Commonwealth Club Of California Podcast

“American values over autocracy. Benevolence over bigotry.”—So begins the rousing finale of the first floor speech delivered by Congressman Hakeem Jeffries upon his historic elevation as House Democratic Leader, affirming the values of our great country one letter of the alphabet at a time. His words provide a reminder of what will keep the United States the greatest democracy in the history of the world. In his new illustrated book for all ages, Jeffries employs clever and memorable turns of phrase to paint an alphabetic road map for a brighter American future and warn of the perils of taking a different path. Jeffries (D-NY) has served as the House minority leader since 2023, when he succeeded San Francisco’s Rep. Nancy Pelosi as leader of House Democrats. He is the first Black party leader in either chamber of the U.S. Congress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the surface, climate policy couldn’t face a worse future than under a second Trump administration. As a candidate, Trump said on his first day back in office: “I want to drill, drill, drill.” So, what are environmental organizations, including those aligned with the Republican party, doing to keep making progress on addressing climate change? And what do Trump’s cabinet picks say about the incoming administration’s attitude toward energy policy? Guests:  Abigail Dillen, President, Earthjustice Heather Reams, President, Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions For show notes and related links, visit our website. A brief correction was made to this episode on 29 December 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Explore the intersection of art, artificial intelligence, and new technology. Through the diverse perspectives of three incredible artists, we will delve into unique opportunities that new technology presents for creative expression, activism, and the artists' evolving role in the 21st century.  This event will offer exciting opportunities to interact with the artists and a realistic portrait-drawing robot built on 60,000 lines of code. Together, we will gain insight into the future of art and AI by fostering a deeper understanding of how technology is reshaping the art world, culture, and humanity's creative landscape. Learn more: Read this New York Times article "Visions of A.I. Art From OpenAI's First Artist in Residence," including comments from speaker Hugh Leeman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Regardless of who won the presidential election on November 5, one thing remains on the calendar: Former President Donald Trump heads back to court on November 26 for sentencing. Bestselling author and presidential historian Jonathan Alter had a front-row seat to Trump’s felony trial, one of just a handful of journalists allowed in the courtroom. For 23 days, he sat just feet away from Trump, watching the spectacle of the century. In his new book American Reckoning, Alter shares everything he witnessed—from eviscerating takes on the colorful characters to the chilling legal ups and downs—to offer a barbed account of the trial and its aftermath, including fresh reporting about the historic events of the summer of 2024. While experiencing a crisis of faith in the good sense of the American people, Alter chronicles the shaping of his political consciousness and his bracing, unpredictable relationships with Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John McCain, and Joe Biden, whose decis

Each generation of classical music lovers may wonder if their generation will be the last to truly enjoy the fusion of beautiful sound and emotional depth expressed by the master composers and performers of this centuries-old artistic tradition. Changing economic and social pressures in the early 21st century dented the interest in classical music in the West, a trend exacerbated by the COVID pandemic. But other forces of change are also at work, including a rapidly increasing interest in Asia following upon the worldwide success, among other performers, of Lang Lang and Yuja Wang (both of whom were discovered and whose early careers were managed for several years by Earl Blackburn). Blackburn will explore what it means to make a career work in today’s classical music industry and will discuss the principles that help thousands of great artists continue to grow both artistically and commercially. Decades ago careers in classical music necessitated getting a powerful agent. Now the tables have flipped somewha

It is possible that the only news we hear about more than politics is the climate crisis, and sometimes it is politics about the climate crisis? But what are we hearing and saying about climate change, and is it what we think we’re hearing and saying?  Genevieve Guenther, founder of the nonprofit organization End Climate Silence, has engaged journalists in efforts to improve coverage of environmental crises in their reporting. Publishers Weekly called her new book, The Language of Climate Politics: Fossil Fuel Propaganda and How to Fight It, a “revelatory study.” In it, she puts forth powerful new ways to talk about the climate crisis that she says will help create transformative change.  Guenther argues that the climate debate is not neatly polarized, with Republicans obstructing climate action and Democrats advancing climate solutions. Partisans on the right and the left often repeat the same fossil-fuel talking points, and she says this repetition produces a consensus upholding the status quo, even as gl

Globally, one-third of food produced every year is wasted. That’s enough to feed about 2 billion people — twice the number of people who are undernourished. The global food system also accounts for a whopping one-third of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. These two problems — waste and emissions — are intricately linked: Climate disruption exacerbates food insecurity. And industrial food production contributes to the climate crisis. When food is wasted, it’s also a waste of land, water and energy. In this episode, we talk with experts about how to fix the broken system and hear from some of the people on the ground recovering food before it goes to waste. How can we address both climate and food insecurity at the same time?  This episode also features a news story produced by Harvest Public Media contributor Peter Medlin, a reporter with WNIJ Northern Public Radio. Guests: Dawn King, Senior Lecturer, Brown University Lisa Moon, CEO, The Global Food Banking Network Norma Alonso, ABACO, Cooperation Manager 

Journalism can be a powerful force for change, especially in helping people understand the complex causes and impacts of domestic violence. Reporting that includes the diverse experiences of survivors can help shine a light on solutions. This Domestic Violence Awareness Month, join us for a special event, "From Silence to Solutions: Changing the Conversation about Domestic Violence." Come together with a community of journalists, survivors, and advocates who want to change the conversation about domestic violence so that we can end it. The program will feature an interactive discussion with survivors and journalists, introduce a Journalists’ Playbook on covering domestic violence, and be followed by a networking reception. For more info about the toolkit for journalists, by journalists and survivors of domestic violence: https://journalists.letsenddv.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The national results of the recent general election caused a wave of shock through many progressive organizations in the country and here in the Bay Area. Join us for a live town hall with speakers from leading LGBTQ organizations, including SF AIDS Foundation, LYRIC, NCLR, SF Pride, El/La Para Translatina, SF HRC, EQCA, SF Office Transgender Initiative and more to come. They'll discuss the election results, its impact on various LGBTQ communities, and plans to respond. Fireside Chats: Immigration Nicole Santamaria, executive director, El/La Para Translatina—Moderator Jennicet Gutierrez, co-founder and co-executive director, Familia TQLM Okan Sengun, co-founder, Center for Immigrant Protection Yuan Wang, executive director, Lavender Phoenix State of LGBTQIA+ Honey Mahogany–Moderator Imani Rupert-Gordon, NCLR Tyler TerMeer, SF AIDS Foundation Suzanne Ford, SF Pride Lance Toma, executive director, San Francisco Community Health Center TGNC Youth, Families, and Gender Affirming Care Gael Lala-Chavez, executi

Rising star New York Times technology reporters, Kate Conger and Ryan Mac, tell for the first time what they say is the full and shocking inside story of Elon Musk’s unprecedented takeover of Twitter and the $44 billion deal’s seismic political, social and financial fallout The billionaire entrepreneur and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has become inextricable from X. the social media platform that until 2023 was known as Twitter. Started in the mid-2000s as a playful microblogging platform, Twitter quickly became a popular nexus of global politics, culture and media—where the retweet button could instantly catapult any idea to hundreds of millions of screens around the world, unleashing raw collective emotion like nothing else before. While its founder had idealistically dreamed of building a "digital town square," he detested Wall Street and never focused on building a profitable business. Musk joined the platform in 2010 and, by 2022, had become one of the site’s most influential users, attracting more than 80 mill

Join us for a lively discussion on the future of San Francisco's downtown. Featuring leaders in the post-pandemic San Francisco revival story, our program will explore the challenges and opportunities facing downtown San Francisco, the progress that has been made and what is around the corner that could turbocharge or derail the next chapter of our city.  Discover the city’s post-pandemic hidden triumphs and where we should be looking for approaches and policies to shape a more resilient and vibrant urban core. We’ll be talking: entertainment zones and pop-ups, new jobs and revamping spaces. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from key voices driving the transformation of San Francisco's heart, and join the conversation on how we can collectively reimagine our city's downtown for a brighter future. UP NEXT. . . Save the date: August 29, 5:30 p.m.: "California Volunteers," the role of community and service in San Francisco's revival. Coming soon: "A Thriving, Natural City," how should we shape a sustainable

The 2024 fall general election has just ended. Who won? Who lost? Why did anyone win or lose? Which party controls Congress, the White House, most state houses? And what happens next? Will there be a peaceful transition of power? Join us for the post-election special edition of our Week to Week political roundtable. Enjoy and learn as our panel of political experts explains what happened and what to expect, and answers your questions. See other upcoming Week to Week political roundtables, as well as audio and video of past Week to Week programs.   This program contains EXPLICIT language, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Climate advocacy is a dangerous business. According to Global Witness, every week, somewhere in the world, between three and four environmental activists are killed. And even when they don’t suffer bodily harm, they are routinely arrested and jailed for speaking out. They are also sued in civil cases, bogging them down for years or even bankrupting them and their families. Each personal story in this episode is unique, but the physical threats and legal weapons fossil fuel companies and governments wield against them are eerily similar. And yet, the voices of climate defenders will not be silenced. Guests:  Alfred Brownell, Founding President, Global Climate Legal Defense (CliDef)  Laura Furones, Senior Advisor, Land and Environmental Defenders Campaign, Global Witness Nicole Figueiredo de Oliveira, Executive Director, Arayara Sarah Benn, Medical Doctor and Climate Activist

Through its direct contact with the public and its protection by the First Amendment, news media has long been considered the “fourth branch of government.” As the media landscape continues to change and partisan news becomes increasingly popular, many journalists are examining their own profession and responsibilities. Investigative reporter Bigad Shaban, himself the son of immigrants and educators, wants folks to understand the importance of media in a civil society.  Bigad, in conversation with San Francisco State’s Dr. Laura Moorhead, talks to an audience of high school journalism students about the belief he has in his profession. Bigad discusses his beginnings as a journalist, what he’s learned over an 18-year career, and why a healthy democracy relies on a news media to hold it responsible. This program is part of the Commonwealth Club World Affairs’ civics education initiative, Creating Citizens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Ethnic studies” is an ideological battleground in higher education, and now California is bringing its 1.6 million high school students into the fray. Every one of them must take an ethnic studies course to graduate, starting in the fall of 2025. But what will the course teach them? The State Department of Education’s original model curriculum—now candidly dubbed the “Liberated Ethnic Studies Curriculum”—was criticized for its anti-capitalist agenda, embrace of critical-race themes, and alleged antisemitism. Reaction was so intense that Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed the original curricular mandate legislation. A second State Model Curriculum toned down some of the original emphases. The final legislation signed by the governor had a local-option twist: school districts are free to determine the ethnic studies curriculum used in their schools. As a result, the skirmish over ethnic studies can now be replayed district by district. Independent Institute has created what it calls a balanced curriculum for the c

Join us for a heart-to-heart talk with Jeanine Nicholson, the first out LGBTQ chief of the San Francisco Fire Department, who retired in August. We'll hear about her pathbreaking career, her thoughts on the current political scene, and learn about breaking barriers while in the public eye. After our talk, stick around for a wine reception. Jeanine Nicholson retired in 2024 after 30 years in the San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD), five of which she spent as chief. She began her career in 1994 as a firefighter EMT and over the years became a firefighter paramedic, lieutenant, captain, battalion chief and deputy chief prior to her appointment as chief by Mayor London Breed in May 2019. Chief Nicholson was the first out LGBTQ Chief in SFFD history. Chief Nicholson led the department through the COVID pandemic and economic downturn. She established a safety, health and wellness office for her members, emphasized the importance of mental and physical wellbeing and expanded resources in the Behavioral Health Uni

For the third year in a row, the world’s most important climate conference is taking place in a country whose largest source of export revenue is fossil fuel. This year, over 190 countries are assembling in Baku, Azerbaijan. And despite nearly 30 years of pledges and promises, the UN’s recent Emissions Gap Report shows virtually every country failing to deliver on its promises. Ever since the Paris Agreement was signed at the 21st Conference of Parties (COP), the focus of this annual meeting has been implementation: How can the nations of the world possibly deliver on their promises to cut emissions when the economic interests in doing so aren’t aligned? In the meantime, the poorest countries, who contributed least to the problem, are getting hit hardest by devastating climate impacts, like droughts, floods, and the resulting poverty and civil unrest. COP29 is being billed as “the finance COP.” So, what do the richest owe the poorest? Guests:  Mitzi Jonelle Tan, Climate Justice Activist Todd Stern, Former Uni

Pulitzer Prize finalist Louise Aronson returns to the Commonwealth Club World Affairs stage to discuss the enduring themes of her New York Times bestselling book, Elderhood, and what to expect in the aftermath of the 2024 presidential election. What are the practical and existential implications of aging in a political era defined by polarization and increasing instability? How can individuals look out for their health and families regardless of the election outcome? Aronson is joined by fellow writer Jenara Nerenberg, in a follow-up conversation from their first lively event together five years ago. Nerenberg is the celebrated author of Divergent Mind and a forthcoming book on the psychology of groupthink. About the Speakers Louise Aronson, MD MFA, is a leading geriatrician, writer, educator, professor of medicine at UCSF and the author Elderhood: Redefining Aging, Transforming Medicine, and Reimagining Life. A graduate of Harvard Medical School, Dr. Aronson currently runs the integrative aging practice and

When it comes to communicating climate science, weathercasters are uniquely positioned to connect the facts to viewers’ experiences. TV meteorologists are trusted members of their communities, and they’re often the only scientists the general public hears from regularly. How they communicate can shape public understanding and depoliticize a topic that has become disturbingly divisive. But in some parts of the country, politics continues to get in the way of the facts. So how do weathercasters effectively communicate weather and climate information in a way that resonates across political lines?  Guests: John Morales, Hurricane Specialist, WTVJ NBC6 Miami Bernadette Woods Placky, Climate Central Chief Meteorologist, Climate Matters Director; VP of Engagement Chris Gloninger, Senior Climate Scientist, Woods Hole Group, Inc. Amber Sullins, Chief Meteorologist, ABC15 Phoenix

Commonwealth Club World Affairs is pleased to host a special evening with SF Pride Board President Nguyen Pham. Nguyen finishes his last term with SF Pride this year, after serving for a total of 8 years on the board of SF Pride. As president emeritus of San Francisco Pride, a nonprofit that produces the SF Pride Celebration and Parade, Nguyen Pham has proudly led the iconic organization through pivotal moments in the modern LGBTQ+ equity movement. Prior to his election as president, he served as vice president and secretary of the organization, comprising a record eight consecutive years of board service. In 2019, he helped to produce the inaugural SF Pride Golf Tournament, SF Pride’s most lucrative board-led annual fundraiser to date. He continued that tradition with the tournament's sixth annual convening in 2024, which was a resounding success. Nguyen is also director of philanthropy at Frameline, a San Francisco-based arts organization aimed at changing the world through the power of LGBTQ+ cinema. In