Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

When individuals want to take action on climate, it's often in the form of electrifying a home, voting, or maybe even traditional activism. Those are very important, but we often overlook how individual skills and talents can also make a difference.  This week we're highlighting creative forms of climate action. Pattie Gonia is a drag queen, environmentalist and advocate for inclusivity and diversity in the outdoors who struts their message through national parks, in Pride events, and through the halls of Congress. Mike Roberts and Will Hammond Jr. wrote a sultry R&B song that will change the way you think about heat pumps… and an equally stimulating song about the power of geothermal energy. Together, they remind us that we don't always have to take ourselves too seriously in order for our work to be meaningful and have impact. This episode originally aired on February 7, 2025. Guests: Pattie Gonia, Drag queen; Environmentalist Mike Roberts, Musician; Climate advocate Will Hammond Jr., Educator; Musician Pattie Gonia image credits Mitchell Overton and Maxwell Poth. On July 31, Climate One is hosting Premal Shah and Kinari Webb for a live episode recording! With years of experience navigating the global climate movement, the two are sure to offer unparalleled insights during their conversation with Co-Host Greg Dalton. Tickets for the show, which will be held at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, are available now through our website. Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you'll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today. Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“When I die, how will I be measured?” For Stanley McChrystal, the answer could be obvious. As a retired four-star general, McChrystal might be measured by his stars (four), commands held, wars fought, or awards and medals received (numerous). But when McChrystal looked back on his life and his current status, he focused on the importance of character, a topic he explores in his new book aptly titled On Character: Choices that Define a Life. Character is, he says, the key to living with purpose and integrity. He says character isn't something you are born with, nor do you automatically accrue it through education, position, or experience. Instead, he says it is the result of a succession of choices, sometimes mundane ones, sometimes hugely important ones, that together reveal our capacity for virtue. At a time when virtue and character are sometimes hard to identify in leaders, come hear McChrystal in his return to Commonwealth Club World Affairs for a rallying cry to become our best selves—as individual people and as Americans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for a conversation with author and new media artist Scott Snibbe. Snibbe will introduce us to the history of his pioneering use of new technology and his exploration of traditional art forms. His artwork has been featured in leading institutions, from MoMA, SFMOMA, and The Whitney Museum of American Art to London's Institute of Contemporary Art, Tokyo's Intercommunications Center, and beyond. Snibbe has collaborated with renowned artists and creators throughout his career, including multiplatinum recording artist Björk on the groundbreaking “app album” Biophilia, filmmaker James Cameron, musician Beck, and composer Philip Glass. He is the author of How to Train A Happy Mind, featuring a forward written by the Dalai Lama. In his latest work, Snibbe draws from centuries-old Tibetan thangka painting techniques he studied in Nepal, which inspired him to explore the intersections of digital media and ancient craftsmanship. At the confluence of technology, traditional painting, and interactive design, Snibbe creates participatory experiences that push the boundaries of contemporary art and invite audiences to engage with it in new and unexpected ways. A Technology & Society Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. OrganizerGerald Anthony Harris  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since she started Moms Demand Action in 2012 following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, Shannon Watts has drawn thousands of women from the sidelines and gotten them involved, helping them realize the power they had. Now she brings that approach to helping people more broadly stand up and achieve their potential. Whether it's launching your dream business, leaving a bad relationship, or standing up for yourself at the office, Watts has an approach to “identify, light, and feed the fire inside you.” She explores that in her new book Fired Up, and she returns to the Commonwealth Club World Affairs stage to share her inspiration with women everywhere. She says it will not only transform your life, but it can transform the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt LaBrot was the Tesla sales manager who got so fed up with how Elon Musk's public persona affected the brand that he published a website called “Tesla Employees Against Elon.” He was subsequently fired, allegedly for "using company resources to build a website that did not align with the company's perspective." For our pod audience, we're dropping this extended version of Greg Dalton's conversation with Matt LaBrot. A portion of this interview aired in our episode “Is The EV Transition Stuck in Neutral?” on June 27th. Guest: Matthew LaBrot, Former Tesla sales employee On July 31, Climate One is hosting Premal Shah and Kinari Webb for a live episode recording! With years of experience navigating the global climate movement, the two are sure to offer unparalleled insights during their conversation with Co-Host Greg Dalton. Tickets for the show, which will be held at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, are available now through our website. Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you'll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today. For show notes and related links, visit our website. Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The prevailing scientific view of the fundamental nature of homosexuality has undergone a significant evolution in the last several decades. Where once the scientific and medical establishment maintained an unqualified belief that homosexuality was a form of psychological deviance, today a solid majority of psychiatrists and psychologists themselves believe that biological factors (genes, brain, prenatal chemistry) also play an important role.  Dr. Dean Hamer's research for the first time examined at a molecular level how our sexual identities are rooted in our biology. He has gone on to study the role that biology plays in our faith. In his works and books, Dr. Hamer reveals that inclination toward religious faith is in part due to our genes and may even offer an evolutionary advantage by reducing stress, preventing disease, and extending life. We will discuss these and other works that bring in the role of culture, such as transgender identities in Polynesia. Dean Hamer is an American geneticist, author, and filmmaker and the among the first scientists to demonstrate a linkage between genes and sexual orientation. He is known for his research on the role of genetics in sexual orientation and for a series of popular books and films that have changed scientific and public understandings of human sexuality and gender. He was the chief of the Gene Structure and Regulation Section at the U.S. National Cancer Institute; upon retirement in 2011 he was designated scientist emeritus. Hamer has won numerous awards, including the Trinity College Thompson History Prize, Maryland Distinguished Young Scientist Award, Ariens Kappers Award for Neurobiology, New York Times book-of-the year author, and an Emmy Award. An Asia-Pacific Affairs Member-led Forum program. Forums and chapters at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. OrganizerKalidip Choudhury  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2024, BloombergNEF predicted electric vehicles would make up nearly half of U.S. new car sales by 2030. Now, they've revised their projection down to less than 30%, just one year later.  In a time when we need to be speeding up the energy transition, EV sales in the U.S. are stagnating. Sales of Teslas, once the king of electric vehicles, are collapsing. What's behind the slowing demand? And with China's growing electric car industry growing, how much should we worry?  Guests: Camila Domonoske, Correspondent, NPR Business Desk  Dan Bowerson, Vice President, Energy and Environment Policy, Alliance for Automotive Innovation Matthew LaBrot, Former Tesla sales employee Mike Murphy, CEO, EV Politics Project For show notes and related links, visit https://www.climateone.org/watch-and-listen/podcasts *** Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you'll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today. Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since Donald Trump returned to the Oval Office in late January, he has let loose with a flurry of executive orders, purges of government workers, takeovers of semi-independent organizations, and defunding of numerous organizations and causes. The administration has faced setbacks in courts, with judges challenging and contradicting its actions. But what happens if Trump openly defies a judge? What happens if he ignores a Supreme Court ruling? Join us for a timely conversation on Trump and the judiciary with Jeff Bleich, former U.S. ambassador and advisor to President Barack Obama and a visiting scholar at Stanford, and David Chiu, city attorney of San Francisco. Bleich argues that Trump could be following the path blazed by autocrats Vladimir Putin and Victor Orban by seeking to strip courts of powers and then purge the judiciary. The result, unprecedented in the United States, would be an executive branch untethered to the rule of law. For his part, San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu has made headlines for his legal challenges to some of President Trump's executive orders and other actions. Chiu's office has been involved with several successful lawsuits against the administration, including cases challenging the firing of tens of thousands of federal workers and cutting of funding for homelessness over DEI issues. How will judges respond? What can Congress do? What can you do? Find out when Jeff Bleich and David Chiu joins us for a very important program Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Democracy is more than a single moment at the ballot box—it's a continuous, dynamic process shaped by the collective actions of engaged individuals. "Reclaiming Civic Power" is a program designed to inspire and equip participants with the tools to stay civically active, especially in the critical periods between elections. This program emphasizes that while legislative agendas are one pathway to change, there are numerous other pathways—grassroots organizations, advocacy campaigns, cultural movements, and community-led initiatives—that hold immense power in shaping our political future. The program will delve into essential questions for anyone seeking to make a difference: What does meaningful engagement look like after an election? How do we continue working toward our goals, even when we disagree with those in power? Through thought-provoking conversations and practical strategies, audience members will gain insight into how young people are driving change through organizing, coalition building, and challenging the status quo. This is a call to action for individuals of all generations to reclaim their role in shaping democracy. Together, we will uncover strategies for sustaining motivation, reclaiming civic power, and shaping a political landscape that reflects our collective values. No matter your experiences, "Reclaiming Civic Power" will motivate and empower you to stay engaged in shaping a brighter, more inclusive future. We look forward to welcoming community members and students from around the Bay Area to participate in this riveting conversation and to join us for future programs. This event is part of the Creating Citizens Speaker Series at UC Berkeley, a partnership between Commonwealth Club World Affairs and the Associated Students of the University of California Vote Coalition; it is proudly co-sponsored by UC Berkeley's Institute of Governmental Studies, Institute of International Studies, and Mario Savio Social Justice Program. The Creating Citizens Speaker Series gives UC Berkeley students, faculty, and community members opportunities to listen to and ask questions of leading minds in politics, media, and education as they learn how to become better, more involved citizens. We look forward to welcoming community members and students from around the Bay Area to participate in this riveting conversation and to join us for future programs in the series. This program is part of The Commonwealth Club's civics education initiative, Creating Citizens. Produced in partnership with UC Berkeley Mario Savio Social Justice Program, UC Berkeley Institute of International Studies, UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, and UC Berkeley Vote Coalition. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Summer is here, temperatures are rising — and so are electric bills. That also means many people are facing a severely overlooked issue: power shutoffs. In 2024, over 600,000 households in the United States had their power shut off due to an inability to pay. When that happens, people cannot turn on their lights, keep food refrigerated, or cool down the home. And regulations preventing shutoffs during extreme heat events are woefully inadequate.  But when utilities help pay the upfront costs of efficiency upgrades, the customers and utilities can both save energy — and money. How do we protect the most vulnerable populations from the dangers of home power shutoffs? Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you'll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today. For show notes and related links, visit our website. Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now in its 31st year, the AfroSolo Arts Festival is thrilled to return to Commonwealth Club World Affairs with "We Come This Far by Music—Let Freedom Ring! Part 2," featuring African American artists and music. The AfroSolo Arts Festival, directed by Thomas R. Simpson, is showcasing a cast of classically trained artists. This program is led by Dr. Carl Blake, pianist and director, and features Bradley Kynard, baritone; Shawnette Sulker, soprano; William Underwood, flutist. It's a joyful, soul-stirring program of music based on African American experiences, as part of San Francisco's Juneteenth Celebration—a national celebration that commemorates the freeing of enslaved people in Texas two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.  AfroSolo Arts Festival is made possible through the support of the California Arts Council, Grants for the Arts, Dream Keeper Initiative, Kenneth Rainin Foundation, SF Arts Commission, and The Friends of AfroSolo. About the Performers Dr. Carl Blake, piano and program director. Carnegie Recital Wigmore Hall (London) and L'Hermitage St. Petersburg, Russia Toured in France, England, Central and South America, Caribbean as artistic ambassador for the U.S. Department of State. Currently, director of music, Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples, San Francisco, and a board member, Noontime Concerts. Bradley Kynard, baritone. This season: The Emissary by Oh/Rourke and Prospero's Island by Shearer/Stevens, Zebul in Jeptha by Handel, Mer hahn en neue Oberkeet (BWV 212) by J.S. Bach, A Little Girl Dreams of Taking the Veil by Wold, Sophia's Forest by Beecher/Moscovitch, and Harriet's Spirit by Shelby/Olvera with Opera Parallèle, Moby Dick, Heggie/Scheer with San Francisco Opera. Brooke. In Little Women, by Adamo. Shawnette Sulker, soprano. Featured artist with San Francisco Opera; Die Königin der Nacht, Cleopatra, Porgy and Bess, Jake Heggie's Intelligence, Allen Shearer's Prospero's Island. Soloist, Carmina Burana, Messiah, and Mahler's symphonies concert performances at Teatro di San Carlo, Lincoln Center, and Leipzig's Gewandhaus. William Underwood III, flutist. Performs in traditional, avant-garde, social and sacred arenas as a solo, collaborative and recording flutist. A veteran of AfroSolo Festivals in San Francisco. Toured Japan extensively with Kyodo Tokyo Incorporated . An Arts Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. Organizer: Anne W Smith and Thomas R. Simpson  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kick off the summer with our latest political roundtable. Join us for the Week to Week political roundtable. Learn more about the people, trends and topics driving the political news of the day. See other upcoming Week to Week political roundtables, as well as audio and video of past Week to Week programs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the past 4 weeks, people have been planning and discussing how they can bring together communities to address constitutional and human rights violations impacting the immigrant community.  Join us on May 20, 6 p.m., at Commonwealth Club World Affairs headquarters in downtown San Francisco. This emergency town hall discussion on the immigration crisis will feature a coalition of community leaders working on this issue, including Immigrant Defenders Law Center—the attorneys of Andry Jose Hernández Romero. Following welcome remarks by Mawuli Tugbenyoh, acting executive director of the Human Rights Commission, and Maceo Persson, SF Pride Board member, you'll hear from our lineup of speakers for our town hall discussion.  See more  Michelle Meow Show programs at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California. This program made possible by the San Francisco Human Rights Commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Carbon dioxide is a big deal. It's responsible for more than half of global heating. But what about the other half? There's actually good news here: Nearly half of the temperature increases driving climate disasters come from super pollutants that don't stay in the atmosphere for nearly as long as carbon dioxide. Methane, for example, is about 80 times more potent a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide over 20 years. But it only stays in the atmosphere for a fraction of the time. So if we can put the brakes on methane and other super pollutants, we can put the brakes on warming.  Guests: Ilissa Ocko, Senior Climate Scientist, Spark Climate Solutions  David Kanter, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies, New York University  Millie Chu Baird, Vice President, Office of the Chief Scientist, Environmental Defense Fund  For show notes and related links, visit https://www.climateone.org/watch-and-listen/podcasts *** Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you'll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today. Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonathan Capehart is a fixture of the American media scene. You find him hosting weekends on MSNBC. He talks politics with David Brooks on “PBS Newshour.” He is a columnist for The Washington Post. But long before he reached this level of visibility, he spent years trying to find his place in a world that didn't seem to know what he was. He grew up without his father, dealt with issues of race and identity even as they changed around him, was told he was either too smart or not smart enough, and even that he was either too Black or not Black enough. It was an internship at "The Today Show" that changed his fortunes and set him on the path to achieving his dreams. In his new memoir, Yet Here I Am, Capehart relates his journey to find his place as a gay, Black man, dealing with family, facing his fears, failing and succeeding along the way. Join us for an in-depth talk with a leading media voice and learn about how he found his voice and his place in modern America. * Note: This podcast may contain explicit language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for an intriguing look at muscle power—and the surprising ways muscle can reveal what we're capable of. Bonnie Tsui, author of On Muscle, will be joined by filmmaker Paige Bethmann and the subject of Bethmann's documentary, Ku Stevens. Her film, Remaining Native, tells the story of 17-year-old runner Stevens who made a 50-mile run through the Nevada desert to remember the route his great-grandfather took to escape from a boarding school. Tsui will draw on a blend of science, culture, immersive reporting, and personal narrative to examine not just what muscles are but what they mean to humans. Muscles allow our heart to beat, food to move through our bodies, blood to circulate, even babies to leave the womb. We might not think of our muscles unless they are sore or we are working out. But they connect us with just about everything we do. A Grownups Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. OrganizerDenise Michaud  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us in San Francisco May 30 for an important program commemorating the Vietnam War and Cambodian genocide. The program begins at 6, but arrive early, because from 5–6 p.m. we will be featuring a special pop-up exhibit in the lounge outside the auditorium. Then we'll have our panel discussion, and a performance. See more  Michelle Meow Show programs at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's so much hard and heavy news out there right now, climate related and not. It feels like decades of progress is being lost. But — good news! — there are many solutions that can be deployed right now. This week we're featuring conversations with three big thinkers who are bringing those solutions to light and showing why — even when times seem at their worst — they have no room for doom.  Award-winning environmental journalist Alan Weisman traveled the world to highlight possible paths out of the climate crisis. Marine biologist and policy expert Ayana Elizabeth Johnson asks us to focus on the question, “What if we get it right?” And climate activist Bill McKibben wants to activate seniors because, “If you have reached the age where you have hair coming out your ears, you probably have structural power coming out of your ears.”  Guests:  Alan Weisman, Author, “Hope Dies Last” Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, Marine Biologist; Author, “What if We Get it Right?”Bill McKibben, Founder, 350.org and Third Act Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you'll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today. For show notes and related links, visit our website. Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“What the world saw at Joe Biden's one and only debate was not an anomaly—it was not a cold, it was not someone who was under or overprepared, it was not someone who was just a little tired. It was the natural result of an 81-year-old man whose faculties had been diminishing for years. Biden, his family, and his team let their self-interest and fear of another Trump term justify trying to put an at times addled old man in the Oval Office for four more years.”—Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, in Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again The 2024 presidential election was one of the most consequential elections in American history, yet it could have unfolded in a very different manner. President Joe Biden, who stepped down late in the campaign to make way for his younger vice president Kamala Harris, could have made that decision months earlier. Instead, surrounded by fierce defenders, Biden waited until the nominating conventions were already underway. Two of America's most respected journalists, Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, have chronicled the behind-closed-doors actions and private conversations of those in Biden's circles of family and advisers, revealing a more serious decline in the president's mental acuity than was told to the American people—until they saw it for themselves in the one and only debate between Biden and Donald Trump in June 2024. Biden and his closest advisers were convinced that only he could prevent a second Trump presidency, Tapper and Thompson say, something they feared so much the lied to themselves and others about the president's condition and limitations. It's a story Tapper and Thompson share in their new book Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again. They heard from White House staffers at all levels, congressional leaders and Cabinet members, governors, donors and Hollywood figures. They say President Biden's decision to run for reelection seems shockingly narcissistic, self-delusional, and reckless—a desperate bet that went bust—and part of a larger act of extended public deception that has few precedents. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for a panel discussion focused on addressing food insecurity in California, with an emphasis on CalFresh reform. CalFresh is the state-run food stamps program that assists low- or no-income individuals and households to purchase nutritious food, also known federally as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Inefficiencies in the CalFresh system have become evident in the billions of dollars in unused federal benefits, as well as in comparison to other states that have achieved 100 percent SNAP participation among eligible individuals through strategic policy changes.  A new state law, AB 518 (Wicks and Jackson), mandates the development of a methodology to estimate CalFresh participation rates, identify eligible but unenrolled Californians, and create outreach strategies to maximize participation; but the bill is only a starting point to addressing the program's shortcomings.  Join us for a wider discussion on the impacts of food insecurity as momentum builds for legislative action to enhance the program's efficiency. We'll also examine the successful models of other states' systems and bring awareness to food insecurity's long-term negative impacts, particularly for marginalized communities.  This program is co-hosted with the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank and followed by a reception. A Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. Presented by CalFresh Reform Coalition and SF Marin Food Bank. OrganizerRobert Melton  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trailblazing AI journalist Karen Hao comes all the way from Hong Kong to San Francisco to discuss the issues raised in her new book, Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman's OpenAI. Hao tackles the hard-hitting questions many people are afraid to face about the disruptive power of artificial intelligence and the forces driving its rapid ascent. A longtime AI insider with unparalleled access to OpenAI and its key players, Hao has spent years investigating the industry's hidden costs—human, environmental, and geopolitical. As a journalist whose award-winning work has been cited by Congress and featured in leading publications such as The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal and MIT Technology Review, she has become one of the most authoritative voices on AI today. Now Hao pulls back the curtain on the tech arms race reshaping our world in real time. From the breakneck rise of OpenAI and its Faustian bargain with Microsoft to the global supply chains powering AI's insatiable appetite for data, energy and human labor, she reveals the staggering scale of the industry's ambitions—and its consequences. With exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, including the dramatic firing and reinstatement of Sam Altman (a highly public corporate drama that began just days after Altman talked AI ethics on the Commonwealth Club stage), Hao will discuss not just a corporate saga but a crucial examination of the future of power, technology and society itself. Join us for this urgent and thought-provoking conversation about the past, present, and future of AI—what's at stake, who stands to gain, and who is being left behind.   Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming. Commonwealth Club World Affairs is a public forum. Any views expressed in our programs are those of the speakers and not of Commonwealth Club World Affairs.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our esteemed panel of doctors/scientists will explain common questions about cholesterol. What is cholesterol, and what is its role in the body? Why is it important? What are the various types of cholesterol? How do you interpret your test results? How have recommended levels changed over the years, and why? How do cholesterol-lowering medications work? Are they safe long-term? How does food affect cholesterol levels? These questions and more will be explained in this important program. About the Speakers Dr. Joshua Knowles is a physician-scientist at Stanford. He earned his M.D.–Ph.D. at UNC with Nobuyo Maeda and Nobel Laureate Oliver Smithies, and his internal medicine residency and fellowship at Stanford University primarily. Robert H. Lustig, M.D., M.S.L., is emeritus professor of pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology, and member of the Institute for Health Policy Studies at UCSF. Dr. Lustig is a neuroendocrinologist, with expertise in obesity, diabetes, metabolism, and nutrition.  Dr. Ethan Weiss is a cardiologist whose special interests include preventive cardiology, the genetics of coronary disease, risk assessment for heart conditions and heart disease in the young. A Nutrition, Food & Wellness Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. OrganizerPatty James  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After decades of strong governmental and public support, and despite strong evidence supporting the societal and individual benefits of a college degree, American public higher education is confronting a multi-layered crisis of confidence and funding. While the need remains for all that public higher education has to offer, the sector's very mission and purpose have become the subject of political debate and disagreement, even as state funding levels fail to keep pace with rising costs, and changes in federal policies threaten public universities' long-standing missions and values. UC Berkeley's new chancellor, Rich Lyons, is working to launch a new era of excellence for his campus with the knowledge that many are watching how public higher education's flagship university will take on a wide array of threats and opportunities at a time when the stakes could not be higher. He has a new vision for the Berkeley campus that centers innovation and entrepreneurship; new programs to bridge divides of perspective and belief; and a quest for financial independence through the development of new and novel revenue streams. About the Speaker Rich Lyons is the 12th chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley, beginning his tenure as the first undergraduate alum to serve as chancellor in July 2024. Previously, he was the associate vice chancellor for innovation and entrepreneurship from 2020–2024, leading the development and expansion of innovation and entrepreneurship campuswide. Lyons also served as the dean of UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business from 2008–2018. Lyons received his B.S. degree from UC Berkeley in 1982 and returned to campus in 1993 as a faculty member at the Haas School of Business after receiving his Ph.D. in economics from MIT and following six years on the faculty at Columbia University. In 1998, he was awarded the Distinguished Teaching Award, Berkeley's highest teaching award. A Health & Medicine Member-led Forum program. Forums and Chapters at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. Organizer: Robert Lee Kilpatrick  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The moving force behind biasinterrupters.org (an evidence-based metrics-driven approach to eradicating implicit bias) brings her perspective to bear on bridging the divide between college grads and everyone else she says has been driving politics to the far right in the United States. Joan Williams asks: Is there a single change that could simultaneously protect democracy, spur progress on climate change, enact sane gun policies, and improve our response to the next pandemic? Her answer is that changing the class dynamics which are currently dividing American voters could do just that. Williams argues that liberals often inadvertently play into the hands of far-right politicians intent on manipulating class anger to undercut progressive goals. She says the process can be reversed by offering college-educated Americans insights into how their values reflect their lives, and how their lives reflect their privilege, while also demonstrating how working-class values reflect working-class lives. She says the far right connects culturally with the working-class by manipulating racism and masculine anxieties to obfuscate the reality that far-right economic policies often prove disadvantageous to the working-class. Join us to hear her guidance on how she says liberals can forge a multiracial cross-class coalition capable of delivering on progressive goals. A Humanities Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. OrganizerGeorge Hammond  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During the Second World War, members of the United States Marine Corps coined a sarcastic acronym to explain a state of chaos and confusion: SNAFU, or situation normal, all fouled (or a saltier f-word) up. More than 80 years later, Ed Helms began to explore history's greatest own-goals. And now Helms comes to Commonwealth Club World Affairs in Silicon Valley to share his absurdly entertaining look at some of history's greatest face plants. He'll draw on his new book—conveniently titled SNAFU: The Definitive Guide to History's Greatest Screwups—to enlighten us about some of history's darker moments. Helms is an actor, writer, producer and comedian who was a correspondent for “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.” He portrayed Andy Bernard in the celebrated sitcom “The Office” and Stu Price in The Hangover film trilogy. He has won awards for his performances and for his comedy writing. And—you can sense a theme here—he is the host of the podcast “SNAFU with Ed Helms.” From nuclear weapons on the moon to training cats to be CIA spies to turning the weather into a weapon—Helms has the inside scoop on the greatest foul-ups of modern times. This program contains EXPLICIT language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three years ago, Russian troops and tanks invaded Ukraine and started the largest land war in Europe since World War II. And like the Second World War, the war in Ukraine has drawn in money, weapons, and even troops from around the world, from the United States to North Korea. The invasion served as a wake-up call to many in the West about the threats posed by Vladimir Putin's revanchist Russia, even while it drained the Kremlin's war chest and depleted its military—including a march on Moscow by disgruntled mercenary forces. John Sullivan served as the U.S. ambassador to Russia from February 2020 to September 2022, and in his book Midnight in Moscow, he related the behind-the-scenes activity in Moscow and the West in the lead-up to the war. It is a war that many have come to see—and that Putin has declared it to be—a struggle against the West itself, not just Ukraine. Has Russia been weakened by the collapse of its Syrian ally Bashar al-Assad? How extensive is Russian involvement in attacks on Western European infrastructure? How has Russia been able to evade harsh sanctions? And how is the West doing—under President Joe Biden and next under President Donald Trump—in meeting the threat? Join us for an in-person talk with John Sullivan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In January, congestion pricing went into effect in New York City. The policy's implementation took decades; along the way, multiple moments suggested that it wouldn't happen at all. Now, drivers entering Manhattan south of 60th Street during peak hours are required to pay a toll. Meanwhile, other cities like San Francisco are considering a similar initiative. But Trump opposes New York's plan. Governor Hochul and state policy leaders encountered a political quagmire pushing the plan through. And its future is only certain up until around next fall, when legal proceedings are expected to come to a resolution. So, is congestion pricing making a worthwhile difference? How do New Yorkers — and those traveling into Manhattan — feel about it? Guests: Eric A. Goldstein, Senior Attorney, Natural Resources Defense Council Sarah M. Kaufman, Director of NYU's Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management Ryan Johnson, Co-Founder and CEO, Culdesac On June 4, Climate One is hosting a special screening of the documentary “Good Grief: The 10 Steps” followed by a climate anxiety workshop. Join us for this intimate conversation about the importance of mental health live at The Commonwealth Club. Tickets are available through our website. Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you'll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today. For show notes and related links, visit our website. Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Radio and TV journalist Ira Flatow produced his first science stories back in 1970 during the inaugural Earth Day. Since then, he has worked for Emmy Award-winning science programs and covered science for a number of high-profile news organizations, and has hosted the popular public radio program “Science Friday” for more than three decades. In his career, Flatow has interviewed countless scientists, journalists and other experts about the most exciting developments in science. Now the Club welcomes Flatow in conversation with local journalists to speak about the role of science writing in the current cultural climate. About the Speakers Ira Flatow is an award-winning science correspondent, TV journalist, and the host of "Science Friday," heard on public radio stations across the country and distributed by WNYC Studios. He brings radio and podcast listeners worldwide a lively, informative discussion on science, technology, health, space, the environment and more. Flatow describes his work as the challenge “to make science and technology a topic for discussion around the dinner table.” Annalee Newitz writes science fiction and nonfiction. Most recently, as a science journalist, they are the author of Stories Are Weapons: Psychological Warfare and the American Mind, about the history of psychological warfare, from Sun Tzu to Benjamin Franklin and beyond. They have published in The Washington Post, Slate, Scientific American, Ars Technica, The New Yorker, and Technology Review, among others. Newitz is the co-host of the Hugo Award-winning podcast "Our Opinions Are Correct," and has contributed to the public radio shows "Science Friday," "On the Media," KQED "Forum," and "Here and Now." Ezra David Romero is a climate reporter for KQED News. He covers the absence and excess of water in the Bay Area—think sea level rise, flooding and drought. For 12 years he's covered how warming temperatures are altering the lives of Californians. He's reported on farmers worried their pistachio trees aren't getting enough sleep, families desperate for water, scientists studying dying giant sequoias, and alongside firefighters containing wildfires. His work has appeared on local stations across California and nationally on public radio shows such as "Morning Edition," "Here and Now," "All Things Considered" and "Science Friday." Naveena Sadasivam is a writer and editor at Grist covering the oil and gas industry and climate change. She previously worked at the Texas Observer, Inside Climate News, and ProPublica, and is based in Oakland, California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when one of the world's most powerful companies finds itself caught between two superpowers? And what does it mean for the broader tech industry? Through in-depth reporting and more than 200 interviews with former Apple executives and engineers, journalist Patrick McGee uncovers what he says is the untold story of how Apple's offshoring strategy helped China rise as the world's leading electronics manufacturing hub—but also left Apple increasingly vulnerable. Now, as Beijing tightens its grip, demanding greater control over data, production and supply chains, Apple is facing a crisis that could redefine its future. McGee has reported from financial hubs around the world, from Frankfurt to Hong Kong. Now, as the San Francisco correspondent for the Financial Times, he joins Commonwealth Club World Affairs to discuss the issues raised in his new book Apple in China. He'll unpack the increasingly fraught relationship between Apple and China—a relationship with profound implications not only for the tech giant but for the future of global technology and geopolitics. Join us for this timely and thought-provoking conversation about Apple's uncertain future, the shifting balance of power in the tech world, and the far-reaching consequences for global innovation and economic stability. This program has 2 types of tickets available: in-person and online-only. Please pre-register to receive a link to the live-stream event. Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming. Commonwealth Club World Affairs is a public forum. Any views expressed in our programs are those of the speakers and not of Commonwealth Club World Affairs. This program contains EXPLICIT language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Something is deeply rotten at the Supreme Court, says Leah Litman, an attorney and law professor at the University of Michigan. How did we get here and what can we do about it? Litman shines a light on what she calls the unabashed lawlessness embraced by conservative Supreme Court justices and shows people how to fight back. With the gravitas of Joan Biskupic and the irreverence of Elie Mystal, Leah Litman brings her signature wit to the question of what's gone wrong at One First Street. Drawing on her new book Lawless, she argues that the Supreme Court is no longer practicing law; it's running on vibes. By “vibes,” Litman means legal-ish claims that repackage the politics of conservative grievance and dress them up in robes. Major decisions adopt the language and posture of the law, while in fact displaying a commitment to protecting a single minority: the religious conservatives and Republican officials whose views are no longer shared by a majority of the country. Litman employs pop culture references and the latest decisions to deliver a funny, zeitgeisty, pulls-no-punches cri de coeur undergirded by impeccable scholarship. Join us for a fascinating and engaging hour, as Litman explains the tools we need to understand the law, the dynamics of courts, and the stakes of this current moment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the cusp of the greatest wealth transfer in history—with $124 trillion moving between generations in the next 20 years—we explore how philanthropy can be transformative, and transformed. Nationally recognized philanthropic leader Dimple Abichandani has crafted a blueprint for how wealth can be transformed into a more just and sustainable future in times of rapid change and crisis. Can philanthropy be an anti-racist, feminist, relational, and joyful expression of solidarity? In A New Era of Philanthropy, Dimple argues that yes, philanthropy can be these things—and for the future we seek, and for the sector to achieve its greatest impact, it must be. With fresh answers to the question of how philanthropy can meet this high-stakes moment—from reimagining governance to aligning investments to crisis funding and beyond—she explains how paradigm shifts can move us forward, beyond critique into real transformation, with relatable stories about funders who are forging a new era of philanthropy. About the Speakers Dimple Abichandani is a nationally recognized philanthropic leader, lawyer, and author of A New Era of Philanthropy: Ten Practices to Transform Wealth Into a More Just and Sustainable Future, a book that reimagines how philanthropy can meet this moment. For two decades, she has worked to reshape philanthropy's purpose and practice while leading innovative funding institutions. As executive director of the General Service Foundation (2015–2022), she aligned the foundation's grantmaking, investments, and governance with justice values.  A National Center for Family Philanthropy Fellow, Abichandani's leadership has been recognized with a Scrivener Award for Creative Grantmaking. She serves on the Board of Directors of Solidaire Network and has served on the boards/steering committees of the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project, Northern California Grantmakers, and Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, she advises donors and foundations on transforming wealth into a just and sustainable future. Tegan Acton founded Wildcard Giving, a family of philanthropic entities created following the sale of WhatsApp to Facebook in 2014. Acton serves as the principal at each of the sister entities, which work together to further civic values, collective responsibility and our common humanity. Prior to establishing Wildcard Giving, Acton served as the director of communications and strategic initiatives for the vice provost of undergraduate education at Stanford University. She additionally held positions at Yahoo! and the Sundance Institute, and graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara with a BA in English and Political Science. Acton's personal commitments include serving on the Executive Committee for the Collaborative for Gender and Reproductive Equity, chairing the Board of Trustees of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and investing in independent films through her production company Good Gravy Films. The Commonwealth Club of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming. A Social Impact Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. Commonwealth Club World Affairs is a public forum. Any views expressed in our programs are those of the speakers and not of Commonwealth Club World Affairs. OrganizerVirginia Cheung  This program contains EXPLICIT language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Commonwealth Club World Affairs presents an important program on the history and current state of HIV/AIDS. Panel 1: 4:30–5:30 "Honoring Our History, Taking Action Now" Youth Scholars of the National AIDS Memorial discuss their plans to confront the needs of the HIV/AIDS movement today. Moderator: Mike ShriverPanelist: Bo James Hwang, Dante "Gray" Gautereaux, Peter Pham, Jesus Aguilar Martinez Panel 2: 6–7 p.m. "Addressing the Impacts of the Administration's Actions." Moderator: Dr. Tyler TerMeerPanel: Cecila Chung, Carl Schmid, Lance Toma   Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming. Commonwealth Club World Affairs is a public forum. Any views expressed in our programs are those of the speakers and not of Commonwealth Club World Affairs. See more  Michelle Meow Show programs at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for an unexpected history of the rise of American capitalism—and an argument that entrepreneurial leaders in government, not the “free market,” created the most dynamic economy the world has ever known. Economist and writer Chris Hughes takes us on a journey through the modern history of American capitalism, relating the captivating stories of the most effective “marketcrafters” and the ones who bungled the job. Hughes, author of the new book Marketcrafters, says both Republicans and Democrats have consistently attempted to organize markets for social and political reasons, like avoiding gasoline shortages, reducing inflation, fostering the American aviation and semiconductor industries, fighting climate change, and supporting financial innovation. That flies in the face of the widespread belief among policymakers and business leaders alike that free markets, untouched by the soiled hands of government, bring us prosperity and stability. Hughes says that's wrong. American policy makers, on the right and the left, have spent much of the past century actively shaping our markets for social and political goals. Their work behind the scenes and out of the headlines has served as a kind of “marketcraft,” mirroring the statecraft of international relations. In recent decades, the art of marketcraft has been replaced by the idea that markets work best when they are unfettered and free. Hughes argues that by rediscovering the triumphs and failures of past marketcrafters, we can shape future markets, such as those in artificial intelligence and clean power production, to be innovative, stable and inclusive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The next few years will be extraordinary for major sporting events in California with the Bay Area hosting both Super Bowl 60 and the FIFA World Cup in 2026, and Los Angeles hosting the Summer Olympics and Paralympics in 2028. These events invite millions of local spectators and international visitors, with the city of Los Angeles expecting 5 million visitors alone for what the mayor hopes will be a transit-first Olympics. How can buses, trains, highways, and the people who keep them running safely facilitate the movement of these crowds while minimizing impact on the community and environment?  The 16th Annual Norman Y. Mineta National Transportation Policy Summit will feature internationally renowned experts and special guests sharing best practices and insights from previous large-scale events, including Super Bowl 50 and the Paris Olympics, and how to apply global lessons—such as traffic management and communications planning—on a regional scale. Don't miss the exciting 90-minute conversation shaping the future of California! This program is supported by the Mineta Transportation Institute at San José State University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mayor George Moscone was assassinated in the San Francisco mayor's office by Dan White, a former member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, on November 27, 1978. And then White walked down the hall and also shot Supervisor Harvey Milk—in White's former office. Lincoln Mitchell rescues crucial details about Mayor Moscone from the shadows of this tragedy, and reminds us of Mayor Moscone's contributions to the development of modern San Francisco. First, George Moscone was a trailblazing progressive and powerful state legislator who was instrumental in passing legislation on issues ranging from LGBT rights to funding for school lunches. Later, Moscone's 1975 campaign for mayor was historically significant because it was the first time a major race was won by a candidate who campaigned aggressively for expanding civil rights for both African Americans and LGBT people. In addition to being a successful politician, Moscone was a charming and charismatic bon vivant deeply embedded in the fabric and culture of San Francisco. He grew up the only son of a single mother in Cow Hollow when it was a working class, largely Italian American neighborhood, and he became the kind of politician who knows bartenders, playground attendants, small business owners, and neighborhood activists in every corner of the city. Mitchell demonstrates how Moscone—through his work in the State Senate, victory in the very divisive 1975 mayor's race, and brief tenure as mayor—was a key figure in our city's evolution. Join us in person to find out why the politics surrounding Moscone's election as mayor, governance of the city, and tragic death are still relevant today. A Humanities Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. OrganizerGeorge Hammond  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“In the course of saying no with their bodies, they were met with more violence… including moms who were carrying babies on their backs and were pushed to the edge of the river — and had to choose the river.” That's Abby Reyes, author of “Truth Demands: A Memoir of Murder, Oil Wars and the Rise of Climate Justice.” In today's episode, she shares deeply emotional stories of the price paid by environmental defenders. And she also shares her own stories of resilience and joy in the aftermath of grief. In many parts of the world, fossil fuel interests and their political allies have gone so far as to weaponize pollution as policy to push out marginalized communities. Alexis Madrigal, host of KQED's Forum and author of “The Pacific Circuit,” describes how this happened in West Oakland, beginning as early as the 1930s: “You see them just saying it. We know this is gonna make housing worse. We know this is gonna make people's lives worse, but this is the plan.” And yet here, too, local communities stand up for environmental justice. Guests: Alexis Madrigal, Co-Host, Forum, KQED Margaret Gordon, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director, West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project Abby Reyes, Author; Director, Community Resilience Projects, UC Irvine On June 4, Climate One is hosting a special screening of the documentary “Good Grief: The 10 Steps” followed by a climate anxiety workshop. Join us for this intimate conversation about the importance of mental health live at The Commonwealth Club. Tickets are available through our website. Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you'll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today. For show notes and related links, visit our website. Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join a can't-miss discussion with American Bar Association (ABA) President William R. “Bill” Bay to hear the latest on how America's lawyers are responding to Trump administration actions—government moves they say threaten to dismantle constitutionally protected rights to equal justice and the rule of law. Critics say there are many reasons to be afraid; as President Trump attempts to cow law firms via targeted executive orders, legal residents have found themselves detained and deported without due process, and Justice Department investigations have been nixed for political reasons, can lawyers, the courts and citizens rebuff these threats to the legal underpinning of democracy? Bay, a partner with the St. Louis office of national law firm Thompson Coburn LLP, is president of the American Bar Association, the world's largest voluntary association of lawyers, judges and other legal professionals. He will be in conversation with Ann Ravel, the former chair of the Federal Election Commission, and former chair of the California Fair Political Practices Commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Hali Lee is redefining philanthropy for the 21st century. Her activism and generosity are exemplary, and this book celebrates the beauty of community giving, and the power of collective action.” ―Ayesha Curry, Sweet July Books Drawing from the experiences of real-life giving circles, philanthropy leader Hali Lee challenges our traditional understanding of giving, showing how everyday people can take back philanthropy from the billionaires and make the world a better place. When you think of philanthropy, what do you envision? Uber wealthy donors? Extravagant galas? In recent decades, philanthropy has come to be seen as something exclusive to those with an abundance of resources. But giving doesn't have to mean donating millions of dollars. It can be as simple as a group of people who come together to do something good in their community. In The Big We, Hali Lee argues that the future of philanthropy belongs to community action, specifically giving circles―groups of people who come together to pool their resources to make positive change. Born of traditions of generosity rooted in many of our ancestral cultures, giving circles provide a way for us to overcome the feeling many people have of being overwhelmed by the many problems we face by learning, acting, and giving together. Through stories of real giving circles around the country, including her own experience starting the Asian Women Giving Circle, Lee shows us a more expansive vision for the future of philanthropy—one led by people who are refocusing on community, who care about rebuilding the civic space, and who are yearning for connection, purpose and shared vision. These giving circles show not only the immense impact we can have in our own backyards, but also the tremendous scope of change people can achieve through the power of collective action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To remind us that civilizational alliances are not merely transactional, Robert Edsel tells personal World War II stories from the rural province of Limburg.  Before dawn on May 10, 1940, Hitler's forces invaded the Netherlands, shattering more than 100 years of peace. The Dutch lived through four-and-a-half years of occupation until September 1944, when American forces reached Limburg—the last portion of Europe west of Germany to be liberated by the Allies. Edsel follows 12 main characters over a six-year span, including Lieutenant Colonel Robert Cole, the first member of the 101st Airborne to receive the Medal of Honor; Sergeant Jeff Wiggins of the 960th Quartermaster Service Company, who escaped the poverty and racism of Alabama just to face more indignities; and Frieda van Schäik, a teenager who fell in love with an American soldier.  Drawing on letters, diaries, and other historical records, Edsel shows the painful price of freedom, capturing both the horrors of war and the transcendent power of gratitude by revealing the extraordinary measures the Dutch have taken to thank their liberators. A Humanities Member-led Forum program. Forums and chapters at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums.  Organizer: George Hammond  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's social and political climates feel clouded by fear, distance, polarization and loneliness; why is it that groupthink and conformity seem to rule our neighborhoods, pop culture, friend circles, workplaces and social media feeds? It's time for us to learn how to sit with disagreement, debate better, appreciate our differences, and revel in the diversity of ideas and opinions that reflect our world.  Journalist Jenara Nerenberg has not shied away from taking on complex ideas and opinions, first in her bestselling book Divergent Mind about neurological diversity, and now with her second groundbreaking book, Trust Your Mind, which examines viewpoint diversity and encourages us not to shy away from the deepest forms of connection and insight that can come from uncomfortable conversations, independent thinking, and sometimes even loud, productive and healthy arguing.  While “conflict” feels like a scary word to some, Nerenberg dives deep into her own life experiences as well as the social science research on the psychology of groupthink to understand why our world is in peril in the face of people feeling too terrified to speak their minds. This challenge is not just limited to politics—the power of critical thinking and exiting groupthink has far-reaching impact on how we communicate with spouses, classmates, colleagues, family members and beyond. By understanding how group identity forms and the dangers of self-silencing, we allow our politics and our reasoning abilities to evolve, which leads to healthier societies. Trust Your Mind has received wide acclaim from Interfaith America's Eboo Patel, social psychologists Kurt Gray and Ethan Kross, former ACLU president Nadine Strossen, and many more.  Joining Nerenberg in this special conversation is leading investigative reporter Lee Fang, one of the most daring and sought-after independent journalists of our time. This conversation is not to be missed. About the Speakers Jenara Nerenberg is the bestselling author of Divergent Mind, hailed as “extraordinary, jaw-dropping” by Library Journal; she is an Aspen Ideas Brave New Idea speaker and the author of the new book Trust Your Mind, on the psychology of groupthink. A celebrated writer covering the intersection of psychology and society, Nerenberg's work has been featured in the UC Berkeley Greater Good Science Center magazine, Fast Company magazine, CNN, NPR, BBC and elsewhere. Nerenberg speaks widely on social science topics, including at universities, libraries, companies and organizations around the world. She is a graduate of UC Berkeley and the Harvard School of Public Health; Nerenberg grew up in San Francisco and, as a millennial, can now be found on Instagram. Lee Fang is an independent journalist, primarily writing on Substack at leefang.com. He was an investigative reporter for The Intercept. He writes about civil liberties, interest group lobbying, and other public interest issues. A Grownups Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. Organizer: Denise Michaud  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for a special online program as Jaz Brisack, the leader of the Starbucks and Tesla union movements, shares stories from the front lines to help us learn about the modern labor movement.  Brisack, author of Get on the Job and Organize, tells the broader story of the new, nationwide labor movement unfolding in our era of political and social unrest. As one of the new faces of the American labor movement, Brisack argues that while workers often organize when their place of work is toxic, it's equally important to organize when you love your job. Brisack puts everything into the context of America's long tradition of labor organizing and shows us others can organize their workplaces, backlash can be expected and how to fight it, and what victory looks like even if the union doesn't necessarily “win.”  Brisack is a union organizer and cofounder of the Inside Organizer School, which trains workers to unionize. After spending one year at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, they got a job as a barista at the Elmwood Starbucks in Buffalo, New York, becoming a founding member of Starbucks Workers United and helping organize the first unionized Starbucks in the United States. As the organizing director for Workers United Upstate New York & Vermont, they also worked with organizing committees at companies ranging from Ben & Jerry's to Tesla. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author Anne Soon Choi joins us to reveal the life of Dr. Thomas Noguchi, who was known as the "coroner to the stars" in Los Angeles who performed the autopsies of Robert F. Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe and Natalie Wood. The inspiration for the Jack Klugman TV series "Quincy, M.E.," Noguchi became famous for his big press conferences—which often created more controversy than offered solutions.  Join us to learn about Noguchi and never-before-revealed facts about his biggest cases, which took place against the backdrop of Hollywood's infamous celebrity culture and the heated racial politics of the 1960s and 1970s.  Anne Soon Choi, Ph.D., author of L.A. Coroner: Thomas Noguchi and Death in Hollywood (Third State Books), is a historian and professor of Asian American Studies and university administrator at California State University, Northridge. Her essay “The Japanese American Citizens League, Los Angeles Politics, and the Thomas Noguchi Case,” on which this book is based, won the 2021 prize for best essay from the Historical Society of Southern California. Choi has previously served on the faculty of Swarthmore College and the University of Kansas and is an Andrew Mellon Fellow and an American Council of Learned Societies Digital Ethnic Studies Fellow. She lives and writes in Los Angeles, California. Our moderator, Helen Zia, is a author, journalist and Fulbright Scholar. Her latest book, Last Boat Out of Shanghai: The Epic Story of the Chinese Who Fled Mao's Revolution, was an NPR best book and shortlisted for a national Pen America award, while her first book, Asian American Dreams: The Emergence of an American People, is a foundational textbook in schools across the country. The daughter of Chinese immigrants, Helen's role in organizing and leading the national Asian American civil rights movement to obtain justice for Vincent Chin and to counter anti-Asian racism is documented in the Academy-award nominated “Who Killed Vincent Chin?” and has been featured on the PBS series "The Asian Americans," "Amanpour & Co.," Lisa Ling's "This is Life," Soledad O'Brien, and other media.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Would you stand up against a giant corporation to stop toxic chemicals from harming your town's water? Could you get policy enacted to cut emissions affecting people living in your state's “diesel death zone?” How would you launch a global campaign to stop the construction of a new port threatening marine life on your island? Every year, the Goldman Environmental Prize is awarded to six grassroots environmental heroes from around the world at a grand ceremony at the San Francisco Opera House. This year, Climate One was honored to host two of the winners for an intimate conversation. In this episode we also share a conversation with a winner of last year's Prize. All three are remarkable examples of ordinary people taking extraordinary action to protect the environment and their communities.  Guests: Andrea Vidaurre, Cofounder, People's Collective for Environmental Justice Laurene Allen,  Cofounder, Merrimack Citizens for Clean Water Carlos Mallo Molina, CEO & Founder Innoceana For show notes and related links, visit https://www.climateone.org/watch-and-listen/podcasts -- On June 4, Climate One is hosting a special screening of the documentary “Good Grief: The 10 Steps” to be followed by a climate anxiety workshop. Join us for this intimate conversation about the importance of mental health live at The Commonwealth Club. Tickets are available through our website. -- Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you'll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today. -- Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for an important discussion of the mental health impact on our youth of the fast pace and changing environment—and the volatility and uncertainty—of the post-COVID era. Afterward, stay for our post-program reception. Clara Armstrong is a 16-year-old sophomore who is deeply committed to advocating for youth mental health. Since November 2024, she has been an active member of the Sacramento County Behavioral Health Youth Advisory Board, where she has taken on leadership roles, including planning and leading youth listening sessions. Mav Li is a perpetual learner, currently focused on healing, exploring new hobbies, and transitioning, while based in San Francisco as a barback at Old Skool Cafe. A Harvard early graduate and former quant trader, Mav once represented the United States in chess and earth science during high school. Brihanna Best, 17, is a high school junior, youth leader, and mental health advocate based in San Leandro, California. As a Digital Media Intern at the Best Buy Teen Tech Center, she uses storytelling and creative technology to uplift the voices of her peers and spark conversations around emotional well-being. She is currently enrolled in a Child Development ROP program and aspires to become a child psychologist, with a focus on creating safe, affirming spaces for youth. Anjali Menon is a serial entrepreneur and founder of tbh, a venture-backed mental health platform built to support high school and college students across the country. As CEO of tbh, Anjali works with colleges and K–12 districts around the country to offer virtual coaching, therapy, and basic needs support. Special Intro: Paula Ambrose is a principal at Blue Shield of California, where she leads the company's signature social impact initiative BlueSky and supports corporate giving efforts. With more than 30 years of experience in program management and leadership, across multiple industries and functions, Paula has a proven track record of developing and implementing effective strategies to drive positive change and results. She is passionate about creating a more equitable and just society, and is committed to leveraging her skills and experience to make a lasting impact. Our moderator Zach Gottlieb is a mental health activist, speaker, and the founder of Talk With Zach, a community and platform that aims to change the culture around wellness for the next generation. He is head of partnerships at Crew Dog, a lifestyle collegiate apparel brand, and consults for startups. He attends Stanford University, has spoken in many media forums, and has been published in the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Boston Globe and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mental health care in America has become nothing short of atrocious. Supposed developments in treatment methods and medication remain inaccessible to those who need them most. Countless people seeking treatment are routinely funneled into homelessness and prison while a mental-health epidemic ravages younger generations.  It seems obvious that the system is broken, but critics say the tragic truth is that it is actually functioning exactly as intended, providing reliably enormous profits for the entities who now manage mental health care. By taking a step back and examining how and why we developed our health-care system, with mental health care as the worst-case example of a dysfunctional model that has been abandoned by all other developed countries, we can understand our motives and actions, and chart a way out of our mess. About the Speaker Nicholas Rosenlicht, M.D., is clinical professor at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. He is founder of the San Francisco VA mood disorders program, has served on the Human Subjects Committee of the UCSF Human Research Protection Program, and is a member of the UCSF Academy of Medical Educators. He has more than 40 years of clinical, research, administrative, and teaching experience, and is the author of more than 30 peer-reviewed publications. Most recently he is the author of My Brother's Keeper: The Untold Stories Behind the Business of Mental Health—and How to Stop the Abandonment of the Mentally Ill. A Psychology Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. OrganizerPatrick O'Reilly  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There clearly are lessons that we have learned from the Vietnam War that we have applied well to other situations, but there are also lessons that we think we have learned that are far less clear, and could lead to similar outcomes if we are not careful. The Vietnam War certainly cast a pall over America, but much more so over all of Southeast Asia. Back then the enemy was seen as Communism. Now the enemy has transformed into various political movements along the far end of the authoritarian spectrum―whose understandable but deceptive attractiveness during moments of despair has even begun finding many adherents among us. To head off that unfortunate development, join us in asking: Which foreign policies could we adopt that would make the freest end of the spectrum of democratic civilizations more robust, more stable and more desirable? And where does the development and use of military power fit into those foreign policies to achieve our civilizational goals? Humanities West presents a variety of expert opinions on these important issues while reviewing what went wrong, and what went right, during the Vietnam War that ended so abruptly on April 30, 1975. Join us for two nights, on April 30 and May 2, to hear six experts review what we have learned, and what we have not, about the Vietnam War. A Humanities Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. In association with Humanities West. Organizer: George Hammond  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About fifty years ago, multiple environmental disasters forced a reckoning with how we care for the Earth. President Richard Nixon signed numerous environmental protection bills into law in the 1970s, including what is considered to be the nation's green Magna Carta: the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).   Among many other moves to eliminate or weaken federal environmental regulations and laws, the Trump administration is trying to fundamentally change NEPA, a bedrock rule that requires federal agencies to analyze environmental and cultural impacts of any major development. Critics point out these changes will result in fewer protections for citizens, natural resources and communities. What other regulations are being rolled back and going unnoticed?  Guests:  Sam Wojcicki, Senior Director, Climate Policy, National Audubon Society  Olivia N. Guarna, Climate Justice Fellow, Sabin Center for Climate Change Law Jared Huffman, U.S. Representative (D-CA 2nd District) and Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee On June 4, Climate One is hosting a special screening of the documentary “Good Grief: The 10 Steps” to be followed by a climate anxiety workshop. Join us for this intimate conversation about the importance of mental health live at The Commonwealth Club. Tickets are available through our website. Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you'll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today. For show notes and related links, visit our website. Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for a special screening of short films Flight 182 and Zari, both films are grantees and winners of the Julia S. Guow Short Film Challenge for Asian American and Pacific Islander Women and Non-Binary Filmmakers, presented by CAPE. Flight 182 follows a Punjabi father who must choose between caring for his ailing mother in India or protecting his family in Canada amid separatist warnings. In Zari, amidst preparations for her sister's wedding in India, young American Neelu forges an unexpected connection with Zeyb, a quiet sari store clerk with a secret. Both filmmakers will be with us for a discussion with Michelle Meow and Michelle Sugihara, the executive director of CAPE. See more  Michelle Meow Show programs at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Astrophysicist and science journalist Adam Becker has his eye on the dreams of Silicon Valley's billionaire elite—and he's unimpressed. He says Silicon Valley's “heartless, baseless, and foolish obsessions”—with escaping death, building AI tyrants, and creating limitless growth—pervert public discourse and distract us from real social problems. He argues that tech billionaires have decided that they should determine our futures for us, and that the only good future for humanity is one powered by technology: trillions of humans living in space, functionally immortal, served by superintelligent AIs. In More Everything Forever, Becker investigates what he calls wildly implausible and often profoundly immoral visions of tomorrow—and shows why, in reality, there is no good evidence that they will, or should, come to pass. Nevertheless, these obsessions fuel fears that overwhelm reason—for example, that a rogue AI will exterminate humanity—at the expense of essential work on solving crucial problems like climate change. What's more, these futuristic visions cloak a hunger for power under dreams of space colonies and digital immortality. The giants of Silicon Valley claim that their ideas are based on science, but Becker says the reality is darker: they come from a jumbled mix of shallow futurism and racist pseudoscience. Adam Becker says that powerful and sinister ideas are alive in Silicon Valley. Now he comes to the heart of the global tech world to challenge us to see how these visions of the future are foolish and dangerous. This program contains EXPLICIT language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There clearly are lessons that we have learned from the Vietnam War that we have applied well to other situations, but there are also lessons that we think we have learned that are far less clear, and could lead to similar outcomes if we are not careful. The Vietnam War certainly cast a pall over America, but much more so over all of Southeast Asia. Back then the enemy was seen as Communism. Now the enemy has transformed into various political movements along the far end of the authoritarian spectrum―whose understandable but deceptive attractiveness during moments of despair has even begun finding many adherents among us. To head off that unfortunate development, join us in asking: Which foreign policies could we adopt that would make the freest end of the spectrum of democratic civilizations more robust, more stable and more desirable? And where does the development and use of military power fit into those foreign policies to achieve our civilizational goals? Humanities West presents a variety of expert opinions on these important issues while reviewing what went wrong, and what went right, during the Vietnam War that ended so abruptly on April 30, 1975. Join us for two nights, on April 30 and May 2, to hear six experts review what we have learned, and what we have not, about the Vietnam War. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Climate progress is stalling at the federal level, making local action more critical than ever. “In an increasingly urbanized world, cities must play the leading role in achieving our climate goals,” says San José Mayor Matt Mahan.  But what does that look like in practice? What role can cities play in accelerating the transition to a fully electrified economy across all sectors? And how does he plan to secure funding in uncertain times? This conversation was recorded live as part of SF Climate Week 2025. Guest: Matt Mahan, Mayor of San José Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you'll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today. For show notes and related links, visit our website. Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices