Commonwealth Club Of California Podcast

The pandemic changed the workplace, possibly forever. And, in a time when the war for talent is critical, the stakes are even higher. Now in its eighth year, the latest benchmark annual report on "Women in the Workplace" by McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.org finds that we are in the middle of “The Great Breakup.” Women managers are leaving their corporate jobs at the highest rate in years—and at a much higher rate than men. Women executives say they are seeking more flexibility, better opportunities for advancement, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion. Join us to hear from women leaders about what they are seeing firsthand, and why corporations need to prioritize employee well-being to better retain female talent. If companies don’t take action, they won’t just lose their women leaders; they could risk losing the next generation of women leaders, too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The crisis of faith inspired by Nebuchadnezzar having dragged most of the Jewish political and religious leaders to Babylon six centuries before Jesus had a major impact on the West, as it reshaped ideas about God, life after death, and the end of the world that have been culturally influential ever since. Kohanski delves in detail into how the chaotic political era from Alexander the Great to the Maccabees and the Romans, and how ideas derived from Plato, the Dead Sea Scrolls and the apocalyptic Book of Daniel, ended up focusing half of humanity on monotheistic attempts to answer our fundamental questions about life. But not without paying a high price for our efforts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CNN Senior Supreme Court Analyst Joan Biskupic takes us inside one of the most devastating and consequential periods in modern Supreme Court history. She details how the court’s seismic shift to the right has resulted in controversial decisions, including its reversal of Roe v. Wade and examines other recent cases where rights are being stripped away for some and expanded for others. Biskupic has covered the Supreme Court for 25 years and has built a reputation as one of the country’s most astute legal observers. She assesses what the ensuing impact and repercussions will be from these decisions for generations to come. SPEAKERS Joan Biskupic Senior Supreme Court Analyst, CNN; Author, Nine Black Robes: Inside the Supreme Court’s Drive to the Right and Its Historic Consequences; Twitter @JoanBiskupic In Conversation with Melissa Caen Host, "Get Out the Bet" Podcast; Political Analyst; Attorney In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. Th

Despite economic headwinds and job cuts, companies backed by venture capital—including many in the Bay Area—drive the U.S. economy, accounting for hundreds of billions of dollars in sales and profits. However, most of this wealth winds up enriching entrenched investors and favored private interests, further widening economic inequality. Two well-known technology investors and entrepreneurs, Mitch Kapor and Freada Kapor Klein, have committed their lives to doing things differently and finding ways to close these equity gaps. As they explain in their new book, Closing the Equity Gap: Creating Wealth and Fostering Justice in Startup Investing, Kapor and Kapor Klein build on their work at the Oakland-based Kapor Center and Kapor Capital, two institutions that invest in seed-stage tech startups focused on closing gaps of access, opportunity and outcome for low-income communities and communities of color. They share their core beliefs that all companies must make a positive impact. They share stories behind some of

Every March 31, Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) is celebrated around the world. It is an annual occasion in which the achievements and contributions of the transgender community to society and the world at large are honored. For this year's TDOV, we're celebrating by spotlighting perspectives, experiences, and thought leadership of Global South transgender, gender nonconforming, and nonbinary immigrants and asylum refugees with a panel discussion plus a network power hour at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco! This event is presented by The Center for Immigrant Protection-ParivarBayArea, The LGBT Asylum Project and The Alwan Foundation in partnership with El/La Para Trans Latinas and The Office of Transgender Initiatives. With the onslaught of legislative attacks across the country against the transgender community, how do we reconcile the urgent need to protect and safeguard transgender immigrants and refugees during a period of heightened anti-trans hate? How can the United States

Taking us to the cutting edge of the new frontier of medicine, a visionary biotechnologist and a pathbreaking researcher show how we can optimize our health in ways that were previously unimaginable. They say we are on the cusp of a major transformation in health care—yet few people know it. At top hospitals and a few innovative health-tech startups, scientists are working closely with patients to dramatically extend their "healthspan"—the number of healthy years before disease sets in.  Using information gleaned from our blood and genes and tapping into the data revolution made possible by AI, doctors can catch the onset of disease years before symptoms arise, revolutionizing prevention. Current applications have shown startling results: diabetes reversed, cancers eliminated, Alzheimer's avoided, autoimmune conditions kept at bay. This is not a future fantasy: it is already happening, but only for a few patients and at high cost. Proponents say it is time to make this gold standard of care more widely availa

It’s easy to write off people outside our own ideological bubbles, even when we may have many goals in common. But as the effects of the climate crisis become more apparent, we need leaders from all political and industrial perspectives to work together. In the U.S., climate is a polarizing issue where it’s too easy to assume that one side is working to reduce emissions and the other side is defending the status quo. But that’s only a caricature of reality. There are people from many ideological backgrounds trying to address the climate crisis. So how can common ground be found between environmentalists on the left and Republicans on the right? And what does an EV-driving member of the ConocoPhillips board have to say about reducing emissions?   Guests:  John Curtis, U.S. Representative (R-UT) Arjun Murti, Partner, Veriten; Director, ConocoPhillips board For show notes and related links, visit ClimateOne.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

OpenAI’s question-and-answer chatbot ChatGPT has shaken up Silicon Valley and is already disrupting a wide range of fields and industries, including education. But the potential risks of this new era of artificial intelligence go far beyond students cheating on their term papers. Even OpenAI’s founder warns that “the question of whose values we align these systems to will be one of the most important debates society ever has." How will artificial intelligence impact your job and life? And is society ready? We talk with UC Berkeley computer science professor and A.I. expert Stuart Russell about those questions and more. SPEAKERS Stuart Russell Professor of Computer Science, Director of the Kavli Center for Ethics, Science, and the Public, and Director of the Center for Human-Compatible AI, University of California, Berkeley; Author, Human Compatible: Artificial Intelligence and the Problem of Control Jerry Kaplan Adjunct Lecturer in Computer Science, Stanford University—Moderator In response to the COVID-19 p

The Indo-Pacific is rapidly becoming the global center of economic dynamism and strategic challenge. Encompassing 40 economies, more than 4 billion people and more than one-third of all economic activity worldwide—what happens in the region will play a critical role in shaping the future of the international order. Recognizing the importance of the Indo-Pacific region to global peace and prosperity and Canada’s national interests, the government of Canada released in November 2022 its own long-anticipated Indo-Pacific Strategy. This long-term plan includes ambitious, interconnected objectives to promote peace, resilience and security; expand trade, investment and supply chain resilience; invest in and connect people; and build a sustainable and green future. As a Pacific nation, Canada shares 25,000 kilometers (more than 15,000 miles) of Pacific coastline, robust trading relationships with economies across the region, deep people-to-people ties and a rich history of cultural exchange. Through its Indo-Pacific

In late 2022, scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory made a long-sought breakthrough, achieving self-sustaining “fusion ignition” for the first time and generating breakeven energy. Supporters see fusion as a game changer for production of unlimited clean energy that can help to address climate change globally.  Please join us for a conversation with Dr. Kimberly Budil, director of Lawrence Livermore, about the significance of this achievement. Dr. Budil is the 13th director of Lawrence Livermore. A physicist, she is an expert on high-power, ultra-fast lasers. She has held previous positions at the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Energy. She is the first woman to serve as LLNL director, and is one of the leading female scientists in the United States. We look forward to seeing you for an inspiring evening with one of the Bay Area’s key scientific leaders, discussing where Lawrence Livermore's fusion research could lead and how long it might take

The United States Foreign Service is confronting one of the most profound crises in its history. At a time of pandemic, recession and mounting global challenges, our nation’s career diplomats find themselves without the support, funding, training and leadership they need to represent the American people effectively overseas and in Washington, D.C., according to Ambassadors Marc Grossman and Marcie Ries and a team of career diplomats working on the American Diplomacy Project. To successfully navigate the Ukraine conflict, the largest war in Europe since World War II, skilled American diplomacy is critical. If we’re going to deal with very difficult competitors, including adversarial countries like China and Russia, we’re going to need skilled diplomats at the table, in our embassies and consulates. To do this, we must transform not only the mission and culture of the Foreign Service, but also the education and training of diplomats to meet these urgent needs around the world. Please join these two respected di

What drew a career educator, on the verge of retirement, into state politics? Creating Citizens, The Commonwealth Club’s education initiative, has invited California Secretary of State Shirley Weber to talk with high school students about why their voice matters and how to become civically engaged at a young age. After 40 years as a professor at San Diego State University, Shirley Weber was appointed by California Governor Gavin Newsom to become California’s 31st secretary of state. Secretary Weber is California’s first Black secretary of state and only the fifth African American to serve as a state constitutional officer in California’s 170-year history. Secretary Weber, in conversation with KQED’s Annelise Finney, will discuss the duties and responsibilities of a secretary of state, the importance of voting, and the importance of civil discourse. She will also explore the power that young people have in the democratic process—wether they realize it or not. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.f

Biden’s policy wins have secured vast amounts of funding for the energy transition, and that money is just beginning to flow, with new programs becoming available to everyday Americans. With hundreds of billions tagged for chip and battery plants, climate smart agriculture, rail, modernizing the electric grid, and tax incentives for citizens to run their homes and cars on electricity, ensuring these dollars and programs have real impact is now the name of the game. White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi plays a leading role in coordinating the implementation of the biggest investments in clean energy the U.S. has ever made. This week he joins us to discuss the complicated maze of industrial policy intended to create a more just economy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  Guest: Ali Zaidi, White House National Climate Advisor For show notes and related links, visit https://www.climateone.org/watch-and-listen/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join the conversation with the new San Francisco Ballet leadership duo: Artistic Director Tamara Rojo and Executive Director Danielle St. Germain; founder and director of San Francisco Philharmonic Jessica Bejarano; and President of Northern California Women’s Caucus for Art Priscilla Otani. Learn more about what's new and exciting in the art world and what these women's visions are for their artistic futures within their respective organizations. What are the most relevant accomplishments, challenges and urgent matters to tackle to make arts leadership equal and accessible? What is the state of the arts in terms of equity and diversity? At 6 p.m.—The festivities continue with a social hour and a wine tasting with women-led wineries from California. Meet the women behind some of the most-awarded wine labels and taste some signature bottles. NOTES In partnership with Women's March San Francisco and Northern California Women's Caucus for Arts.     This program is proudly supported by FLG Partners.     Participa

Called “the voice of the resistance” by The New York Times, writer, historian and activist Rebecca Solnit, the author of 20 books on feminism, western and indigenous history, popular power, social change and insurrection, hope and disaster, and most recently Not Too Late: Changing the Climate Story from Despair to Possibility, will discuss her view that the future will be decided by whether we act in the present—and she says we must act—to counter institutional inertia, fossil fuel interests, and political obstinacy. Guided by her typical clear-eyed wisdom, Rebecca Solnit will lead our audience from discouragement to possibilities, from climate despair to climate hope. Solnit will be joined by co-editor and climate activist Thelma Young Lutunatabua and native Fijian Fenton Lutunatabua (participating virtually), calling on us to rise to the moment with the benefit of indigenous wisdom and by telling new stories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Seeking to improve public policy in California, in 1993 a group led by Hewlett-Packard co-founder Bill Hewlett created the Public Policy Institute of California to do independent, nonpartisan research in the public interest. PPIC produces high-quality data to inform leaders and the public, and conducts nationally recognized polls on the preferences and opinions of California voters.  Now PPIC welcomes former Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court Tani Cantil-Sakauye as its third president and CEO. Cantil-Sakauye has had a distinguished legal and judicial career, supporting bail reform and decriminalizing minor traffic offenses, improving funding for courts and the bar, and championing education on civil discourse for students. She made history when she became the first person of color, first Asian-Filipina American and the second woman to serve as California’s chief justice.  She is now poised to impact the Golden State through her leadership of PPIC, which focuses on the economy, the environment, educ

The January mass shooting in Half Moon Bay brought to light the intolerable conditions in which farmworkers often still live and work. Almost 40 years after Cesar Chavez’s renowned 1984 Commonwealth Club speech, his successor as president of the United Farm Workers Union, Teresa Romero, joins us to discuss the hardships and exploitation agricultural laborers face. She will address the progress achieved by the United Farm Workers Union, and the important work that remains to be done to improve their work and living conditions. The first Latina and first immigrant woman to become president of a national union in the United States, in 2018 Teresa Romero became only the third president of the United Farm Workers since Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta founded the union in 1962. Rising through the ranks of the UFW after arriving in this country without speaking English, she is proud of both her U.S. citizenship and her Mexican and Zapotecan heritage. Most recently, Romero led farm workers in a campaign—including a g

Join us for a conversation with Mabel van Oranje, human rights activist and serial entrepreneur for social change, for a reflection on the global challenges facing women and girls, and the solutions that are possible. Mabel has dedicated her career to ending the practice of child marriage, which impacts 12 million girls every year. That’s a girl every 3 seconds. Her latest venture is VOW for Girls, which invests in the power, voice and choice of girls whose futures are at risk. In this interactive Q&A, Mabel will discuss her journey and share her vision for a world in which every girl can determine her own future. SPEAKERS Mabel van Oranje Princess Mabel van Oranje of the Netherlands; Serial Entrepreneur for Social Change; Founder and Chair, VOW for Girls Randy Newcomb Senior Advisor, The Omidyar Group—Moderator In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. This program was recorded via video conference on March 22nd, 2023 by the Commonweal

Our brains have evolved over millions of years to deal with immediate and direct challenges, but they’re not so great at processing large existential threats, like the climate crisis. Understanding why people behave the way they do could be a critical step in bringing about more meaningful climate action. Despite having the technical ability we need to stay under 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming, we’re on a path to surpass that number by the early 2030s. Yet doom and gloom framing can drive people away from even thinking about the climate crisis. How can we use our understanding of behavior to incorporate happiness into meaningful climate action?    Guests:  Ann-Christine Duhaime, Pediatric Neurosurgeon, Author of Minding the Climate: How Neuroscience Can Help Solve Our Environmental Crisis Jiaying Zhao, Associate Professor, University of British Columbia For show notes and related links, visit ClimateOne.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When a nation's politics get wild and its democratic standards frayed, things can go bad quickly. Just ask Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator who met his fate 2,067 years ago on the Ides of March. At Week to Week, we're dedicated to the lively and informed discussion of politics—with a healthy sense of humor—as a platform for healthy involvement in the issues that drive our society. The Commonwealth Club's Week to Week Political Roundtable and social hour, now in its 12th year, will take a look at the politics of the day on the eve of the Ides of March 2023—the issues, the people, the trends affecting our political world. This Program Contains Explicit Language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices