News In Context

In this episode, we explore the power of language – both the words we use and the larger context of narratives and stories we tell. My guest is Karen Yin – author of The Conscious Style Guide, and founder and curator of ConsciousStyleGuide.com — which has been called “A timeless, indispensable guide for anyone who wants to communicate with sensitivity and compassion.” (Photo Credit:Paul Beauchemin)

In this episode, we explore the recent history of women's sports, particularly basketball, in college and professionally -including in the 90's, when the first women's professional league was established - the American Basketball League or ABL, followed closely by the WNBA. With increased attention and interest on women's college basketball, and an acknowledgement of the high level of play and skill, the hope is that women's basketball, soccer, and other sports, will get the attention and fan base they have deserved for years. But women's sports have been in the spotlight before. How is this moment similar, and different, to what we have seen in the past. My guest is Sarah Fields, Professor of Communication at the University of Colorado, Denver; and President of the North American Society for Sport History. (photo courtesy Tulane Public Relations)

Welcome to News in Context. I'm Gina Baleria. In this episode, we explore how bridging by building relationships and being curious can connect people across differences - as well as provide lessons for news organizations that seek to inform. My guest is Monica Guzman, Senior Fellow for Public Practice at Braver Angels; and author of I never thought of it that way: How to have fearlessly curious conversations in dangerously divided times.

Welcome to News in Context, I'm Gina Baleria. In this episode, we talk with New York Times columnist David Brooks, about his new book - How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen. Brooks has been discussing politics and policy in the Times and on NPR for years. But as the social fabric of the U-S began to fray in recent years, he became more and more interested in how to weave community across differences and points of privilege as a way to strengthen that fabric. His latest book offers stories, tips, and examples to help all of us practice seeing the humanity in others and contribute toward strengthening our communities.

In this episode, we explore the importance of strong neighborhood and community relationships to the health of nations… and discuss how many neighborhoods in the U.S. don't have strong local ties and need structural and systemic help. My guest is Seth Kaplan - Author of Fragile Neighborhoods Repairing American Society One Zip Code at a Time. Seth is also an international relations expert whose job is to help fragile states around the world. He consults with organizations such as the World Bank and U.S. State Department, and he teaches international relations at Johns Hopkins University. This is Civity Week on News in Context. Civity is a culture of deliberately engaging in relationships of respect and empathy with others who are different moving from Us vs. Them to We All Belong.

In this episode, we explore the persistent challenge of how to ensure that everyone has adequate housing. We discuss why the U.S. faces these issues, and what can – and can't – be done at various levels of government. We also explore how we might re-frame the way we discuss housing and homelessness, to help us re-think solutions.   My guest is Tony Sparks, Associate Professor of Urban Studies & Planning Program in the Public Affairs & Civic Engagement (PACE) program at San Francisco State University.

In this episode, we explore how much of the information we get is mediated - edited - and we all get different edits based on what the algorithm thinks we want. This means we see and understand things differently, and that has contributed to polarization and othering. My Guest is Riaz Patel, executive producer and director focusing on reality shows with positive transformations. His show The Connect Effect seeks to counter the edits we all see by bringing people face-to-face, so they can build relationships without labels that define us in the media. This can help reduce polarization and increase connection.

In this episode, we discuss press freedom in the U.S. in the wake of a police raid of the local paper in Marion, Kansas. In that raid, officers confiscated most of the paper's computers and other equipment, leaving its journalists scrambling to be able to publish. Press freedom advocates have criticized Marion's police chief for using tactics generally seen in authoritarian countries. But there are concerns over other incidents across the country designed to intimidate and silence journalists. My guests are: Kirstin McCudden, Vice President of Editorial at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, and managing editor of the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker -AND- Seth Stern, Director of Advocacy at the Freedom of the Press Foundation. Find resources and guides to protect your privacy and security at Freedom.Press - and see the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker at PressFreedomTracker.US   Image Courtesy U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, led by the Freedom of the Press Foundation and the Committee to Protect Journalists, in collaboration with leading press freedom groups.

In Part Two of my conversation with Chesa Boudin, we explore how his experiences as a child have informed his approach to criminal justice, and his efforts to seek reforms to how we engage with both the accused and the victims of crime. We also discuss the importance of communicating – both providing data and sharing stories – to help people understand context and demand policies that keep us all safer. And we touch on the challenges of actually implementing change in the face of the status quo. Chesa Boudin is former San Francisco DA and now founding executive director of the newly created Criminal Law & Justice Center at UC Berkeley School of Law.

Welcome to News in Context – I'm Gina Baleria. In this episode, we talk with former San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin, founding executive director of the newly created Criminal Law & Justice Center at UC Berkeley School of Law. We discuss Boudin's new role at UC Berkeley, and his plans for advancing victim's rights, true justice for all, and criminal justice reform by seeking evidence-based solutions and researching what can work. We also explore how we could truly reform the U.S. criminal justice system to make it work for everyone - and how to navigate resistance to reform efforts. This is Part 1 of my interview with Chesa Boudin. You can hear Part 2 next week.

In this episode, we explore how economic issues are often talked about in ways that minimize the needs of those who may not have the means to withstand recessions, contractions, or other economic downturns. This issue takes on greater urgency in an era of trying to control inflation… and deal with recent regional bank failures. My guest is Lynn Parramore, writer and researcher with the Institute for New Economic Thinking.

In this episode, we explore how othering has led to increased marginalization and vilification of people who are un-housed, and how civity can help counter this trend by helping people who are housed see the humanity of those without housing. My guest is Eric Tars, Legal Director of National Homelessness Law Center, who reminds us that housing is a human right. Tars hopes that helping people see each other's humanity can bring this back into focus.

In this episode, we explore how engaging across our racial and class divides can help bring us together to care for and nurture our democracy. My guest is Ian Haney López, professor at UC Berkeley School of Law, and author of several books, including Dog Whistle Politics: How Coded Racial Appeals Have Reinvented Racism & Wrecked the Middle Class, and Merge Left: Fusing Race & Class, Winning Elections, and Saving America. López says strategic racism is a deeply corrosive force, and he's is exploring how to counter its effects by encouraging people to come together across racial divides, so we can focus on our commonalities… develop shared understandings of what we want from democracy and our elected officials, and work together to improve society. López developed the Race-Class Narrative Project and the Race-Class Academy to counter dog-whistle politics and build cross-racial and cross-class solidarity. This is Part Two of our interview. Hear Part One at NewsInContext.net.

In this episode, we explore the strategic use of racism in electoral politics to divide citizens across racial and other differences in an effort to retain power and wealth. My guest is Ian Haney López, professor at UC Berkeley School of Law, and author of several books, including Dog Whistle Politics: How Coded Racial Appeals Have Reinvented Racism & Wrecked the Middle Class, and Merge Left: Fusing Race & Class, Winning Elections, and Saving America. López says strategic racism is a deeply corrosive force, and he's is exploring how to counter its effects by encouraging people to come together across racial divides, so we can focus on our commonalities… develop shared understandings of what we want from democracy and our elected officials… and work together to improve society. López developed the Race-Class Narrative Project and the Race-Class Academy to counter dog-whistle politics and build cross-racial and cross-class solidarity. This is Part ONE of my interview with Ian Haney López. You can hear Part TWO next week.

In this episode, we explore a massive new study on improving the health of democracy. The Strengthening Democracy Challenge invited more than 30-thousand people to engage with 25 interventions. The goal was to find ways to reduce things like partisan animosity, partisan violence, and anti-democratic attitudes, and increase social trust and a willingness to engage with people across socially salient differences. An intervention from the nonprofit, Civity, was one of 25 chosen from a pool of 250-plus… and it was number 1 at increasing social trust, number 2 in decreasing social distance and opposition to bipartisanshi, and number 4 in reducing partisan animosity. Civity's relational, story-based intervention also reduced support for un-democratic practices and helped people accept others from across the political divide. We talk with researcher Robb Willer, professor of sociology, psychology, and organizational behavior at Stanford University; as well as Director of the Polarization and Social Change Lab… and Co-Director of the Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society.

In this episode, we explore the Bay Area housing market, and how mass corporate ownership of homes and apartments throughout the region affects communities and people trying to afford to rent or buy here. My Guest is Susie Neilson, Data Reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle - covering housing, domestic migration, and crime & criminal justice. Susie and a team at the SF Chronicle recently released a series of reports on corporate and LLC real estate - and created an interactive map of who owns property in the Bay Area, an amazing feat of data reporting. The SF Chronicle series also includes maps of the real estate owned or controlled by a handful of corporate LLCs that can be traced back to a specific power player.

In this episode, we talk with Melissa Weintraub, founder & co-executive director of Resetting the Table. Resetting the table focuses on building dialogue and deliberation across political divides, focusing on seemingly intractable differences that are breeding distrust, a lack of empathy, and marginalization. To learn more about Resetting the Table, and to view the film Purple – which uncovers humanity beneath our national conflicts - go to resettingthetable.org/purple.

In this episode, we explore concepts of privilege - and how they color our systems and perpetuate inequities. We also discuss how building relationships across groups in a community can help us begin to address these systemic issues, while at the same time forging connections and building trust. My guest is Jacqueline Font-Guzman, vice president for diversity, equity, & inclusion at Eastern Mennonite University; and strategic vision director for the Center of Justice & Peace Building at EMU.

It's no secret that polarization is deepening divides across the US. Over the past few years, many people have started or joined what are called bridging organizations to try and bring people together across those divides and help people bridge their differences by cultivating relationships -helping us see each other's humanity and connecting on commonalities. The hope is that this helps us work together to solve the problems in our communities and society. In this episode, we welcome Graham Bodie, professor of integrated marketing communication at the University of Mississippi, and chief listening officer with the Listen First Project. This is Civity Week on News in Context. Civity is a culture of deliberately engaging in relationships of respect and empathy with others who are different - moving people from us-versus-them to we-all-belong. Listen First also bridges, focusing its efforts on elevating the impact, visibility, and voice of organizations doing bridging work We explore how Listen First brings bridging organizations together, and works to bring more people to the experience of connecting across differences, and scale the work of bridging divides in communities across the U.S. We also discuss the act of listening itself, the importance of learning how to listen, and what listening looks like in different contexts.

In this episode, we explore the sharp increase in fentanyl deaths across the country, including in San Francisco and the Bay Area, which had thus far had great success in combating the opioid epidemic. My guest is Dr. Philip Coffin, director of substance use research at the San Francisco Department of Public Health - who discusses how fentanyl is different than other opioids, and what we can do to mitigate its impact.

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Stanford political scientist Dr. Kathryn Stoner… on the context of Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Stoner is the Mosbacher Director of the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law; Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies; Political Scientist at Stanford; and Senior Fellow (by courtesy) at the Hoover Institution. Stoner is also the author of Russia Resurrected. Its Power and Purpose in a New Global Order. This is Part Two of my interview with Dr. Stoner… You can hear Part One at Newsincontext.net.

In this episode, we continue exploring the context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine - or as our guest, political scientist Dr. Kathryn Stoner, clarifies – Putin's invasion. Stoner is the Mosbacher Director of the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law; Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies; Political Scientist at Stanford; and Senior Fellow (by courtesy) at the Hoover Institution. Stoner is also the author of Russia Resurrected. Its Power and Purpose in a New Global Order. My interview with Dr. Stoner will be presented in two parts. This is part one… which focuses on Putin's version of a global order… and his goals with regard to Ukraine… as well as an exploration of the balancing acts both Putin and NATO are engaging in… as this conflict proceeds. Part 2 will air next week.

In this episode, we explore the historical and geo-political context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as well as the role and actions of NATO. As we watch and read about Putin's brutal actions in Ukraine and how they are affecting the people who live there, many of us find ourselves wondering why this is happening at all. Discussing this with me today is Dr. Amir Weiner, Director of the Center for Russian, East European, & Eurasian Studies at Stanford University.

In this episode, we discuss the realities of COVID-19 and other diseases on our health and well being - and how vaccines have both saved us from the grim realities, and led us to forget just how bad diseases can get without vaccines to keep them at bay. My guest is Meredith Wadman, senior reporter with Science Magazine in Washington, D.C., and author of The Vaccine Race: Science, Politics, and the Human Costs of Defeating Disease.

In this episode, we discuss vaccines – the science that has brought us such an incredible solution to public health crises; the human response to vaccines, mandates, and scientific information; and how misinformation has derailed clear communication. My guest is Greta Keenan, program specialist for science & society at the World Economic Forum.   Photo Credit: Wellcome Images

In this episode, we explore elections issues that make it harder for us to participate in democracy, the consequences of that, and how we can address these issues and improve our civic health. This includes redistricting, campaign finance, voter suppression, weaponizing the recall, and other issues. My guest is Jonathan Mehta Stein, executive director of California Common Cause.

In this episode, we discuss California's redistricting process, and the maps recently certified after the latest round of map drawing in the state. This is only the second time California's non-partisan redistricting commission has convened. My guest is Sameea Kamal, reporter for CalMatters who covers redistricting.

In this episode, we discuss local journalism, and the important role it continues to play - both in the health of our democracy - and in holding powerful organizations, companies, and government officials to account. We also explore the challenges local journalism faces, and how news audiences can support robust local news in their communities. My guest is Elahe Izadi, media reporter for the Washington Post.

In this episode, we explore mental health throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic… including the mental health challenges exacerbated by the pandemic… as well as what all of us can learn to cope from coping methods taught by mental professionals. My guest is Jeff Bell, Bay Area broadcast journalist, and co-founder & president of the Adversity to Advocacy Alliance (A2A). Jeff is also author of two books on OCD: Rewind, Replay, Repeat and When in Doubt, Make Belief. Find out more at A2AAlliance.org and HEAR and SHARE messages of hope at ProjectHopeExchange.com. If you're facing mental health challenges, connect with a professional, get emotional support from friends and mental health support organizations, and take care of yourself - including getting sleep and exercise. For more resources, check out The National Institute of Mental Health… Mental Health America, The National Alliance on Mental Illness, and the International OCD Foundation.

In this episode, we explore the power of language, and the importance of using humanizing language in journalism. My guest is Aubrey Nagle, editor of Reframe at Resolve Philly  – “an initiative that aims to help journalists more fairly and accurately report on misrepresented and excluded communities.” In our conversation, we focus on the importance of recognizing the humanity in the sources and stories journalists cover, and we discuss how we all can elevate humanity, connect with fellow community members, and de-prioritize misinformation and false equivalencies by using humanizing language. Find out more about Reframe @ReframeNews

In this episode, we explore the journalism industry and approaches to news coverage in the US - including the challenges we face, how young people are thinking about storytelling and information sharing, and what journalism should offer society. My guests are former journalists, turned educators: Yumi Wilson… journalism professor at San Francisco State University, and Grace Provenzano, journalist, documentary producer, and educator at Arizona State University. Grace, Yumi, and I co-authored a book about journalism called Writing & Reporting the News for the 21st Century.

In this episode, we explore the proliferation of organizations working to engage people across difference, and the urgency this work has taken on in recent years, as people in the US become more and more polarized.   This is Civity Week on News in Context. Civity is a culture of deliberately engaging in relationships of respect and empathy with others who are different - moving people from us-versus-them to we-all-belong.   My guest is David Eisner, CEO of the nonprofit bridging organization Convergence.

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Tom Rosenstiel, journalist, press critic, and co-author of the seminal book on Journalism, The Elements of Journalism, which is now in its third edition. Rosenstiel is also the author of ten other books, including four novels. He is currently the Eleanor Merrill visiting professor on the future of journalism at the Phillip Merrill college of journalism at the University of Maryland. In Part 1 of our conversation, we focused on many issues affecting U-S journalism, including the health of the industry and how things have shifted. We also discussed the role of politics, and the diminishing of local news, on the health of the journalism industry. In addition, we began our conversation about the role of objectivity and bias in journalism - what those words were meant to mean, and what they've become, as well as a discussion of opinion versus opinion journalism. Rosenstiel reminds us that opinion journalists are indeed journalists who were trained in the art of doing journalism well. We continue our conversation on objectivity and bias, as well as how journalism can play a more effective role in better informing the public.

In this episode, we explore the state of journalism in the U.S., including the challenges we face, as well as where we can find hope for a future of robust journalism that holds power to account and helps us understand our world – both near and far. My guest is Tom Rosenstiel - journalist, press critic, and co-author of the seminal book on Journalism, The Elements of Journalism, which is now in its third edition. Rosenstiel is also the author of ten other books, including four novels. He is currently the Eleanor Merrill visiting professor on the future of journalism at the Phillip Merrill college of journalism at the University of Maryland. This is part 1 of our conversation you can hear part 2 next week.

In this episode, we explore the debt ceiling - what it is, why it exists, and why it keeps coming up in Congressional negotiations and wrangling. My guest is Barry Eichengreen, professor of economics and political science at UC Berkeley, and co-author of In Defense of Public Debt, and How to Achieve Inclusive Growth.

In this episode, we discuss the disparity in attention in the U.S., when it comes to missing people of color. My guest is Derrica Wilson, co-founder of the Black & Missing Foundation (BAMFI). They work with families of missing loved ones to help them connect with law enforcement, news media, and other resources, in an effort to bring attention to - and find - those who are missing. For more information, go to BAMFI.org. List of people missing in California: https://blackandmissinginc.com/search/

In this episode, we discuss the state of U-S tax policy, as well as some ideas for how to overhaul the system to make it more equitable, efficient, and coherent. We also discuss some current tax structures… and their practical impacts on the items we buy… the money we make… and who bears an unequal share of the tax burden. My guest is Annette Nellen, Tax Professor and Director of the Graduate Tax Program at San Jose State University. This is part two of our conversation. You can hear Part 1 at news-in-context-dot-net. Professor Nellen also writes the Blog 21st Century Taxation. For more information on the topics discussed in this episode and Pt. 2, check out these resources: Treasury Resources on Taxes and Society https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/faqs/taxes/pages/taxes-society.aspx Some information on income distribution: Joint Committee on Taxation,  Present Law And Background On The Taxation Of High Income And High Wealth Taxpayers, 5/10/21 https://www.jct.gov/publications/2021/jcx-24-21/ Chicago Booth Review, Never mind the 1 percent, Let's talk about the 0.01 percent, by Gold https://review.chicagobooth.edu/economics/2017/article/never-mind-1-percent-lets-talk-about-001-percent Links to tax reform hearings on the 117th Congress (and earlier) https://www.sjsu.edu/people/annette.nellen/website/117th-hearings.htm Simpson-Bowles report of 2010 https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/moment-truth-report-national-commission-fiscal-responsibility-and-reform-december-2010 President Bush's Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform (2005) (home mortgage deduction proposal is on page 70 of chapters 5 - 7) https://govinfo.library.unt.edu/taxreformpanel/ My 21st Century Taxation website and blog http://www.21stcenturytaxation.com/ http://21stcenturytaxation.blogspot.com/

In this episode, we explore taxes in the US, including how tax policy has evolved and devolved over the course of U-S history, what taxes are meant to be for, and how we can help the general public engage in discussions and decisions involving tax policy. My guest is Annette Nellen - Tax Professor and Director of the Graduate Tax Program at San Jose State University. Professor Nellen also writes the Blog 21st Century Taxation. For more information on the topics discussed in this episode and Pt. 2, check out these resources: Treasury Resources on Taxes and Society https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/faqs/taxes/pages/taxes-society.aspx Some information on income distribution: Joint Committee on Taxation,  Present Law And Background On The Taxation Of High Income And High Wealth Taxpayers, 5/10/21 https://www.jct.gov/publications/2021/jcx-24-21/ Chicago Booth Review, Never mind the 1 percent, Let's talk about the 0.01 percent, by Gold https://review.chicagobooth.edu/economics/2017/article/never-mind-1-percent-lets-talk-about-001-percent Links to tax reform hearings on the 117th Congress (and earlier) https://www.sjsu.edu/people/annette.nellen/website/117th-hearings.htm Simpson-Bowles report of 2010 https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/moment-truth-report-national-commission-fiscal-responsibility-and-reform-december-2010 President Bush's Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform (2005) (home mortgage deduction proposal is on page 70 of chapters 5 - 7) https://govinfo.library.unt.edu/taxreformpanel/ My 21st Century Taxation website and blog http://www.21stcenturytaxation.com/ http://21stcenturytaxation.blogspot.com/

In this episode, we explore the First Amendment aspects of voting, elections, and campaigns - in particular how voting and related activities might be considered speech, and how the courts have come to view the First Amendment's role - or lack thereof - in voting. My guest is Lata Nott, First Amendment Fellow at the Freedom Forum; and deputy policy director for State Voices, a voting rights organization.

In this episode, we explore the importance of making connections across sectors to achieving healthy communities. Our guest is Nang Mo Kham, senior health specialist at the World Bank, based in Myanmar. Nang sees herself as someone who can help establish a system that knits together local services, including education, public health, and others, to improve access for everyone, no matter their social status, background, or ethnicity - and thus improve the overall health of her community. This is Civity week on NIC. Civity is a culture of deliberately engaging in relationships of respect and empathy with others who are different. Nang's work aligns with the civity principles of building relational infrastructure to bridge difference and move from us-vs-them to ‘we all belong.' We are also joined in this episode by Civity intern, Maya Fiorella.

In this episode, we explore where we're at with the COVID-19 pandemic - regionally, nationally, and internationally - and begin to assess where we've come from, how we handled the pandemic in the US, what worked, and how we could have done better. We also discuss what we can do moving forward to save lives and truly put this pandemic behind us. My guest is Dr. Monica Gandhi, infectious disease expert & professor of medicine at UCSF.

In this episode, we explore carbon offsets, and how their promise as a way to mitigate carbon emissions - and thus climate change - have not yet panned out. A recent article in ProPublica found that, instead those who broker in carbon offsets appear to be gaming the system, and the calculations of how much carbon is being sequestered in forests are often mis-calculated or erroneous. My guests are Grayson Badgley, post-doctoral researcher at Black Rock Forest, a research forest just outside of New York City, and Anna Trugman, Assistant Professor of geography at UC Santa Barbara. Their research was featured in the ProPublica article.

In this episode, we explore the role of the public health department - from obvious activities, such as educating the public about COVID-19 - to activities that may not be immediately clear, such as being involved in transit planning or declaring racism a public health crisis. To be effective and really reach the publics that they serve, public health departments must figure out how to communicate with those who may disagree with government officials and each other. My guest is Andy Wessel, community health planner with the Douglas County Health Department in Omaha, Nebraska.

In this episode, we explore the parameters and jurisdiction of the First Amendment, as well as how we can better navigate issues and challenges involving speech in digital spaces. My guest is Lata Nott, First Amendment Fellow at the Freedom Forum, and Deputy Director of Policy at State Voices.

In this episode, we explore the impacts of News Deserts and Ghost Newspapers - parts of the U.S. where there’s either no local paper, or where the local paper has been gutted and can no longer adequately cover the community. My guest is Dan Kennedy, professor in the school of journalism at Northeastern University and a contributor to GBH News in Boston.

In this episode, we explore the importance of precision in language - in particular for journalists and other content creators seeking to inform and contextualize information - and how lack of precision can contribute to polarization, misinformation, and echo-chambers. In particular, we discuss the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, and how journalists navigated language and word use to communicate what was happening as the story unfolded. My guest is Pamela Mejia, head of research at the Berkeley Media Studies Group or BMSG. (photo by: Blinkofanaye (CC BY-NC 2.0)

In this episode, we take a deeper look at California’s fire outlook in 2021 and moving forward. Over the past few years, massive wildfires tore across parts of California, wiping out homes, businesses, and entire towns and communities. Our fire season keeps getting longer and longer, meaning firefighters, communities, and the vegetation have less time to recover. In 2020, wildfires burned 4.2 million acres in in the state – a record. And in 2021, weather models indicate that the greatest fire risk will come earlier than usual. My guest is Lynne Tolmachoff… supervising deputy state fire Marshall… for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection - or CalFire. For more information on how you can prepare for wildfire, including a helpful checklist, go to ReadyForWildfire.org.

In this episode, we discuss the current state of California’s climate - how it’s changed in recent years, and what we face in 2021, including a significant drought and warmer temperatures, setting the stage for a potentially severe and lengthy fire season. My guest is Brian Garcia, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service, serving the San Francisco Bay Area.

In this episode, we explore the role and power of language - words and phrases - in how we discuss the issues that affect us and that drive our news and information cycles. Phrases like “Black Lives Matter” and “Cancel Culture,” and words, such as “socialism,” “communism," and “fascism,” are battled over in our media spaces until their actual meaning seems lost and we assign meanings that serve our ends. My guest is Laura Specker Sullivan, PhD, assistant professor of philosophy at Fordham University.

In this episode, we explore how the imagery and visuals that are infused into racist and misogynistic tropes today can be traced to classical works of art, including both the intentional messaging of the artist… as well as the cultural context we bring, and how we interpret and use that imagery. We also discuss how the art we think of as canon was actually deliberately and intentionally defined in an early and successful PR effort that persists to today. My guest is Letha Ch’ien, Ph.D., assistant professor of art history at Sonoma State University. Works of art mentioned in this episode include: The Feast in the House of Levi by Paolo Veronese Olympia by Édouard Manet The Bath by Jean-Léon Gérome Alfonso d'Avalos of Vasto (with Page) by Titian Bal du moulin de la Galette by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

In this episode, we explore the current state of news, and how the way news is presented in the U.S. has shifted during the pandemic, including a greater acceptance of emotion in news coverage, and a discussion of the role of objectivity and how to navigate biases to report contextually and inform audiences. My guest is John Zipperer… Vice President of Media & Editorial at The Commonwealth Club, where he hosts the Week-to-Week Political Roundtable.