Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

Change does not begin with institutions. It begins with people. In honor of Women's History Month, Commonwealth Club World Affairs convenes an extraordinary panel of women whose leadership has shaped San Francisco's civic, community and policy landscape. Connie Chan, supervisor for District 1 and candidate for California's 11th congressional district, has served at every level of local government, from community organizer and legislative aide to chair of the Board of Supervisors Budget Committee. An immigrant who arrived in San Francisco at age 13, she has championed environmental justice, immigrant protections, and safeguards for healthcare, housing, and food security. Tracy Gallardo is a native San Franciscan and longtime community organizer who has dedicated decades to advancing equity for Latino and marginalized families. From youth development and juvenile justice reform to co-founding the Latino Task Force on COVID-19, her work reflects steady, relationship-driven leadership that strengthens neighborhoods from within. Sherrice Dorsey-Smith, executive director of the San Francisco Department of Children, Youth and Their Families, has led historic citywide grantmaking and cross-sector initiatives, including the Community Hubs Initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her leadership centers a whole-child, systems-based approach to supporting young people and families. Patsy Tito, Ph.D., has served the Samoan and Pacific Islander community for more than 25 years through the Samoan Community Development Center. By integrating cultural preservation with clinical mental health practice, she has worked to normalize conversations about wellness and strengthen intergenerational resilience. Together, these leaders embody the intersection of power, policy and purpose. This conversation will explore how identity shapes leadership, how women navigate institutions not originally built for them, the unseen labor that holds communities together, and what policies they would implement if given the power to act immediately. From the visible chambers of government to the quieter work of community building, this program highlights the wisdom, courage, and determination required to lead change and what it will take to build a more representative and equitable future. Join us for an evening of insight, reflection, and civic dialogue. The appearance in Commonwealth Club World Affairs programs of candidates for office are not a recommendation or endorsement of their views or candidacy; the Club does not take positions on candidates or ballot measures. The Commonwealth Club World Affairs 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. Organizer: Virginia Cheung  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most every page of Andy Weir's latest sci-fi novel, Project Hail Mary, glows with the promise of science and technology. In Weir's first novel, 2011's The Martian, the protagonist endures interplanetary travel, and struggles to survive on a harsh new world. However, in Project Hail Mary, the hero faces a far greater challenge: interstellar travel to collaborate with an E.T. in hope of saving an imperiled planet Earth!  Are the science and technology of Project Hail Mary realistic, promising too much, or under promising?  Hear more from Dr. Maggie Turnbull and Dr. Pascal Lee as they add some beautiful realism to your personal exploration of Project Hail Mary. Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming. In partnership with The SETI Institute and Wonderfest. Photos courtesy the speakers. 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

Billionaire investor and climate activist Tom Steyer says he's running for governor “to make California affordable again.” And that, he says, requires someone willing to take on big corporations and other powerful interests. Steyer made his name founding the San Francisco hedge fund Farallon Capital, which currently manages more than $40 billion in assets. After stepping away from finance in 2012, he launched NextGen America, a youth civic engagement organization focused on causes such as climate action, immigration reform, and economic justice. He later raised his national profile when he ran for president in 2020. If elected, Steyer has promised to launch the most ambitious affordable housing push in state history, take on utility monopolies he blames for runaway energy bills, and ensure that corporations pay what he calls their fair share. The candidate points to his record as a political outsider who has spent millions of his own dollars winning ballot fights on climate, health care, and redistricting. Steyer joins Commonwealth Club World Affairs as part of our “Race for Governor 2026” series of candidate forums. Come meet the candidate, hear his vision for California, and ask your questions before you cast your vote for California's next governor.   Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming. Photo courtesy the speaker. 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

On Feb. 28, the United States and Israel launched coordinated attacks on Iran, killing the country's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. Iran responded with an extensive missile and drone campaign targeting Israel, U.S. bases, and multiple Gulf states. President Donald Trump said the attacks would give Iranians a chance to “take back” their country and has predicted a quick ending to the war, calling it “a little excursion.”  But the situation on the ground has proven much more complicated. The war is disrupting oil supplies, causing a global spike in gas prices. And the United States might be responsible for a deadly strike on an Iranian elementary school that killed at least 175 people, according to preliminary results of a military investigation reported by The New York Times.  Join us to hear expert analysis of the war and what it means for the region. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For decades we've seen nations exercise geopolitical dominance tied to their production and control of fossil fuels – especially oil. But that leverage may be changing. Last year, China installed nearly twenty times the amount of wind and solar as the United States. In ⁠this essay⁠ in The National Interest, the authors lay out a global political and economic realignment already underway. Petrostates, like those in OPEC, are increasingly at odds with electrostates like China and many in the EU. This isn't to say that electrostates are not without resource challenges – they're seriously dependent on mineral supply chains – but the challenges are different, as are the opportunities. When 70% of the world's population lives in fossil-fuel-importing countries, how are these diverging resource paths shaping the global balances of power?  Guests: Tatiana Mitrova, Global Fellow, Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University Vijay Vaitheeswaran, Global Energy & Climate Innovation Editor, The Economist Li Shuo, Director, China Climate Hub at the Asia Society Policy Institute For show notes, related links, and episode transcript, visit https://climateone.org/podcasts Highlights: 00:00 – Intro 04:30 – Tatiana Mitrova on petrostates and the idea of electrostates 10:00 – Electrostates are already taking market share from petrostates 13:30 – How Mitrova sees balance of power shifting as world electrifies 17:15 – Vijay Vaitheeswaran on the concept of an electrostate 26:00 – How cheap electricity could allow developing nations to skip over fossil fuels 34:00 – Vaitheeswaran on how U.S. should take on industrial policy in this moment 38:00 – Li Shuo: China's latest 5-year plan suggests it will double down on clean tech sector 41:00 – China installed nearly twenty times wind and solar as U.S. last year 49:30 – China is on track to become firs ********** 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 at ⁠patreon.com/ClimateOne⁠.  Ad sales by ⁠Multitude⁠. Contact them for ad inquiries at ⁠multitude.productions/ads⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In October of 1066 William of Normandy defeated King Harold II of England on a battlefield near Hastings, and the effects of that Norman Conquest would reshape England's culture, politics, language and religion for more than 1,000 years. But the seeds of that event were sown more than 60 years earlier, when the teenage daughter of a Norman duke arrived on England's shores to marry its king. Her name was Emma, and her career as queen and matriarch would span the reigns of seven of England's kings: she married two kings, two of her sons became kings as did two of her stepsons, and her father-in-law was king. Writer Patrica Bracewell, author of the Emma of Normandy trilogy, will explore the life of this powerful woman who became the wealthiest woman in England, a patron of the arts, a savvy political strategist, and a pivotal figure in the family politics that governed England. Medievalist Elaine Treharne will discuss communities of learning in 11th century England, focusing particularly on the manuscripts produced by religious establishments. Among these are some of the most magnificent volumes ever produced in the pre-print era that show how much emphasis was placed on education, piety and commemoration in this period. Musician Shira Kammen and her ensemble In Bocca al Lupo will present a short program of medieval music inspired by and about the queens of this tumultuous era. Join Humanities West to explore Emma of Normandy, the challenges she faced, the victories she led, and the world in which the woman who was the only twice-crowned queen of England lived. The Commonwealth Club of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming. 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. Speaker photos courtesy the speakers; painting: William Blake's The Ordeal of Queen Emma. 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. Organizer: George Hammond  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At its most functional level, clothing serves as essential physical protection from the environment, soft armor and tangible comfort. Visually, clothing is one of the most immediate ways to assert individual identity, signaling values and collective belonging to others at first sight. But, when public discourse is polarized and words feel inadequate, clothing becomes a powerful nonverbal language—communicating solidarity, protest, fear or hope at a glance. During periods of political tension and social exhaustion, clothing serves as a palpable reminder of who we are when the world is in flux, offering a sense of control in an uncontrollable world. When institutions feel fragile and the future unclear, getting dressed is no longer trivial—it's an act of care, self-definition, and sometimes even quiet resistance. With insights from fashion industry leaders—educators, designers, reporters, and historians—this panel conversation will address the importance of clothing—as a marker of identity, symbol of resistance, and sign of belonging—in times of crisis.  About the Speakers Laura L. Camerlengo is curator in charge of costume and textile arts with the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. She has organized, co-organized and presented numerous costume and textiles exhibitions for the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, with a focus on sharing the stories of women and artists of color. Her recent publications include Patrick Kelly: Runway of Love (co-edited by Dilys E. Blum, 2021), and Fashioning San Francisco: A Century of Style (2024), as well as contributions to West 86th. She holds a Master of Arts degree from Parsons School of Design, The New School / Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in the History of Decorative Arts and Design. Moderator Natalie Smith is the Fashion Department chair and a full-time tenured instructor at City College of San Francisco. She also works as a freelance fashion show and event producer, stage manager, model coach, and voice-over artist. Natalie earned her Associate of Arts degree in interior design from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM). Anna Chiu is the founder and creative director of Kamperett, a women's wear brand based in San Francisco, where its flagship atelier and studio are located. Shaped by her German and Chinese heritage, her work brings a forward-looking perspective to clothing through an artistic lens. She has dressed women for the Met Gala, countless award shows and red-carpets, including Angelina Jolie, Ali Wong, and Rashida Jones and Chloe Zhao. Kamperett takes an intentional approach to sustainability, with all pieces designed and made in California. Tony Bravo is the San Francisco Chronicle's arts & culture columnist. His areas of coverage include visual art, the LGBTQ community, style, pop culture and “only in San Francisco” stories. He is also a frequent live interviewer and hosts the “Show & Tell” event series at Four One Nine. Bravo is also an adjunct instructor at the City College of San Francisco Fashion Department, where he teaches journalism. The Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming. 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. 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. Organizer: Denise Michaud  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The phrase “eat the rich”—attributed to Jean-Jacques Rousseau during the French Revolution—has exploded across Gen Z and Millennial consciousness through films such as Parasite, The Menu, and Glass Onion; the resurgence of democratic socialism; and viral moments like Amazon union leader Christian Smalls wearing the slogan to the White House. Motörhead's anthem of the same name—which Peaches Christ has performed live—provides the evening's sonic backbone. On Friday the 13th, we're putting a drag queen, a centi-millionaire running for Congress, a children's book author who writes about werewolves who devour predatory men, and other provocative voices on the same stage—and asking them all the same question: Who's really eating whom?” Enjoy an original performance by Peaches Christ, warm-up conversation with Saikat Chakrabarti, main-stage panel with Maggie Tokuda-Hall, Peaches Christ, and other guests moderated by Michelle Meow. Moderator Michelle Meow is the producer and host of "The Michelle Meow Show" on KPIX+. She is also a member of Commonwealth Club World Affairs' Board of Governors, and the former president of the board of San Francisco Pride.  Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming. The appearance in Commonwealth Club World Affairs programs of candidates for office are not a recommendation or endorsement of their views or candidacy; the Club is a nonprofit, nonpartisan forum that does not take positions on candidates or ballot measures. See more  Michelle Meow Show programs at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California. Speaker photos courtesy the speakers. 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

March is Women's History Month, and we're marking it by featuring the voices of women shaping California at every level of leadership.  This program brings together three trailblazing statewide elected officials—Eleni Kounalakis, Fiona Ma, and Malia Cohen—for a timely conversation about California's past, present, and future through a woman's perspective. Moderated by Nancy Tung, chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party, this discussion will explore how women leaders are carrying forward hard-won progress, governing in the moment, and building a more equitable future for the next generation. About the Speakers Ambassador Eleni Kounalakis is the 50th lieutenant governor of California and the first woman elected to the office. From 2010 to 2013, Kounalakis served as U.S. ambassador to the Republic of Hungary and in 2015 published her acclaimed memoir, Madam Ambassador, Three Years of Diplomacy, Dinner Parties and Democracy in Budapest. Prior to her service, Kounalakis spent 18 years as an executive at one of California's most respected housing development firms, AKT Development. Throughout her career, she served on numerous boards and commissions, including California's First 5 Commission, the San Francisco War Memorial, San Francisco Port Commission, and the Association of American Ambassadors. Eleni Kounalakis graduated from Dartmouth College in 1989 and earned an MBA from U.C. Berkeley's Haas School of Business in 1992. She holds honorary doctorates of law from the American College of Greece and the University of Piraeus and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.  State Controller Malia M. Cohen was elected in November 2022, following her service on the California State Board of Equalization (BOE), the nation's only elected tax commission responsible for administering California's $100 billion property tax system. She was elected to the BOE in November 2018 and was chair in 2019 and 2022. As chief fiscal officer of the world's fifth-largest economy, Controller Cohen's primary responsibility is to account for and protect the state's financial resources. Cohen served as president of the Board of Supervisors of San Francisco. As a supervisor, she served as chair of the Budget and Finance Committee and the Audit and Oversight Committee. During this time, she also served as president of the San Francisco Employees' Retirement System (SFERS). Cohen was born and raised in San Francisco and attended public schools. She received her bachelor's degree in political science from Fisk University and a Master's Degree in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University.  Fiona Ma, C.P.A., is California's 34th state treasurer. She was first elected on November 6, 2018, with more votes than any other treasurer candidate in the state's history and reelected on November 8, 2022. She is the first woman of color and the first woman Certified Public Accountant (CPA) elected to the position. Her office processes about $3 trillion in banking transactions a year. She provides transparency and oversight for the government's investment portfolio and accounts, as well as for the state's surplus funds.  Moderator Nancy Tung was elected as chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party in April 2024. She previously served as an elected member of the party's local leadership for four years. She deeply understands the impact the Democratic Party has on our local elections and is guiding a new caucus of moderate Democrats in the party. Nancy's core issues are public safety, improving public schools, increasing the housing stock, and supporting small businesses. Outside of politics, Nancy is a career prosecutor, having served at the state and local level for 24 years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the war on diversity upends government, corporate and education policies, the history of the idea of diversity has never been more important. David Oppenheimer, a diversity skeptic turned diversity admirer, chronicles how diversity became a foundational value of higher education over the last 200 years, how it evolved as it was adopted by commerce and science, and what the implications are of the current backlash.The diversity principle—the idea that people with different backgrounds, experiences, identities, and viewpoints produce better work by engaging with one another—was a core tenet of the first modern research university, founded in Germany in 1810. It was the inspiration for John Stuart Mill's On Liberty, a touchstone of academic freedom; a hallmark of Charles Eliot's remaking of Harvard in the late 19th century to promote the “clash of ideas”; and a foundation of the 20th-century efforts toward equality of Thurgood Marshall, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Pauli Murray. In telling the story of the diversity principle through the experiences of these and other remarkable thinkers, Oppenheimer argues for affirming diversity as a central value of education and an “essential ingredient for a robust intellectual and political culture.” Join us for a fascinating discussion about an important concept that underpins our intellectual, social, and economic lives. 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. ORGANIZER George Hammond Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than perhaps any other state, Hawaii has major incentives to decarbonize. Imported oil accounts for about 90% of Hawaii's total energy consumption, and electricity prices are more than three times the national average. So it may not be surprising that Hawaii was the first state in the nation to set a 100% renewable energy goal by 2045. But that's a hard goal to achieve, especially given the realities of geographic isolation and the costs of importing fuel and materials.  Hawaii Governor Josh Green is bullish about the island state's decarbonization and wants all options on the table. That includes making liquified natural gas part of the mix, along with solar, wind, and geothermal. His administration passed the first “green fee” which imposes a tax on Hawaii visitors and is expected to generate $100 million for climate resilience projects. What can we learn from Hawaii's decarbonization process?  Guests:  Josh Green, Governor of Hawaii Rylee Brooke Kamahele, Youth Plaintiff, Navahine v. Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation Tessa M. Hill, Oceanographer and Professor, Earth and Planetary Sciences, UC DavisFor show notes and related links, visit ⁠ClimateOne.org⁠. Highlights: 00:00 Intro 03:08 Josh Green on achieving Hawaii's climate goals 07:11 Josh Green on offshore wind 13:17 Josh Green on the effect of the wildfires and the recovery 18:09 Josh Green on decarbonizing 20:22 Josh Green on the health effects of the climate crisis 23:30 Rylee Brooke Kamahele on growing up 24:26 Rylee Brooke Kamahele on community action 29:06 Rylee Brooke Kamahele on the outcome of the lawsuit 34:27 Rylee Brooke Kamahele on the responsibility of older generations 37:55 Tessa M. Hill on rapidly changing oceans 41:43 Tessa M. Hill on the impact to common fish 44:44 Tessa M. Hill on the winners and losers of the changing oceans ********** 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 at ⁠patreon.com/ClimateOne⁠.  Ad sales by ⁠Multitude⁠. Contact them for ad inquiries at ⁠multitude.productions/ads⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1993, the San Francisco organization that would become the Young Women's Freedom Center made history by becoming one of the first nonprofits in the country run and led entirely by young women. Its mission was to create a support system and community to assist women and girls who had been living on the street and had experienced incarceration, foster care, poverty and trauma. In the decades since, it has developed a model for training and developing peer leaders with lived experience in the juvenile justice and foster care systems, creating a place of healing for young women and a force for community organizing and empowerment. The Center has helped lead the fight to end juvenile incarceration in California and has developed a set of powerful young leaders—including Rep. Lateefah Simon, the U.S. congresswoman who now represents Oakland and Berkeley and is a former executive director of the Center. The program has had remarkable success. For example, young people who complete YWFC programs are up to 85 percent less likely to recidivate or be incarcerated again. Up to 90 percent of those who complete the program maintain employment and reach educational goals. Its success has also enabled it to expand beyond its roots in San Francisco to operate programs in Los Angeles and Oakland, as well as Contra Costa and Santa Clara counties. In this Women's History Month forum, MindSite News, the nation's only news organization devoted to reporting on mental health, will be in conversation with Rep. Simon and two members of the current team at Young Women's Freedom Center. We'll explore the ways that the organization is nurturing young women, helping them to heal and develop their potential as individuals and community leaders. About the Speakers Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (D-Oakland) represents California's 12th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. She has deep roots as a Bay Area leader and activist, with over three decades of experience in organizing, advocacy, and philanthropy. In one of her earliest positions, she served as executive director of the Young Women's Freedom Center for 11 years, starting at the age of 19. Emani Davis is vice president of strategy & operations, NorCal, of the Young Women's Freedom Center. A nationally recognized movement strategist with more than two decades of experience, she began publicly advocating as the teenaged daughter of an incarcerated father in the 1990s, helping elevate awareness of the impact of mass incarceration on children and families. Julia Arroyo is executive director of Young Women's Freedom Center and a movement leader with more than two decades of experience in reproductive justice, community health and rape crisis intervention. She has lived experience in foster care, the underground street economy, and incarceration and is deeply committed to mentoring the next generation and helping shape a future rooted in healing, dignity, and collective power. Rob Waters is an award-winning health and mental health journalist and the founding editor of MindSite News. His articles have also appeared in The Washington Post, Kaiser Health News, STAT, theatlantic.com, Mother Jones and many other outlets. He was a 2005 fellow with the Carter Center for Mental Health Journalism. Nell Bernstein is the author of In Our Future We Are Free: The Dismantling of the Youth Prison, published in November, and two other books. She is a contributing writer for MindSite News, where she wrote about the work of Young Women's Freedom Center. 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. ORGANIZERVeronica Ortega & Patrik O'ReillyNOTES Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonathan Turley writes, “From redcoats to robots, our challenges have changed. Yet, we have remained. Our greatest danger is not forgetting the history detailed in this book, but forgetting who we were in that history.” On the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, law professor, legal analyst, and bestselling author Jonathan Turley shares his exploration of how the unique origins of American democracy set it apart from other revolutions, whether it can survive and thrive in the 21st century, and how the unfinished story of the revolution will play out in our rapidly changing world. Like many nations, the United States was born from revolution. At the birth of this country, the Founding Fathers faced the quintessential question of self-governance: How do you keep democracy from devolving into anarchy or despotism? As the nation enters a new era marked by artificial intelligence, robotics, and profound economic shifts, Turley says America is again faced with the pressure of radical forces that seek to curtail natural liberties under the guise of popular reform. In this mix, there are many politicians and pundits who are questioning the very principles of American democracy, and some law professors are even calling for scrapping the Constitution. Turley, author of the new book Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution, draws on everything from history to philosophy to the arts to offer a hopeful account of how the lessons of the past can guide us through today's “crisis of faith” in democracy and see us into the future. Join us in person or online to hear what he has to say. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Carly Schwartz, former San Francisco Examiner editor in chief and founding editor of HuffPost's San Francisco bureau, for the launch of her debut memoir, I'll Try Anything Twice: Misadventures of a Self-Medicated Life. In conversation with KQED's Sydney Johnson, Schwartz will discuss how her quest to escape from depression and addiction led her on a dizzying international journey through multiple communities and a maze of mental health treatments, before she found recovery where she least expected it. She will explore the universal topics of mental illness stigmatization, substance use denial, privilege, power, and the pressure of navigating a cutthroat career—all through the lens of her wildly unconventional experience. Described by early readers as “Eat Pray Love gone horribly wrong,” Schwartz's book offers a vivid, candid, and darkly humorous take on the search for belonging, the definition of success, and the risks we're willing to take in order to learn how to love ourselves. The event will include a fireside chat, audience Q&A, live reading, and a book signing. Books will be available for purchase, or you can pre-order your copy with your ticket. This program contains EXPLICIT language.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A pioneer of social psychology, Stanford scholar Claude M. Steele is renowned for Whistling Vivaldi, a runaway bestseller that analyzed societal stereotypes—from beliefs about racial and gender test score gaps to the athletic prowess of Black men—and how to mitigate these “stereotype threats.”  In his new book Churn, Steele captures the most commonplace tensions of life in a multifaceted democracy and how to minimize their corrosive effects in everyday life. With “churn,” Steele has coined a new term to identify “the agitation we can feel in diverse settings,” such as everyday exchanges between teachers and students; police and the public; managers and employees; parents and children; and strangers, or even friends, of different sexes and races.  Steele braids together psychological research with his own biracial life story, demonstrating how initial wariness between people of different identities is as much a product of our history as of our biases. And his latest work reveals how trust building can be a fresh and surprisingly powerful strategy for mitigating these tensions in the real–life settings of our lives and for realizing the full potential of our multiracial, multiethnic, multi-classed democracy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes, because of the current political pushback, one can get the false impression that the academic attention that has recently been paid to increasing a university's diversity, equity and inclusion profile is a new phenomenon—one that developed after the civil rights gains of minorities and women in the 1950s-70s. But the idea that people with different backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints would produce better work by engaging with each other was a core principle of the first modern research university—which was founded in Germany in 1810. The health sciences are especially dependent on accurate data, and imaginative but reasoned analysis of that data, and both the accuracy of the data and the usefulness of its analysis are put at risk by pretending that diversity, equity and inclusion are harming universities, including medical research universities, rather than helping them. The known inaccuracies caused by a historical research emphasis on male health, and inappropriate applications of those conclusions to female health due to the lack of research data on women, are examples of the risks involved. Join us to hear Dr. Robert Hiatt, whose central focus at UCSF has been on building a strong transdisciplinary research and training program in epidemiology, make the case for how scientifically harmful deemphasizing diversity could be, and how the emergence of Big Data will be derailed quickly if the data that it uses has been corrupted by political whims distorting its scientific objectivity.  In association with The Lundberg Institute and the Philip R Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). 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. Organizer: George Hammond  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, as it nears its 50th anniversary, Apple is a global behemoth, one of the most valuable companies on the planet. But it's been a rough and wild ride from scrappy startup to market leader. On April Fool's Day in 1976, two twentysomethings named Steve founded a little company with the intention of spreading the computer revolution to everyone. Over the next five decades, Apple reshaped the technology and cultural landscapes, introducing the public to breakthroughs like the mouse, laser printing, CD-ROM, WiFi, digital video, home networking, touchscreen phones, and tablets. Steve Jobs's obsessive eye for detail set the stage for products—Mac, iMac, iPod, iTunes, iPhone, iPad, AirPods, Apple Watch—that married advanced technology with beauty, simplicity, and fine design.“CBS Sunday Morning” correspondent David Pogue comes to Commonwealth Club World Affairs to give the life story of Apple: how it was born, nearly died, was reborn under Steve Jobs, and became, under CEO Tim Cook, the giant it is today. He tells this story in his new book Apple: The First 50 Years, for which he conducted new interviews with 150 key people involved in the company's growth, including Steve Wozniak, John Sculley, Jony Ive, and many current designers, engineers and executives. Come hear Pogue's take of the little company that did. Pogue busts some long-held myths, goes backstage for big successes and big failures (remember Lisa?), and looks at what can challenge Apple in its second half century. Note: This podcast contains Explicit Language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Once a marvel of modern science, plastic has become so inextricably woven into our lives that imagining a world without it seems impossible. Over the last 75 years, says author and environmentalist Judith Enck, plastic has cradled our planet in a synthetic embrace.  In her new book The Problem With Plastic, Enck critically examines the paradox of this material, first celebrated for its innovations and now recognized for its devastating environmental and public health impacts. A former regional administrator at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Enck reveals how plastic pollution contributes to poisoned oceans, polluted air, and overwhelming waste, particularly affecting marginalized communities. Enck highlights the pervasive presence of microplastics in the environment and the human body, and she challenges the belief that recycling can solve the crisis.  Enck emphasizes the urgent need for action against what she calls plastic's toxic legacy. Join us to hear her practical, actionable solutions, including a “household waste audit,” which people can use to track and reduce their own plastic consumption.  Judith Enck is the founder and president of Beyond Plastics and a professor at Bennington College. She is a former regional administrator at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and deputy secretary for the environment in the New York Governor's Office. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Called the “Godfather of the Silicon Valley's Indian Mafia” by Fortune magazine, Kanwal Rekhi's successful journey through the top ranks of the tech world in many ways mirrors the rise of modern India. Now Rekhi comes to Commonwealth Club World Affairs to share his personal account of business leadership and of U.S.-India relations.In his rapid rise through the tech industry, Rekhi rubbed shoulders with luminaries such as Gates, Jobs and Ellison, and he would go on to advise presidents and prime ministers on culture-shifting policies. He is perhaps best know for his work inspiring and launching the careers of thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs, many of whom have become millionaires and even billionaires. He shares stories of his life, career, and outlook in his new book The Groundbreaker, reflecting on what it meant to be an American at the dawn of the digital age, what it means to be an American now amid massive change and uncertainty, and why he believes democracy is crucial to the role that entrepreneurs play in building a better tomorrow. Drawing on his roles as an advisory board member at Stanford's Institute of Economic Policy Research and Rand Corporation's Center for Asian Pacific Policy, Rekhi explores the precarious but interdependent relationships between the United States, India, China and Russia; and how competition and alliances might evolve in the future, especially between America and India; and why the cooperation of the world's oldest democracy and the world's largest democracy is crucial to the continued balance of global power. Join us to hear Rekhi's call to action—for dreamers, doers, and those brave enough to bet on themselves.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In The Enlightened Bottom Line, author Jenna Nicholas explores how businesses can align purpose and profit to create lasting social impact. Drawing on stories from investors, entrepreneurs, and wisdom traditions, the conversation will examine how leaders can integrate spirituality, purpose, ethics, and economic performance to shape a more just and regenerative future. She says participants will come away with an expanded sense of possibility for the intersection of purpose and profit and how each of us can lead from a place of meaning, wholeness and interconnection. Jenna Nicholas is an investor, entrepreneur, advisor, coach, speaker and author of Enlightened Bottom Line: Exploring the Intersection of Spirituality, Business, and Investing. She is president of LightPost Capital, an investment and acquisition firm, and CEO of Impact Experience. An active angel investor, she has backed multiple unicorns. A Forbes 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneur, Echoing Green, Stanford Social Innovation, and PD Soros Fellow, she holds a BA and MBA from Stanford University. Her work has been profiled in major media, and she speaks globally on regenerative economics and purpose-driven leadership. She is an active member of the Baha'i Faith. Joining us remotely for part of our program will be Wayne Silby, a pioneering social investor and entrepreneur, best known as co-founder and founding chair of Calvert Investments, one of the earliest and largest socially responsible investment firms in the United States, currently $45 billion in assets under management. He also helped launch Calvert Impact Capital, ImpactAssets, Calvert Social Venture Partners, and Social Venture Network, giving money and markets a conscience worldwide. Silby later co-founded SynTao and ZenFlo in China, advancing sustainable finance and mindfulness, and serves on several global boards. He holds degrees from Wharton and Georgetown Law. A Business & Leadership 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. OrganizerElizabeth Carney  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all make mistakes. What if we could learn more about what drives the mistakes and how they shape our lives? Come hear from two people who made live-defining mistakes as they share a profound—and entertaining—exploration of mistakes and the transformative power of confronting them.Michael Lynton and Joshua L. Steiner made mistakes that shaped their careers and lives, but it wasn't until the pandemic-era isolation until these two longtime friends began to open up to each other about them. When Lynton was the CEO of Sony Entertainment, he greenlit a film that led to an infamous North Korean hack; meanwhile, a diary Steiner had kept as chief of staff at the Treasury Department became a focal point in the Clinton Whitewater scandal.Through a revealing examination of their own stories as well as candid interviews with influential figures such as Karol Mason, Joanna Coles, and Malcolm Gladwell and people from all walks of life, Lynton and Steiner discovered the hidden dimensions of mistakes and the universal struggle to move beyond them. Working with Alison Papadakis, director of clinical psychological studies at Johns Hopkins, they drew on relevant research and unpacked the difference between failures and mistakes, the different stages of mistakes, and how it's possible to break the patterns that lead to misunderstandings and shame. They write about their discoveries in From Mistakes to Meaning: Owning Your Past So It Doesn't Own You. This program contains EXPLICIT language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Food loss and waste account for up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions and cost $1 trillion annually, according to the⁠ United Nations⁠. About a third of all food grown on the planet gets wasted, rather than eaten. In developing countries, waste usually occurs between the field and the store, due to poor infrastructure, lack of refrigeration, and broken supply chains. In rich countries, most waste happens after food reaches the store, where consumers don't buy imperfect food – or buy too much and toss what they don't get around to consuming. How much pollution, deforestation and starvation could be reduced if we got this problem under control? And how can new tech, including AI, be brought to bear on the problem? Guests: Matt Rogers, Co-Founder and CEO, Mill Industries; Co-Founder, Nest Page Schult, CEO, Topanga  Kayla Abe, Co-Owner, Shuggie's David Murphy, Co-Owner and Chef, Shuggie's For show notes, related links, and episode transcript, visit climateone.org/podcasts. Highlights: 00:00 – Intro 04:30 – Matt Rogers on surviving Hurricane Andrews and his climate journey 06:30 – On the climate impact of HVAC and the creation of Nest thermostat 08:30 – On creating Mill food recycler and addressing food waste 13:45 – Partnership with Whole Food to recycle food waste and feed it back to chickens 17:00 – On AI as a tool for climate solutions 19:30 – Clean tech in Silicon Valley  23:00 – Matt Rogers shares his views on advocacy, philanthropy and impact investing 30:00 – Shuggie's restaurant sources ingredients that would otherwise be wasted 37:00 – David Murphy makes the case for sustainable food and upcycled ingredients 40:00 – Page Schult on global impact of food waste 44:00 – Topanga's work providing reusable food containers for college campuses 52:30 – Thinking about it circularity as systems change 54:00 – Role of AI in reducing food waste in commercial kitchens 58:00 – Climate One More Thing ********** 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 at ⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/ClimateOne⁠⁠⁠.  Ad sales by ⁠⁠⁠Multitude⁠⁠⁠. Contact them for ad inquiries at ⁠⁠⁠multitude.productions/ads⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who gets excited about going to an office meeting? Who dreads them? Rebecca Hinds, Ph.D., is an organization expert who has helped Fortune 500 companies fix their fractured collaboration efforts, and she says that meetings are broken. They are relics from a bygone era of top-down hierarchies and factory-like procedures—designed to issue orders, flaunt power, and keep the hierarchy intact. In today's digital, collaborate-or-bust era, this model isn't just inefficient, she says it actively harms employees and organizations.  She drew on decades of research and stories from leading companies like Google, Salesforce, Pixar, YouTube, and Dropbox for her new book Your Best Meeting Ever. She provides a blueprint to transform meetings from monotonous, soul-crushing time sinks into powerful tools for collaboration. Her secret? Treat them like products. Using seven product design principles, she says you'll turn your meetings into well-designed products that actually drive work forward and serve your most important users—the people in your organization. She explains: Why every organization needs a “Meeting Doomsday” to reset collaboration, and how to strategically orchestrate one at your company. How to fix your communication system so meetings are a last resort, not a knee-jerk default. Which meeting metrics matter—and which do more harm than good. How to inject moments of delight into your meetings so people genuinely want to show up. When to integrate technology into your meetings so you enhance collaboration, rather than detract from it. Whether you're a leader or an individual contributor, join us to meet Rebecca Hinds and learn her ideas for challenging the existing norms and embracing new paradigms—so you'll never dread another meeting again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Takes All Kinds”—An American Public Affairs Discussion and Demonstration of Journalistic Theatre Actor and playwright Dan Hoyle and his director, celebrated director/actor Aldo Billingslea, provide an inside look at the creation of their widely acclaimed new solo performance piece “Takes All Kinds.” Dan's blog reminds the viewer that  ”I'll be disappearing into these different characters and stories and you'll be glad to journey there with me. They've been traveling with me these last couple years. I think they'll stay with you too.” With “Takes All Kinds,” Hoyle and Billingslea use journalistic theater and embodied storytelling to portray powerful, funny and complex people caught in the social and political currents roiling our society. They create portraits of everyday Americans through moving and funny true stories of American democracy: school board showdowns in Florida, grassroots organizers in Atlanta, barber shops in Las Vegas, deprogrammers of violent extremists in Missouri and more. In this mostly offstage oriented “talk-back” presentation, listeners and observers will have an opportunity to explore with Hoyle and Billingslea how thousands of hours go into a little over an hour show. The artists' view reveals (somewhat) the amazing mystery of live transformative theatrical narrative that has everyone laughing and pin-drop listening with the next moment. And always has the audience talking as they depart. Yes—it's about politics, but could experiencing public affairs embodied theatre journalism bring people something they needed more than they realized?   “Stunning…something almost supernatural happens,” according to the  San Francisco Chronicle. Currently based at the Marsh Theatre, “Takes All Kinds” has toured elsewhere in California plus New York City, Charleston and Chicago, and will be heading to Idaho, Florida and more in 2026. About the Speakers Oakland-based Dan Hoyle is an actor and writer whose immersion research theater work has been hailed as "riveting, funny and poignant" (The New York Times) and "hilarious, moving and very necessary" (Salon). His solo shows, all originated at The Marsh in San Francisco, have played across the country at The Public Theater, Culture Project, Baltimore Center Stage, Berkeley Rep, Cleveland Playhouse, Mosaic Theater Company, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Portland Center Stage, Playmakers Rep, Painted Bride, Pure Theater and abroad in India, Ireland, Wales, Mexico, Canada and Nigeria. Aldo Billingslea (director) is a professor of theater at Santa Clara University (SCU). SCU's associate provost for diversity and inclusion, and served as the vice president of the 100 Black Men of Silicon Valley; he's a board member of TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, theatre program director for The222.org in Healdsburg, California.As an academic, he is a professor of American theatre from the Black perspective, acting styles, Shakespeare, and seminars on August Wilson. Billingslea is a lifelong professional actor featured in more than two dozen Shakespeare plays, productions of August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, and Fences, Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, and Lorraine Hansberry's The Sign in Sydney Bernstein's Window. He also worked at the American Conservatory Theater, the Aurora Theater, California Shakespeare Theater, Lorraine Hansberry Theater, and the Marin Shakespeare Theater. 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  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Monday Night Philosophy focuses tonight on the political philosophical principles generated by George Hammond's “Life is an Eternal Democracy” theory. His latest book, A Slightly Better Future: Short Term Fixes for America, Long Term Fixes for Democracy, details many incremental institutional improvements that could make democracies far more effective in the future. His ideas, based upon what we should have learned over the last 250 years, include a thoroughly revised democratic constitution, significantly redesigned political institutions, and several new forms of institutional checks and balances.  Fortunately, even amidst the current dismaying destruction of valued political norms, there remains a strong, sustaining undercurrent—the hope that all this institutional chaos will ultimately just remind us why compromise in the pursuit of consensus has been, and could continue to be, so productive in America's political culture.  Join us to discuss political principles that are designed to promote a civilized future, using realistic 21st century political thought—and political hope. 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. Organizer: George Hammond  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us to hear from renowned historian Frank Dikötter, who offers a commanding history recasting how communists seized power in China. In April 1927, soldiers and detectives descended upon the Russian Embassy in Beijing, revolvers drawn. An hour later, they emerged with a trove of documents, some of them partly damaged by Russians who had tried quickly to destroy them. In these singed and soggy papers was proof that Moscow, despite agreeing three years earlier not to “propagate communistic doctrines,” had, in fact, sent what amounts to millions in today's dollars—along with shiploads of arms and advisors—to support nothing less than a revolution in China.  These findings are hardly ever mentioned by historians—until now. Dikötter says the history of modern China has long been framed as an organic enterprise, wherein Communists mobilized the “peasants,” took land from the rich and redistributed it to the poor. Drawing on the Beijing raid as well as several other overlooked archives, Dikötter's new book Red Dawn Over China reveals how unlikely a communist victory actually was, had it not been for massive financial and military support from the Soviet Union; a brutal war of occupation by Japan; severe miscalculations by the United States; and—most of all—the Communist Party's unflinching will to conquer at all costs. Dikötter reveals how what began in 1921 with 13 delegates in a dusty room led to a red flag being raised over the Forbidden City in 1949, forever altering the course of history for a quarter of humanity and shaping the global balance of power as we know it today.  About the Speaker: Frank Dikötter is the Milias Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He is also Chair Professor of Humanities at the University of Hong Kong. His books have changed the way historians view China, from the classic The Discourse of Race in Modern China to his award-winning People's Trilogy, a series of books that document the lives of ordinary people under Mao: Mao's Great Famine: The History of China's Most Devastating Catastrophe; The Tragedy of Liberation: A History of the Chinese Revolution, 1945-1957; and The Cultural Revolution: A People's History, 1962-1976. 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. Organizer: Lillian K NakagawaNotes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Life is a use-it-or-lose-it situation, says our speaker. Shouldn't you try to spend it doing something you love? Venture capitalist Bill Gurley has set out to teach people his ideas for how to find your dream job and avoid a career you'll regret.  For lots of young people, career paths feel like conveyor belts—the next test, the next application, the next college—without a pause to ask what they really want to do with their lives. After Gurley went to college, he landed a job at a famous tech company. A dream job, right? But he was bored, so he took a chance and leapt into the unknown, eventually finding his place in the world of venture capital.  Such a result is rare. He says nearly six in ten people would do things differently if they could start over. So how can you avoid career regret? What can people at the top of their fields teach you about loving what they do? Gurley has assembled six principles to flourish in your chosen career, and he has explained it all in his new book Runnin' Down a Dream. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The average American teenager spends 4.8 hours a day on social media—but what are the actual effects of all this screen time? How have online platforms shifted our ways of talking and thinking about society? About the nation? What should we do about it? Over the course of one day, students from three different Bay Area high schools are invited to question and sharpen their discourse skills while exploring these questions for themselves.  In the morning, speakers Myles Bess (Above the Noise, ONE Creator Lab) and Gabriela Nguyen (Appstinence) will engage with these topics and model respectful, productive dialogue, discussing their experiences and opinions to build an understanding of the issue, and each other. Students will engage in listening activities and evidence-based discussion groups covering news media, California privacy laws, and international attempts to address our changing world. This program is part of Creating Citizens, the civics education initiative at Commonwealth Club World Affairs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While we are continually being inundated with news about what the federal government is up to, and wondering what else is going on that we don't know about, Miranda Spivack reminds us that most Americans are more likely to encounter the effects of government malfeasance or neglect closer to home—from their governors, mayors, town councils, school boards, police and prosecutors. Deals shrouded in darkness are regularly made at the state and local levels, the result of closed-door discussions between government officials and industry leaders without any scrutiny whatsoever from the public. As Spivack's groundbreaking investigative reporting makes clear, residents are intentionally kept on the outside, struggling to get information about significant issues affecting their communities—from car crashes and dirty drinking water, to failing safety gear—until the backroom deals are done and it's too late to challenge them effectively. Based on years of original reporting, Spivack tells the story of five “accidental activists”—people from across the United States who started questioning why their local and state governments didn't protect them from issues facing their communities and why there was a frightening lack of transparency surrounding the way these issues were resolved. The secret deals, lies, and corruption they uncovered shook their faith in government but also moved them to action. Spivack's revealing take on a hidden dimension of American politics will outrage and educate anyone who cares about the forces shaping their own communities. And it will show how ordinary people are fighting back against their local and state governments to keep their communities safer. 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. Organizer: George Hammond  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While the federal government has all but abandoned trying to address the climate crisis, cities around the world are stepping up. C40 is an international network of 97 cities representing 920 million people and 23% of the world's economy. Almost three out of four of these cities have already peaked their emissions. Here in the U.S., Climate Mayors is a bipartisan network of nearly 350 municipal leaders, representing 48 states and more than 70 million Americans. How are cities innovating on reducing emissions, adapting to increasing climate risks, and — perhaps most importantly — sharing their knowledge? Episode Guests:  Eric Garcetti, C40 Ambassador for Global Climate Diplomacy; Former Mayor, Los Angeles  Kate Gallego, Mayor of Phoenix; Former Chair, Climate Mayors  For show notes, related links, and episode transcript, visit https://climateone.org/podcasts Highlights: 00:00 Intro 2:46 Eric Garcetti on his time as mayor of LA 9:45 Eric Garcetti on where cities are moving the needle 17:47 Eric Garcetti on cities on the world stage 22:11 Eric Garcetti on the work of C40 26:20 Eric Garcetti on knowledge sharing 32:17 Eric Garcetti on co-leading 40:11 Kate Gallego on dealing with the heat in Phoenix 43:46 Kate Gallego on affordability 48:10 Kate Gallego on regulating data centers 52:35 Kate Gallego on working with other mayors ********** 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 at ⁠⁠patreon.com/ClimateOne⁠⁠.  Ad sales by ⁠⁠Multitude⁠⁠. Contact them for ad inquiries at ⁠⁠multitude.productions/ads⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AI-powered agents and robots are already technically capable of performing an increasing share of human work. So how can workers, managers and organizations adapt to the dramatic shift?  A new McKinsey Global Institute report offers a roadmap. While AI is transforming the workplace at unprecedented speed, people will remain essential for many tasks that are still beyond AI's capabilities—and to supervise, manage and collaborate with the technology. In fact, the demand for workers with AI fluency has grown dramatically over the past two years. Work in the future will be a partnership between people, agents and robots.  Which skills are likely to be most—and least—impacted by automation? How can public institutions help by aligning education and training with emerging skill needs—from AI fluency to skilled trades—and widening access to opportunity? And what strategies can organizations adopt to help their workforce adapt? Join us for a conversation with report authors Alexis Krivkovich and Anu Madgavkar of McKinsey Global Institute, along with Katy George, Microsoft's corporate vice president of workforce transformation, and Kevin Delaney, editor-in-chief of The San Francisco Standard. They will discuss the research findings and share practical guidance for navigating the transition to human-AI collaboration at work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a public defender in California and New York, Emily Galvin Almanza became frustrated by an overburdened justice system focused on locking people up while having, she says, “essentially zero impact on the crime rate.” Time and again, she saw ordinary peoples' lives upended by the court system. So she co-founded an organization, Partners for Justice, aimed at supporting and empowering public defenders. Now operating in more than 20 states, the group places advocates in public defenders' offices to help clients find stable housing, employment and other services . . . and stay out of jail.  In her new book, The Price of Mercy: Unfair Trials, a Violent System, and a Public Defender's Search for Justice in America, Galvin Almanza draws on these first-hand experiences and the latest crime data to argue that institutional decisions, such as prosecutorial incentives, policing tactics, or even when a judge has lunch, can have disastrous impacts on people who find themselves in the judicial process.  She looks at how police overtime practices affect justice, how jail conditions can increase future crime, and how flawed forensic technology has resulted in the incarceration of innocent individuals. Despite these sobering facts, she also emphasizes solutions: such as how public defenders enhance community stability and health, and how small environmental investments, such as planting trees, can actually reduce crime rates.  Join Emily Galvin Almanza to hear her blueprint for transforming our criminal justice system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Reagan presidency marked a turning point in American political history, bringing in changes in voting allegiances, long-lasting economic and foreign policy shifts, and a new direction in the country's political culture that lasted for decades. Now former Reagan aide Frank Lavin comes to Commonwealth Club World Affairs to share behind-the-scenes stories of the Reagan White House. Drawing on his new book Inside the Reagan White House: A Front-Row Seat to Presidential Leadership with Lessons for Today, Lavin includes a mix of personal stories, insights on the president, discussions of policy and historical events, and crazy, colorful anecdotes in his insider's look at the Reagan presidency. The Reagan assassination attempt, the Gorbachev Reykjavik summit, Ollie North and the Contras, the 1988 Bush-Dukakis contest and other critical moments of the Reagan years are all covered.  Lavin also offers original insights into Reagan cabinet members and other top players, along with personal anecdotes, off-hand comments, and unique family details. Not to mention the movie stars, Soviet spies, neo-Nazis, plain old Nazis, intimate affairs, fights on planes, and con men who were chased by Interpol.  But Lavin says that at the heart of his story are the thousands of dedicated Americans who helped Ronald Reagan as he worked to push back against the Soviet Union, promote democracy, improve trade, lower taxes, and reduce the size and scope of government—back when those were the main focuses of conservative Republicans.  Join us to discuss whether the Reagan years provide us with any lessons for our current political situation. 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. Organizer: George Hammond  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don't miss out on an evening celebration of a philanthropic milestone and the exploration of an increasingly important development in the Arctic. Today, we are witnessing the emergence of a new ocean. For almost all of human history, the Arctic Ocean has been a frozen sea dominated by sea ice whose properties include the ability to reflect sunlight. It has played an essential role in regulating the climate well beyond the Arctic. Simply put, it has long served as Earth's air conditioner. The changes in the Arctic Ocean are affecting many sectors, including global climate, of course, as well as conservation and environmental preservation, fisheries and aquaculture, other sea life, navigation, trade, tourism, renewable energy, marine biotech, green tech, vegetation, digital connectivity and infrastructure, and the 4 million people in five countries who live along the Arctic Ocean coastline including Indigenous peoples and their cultures. As the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation concludes its 25th year, we invite you to participate in a fascinating discussion on emerging conservation opportunities in the Arctic. Join leading conservationists Louie Porta and Enric Sala for an exclusive film screening and in-depth discussion about this rapidly changing ocean.  Enric Sala is a National Geographic Explorer and director of Pristine Seas, a project that combines exploration, research, filmmaking, economics and policy—working with local communities, Indigenous peoples and governments to protect vital places in the ocean. Louie Porta is the program director of the Arctic Ocean Initiative at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming. This program is presented by Commonwealth Club World Affairs, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and National Geographic Pristine Seas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AI and emerging technologies are reshaping biopharma and redefining how science is built, scaled and valued. As the landscape shifts, the industry must confront critical questions about leadership, capital strategy and what innovation really looks like in the years ahead. Join us to hear inside perspectives from senior leaders across biopharma and technology on: What's driving momentum at the intersection of tech and science Where unsolved challenges are creating the next wave of opportunity This event is designed for technology and life sciences leaders, investors and stakeholders who want to learn from peers, identify emerging opportunities, and understand how data and AI will shape the next phase of biopharma. Dress code (encouraged): Elevated business attire or cocktail wear. In celebration of Black History Month, MelanInScience and WeAre encourage attendees to wear skin tone-inspired shades to reflect the beauty and diversity of all complexions. Hosted by MelanInScience and WeAre. See more  Michelle Meow Show programs at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are scientific truths, religious truths, historical truths, mythical truths, and more. In our current swamp of misinformation, disinformation, truthiness, rewritten history, conspiracy theories, “fake news,” and bald-faced lies, how do we discern actual facts and truth? What is “truth,” anyway? The Declaration of Independence claims that “We hold these truths to be self-evident.” What about those “truths”? These questions are crucial if we're to have a functioning democracy.  Michael Shermer, founding publisher of Skeptic magazine and author of the new book Truth, returns to our podium to tackle these issues with us. He will clarify the different kinds of truth, take us on an entertaining ride through some classic fallacies, and then show us how to figure out, within the context of the various types of “truth,” whether a particular “fact” is, in fact, factual.  So join us for an informative discussion and maybe a few enjoyable, and illuminating, experiential exercises in which we'll practice tackling the problem of finding truth, then maybe have dinner afterward at a nearby restaurant! A Personal Growth 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: Eric Siegel  The program contains EXPLICIT language.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Humanities West explores Ansel Adams' legendary six-decade career as a conservationist, teacher, musician and, above all, photographer, bringing you the stories behind the famous images to reveal the infectious enthusiasms, fervent battles, and bountiful friendships of a truly American original.  Two of Ansel Adams' best friends, Georgia O'Keeffe and Edward Weston, criticized him for being too involved with the world. They advised that his activism—for the environment, for the rights of American citizens, for the recognition of photography as a creative art—all came at a grave cost to his art. To be a serious artist, they agreed, one must focus only on one's art. Ansel Adams proved them wrong. But too often, Adams' photographs are appreciated only for their aesthetic appeal, without consideration of the social and political circumstances of their making.  On what would have been his 123rd birthday, how do we celebrate this great artist and American citizen? Mary Street Alinder and Dr. Jasmine Alinder will place Adams' artistic work and political convictions in conversation, not as opposing forces, but as mutually supporting objectives.  Mary Street Alinder first studied with Adams in 1967, eventually becoming his chief assistant from 1979 until his death in 1984. During those years she worked very closely with him and completed his autobiography posthumously. She will share her very personal experiences with this great San Franciscan.  Jasmine Alinder is an interdisciplinary, community-engaged scholar and teacher of public history, the history of photography, and the history of Japanese-Americans during World War II. In her talk, she will focus on Ansel Adams' 1944 project Born Free and Equal: The Story of Loyal Japanese-Americans. 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

Rising electricity rates across the country are adding pressure to families and businesses already dealing with inflation in other aspects of their lives. Most Americans get their power from a utility that needs to turn a profit for its investors. And people are fed up with the status quo. “Across the country, the utilities have just gotten greedy and are asking for more than they need,” says Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes.  Some communities are considering cutting out the profit motive for utilities, taking on the complicated and expensive prospect of moving to public power. But switching from an investor-owned utility to public power is an uphill battle. What are other strategies for reining in corporate greed and making electricity more affordable? Episode Guests: Kris Mayes, Arizona Attorney General Naveena Sadasivam, Investigative Reporter and Editor, Grist Carroll Fife, Councilmember, District 3, Oakland, California Jackson Kaspari, Director of Member Services, Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire For show notes, transcript, and related links, visit ⁠https://www.climateone.org/podcasts⁠ Skill Up for Earth: ⁠⁠https://skillup.earth⁠⁠ Highlights: 00:00 – Intro 04:00 – Naveena Sadasivam breaks down electric bill drivers by region 14:00 – High bills affected outcome of Georgia Public Utility Commission 17:00 – Tucson town hall held by AZ AG Kris Mayes to discuss power bill 19:00 – Mayes explains why she's intervening in rate cases 27:00 – Imbalance of power between utility companies and PUCs and consumer advocates 33:00 – Would Arizona legislators consider allowing community choice aggregation 36:00 – Carroll Fife on why she supported a state bill to explore other options to power suppliers 43:40 – Jackson Kaspari explains how community choice aggregation works in New Hampshire 48:00 – Utility pushback 54:00 – Kaspari explains how much work it took to set up CCA in New Hampshire 56:30 – Climate One More Thing ********** 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 at ⁠patreon.com/ClimateOne⁠.  Ad sales by ⁠Multitude⁠. Contact them for ad inquiries at ⁠multitude.productions/ads⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This fireside chat will feature the various major Democratic candidates running to be California's next governor in conversation with Nancy Tung, who is currently serving as the chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party, about the biggest issues facing the state of California.  This conversation is taking place as delegates from throughout California arrive in San Francisco for the Democratic Party Convention weekend. Delegates will be evaluating the candidates and casting their votes on whom to endorse for governor as part of our special CADEM coverage of the state convention.  Gubernatorial candidates will each have a 15-minute period to share their vision for the future of the Golden State one-on-one with Chair Nancy Tung. See more  Michelle Meow Show programs at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are we in an AI-driven financial bubble? New York Times financial journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin, author of a new book on the 1929 stock market crash, thinks so. "I just can't tell you when, and I can't tell you how deep," he has said. "But I can assure you, unfortunately, I wish I wasn't saying this, we will have a crash.” But other experts, notably Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, doesn't think the AI boom is another dot-com bubble. “These companies … actually have business models and profits... So it's really a different thing,” Powell said in October. So what's the average consumer and investor to do? In Commonwealth Club World Affairs' annual economic forecast, our experts will go beyond the hype and doomsaying to break down what it all means for your bottom line. Will the stock market continue to rally, or will there be a correction? How will tariff chaos and the immigration crackdown impact the economy? What can we expect with future interest rate cuts, and with President Trump's efforts to influence the Fed? We'll take up those questions and much more with our expert panel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Incarcerated men defy the odds to expose a cover-up. In 2019, filmmakers visit an Alabama prison to film a revival meeting. Off camera, incarcerated men whisper a message: terrible things are going on here that are being kept secret from the public. This sparks an immersive 6-year investigation to discover the reality behind the walls of what the film calls “the nation's deadliest prison system.”With unprecedented direct access, the filmmakers learn from incarcerated men about a suspicious and violent death. The story unfolds in real time, revealing it isn't an isolated incident, and that the official version appears far from the truth. What follows is a shocking story of brutality, corruption, and a system in collapse. As the men fight for their own survival, they embark on a campaign of resistance, against all odds.Join us for a screening of the Oscar-nominated new documentary Alabama Solution, followed by a Q&A with director and producer Andrew Jarecki  This program contains EXPLICIT language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join two 25-year veterans representing the elder justice profession as they provide an overview of the troubling trends they have seen with the burgeoning problem of elder abuse. Their focus will be on financial exploitation—perpetrated by a broad spectrum of offenders, including strangers and people known to their older targets.  The presenters will also address key challenges and threats to the physical and financial safety of older people, including the proposed dismantling of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and its Office for Older Americans, along with other concerning issues at the federal, state and local level that are leaving thousands of older people at the mercy of financial predators. Topics will include financial grooming (a.k.a. “pig-butchering”), crypto scams, romance scams, and the growth of transnational crime rings that are targeting American seniors to the tune of billions in losses. About the Speakers Jenefer Duane is an elder justice advocate and consultant. Duane is a former senior program analyst in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) Office for Older Americans. With 40 years in aging services and consumer protection, she specializes in prevention, response, investigation, prosecution and resolution of cases of elder financial exploitation. At the CFPB, she led the development of the national Elder Financial Protection and Response Network program. She was the agency lead for the award-winning Money Smart for Older Adults program with the FDIC. She also led several CFPB-FinCin initiatives to strengthen the suspicious-activity reporting and investigation of elder financial exploitation.  Paul Greenwood is a former deputy district attorney and an AARP consultant. Greenwood headed up the Elder Abuse Prosecution Unit at the San Diego DA's Office for 22 years. In 1999 California Lawyer magazine named Paul as one of their top 20 lawyers of the year in recognition of his pioneering efforts to pursue justice on behalf of senior citizens. He has prosecuted more than 750 felony cases of physical, sexual, emotional and financial elder abuse. He has also prosecuted 10 murder cases, including one death penalty case. In March 2018 Greenwood retired from the San Diego DA's office to concentrate on sharing lessons learned from his elder abuse prosecutions with a wider audience. In October 2018 he was given a lifetime achievement award by his former office. Greenwood now spends much of his post retirement time speaking on behalf of AARP nationally, consulting on elder abuse cases, testifying as an expert witness and providing trainings to law enforcement and Adult Protective Services agencies across the country and internationally. He is also involved as the criminal justice board member of the National Adult Protective Services Association. 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 at Commonwealth Club World Affairs on February 13 to prepare scientifically for Valentine's Day. Paul Eastwick has taken a groundbreaking look at the science of attraction and compatibility, challenging our most fundamental assumptions about how human mating has evolved. Eastwick takes exception to evolutionary psychology's claim, cloaked in incontrovertible Darwinian terms, that our minds have been shaped by primal drives that pit the genders against each other—from the myth that men are wired to be promiscuous to the notion that wealth, status and beauty are the ultimate aphrodisiacs.   Drawing on pathbreaking research—including original experiments from his own UC Davis lab—Eastwick reveals that these stories bear little resemblance to how pair-bonding really works. While beauty and charisma factor into first impressions, their influence fades fast. Lasting attraction is built through gradual, often mundane moments that forge strong attachment bonds. Eastwick's liberating new paradigm for finding meaningful, exciting relationships includes: that personality, lifestyle, values and humor are poor predictors of compatibility; that a person's tendency to “date around” has little bearing on their long-term relationship potential; and that the most secure relationships offer a “safe haven” and “secure base” for each partner. By excavating the hidden history of human mating, Eastwick paints a radical new picture of the roots of enduring chemistry. Distilling evolutionary biology, anthropology and psychology into accessible insights, Eastwick explains a more evolved approach to dating which makes it far more effective. 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. Organizer: George Hammond  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In honor of Black History Month, Commonwealth Club World Affairs invites you to a special evening celebrating Black excellence, civic leadership, and the innovations shaping stronger, more liberated communities. Moderator Chantel Walker, managing director of the Black Funders Network and vice mayor of San Anselmo, whose work bridges civic leadership with philanthropic systems change, will lead an engaging conversation on contemporary Black leadership across public service, philanthropy, youth empowerment, and community power-building. Guest speaker Solano County Supervisor Cassandra James will share insights from her perspective as a public leader working at the intersection of governance, equity and community investment. Dr. Brandon Nicholson has a track record of growing a local nonprofit in Oakland to seven cities nationally, securing and managing a $15 million annual budget, by leveraging public grants, individual donations, and private sector partnerships, as well as having a global presence in the UK and Africa. As CEO of The Hidden Genius Project, he and his team of innovators, operations, training, and curriculum experts have spearheaded initiatives that have positively impacted thousands of youth of color, particularly young Black males in enhancing college graduation rates and opening doors to rewarding career pathways.  Together, Supervisor James and Dr. Nicholson will explore what excellence in leadership looks like today, the role of innovation in expanding collective opportunity, and how communities are building power and possibility for future generations. Key themes include: Black leadership and public service in the Bay Area and beyond Investing in youth, creativity and innovation as engines of change Philanthropy and community-centered systems transformation Honoring history through action, vision and liberation Join us for an inspiring Black History Month conversation and a call toward a future grounded in equity, dignity and community strength. 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. OrganizerIan McCuaig & Virginia Cheung  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congress approved billions for federal grants and programs through the EPA during the Biden administration. Those dollars were meant to help disadvantaged communities and fund community resilience projects, public health programs, and initiatives to reduce energy insecurity on tribal lands. But just as these projects were getting underway, the Trump administration froze many of the grants, put others under indefinite review, or canceled them outright.  Now, some of the groups that were awarded federal funds have banded together and are suing the federal government for the money they're owed. Others are seeking alternative funding streams. In this episode, we speak with people whose projects are on hold, but who continue to serve their communities.   Episode Guests:  Ben Grillot, Senior Attorney, Southern Environmental Law Center Wahleah Johns, Former Director, U.S. DOE Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs Ilyssa Manspeizer, CEO, Landforce Bryan Cordell, Executive Director, Sustainability Institute For show notes, related links, and episode transcript, visit ⁠climateone.org/podcasts.⁠ Skill Up for Earth: https://skillup.earth Highlights: 00:00 Intro 03:01 Ilyssa Manspeizer on what her organization, Landforce 06:29 Ilyssa Manspeizer on the impact of federal grant funds 08:58 Ilyssa Manspeizer on losing the grant funding 11:38 Ilyssa Manspeizer on Landforce joining the lawsuit against the EPA 14:08 Ben Grillot on the original EPA grantees 19:08 Ben Grillot on the politicization of the grants 24:54 Ben Grillot on the loss of trust with the federal government 26:42 Bryan Cordell on the work of the Sustainability Institute 30:38 Bryan Cordell on the status of their work after federal grants were pulled 33:51 Wahleah Johns on growing up on a Navajo reservation 45:59 Wahleah Johns on the community response to IRA rollbacks 48:20 Wahleah Johns on working toward the future ********** 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 at ⁠patreon.com/ClimateOne⁠.  Ad sales by ⁠Multitude⁠. Contact them for ad inquiries at ⁠multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The California Department of Insurance regulates the insurance industry, with consumer protection as its core tenet. The insurance commissioner heads the Department of Insurance, managing more than 1,400 employees and overseeing 1,600 insurance companies. Ricardo Lara, the current commissioner, has faced increasingly challenging circumstances. Devastating wildfires in 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2025 have burned tens of thousands of homes; 7 of California's 12 top insurers have pulled back from the California market since Lara took office in 2019. Meanwhile, the California FAIR Plan—the state-run public home insurance program designed to be the “insurer of last resort”—has more than doubled its policyholders between 2019 and 2023, due to the difficulty faced by homeowners of finding suitable coverage on the private market. As a result of the dramatic increase in policyholders, the FAIR Plan faced financial insolvency in 2023 and 2025, resulting in a $1 billion bailout from private insurers to cover claims. Additionally, critics say major insurance companies have continuously underestimated the payouts for homeowners in the case of total loss. In recent years, most people who have experienced a major fire have found out that their insurance will not pay them enough to rebuild. For consumers, these growing problems mean higher premiums where coverage is available, fewer insurer choices, stricter underwriting standards, and, in some cases, an inability to obtain comprehensive coverage at all. Homeowners in high-risk areas are increasingly pushed into bare-bones policies or layered coverage solutions. In March 2025, for the first time in California history, the California insurance commissioner approved emergency, interim rate hikes designed to stabilize State Farm after immense financial strain from the LA wildfires. These hikes averaged 17 percent for homeowners, 15 percent for renters/condos, and up to 38 percent for rental dwellings. Experts say that the next insurance commissioner will inherit a growing crisis in which nearly all the proposed solutions are likely to cost consumers. This public forum will provide voters with an opportunity to hear directly from candidates for insurance commissioner on key issues affecting Californians, including consumer protection, climate risk, insurance affordability, and regulatory oversight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Los Angeles Mayor and California Assembly speaker Antonio Villaraigosa says he's running for California governor because the state needs an experienced “problem-solver” who can work across the aisle. Born and raised in L.A., Villaraigosa was expelled from one high school and dropped out of another before getting back on track with the help of an English teacher, eventually graduating from UCLA. A longtime union organizer, he also served as president of the Southern California chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.Villaraigosa, who previously ran for governor in 2018, says he would focus on public safety, housing and homelessness, and affordability if elected. He points to accomplishments such as a decrease in violent crime and increase in graduation rates during his tenure as Los Angeles mayor. In Sacramento, he says, he “worked with both parties to balance the state budget, with record investments in education and public safety, while holding the line on taxes.” Villaraigosa joins Commonwealth Club World Affairs as part of our “Race for Governor 2026” series of candidate forums. Hear his vision for California, and ask your questions before you cast your vote for California's next governor. 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

Across the Bay Area, young people—especially youth of color from historically underinvested communities—are coming of age in a moment defined by deep inequities, rapid economic change, and profound social challenges. While the region boasts immense wealth and innovation, it also holds some of the nation's starkest disparities in housing, education, health and opportunity. Our young people are growing up in the shadow of systems that too often overlook their brilliance. Yet we know the truth: these young people are not problems to be solved, they are leaders waiting to be unleashed.  This conversation with Regina Jackson is not just about a book—it's about a blueprint for closing that gap, for building a region where every young person can rise, lead, and thrive. And she says the urgency is real: The choices we make in this decade will shape our youths' opportunities for a lifetime.Youth in communities like East Oakland, Bayview-Hunters Point, and Richmond often face: Displacement and loss of cultural anchors due to gentrification Limited access to mentorship and leadership pathways that reflect their identities and lived experiences Systemic inequities in education, economic mobility, and civic influence At the same time, these youth carry extraordinary resilience, creativity and leadership potential. But potential alone is not enough—it must be recognized, nurtured and resourced to thrive. Without intentional investment and support, do we risk losing a generation's capacity to lead us toward a more equitable future? About the Speakers Regina Jackson's work at the East Oakland Youth Development Center has transformed thousands of lives by combining mentorship, cultural pride, academic readiness, and civic engagement. She is the author of the new book Unleashed Potential: How Youth Lead the Way to a Stronger Future, which distills decades of wisdom into actionable guidance for leaders, educators, parents and policymakers.  Fred Blackwell and the San Francisco Foundation have made advancing racial equity and economic inclusion core to their mission, championing systemic change that aligns directly with Jackson's vision. 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 & Veronica OrtegaNOTES Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Artificial intelligence can now match and sometimes surpass physicians in areas such as diagnosis to empathy. What does that mean for doctors, patients, and the future of our health care? Join us for a look at AI in medicine from the physician who has more than a dozen times ranked as one of the 50 most influential physician-executives in the United States by Modern Healthcare magazine, Robert Wachter, M.D.  Wachter will sift out the facts from the hype and make a compelling argument for AI's power to transform health care. He says that the system is currently buckling under the weight of bureaucratic pressures, soaring costs, and clinician burnout; in that environment, AI doesn't have to be perfect, just better.  Wachter conducted extensive research and more than 100 interviews with leaders in medicine, technology, policy and business; he presented the results in his new book A Giant Leap: How AI is Transforming Healthcare and What That Means for Our Future. In it, he also considers challenges such as AI hallucinations, biases and misinformation. Yet AI is already in hospitals and clinics drafting notes, answering patient questions, recommending treatments, interpreting images, and guiding surgeries.  Will this collaboration of humans and technology be successful in the long term? Will it become the savior of health care or just another source of harm and frustration? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On January 7, 2026, Renee Good, a Minneapolis resident, was fatally shot by an ICE officer, drawing widespread public concern and scrutiny over the federal government's immigration enforcement tactics. Just weeks later, Alex Pretti—a 37-year-old intensive care nurse who worked at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Minneapolis—was shot and killed by border patrol agents during another immigration enforcement action in the city.  The deaths of Good and Pretti prompted protests across the Bay Area and condemnation from local Democratic political leaders. The incidents also raised the question: could Northern California be next?  In this special Commonwealth Club World Affairs town hall, moderated by KQED's Guy Marzorati, we'll get local reactions to the events in Minneapolis. Join us to hear from an elected official, a faith leader, a legal expert, and an investigative journalist about the political and human rights implications of the Trump administration's immigration enforcement campaign and what to expect in the weeks and months ahead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown as he returns to Commonwealth Club World Affairs to talk national, state and local politics. As CalMatters observed last year in an article marking his 90th birthday, Brown is “one of the most flamboyant and powerful politicians California has ever known,” who “still dominates every room he enters with his smarts and swagger.” The first African American speaker of the California State Assembly, Brown served a record 14 years in that role. He then served two terms as San Francisco mayor. Brown will address a range of political topics, including Trump versus California, the state of American democracy, and the future of the Democratic Party. He'll also weigh in on San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie's track record so far, the city's economic recovery, and how City Hall is dealing with problems like homelessness, affordability, and crime. And as the California governor's race heats up, we'll get his take on that contest and Gavin Newsom's political future. Don't miss this conversation with Mayor Brown and KQED political reporter and editor Scott Shafer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices