North Cook News

Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will discuss the challenges democracy has faced over the years during a visit to New Trier High School on May 16.

The talk is sponsored by District 203 and the Family Action Network.

Rice was the first African-American woman to be appointed secretary of state, serving from 2005 to 2009 under President George W. Bush, and the first female national security adviser, a position she held from 2001 to 2005.

Growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement, Rice has experienced and played a key role in some of the most influential moments in modern history. She recently published Democracy: Stories from the Long Road to Freedom, a book that explores how events like the Civil Rights Movement, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East inform our understanding of democracy.

The event will begin at 7 p.m. and in the Gaffney Auditorium at New Trier High School/Winnetka. It is free and open to the public, but RSVPs are required, as there will be a check-in process at the door. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.