Smith began its Year on Democracies with a Presidential Colloquium featuring Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi. She opened the annual Colloquium series on Sep 8, answering questions from Smith students and faculty about the condition of the U.S. democracy and her position within it as one of the most politically powerful women in the country. The event was held at John M. Greene Hall, allowing a portion of the Smith community to attend in-person, while others watched the live-stream.