The series “Local and the Global: Dialogues on Community Engagement” continues March 4 with a talk by J.R. Jamison and Kelsey Timmerman, co-founders of The Facing Project. The session, “The Facing Project: Storytelling for Change,” will be held noon to 1:30 p.m. in 102 Mann Library. The series is free and open to all. RSVP to elr-cornell@cornell.edu.

Jamison and Timmerman will share their stories of becoming engaged citizens, which led to the founding of The Facing Project, a national movement that strengthens communities by connecting people through stories.

“Our goal as educators should be to get students to think bigger about social justice issues – not only globally but also locally,” said Jamison. “The real question to ask should be: Do I know one person in my community facing poverty or hunger or a disability? And better yet, do I understand their story? The Facing Project provides the opportunity to create connections between community members and students, and it provides for interdisciplinary engagement that is more intimate than other community-based experiences because we’re asking students to carry the weight of their neighbor’s story and stand with them, side by side, to create community change.”

Jamison has spent the past decade promoting community engagement in higher education. His work has been adopted by more than 40 campuses and communities, and he has won more than $5 million in grants to support communities in their efforts.

Timmerman has spent the last decade helping people share their stories. He is The New York Times best-selling author of “Where Am I Wearing? A Global Tour to the Countries, Factories and People That Make Our Clothes” (2008) and “Where Am I Eating? An Adventure Through the Global Food Economy” (2013).

The History Center in downtown Ithaca will host a complementary community event with The Facing Project, March 4, from 9 to 11 a.m. RSVP to Leslie Montanye at lam79@cornell.edu.

This speaker series – founded to advance the Cornell community’s knowledge, skills and understanding of community-engaged learning and research – is a collaboration among the Cornell Public Service Center, Engaged Learning and Research, and the Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives.

The next talks in the series:

“Practical Learning Analytics: A Guide to Examining Student Data and Learning,” with Timothy McKay, the Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Physics and Astronomy, University of Michigan, April 8, noon to 1:30 p.m., 226 Weill Hall.

“Organizing for Engagement: Pedagogies for Social Impact,” with Sandra Enos, associate professor of sociology, Bryant University, and scholar-in-residence, Campus Compact, May 25, noon to 1:30 p.m., 226 Weill Hall.