For the Patricia H. Labalme Friends of the Library Lecture, a group of academics, journalists, and politicians will discuss the status of women as public intellectuals and how the advent of new media has changed the nature and tenor of feminist discourse. The historical role of women’s voices—as authors and advocates—will be laid against the new terrain presented by the twenty-four-hour news cycle and the democratized internet.

Participants include: Mary Beard, a professor of classics and a blogger for the Times; Linda Douglass, the former White House communications director for health care; Sabina Ciuffini, an entrepreneur and a blogger for Il Fatto Quotidiano; and Kashetu Kyenge, an Italian politician and ophthalmologist.

Simultaneous translation will be available. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Friends of the Library Annual Book Sale will be held in the Academy’s Salone from 2:00 to 5:00pm on the same day.

This event is made possible, in part, by the generous support of the Embassy of the United States of America.