Event Details

Are you ready to explore the intersection of social media, pop culture, and politics across the country? Join us for a riveting webinar featuring Dr. Basil Smikle Jr. ’93, a celebrated political strategist and policy advisor with over two decades of experience navigating the complexities of electoral politics.

In this engaging session, Dr. Smikle Jr. ’93 will delve into:

  • Social Media Trends: Discover how platforms are shaping political discourse and influencing voter behavior all over the country.
  • Pop Culture Impact: Learn about the role of pop culture in the 2024 election, from viral moments to celebrity endorsements.
  • Southern Poll Insights: Get the latest data on voter sentiments across Southern states and what it means for the national landscape.
  • Election Dynamics: Explore the issues driving the upcoming Presidential election and how they resonate with diverse audiences.

Don’t miss this chance to engage with one of the most insightful voices in politics! Reserve your spot now and be part of a conversation that will help shape our country’s future!

Registration closes on October 9, 2024 at 5:00 pm. ET


Event Details:
Date: Thursday, October 10, 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. ET
Location: Zoom | Zoom details will be shared in your registration confirmation email that you will receive upon registering.
Cost: Free event!

About the Speakers (from left to right):

Dr. Basil Smikle Jr. has been political strategist and policy advisor for almost 20 years with local, national and international experience. He lectures at Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs, Teachers College and was most recently the Distinguished Lecturer of Politics and Public Policy at the City University of New York’s School of Labor and Urban Studies. He holds a PhD in Politics and Education and an MPA from Columbia University, and received a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University in 1993. A familiar face on MSNBC, CNN, NY1 and other media outlets, frequent appearances highlight his insight and research in electoral politics, governance, urban education policy and public policy analysis. Read more here.



Professor Gregory Wawro is the director and founder of the M.S. in Political Analytics program. He previously served as the chair of the Department of Political Science at Columbia. He holds his Ph.D. from Cornell University, class of ’97, where he also earned his MA ’94. He specializes in American politics, including Congress, elections, campaign finance, judicial politics, political economy, and political methodology. Read more here.

Professor Riché Richardson, who was born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama, is a professor of African American literature and chair in the Africana Studies and Research Center at Cornell University, whose faculty she joined in 2008.  Her other areas of interest include American literature, American studies, black feminism, gender studies, Southern studies, cultural studies and critical theory. She was the 2019-20 Olive B. O’Connor Visiting Distinguished Chair in English at Colgate University. She graduated from Spelman College with a major in English and minors in philosophy and women’s studies in 1993. She received her doctorate in American Literature from the English Department at Duke University in 1998, along with a Certificate in African and African American Studies. Read more here.

Event Questions? Contact Arienne Watson
Registration Questions? Contact Lizeth Jaimez