October 28, 2023 was a second day for discussion and deliberation, and for hearing the prizewinning writing from area high school students, organized by the Ancient to the Future Project and hosted by the Lamar University Department of Sociology, Social Work, and Criminal Justice
Event flyer
Event program including speaker bios
Session videos are linked in the detailed program below.
A second Day of Discussion on Extreme Weather and Inequality: What do Southeast Texans think?
And what do we do?
Beaumont—Port Arthur—Jefferson County
9 am-3:30 pm on Saturday, October 28, 2023
8th floor of the Mary and John Gray Library at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas
This event was open to the public, free with advanced registration, lunch included, streaming option
Session 1: The business, the science, the social science video
The day opened with the poem “Beaumont Blooms” written by Katie Hoerth, editor-in-chief at LU Literary Press and Lamar University associate professor of English, and read by Mary Vaughn Williams (starts at 00:01:10)
Welcomes
Jaime Taylor, Lamar University President (00:03:15)
Roy West, Beaumont Mayor (00:04:30)
Ginger Gummelt, Lamar University assistant professor and chair of the Department of Sociology, Social Work, and Criminal Justice (00:06:50)
Judy Linsley, The Texas Gulf Historical and Biographical Record (00:09:14)
Panelists
Andy Bowman, businessman, lawyer, and author, The West Texas Power Plant That Saved the World: Energy, Capitalism, and Climate Change (00:13:24) slides
Chanelle Stigger, meteorologist, National Weather Service Lake Charles Office, on the science of extreme weather (00:42:10)
Stuart A. Wright, Lamar University professor of sociology, on the social science of inequality (00:59:50) slides
Kate Williams (chair), Ancient to the Future Project / University of Illinois Urbana Champaign
Session 2: Three local institutions video
David M. Gorsich, Ronald Parker, and Kristy McCarty, ExxonMobil (00:00:53) slides
Jeff Darby, president, Sabine Area Central Labor Council (00:20:00)
Airon Reynolds, Jr, senior pastor at Borden Chapel Baptist Church, Beaumont (00:34:00)
Dave Williams (chair), Ancient to the Future Project
Session 3: Research, infrastructure, and teaching to safeguard our present and future video
Chiung-Fang Chang, Lamar University professor of sociology studying air pollution, climate change, distress, and respiratory health (00:01:39) slides
Wallace “Butch” Wilson, chief engineer, Drainage District 6 (00:17:20) slides
Wiley Johnson, principal, Beaumont United High School (00:35:00)
Mark Porterie, superintendent, Port Arthur Independent School District (00:40:50)
Abdul Alkalimat (chair), Ancient to the Future Project / University of Illinois Urbana Champaign
Session 4: Hearing from the rising generation / Announcing winners of the $5,000 Extreme Weather and Inequality high school writing prize video
Chanelle Stigger, meteorologist, National Weather Service Lake Charles Office (00:00:00)
Jesse Garcia, assistant professor of sociology, Lamar University (00:01:40)
Justin Cooper, business manager, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 479 (00:03:30)
Kate Williams, Ancient to the Future / University of Illinois Urbana Champaign (00:06:20)
Winners reading their work:
$5,000 prize:
Crystal Liu, West Brook High School in Beaumont (00:15:20)
Lola Carr, Beaumont United High School (00:21:53)
Jamie Lyles, Port Neches-Groves High School (00:33:25)
Leydi Mariel Mascareño, Memorial High School in Port Arthur (00:41:30)
Camren Nichols, Nederland High School (00:48:00)
$1,000 special mention:
Adithleidy Lopez-Magallon, Nederland High School (00:53:50; reading in Spanish; English translation as pdf)
Sakara A. K. Harris, West Brook High School (00:58:42)