Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

Perhaps nowhere is the worldwide erosion of democracy, fueled by social media disinformation campaigns, more starkly evident than in the authoritarian regime of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Journalist Maria Ressa places the tools of the free press—and her freedom—on the line in defense of truth and democracy, and as a result she has faced a series of lawsuits, most recently resulting in a conviction for "cyberlibel" for reporting on Duterte. What makes this outspoken journalist continue her work? What is the situation for independent journalists in The Philippines, where Duterte continues to receive sky-high approval ratings? Join us for an interview with Maria Ressa and Filipino-American documentary filmmaker Ramona S. Diaz. Diaz's new film, A Thousand Cuts, tells Ressa's story and explores the conflicts between the press and Duterte's government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join San Francisco Pride and The Commonwealth Club for the latest edition of Lavender Talks, a moderated panel discussion emceed by Michelle Meow (host of "The Michelle Meow Show" and a former president of the SF Pride Board of Directors). On Thursday, July 30, panelists Imani Rupert-Gordon (executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights), Masen Davis (interim executive director of Transgender Europe), Tony Hoang (managing director of Equality California), and Fausto Cardenas (the National LGBTQ Task Force’s Queering Democracy community organizer) will discuss the challenges faced by LGBTQ-centered nonprofits as the fight for equal rights enters its sixth decade. NOTES In association with San Francisco Pride Made possible by the generous support of Gilead and Comcast And thanks to San Francisco Pride Legacy Partners: Bud Light Hilton San Francisco Union Square KPIX 5 CBS Bay Area Kaiser Permanente Genentech Gilead GLBT Historical Society KBCW TV Parc 55 San Francisco Smirnoff Recology T–Mobile Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Reich is at the forefront of the progressive fight for higher worker wages, expanded health care and stronger unions. He argues that years of stagnant wages and volatile job markets show that the financial system is fixed and serving only a select few with enough money to control it. Reich shows how wealth and power have eviscerated the middle class and undermined democracy to its core. He exposes how people at the top propagate myths about meritocracy, corporate social responsibility and the “free market” to accumulate extraordinary capital and influence. How can we restore confidence back in our political and economic system? Join us for a conversation with Robert Reich as he calls upon Americans to instill fundamental change and demand that democracy works for the majority once again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From sports to politics, women are taught to conform themselves to the rules and dictates of a male-dominated world. Jennifer Palmieri, former White House communications director and the communications director for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign, reflects on her career to call out a societal infrastructure that not only subordinates women to men but also pits women against women. In her new book, She Proclaims: Our Declaration of Independence from a Man’s World, Palmieri challenges us to imagine a world in which a female-oriented workplace and life is no challenge. In fully rejecting our traditional systems, Palmieri argues, women can build a world that allows them to advance as equals. Join Palmieri at INFORUM for a discussion on politics, feminism and dismantling the patriarchal values that continue to stymie female success. This program will be moderated by Aimee Alison, founder and president of She The People. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The U.S. president has the power to end the world in minutes. Right now, no one can stop him. Since the Truman administration, America has been one “push of a button” away from nuclear war—a decision that rests solely in the hands of the president. Without waiting for approval from Congress or even the secretary of defense, the president can unleash America’s entire nuclear arsenal. Almost every governmental process is subject to institutional checks and balances. Our guests ask, Why is potential nuclear annihilation the exception to the rule? They say that for decades, glitches and slip-ups have threatened to trigger nuclear winter: misinformation, false alarms, hacked warning systems, or even an unstable president. And a new nuclear arms race has begun, threatening us all. At the height of the Cold War, Russia and the United States each built up arsenals exceeding 30,000 nuclear weapons, armed and ready to destroy each other—despite the fact that just a few hundred are necessary to end life on earth. As we approach the anniversaries of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, join an important discussion on the terrifying history of nuclear launch authority, from the faulty 46-cent microchip that nearly caused World War III to President Trump’s tweet about his “much bigger & more powerful” button. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just north of San Francisco lies Marin County, which like many California counties is facing a resurgence of COVID-19 cases just as the county was following its careful re-opening plan. Hospitalizations and deaths are up, and some aspects of the county’s re-opening have been halted, including the restarting of many businesses. Marin now finds itself on the state's watch list for additional protection measures. What do all of these changes mean for the county and its residents, particularly its business, cultural arts and nonprofit sectors? Please join us for an important discussion with key Marin County community leaders who will discuss the road ahead for one of the Bay Area’s most unique areas. NOTES Part of the Club’s Marin Conversations series, supported by the Marin Community Foundation and Relevant Wealth Advisors Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As state and local governments continue to provide assistance to millions of Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic, the transition to a purely digital interface has been difficult to navigate. In response, a few of the country’s leading technology experts founded the U.S. Digital Response, a nonprofit that connects governments with experienced pro bono technologists to quickly solve problems during the COVID-19 crisis, and deliver important resources to the people who need them. Members of USDR include Jen Pahlka (formerly with Code for America), Raylene Yung (formerly with Stripe), and Raphael Lee (formerly with Lob and Airbnb) They all join INFORUM to discuss bottom-up solutions to help government leaders and solve critical issues, like how to deliver the biggest uptick in unemployment insurance we've seen in our time, or helping states develop tools to help their residents determine if they're eligible for stimulus funds. They will also lay out USDR’s progress and goals, the role of technology in optimizing government services, and their takes on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This conversation will be moderated by data scientist DJ Patil. NOTES:This program is generously supported by Postmates. We are grateful for their support and hope others will follow their example to support the Club during these uncertain times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While much of the social and political attention surrounding the nationwide opioid epidemic has focused on the dramatic increase in overdose deaths among white, middle-class, suburban and rural users, the impact of the epidemic in communities of color has received less attention. It is important to recognize and be responsive to historical and ongoing trauma, particularly trauma experienced in health systems and through the criminalization of the war on drugs. This trauma is often perpetuated by the lack of community-based prevention, intervention and access to treatment, especially culturally competent care, as well as the lack of addressing cultural stigma related to seeking treatment in communities of color. Join this important discussion about the wide ranging impact of the opioid epidemic. NOTES Supported by Bay Area Community Health Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two exceptional scientists share their perspectives about the earth and our moon. Are we doing enough to protect our planet, and what have we really learned about the moon since we last visited 50 years ago? In our first segment, we introduce you to world renowned British scientist and Astronomer Royal Martin Rees. According to him, humanity has reached a critical moment, in which there is no plan B for planet Earth. He also says the future of humanity is bound to the future of science and hinges on how successfully we harness technological advances to address our challenges. Next, we set our sights on the moon with Andrew Fraknoi, the esteemed former chair of the astronomy department at Foothill College in Los Altos, California. Known for explaining astronomical developments in everyday language, he shares knowledge and little-known stories about our only natural satellite. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our first segment follows the powerful story of Congresswoman Jackie Speier finding her courage to get started in politics. Congressman Leo Ryan was killed on the airstrip tarmac in Jonestown, where he and a delegation had gone to learn firsthand about Jim Jones' Peoples Temple cult. As a member of the delegation, Jackie Speier was shot five times at point-blank range. Left for dead, the choice to survive against unfathomable odds eventually empowered her with a resolve to become a vocal proponent for human rights. Hers is a story of true resilience, one that will inspire other people to draw strength from adversity in order to do what is right—no matter the challenges ahead. In the second segment, we take a behind-the-scenes look at the unusual teamwork that took place in the gubernatorial mansion while Jerry Brown served as the state's 39th governor. Join us as we listen in on the first public appearance by the former governor and first lady since he left office. Here’s a rare opportunity to hear their views on issues impacting the state, the United States and the world, in addition to learning about their unique relationship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of "Insights," we explore the question, What makes you, you? First, we dig into the topic with our guests CNBC news anchor Bill Griffeth and author Paula Williams Madison, who share the surprising results they found while researching their family genetics. Madison’s story takes us on a fascinating trip around the world—from New York to Jamaica to China, while Griffeth’s story ends up uncovering a surprising family secret that one family member hoped would never be discovered. Later, we explore a different approach to what makes you you; Mindfulness, empathy and compassion. Are these characteristics something you’re born with? Or are they something we can train ourselves to achieve? Stanford business school professor Dr. Leah Weiss explores research that shows mindfulness improves all the aspects of emotional intelligence-self awareness, self management, awareness of what is going on with the people around you—and how you manage your relationships, personally and professionally. How do you integrate mindfulness into your daily routine? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the secret to success? For more than 40 years, Al Roker has been the venerable weatherman and beloved anchor on NBC’s “The Today Show.” For the first time, he looks back at his own career and shares valuable “Altruisms” to weather the storm of life. Roker’s savvy advice includes personal anecdotes and life lessons accumulated from his many years in television. Most important, Roker reflects on the keys to embracing and achieving a life of happiness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The murder of George Floyd has sparked a momentous, national wave of protests and calls for police reform. Activists across America and around the globe are now asking the same question: How can elected officials effectively respond to this moment? San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin was elected in 2019 on a platform of criminal justice reform, with the goals of ending mass incarceration and eliminating cash bail. He has responded to the social unrest by doubling down on his efforts to reduce racial disparity, as he understands that people of color are disproportionately affected by crime and police brutality. Elected during the historic 2018 midterms, Rep. Ayanna Pressley is a leader of the push for criminal justice reform in Congress. In late 2019, she introduced the People’s Justice Guarantee, a radical reimagining of the American criminal legal system that would center the conversation of reform around the voices of the people most impacted by injustice in America. Join DA Boudin and Rep. Pressley at INFORUM and The Commonwealth Club, where they will discuss police accountability, their roles in the future of police reform and this pivotal time in American culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The votes of Black Americans are being blocked by the very nation they built. Despite the fact that Black voters played a huge role in the Democrats’ 2018 success, the political power of the Black vote continues to be suppressed and subverted by policies and media coverage alike. In her new book, Say It Louder!, political analyst Tiffany Cross delivers a sweeping snapshot of American Democracy and the role that Black voices have played in its construction while also diving into the many political forces aligned to silence and undermine black voters. Cross describes the ways in which America’s composition was designed to exclude Black voters, but paradoxically would likely cease to exist without them. Pulling from her own expertise in media, histories of campaign leadership, and Black voter data, Cross describes the enduring efforts endlessly attempting to deny people of color the right to vote—a basic tenet of American democracy. Join us for timely conversation about the Black vote, the future of our nation’s politics and what to pay attention to in the upcoming November election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gerald Harris, chair of the Technology and Society Forum, will interview Ian Mitroff and Melanie Ensign. Mitroff will lay out the theory and ideals of companies performing in a socially responsible manner, and Ensign will share her experience with those ideals in the real world of firms such as Uber and Facebook. Join us for an engaging discussion about how crises are managed and what the communications challenges are with the public. MLF ORGANIZER Gerald Harris NOTES MLF: Science & Technology Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trauma can come at any time in the life span and have significant impact on one's life. Trauma comes early to those who have been abused or neglected as children or arrive in the world facing the challenges of poverty and discrimination. It may come later as people deal with the pain of broken relationships, overwhelming job stress, sexual harassment, the dangers of combat or a life-threatening or serious illness. For those who live long enough, contending with the loss of loved ones, physical frailty and impending death brings still more trauma. How does one heal from trauma whenever it comes? James S. Gordon, an authority on post-traumatic stress and an acclaimed mind–body medicine pioneer, has worked for decades with individuals and communities around the world to address the damage done by trauma. In his new book, The Transformation: Discovering Wholeness and Healing After Trauma, Gordon offers the first comprehensive, evidence-based program for reversing the biological and psychological damage from trauma and for discovering and growing through its challenges to become the people we’re meant to be. Offering eye-opening research, innovative prescriptive support and inspirational stories, The Transformation, for the first time, gives the reading public clear guidance in the methods that Gordon has developed and that he and his team at the Center for Mind-Body Medicine have used to relieve the suffering of hundreds of thousands of children and adults around the world. Come hear from one of world's leading experts on trauma and how to transform the lives of those suffering from it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for a virtual conversation with Fergus Bordewich, whose new account of the Civil War does not focus on President Lincoln's role, but instead shows how four Republican congressional leaders often led the way, pushing Lincoln to do more and even defying him at times. Thaddeus Stevens, Pitt Fessenden, Ben Wade, and the pro-slavery Clement Vallandigham, all members of the newly empowered Republican party, passed the drastic measures to defeat the Confederacy, planned Reconstruction, created the forerunner of the IRS, laid the foundation for the Federal Reserve system, passed the Pacific Railway Act to link the heartland with California, created the Land Grant Colleges Act—which laid the groundwork for public state university systems nationwide—demanded emancipation of the slaves before Lincoln was ready to consider it, and in the process laid the foundation for a strong central government. Brimming with drama and outsized characters, Congress at War is a timely reconsideration of the conflicts of power between the White House and Congress that will change the way we understand both the Civil War and our own future. MLF ORGANIZER George Hammond NOTES MLF: Humanities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this era of heightened attention to social justice, one voice is not being heard—the voice of older adults. Drawing from her book Elder Justice, Ageism, and Elder Abuse (Springer, 2019) and more than 35 years as an advocate and program developer, Lisa Nerenberg will trace the forces that have given rise to the elder justice movement. These include heightened attention to ageism, the recognition of aging and elder abuse as public health matters, and the global movement to adopt a universal convention for the rights of older people. Her "elder justice agenda" offers a vision for a more just society for older adults and people of all ages who aspire to live long and fulfilling lives. She will be joined for a Q&A by Bill Benson, a thought leader and driving force in health and aging issues for more than four decades. MLF ORGANIZER Denise Michaud NOTES MLF: Grownups Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Gergen is professor of public service and founding director of the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School, positions he has held for more than a decade. In addition, he serves as a senior political analyst for CNN and works actively with a rising generation of new leaders. In the past, he has served as a White House adviser to four U.S. presidents of both parties: Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Clinton. Professor Gergen's work as director of the Center for Public Leadership has enabled him to work closely with a new generation of younger leaders, especially social entrepreneurs, military veterans and Young Global Leaders chosen by the World Economic Forum. Through the generosity of outside donors, the Center helps to provide scholarships to more than 100 students a year, preparing them to serve as leaders for the common good. The Center also promotes scholarship at the frontiers of leadership studies. In the 1980s, he began a career in journalism. Starting with "The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour" in 1984, Gergen has been a regular commentator on public affairs for about 30 years. Twice he has been a member of election coverage teams that won Peabody awards, and he has contributed to two Emmy award-winning political analysis teams. ​A native of North Carolina, Gergen is a member of the D.C. Bar, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a member of the U.S. executive committee for the Trilateral Commission. He is an honors graduate of Yale and the Harvard Law School. Join one of America's most respected political observers for a discussion of the country's challenges and opportunities at this crucial time in history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What will it take to get the world’s major economies off fossil fuels? In late 2019, former US senator and secretary of state John Kerry, declared a World War Zero on carbon pollution. “It’s really putting the nation on a war footing to avoid the next pandemic which will be exacerbated by the climate crisis, and the way to get ahead of it is to prepare and make the decisions now,” says Kerry. “The long-term energy future of America is not going to be written in fossil fuels” The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to cut U.S. carbon emissions by 7.5% in 2020 — exactly the rate needed globally to meet the climate goals outlined in the Paris Agreement. But can other major emitters like China and Europe make plans to decarbonize at the same rate without throwing their economies over a cliff? “You really can't make any progress on climate without China making an effort,” says Justin Wu, Head of Asia-Pacific, at Bloomberg New Energy Finance. “China basically has hit some of the climate goals it announced a few years ago, including the ones that were part of the Paris agreement,” Wu explains, “but so far hasn't announced any new goals yet. So we’re still waiting to see whether it has something more ambitious in store.” Meanwhile, in December 2019 European Union announced a $1 trillion green deal aimed at transforming the 27 member economies to higher quality of life and lower carbon emissions. “In Europe we are only now catching up with China,” says Julia Poliscanova, Senior Director of Vehicles & E-mobility at the Brussels-based advocacy group Transport & Environment, “so we will see. The race is on, that’s for sure and we see Europe catching up.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Racism, police and the pandemic are dominating hearts and headlines, but will they translate to votes in national and regional elections? One study found wavering Trump voters rank immigration and climate change as top reasons for a possible vote change, but it’s unclear if that will materialize. Other studies contend climate doesn’t even rank on the minds of swing voters. Young, liberal Americans are leading the charge on climate, but Bernie Sanders learned they are more likely to protest than vote. What issues are top of mind for Obama-Trump voters in swing states? How will the Coronavirus and racial justice crises of 2020 impact voters this cycle? Guests: Tiffany Cross, Co-Founder, The Beat DC; Author, Say It Louder! Black Voters, White Narratives, and Saving Our Democracy Rich Thau, President & Co-founder, Engagious Rick Wilson, Republican Political Strategist This program was recorded via video on June 23, 2020. For full show notes, visit our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for a virtual conversation with best-selling author, A. J. Baime, to discuss his latest book, the thrilling story of the 1948 presidential election, during which Truman mounted a remarkable comeback and staked a claim for a new course for America. On the eve of the 1948 election, America was a fractured country. Racism was rampant, foreign relations were fraught, and political parties were more divided than ever. Americans were certain that President Truman's political career was over, his own staff did not believe he could win, nor did his wife Bess. But win he did. Baime sheds light on one of the most action-packed six months in American history, as Truman not only triumphs, but also oversees watershed events: the Marshall Plan, the creation of Israel, the origins of the Cold War, and the first desegregation of the military. Not only did Truman win, he succeeded in guiding his country forward at a critical time with high stakes and haunting parallels to current events. MLF ORGANIZER George Hammond Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zerlina Maxwell is an expert on the divisions plaguing the liberal left. As an MSNBC political analyst and staffer on both Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton’s presidential campaigns, Maxwell witnessed firsthand the successes and failures of the Democratic party’s attempt to unify voters. Now with the 2020 election boiled down to two older white male candidates, she is asking liberals to take an introspective look at why they have been unable to engage women and people of color for years. Maxwell’s new book, The End of White Politics: How to Heal Our Liberal Divide, asks progressives to hold themselves accountable for their own racist and misogynist blindspots while also challenging them to do better by their constituents. She argues that by leaning into a more diverse landscape in American politics, every single citizen would benefit. Join us at INFORUM, where Maxwell will give us her vision on the future of the Democratic Party and how she thinks there may still be time to save it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

COVID-19 cases are surging again across the United States. Governors, colleges, sports teams and others are announcing new plans every day. It’s hard to know what to expect, or understand the shifts. Is this part of the first wave of infections, or a second one? While hospitalizations are up, why are death rates are lower? With younger people making up a larger number of positive cases, what should the response be? Will schools open in the fall, and if so, under what circumstances? Will employees be able to go back to work, and even if they can, is it wise? More broadly, should we be easing restrictions or clamping down? Should our government mandate or only recommend mask wearing, social distancing, and business closing? Why does the United States seem out of step from the rest of the developed world? Never have public officials and individuals faced such complex choices and such an uncertain future. Hear two leading public health officials and policy advisors explain where we are in managing the pandemic, what we should do, and what we can expect through the rest of 2020. NOTES In association with the Zetema Project Generously supported by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Advancing technology, changing social attitudes and evolving laws have all combined to make establish this as a time when LGBTQ people are looking to create or expand families. How do they do it? What do they need to know? To answer these and other questions, Michelle Meow talks with fertility experts from the medical and legal realms, as well as proud parents of a new 3-month-old baby. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As an old adage (mistakenly attributed to Confucius) notes, it’s difficult to find a black cat in a dark room, especially when there is no cat. Conspiracy theories have always been prevalent in the United States, but today they seem to be especially popular, from politics to popular culture, particularly on social media. In the spirit of another adage, even paranoids have enemies: there are real conspiracies, and some of them are important and even dangerous. How do you tell the genuine conspiracies from the tinfoil hat ones? Dr. Eugenie C. Scott is the former executive director of the National Center for Science Education, Inc. Dr. Scott is an internationally known expert on the creationism and evolution controversy and science denialism, and she is called upon by the press and other media to explain science to the general public. The author of Evolution vs. Creationism: An Introduction and co-editor with Glenn Branch of Not in Our Classrooms: Why Intelligent Design Is Wrong for Our Schools, she is the recipient of numerous awards from scientists and educators, and has been awarded 10 honorary degrees. MLF ORGANIZER Patrick O'Reilly NOTES MLF: Psychology Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This event is the Middle East Forum’s fourth annual panel about how the Trump presidency is affecting the Middle East. Our distinguished panel of Middle East experts will continue the conversation and will also discuss why some believe that during the past year, Trump has helped destabilize the region with impulsive rhetoric and inflammatory actions, while others believe that Trump is making America safer. MLF ORGANIZER Celia Menczel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this discussion, the third in a series on the relation between catastrophe and narrative, Homer scholar Dr. James Porter and poet Gillian Conoley will discuss how disaster and catastrophe have found narrative expression from Ancient Greece to the present day. Unbeknownst to itself, the Western tradition is founded on violent catastrophe, and the wounds of this history are deeply embedded in its cultural memory. Homer's poems, "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey," commemorate a war that led to the capture and obliteration of an ancient city called Troy. Looming behind Troy lies a much larger catastrophe, the massive "systems collapse" that swept across the Aegean and Mediterranean East sometime around 1200 BCE and that wiped out Bronze Age palaces on the Greek mainland, on Crete, Cyprus, in the Levant and Asia Minor, and that threw these civilizations back into a prehistoric state, a truly "Dark Age," for half a millennium. How such massive changes could have come about in so many places at once and in so short a time—seemingly in a blink of the eye, though it probably took less than a century—is one of the great mysteries of the ancient world. Warfare was involved, but the evidence points primarily to destruction by natural and not human forces, earthquakes and fires first and foremost, while a host of further factors have been conjectured, from droughts and floods to drastic climate changes. Homer's epics preserve a distorted memory of this collapse: they encode this trauma in their narrative form and substance, which complicates their understanding as celebrations of heroic glory. This presentation will unravel some of the mysteries that haunt Homeric Troy, in addition to rereading the poems as an invitation to deep ethical and aesthetic discomfort and reflection, not glorification. A short excerpt from Smoke, Ashes, Fable, a film montage that formed part of an exhibition from 2002 by the South African multi-media artist William Kentridge, will help us think through the broader question of what it means to live with the present and imminent realities of our own massive systems collapse today. Gillian Conoley received the 2017 Shelley Memorial Award for lifetime achievement from the Poetry Society of America. Her most recent collection is A Little More Red Sun on the Human: New and Selected Poems, published with Nightboat Books. She is the author of seven previous books, including PEACE, an Academy of American Poets Standout Book and a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. Conoley’s translations of three books by Henri Michaux, Thousand Times Broken, appeared in 2014 with City Lights. Conoley is poet-in-residence and professor of English at Sonoma State University, where she edits Volt. In association with Townsend Center for the Humanities at the University of California Berkeley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on the Latino community in California and throughout the United States. Due to a range of factors, the Latino community has disproportionately high rates of infections from the coronavirus as well as hospitalizations and deaths. These impacts can be seen in the Latino community throughout California—north and south, urban and rural. What are the risk factors, particularly around employment and housing that have made the pandemic such a public health challenge for the Latino community, and what are key Latino-serving organizations in the state doing to address these problems? This program will feature leaders from organizations and experts on the frontlines serving California’s Latino community. Learn how they have been handling these critical issues over the past few months and what they expect now as confirmed coronavirus cases continue to surge locally and nationally. We’ll hear from the head of the Latino Community Foundation and the executive directors of two frontline nonprofits, Nuestra Casa (in East Palo Alto) and 99Rootz (in California’s Central Valley). The moderator for the conversation will be Teresa Alvarado, chief of local impact of SPUR. Alvarado formerly served as deputy administrative officer with the Santa Clara Valley Water District, where she led two departments. Prior to that she served as the first executive director of the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley. She is a member of the Silicon Valley Recovery & Resilience Committee, a group of Silicon Valley leaders working to set the path for economic recovery in the region, co-chairing its Inclusive Prosperity subcommittee. She is founder of the Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley and serves on its advisory board. Please join us for this important event. NOTES In association with the Latino Community Foundation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As President Trump seeks a second term in office, the apparent makeover of the GOP from a tax-cutting old guard into a populist new guard is a critical part of the upcoming 2020 election. But how much of this is just an appearance, and how much is a real shift among Republicans? In their new book, Let Them Eat Tweets, best-selling authors and political scientists Jacob S. Hacker and Paul Pierson offer a definitive answer: Trump isn’t a break with the GOP’s recent past. On the contrary, he embodies its tightening embrace of plutocracy and right-wing extremism―a dynamic Hacker and Pierson call “plutocratic populism.” As they argue in this new book and elsewhere, the GOP serves its plutocratic “masters” to a degree without precedent in modern global history. Today’s Republicans have doubled down on a truly radical, elite-benefiting economic agenda while at the same time making increasingly incendiary racial and cultural appeals to their almost entirely white base. Hacker and Pierson’s new book demonstrates that since the early 1980s, when inequality started spiking, extreme tax cutting, union busting, and deregulation have gone hand-in-hand with extreme race-baiting, outrage stoking, and disinformation. Instead of responding to the real challenges facing voters, they say the Republican Party offers division and distraction―most prominently in the "racist, nativist bile" of the president’s Twitter feed. What does it mean for the country and the upcoming election when reactionary plutocrats and right-wing populists have become the two faces of one of the country’s two major parties? Please join us for an important conversation on these topics as America prepare for the 2020 election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Generation X writer Neal Pollack thought he had it all: a good writing career, a strong marriage, even a lucrative 3-day run on "Jeopardy"! That brought him national attention. Like many in his generation, he also smoked a lot of marijuana. He had discovered that food, music and even his beloved yoga was much better when he smoked. In 2014, as several states in the country legalized pot, Pollack scored a writing gig for a marijuana site that provided free weed. He saw his drug use as harmless and joked about it often in his writing. But as more states, including California, began to legalize the drug, Pollack’s life began to fall apart, in part because of his drug use. Both of his parents died and he soon found himself spiraling out of control, sometimes in public. By 2018, Pollack admitted publicly he had a marijuana addiction and set about to conquer it, through honesty . . . and humor. Pollack’s new book, Pothead, is about coming to terms with his marijuana problems just as the country increased its recreational availability. The book is a cautionary and timely tale for those who think the drug isn’t dangerous and can’t cause serious addictive problems. Join us for a special evening program as Pollack discusses his story with Los Angeles novelist Bucky Sinister. Note: This program contains Explicit language Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chronic pain is a debilitating and very common condition. Tension headaches, and lower back and neck pain are listed among the top 10 leading causes of disability around the world, with billions of people experiencing pain on a recurring basis. Studies show that up to 50 percent of the population might experience chronic pain conditions during their lifetime. The latest breakthroughs in neuroscience and clinical practice could unlock game-changing approaches to treating chronic pain: a complete elimination of pain instead of “managing” it as a chronic condition. Dr. Howard Schubiner, a medical researcher, clinician and author of Unlearn Your Pain, will review new forms of treatment for various chronic pain conditions including, but not limited to, lower back, neck, arms, legs, or general pain conditions like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Russia’s interference in the 2016 election wasn’t a new problem with our Cold War adversary. Their meddling in 2016 marked only the latest chapter of a hidden and revelatory history. In his new book Rigged, David Shimer tells the sweeping story of covert electoral interference past and present. He exposes decades of secret operations—by the KGB, the CIA and Vladimir Putin's Russia—to shape electoral outcomes. John Brennan, as director of the CIA during the 2016 election, was at the forefront of this issue. In January 2017, Brennan, along with former FBI Director James Comey and others, briefed President-elect Donald Trump on the Russian interference efforts. Following his departure, he became a vocal critic of the Trump administration, culminating in Trump taking the unprecedented step of revoking his security clearance in 2018. Both Shimer and Brennan believe that understanding 2016 as one battle in a much longer war is essential to understanding the critical threat currently posed to America's electoral sovereignty. With less than six months until the 2020 election, join us for a conversation for two leading voices on a critical issue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Heidi Kuhn, a former CNN reporter and producer, will share her extraordinary journey as a peace activist and how she created Roots of Peace a nonprofit organization that removes landmines and replaces them with vineyards and orchards. Roots of Peace has removed more than 100,000 land mines and unexploded ordinances in Afghanistan, Israel, the West Bank Croatia, and elsewhere, and it has helped more than a million farmers and their families. Kuhn who has received numerous humanitarian awards and praise from Queen Noor of Jordan, Nancy Pelosi and Jane Goodall, among others, will discuss her new book, Breaking Ground: From Landmines to Grapevines: One Woman's Vision to Heal the World. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Comedian Loni Love has always felt like an outsider in Hollywood. Unlike most celebrities who leveraged their connections to catch their big break in the industry, Love grew up in low-income housing in Detroit and worked as an electrical engineer post-college to make ends meet. Even after striking gold as a comedian and host of the popular talk show "The Real," she still found herself at odds with what the entertainment industry expects of women who are on camera. She spent many years changing herself to try to fit in before she realized that she was thriving in her dream job because she didn’t fit a mold . . . and not despite that. Join Love at INFORUM in honor of her hilarious new book, I Tried to Change So You Don't Have To: True Life Lessons, where she chronicles her atypical path to Hollywood and reflects on the many mistakes and unexpected successes she encountered along the way. Tune in to hear her story and why embracing yourself for who you are is a much better plan than “fake it ‘till you make it.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Expanding oil extraction and clean energy, supporting capitalism while fighting climate change: can humans ever really have it all? In their new books, authors Hope Jahren and Rebecca Henderson explore how a healthy climate might coexist with a consumption-driven economy — and what we need to change to get the best of both worlds. Meanwhile, is Norway the perfect example of having it all — or just a walking contradiction? Like “a drug dealer who doesn’t use its own product”, Norway’s sovereign wealth fund is the largest in the world, supported exclusively by petroleum revenues. As they continue to explore new avenues for drilling, the country has also moved away from using the fossil fuels they produce, electrifying their economy and leading in climate friendly technologies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for a virtual conversation with Edward Larson to commemorate the 20th anniversary of his Pulitzer Prize-winning history Summer for the Gods, the definitive account of the pivotal battle between creationism and evolution. In his new epilogue, Larson assesses the lasting resonance of the Scopes Trial as clashes continue between science and religion, and about free speech and academic freedom. Larson takes us back to the 1920s, when Protestant fundamentalists started a national campaign against the teaching of Darwinism in American schools. Tennessee was the first state to honor the movement by banning Darwinism from its curriculum. But the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) challenged the ban and requested that teacher John Scopes reject it outright in his classroom, resulting in a 1925 trial of mythic proportions with a dramatic legal matchup that ignited massive media attention. Represented by Clarence Darrow and the ACLU, John Scopes was pitted against William Jennings Bryan and the anti-Darwinists. The ensuing debate over the respective places of science and religion in public education remains a continuing conflict in cities and states throughout the United States to this day. MLF ORGANIZER George Hammond NOTES MLF: Humanities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The COVID-19 pandemic threatens every aspect of transportation funding in California. State revenues from federal, state, regional and local taxes and fees are all at risk. Since California’s shelter-in-place order went into effect in March, the state has already faced plummeting revenues from gasoline taxes, tolls, transit fares and sales taxes. These revenue sources will most likely continue to be severely threatened in the coming months and possibly even years. Panelists will discuss the opportunities for every level of government to help recover transportation revenues in our uncertain future. Can we rely on our traditional mix of revenue sources? Will the COVID-19 crisis stimulate innovation in transportation finance? These and other revenue options will be discussed at the 11th Annual Norman Y. Mineta National Transportation Policy Summit. NOTES This program is supported by the Mineta Transportation Institute at San José State University Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"BoJack Horseman" creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg’s trademark is engaging writing that is equal parts dark comedy and gut wrenching tragedy. His work forces you to examine your place in humanity, while reminding you that none of this actually matters. It’s this mix of absurd hilarity and existential dread that makes Bob-Waksberg one of the most celebrated storytellers working today. Join Bob-Waksberg at INFORUM in honor of his new collection of short stories, Someone Who Will Love You in All Your Damaged Glory. You’ll hear a few (possibly strange) tales about love—something he argues is both “the best and worst thing in the universe.” This conversation will be moderated by entertainment writer Ariane Lange. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for a discussion with Rick Welts and Hannah Gordon, two leaders who have made an indelible impact in sports for LGBTQ rights through their courage and resiliency. Ricke Welts became a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018. For the past 8 years, he has been president and chief operating officer of the Golden State Warriors, overseeing all business-related operations for the team, including the new Chase Center and Thrive City in San Francisco. In 2011, he publicly announced that he was gay—in a front-page New York Times story. For his work on diversity and inclusion in sports, he has been honored with the United States Tennis Association 2011 ICON Award, the GLSEN Respect Award, the GLAAD Davison/Valentini Award, the Anti-Defamation League's Torch of Liberty Award, and he was the celebrity grand marshall of the San Francisco Pride parade in 2015. Hannah Gordon is the chief administrative officer and general counsel for the San Francisco 49ers. She oversees legal, public affairs and strategic communications, risk management, community relations, the 49ers Foundation, fan engagement and the 49ers Museum. She is also the secretary of the Bay Area Host Committee and has been involved with events such as Super Bowl 50, WrestleMania 31, Beyoncé's Formation World Tour, the Copa America Centenario and the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship. She is also active on league-wide matters and has served on multiple intra-league working groups. NOTES This program is produced in partnership with AIDS2020 Made possible by the generous support of Gilead and Comcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since narrowly losing Georgia’s closest gubernatorial race in more than 50 years, Stacey Abrams has been on a crusade to ensure voting access to everyone in America. A recognized expert on fair voting and civic engagement, Abrams provides a chilling account of how the right to vote and the principle of democracy have been and continue to be under attack. In her new book, Our Time Is Now: Power, Purpose, and the Fight for a Fair America, Abrams offers her blueprint to end voter suppression, empower citizens and ensure the most popular candidates win. The book also makes a compelling argument for the importance of robust voter protections, an elevation of identity politics, engagement in the census and a return to moral international leadership. Join us for a discussion with one of the Democratic Party’s most popular leaders as she discusses the path ahead and the work she believes needs to be done to ensure a better America for all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eric Swalwell has served a lengthy political career in the Bay Area, working as the Alameda County deputy district attorney, as a Dublin city council member and currently as the U.S. representative for California’s 15th congressional district. As a congressional freshman, Rep. Swalwell served on several House committees and was able to get more bills passed in the House and signed into law than any other freshman. Throughout his congressional career, he has taken vocal positions in support of gun control reform, increased funds for education and national tax reform. With this impressive background, Rep. Swalwell gives us an insider look at the events following the foreign interference in the 2016 election and the subsequent impeachment process in his new book, Endgame: Inside the Impeachment of Donald J. Trump. He draws from his time on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Judiciary Committee to fill the gaps in the impeachment timeline—from the executive communications with Ukraine to the Senate hearing following the impeachment. Join us at INFORUM to learn more about Eric Swalwell’s work as a U.S. representative and to gain a unique perspective on the role that he has played in the events leading up to the third presidential impeachment to occur in U.S. history. This conversation will be moderated by NBC Bay Area’s Raj Mathai. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s most urgent problems, from food security to global warming, are fundamentally global. They require nothing less than concerted, planet-wide action if we are to secure a long-term future. But humanity’s story has always been on a global scale. In his new book The Ages of Globalization, Jeffrey D. Sachs, renowned economist and expert on sustainable development, turns to world history to shed light on how we can meet the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. Sachs will take us through a series of seven distinct waves of technological and institutional change, from the original settling of the planet by early modern humans to today’s globalization. The dynamics of these past waves offer a fresh perspective on the ongoing processes taking place in our own time. Sachs emphasizes the need for new methods of international governance and cooperation to prevent conflicts and to achieve economic, social and environmental objectives aligned with sustainable development. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Which country has the best health care? The United States spends more than any other nation—an astonishing $4 trillion a year. Yet for all that expense, the United States lags behind other countries. From Taiwan to Switzerland, Dr. Emanuel profiles 11 of the top health-care systems in the world. He showcases how the most inventive health-care providers are tackling global challenges in pursuit of the best health care in the world. Dr. Emanuel is a preeminent doctor and bioethicist. He is the former chief health policy officer to the Obama administration and architect of the Affordable Care Act. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is higher education’s role in a healthy society, and how are we improving it? And what about questions of costs, benefits, access and opportunity? These and related topics will be the focus of this program with three leading educators at UC Berkeley. The wholesale switch to remote learning triggered by the coronavirus is realigning several education fundamentals, paving the way for future higher education disruption. Learn how higher education is challenging convention in the sea-change, and what the implications for society are likely to be. MLF ORGANIZER Robert Lee Kilpatrick NOTES MLF: Health & Medicine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The importance of workplace mental health in the United States has steadily gained traction in the last few years. And for good reason. Up to 80 percent of Americans will struggle with a mental health issue during their lifetime. The coronavirus pandemic and the protests following the murder of George Floyd have made addressing mental health at work even more imperative. How are leading companies addressing employee mental health? What programs and initiatives did they have in place before these difficult times and how are they adapting them now? What does supporting mental health at work look like in the context of COVID-19, the national conversation about racism, and the shifting between working from home and returning to physical offices? Will this unprecedented year reduce the stigma at work and normalize what it looks like to struggle with mental health? Learn how to support mental health at work right now and be inspired by the personal stories that have shaped some of our panelists. NOTES This program is part of The Commonwealth Club’s Mental Health Series, dedicated in memory of Nancy Friend Pritzker, with support from the John Pritzker Family Fund Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since the end of the Cold War, the global perception of the United States has progressively morphed from dominant international leader to disorganized entity. Robert Gates, defense secretary under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, asserts that this transformation is the result of the failure of political leaders to understand the complexity of American power, its expansiveness, and its limitations. Sec. Gates makes a clear case that the successful exercise of power is not limited to military action, but should encompass other facets, including diplomacy, economics, strategic communications, intelligence, technology, ideology and cyber. It should also require learning—and abiding by—the lessons of the past, and avoiding the misuse of power. Join Sec. Gates and former Secretary of Defense James Mattis as they discuss the future of U.S. national security. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After an illustrious career and with no formal training, Dominique Crenn was awarded three Michelin Stars in 2018 for her successful restaurant Atelier Crenn. She is the first female chef in the United States to receive this honor, and she credits her unconventional life to her success. At only 20 years old, Dominique Crenn left her home in France for the United States with only one goal—to fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a chef. She knew that she was too different for the male-dominated culinary scene she left behind, so she set her sights on San Francisco and chose the legendary Jeremiah Tower as her first mentor. She spent the next 30 years not only disrupting food norms, but also vocally challenging sexism, climate change and systemic injustice. Join Crenn at INFORUM, where she will discuss her new and highly anticipated memoir, Rebel Chef: In Search of What Matters, and hear firsthand about her journey in becoming one of the most important chefs of a generation. NOTES This program is part of our Food Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation This program contains EXPLICIT language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During his 16 years at Fox, veteran journalist Chris Wallace has covered almost every key political event and interviewed numerous U.S. and world leaders. Now, he explores the crucial 116 days and events leading up August 6, 1945—the infamous date that President Harry Truman gave the order to unleash the world’s first atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima, Japan. Hear more of how we got to that pivotal moment as Wallace gives a rare behind-the-scenes account of the secret meetings and iconic figures who changed the course of history forever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the global population approaches 8 billion, humans continue to test the number of bodies that can fit onto a planet of finite resources. Empowering women through access to education and family planning may be at the core of establishing a healthy population balance, not just for the planet’s sake, but for ours. So why aren’t we talking about it more? How big a role can gender equity play in reducing our global carbon footprint — and who gets to decide? Join us with Ertharin Cousin, former executive director of the World Food Programme, Musimbi Kanyoro, former president and CEO of the Global Fund for Women, and Corrine Sanchez, executive director of Tewa Women United for a conversation about the power of gender equity for getting to sustainable growth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices