CAMPUS AT THE CULTURAL CENTER

The goal of the Campus at the Cultural Center is to support and sustain the lifelong love of learning, by sponsoring programs and presentations on topics that engage our members. The Speaker Series presents a range of thought-provoking topics delivered by dynamic speakers who both educate and entertain. Each program lasts roughly 60 minutes, and concludes with an engaging Q&A session. The Dining with the Presidents experience offers members a complimentary lecture series exploring the lives, leadership, and legacies of past U.S. Presidents and other historical figures. New this season, guests with dinner reservations will enjoy reserved seating in a dedicated theater section. The optional $65++ dinner includes a Q&A with the speaker and requires reservations. The Richmond Forum Virtual Series presents five of the biggest and most influential names in the world. This series is streamed virtually in the theater and is complimentary.

The series listed below were apart of the 2025-2026 season.

NOAH FELDMAN "China & Russia" Thursday, January 8, 2026 5:00pm Complimentary Lecture Are the U.S. and China in a new Cold War? A Cool War? If so, what are their objectives and who is winning? How do Russia and the Ukraine war fit into the bipolar stricture of global power? Join Harvard law professor and leading public intellectual Noah Feldman as he unpacks today’s shifting global power dynamics. Named one of the most influential thinkers of our time, Feldman brings clarity to the questions shaping our future.

ROBEN FARZAD "The Rise and Fall of the Cocaine Cowboys" Thursday, February 19, 2026 5:00pm Complimentary Lecture Step into Miami’s notorious past with Roben Farzad, author of Hotel Scarface: Where Cocaine Cowboys Partied and Plotted to Control Miami. In this gripping talk, the acclaimed journalist and broadcaster unpacks the rise and fall of the infamous Mutiny Hotel and the drug lords who tried to run the city. Join us for an unforgettable evening of true crime, history, and culture you won’t want to miss.

MARK MILLS "Technology & Energy" Friday, March 6, 2026 5:00pm Complimentary Lecture Join us for an engaging talk with Mark Mills, a renowned expert on technology and energy whose insights have influenced leaders, innovators, and millions of viewers worldwide. From serving in the White House Science Office to authoring bestselling books, he brings unmatched knowledge and perspective on the future of innovation. This is a unique opportunity to hear from one of the most compelling voices shaping the conversation on energy and technology today.

DAN HUDAK "Best Picture Oscar Talk" Sunday, March 15, 2026     1:00pm Complimentary Lecture Film critic Dan Hudak returns with his Best Picture Oscar Talk, offering insights on this year’s nominees, the Academy’s voting process, and likely winners. The event also features film clips, Oscar trivia, and memorable moments from history. Don’t miss this engaging and entertaining hour for movie fans!

ZACK KASS "Artificial Intelligence" Thursday, March 26, 2026 5:00pm Complimentary Lecture Zack Kass, Global AI Advisor and former Head of Go-To-Market at OpenAI, is a leading voice making artificial intelligence both understandable and inspiring. Join him as he shares insights from his upcoming book The Next Renaissance: AI and the Expansion of Human Potential, exploring how AI will transform the way we live, work, and unlock human potential..

DOUGLAS BRINKLEY "The Nixon Tapes" Thursday, January 15, 2026 5:00pm Complimentary lecture with optional dinner. New this season, guests with dinner reservations will enjoy reserved seating in a dedicated theater section. The optional $65++ dinner includes a Q&A with the speaker and requires reservations. Douglas Brinkley, Rice University historian and Vanity Fair contributing editor, is a foremost expert on Richard Nixon. In The Nixon Tapes and The Nixon Tapes: 1973, he brings history to life through 500 hours of declassified recordings, revealing Nixon’s unfiltered thoughts on China, Vietnam, the Soviet Union, and key figures like Reagan, JFK, and Kissinger. Together, these groundbreaking volumes provide an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look at a complex president.

LINDSAY CHERVINSKY "John Adams" Thursday, January 29, 2026 5:00pm Complimentary lecture with optional dinner. New this season, guests with dinner reservations will enjoy reserved seating in a dedicated theater section. The optional $65++ dinner includes a Q&A with the speaker and requires reservations. Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky, Executive Director of the George Washington Presidential Library, is a leading historian of the presidency and early American government. She is the acclaimed author of Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents that Forged the Republic and The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution, and a sought-after expert frequently featured in top media outlets worldwide.

H.W. BRANDS "Franklin D. Roosevelt" Thursday, February 26, 2026 5:00pm Complimentary lecture with optional dinner. New this season, guests with dinner reservations will enjoy reserved seating in a dedicated theater section. The optional $65++ dinner includes a Q&A with the speaker and requires reservations. Dr. H. W. Brands, born in Portland, Oregon, is a historian and author who holds the Jack S. Blanton Sr. Chair in History at the University of Texas. An expert on U.S. presidents, he has written extensively on Franklin D. Roosevelt, including acclaimed biographies, and has published over thirty books and numerous articles recognized for both scholarly and popular impact.

DOUGLAS BRADBURN "Why George Washington Matters" Thursday, March 19, 2026 5:00pm Complimentary lecture with optional dinner. New this season, guests with dinner reservations will enjoy reserved seating in a dedicated theater section. The optional $65++ dinner includes a Q&A with the speaker and requires reservations. At a time of decreasing civic knowledge, assaults on democracy around the world, hyper-partisanship at home, and anxiety about the character of the American experiment, the stories and values that we can learn from the example of George Washington are as significant as ever. Come hear Dr. Douglas Bradburn, President & CEO of George Washington’s Mount Vernon, an award-winning historian and leader in American public history, share the latest news from America’s most storied historic site and the ongoing importance of the legacy of George Washington..

Five of the biggest and most influential names in the world. This series is streamed virtually in the theater and is complimentary.

TED KOPPEL with AMNA NAWAZ "40 Years: Moments That Mattered" RESCHEDULED: Wednesday, January 14, 2026 5:00pm Complimentary Virtual Lecture (STREAMED) Legendary journalist Ted Koppel returns to the 40th season of The Richmond Forum to reflect on the transformative media moments that have shaped journalism — and the world — since he opened The Forum’s first season in 1987. From Tiananmen Square to Columbine, 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and beyond, Koppel will share his insights into how these events were covered — and how they changed the way we understand history. In a full-circle moment, he will be interviewed by Amna Nawaz, co-anchor of “PBS NewsHour” and a former “Nightline” intern. Together, they will explore the stories behind the headlines and the ever-evolving role of the press in an increasingly complex world.

SANNA MARIN "Europe's Next Generation" Wednesday, January 28, 2026 5:00pm Complimentary Virtual Lecture (STREAMED) At 34, Sanna Marin became the world’s youngest serving prime minister, leading Finland through a historic era of transformation. Boldly shifting her country’s foreign policy with a landmark NATO bid, Marin has emerged as a symbol of modern, values-driven leadership on the global stage. Now, as Europe faces rising geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty, and growing internal divides, Marin offers a thoughtful and urgent perspective on what comes next. With the clarity of a seasoned leader and the optimism of a next-generation changemaker, she will share stories from her time in office and present her vision for a stronger, more unified Europe.

JOE MANCHIN, ANDREW YANG, & JUSTIN AMASH "The Two-Party Problem" Wednesday, February 25, 2026 5:00pm Complimentary Virtual Lecture (STREAMED) The two-party system is showing its cracks. As polarization deepens and trust in government erodes, many Americans are asking if the red-versus-blue framework can still fulfill the needs of a diverse and complicated society. In this provocative panel, former Senator Joe Manchin, Forward Party co-founder Andrew Yang, and former Congressman Justin Amash will examine how political tribalism stifles innovation and consensus. From alternative voting systems to the rise of independents, these three leaders will explore whether a post-partisan future is possible — challenging us to rethink the foundations of American democracy in a time when the old rules are not working.

TRACEE ELLIS ROSS "On Identity, Impact, & Joy" Wednesday, March 25, 2026 5:00pm Complimentary Virtual Lecture (STREAMED) From cementing a legacy of television and film stardom to building a multimillion-dollar brand that celebrates Black beauty, Tracee Ellis Ross has spent her life breaking molds and making space — for herself and for others. In this evening of conversation, she will open up about her career, her passions, and the power of showing up as your whole self. Expect reflections on creativity, courage, and joy — with the signature humor and honesty that have made her a beloved cultural force.

JOHN GREEN "Perpetually Curious" Wednesday, April 22, 2026 5:00pm Complimentary Virtual Lecture (STREAMED) The world is a strange place. People are even stranger. Why do we stand in awe at the sight of a sunset? Why do diseases remain uncured despite astonishing advances in medicine? And why, in an age of touchscreens and voice commands, are we still clinging to the QWERTY keyboard? Bestselling author and perpetually curious human John Green invites us to tug at the loose threads of our beautifully baffling world. Through heartfelt storytelling woven with scientific insights and historical oddities, Green will make us fall deeply in love with the complexities of the human experience, even the ones we deem a bit strange.