What does it mean to be a man in America?

Educators and filmmakers Jackson Katz and Byron Hurt will talk masculinity and male violence at "Man Up: Tough Talk About American Manhood," a free community forum March 9 at 7 p.m. in Kennedy Hall's Call Auditorium.

Other themes the speakers will raise include the role of violence in male culture; the risk-taking associated with male youth, including the use of alcohol; the implications and use of the term "brotherhood"; and the complex dimensions of race, class and gender identification.

The community forum stems from a request from students to address violence, particularly gender violence on campus, said Jennifer Austin, a communications specialist at Cornell's Gannett Health Services.

Katz is co-founder of Northeastern University's Mentors in Violence Prevention program, which educates men and boys about gender violence prevention, particularly in the sports culture. He has worked in violence prevention with the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. His films include "Tough Guise: Violence, Media and the Crisis in Masculinity" and "Spin the Bottle: Sex, Lies and Alcohol." Katz is also author of "The Macho Paradox: Why Some Men Hurt Women and How All Men Can Help."

Hurt is an author and anti-sexism activist whose documentary "Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes" tackles issues of masculinity, sexism, violence and homophobia in hip-hop culture. His documentary "I AM A MAN: Black Masculinity in America" challenges audiences to examine the damaging effects of patriarchy, racism and sexism in American culture.

The event is being co-sponsored by a wide range of campus groups.