stewart of the Arab World," and a discussion on the future of human, machine and extraterrestrial intelligence in partnership with Dartmouth College.

The series will kick off on Thursday, February 23 with a reimagining of the current prison system. This multi-part event includes an evening of performance, testimony and conversation featuring Managing Partner at the Emerson Collective & Former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Director of Common Justice Danielle Sered and Pennsylvania Secretary of Corrections John Wetzel, and President & Director of the Vera Institute Nick Turner with a Meet-up to follow. The event will be moderated by MTV News Senior National Correspondent Jamil Smith.

In addition to the onstage program, Members can also experience prison firsthand via a behind-the-scenes tour of the Cook County Jail and attend a roundtable at The Cara Program where former inmates, job retraining organizations and Chicago-based employers will create purpose-driven strategies to improve diversity in hiring. To encourage further engagement around this topic, CIW YOU(th), Chicago Ideas' youth organization, will participate in roundtable discussions and the Chicago Ideas Co-op, a networking group designed to foster meaningful connections, will focus on sparking action within the Chicago area.

"Now, more than ever, our audience is looking for ways to make a tangible difference in their communities—which is why all 2017 Curiosity Series events are accompanied by 'action events' intended to help attendees move the needle. This year's programming is reflective of Chicago Ideas' mission to be a catalyst for change," said Gabrielle Zuckerman, Director of Programming at Chicago Ideas.

Keeping with Chicago Ideas' mission to provide accessible world-class programming, most Curiosity Series tickets start at just $15 and will take place at venues across the city. The lineup includes:

• "Reimagining Prison" with the Vera Institute of Justice (6:30 – 7:45pm, February 23, Jones College Prep High School): Chicago Ideas and the Vera Institute of Justice team up to ask the daunting yet fundamental question— "What Is Prison For?"—showcasing activists, artists and visionary thinkers for this engaging, multi-part event. Tickets go on sale on January 26 for $15.
• Improving Society Through Tech: A Conversation with Joi Ito (6:30 – 7:30pm, March 15) The activist, entrepreneur, venture capitalist and Director of the MIT Media Lab sits down with IDEO Executive Portfolio Director Neil Stevenson. Tickets go on sale on February 15 for $15.
• The Joke is Mightier than the Sword with Bassem Youssef (6:30 - 7:30pm, March 27): Dubbed the "Jon Stewart of the Middle East," Bassem Youssef will discuss how he created the first Middle Eastern political satire show with 30 million viewers each week and his experience moving to the United States. Tickets go on sale February 24 for $15.
• In Conversation: Alec Baldwin Beyond the Screen (6:30 -7:30pm, April 11): From acting to parenting to drug addiction, one of America's most distinguished actors reveals facets of his life he has long kept private in his memoir Nevertheless. In this intimate conversation, one constant emerges: the fearlessness that defines and drives Baldwin's life. Tickets go on sale March 2 – ticket prices will vary.
• Future of Intelligence: Human, Machine and Extraterrestrial (6:30 – 8:00pm, May 11, Morningstar): Join Marcelo Gleiser, Director of the Institute for Cross-Disciplinary Engagement at Dartmouth College; Jill Tarter of SETI, a research institute dedicated to the search for extraterrestrial intelligence; and Patricia Churchland, an analytical philosopher of the mind to discuss transhumanism. Tickets go on sale March 30 for $15.

Visit ChicagoIdeas.com for information on ticket on-sale dates and availability, and sign up for the Chicago Ideas Newsletter at https://www.chicagoideas.com/newsletter.

ABOUT CHICAGO IDEAS
Chicago Ideas is a nonprofit platform built on one core belief: When audiences of every background and level of income have access to thought leaders and innovative ideas, people have the power to spark change in the world. Chicago Ideas hosts Chicago Ideas Week (CIW) every October, which is one of the largest, most affordable ideas festival in the world, connecting attendees to more than 150 world-renowned speakers—but Chicago Ideas' efforts extend much further. Whether it's the Curiosity Series in the spring, over 100 Labs that offer exclusive looks into Chicago-based businesses and cultural institutions, a year-round YOU(th) program that promotes leadership and personal development among under-represented Chicago high school students or a digital news platform that highlights innovative people and organizations, Chicago Ideas is making visionary ideas accessible to everyone. Chicago Ideas is a 501(c)(3) organization. Follow Chicago Ideas on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for updates, watch videos of all of their onstage programs at chicagoideas.com/watch and learn more about becoming a member at Chicagoideas.com/membership.

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