The Renaissance is romanticized today as a turning point for humankind. Marked as a period of new learning, Renaissance leaders challenged man to create, and with it came Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and the Gutenberg printing press. Paging through history books of 14th- to 17th-Century Europe would have modern scholars longing for a reality that, also, is adorned with whimsical stories and neatly pruned gardens; but, in reality, the Renaissance was exclusive to privileged European men whose luxuries were built off the backs of the working class. The Renaissance equipped the elite with language to further perpetuate classism, sexism and racism that persists today. More than four centuries later, humankind finds itself at the frontier of more learning as we squander to make sense of the conflict and hate ingrained in daily life. Join us as we gaze upon the parallels between the era of Galileo and the world of today; and as we challenge our listeners to fight for inclusion and equity as we discover the Modern Renaissance.
Co-host
John Buchanan
John is a project manager for a leading performing arts organization in the Chicago area. Originally from southern Indiana, John moved to Chicago from Cambridge, Massachusetts where he worked at Harvard University as an assistant to two principal gifts fundraisers. John is deeply passionate about the performing arts and the importance of music education. He enjoys cooking on the side.
