Commonwealth Club Of California Podcast

"I became very good at what I do. When other coaches on the staff would go home at night to their wife and kids, I would stay at the office. I would keep working, keep learning. This helped my career, but I didn't realize the negative effects it would have on my mental health." That's how Matt Lynch described his life hiding his sexuality during his time coaching at UNC-Wilmington. Currently out of work due to the COVID-related layoffs of the coaching staff, Lynch will join us for an online program to discuss his decision to come out publicly as a gay man in an article he wrote for Outsports.com this winter. How did his family respond? How did his players react? How did his school treat him? And what's next for this young coach? Join us for a conversation about being gay in big-time college sports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect health and industry, the food that we eat every day has formed a complicated relationship to the crisis. Has social distancing forced us to think more consciously about what and how we cook? Or has panic and misinformation surrounding food safety spread to the masses? The Food Lab’s J. Kenji López-Alt joins INFORUM to explore all of the complex facets of this conversation—and, of course, he will do it using science. We will cover topics such as safe grocery store practices, food serving and preparation, false information regarding transmission via food (especially when ordering takeout) and much more. Tune in live as we explore all things food while in quarantine from one of the industry’s most trusted experts. This program is generously supported by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and a collaborative of local funders and donors. We are grateful for their support and hope others will follow their example to support the Club during these uncertain times. Learn more a

Governor Jerry Brown is no ordinary politician. Like California, he is eclectic, brilliant, unpredictable, and sometimes weird. Join us virtually as Newton explains how Jerry Brown extended, but still radically altered, the legacy of his father, Governor Pat Brown. In his 16 years as governor (from 1975 to 1983 and from 2011 to 2019), Jerry Brown's blend of compassion, far-sightedness, and pragmatism helped restore the California economy, balance the state budget, combat climate change, and defend immigrants' rights. Newton reveals the blueprint of Jerry Brown's offbeat risk taking: equal parts fiscal conservatism and social progressivism. Newton also reveals other sides of Jerry Brown, whose defeat on the national stage did nothing to diminish the scale of his political, intellectual and spiritual ambitions, and whose legacy demonstrates how politics may once again be effective in the future. MLF Organizer: George Hammond MLF: Humanities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us virtually for a conversation with David Bodanis, Zooming in from London, to discuss his ideas about how the COVID-19 pandemic will influence the future of the world economy, how Einstein grappled with having made a major mistake in trying to solve a physics problem, how Madame du Chatelet, the French aristocrat and married translator of Newton’s works, partnered on her intellectual pursuits with her lover Voltaire, how electricity was changed from a mere curiosity to a transformational force for civilization, and how he got interested in his latest book project, The Art of Fairness: The Power of Decency in a World Gone Mean, which is due out in November. Hear a master storyteller describe the power of ideas that transform civilizations. NOTES MLF: Humanities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone wants the economy to reopen as quickly as possible, but how can we do it while minimizing the risk to our health? The government and independent experts have developed detailed proposals. Many states and localities have eased restrictions without meeting the criteria in these plans. Some see the issue as a tug-of-war between the economy and public health, while others argue that we can’t have one without the other. Two influential health-care leaders from different sides of the political spectrum who have contributed to high-profile re-opening plans will debate how fast we should reopen, what risks are acceptable and how we can minimize them. NOTES In association with The Zetema Project This program is generously supported by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and a collaborative of local funders and donors. We are grateful for their support and hope others will follow their example to support the Club during these uncertain times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Fast Carbs, Slow Carbs, David Kessler explains how eating refined grains such as wheat, corn and rice leads to a cascade of hormonal and metabolic issues that make it very easy to gain weight and nearly impossible to lose it. Worse still is how excess weight creates a very real link to diabetes, heart disease, cognitive decline and a host of cancers. We can no longer afford to dismiss the consequences of eating food that is designed to be rapidly absorbed as sugar in our bodies. Informed by cutting-edge research as well as Kessler’s own personal quest to manage his weight, Fast Carbs, Slow Carbs reveals in illuminating detail how we got to this critical turning point in our health as a nation—and outlines a plan for eliminating heart disease, allowing us to finally regain control of our health. Dr. Kessler recently joined Joe Biden’s Public Health Advisory Committee and will also discuss how our collective behavior with be the primary determinant in dealing with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. David Kess

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, care workers, particularly those who work in homes and long-term care residential facilities, have faced some of the biggest challenges among frontline workers during the 2-month crisis. One the one hand, many of the care workers who work in homes have lost their jobs or had their hours massively reduced. On the other hand, workers who have maintained their jobs often have had to jeopardize their own health and the health of their own families by going to work. Meanwhile, many of these jobs don’t have traditional job benefits in the best of times, let alone during one of the most significant public health and economic crises that U.S. workers have had to face in decades. How are care workers facing these challenges during the current pandemic? How can these workers be protected in future disasters? Please join us as we explore these important questions and issues with key leaders in the field. NOTES This program is generously supported by the Blue Shield of California Foundat

Join a panel of passionate former Pride board members who will share their experiences volunteering for the organization as it celebrates its 50 year anniversary this year. Jacquelene Bishop owns and operates her own CPA firm in the East Bay, serving small businesses and their owners. She sat on the Pride board from 2016–2019, serving as the treasurer the first two years and as president the third. Ken Jones joined the Parade in 1980; and served as its first co-chair of outreach, charged with bringing more “traditionally under/non/mis-represented segments of the lesbian and gay communities” into the movement. Early efforts including giving people of color an opportunity to gather and march together as their own contingent and utilizing the Hot Colors Event at the End-up to bring people of color together the night before Pride. He continued with the organization for more than a decade, serving as co-chair and president. Jones presently hosts small groups in an historical walk through the Castro during the 80s

The San Francisco Chronicle entered a new era of restaurant criticism in 2019 when longtime critic Michael Bauer retired and was succeeded by Soleil Ho. Quick to set herself apart from her predecessor, Ho freely mixes thoughts on racism, cultural appropriation and other hot-button topics into her reviews. Her "Racist Sandwich" podcast was nominated for multiple awards, and in 2018 she received the Southern Foodways Alliance Smith Symposium Fellowship and a UC Berkeley-11th Hour Food and Farming Journalism Fellowship. Join us for a conversation with a young—and controversial—voice in the Bay Area's boisterous food culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A "blinding flash of the obvious" will be striking The Commonwealth Club. And why do we need it now, so badly? Because, the “new normal” has imprinted itself, on the world, and most people do not know how to adapt successfully. Steven Campbell says that success comes from how we think! He will present an eye-opening look at the latest research on how our brains conform to the messages we give them. When we optimize those messages, he says, our brains will literally rewire themselves, again, to create new, positive ways, of dealing with the challenges we are facing. It's not magic . . . it's science! His key take-aways: First, a practical knowledge of cutting-edge brain research on meeting the challenges of the "new normal," and, second, an understanding of the relationship between your brain and your emotions and how to train them both to your advantage. Campbell acquired his Masters degree—when he was 55—to pursue his greatest love, teaching. He then became a professor, author, and professional speaker. He h

Since the early days of the United States, the country’s leaders have understood that the success of our democratic republic depends on a knowledgeable electorate of citizens who are informed about contemporary issues and who understand how government works. The current pandemic comes at a time when that standard is being threatened by deep partisan divisions, disagreements about the role of federal and state government in citizens’ daily lives, and distrust of political leadership. In the past, when the country faced a crisis of such broad magnitude—the Great Depression, World War II—political leaders were able to use the moment to unify the nation and renew faith in America’s civic structures. Despite our current divisions—already on display as the country debates reopening—can the pandemic and the response to it point to new ways of bringing people together to work for a common good? If so, how can we realize this promise, now and in the future? In particular, what role can a comprehensive civics education

In 2001, when Madeleine Albright was leaving office as America’s first female secretary of state, interviewers asked her how she wished to be remembered. “I don’t want to be remembered,” she answered. “I am still here and have much more I intend to do. As difficult as it might seem, I want every stage of my life to be more exciting than the last.” So she has continued to write, teach, travel, give speeches, start a business, fight for democracy, help empower women, campaign for favored political candidates, and spend more time with her grandchildren. For nearly 20 years, Secretary Albright has been in constant motion. Her new memoir is blunt, intimate, funny, and serious. An excellent basis for a rare, candid visit with one of America’s most memorable and revered public figures. Join us to hear Secretary Albright's outlook on the world . . . past, present and post-COVID. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After decades spent trying to reach 100 million barrels of daily production, the oil industry is devastated from the sudden evaporation of demand. Renewables are also taking a big hit with projections that half of America’s solar workers will lose their jobs. Federal relief packages are bailing out airlines and public transportation, while excluding any help for clean energy. What are the energy impacts of the COVID-19 recession? How will this reshape use of renewables and hydrocarbons in the years to come? Join us for a conversation with Jason Bordoff, founding director of Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, Amy Harder, energy and climate change reporter at Axios, Scott Jacobs, CEO & co-founder of Generate Capital, and Julia Pyper, co-host of the Political Climate Podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andy Slavitt was brought in by the Obama administration to fix Healthcare.gov after a disastrous rollout and then asked to stay on to head Medicare and Medicaid. Since leaving government, he’s been one of the fiercest critics of the current administration’s efforts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act and combat COVID-19. Yet his approach to changing health care and fighting the pandemic has been deliberately bipartisan, and he informally advises leading Republicans as well as Democrats. Slavitt teamed with former FDA chief Scott Gottlieb to propose a $46.5 billion plan for COVID-19 contact tracing and isolation and was lead author of an open letter entitled “Stay Home, Save Lives” signed by 16 top Republican and Democratic figures. Listen to one of our country’s savviest health professionals discuss what’s next for fighting the pandemic in a bipartisan fashion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The ongoing pandemic has shown us what indiscriminate worldwide destruction looks like. A nuclear war would do infinitely more damage in a shorter time and recovery, if possible at all, would take years. Russia says it’s created hypersonic weapons. Kim Jung Un refuses to give up his nuclear program. Iran is enriching uranium. The current START treaty expires in February 2021. Join a seasoned panel to discuss what the United States and others can do at this crucial point in history to reduce weapons and decrease the chances of devastating war. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How can we stop repeating history? Sadly, the United States has had a long history of prejudice and racism against Asians and other marginalized communities in this country, starting before the Chinese Exclusion Act, to the Second World War Japanese-American incarceration, and the McCarthy witch hunting era in the Chinese-American community, through the Civil Rights Movement to the Vincent Chin murder and continuing to xenophobia targeting Muslims and the AMEMSA (Arab Middle Eastern Muslim South Asian) community. Join us for a discussion about how people can stop repeating history and end racism for all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Plouffe is one of the leading Democratic political strategists around. He led Barack Obama to victory in 2008 and remains one of his most trusted advisers. Following his public service, he worked for Uber as the senior vice president of policy and strategy before joining the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative in 2017. A Citizen’s Guide to Beating Donald Trump is Plouffe’s guide for the 2020 voter on how to make a difference. Plouffe draws on decades' worth of experience to coach voters on what they can do every day, from the comfort of their homes, to ensure Donald Trump’s defeat. His advice is simple: Change will only happen from action and direct dialogue from citizen to citizen. For those invested, Plouffe argues that the time to start is now. Join political strategist David Plouffe as he gives us a pragmatic and motivational guide on how to tackle the electoral road ahead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do we confront the reality of a future that will be hauntingly different from today? Some authors are using fiction to create relatable narratives while sparing us from a deluge of sobering facts that can make audiences feel detached. The dystopian worlds in the films Mad Max and The Hunger Games do the same to both entertain and distance viewers from the realities of an increasingly destabilized climate. Can fiction give access to hopes and fears that we can’t handle in our daily lives? How are authors like Jenny Offill and Roy Scranton using stories that let readers experience climate change, while also keeping it at arms’ length? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What makes a marriage last? Iconic couple Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue crisscrossed the country and conducted intimate conversations with 40 celebrated couples whose marriages they’ve admired. Through these conversations, Marlo and Phil also reveal the rich journey of their own 40-year marriage. Marlo and Phil will share the practical and heartfelt wisdom from couples including like President Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka, Al Roker and Deborah Roberts, and Sting and Trudie Styler. Marlo Thomas is an award-winning actress and national outreach director for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which was founded by her father Danny Thomas. Phil Donahue is a media pioneer who revolutionized the talk show format and won 20 Daytime Emmy Awards. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom Ammiano has made his impression on San Francisco since he first arrived and stepped off a Greyhound bus. A stand-up comedian, the first openly gay teacher in the city, activist and politician—he has been in the public eye for decades. Now Ammiano is telling his story in his new book, Kiss My Ass: My Trip Down the Yellow Brick Road Through Activism, Stand-up, and Politics. The book's title comes from his shouted comment to then-Goveror Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the book is filled with the "authenticity, poignant moments, wild tales and laughter" that have been a part of Ammiano's life in the city by the bay. ** This Podcast Contains Explicit Language ** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices