Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

What's in our food and how it's grown has a profound impact on the health of our communities. Schools and hospitals are an increasingly critical intervention point for food access and long-term food systems shifts. Food and health issues are set against a seemingly paradoxical backdrop: One in eight Californians face hunger because of distribution and incentive problems. At the same time, one in four Californians suffer from diet-related diseases, directly related to social inequality, poverty and food availability. Learn more from California leaders who are improving lives and working to ensure the success of ecological farming through the food reaches the forks of families. This event is the latest in our member-led forums’ Art and Science of Well-Being series. MLF Organizer: Cathy Curtis MLF: Food Matters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every breath you take has the power to heal, but learning how to breathe takes practice. In her book Breathwork, established yoga and breathwork teacher Valerie Moselle leads you through a practical program to boost your energy and physical health. This event is the latest in our member-led forums’ Art and Science of Well-Being series. MLF: Health & Medicine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One young scholar noted his peers weren't represented in his university, and he set out to do something about it. As a queer Latinx person from Kerman, CA, Michael Pina understands the homophobic and racial bias that students can face when applying to different universities and scholarships. So he created Central Valley Scholars as a way to help minority students from his own communities with their college, student aid and Dream Act applications. Keeping everyone in mind, Michael has created a safe space for the undocumented community, the disabled community, the queer community, people of color, and more. As part of his work in Central Valley Scholars, Michael has created the first-ever LGBTQ+ scholarship in the Central Valley. Join us as Michelle Meow brings her long-running daily radio show to The Commonwealth Club one day each week. Meet fascinating—and often controversial—people discussing important issues of interest to the LGBTQ community, and have your questions ready. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe Talbot is a fifth-generation San Franciscan who began developing The Last Black Man in San Francisco with his childhood friend and star Jimmie Fails after leaving high school early to pursue film. Talbot, a Sundance Institute fellow, wrote and directed the acclaimed short American Paradise, which was shown at Sundance and SXSW. His feature-length debut was The Last Black Man in San Francisco, a movie that captures the past and present of this fast-changing city through the tale of Jimmie and his best friend Mont, who set out to reclaim the house Jimmie grew up in. And just added to our program: Star Jimmie Fails. Fails most recently starred in A24's The Last Black Man in San Francisco, which made its debut at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. Joe Talbot, Fails' best friend and longtime collaborator, directed the film with Plan B producing. It is a fable-like story based on Fails' life and the gentrification of San Francisco. It is his feature-length acting debut. **This program contains some explicit language ** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Carbon offsets have been called everything from a band-aid solution to “the best thing a consumer can do right now.” A new service even offers customers a monthly subscription to offset their carbon footprint. Meanwhile, offset providers are scrutinized for transparency, and purchasers are criticized for using them as a get-out-of-jail-free card. In the race to bring carbon emissions to zero, are offsets a legitimate tool, or a delusion that allows heavy emitters a way out of taking real action? What impact does purchasing offsets have on poorer communities? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Senator Jeff Merkley made headlines earlier this year when live video footage of his attempt to enter and inspect a detention center for child immigrants near the border of Texas and Mexico garnered over 1.1 million views in less than a day. An outspoken critic of the controversial treatment of migrant families across the southern border, Merkley is spearheading legislative efforts to establish nonnegotiable standards for the treatment of detained children and their families. In his new book, America Is Better Than This: Trump’s War Against Migrant Families, Merkley shares the story of how he, a senator with no background as an immigration activist, became a leading advocate for reform of the policies that have generated a humanitarian crisis along the border. His book embodies Merkley’s heartfelt and candid voice, and it includes his call for the American people to take a stand against what he considers calculated mistreatment of migrant families. Join us in welcoming Senator Jeff Merkley to The Commonwealth Club for an insightful conversation about the importance of approaching politics with compassion and reasonability. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This event is the latest in our member-led forums’ Art and Science of Well-Being series. Ben Hwang from Profusa will discuss the future of continuous, remote monitoring data using implantable biosensor technology and how it is poised to transform wellness, medical intervention, health care delivery and patient outcomes. Mary Lou Jepsen from Openwater has created a device that can enable us to see inside our brains or bodies in great detail. With this comes the promise of new abilities to diagnose and treat disease and well beyond—communicating with thought alone. MLF ORGANIZER NAME Patty James NOTES MLF: Health & Medicine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe Koret was an immigrant, businessman and philanthropist. He is credited with helping make San Francisco a center for the design and manufacture of popular style and fashion. Join us for a conversation about an innovative businessman and civic leader whose legacy is still very visible in the Bay Area. This was an audio-only program recorded at The Commonwealth Club. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The presentation will address the why, what and how of place-based work. Why addresses how when it comes to your health your zip code is more important than your genetic code. It explores the strength of the relationship between life expectancy and neighborhood. The what focuses on how place gets under the skin and changes our physiology. The presentation also examines the components of the environment that shape health opportunity. Finally, the how discusses the Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiative framework and how that translates into the investment strategies and policy and systems change approach to place-based work. Examples from the California Endowment's Building Healthy Communities will illustrate the approach and a review of the 10 year, $1 billion, multisite, multidisciplinary, place-conscious initiative, and its achievements will be presented. This event is the latest in our member-led forums’ Art and Science of Well-Being series. MLF ORGANIZER NAME Patty James NOTES MLF: Health & Medicine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than 50 years after the establishment of the Public Broadcasting Act, which set the foundation for PBS and NPR, the media landscape has changed in ways that advocates for these services never could have imagined. Yet their vision for a noncommercial broadcasting system that takes risks and addresses the needs of the public has endured. Paula Kerger, PBS CEO and president, joins Michael Isip, KQED president and CEO, and John Boland, KQED president emeritus, to discuss the future of public media amidst great technological, political and environmental upheaval. With much of the traditional local news space shrinking and with trust in news at an all-time low, how are PBS and public media affiliates such as KQED adapting to serve communities? How can stations and audiences respond to attacks on the free press? And how are these organizations changing with their audiences and the ways they consume media? Speaker details: Having joined PBS in March 2006, Kerger is the longest-serving president and CEO in PBS history. Among her accomplishments are the pop culture phenomenon “Downton Abbey” on "Masterpiece"; Ken Burns and Lynn Novick’s critically acclaimed The Vietnam War; the documentary Hamilton’s America, about the Broadway smash hit musical, on "Great Performances"; “Freedom Riders” on "American Experience"; and award-winning children’s programs such as “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.” Kerger is regularly included in the Hollywood Reporter’s “Women in Entertainment Power 100,” an annual survey of the nation’s top women executives in media, as well as Washingtonian magazine’s Most Powerful Women in Washington. Isip became KQED’s seventh president on April 10. Isip has almost a quarter century of media experience and has played a critical role in KQED’s growth and transformation into a 21st century multimedia organization. He joined KQED in 2001 as an executive producer in television and has since served in a number of senior level roles, including senior vice president and chief content officer as well as executive vice president and chief operating officer. Isip’s most impactful contributions to KQED was reorganizing the content division away from distribution platforms (TV, radio, online) to a structure of multimedia teams in news, arts, science and education. This restructure facilitated greater collaboration across KQED and increased digital content and services. Boland is president emeritus at KQED. He served as the organization’s president and chief executive officer from March 2010 through March 2019. Before returning to KQED, he served for four years as the first chief content officer of the national PBS. Prior to his tenure at PBS, Boland served in several executive positions at KQED for more than a decade, including executive vice president and chief operating officer; and vice president of marketing, development and communications. He also created the role of chief content officer at KQED in 2002—the first such position in public media. At KQED, he led a strategic transformation from a traditional public broadcasting service to a twenty-first century public media organization that combines mobile, social and online media with robust digital radio and television broadcasting. He has been a newspaper publisher and owner, a senior executive with two major international marketing and communications firms, and publisher of San Francisco Focus (now San Francisco magazine). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Widely recognized as a pragmatic and independent thinker, Democratic presidential candidate and Colorado Senator Michael Bennet is on the forefront of taking on Washington, D.C.’s dysfunction and building more opportunities for the next generation. In the Senate, Bennet has spearheaded legislative efforts to make education, health care, childcare and housing more affordable and accessible for working families. Running for the presidential nomination to restore integrity to our government, Bennet has been twice singled out by former President Barack Obama as someone to watch following the 2016 election. Compelled to reveal the inner workings of Congress in our polarized era, Bennet shares his perspective in his book The Land of Flickering Lights: Restoring America in an Age of Broken Politics. Despite his exposure to the complex issues and extreme polarization rampant in today’s politics, Bennet remains strong in his conviction that patriotism, hard work and belief in the common good can revive a prosperous and powerful democracy for the generation of tomorrow. Join us for an engaging conversation with presidential candidate Michael Bennet as he guides us through his vision to restore ethics in American politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our distinguished panel will discuss the contributions and innovations Israel has made worldwide in solving health, environmental and economic problems. Israel has a history of coming to the rescue of other nations after disasters and emergencies. For example, Israel advised California and other areas with water problems. And it was the second country to arrive with medical help after the Haiti disaster. Come learn more about Israel’s contribution to our well-being. This event is the latest in our member-led forums’ Art and Science of Well-Being series. MLF Organizer: Celia Menczel MLF: Middle East Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anna Gatmon will share how to experience fulfillment and abundant wellness by stopping the seemingly endless struggle between your spiritual aspirations and daily material consumption. By expanding your awareness to recognize the spiritual essence inherent in the material world around you and by engaging with the material expressions of your spiritual aspirations, you can grow into an expanded, more whole version of yourself and experience profound well-being. This event is the latest in our member-led forums’ Art and Science of Well-Being series. MLF Organizer: Denise Michaud MLF: Grownups Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom Steyer doesn’t just want to impeach President Trump, he wants to replace him. Steyer insists that America’s democracy, health-care and climate shortcomings all stem from a warped distribution of money and power. Supporters point to Steyer’s promising rise in early primary state polling, but a crowded Democratic primary has left some Americans asking: Is this the moment for another wealthy, white, male president? With two weeks to go before the Democratic National Committee’s vote in San Francisco on a climate-focused presidential debate, join us with candidate Tom Steyer for a candid discussion of his chances in the race for the presidency—and our chances in the race against climate disruption. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're talking about LGBTQ representation in business this week, with our special guest Gina Grahame. Join us as Michelle Meow brings her long-running daily radio show to The Commonwealth Club one day each week. Meet fascinating—and often controversial—people discussing important issues of interest to the LGBTQ community, and have your questions ready. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matthew Shilvock, general director of the San Francisco Opera, has announced that San Francisco Opera, which has the largest performing arts organization staff in the Bay Area, has created a department of equity, diversity and inclusion to meet an institutional commitment both within the organization and externally. The department will implement strategies to build organizational capacity, structures and policies to help ensure San Francisco Opera is a welcoming, inclusive place to work and experience opera. The San Francisco Opera will continue its Arts Resources in Action (ARIA) residency program, which connects K–8 students and teachers to the process of opera creation across multiple visits, as well as the ARIA dress rehearsal and professional development programs. It will also continue select Community. Understanding. Engagement. (CUE) programs, the company’s suite of programs for the broader community of adults, families and youth, building conversation and engagement around the stories being told on the War Memorial Opera House stage. Charles Chip Mc Neal will lead the new department. Mc Neal is currently senior curriculum and program manager in the San Francisco Opera education department. NOTES MLF: Arts In association with Theatre Bay Area Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The World Health Organization states that neurological disorders are one of the greatest threats to public health today. Seventy-six million aging baby boomers, or 29 percent of the population in the United States, are about to push Alzheimer's disease rates sky high. Acupuncture, a form of traditional Chinese medicine, has been proven safe and effective in treating a wide variety of common ailments and problems. Acupuncture can also help treat Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases. This talk will discuss electroacupuncture, where a small electric current is passed between pairs of acupuncture needles. Electroacupuncture targets specific receptors to stimulate neuropeptide release for cerebral rehabilitation and neural synaptic repair. John Nieters will explain how this type of acupuncture works in the treatment of these four top neurological diseases: Alzheimer’s disease/dementia, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Motor Neuron Disease, Parkinson’s and Multiple Sclerosis. Nieters will further explain how electroacupuncture correlates to traditional Chinese medicine. Join us for this opportunity to hear Nieters, an experienced American practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine. This event is the latest in our member-led forums’ Art and Science of Well-Being series. MLF ORGANIZER NAME Cynthia Miyashita and Lillian Nakagawa NOTES MLF: Asia-Pacific Affairs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nearly 25 percent of America’s electricity now comes from renewables, surpassing coal for the first time. Ten states, and Puerto Rico and Washington DC, have policies in place to run on 100 percent clean power in coming decades. But achieving that goal presents a host of challenges, from updating an aging electricity grid to financing energy innovation to figuring out how to transport and store the renewable power. America has always prided itself on “thinking big” – from the railroads to the moon landing. Do we have what it takes to pull off the transition from fossil fuels to renewables? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jennifer Kahn will update attendees on gene editing and gene drive technologies, which are quickly evolving. She will also discuss their implications for society, extending from their use in areas such as human fertility, agriculture and pharmaceuticals. Recent developments in China, where this technology was used on embryos, has raised concerns globally on the use of these technologies. Kahn is returning to the Club after her sold out program on this topic in November to update members on recent developments. Gerald Harris, chair of the Technology & Society member-led forum, will interview her; the discussion will be followed by a question and answer session. MLF Organizer Gerald Harris MLF: Technology & Society Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This program is generously supported by The James Irvine Foundation. The private, San Francisco-based foundation has $2.3 billion in assets and makes annual grantmaking of nearly $100 million. The Irvine Foundation’s singular goal is a California where all low-income workers have the power to advance economically. Key industries in California, from restaurant to technology to hospitality, touch our lives each day and are central to the state’s economy. Yet hundreds of thousands of workers fueling these industries face daily challenges in making ends meet. Whether working the night shift or behind the kitchen door, many have limited voice or influence on the economic conditions that affect their lives and families. A 2018 survey by the Public Religion Research Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research institute, found that nearly half of all California workers struggle with poverty, with more than one-third facing a host of difficult financial choices regularly, such as putting off seeing a doctor or purchasing medications, paying the rent or a mortgage, or paying a monthly bill. And one in 10 struggling workers report wages being withheld by an employer without cause. Join us for an opportunity to hear from three extraordinary leaders who will share their perspectives on the challenges facing working Californians today and their efforts to ensure every worker in California is afforded dignity, respect and the opportunity to advance economically. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This event is the first in The Commonwealth Club's Thought Leadership series on the future of health, featuring in-depth conversations on the challenges driving physical, mental and social health. Homelessness is one of the most critical health issues of our time. Even the best care isn’t enough to keep people healthy if they do not have a roof over their head. A safe, stable home is necessary to thrive. Yet much of America is grappling with some of the highest costs of housing and highest rates of homelessness of our time. What can we do to reverse the trend? What haven’t we thought of? Given the bright minds and wealth of the 21st century, we cannot accept that homelessness is unsolvable. Join a diverse panel of experts and advocates as they discuss this growing public health crisis. Together we will explore new ways to solve homelessness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

FDR's New Deal is widely recognized as a turning point in American history, but David Davenport and Gordon Lloyd go even further, calling it “America’s French Revolution.” Refashioning American government and public policy in ways that have grown to epic proportions today, Roosevelt’s decisions reset the balance of power away from Congress and the states toward a strong executive branch. They also shifted the federal government away from the founders’ vision of deliberation and moderation toward war and action. Having learned that a sense of crisis is helpful in moving forward a domestic agenda, post New Deal presidents have seized on the language of war to extend their power dramatically. They have declared war on everything from poverty and drugs to crime and terror. Exploring the consequences of these ill-defined (and never-ending) wars, Davenport calls for a reexamination of this destructive approach to governance and a return to more deliberative and moderate methods. MLF Organizer: George Hammond MLF: Humanities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs has received a lot of attention for his announcement of innovative approaches to dealing with the California city's problems—such as a universal basic income or the Stockton Scholars program. Has he delivered on his promises? Motecuzoma P. Sanchez (pictured) is an activist and journalist who says he works to hold accountable the leaders in Stockton, where he was born and raised. As the founder of the 209 Times media company, Sanchez has been a persistent critic of Mayor Tubbs. And Sanchez is not without critics of his own, who say he is obsessed with attacking Tubbs and other Stockton political leaders. Come hear a discussion about Sanchez's take on Tubbs's performance in office since he won a landslide victory over an incumbent mayor in 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In his new book The Dreamt Land: Chasing Water and Dust Across California, author Mark Arax reveals the tumultuous history behind the myth of abundance in the Golden State. LA Times reporter Diana Marcum and water expert Faith Kearns explore the complex intersections between drought, climate change, and life in rural California. Can a decades-old distribution system meet the water needs of the future? How will climate change affect the California Dream? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In August of 2017, white nationalists marched through the University of Virginia in Charlottesville to protest the removal of Confederate Army leader Robert E. Lee’s statue through a series of racist and anti-Semitic chants. The Unite the Right rally turned deadly when confronted by counter-protesters, in which a self-identified white supremacist drove his car into a crowd of people opposing the nationalists and killed a 32-year-old woman while leaving 19 others in critical care. Former Democratic Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe recounts his experience and perspectives during Charlottesville in his new book, Beyond Charlottesville: Taking a Stand Against White Nationalism. From declaring a state of emergency to condemning President Trump for claiming there were “very fine people on both sides” of the protest, McAuliffe takes a hard look at Virginia’s history of racism and the factors that led to the tragedy in Charlottesville. He lays out the work done afterwards to prevent future Unite the Right rallies and discusses what still needs to be done as America continues to grapple with its racialized history and its long struggle to fight racism, extremism and hate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Pfeiffer was one of President Obama’s longest-serving advisers and closest confidantes, working on his historic campaign and spending six years in the White House as communications director and senior adviser to the president. As a co-host of the wildly popular podcast “Pod Save America,” Pfeiffer is one of the most visible progressive voices today. In his best-selling book Yes We (Still) Can, Pfeiffer recounts how Obama navigated the political forces that created Trump and explains why everyone got 2016 wrong. With the start of another marathon election cycle, he’ll talk about what Democrats should and should not be focusing on in 2020. Join us for a fun conversation with a man who has spent the last decade on the frontlines of American politics. This program is part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation. ** This Podcast Contains Explicit Language ** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A prize-winning writer for the San Francisco Chronicle in the tumultuous 1970s, Duffy Jennings covered the Patty Hearst kidnapping, the Zodiac and Zebra serial murders, and the City Hall assassinations of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. Jennings also covered major fires, gangland crime, labor union strife, city government news and more. In Reporter’s Note Book, Jennings weaves the political, criminal, public and personal events of the 1970s into a masterful reflection on the heart of a turbulent Bay Area, all bolstered by his uncanny memory and tender wit. MLF Organizer: George Hammond MLF: Humanities ** This Podcast Contains Explicit Language ** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This event is the latest in our member-led forums’ Art and Science of Well-Being series. While the conditions in Central America produce caravans and others seeking safety, the rights of asylum seekers are continuously under attack. Come learn about the roots of the problem—why people are fleeing, the mental health consequences and the difficult yet lifesaving process of seeking asylum. This presentation will highlight the role the U.S. government has played over the past decades in creating the so-called border crisis and will debunk the Trump administration’s attacks on asylum law. Founded in 1982 in response to civil wars and genocide in Central America, East Bay Sanctuary Covenant has been a leader in the sanctuary movement, providing yearly legal protection, advocacy, support and family reunification to thousands of refugees and undocumented immigrants. MLF Organizer: Patrick O'Reilly MLF: Psychology Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This event is the latest in our member-led forums’ Art and Science of Well-Being series. Lee Holden is a renowned instructor in Qi Gong, meditation and Tai Chi. He Has worked to bring the ancient Taoist teachings to the West. Lee offers simple techniques to enhance well-being. MLF ORGANIZER NAME Robert Kilpatrick NOTES MLF: Health & Medicine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This event is the latest in our member-led forums’ Art and Science of Well-Being series. Louise Aronson has received numerous awards for her medical work, teaching, educational research and writing. In Elderhood: Redefining Aging, Transforming Medicine, Reimagining Life, Aronson urges a large-scale shift in society and medicine’s attitudes toward aging and offers a powerful roadmap for how we all approach old age. She shares anecdotes from her 25 years of caring for patients and her own experiences of getting older and watching her parents age. She also draws from history, science, literature and popular culture to offer hope about aging, medicine and humanity itself. MLF ORGANIZER NAME Denise Michaud NOTES MLF: Grownups Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s solutions for addressing climate change are doable, but daunting: decrease global meat consumption, improve family planning, shut down coal-fired power plants, or expand solar energy – where to start? How do we best allocate resources, prioritize policies, and design economic tradeoffs as we move forward? What are the most impactful steps we can take individually and collectively to reduce our impact on the planet? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When sex and technology cross paths, we see a combination of curiosity and censorship, sexism and empowerment, but most importantly, knowledge and pleasure. The intersection between sex and technology goes beyond sex toys—from smart vibrators to apps for your phone that allow you to track and learn from your own experiences—sex tech’s innovation plays a major factor in the future of women’s health and pleasure. Despite these groundbreaking improvements being made for user experience, however, the tech industry continues to reject sex tech and the women who are leading these advancements. In 2016, Myisha Battle launched Sex for Life, which boasts an array of sex coaching practices as well as the sex-positive podcast “Down for Whatever.” Liz Klinger is the CEO of Lioness, a company focusing on creating products to enable sexual self-discovery and well-being. Andrea Barrica is the founder and CEO of O.School, an online sex-ed platform that aims to revolutionize how we feel, talk and understand sex. Join these experts for a conversation about the many obstacles faced by leaders in the rapidly growing sex tech industry and their road to recognition. ** This Program Contains Explicit Language ** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From ancient conjurers to quick-handed con artists to Las Vegas illusionists, magicians throughout the ages have been expertly manipulating human attention and perception to dazzle and delight us. The phenomena of cognitive and sensory illusions are responsible for the “magic” of a magic trick, but how and why? Come meet neuroscientist Adam Gazzaley and magician Robert Strong as they team up to demonstrate how magicians use our brains as their accomplices in effecting the impossible—and explain what scientists can learn about the brain by studying the methods and techniques of magic. In association with Wonderfest Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

China’s rise as a technology innovator is challenging the world by working hard, innovating fast and going global. A new book by Rebecca A. Fannin, Tech Titans of China, delves into the Chinese technology sector and its influence and implications worldwide, in tech sectors and beyond. The book is the go-to guide for those seeking to understand China’s grand tech ambitions, who the players are and what their strategy is. Join us for a fireside chat with Fannin and Wei Jiang, venture capitalist, discussing the rise of China's tech giants, China's challenge to the United States for global technology leadership, and the impact of a U.S.–China tech and trade war on Silicon Valley. MLF Organizer: Lotus Fong MLF: Asia Pacific Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the night of the next Democratic presidential candidates debate, and we're all set to watch and comment on that and other political news. Doors will open at 5 p.m., and we will show the debate on the big screen in our auditorium. Then at 6:30, we'll switch over to our panelists, who will discuss the biggest, most controversial and sometimes the surprising political issues with expert commentary by panelists who are smart, are civil and have a good sense of humor. Our panelists will provide informative and engaging commentary on political and other major news, and we'll have audience discussion of the week’s events and our live news quiz! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do we cope with the inevitability of death? How can we make better decisions for ourselves and our families? B.J. Miller and journalist Shoshana Berger visit INFORUM to answer the questions about death we’re all afraid to ask with their new book: A Beginner’s Guide to the End: Practical Advice for Living Life and Facing Death. Berger and Miller offer step-by-step instructions on managing the end of life, including how to navigate a complex system of hidden costs and intense emotions without shame and guilt often associated with this period of life. Miller is an assistant clinical professor of medicine at UCSF, where he practices and teaches palliative medicine. Berger is a journalist and editorial director at IDEO. Together they join INFORUM for a lesson on dying—and how to live fully until you do. **This program contains EXPLICIT language** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Keynoush is the author of the book Saudi Arabia and Iran: Friends or Foes? and the editor of a forthcoming book Iran's Interregional Dynamics in the Near East. She was recently a visiting scholar at Princeton University and a visiting fellow at the King Faisal Center in Saudi Arabia. She has translated at diplomatic meetings, and for United Nations secretary generals, U.S. congressional leaders, Nobel laureates and four Iranian presidents. Dr. Keynoush will discuss Iran's regional ties, including with Saudi Arabia, the consequences of the U.S withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and Iran’s decision to increase its nuclear capabilities. MLF ORGANIZER NAME Celia Menczel NOTES MLF: Middle East Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This event is the latest in our member-led forums’ Art and Science of Well-Being series. Bees, butterflies, bats, birds and other insects are important actors in maintaining a healthy environment. The health of the environment directly influences human well-being. The quality of the food we eat, the air we breathe and the water we drink profoundly affect how we feel. Research shows that having access to natural places has a significantly positive impact on our mental, physical and spiritual health. But in many parts of the world, pollinators are under siege, from climate change, human disruption of habitat, urbanization and industrial agriculture. Pollinators are the "canary in the coal mine," indicating the rise of present and future threats including food security, biological diversity and environmental degradation. There is hope, and Laurie Davies Adams, the founder and executive director of the Pollinator Partnership (P2) based in San Francisco, will explain the nature of the challenges that pollinators face, share success stories and provide specific ways that individuals, families and communities can become involved in creating sustainable solutions that benefit pollinators and all people. P2’s mission is to promote the hearths of pollinators, critical to food and ecosystems, through conservation, education and research. MLF Organizer: Robert Kilpatrick MLF: Health & Medicine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No one wants to overeat. And certainly no one wants to overeat for years, become overweight, and end up with a high risk of diabetes or heart disease—yet two thirds of Americans do precisely that. Why does our behavior betray our best intentions to eat healthy foods in moderation? The reason is that our appetites and food choices are led astray by ancient, instinctive brain circuits that play by the rules of a survival game that no longer exists. These circuits don’t care about how you look in a bathing suit next summer. Join Stephan J. Guyenet for an exploration of some of these circuits and how they conspire with our modern food environment to expand our waistlines. MLF ORGANIZER NAME Patty James NOTES MLF: Health & Medicine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's special guest: Carole Migden. Carole Migden is a former California state senator (and former state assemblymember, and former San Francisco supervisor and much more) who has worked her entire career to assist underrepresented demographics. Join us as Michelle Meow brings her long-running daily radio show to The Commonwealth Club one day each week. Meet fascinating—and often controversial—people discussing important issues of interest to the LGBTQ community, and have your questions ready. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the past several years, there has been a noticeable uptick in anti-Semitic rhetoric and incidents from college campuses in the United States to terrorist attacks against Jews throughout Europe and, in 2018 and 2019, the tragic hate crimes at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh and Poway Synagogue outside San Diego. Marin County has also not been immune, with anti-Semitic symbols found in county schools this past school year. A hatred long thought to be laid to rest, anti-Semitism from both sides of the political spectrum has again become a visible part of American society. No one knows this issue better than Deborah Lipstadt, a professor of modern Jewish history and Holocaust studies at Emory University. Actress Rachel Weisz portrayed Lipstadt in Denial, a film based on her book History on Trial: My Day in Court with a Holocaust Denier. Lipstadt's new book, Antisemitism: Here and Now, has been hailed as one of the most important works on the issue. Where is this hatred coming from? Is there any significant difference between left-wing and right-wing anti-Semitism? What role has the anti-Zionist movement played? And what can be done to combat this latest manifestation of an ancient hatred? Please join us as Lipstadt makes a special visit to Marin County to discuss these questions and what can be done about the the rise of anti-Semitism locally and nationally. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the Green New Deal, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's vision challenges her own party to go further and faster on climate action than ever before. Her co-sponsor, Sen. Ed Markey, has spent 40 years in Congress and has similar experience pushing for bold climate action. Meanwhile, Rep. Matt Gaetz vigorously supports President Trump – except when it comes to climate and extreme weather, which have battered his Florida district. Gaetz’s Green Real Deal is a market-based alternative to the Green New Deal’s regulatory approach. So what is the deal with climate action in Congress? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Cornel West says his passion is to keep alive the legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.—a legacy of telling the truth and bearing witness to love and justice. In addition to his posts at Harvard and Princeton, West has taught at Union Theological Seminary, Yale and the University of Paris. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard in three years and obtained his master’s and doctorate in philosophy at Princeton. Sheryl Davis is the executive director of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission (HRC), a city agency mandated to address the causes of and problems resulting from prejudice, intolerance, bigotry and discrimination in San Francisco. Davis previously served as commissioner from 2011 to 2016, including a tenure as vice chair of the commission. Prior to her work with the HRC, she was the executive director of Collective Impact, a community-based organization in the Western Addition neighborhood of San Francisco. In a polarized country, with issues of voter disenfranchisement, police shootings of unarmed African-Americans and discussions of reparations at the forefront, our guests will explore the possibilities for improved life outcomes and opportunities for black people, particularly in cities such as San Francisco as the wealth gap continues to swell. In commemoration of the 55th anniversary of the HRC, created in response to anti-black racism in businesses, government services and community investments, join us for a conversation with one of the nation’s most prominent and provocative civil rights champions about America’s (and San Francisco’s) present and future racial equity. ** This Program May Contain Explicit Language ** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cyber warfare is at the intersection of innovation and danger. It can be comical, like the malware which blasted AC/DC’s song “Thunderstruck” at full blast in the middle of the night in Iranian nuclear facilities. It can also be catastrophic, like EternalBlue, the 2017 cyber battle that closed hospitals in Britain and froze shipping crates in Germany in midair. Richard Clarke, former U.S. national coordinator for security, infrastructure protection and counterterrorism, takes us behind the scenes with the scientists, executives and government officials who are on the forefront of cyber technologies. In the new book, The Fifth Domain: Defending Our Country, Our Companies, and Ourselves in the Age of Cyber Threats, Clarke explains that the threat of cyberattacks is manageable and provides concrete steps that can be taken toward cyber resilience, including building more resistant systems, raising the costs for cyber crime and avoiding the trap of overreacting to digital attacks. From the quantum-computing labs racing to develop cyber superweapons to the boardrooms of corporations that have been hacked to the corridors of U.S. intelligence agencies that work to defend against these attacks, Clarke effortlessly guides readers through the complexities of this fifth domain. Join us for a timely discussion with a former White House terrorism czar on this pressing issue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where is America headed? Veteran political analyst David Gergen offers his insights to the polarized state of politics and what we can expect as we head into our next presidential election. Gergen has the unique perspective of serving as a White House adviser to four U.S. presidents from both parties: Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. Join us for an engaging conversation on the future of America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do we go about feeding a planet that’s hotter, drier, and more crowded than ever? From a remote-controlled organic farm in Shanghai to famine-stricken parts of Ethiopia, innovators are seeking to reinvent the global food system to be more productive and nutritious. Does this mean the end of animal meat? Can a clean, climate-resilient food system be built to distribute calories in a way that is efficient and equitable? Join us for a conversation on how innovation and agriculture, technology, and traditional knowledge are coming together to sustain a planet of eight billion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Jason Flatt, assistant professor at the UCSF School of Nursing's Institute for Health & Aging, will discuss some of the new research findings he presented at the July 2019 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Los Angeles. Past research has shown an increased likelihood of preclinical Alzheimer’s disease for individuals with self-reported memory problems, including up to three times greater risk for future cognitive decline. Dr. Flatt will highlight his recent research on Alzheimer’s risk in the LGBTQ community and touch on the needs for education of health-care professionals and LGBTQ seniors as well as ensuring cognitive and health screenings for LGBTQ community members at risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Join us as Michelle Meow brings her long-running daily radio show to The Commonwealth Club one day each week. Meet fascinating—and often controversial—people discussing important issues of interest to the LGBTQ community, and have your questions ready. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What Do We Know About the Moon? July 20, 2019 is the 50th anniversary of humanity’s first steps on the surface of the moon. In that time, the Apollo missions, a fleet of robotic probes and observations from Earth have taught us a lot about Earth’s surprising satellite. In this nontechnical talk, Andrew Fraknoi, who is sometimes called the Bay Area’s public astronomer, will look at the past, present and future of the moon, including its violent origins, the mystery of the frozen water we have found at its poles and its long-term future as it moves farther and farther away from us. Illustrated with beautiful images taken from orbit and on the surface, his talk will make the moon come alive as an eerie world next door, as a changing object in our skies, and as a possible future destination for humanity and its ambitions. Come find out how the achievements of the Apollo program fit into the bigger picture of our involvement with our only natural satellite. Fraknoi recently retired as the chair of the astronomy department at Foothill College and now teaches noncredit astronomy courses for seniors at the Fromm Institute at the University of San Francisco and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at San Francisco State. He also served as the executive director of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific for 14 years and was named the California professor of the year in 2007. Fraknoi appears regularly on local and national radio, explaining astronomical developments in everyday language. The International Astronomical Union has named Asteroid 4859 after Fraknoi in honor of his contributions to the public understanding of science. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From millennial "womxn's" happiness to midlife career empowerment, ambitious working women climb succeed professionally not only by mastering their careers but also by simultaneously outsmarting gender bias, ageism and societal expectations that hold us back on the job and in life. Bring your lunch (if you like) and listen to experts discuss the surprising research and insights on how age and generation impact women. Come ready to engage in an intimate, very intergenerational discussion on how we—as ambitious "womxn"—can best build meaningful lives and satisfying careers from our 20s through our 80s and beyond. MLF ORGANIZER NAME Emily Howe NOTES Your Bosslady Forum: The Executive Womxn forum is a discussion series of millennial and Gen X ladybosses, coming together with senior and retired Bay Area businesswomen, to expand our minds, outsmart all workplace "isms," rise together and really (really!) thrive in work and life. MLF: Executive Womxn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Big data, artificial intelligence, cloud computing and the internet of things: we have all heard of these innovations individually and their potential impacts. But Tom Siebel is working on how these technologies can work in conjunction with each other to have an even greater impact. In his new book, Digital Transformation: Survive and Thrive in an Era of Mass Extinction, Siebel explains how the power of these innovations can be harnessed to radically change and improve our world on a massive scale. He looks at how large enterprises such as Royal Dutch Shell, Enel, 3M, and even the U.S. Department of Defense are leveraging these technologies to predict functionality problems, decrease fuel usage and find vulnerabilities in these systems. How accurately can these systems predict electrical grid failings? What is the most efficient way to minimize fuel usage? How susceptible are these systems to cyberattacks, and how can we improve their security? What is the role of private enterprise as well as government in these pressing issues? Join us for a conversation with the leader of this field to find the answer to these, and many more, important questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices