Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

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

Prosecutors wield extraordinary influence over how justice is carried out—from decisions about charging and diversion to how victims are supported and public safety is defined. Yet too often, their on-the-ground expertise is missing from legislative conversations about criminal justice reform. “A Voice for the People” brings San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins and formerly incarcerated community members into that conversation. This timely program elevates the role of modern prosecutors as essential leaders in building a smarter, more equitable, and community-centered justice system. Sitting at the intersection of law, public safety, and community trust, prosecutors are uniquely positioned to translate reform ideals into policies that work in practice. Together, the speakers will discuss what meaningful reform looks like on the ground, how accountability and compassion can coexist, and why inclusive leadership is critical to restoring trust and improving outcomes. About the Speakers Brooke Jenkins is the 31st district attorney of San Francisco, first appointed in 2022 and elected by voters in 2022 and again in 2024. She leads the San Francisco District Attorney's Office with a focus on public safety, victim advocacy, and the responsible implementation of criminal justice reform. Vincent O'Bannon is a justice-impacted advocate and reentry professional whose work centers on prosecutor-led criminal justice reform, community safety, and pathways to accountability. Following his release from incarceration in 2025, Vincent committed himself to rebuilding his life through consistent employment, civic engagement, and collaboration with justice system stakeholders. He has worked with the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), where he gained firsthand experience with evidence-based reentry practices that reduce recidivism and strengthen public safety through employment, structure and accountability. His perspective is shaped by lived experience and reinforced by professional discipline, allowing him to bridge the gap between impacted communities and institutional leadership. Dante D. Jones is a 43 year old Black man from South Central Los Angeles who was just released from San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. After serving 17 years of a 39-years-to-life sentence, he was released by way of P.C. 1170(d)—the resentencing law. While incarcerated, he used his time wisely by taking full advantage of the programs available to him. Specifically, while serving nearly three of his 17 years at San Quentin, he found his purpose as an advocate for the incarcerated. He exercised that advocacy through the power of video, photo and written journalism while working for the award-winning San Quentin News. As a staff writer and head of its video department, he created over 35 videos, photographed more than 20 events and wrote more than 20 articles that focused on challenging the status quo and changing the narrative of who incarcerated citizens are and can be. He also produced, directed and edited a documentary (Unhoused and Unseen) that was nominated top three in the “Documentary Short” section of the 2024 San Quentin Film Festival and was also shown during a special screening at this year's Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. Our moderator, Emily Hoeven, is an opinion columnist and editorial writer at the Chronicle. In 2025, she won first place in the San Francisco Press Club's contest for political commentary and second for feature columns. In 2024 and 2025, she placed third and second in the Best of the West contest for general interest column writing, and in 2024 she won the Sacramento Press Club's award for best commentary and placed second in the California News Publishers Association's contest for best editorial comment. Her columns have also sparked changes to San Francisco and California law. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been an unusually warm and dry winter across the west, and that's bad news for the seven states and 40 million people that rely on water from the Colorado River. The water flowing into the river from snowmelt and rain is dwindling, partly because of climate change. The basin's two major reservoirs are at historic lows, and without a sudden influx of snowstorms, streamflow forecasts for the coming year aren't looking good. That adds stress to an already drought-stricken region where negotiations on how to share the river's water in the future are tense and stalled out.  “We're at a point where we have to make some serious long-term adjustment of expectations. In other words, people need to agree to take a lot less water than they've been counting on. And that is always really hard when water is scarce,” says Sarah Porter, director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University. The federal government has given states a deadline of Feb. 14th to reach an agreement, after which the Bureau of Reclamation commissioner could divvy up the water between states as it deems fit. It's already released its ⁠draft environmental impact statement⁠ with possible alternatives. What's led to this point of crisis? What is keeping states from reaching agreement? And what will the cities, farmers and industries that depend on the river do as climate change leads to a lower volume of water in an increasingly hotter and drier future?   Episode Guests: Sarah Porter, Director, Kyl Center for Water Policy, Arizona State University For show notes and related links, visit https://www.climateone.org/podcasts ********** Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on ⁠Patreon⁠, you'll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today 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

Former California attorney general and U.S. health secretary Xavier Becerra says this is a “break-glass moment” for state residents who are struggling economically. That's why, he says, he's making economic opportunity the centerpiece of his campaign to succeed Gavin Newsom in the governor's office.  Raised in Sacramento by immigrant parents—his father worked in construction, his mother was a clerical worker—Becerra was the first in his family to earn a college degree. He attended Stanford for both undergraduate and law school, thanks in part to opportunities he says were once more widely available in California.  If elected, Becerra says he would be the “health-care governor,” an issue he has emphasized throughout his career, from his 24 years in Congress to his time in the Biden administration. He also points to his track record as attorney general standing up to the Trump administration on issues such as immigration and the environment.  Becerra 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fermented foods have been part of traditional diets around the world for centuries—and for good reason. From improved digestion and gut health to enhanced nutrient absorption and immune support, fermentation offers both flavor and function. This event brings together local business owners who specialize in fermented foods to share their knowledge, craft, and passion. Panelists will discuss the fermentation process, the unique health benefits of their products, and how to incorporate fermented foods into everyday life.  Whether you're new to fermentation or already a fan, this event offers insight, inspiration and a deeper appreciation for foods that truly support well-being. Organizer: Patty James  A Nutrition, Food & Wellness Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Frontier & Field is a Black History Month program presented during Super Bowl Week. It centers on a multidisciplinary panel exploring the historical, cultural, and therapeutic significance of Black equestrians in American history and contemporary life. Together, the panel re-centers Black equestrian history within frontier narratives while examining its contemporary relevance to sports culture, mental health, and youth development. See more  Michelle Meow Show programs at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Prof. Ronjon Nag (of Stanford University and R42 Group) for an accessible, fast-moving tour of the most important technology approaches in longevity today. We'll also explore the companies investing heavily to turn these ideas into real-world therapies and tools. Prof. Nag works at the intersection of AI and biology and teaches on topics that include longevity science and venture capital. This program is designed for a broad audience: the curious public, students, technologists, investors, clinicians, and anyone trying to understand what's real, what's hype, and what breakthroughs could plausibly shift how we age over the next decade. About the Speakers Professor Ronjon Nag is an inventor, educator and entrepreneur. He is an adjunct professor in genetics at Stanford School of Medicine and teaches topics including AI, genes, ethics, longevity science, and venture capital. He is also president of the R42 Group, which invests in and creates AI and longevity companies. Ronald Petty is the chair of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapters of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and the Internet Society, focused on the societal impact of emerging technologies. He is a technology consultant at RX-M and a member of Commonwealth Club World Affairs. A Technology & Society Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. Organizer: Gerald Anthony Harris  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

China's president, Xi Jinping, has become the most all-powerful leader of the communist state since Mao, and his grip on the country has been strengthened by technology and China's growing economic and military might. The United States might have belatedly realized it was in a great-powers competition with the People's Republic, but we might still be failing to understand how Chinese people themselves are dealing with—and resisting—their authoritarian government.  Award-winning journalist Emily Feng, author of the new book Let Only Red Flowers Bloom, has documented China's state oppression of those who fail to conform to Xi Jinping's definition of who is “Chinese.” She has profiled nearly two dozen people who are pushing back. They include a Uyghur family, separated as China detains hundreds of thousands of their fellow Uyghurs in camps; human rights lawyers fighting to defend civil liberties in the face of incredible odds; a teacher from Inner Mongolia forced to make hard choices because of his support of his mother tongue; and a Hong Kong fugitive trying to find a new home and live in freedom.  Join us as Feng reveals dramatic human stories of resistance and survival in a country that is increasingly closing itself off to the world—even as it flexes its muscles on the world stage. Feng illustrates what it is like to run against the grain in China, and the myriad ways people are trying to survive, with dignity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is the United States still the “indispensable nation,” former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's term to describe America's leading role in the world? Or is the world better off as the country turns inward and downplays its historic alliances?  Washington Post columnist Shadi Hamid has made his own journey, moving from opposition to America's role in the world to reluctantly embracing it. He says the alternative to American leadership isn't a morally perfect superpower—it's the brutal authoritarianism of countries like China and Russia. He explores this topic in his new book The Case for American Power, and he comes to Commonwealth Club World Affairs to make the case for America to embrace its power as the only moral option in a world beset by tragedy.  Drawing on his unique perspective as both an American and a Muslim who came of age in the shadow of the September 11 attacks, Hamid contends with the contradictions of American power: how a nation founded on moral purpose so often does not live up to its ideals. He also deals with America's failures, from the war in Iraq to support for authoritarian regimes across the Middle East. But he says that because America is a democracy, it has the ability to correct past mistakes and change for the better—and that part is up to all of us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On January 3, U.S. forces captured Venezuela's president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, and flew them to New York to stand trial for drug trafficking and narco-terrorisim. At the same time, President Trump has not been shy about stating his other motivation for intervening in the country: Back in December, he said, “We had a lot of oil there. As you know they threw our companies out, and we want it back." So what are the geopolitical ramifications of these actions?  And in a world increasingly powered by renewable energy, could fossil-fueled conflicts become a thing of the past?  Episode Guests:  Luisa Palacios, Senior Research Scholar, Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University  Amy Myers Jaffe, Director, Energy, Climate Justice and Sustainability Lab, NYU  Bill McKibben, Founder, Third Act and 350.org For show notes, transcript, and related links, visit ⁠climateone.org/podcasts⁠. Highlights: 00:00 Intro 04:54 Luisa Palacios on growing up in Venezuela 08:59 Luisa Palacios on the risks in Venezuela's oil industry 15:15 Luisa Palacios on the climate impact of increasing Venezuela's oil output 18:01 Amy Myers Jaffe on her reaction to the Maduro's forced removal 21:08 Amy Myers Jaffe on what the military action is really about 28:32 Amy Myers Jaffe on the importance of the action in Venezuela 35:21 Amy Myers Jaffe on the national security aspects of clean tech 38:39 Bill McKibben on the military action in Venezuela 49:45 Bill McKibben on the “last gasp' of the fossil fuel industry 52:26 Bill McKibben on the US reversal on climate policy and clean tech ********** 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

Please join us for a special film documentary screening of Epicenter:The Struggle for Black Studies in the Bay Area, followed by an intimate conversation with filmmaker Doug Harris, Douglas Harris Jr. and cast members.  The film examines the early student activism of the 1960s and 1970s, which brought the first Black studies departments to higher education in the entire country. The film is very timely, as African American studies programs at institutions of higher education are currently being targeted for closure around the country.  In chronological order, the documentary will feature segments about Merritt College (1966), San Francisco State (1968) and UC Berkeley (1970), as told by cast members of the film who were on the ground floor of the Bay Area struggles through protests, strikes and riots. The Bay Area stood at the forefront, taking the leap toward introducing the study of Black and other minority cultures that would eventually spread throughout the country. The Commonwealth Club of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming. 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. 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: Robert Melton  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Balancing activism with personal life and relationships can be difficult. At this crucial time in our history, activists are burning out when we need them the most. That's why this event with Kitty Stryker, who has spent two decades as a direct activist and a street medic during radical actions, is so timely.  Stryker, author of Love Rebels: How I Learned to Burn It Down Without Burning Out, has both burned it down and burned herself out. Trying to "show up bravely" as a leader despite exhaustion, she almost destroyed herself.  But now she says, "Activism does not demand martyrdom to be effective ... it's important to have some fun together!" She'll show us how to build effective teams composed of people with different backgrounds, interests, and abilities, while managing the inevitable internal conflicts. She will discuss how to inspire powerful action while keeping the team safe, how to nurture yourself and others while staying in the fight, how to make your most effective contribution, and how to decide when you truly need to take a break.  About the Speaker Kitty Stryker is the author of Love Rebels: How I Learned to Burn It Down Without Burning Out, three books on consent, and articles about activism and politics. She founded the Ladies High Tea and Pornography Society in London and has been a radical activist since she was ten.  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 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. 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: Eric Siegel  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Americans are confronted with a wealth of sources of often questionable information about how to live better and longer. From the “Wellness Industrial Complex” to weak health reporting to faddish influencers, there is a lot of information and misinformation confusing people about some of the most important things about their bodies. How do we know what really matters the most to our health and longevity? What is the most robust and actionable evidence? And what is the junk you can just skip? Join us for a return visit to the Club from Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, M.D., Ph.D. Emanuel, a bioethicist, health policy expert, advisor to presidents, oncologist, professor, writer, cyclist and chocolatier, has assembled simple but high-impact and evidence-based guidelines for issues people ask about: Alcohol consumption, food and nutrition, sleep, mental acuity, exercise, and social engagement. That is the subject of his latest book, Eat Your Ice Cream, in which he guides people to what really matters for well-being. Emanuel says that life isn't a competition to live the longest; he also says that “wellness” should not be difficult. Come learn this doctor's prescription for a healthy, balanced life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us as Bruce Henderson shares the previously untold history of a top-secret operation in the run-up to D-Day in which American flyers and Allied spies carried out some of the most daring cloak-and-dagger operations of the Second World War.  In 1943, the OSS—precursor to the CIA—came up with a plan to support the French resistance forces that were fighting the Nazis. The OSS brought some of the best American bomber pilots and crews to a secret airfield 20 miles west of London and briefed them on the intended mission. Given a choice to stay or leave, every airman volunteered for what became known as Operation Carpetbagger.  Their dangerous plan called for a new kind of flying: taking their B-24 Liberator bombers in the middle of the night across the English Channel and down to extremely low altitudes in Nazi-occupied France to find drop zones in dark fields. On the ground, resistance members waited to receive steel containers filled with everything from rifles and hand grenades to medicine and bicycle tires. Some nights, the flyers also dropped Allied secret agents by parachute to assist the French partisans.  Though their story remained classified for half a century, the Carpetbaggers ultimately received a Presidential Unit Citation from the U.S. military, which declared “it is safe to say that no group of this size has made a greater contribution to the war effort.” Along with other members of the wartime OSS, they were also awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.  It's a story Henderson tells in his new book Midnight Flyboys: The American Bomber Crews and Allied Secret Agents Who Aided the French Resistance in World War II. Based on exclusive research and interviews, Henderson relates the story of the patriotism, courage and sacrifice of these heroic flyers—and of the brave secret agents and French resistance leaders they aided. 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. 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

Join Wajahat Ali for a timely conversation on his insights into the fragility of democratic institutions, his work fighting racism and extremism, and how ordinary citizens can resist authoritarianism.  In his weekly podcast, Wajahat Ali, acclaimed writer and public speaker, urgently chronicles an American democracy “under assault from the forces of fascism and authoritarianism.” One way he copes is by building Star Wars Lego sets with his kids, “to instill in them a need for rebellion and hope against the Empire,” he recently joked with guest Heather Cox Richardson. It's Wajahat Ali's combination of insightful analysis, social critique . . . and humor . . . that has made him a leading public intellectual and frequent commentator on national television.  He'll also talk about his experiences growing up in Fremont as the child of Pakistani immigrants as told in his acclaimed memoir, Go Back to Where You Came From: And Other Helpful Recommendations on How to Become American, which NPR called “biting and funny and full of heart.”  “We are all fortunate to be on the receiving end of not only his intellect, but his humanity and heart." —Katie Couric Presented in partnership with Lafayette Library and Learning Center Foundation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the planet warms, the story of climate change is increasingly becoming a story about human health. Rising temperatures, wildfire smoke, flooding, and shifting disease patterns are no longer distant threats; they are everyday realities. The climate crisis is reshaping health care systems, exposing inequalities, and forcing doctors and policymakers to rethink some of their practices. Medical schools are beginning to adopt climate as part of their curricula, yet such education is widely variable across the country. So what policy and system changes might help address both the climate and health crises at the same time? Episode Guests: Jeni Miller, Executive Director, Global Climate and Health Alliance Cecilia Sorensen, Director, Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education, Columbia University  Nabeeha Kazi Hutchins, President and CEO, PAI For show notes, transcript, and related links, visit climateone.org/podcasts Highlights: 00:00 – Intro 03:30 – Cecilia Sorensen on consulting for a Grey's Anatomy episode on heat 07:00 – Climate impact she's seen in the ER 10:00 – Medical education is variable across the country, including climate awareness 16:00 – Importance of public health and the role of preventive medicine 21:00 – Jeni Miller on interconnections between climate and human health 29:30 – Climate crisis puts pressure on global health systems 34:30 – Ways health care systems can better prepare for climate impacts 44:30 – Connection between climate change and reproductive/sexual health 51:30 – Climate change exacerbates existing inequalities for women and girls around the world 56:00 – Navigating efforts by the Trump administration to increase fertility and birth rate while cutting social services 58:30 – 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

At a time when some may feel divisiveness and isolation is pervasive, this year's Silicon Valley Reads theme explores the concept of belonging in unique ways.  Join us for a thought-provoking conversation with featured authors Keeonna Harris (Mainline Mama: A Memoir), Annie Harnett (Unlikely Animals: A Novel), and John Powell (The Power of Bridging: How to Build a World Where We All Belong).  Hear more about how people find and build community in different ways. In-person attendees are encouraged to visit the Euphrat Museum of Art to enjoy the show A Sense of Belonging. Hosted with Santa Clara County Library District, Santa Clara County Office of Education, San José Public Library, and DeAnza College This program contains EXPLICIT language.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices