MODESTO  – The Modesto Junior College Civic Engagement Project invites the community to the Fall Film and Lecture Series at 7 p.m. on Thursdays, Sept.26, Oct. 10 and 24, and Nov. 7 in Forum 110 on MJC’s East Campus, 435 College Avenue. 

The public events are free and campus parking is available for $1 in student parking lots.

 The documentary Bully, presented on Sept. 26, follows the lives of five students who face bullying on a daily basis.  The film suggests that the cruelty suffered by these children is part of a wide-spread problem that includes and affects all, whether victims, perpetrators, or silent bystanders.

 The film Mother: Caring for 7 Billion, shown Oct. 10, examines the impact of population growth on the planet, from the burden it places on the environment to the conditions it produces among the poor. The film not only looks at the pressing challenges facing planet Earth, but also at some ways to meet those challenges, such as helping to empower women around the globe.

 Screened on Oct. 24, the 2012 Academy Award nominee for best documentary, The Invisible War, exposes the serious issue of sexual assault in the military. The film features interviews with veterans whose stories of abuse share many concerns, such as a lack of recourse to an impartial justice system and a lack of adequate emotional and physical care for sexual assault survivors.

 In The Meth Epidemic, presented on Nov.  7, the PBS television program Frontline investigates the story behind a drug that ravages individuals, families, and communities. The film reveals how rates of meth addiction can fluctuate depending on the available channels for obtaining essential ingredients of meth—ephedrine and pseudoephedrine—which are sold legally in products such as cold remedies but are regulated differently in various states.

 The fall series will wind-up with a panel of local religious leaders discussing Faith-Based Perspectives on Environmental Challenges and Solutions on Nov. 21.  Panel members will also respond to audience questions.

 For more information on MJC’s Civic Engagement Project or the Fall Film and Lecture Series, contact Jason Wohlstadter, professor of English, at wohlstadterj@mjc.edu.