Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

Monday's U.S. Supreme Court ruling supporting workplace protections for LGBT employees surprised many people—the 6–3 opinion was written by conservative appointee Neal Gorsuch, who was joined by Chief Justice John Roberts as well as the liberal members of the court. Join us for a timely discussion with some real legal eagles. Once again, LGBTQ rights are up for judgment by the U.S. Supreme Court. The SCOTUS is issuing rulings on anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people in employment. The cases involved are Bostock v. Clayton County, Ga., Altitude Express Inc. v. Zarda and R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes Inc. v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Meet our expert panel: Felicia Medina is a queer, latina attorney and founding partner of Medina Orthwein LLP. Her practice focuses on individual and class action employment discrimination and harassment cases relating to race, gender, gender identity and expression, and sexual orientation, as well as wage and hour collective actions. She has been honored as a 2018 San Francisco Business Times OUTstanding Voices, 2017 Daily Journal Leading Labor and Employment Attorneys in California; a 2016 National LGBT Bar Association – Best LGBT Lawyer Under 40; a 2015 National Diversity Council Most Powerful and Influential Woman; and a Law360 2014 Minority Power Broker. Felicia received her law degree from Yale Law School in 2006. Kevin Love Hubbard is a partner at Medina Orthwein LLP. He has dedicated his career to civil rights and brings extensive experience in civil rights litigation to his firm, including individual and class employment discrimination and wage and hour claims, as well as constitutional claims involving police and prison misconduct. Prior to joining Medina Orthwein, Kevin represented nationwide classes and collectives of women with claims of gender discrimination, as well as individuals with cutting-edge employment claims, including claims of LGBTQ+ discrimination. Kevin graduated from Yale Law School in 2012. Imani Rupert-Gordon is the executive director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights. NCLR is a national legal organization committed to advancing the civil and human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their families through litigation, legislation, policy, and public education. Previously, she served as the executive director for Affinity Community Services, a social justice organization that works with the entire LGBTQ community with a focus on Black women. She also served as the director of the Broadway Youth Center, a division of Howard Brown Health in Chicago, which has served more than 1,500 LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness and housing instability. In 2019, the Illinois Human Rights Commission presented her with its 2019 Activism Award. This year she was recognized by the Chicago Foundation for Women with a 2020 Impact Award. Rupert-Gordon received a Master’s degree from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara Rev. Elena Rose Vera, a Filipina-Ashkenazi trans woman originally from rural Oregon, joined Trans Lifeline’s executive team in May 2018. A longtime organizer, educator and performing artist, she holds an M.Div. focused on social justice and community care work and was ordained as a minister by the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples, a historic civil-rights church in San Francisco. Rev. Vera is proud to bring her deep commitment to love, support and liberation for trans people everywhere to her work with Trans Lifeline. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2020, exploring the harsh complexities of racism and systemic injustice is still a painful task for most adults, but how do our children process these concepts? How should we have these difficult conversations with our children, and how can we make sure that they feel empowered to change society as they grow? Dr. Ibram X. Kendi and Dr. Allison Briscoe-Smith join INFORUM to teach us how. Kendi is a New York Times best-selling author, an acclaimed academic and a leading voice on racial justice in America. His newest work is a children’s book titled Antiracist Baby, and in it he uses playful images and straightforward language to introduce complicated topics like power, racial disparity and antiracism for readers of all ages. Briscoe-Smith is a child psychologist and the director of diversity, equity and inclusion with the Wright Institute Clinical Program. Much of her work focuses on trauma and how children understand race. This conversation will be moderated by Julie Lythcott-Haims, the author behind the critically-acclaimed and award-winning memoir Real American, a book about growing up Black and biracial in white spaces. Together, these experts will explain how we can help future generations understand the true meaning of equality and also give them the tools necessary to fight for it. NOTES Part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation This program is in partnership with Common Sense Media Common Sense The Commonwealth Club’s work continues to value equity, tolerance and the achievement of a prosperous, supportive and just society. In honor of this conversation, please consider donating to the Boston University’s Center for Antiracist Research. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The exploitation of their Aunt Huguette by her professional advisors and caregivers horrified the Clark family. By the time she passed away in 2011 at age 104, Huguette’s attorney, accountant and medical caretakers had manipulated her out of nearly $40 million. The 2013 book, Empty Mansions, told some of the story. Determined to bring good from a terrible situation, the Clark family resolved to protect vulnerable elders across the country. In 2018, multiple generations of the Clark family—descendants of Huguette’s father, Senator William A. Clark—established the Huguette Clark Foundation to protect vulnerable seniors and hold accountable those who abuse them. Ian Clark Devine is a long-time leader in nonprofit and foundation management. He is a great-grand-nephew of the late Huguette Clark, whose financial exploitation sparked his interest in the protection of elders. Elder abuse affects millions of people across all socioeconomic levels. Isolation, mental illness and dementia exacerbate the problem by making elders even more susceptible to those who would exploit them. With some 10,000 Americans reaching age 65 every day and life expectancies lengthening, elder abuse is a societal concern that could be on the rise for decades. Recognizing this concern, the United Nations has designated June 15 as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. What are the signs of elder abuse? What can be done to stop it? How are legal protections, established in California more than a decade ago, performing to protect seniors and their assets? Join an important conversation about what we can do to protect some of the most vulnerable members of our society Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For decades, beloved Bay Area sportswriter Joan Ryan has written about winning (and losing) sports teams. In her groundbreaking new book, Intangibles, Ryan explores the importance of team chemistry and the mystery of why some teams "click," foster trust and respect, and push players to exceed their own potential. In sports, team chemistry is often overlooked, in part because it is assumed that it can’t be scientifically measured. But after interviewing more than 100 players, coaches, managers and statisticians in addition to reviewing the thousands of games she has covered as a journalist, Ryan shows that the social and emotional state of a team does affect performance and should not be underestimated. Hear Ryan discuss the importance of team chemistry, and how some of our favorite teams have the intangible “it” factor and some, too often, don’t. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Veteran journalist Jonathan Karl has known and covered Donald Trump longer than any other White House reporter. And during this time he has been praised, has fought, and been branded an enemy of the people by President Trump himself. Karl says we have never seen a president like this—norm-breaking, rule-busting, dangerously reckless to some and an overdue force for change to others. He goes on to argue that we are witnessing the reshaping of the presidency. Get an extraordinary look at the president, the person and those closest to him. Karl will discuss the key moments defining the Trump presidency and offers his personal insights to what it is like being front row at the "Trump Show." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the midst of one of modern history’s most uncertain moments, how can we all work to keep mindful of ourselves and those who matter most to us? Krista Tippett’s podcast, "On Being," aims to shine a light on people whose insights illuminate the best aspects of the human spirit. Every week, Tippett talks to writers, scientists, poets, activists and theologians from an array of faiths who have all opened themselves up to her compassionate yet searching conversations. In times like these, it’s easy to lose track of what keeps us grounded in the human experience. Join us for an enlightening conversation with one of America’s luminaries as she discusses her fiercely hopeful vision for humanity in these uncertain times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us to learn the story behind the AIDS Memorial Quilt, as the Quilt's caretakers share their personal stories reflecting on 40 years of the pandemic. We'll discuss the Quilt's deep roots in San Francisco; meet the "Mother of the AIDS Quilt, who has been there since the beginning and is still there today to "take care of her boys"; learn about the Quilt's move to the care of the National AIDS memorial and how it is a powerful tool to teach—and reach—today's generation about HIV/AIDS; and hear personal stories behind the panels of the Quilt. While the United States and the world are reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, learn about the parallels and differences between this pandemic and the AIDS pandemic, and how the Quilt provided healing and became a source of support to today's first-responders via mask-making. NOTES This program contains some explicit language 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

As Americans continue to grieve, protest and cry out over the death of George Floyd and the recent deaths of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, many wonder if this will be the tipping point for permanent change to the American justice system. And if not, what does the future hold for civil rights and American democracy? As leader of the National Urban League, the nation’s largest historic civil rights and urban advocacy organization, Marc Morial is a leading voice in the battle for jobs, education, housing and voting rights equity. He previously served as the highly successful mayor of New Orleans as well as the president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. On November 8, 2016, Michael Tubbs was elected to serve as the mayor of the city of Stockton, California. Upon taking office in January 2017, Mr. Tubbs became both Stockton’s youngest mayor and the city’s first African-American mayor. Michael Tubbs is also the youngest mayor in the history of the country representing a city with a population of more than 100,000 residents. Join an important intergenerational conversation about the next steps Americans can and must take. NOTES Co-Presented by INFORUM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While topics such as ADHD, autism, bipolar and dyslexia are often discussed in the context of children, what happens after these children grow up, and what happens when they don’t receive such diagnoses until their 50s, 60s or later? Jenara Nerenberg offers practical takeaways and surprising scientific discoveries on how families, society and medicine can better meet the needs of those with mental and sensory processing differences. Nerenberg, an award-winning reporter with the UC Berkeley Greater Good Science Center and the Garrison Institute, is the founder of The Neurodiversity Project. Her work appears in CNN, Fast Company, KQED, Healthline and Time. She is a graduate of the Harvard School of Public Health and UC Berkeley. Nerenberg was named a brave new idea speaker by the Aspen Institute for her work in destigmatizing and celebrating mental differences among adults later in life. Her new book is: Divergent Mind: Thriving in a World That Wasn't Designed For You. MLF ORGANIZER Denise Michaud NOTES MLF: Grownups Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a fleeting moment atop the national political agenda last year, climate change has been eclipsed by the global pandemic. A recent poll from Yale found that public engagement on climate change is at or near historic levels. But will that matter when people vote? The Environmental Voter Project asserts that many people who say they care about climate and the environment don’t actually cast ballots. Further, when talking to pollsters they lie and say they did vote. How will mainstream media cover climate in national and regional elections? Will President Trump’s stance on climate hurt Republicans in down-ballot races? Do Joe Biden’s policy positions on climate really matter? Join us with Vannessa Hauc, journalist and senior correspondent at Noticias Telemundo, Jeff Nesbit, executive director at Climate Nexus, and Nathaniel Stinnett, founder and executive director of the Environmental Voter Project, for a conversation on climate coverage in the race for the presidency. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Immigration has been a flash point in U.S. politics for years, but for the past several years, it has been one of the defining dividing lines in American life. When you add LGBTQ status to the normal challenges facing immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers, even more hurdles come up. What are the problems new arrivals to this country are struggling with? What is being done to help them? What can be done? Join us for the third in our new series of Lavender Talks—produced in partnership with San Francisco Pride, which is celebrating 50 years in 2020. Our panel will feature immigration and human rights advocates and legal experts. 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

Meena Harris’ story is shaped by the many strong women who raised her. She is now honoring their legacy with a new children’s book, Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea, a picture book about two sisters who work together to change their community. The book is inspired by a true story Meena heard from childhood about her aunt, U.S. Senator Kamala Harris, and her mother, lawyer and policy expert Maya Harris. Join Meena at INFORUM to learn about the power of raising children who are engaged in their community and how generations to come can enact lasting change. This program will be moderated by author and artist Jessica Hische. NOTES This program contains some explicit language Part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the run-up to the 2016 election, The New Yorker's Masha Gessen stood out from other journalists for calling out the significance of Donald Trump’s speech and behavior, unprecedented in a national candidate. Within 48 hours of his victory, Gessen's essay “Autocracy: Rules for Survival” had gone viral, and Gessen’s coverage of Trump’s norm-breaking presidency became important reading for a citizenry struggling to wrap their heads around the unimaginable. Thanks to the unique perspective from a childhood in the Soviet Union and two decades covering the resurgence of totalitarianism in Russia, Gessen has a sixth sense for signs of autocracy—and the unique cross-cultural fluency to delineate its emergence to Americans. Now, as the 2020 race takes shape, their new book Surviving Autocracy provides an indispensable overview of what Gessen views as the calamitous trajectory of the past few years. Join us for a conversation with one of our leading journalists as they highlight the dangers of complacency and how America can forge a new path forward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While a reporter at The Washington Post, Barton Gellman was one of three journalists Edward Snowden picked to review the vast and explosive archive of highly classified files revealing the extent of the American government's access to our every communication. Those three shared the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for their work. But that was only the beginning for Gellman. He went on to dig deeper into both the U.S. surveillance state and Snowden’s own complicated history. As he sought the truth, Barton was harassed with legal threats, government investigations and foreign intelligence agencies intent on stealing his files. Come for a detailed look at Edward Snowden, America's surveillance state now and post-COVID, as well as Mr. Gellman’s own account of his personal cloak-and-dagger experience of being surveilled by unknown adversaries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How did an Italian grandmother in 4-inch heels become the greatest legislator since LBJ? Join us virtually as award-winning political journalist Molly Ball takes you inside the life and times of the speaker of the House. Based on exclusive interviews and deep background reporting, Ball shows Nancy Pelosi through a thoroughly modern lens, explaining how this extraordinary woman has met her moment by taking on a president and defending democracy. Ever since the Democrats took back the House in the 2018 midterm elections, Nancy Pelosi has led the opposition with strategic mastery and inimitable elan. It's a remarkable comeback for the veteran politician who for years was demonized by the Right and taken for granted by many in her own party even though, as speaker under President Barack Obama, she deserves credit for epochal liberal accomplishments, from reforming Wall Street to allowing gay people to serve openly in the military, from universal access to health care to saving the U.S. economy from collapse. Perhaps twice. MLF ORGANIZER George Hammond NOTES MLF: Humanities Part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Civilizations around the globe have been transformed over the past three centuries through the agricultural and industrial revolutions, eras that impacted all aspects of human society. According to two of savviest Silicon Valley experts in business and society, we are now at the dawn of a third revolution that will similarly change human history: the autonomous revolution in artificial intelligence (AI) that is ushering in an epic cultural transformation across the globe. In their latest book, The Autonomous Revolution, Silicon Valley leaders William Davidow and Michael Malone explore the impact on society of having machines that are capable of learning and adapting faster than humans and doing so entirely on their own. And for the first time in human history we no longer require physical locations to work, play, shop, socialize or be entertained. The same institutions that help society operate will remain—schools, banks, churches and corporations—but they will radically change form, obey new rules and use new tools. Davidow and Malone, authors of the seminal book The Virtual Corporation, explore the enormous implications of these developments, how we might adapt our values to these massive changes and how people can prepare to not only survive but thrive in this new era. Please join Davidow and Malone as they visit The Commonwealth Club to discuss the coming revolution and how we can deal with these emerging challenges before the autonomous revolution overcomes us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bakari Sellers became the youngest elected official in the country at the age of 22 when he won a seat in South Carolina’s House of Representatives. He argues, however, that his journey began long before he was born. His family faced many struggles as a part of the South's dwindling rural, black working class—losing access to health care as rural hospitals disappeared; attempting to make ends meet as the factories people relied on shut down and moved overseas; attempting to hold on to precious traditions as towns eroded; and forging a path forward without succumbing to despair—these are all facets of not only his life, but of an entire community’s. In My Vanishing Country, Bakari Sellers tells the story of his father’s rise to become a civil rights hero, a member of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and a role model for his own developing identity as a father to newborn twins. Join Sellers at INFORUM, where he will tell his deeply personal story of hope in the face of adversity and a history that is reflective of countless families in the American south. This conversation will be moderated by PolicyLink President and CEO Dr. Michael McAfee. NOTES: Part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Richard Holbrooke is one of the most important diplomats of the last 50 years. Equally admired and detested, he was the force behind the Dayton Accords that ended the Balkan wars, considered by some to be America's greatest diplomatic achievement in the post-Cold War era. From his days as a young adviser in Vietnam to his last efforts to end the war in Afghanistan, Holbrooke embodied the postwar American impulse to take the lead on the global stage. But his sharp elbows and tireless self-promotion ensured that he never rose to the highest levels in government that he so desperately coveted. Holbrooke’s story is thus the story of America during its era of supremacy: its strength, drive and sense of possibility, as well as its penchant for overreach and heedless self-confidence. In Our Man, drawn from Holbrooke's diaries and papers, journalist George Packer gives us a nonfiction narrative that is both intimate and epic in its revelatory portrait of this extraordinary and deeply flawed man and the elite spheres of society and government he inhabited. NOTES This program is part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Moving America forward will take more than a vaccine. As we are finding today, many parts of our nation have been left behind and are not able to share in the great American dream. Rural America is at the focus of attention now because it is our food production center, our water supply center, and our energy enter—and now becoming a COVID-19 center. How can we move from the present to a new well-being in rural America? What do rural communities really look like today? What are the myths? What are the opportunities? Rural communities share much in common with urban and suburban communities, but there are differences too. What does a transformational model look like that has the power to revitalize rural communities by creating opportunities in alignment with 21st century needs. How can the decline of rural America be turned around to create a better future for all Americans. MLF ORGANIZER Robert Lee Kilpatrick NOTES MLF: Health & Medicine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In her career as a reporter at The New York Times, Jennifer Steinhauer has worked a wide range of beats, including the metro, bureau and national desks, the Los Angeles bureau chief, and the United States Congress. She has covered pressing issues spanning across the country, including health care, veterans’ rights, and disaster relief during Hurricane Katrina. Now, Steinhauer divulges a fresh perspective on a shifting political landscape in her book The Firsts: The Inside Story of the Women Reshaping Congress. Steinhauer documents the incredible story of the women who were newly elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 and follows their pursuit of groundbreaking change. Tune in as Steinhauer shares her unique perspective of a congressional reporter to give insight into the campaigns of these strong freshman congresswomen and how their victory in November 2018 has translated to change on the Hill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the country is convulsed by widespread protests over the killing of a black man, George Floyd, by Minneapolis police officers, we will discuss the impact it has had on our community, especially the LGBTQI community this month. Join us for an in-depth conversation about racial inequality and Pride Month Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ten years ago, a very different crisis was gripping the country as 500 million gallons of oil gushed into the Gulf of Mexico, taking lives and threatening fishing, tourism and more. The nation’s worst oil disaster cost BP an estimated $145 billion in cleanup costs and penalties. Now the industry is experiencing another crisis within a pandemic, as oil prices collapsed to historic lows in April and are expected to remain volatile. What’s next in the industry’s uncertain future? How will the collapse of oil prices impact gradual efforts to shift away from fossil fuels? Join us for a conversation on the past, present and future of oil with Bill Reilly, former EPA administrator and co-chair of the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Heather Richards, energy reporter at E&E News, and John Hofmeister, former president of Shell Oil Company. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arlan Hamilton’s story is one made for the movies. In 2015, she was homeless, sleeping on the floors of the San Francisco airport, and dreaming of making it big in the venture capital world. As a gay black woman, she knew she didn’t fit the typical mold of a VC superstar, but she also knew that there were countless other founders and funders whose potential remained underestimated and untapped because they were different. With zero connections in Silicon Valley and a single laptop, she founded Backstage Capital—a seed-stage investment fund that has since garnered national recognition and invested $5 million in more than 100 start-ups founded by minorities. Join Hamilton at INFORUM, where she will share her incredible story of triumph in the face of systematic adversity, and how she defied expectations in hopes of inspiring an entire industry to change for the better. This conversation will be moderated by Megan Rose Dickey, senior reporter at TechCrunch. NOTES Part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do we navigate the impact of a pandemic on our mental health and wellness? The health fears, social isolation and economic insecurity associated with the COVID-19 pandemic will likely lead to rising incidents of trauma in the United States and across the world. Just as we know that childhood trauma leads to poor health outcomes later in life, experts are concerned about the long-term effects on those who experience this event as a trauma. How significant is this risk, and what steps can we take to mitigate the impact? A panel of experts will outline how uncertainty and extended periods of stress affect the brain and how becoming more aware of your stress while learning how to manage your mental health can mitigate the impact of that trauma. They will also share resources and tools that help people get through a pandemic and discuss what is needed to support communities when it’s over, addressing the impacts of social isolation, including depression, suicidal ideation and substance abuse. NOTES This event is the third in The Commonwealth Club’s Thought Leadership series, Destination Health, which is focusing on the future of health, featuring in-depth conversations on the challenges driving physical, mental and social health Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The “Trump effect” on our democracy reaches far beyond 4-year presidential terms. President Trump has highlighted a chasm among the American people, revealing a fierce “us vs. them” mentality that might not be amended depending on who is elected in 2020. Many Americans feel the rest of the country is building a future that doesn’t have a place for them. Why would they want to participate in the systems that have led to their disenfranchisement? Popular political commentator David Frum believes there is a way for those excluded from Trump’s America to reclaim their democracy and reshape the political landscape. In his new book, Trumpocalypse: Restoring American Democracy, Frum outlines a map for the reinvention of American democracy and world leadership in the wake of Trump’s historic presidency. Frum argues that the United States is experiencing great trauma, and we need to do better—for ourselves, for our neighbors, for our nation. Join us for a virtual conversation as David Frum makes the case for believing in the possibilities of a united America once again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

According to Dr. Vivian Lee, health care is killing our economy and, in many cases, killing us. Beyond the outrageous expense, the quality of care varies wildly, and millions of Americans can’t get care when they need it. This is bad for patients, bad for doctors, and bad for business. Dr. Lee cuts to the heart of the health-care crisis and offers a blueprint that is both realistic and optimistic. She warns it may not be a quick fix, but she says her concrete action plan for reform―for employers and other payers, patients, clinicians, and policy makers―can reinvent health care, and create a less costly, more efficient, and healthier system for all. NOTES This program is generously supported by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and a collaborative of local funders and donors. 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

SPEAKERS Clair Farley Senior Advisor, Trans Initiatives at the City and County of San Francisco Anjali Rimi Parivar SF Bay Area Jack Beck Turnout Akira Jackson Director, TAJA's Coalition Nicole Santamaria Executive Director, EL/LA Para Translatina Michelle Meow Producer and Host, "The Michelle Meow Show" on KBCW/KPIX TV and Progressive Voices Radio; Member, Commonwealth Club Board of Governors—Host In response to the Coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak, this program took place and was recorded live via video conference, for an online audience only, and was live-streamed from The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on May 28th, 2020. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Celebrating API month and recognizing successful Lao-American women. NOTES This program was part of the Club's presentation of "The Michelle Meow Show" at The Commonwealth Club. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for the second in our new series of Lavender Talks—produced in partnership with San Francisco Pride, which is celebrating 50 years in 2020. In this program, we'll explore the status of San Francisco's LGBTQ cultural districts. How and why did they come into being? How are they used today? What's next? Our panel will feature leaders from the LGBTQ Cultural District, the Transgender District, the Leather & LGBTQ Cultural District, and the mayor's manager of cultural districts. NOTES In association with San Francisco Pride Made possible by the generous support of 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 This is a free program; please consider making a donation to support our online program production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Empowering girls and women around the world is increasingly seen as an essential aspect of social justice and development. To help to break the cycle of poverty, education in many forms is a critical feature of programs that transform the lives of girls and women. Confidence and believing in oneself can help young girls and women realize their dreams and build sustainable economic growth. Building on the success and increasing the skills of students can enable young women to become successes in the future and make the world a better place. Our panelists represent significant organizations that will impact the lives of individual women and change the world. MLF ORGANIZER Frank Price NOTES MLF: International Relations This is an online-only event; register to receive a link to the live stream This program is free; please consider making a donation during registration to support production of our online programs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our distinguished panel—led by Michael Pappas and which includes Mahjabeen Dhala, a religious motivational speaker, who is pursuing a doctorate at the Graduate Theological Union; the Rt. Reverend William Swing, president and founding trustee of the United Religions Initiative (URI), and Sam Berrin Shonkoff, Ph.D. assistant professor of Jewish studies at GTU—will discuss the connections among the the Abrahamic faiths, the unfortunate general lack of knowledge of the others' histories, cultures, and beliefs, and how increased understanding, tolerance, acceptance, respect, etc. among all faiths could help bring about a more peaceful world. They will also share expressions of faith and how Interfaith communities interact in the midst of the horrendous COVID-19 crises. MLF ORGANIZER Celia Menczel NOTES MLF: Middle East Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are experiencing a moment of profound global transformation, a moment that is causing many of us to deeply examine core aspects of our lives that we once took for granted. What is it like to initiate personal transformation in midlife, whether by choice or through crisis? Three women will share their stories of how they are making midlife one of the most profound and powerful times in their lives. Join us for an intimate conversation and discussion. And learn how to find your purpose and passion in the midst of all the external noise; how to overcome the roadblocks to personal change; and discover the gems of wisdom that can help carry you through it. Barbara Mark, Ph.D., has a deeply held passion for working with women in midlife and has enjoyed a decades-long career as an elite leadership, career and life strategies coach and advisor. She has been brought into the confidence of hundreds of professional women seeking to maintain inner balance while facing diverse external demands, personal ambition, and the desire to feel satisfied and fulfilled personally and professionally. As a recognized expert on the stages of adult development and how these stages impact career development and leadership in women, Dr. Mark is a sought-after coach by women who are looking to make appropriate and actionable personal and professional decisions at critical stages of their lives and careers. She is a recipient of the 2010 History Maker–Most Powerful Women of the Bay Award, the 2011 NAWBO-SFBA Business Woman of the Year Award, and the 2019 Bay Area Powerful Women Award, and is a frequent keynote speaker. Stephanie O'Dell is a personal stylist with 10 years of experience at Athleta, Stitch Fix and her own styling business helping dress more than 6,000 women. In 2016, she launched "Celebrate the Gray" blog to interview 100 women aged 50 and over with the goal of determining the need for an age-specific fashion line. "Celebrate the Gray" has grown into a full service agency for and about the 50+ woman. O'Dell now represents more than 30 gray-haired models and consults with companies to use real faces and genuine stories to help market and promote positive aging for the 50+ woman. She is involved locally and nationally promoting and speaking about positive aging for women. O'Dell was recently featured in the Marin Independent Journal and AARP Disrupt Aging movement. Julia Lucia Raina, CPCC, is a transformational coach who guides women and men in midlife to reconnect with their passion, power and purpose, and helps teams and organizations experience greater meaning, increased connection and more effective communication in their work environments. Her coaching style combines formal methodology and brain science with intuition and body awareness, and is infused with creativity and playfulness, elements from her education (B.A. in architecture from U.C. Berkeley) and early professional background in design. Raina is also honored to be an executive coach for Women Leaders for the World, a program of How Women Lead that provides training and support to help women develop the skills and confidence to solve some of the world’s most intractable problems. She works with clients in the San Francisco Bay Area, nationally and abroad. MLF ORGANIZER Denise Michaud NOTES MLF: Grownups Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Renowned writer Minna Salami’s work is dedicated to the many complex facets of feminism. She founded the award-winning blog MsAfropolitan to connect the dots between intersectional feminism, African diaspora and contemporary culture. She explores these themes and more in her new book Sensuous Knowledge, a collection of essays that also challenges us to rethink our history with power, beauty and knowledge. Join Salami at INFORUM for a youth-centered conversation on what it means to be a feminist, how youth can navigate gender politics, and how young women can build an empowered future for themselves. This conversation will be moderated by Lena Jennings, Equity Strategist at Google and Cinnamongirl, Inc. mentor. This conversation is a part of the Commonwealth Club’s new focus on civics education and is in partnership with Cinnamongirl Inc., an organization aimed at providing access, experiences and a global mindset, empowering girls to be the visionaries our world needs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Against the backdrop of Senator Kamala Harris’ historic run for president of the United States, The New York Times asked the question “What does this country demand of Black women in politics?” In this discussion, we will dive into the subject with a powerhouse panel of Black women officials and strategists. The conversation will explore the expectations and demands of Black women who take the step into public service. What makes the journey so unique? What makes it challenging and what it will take to clear the final hurdle into the White House? Join San Francisco Mayor London Breed, Emerge California Executive Director Kimberly Ellis, U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, and Akonadi Foundation President Lateefah Simon, in conversation with SF Pride President Carolyn Wysinger. NOTES Co-hosted by INFORUM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ambassador Richard Haass is a veteran diplomat and a prominent voice on American foreign policy. He is now in his 17th year as president of the Council on Foreign Relations, an independent, nonpartisan membership organization dedicated to helping people better understand foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries. Ambassador Haass previously served as Principal Advisor to Secretary of State Colin Powell as well as U.S. Coordinator for policy toward the future of Afghanistan and and as U.S envoy to the Northern Ireland peace process. He was also special assistant to President George H.W. Bush and senior director for Near East and South Asian affairs at the National Security Council. In his 14th and newest book, Ambassador Haass seeks to help us all navigate a time in which many of our biggest challenges, including pandemics and terrorism, come from beyond our border. Join an important conversation about what Ambassador Haass calls the new normal of the 21st century and the global literacy we all need to make the most informed choices. NOTES To purchase a copy of Ambassador Haass' book, please visit BarnesAndNoble.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The coronavirus pandemic has forced communities to face issues of ethics and human value in the health-care system. The higher rates of hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 complications in communities of color draw focus once again on institutional inequities in access to health care and on hard questions confronting just paths forward. The Northern California Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Foundation’s (NorcalMLK) new Center for Social Impact, Development, and Global Engagement (SIDGE Center) focuses on linking ethics and value as data points to information architectures in health care and IT structures in order to improve equity. Leading ethicists and scholars Dwight Hopkins and Deborah Alvarez-Rodriguez will be in conversation with Norcal MLK’s Aaron Grizzell, as they explore thoughts on ethics and value that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused us all to confront. MLF ORGANIZER Robert Lee Kilpatrick NOTES MLF: Health & Medicine This program is generously supported by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and a collaborative of local funders and donors. 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

How do tech titans at the top stay on top? According to technology reporter Alex Kantrowitz, it’s by acting like they’re at the bottom. At Amazon, "Day One" is code for inventing like a startup, with little regard for legacy. Day Two is, in Jeff Bezos's words, "stasis, followed by irrelevance . . . then death." Kantrowitz says most companies today are set up for Day Two. They build advantages and defend them fiercely, rather than invent the future. But as he chronicles in his new book, Always Day One: How the Tech Titans Plan to Stay on Top Forever, the tech titans of today remain successful because they are always operating in Day One. Companies like Amazon, Facebook, Apple and Microsoft have endured because they prioritize reinvention over tradition and collaboration over ownership. While these values may seem radical to some, they have proven to be immeasurably successful for major tech giants. But what about those actually at the bottom looking to make a name for themselves? Kantrowitz believes that everyone has to start somewhere, and that with the right strategy, hopeful startups can take on the major players and compete at their level. Join us for a conversation with Alex Kantrowitz as he outlines the blueprint for sustainable success in a business world where no advantage is safe. NOTES Please visit Barnes & Noble to purchase his book. This program is generously supported by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and a collaborative of local funders and donors. 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

Just as Jacqueline Novogratz’s groundbreaking new book Manifesto for a Moral Revolution: Practices to Build a Better World makes its way to readers, an international pandemic has thrown into sharp relief the gaping wounds of our era, from a broken health system to climate change and skyrocketing inequality and growing divisiveness. Our inadequate systems and institutions are slumping beneath a host of modern crises. Most urgently, moral leaders are proving a scarce commodity. In America and across the world, an anxious public is hungry for clear, conscientious guidance. The stakes are higher than ever. Please join Jacqueline Novogratz in conversation with Keith Yamashita about how we might use this moment of extreme uncertainty to reimagine our institutions and enact a moral revolution—a revolution of character, moral imagination, moral courage, and leadership that acts for the benefit of all of us. MLF ORGANIZER Elizabeth Carney NOTES MLF: Business & Leadership Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Despite all the media attention given to black holes, dark matter and dark energy, astronomy is actually all about the light—the decillions of photons careening around the universe. Join us virtually for a conversation with Alex Filippenko, a Berkeley astrophysicist who works on deciphering, from all that photonic information live-streaming to Earth, what is really going on out there. Filippenko will also share some of the spectacular images from deep space that our technology has been able to construct from the clues left behind by billions of those wandering photons. MLF ORGANIZER George Hammond NOTES MLF: Humanities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"I became very good at what I do. When other coaches on the staff would go home at night to their wife and kids, I would stay at the office. I would keep working, keep learning. This helped my career, but I didn't realize the negative effects it would have on my mental health." That's how Matt Lynch described his life hiding his sexuality during his time coaching at UNC-Wilmington. Currently out of work due to the COVID-related layoffs of the coaching staff, Lynch will join us for an online program to discuss his decision to come out publicly as a gay man in an article he wrote for Outsports.com this winter. How did his family respond? How did his players react? How did his school treat him? And what's next for this young coach? Join us for a conversation about being gay in big-time college sports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect health and industry, the food that we eat every day has formed a complicated relationship to the crisis. Has social distancing forced us to think more consciously about what and how we cook? Or has panic and misinformation surrounding food safety spread to the masses? The Food Lab’s J. Kenji López-Alt joins INFORUM to explore all of the complex facets of this conversation—and, of course, he will do it using science. We will cover topics such as safe grocery store practices, food serving and preparation, false information regarding transmission via food (especially when ordering takeout) and much more. Tune in live as we explore all things food while in quarantine from one of the industry’s most trusted experts. This program is generously supported by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and a collaborative of local funders and donors. 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

Governor Jerry Brown is no ordinary politician. Like California, he is eclectic, brilliant, unpredictable, and sometimes weird. Join us virtually as Newton explains how Jerry Brown extended, but still radically altered, the legacy of his father, Governor Pat Brown. In his 16 years as governor (from 1975 to 1983 and from 2011 to 2019), Jerry Brown's blend of compassion, far-sightedness, and pragmatism helped restore the California economy, balance the state budget, combat climate change, and defend immigrants' rights. Newton reveals the blueprint of Jerry Brown's offbeat risk taking: equal parts fiscal conservatism and social progressivism. Newton also reveals other sides of Jerry Brown, whose defeat on the national stage did nothing to diminish the scale of his political, intellectual and spiritual ambitions, and whose legacy demonstrates how politics may once again be effective in the future. MLF Organizer: George Hammond MLF: Humanities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us virtually for a conversation with David Bodanis, Zooming in from London, to discuss his ideas about how the COVID-19 pandemic will influence the future of the world economy, how Einstein grappled with having made a major mistake in trying to solve a physics problem, how Madame du Chatelet, the French aristocrat and married translator of Newton’s works, partnered on her intellectual pursuits with her lover Voltaire, how electricity was changed from a mere curiosity to a transformational force for civilization, and how he got interested in his latest book project, The Art of Fairness: The Power of Decency in a World Gone Mean, which is due out in November. Hear a master storyteller describe the power of ideas that transform civilizations. NOTES MLF: Humanities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone wants the economy to reopen as quickly as possible, but how can we do it while minimizing the risk to our health? The government and independent experts have developed detailed proposals. Many states and localities have eased restrictions without meeting the criteria in these plans. Some see the issue as a tug-of-war between the economy and public health, while others argue that we can’t have one without the other. Two influential health-care leaders from different sides of the political spectrum who have contributed to high-profile re-opening plans will debate how fast we should reopen, what risks are acceptable and how we can minimize them. NOTES In association with The Zetema Project This program is generously supported by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and a collaborative of local funders and donors. 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

In Fast Carbs, Slow Carbs, David Kessler explains how eating refined grains such as wheat, corn and rice leads to a cascade of hormonal and metabolic issues that make it very easy to gain weight and nearly impossible to lose it. Worse still is how excess weight creates a very real link to diabetes, heart disease, cognitive decline and a host of cancers. We can no longer afford to dismiss the consequences of eating food that is designed to be rapidly absorbed as sugar in our bodies. Informed by cutting-edge research as well as Kessler’s own personal quest to manage his weight, Fast Carbs, Slow Carbs reveals in illuminating detail how we got to this critical turning point in our health as a nation—and outlines a plan for eliminating heart disease, allowing us to finally regain control of our health. Dr. Kessler recently joined Joe Biden’s Public Health Advisory Committee and will also discuss how our collective behavior with be the primary determinant in dealing with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. David Kessler served as commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton. He is the author of A Question of Intent and The End of Overeating, a New York Times best seller. He is a pediatrician and has been the dean of the medical schools at Yale and the UC San Francisco. Kessler is a graduate of Amherst College, the University of Chicago Law School and Harvard Medical School. MLF ORGANIZER Patty James NOTES MLF: Health & Medicine Visit BarnesandNoble.com to purchase Dr. Kessler's book. This program was rescheduled from April 28. This program is generously supported by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and a collaborative of local funders and donors. 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

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, care workers, particularly those who work in homes and long-term care residential facilities, have faced some of the biggest challenges among frontline workers during the 2-month crisis. One the one hand, many of the care workers who work in homes have lost their jobs or had their hours massively reduced. On the other hand, workers who have maintained their jobs often have had to jeopardize their own health and the health of their own families by going to work. Meanwhile, many of these jobs don’t have traditional job benefits in the best of times, let alone during one of the most significant public health and economic crises that U.S. workers have had to face in decades. How are care workers facing these challenges during the current pandemic? How can these workers be protected in future disasters? Please join us as we explore these important questions and issues with key leaders in the field. NOTES This program is generously supported by the Blue Shield of California Foundation and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, as well as a collaborative of local funders and donors. 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

Join a panel of passionate former Pride board members who will share their experiences volunteering for the organization as it celebrates its 50 year anniversary this year. Jacquelene Bishop owns and operates her own CPA firm in the East Bay, serving small businesses and their owners. She sat on the Pride board from 2016–2019, serving as the treasurer the first two years and as president the third. Ken Jones joined the Parade in 1980; and served as its first co-chair of outreach, charged with bringing more “traditionally under/non/mis-represented segments of the lesbian and gay communities” into the movement. Early efforts including giving people of color an opportunity to gather and march together as their own contingent and utilizing the Hot Colors Event at the End-up to bring people of color together the night before Pride. He continued with the organization for more than a decade, serving as co-chair and president. Jones presently hosts small groups in an historical walk through the Castro during the 80s and 90s. Michelle Meow is the former president of SF Pride. She is the producer and host of "The Michelle Meow Show," which airs on KBCW TV and KPIX TV, and online on the Progressive Voices Radio Network. The is a member of The Commonwealth Club's Board of Governors, and she produces about 50 programs a year at the Club, featuring LGBTQI thought leaders. Teddy Witherington currently serves as the deputy director at the Impact Fund. The Impact Fund is dedicated to impact litigation for social justice. Prior to that he served CMO at Out & Equal Workplace Advocates. He was the executive director of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus (2007–2012), executive director of San Francisco LGBT Pride (1997–2006), and as the festival producer of the London LGBT Pride Festival (1992-1997). ** This Podcast Contains Explicit Language ** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The San Francisco Chronicle entered a new era of restaurant criticism in 2019 when longtime critic Michael Bauer retired and was succeeded by Soleil Ho. Quick to set herself apart from her predecessor, Ho freely mixes thoughts on racism, cultural appropriation and other hot-button topics into her reviews. Her "Racist Sandwich" podcast was nominated for multiple awards, and in 2018 she received the Southern Foodways Alliance Smith Symposium Fellowship and a UC Berkeley-11th Hour Food and Farming Journalism Fellowship. Join us for a conversation with a young—and controversial—voice in the Bay Area's boisterous food culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A "blinding flash of the obvious" will be striking The Commonwealth Club. And why do we need it now, so badly? Because, the “new normal” has imprinted itself, on the world, and most people do not know how to adapt successfully. Steven Campbell says that success comes from how we think! He will present an eye-opening look at the latest research on how our brains conform to the messages we give them. When we optimize those messages, he says, our brains will literally rewire themselves, again, to create new, positive ways, of dealing with the challenges we are facing. It's not magic . . . it's science! His key take-aways: First, a practical knowledge of cutting-edge brain research on meeting the challenges of the "new normal," and, second, an understanding of the relationship between your brain and your emotions and how to train them both to your advantage. Campbell acquired his Masters degree—when he was 55—to pursue his greatest love, teaching. He then became a professor, author, and professional speaker. He holds workshops around the world on cognitive psychology. He also hosts a two-hour weekly radio program on Wednesday mornings—named after his successful book Making Your Mind Magnificent—on KOWS 92.5 FM. MLF Organizer: Denise Michaud MLF: Grownups Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since the early days of the United States, the country’s leaders have understood that the success of our democratic republic depends on a knowledgeable electorate of citizens who are informed about contemporary issues and who understand how government works. The current pandemic comes at a time when that standard is being threatened by deep partisan divisions, disagreements about the role of federal and state government in citizens’ daily lives, and distrust of political leadership. In the past, when the country faced a crisis of such broad magnitude—the Great Depression, World War II—political leaders were able to use the moment to unify the nation and renew faith in America’s civic structures. Despite our current divisions—already on display as the country debates reopening—can the pandemic and the response to it point to new ways of bringing people together to work for a common good? If so, how can we realize this promise, now and in the future? In particular, what role can a comprehensive civics education, balancing civic knowledge and civic engagement, play in engaging K-12 students from all backgrounds in a renewed commitment to American civic life and its democratic principles? Four national leaders from across the United States will discuss the possibility of using this unique moment in American history to forge a new future for the nation and help young people acquire and learn to use the skills, knowledge and attitudes that will prepare them to be competent and responsible citizens throughout their lives. This unique program will help launch the Commonwealth Club’s new focus on civics education. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices