Courtesy art

ALPENA — The Alpena Association of Lifelong Learners (ALL) has released its event schedule for next week and they will offer people an opportunity to learn more about photography, and journal writing.

A list of the events is as follows below:

On March 17 from noon until 1 p.m. at the Alpena Community College Madeline Briggs Center 143 ALL will enjoy Zachariah Chandler Saved the Declaration of Independence–Literally. Michigan Senator Zachariah Chandler was an outspoken and influential politician during the Civil War and Reconstruction. He was instrumental in preserving the Union, abolishing slavery, and expanding civil rights legislation. Join us to learn how he also took action to preserve the Declaration of Independence for future generations. A History Hounds Virtual Lecture! This is a Historical Society of Michigan presentation offered via Zoom at the Madeline Briggs Center

Also on March 17, from 7 p.m-9 p.m., at the ACC Madeline Briggs Center 143 the ALL photography club will meet.

Join in the discussions about photographic techniques and equipment, or just stop in and check out some of the photos from club members and visitors.

All skill levels are welcome. Join us in-person or on Zoom. The Zoom Meeting ID is 847 0459 7928 and the passcode is 635146.

On March 18 at the ACC Madeline Briggs Center 143 from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. there will be journal writing.

This session invites us to write for ourselves and others. Journal writing is a first step for creating stories, capturing memories, and exploring our ideas and feelings.

This is writing for fun and insight in a no-pressure atmosphere. You can write in response to prompts I will bring or about whatever you choose, and you can do as much or as little writing and sharing as our time allows. Mary Ann Krajnik Crawford has been a personal journal writer and teacher of writing for many years.

The next day, on March 19, at the ACC Madeline Briggs Center 140 from 1:30 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. All will learn more about the Violence Against Women Act.

This little known law provides important protections for (surprisingly, given the title) not only women but anyone who is the victim of violence, whether committed by an intimate partner or someone else. Before its passage in 1994, law enforcement tended to look at domestic violence as a private matter, leaving victims, particularly wives, defenseless under the law. Reauthorization requirements for the law have led to significant controversy over various provisions, especially those involving the LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities. One requirement of the law is that the Department of Justice consult with tribal nations once a year about their problems with violence and what is needed to address them. Jan Charter has attended two of these consultations and her talk will describe the heart breaking experiences of these communities. This event is also available via Zoom with the meeting identification number is 829 8476 1812 and a passcode of 397909.