Cory McCants (photo by Teo David)
SUNY Fredonia’s American Democracy Project will welcome Buffalo Toronto Public Media (BTPM) to campus on Wednesday, Sept. 16.
The Constitution Day program of two parts will explore overlooked stories of the nation’s founding and the role of public media in supporting an informed and engaged public.
It will begin at 11 a.m. in the Williams Center Multipurpose Room with “A Compact History of the Constitution: A Different Perspective,” featuring Cory McCants, producer and reporter with BTPM and host of the public media series “Compact Civics” and “Compact History.” A question-and-answer session will follow the presentation.
“Cory’s work is such a natural fit for Constitution Day because it makes history and civic life accessible while also encouraging us to think more deeply about whose stories we tell,” - Dr. Angela McGowan-Kirsch
Drawing on themes explored in “Compact History,” McCants will examine voices and perspectives often excluded from traditional narratives of the nation’s founding and creation of the U.S. Constitution. The presentation will include discussion of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and its system of governance, as well as questions surrounding its influence on the development of American democratic ideas. Through the lenses of history, civic engagement, and public memory, the presentation will invite attendees to consider how these stories continue to shape understandings of American democracy today.
A Buffalo, NY, native, McCants began his career in entertainment after graduating from Niagara University in 2011. His professional experiences have included work in New York City and with director Ava DuVernay, MTV and Geico. He later spent six years as a performing arts teacher in Buffalo before bringing his interests in education, storytelling and community engagement to his work with BTPM.
“Compact Civics” is a series of nonpartisan shorts designed to help audiences better understand government, voting, civic responsibility and other aspects of civic life. In “Compact History,” McCants takes audiences beyond traditional textbook narratives to explore lesser-known stories and the connections between local historical events and their national impact.
“Cory’s work is such a natural fit for Constitution Day because it makes history and civic life accessible while also encouraging us to think more deeply about whose stories we tell,” said Dr. Angela McGowan-Kirsch, who serve a chair of Fredonia’s American Democracy Project and is an associate professor of Communication. “We want students to see the Constitution not simply as a historical document, but as part of an ongoing story about democracy, participation and whose voices are included in that story.”
Following McCants’ presentation, the program will continue from noon to 1 p.m. in the Williams Center Multipurpose Room with an informal campus conversation focused on public media, reliable information, civic engagement and the importance of an informed public.
The discussion is being developed in partnership with BTPM and members of the Fredonia community and is expected to bring together perspectives from public media, journalism, communication and education. Organizers are also exploring opportunities for SUNY Fredonia students to help moderate the conversation, allowing them to pose questions and engage directly with participants.
BTPM President and CEO Tom Calderone and other BTPM representatives will also be on campus to share information about the organization’s work in the community and educational resources available to students and educators.
“We wanted BTPM’s visit to be more than a single presentation,” Dr. McGowan-Kirsch said. “The noon conversation gives us an opportunity to bring students, faculty, staff and members of BTPM together to talk about why access to reliable information matters to a healthy democracy and what role public media can play in fostering informed and engaged communities.”
A voter registration drive will also be held in conjunction with the Constitution Day program, providing attendees with an opportunity to register to vote or access voter registration information.
Both portions of the Constitution Day program are free and open to students, faculty, staff and members of the community.
Constitution Day programming is sponsored by Fredonia’s American Democracy Project, Department of Communication, and Ethnic & Gender Studies program, with support from the Carnahan Jackson Humanities Fund established through the Fredonia College Foundation, and the Fredonia Student Association.
Fredonia’s American Democracy Project works to promote civic engagement and prepare students to be informed, engaged participants in their communities and democracy.
