Commonwealth Club Of California Podcast

SPEAKERS Malhar Shah Attorney, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund; Former Family Law Staff Attorney, National Center for lesbian Rights Janet Sinhbandith Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA); Behavior Specialist, Castro Valley Unified School District; CEO, Positive Support Services, LLC Kristy Woerz Retired Special Education Teacher, Program Specialist, and Trainer to District Staff, Castro Valley Unified School District Michelle Meow Producer and Host, "The Michelle Meow Show," KBCW TV and TuneIn; Member, Commonwealth Club Board of Governors—Co-Host John Zipperer Producer and Host, Week to Week Political Roundtable; Vice President of Media & Editorial, The Commonwealth Club—Co-Host In response to the Coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak, this program took place and was recorded live via video conference, for an online audience only, and was live-streamed by The Commonwealth Club of California from San Francisco on October 29th, 2020. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adch

America’s Latinx population is diverse, complex and has plenty of untold stories to share. Paola Ramos, a correspondent for Vice and former deputy director of Hispanic media for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign, has spent the past 2 years exploring the changing nature of Latinx identity. In her first book, Finding Latinx: In Search of the Voices Redefining Latino Identity, Paola presents a travelogue with stories from Latinx community members across America that will move, empower and enrage you. Join Paola at INFORUM, where she will talk about the intense field research that went into writing Finding Latinx and how her personal experiences informed her work. Be sure to tune in for what will be a fascinating discussion of the contemporary Latinx community. NOTES Part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for a virtual conversation with award-winning historian David Reynolds to discuss his new biography of Abraham Lincoln, which also illuminates the riotous tumult of American life in the decades before the Civil War. It was a country growing up and being pulled apart at the same time, with a democratic popular culture that reflected the country's contradictions. From New England Puritan stock on his father's side and Virginia Cavalier gentry on his mother's, Lincoln was linked by blood to the central conflict of the age, and was aided by his genius for striking a balance between opposing forces. Lacking formal schooling but with an unquenchable thirst for self-improvement, Lincoln had a talent for wrestling and bawdy jokes that made him popular with his peers, but also had an appetite for poetry and prodigious gifts for memorization that set him apart throughout his childhood, and in his years as a lawyer and a politician. No one can transcend the limitations of his time, and Lincoln was no exception.

Join us for a special post-election Week to Week political roundtable. Less than a day after polls closed, will we know the victor in the race for the White House? What about control of the U.S. Senate and House? Our panelists will discuss the results of the election, covering significant local, state and national results. Whatever the outcome, there will be many important impacts on our country, so we'll have a panel of informed political experts to dissect it all and help you make sense of one of the wildest years in recent American political life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the role of power in deciding the fate of a planet? 2020 has seen a reckoning with various forms of power embedded in racial, gender, and generational identities. As we think about a transfer of U.S. presidential power, what can we learn about how other types of power are shaping our climate and our future? “It is precisely for people when they vote to not just think of the vote as voting for health or voting for schools or libraries, but to start connecting the dots,” says Dorceta Taylor, an original leader of the environmental justice movement. “That's another dimension of power.” Guests: Dorceta Taylor, Professor, Professor of Environmental Justice, Yale School for the Environment Jamie Margolin, Co-Executive Director, Zero Hour; Author, Youth to Power: Your Voice and How to Use It This program was recorded via video on October 26, 2020 and September 15, 2020. Visit our website for full show notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shellye Archambeau is a well-respected business leader, former tech CEO, and sought-after advisor. She is also a black woman who has taken risks throughout her career and blazed new trails in a predominantly white male-driven industry. Through her journey, Archambeau says she discovered that ambition alone is not enough and offers a blueprint with key takeaways and actions to increase the odds of achieving personal and professional success. Join us for this candid conversation as Archambeau shares her personal story and the best ways to create success on your own terms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nicholas Christakis is a physician and sociologist at Yale University who explores the ancient origins and modern implications of human nature. Christakis’ research focuses on the social, mathematical and biological rules that form social networks as well as the implications of human connection that influences thoughts, feelings and behaviors. In his new book Apollo’s Arrow, Christakis explores the impact of the coronavirus pandemic in America and the implications that will follow in the coming years. Christakis uses a range of disciplines to unpack the effects of a modern pandemic, including historical epidemics, contemporary analyses and trailblazing scientific research. The coronavirus pandemic and the epidemics that have come before it, though mostly unknown territory to those alive today, is fundamental to the human biological experience. Join Christakis and former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy for a conversation about adaptation, survival and the rapid change we’ve undergone in 2020. Learn more

Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo and The Wall Street Journal's James Freeman say that America needs an economic revival after the coronavirus shutdowns and argue that the playbook that resulted in "the greatest job market in history" can now put Americans back to work. Bartiromo and Freeman say that President Trump's cutting of red tape and slashing business tax rates spurred corporate investment that led to record numbers of U.S. job openings, and they say these policies will once again lead to prosperity. Maria Bartiromo is a two-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, who was the first person to report live from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, in 1995, and in 2011 made history once again as the first female journalist to be inducted into the Cable Hall of Fame. James Freeman is a former investor advocate at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. On the eve of the presidential election, come for a spirited discussion of the U.S. economy, and bring your questions. Learn more about your ad choi

Dessert is easy to enjoy but harder to make. Watching Claire Saffitz’s viral videos might not help ease the anxiety of new bakers. While a contributing food editor at Bon Appetit, Saffitz’s claim to fame was "Gourmet Makes"--a web series where the acclaimed chef reverse engineered sweet and savory snacks with an incredible amount of skill. While her expertise in baking might seem unattainable to those who love her show, her new cookbook, Dessert Person: Recipes and Guidance for Baking with Confidence, can convince anyone that they can be a “dessert person.” Saffitz has plenty of tips and tricks for the kitchen and beyond to share at INFORUM. Tune in to learn more about her new recipes and about her journey to becoming a baking expert for the masses. NOTES Part of our Food Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Gary Kamiya and artist Paul Madonna are two of the most critically acclaimed contemporary chroniclers of San Francisco. Now, they join forces for a new book, Spirits of San Francisco, marrying image and text in a way no book about the city has done before. Kamiya's captivating narratives accompany Madonna's masterful pen-and-ink drawings, breathing life into San Francisco sites both iconic and obscure. In this COVID era, when San Francisco faces unprecedented challenges, come hear from two of the city's wisest observers about what makes San Francisco special and what the future may hold. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many people have the next great idea for a company, but what does it take to make a dream a reality? Kara Goldin decided to start the unsweetened flavored water brand Hint in 2005 after observing how sugary and artificial most drinks were. In her new book Undaunted: Overcoming Doubts and Doubters, Kara shares her advice for tackling the obstacles that are holding you back from achieving your dreams. Join Kara at INFORUM to learn more about entrepreneurship, female leadership and perseverance. With her award-winning experience in business, Kara has guidance aplenty for people looking to actualize the next big idea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for a virtual conversation with Edmund Fawcett to discuss his sharp-eyed history of political conservatism, a tradition as much at war with itself as with its opponents, from its 19th century origins to today’s hard Right. For 200 years conservatism has defied its reputation as a backward-looking creed by confronting and adapting to liberal modernity. By doing so, the Right won long periods of power and became the dominant tradition in politics. Yet, despite their success, conservatives have continued to fight with each other about how far to compromise with liberalism and democracy—or about which values to defend and how. Fawcett provides a gripping account of this conflicted history, clarifies key ideas, and illuminates the policy quarrels within the Right today. Fawcett’s vivid narrative covers thinkers and politicians, including forerunners James Madison, Edmund Burke, and Joseph de Maistre; early friends and foes of capitalism; defenders of religion; and builders of modern parties, such as Willia

Is 2020 a year of a tidal shift in loyalties for a key voting block? Vietnamese Americans have long voted for Republican candidates, but this year, many have been shifting their vote toward Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. What is causing the shift? Is it immigration policies that have targeted Vietnamese communities? The president's leadership style? Pandemic mismanagement? Join us for a discussion with three experts and leaders in the Vietnamese-American community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Much of the time we take it for granted that we have a safe water. This panel explores the creative ways in which these two organizations provide clean and safe water for those who do not have it. Jon Kaufman is the Director of H2OpenDoors, a project of Rotary International. Kaufman brings together the best-in-class providers of water purification, smart solar nanogrids and satellite internet technologies to create water and power hubs. The most impoverished villages throughout the world are mentored on creating enterprise through these unique approaches, fostering self reliance rather than continual dependence. Averill Strasser of Water Charity, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to helping people access clean drinking water and improved sanitation. In 14 years, Water Charity has done more than 6,000 water, sanitation and public health projects in 78 countries. Averil is an RPCV (returned Peace Corps volunteer) who served in Bolivia. In addition, Water Charity is a proud supporter and partner of the National Pe

Join us for a lively discussion on Generation Z and its response to these times. The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award engages with more than 1.1 million young people aged 14–24 globally, helping them find their purpose, passion and place in the world. His Royal Highness The Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex KG GCVO, chair to the global movement, will engage in a conversation with recent Princeton valedictorian and Award holder Nicholas Johnson on Gen Z. Through the lens of what is occurring globally, and here in the United States, the two will discuss current challenges facing Gen Z and their collective response. Nicholas Johnson, haling from Montreal, Canada, is pursuing Ph.D. studies in operations research at MIT. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering Science Degree in operations research and financial engineering, with minors in computer science, statistics and machine learning, and applied and computational mathematics from Princeton University. He is the valedictorian of Princeton’s class of 2020 and the

Twenty-three years after Britain's handover of Hong Kong to China, the government in Beijing has begun to deepen its control over the politics of the special administrative region. Despite mass protests and muted criticism from the West, Beijing's communist government has put into place rules constraining democracy and free speech. Joshua Wong was born just one year before the handover. He came onto the political scene in 2011 aged 14, when he founded Scholarism and successfully protested against the enforcement of Chinese National Education in Hong Kong. He has been arrested numerous times for his protesting and activism and has served more than 100 days in jail. He has been named by Time, Fortune, Prospect and Forbes as one of the world’s most influential leaders. In 2018 he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his leading role in Hong Kong's Umbrella Movement. He is the former secretary-general of Demosistō. He has been the subject of two documentaries, including the Netflix original, Joshua: Teenag

Many of us are cooking at home more often than ever before, but we still struggle to find new, quick recipes. Ayesha Curry knows this better than most—she’s a veteran cookbook author and working mother with limited time to make meals. But she also knows that finding balance between work and family life starts with gathering around the table to enjoy a home-cooked meal. In her new book, The Full Plate: Flavor-Filled, Easy Recipes for Families with No Time and a Lot to Do, Ayesha shares 100 recipes that take less than an hour to complete. Whether you’re looking for delicious pork chops or the perfect spicy margarita, Ayesha has it covered. Join us for a fun program as Ayesha discusses how she developed the recipes, how parents can provide family-friendly meals in a time crunch, and how we can all become better home cooks. This conversation will be moderated by San Francisco Chronicle food writer Justin Phillips. NOTES Co-hosted by INFORUM Part of our Food Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation

Join us for a virtual conversation with Professor Eddie Cole, whose research has revealed how closely intertwined some of America’s most pressing civil rights issues―desegregation, equal educational and employment opportunities, housing discrimination, and free speech―have been with higher education institutions. Cole supplements the common knowledge about the roles that college students and other activists played in the fight for and against civil rights by covering the roles played by the nation’s college presidents. Based on archival research conducted at universities and colleges across the United States, Cole focuses on the period between 1948 and 1968, during which college presidents strategically, yet often silently, initiated and shaped racial policies inside and outside of the educational sphere. With courage and hope, as well as with malice and cruelty, college presidents positioned themselves―sometimes precariously―amid conflicting interests and demands. Black college presidents challenged racist p

Hard as it is to remember, there was a time when Democrats and Republicans weren’t all that far apart on climate change. As recently as 2008, both presidential candidates Obama and McCain supported a cap and trade system, including mandatory limits on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and oil refineries. Now, pushing a climate plan forward requires reaching out to some disenfranchised, divided, and deeply distrustful Americans. Can real talk on climate and COVID-19 ever reach Trump’s America? With the rise of the youth climate movement demanding bolder action, will legacy Democratic leaders be able to maintain power and influence? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since leaving his role as White House press secretary in 2017, Sean Spicer has launched a successful talk show and written a best-selling book. Now, he’s focusing on the hardened state of politics in America. In his new book, Leading America, Spicer argues that too many look at the world as a zero sum game—either you're with them 100 percent, or you're the enemy. Whether you're in politics, media, academia, or entertainment, he says it's the same story. The former White House press secretary and communications director analyzes our current political moment through the lens of politics and culture and argues that everyone can and should take a stand to uphold their rights and values. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices