John Kerry

Former Secretary of State, U.S. Senator, and Democratic Presidential Candidate

Saturday, September 29, 2018 at 7:30 p.m.
Congregation Emanu El, 1500 Sunset Blvd., Houston, TX 77005

John Kerry will sit in conversation with Randall Morton, Progressive Forum president, to highlight stories behind his memoir, recounting a remarkable 50 years in public service – from decorated Vietnam veteran, to five-term U.S. senator, 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, and the 68th Secretary of State – during some of the most important events in our shared history. A Yale graduate, Kerry enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1966, serving valiantly in Vietnam. He returned highly decorated but disillusioned and testified powerfully before Congress as a young veteran opposed to the war. Kerry served as a prosecutor in Massachusetts, then as lieutenant governor, and was elected to the Senate in 1984. In 2004, he came within one state, Ohio, of winning the presidency. He returned to the Senate, chairing the important Foreign Relations Committee. As Secretary of State, he tried to find peace in the Middle East, dealt with the Syrian civil war while combatting ISIS, and negotiated the Iran nuclear deal and the Paris climate agreement. He provides a forceful testimony for the importance of diplomacy and American leadership in an increasingly uncertain world. He is currently a Distinguished Fellow for Global Affairs at Yale University, as well as the inaugural Visiting Statesman for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
 

Kerry will sign books and greet fans at the end of the evening.

Submit Questions for John Kerry

 

Click for complete event details

Program starts at 7:30 p.m. at Congregation Emanu El, 1500 Sunset Blvd, Houston, TX, 77005, across from Rice University.

Complimentary book for all attendees. Upon entrance, show your ticket to an attendant to have it marked and claim your book. One book per ticket. No books for ticket holders not attending. Kerry will sign books and greet fans at the end of the evening.

Free onsite parking. Enter the campus off Sunset Blvd. Uniformed officers will direct you to the parking facility at the rear of the campus.

Three levels of ticket prices. A $150 ticket includes a private speaker reception and reserve seating near the front. $70 tickets are for open seating with no reserve seats. All seats are close to the front since the hall is intimate and has only 14 rows. A limited amount of $40 tickets are for students and seniors 65 and older with open seating. A valid ID is required at the door. If the $40 tickets sell out, then the $70 tickets will apply.

Disability patrons are eligible for any ticket price. Ushers will seat disability patrons in the aisles in the rear nearest restrooms. All rows are close to the speaker podium in the intimate seating environment.  

Private patron reception with the speaker begins at 6:15 p.m. with cash bar and complimentary dessert bar for $150 ticket holders and those who have donated $1,000 or more in the past year. Reception located in the Oshman Multi-Purpose Room to the right of the main entrance, if entering from the parking garage. The speaker leaves the reception at 6:45 p.m. after a half hour. So that everyone in the speaker greeting line has a chance to chat with the speaker, there is no book signing, autographing, or photography with the speaker in the speaker greeting line. In the rest of the reception room, photography and videography are welcome.  

During the lecture program, we will ask the audience to silence their personal digital devices, asking for no photography or videography.   

Box office services are available at the door on event night. Tickets will be available at the door if the event is not sold out. In case of a sellout, there is no waiting list. Prior to event night, there are no tickets sold at the Temple or any other physical location. Tickets are sold only through this website, email newsletter, and by phone at 888-695-0888  seven days a week between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

For any problems purchasing your tickets online, please call the box office at 888-695-0888.

Feel free to contact The Progressive Forum by email at info@progressiveforumhouston.org.