UCLA Arts’ ’10 Questions’ series invites attendees to ’reckon’ with the future

As the world struggles to cope with a pandemic and the United States grapples with its embedded racism and inequality, trying to answer big questions like "what is justice? "what is hope?- and "what matters?- can seem futile in one second and vital the next. Boldly embracing the challenge of probing thorny questions, the UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture presents "10 Questions: Reckoning,' the third iteration of its hybrid public program/academic class that brings together leading minds from across the university for interdisciplinary discussions about some of life's essential questions. "We are living through an extraordinary moment,' said Brett Steele, dean of the UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture. "A global pandemic, escalating climate crisis, and a historical racial reckoning are challenging the foundation of our nation and testing the fabric of our day to day lives. All of this is unfolding amidst a time of highly polarized public discourse and what is, perhaps, the most consequential presidential election this nation has experienced. This year, '10 Questions' feels essential, its mission critical.' Beginning Oct. 5 and continuing every Monday evening for 10 weeks, UCLA faculty members from disciplines as diverse as music, dance, theater, chemistry, anthropology, African American studies, gender studies, medieval studies, environmental law, public health and psychology will join UCLA Arts Associate Dean Victoria Marks to explore a fundamental question: What Is kindness? What is hope? What is loss? What is love? Each year, this arts-driven initiative transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries through a series of conversations that engage multiple viewpoints.