Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

Latest Episodes:

CLIMATE ONE: Climate & Democracy with Jamie Raskin, Heather McGhee and Rebecca Willis Apr 21, 2022

Show notes

Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD) took the national spotlight as the lead manager for the second impeachment trial of the former president. As a member of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, he has grilled fossil fuel executives on the industry’s long history of intentionally misleading the public. And as a constitutional law professor, he has offered deep insight into the connections between an informed citizenry and a robust democracy.

At a time when many Americans doubt Congress’s ability to get anything done, what are the government’s strongest levers for climate action? And what are the connections between climate and democracy?

This story is part of ‘Climate & Democracy,’ a series from the global journalism collaboration Covering Climate Now.

Guests:

Jamie Raskin, U.S. Representative, Maryland’s 8th Congressional District

Heather McGhee, Board Chair, Color of Change; author, The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together

Rebecca Willis, Professor, Lancaster University; author, Too Hot to Handle? The Democratic Challenge of Climate Change

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How I Built This with Guy Raz Apr 20, 2022

Show notes

Few have dominated the podcast arena like Guy Raz. Raz co-created National Public Radio’s "How I Built This," "Wow in the World" and "TED Radio Hour." From program intern to podcast virtuoso, Raz has worked in many capacities at the broadcast media organization with highly successful results—his podcasts garner more than 19 million downloads per month. It’s no surprise why, as his programs welcome thought-provoking guests in a format that combines narrative storytelling with insightful advice.

In his new book, How I Built This: The Unexpected Paths to Success from the World’s Most Inspiring Entrepreneurs, Raz shares highlights and lessons from the more than 100 entrepreneurs he’s interviewed as host for "How I Built This." From planning a timeline for corporate development to making a good idea profitable, Raz has insights galore to share at INFORUM from more than four years’ worth of episodes.

We’re pleased that Guy Raz will be joined onstage by Tony Xu. Xu is the CEO and co-founder of DoorDash, a technology company passionate about transforming local businesses and dedicated to enabling new ways of working, earning and living. Born in China, Xu came to America with his parents and grew up working in his mom’s restaurant. Xu was a guest on “How I Built This” in November 2018, and prior to co-founding DoorDash in 2013, he worked in the product department at Square, led special projects for the CEO and CFO at eBay, and began his career at McKinsey & Co.

SPEAKERS

Guy Raz

Host, “How I Built This” and “Wow in the World,” NPR; Host, “Wisdom From the Top” Podcast; Author, How I Built This: The Unexpected Paths to Success from the World’s Most Inspiring Entrepreneurs; Twitter @guyraz

In Conversation with Tony Xu

Co-Founder and CEO, DoorDash; Twitter @t_xu

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. This program was recorded live in San Francisco on April 11th, 2022 by the Commonwealth Club of California.

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Future of Trans Health Care Apr 19, 2022

Show notes

Join us for the first in a series looking at the latest in transgender health care. A dynamic panel of doctors and experts in the field of trans and nonbinary medical and health care will explain the latest developments in the field.

This first program in the series will address the future of trans health care, current advancements in care and accessibility, and best practices in serving trans and nonbinary community members today and in the future. This launch event will also include a reception following the program.

Future programs will cover a wide range of issues facing trans health care, including the ongoing attacks on trans children and families, policy advancements, mental health and wellness, and more.

This launch event will also include a special rooftop reception following the program, featuring DJ NICO and local drag superstars Mary Vice, King MeatFlap and Kypper Snacks—plus fabulous local drinks and appetizers.

SPEAKERS

Dr. Christi Butler

M.D., Assistant Professor and Urologic Surgeon, University of California, San Francisco

Dr. Ellie Zara Ley

M.D., Plastic Surgeon, The Gender Confirmation Center

Dr. Alexis Petra

M.D., Founder and CEO. TransClinique

Dr. Heidi Wittenberg

M.D., Medical Director, Gender Institute, and Chief of Surgery, Saint Francis Memorial Hospital; Director of MoZaic Care, Inc.

Michelle Meow

Producer and Host, "The Michelle Meow Show," KBCW TV and Podcast; 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 COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. This program was recorded live in San Francisco on April 8th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California.

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Erika Moritsugu and Krystal Ka’ai: Challenges and Opportunities Facing the Asian American Community Apr 16, 2022

Show notes

Here is an unparalleled opportunity to hear directly from the White House. Please join Erika Moritsugu, deputy assistant to the president and AANHPI senior liaison in the White House, and Krystal Ka'ai, executive director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, as they share information about resources available to Americans as we recover from the COVID pandemic.

Topics to be discussed will include: federal resources to address anti-Asian hate crimes and the AA and NHPI community's feeling of not being safe; and resources from federal, state and local partners. Moritsugu and Ka'ai will offer practical information about what help is available, how to access the resources, and who can help you and your family, your business or your organization.

SPEAKERS

Krystal Ka'ai

Executive Director, White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Erika Moritsugu

Deputy Assistant to the President and AANHPI Senior Liaison in the White House

Julian Chang

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 April 8th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California.

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Mark Follman: Stopping Mass Shootings in America Apr 15, 2022

Show notes

The rising incidence of mass shootings confronts the nation with an unrelenting public safety emergency. The assumed responsibility for these devastating attacks falls on failures to address the mental health crisis or enact policy to restrict access to weapons. In addition, critics say media sensationalism exacerbates the social and cultural upheaval surrounding the aftermath. However, redirection of our focus from misguided blame to the emerging field of behavioral threat assessment might provide the remedy to an enduring epidemic.

In his new book Trigger Points: Inside the Mission to Stop Mass Shootings in America, San Francisco-based award-winning journalist and editor Mark Follman details the discovery of a breakthrough in threat prevention. He identifies the "warning behaviors" that signal a mass shooter and provides an insider account of the search for a revolutionary method for thwarting deadly attacks. Through interviews with threat assessment practitioners, defendants in insanity cases, and victims of attacks, Follman creates an insightful and comprehensive narrative of the story toward progress.

Join us as Follman takes us deeper into his 8-year project and how behavioral threat assessment is forging the race to stop planned acts of violence ahead.

MLF ORGANIZER

George Hammond

NOTES

MLF: Humanities

SPEAKERS

Mark Follman

National Affairs Editor, Mother Jones; Author, Trigger Points: Inside the Mission to Stop Mass Shootings in America; Twitter @markfollman

In Conversation with Monika Bauerlein

CEO, Mother Jones

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 April 6th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California.

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CLIMATE ONE: Breaking Down Climate Misinformation with Amy Westervelt and John Cook Apr 15, 2022

Show notes

Fossil fuel companies and others have spent decades casting doubt on climate science to allow them to continue to profit. As documented by climate communication expert John Cook and others, these strategies have taken many forms: deny, dismiss, delay, deflect; and they have evolved over time. They’ve also included a concerted effort to recast political speech, banned and regulated in some contexts, as protected free speech, giving corporations more leeway in broadcasting their messages.

In a special collaboration with Amy Westervelt of Drilled, we trace the origins of this free speech argument and break down the tactics used to spread misinformation.

Guests:

Amy Westervelt, journalist, Founder and Executive Producer, Drilled, Critical Frequency Podcast Network

John Cook, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Climate Change Communication Research Hub, Monash University

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E.J. Dionne Jr. and Miles Rapoport: The Case for Universal Voting Apr 14, 2022

Show notes

Voting has been a hot topic of discussion in election years, as have been the barriers many Americans face when trying to participate in elections. According to E.J. Dionne Jr. and Miles Rapoport, it is time for the United States to take a major leap forward and recognize voting as both a fundamental civil right and a solemn civic duty required of every eligible U.S. citizen.

Americans are required to pay taxes, serve on juries, get their kids vaccinated, get driver’s licenses, and sometimes go to war for their country. So why not ask—or require—every American to vote?

In 100% Democracy, E.J. Dionne Jr. and Miles Rapoport argue that universal participation in our elections should be a cornerstone of our system. It would be the surest way to protect against voter suppression and the active disenfranchisement of a large share of our citizens. And it would create a system true to the Declaration of Independence’s aspirations by calling for a government based on the consent of all of the governed.

Join us as E.J. Dionne Jr. and Miles Rapoport discuss their 100% Democracy along with offering their insight on all things voting in the United States.

SPEAKERS

E.J. Dionne, Jr.

Columnist, The Washington Post; Co-Author, 100% Democracy: The Case for Universal Voting

Miles Rapoport

Senior Practice Fellow in American Democracy, Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, Harvard Kennedy School; Co-Author, 100% Democracy: The Case for Universal Voting

In Conversation with Melissa Caen

Political Analyst; Attorney

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. This program was recorded live in San Francisco on April 5th, 2022 at the Commonwealth Club of California.

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Arthur C. Brooks: Finding Success, Happiness and Purpose Later in Life Apr 13, 2022

Show notes

The question of how to be happy in mid-life consumes many adults as they age. For Arthur C. Brooks, the former president of the American Enterprise Institute and the author of 11 books, the search for true life success after age 50 became an opportunity for a personal life transformation that he believes others can be inspired by and follow.

In his new book, From Strength to Strength, Brooks describes embarking on a seven-year journey to discover how to transform his future from one of disappointment over waning abilities into an opportunity for progress. The result for him? A practical roadmap for the rest of his life. Brooks's journey starts with the somewhat mistaken assumption that the more successful we are, the less susceptible we become to the sense of professional and social irrelevance that often accompanies aging. Brooks soon finds the truth is that the greater our achievements and our attachment to them, the more we notice our decline, and the more painful it is when it occurs.

Brooks's unique outlook draws on social science, philosophy, biography, theology, and eastern wisdom, as well as dozens of interviews with everyday men and women. In it, Brooks shows us that true life success is well within our reach. By refocusing on certain priorities and habits that anyone can learn, such as deep wisdom, detachment from empty rewards, connection and service to others, and spiritual progress, we can set ourselves up for increased happiness.

Please join us for a discussion about how you, too, can go from strength to strength.

MLF ORGANIZER

Denise Michaud

NOTES

MLF: Grownups

SPEAKERS

Arthur Brooks

Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership, Harvard Kennedy School; Author, From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life

In Conversation with Tully Friedman

Co-Founder, FFL Partners and Hellman & Friedman

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. This program was recorded live in San Francisco on April 4th, 2022 at the Commonwealth Club of California.

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Caring for Aging Parents: Challenges, Choices and Lessons Learned Apr 13, 2022

Show notes

Dave Iverson was a 59-year-old KQED broadcast journalist and filmmaker when he decided to do something he’d never imagined. He moved back into his childhood home when his 95-year-old mom could no longer care for herself. Dave’s new memoir Winter Stars: An Elderly Mother, An Aging Son and Life’s Final Journey is the story of their 10-year caregiving journey, lasting until his mother’s passing at the age of 105. It’s a book Michael J. Fox calls “A gift—a modern classic of frontier literature documenting the uncertain journey into the country of caregiving.”

In this special Commonwealth Club presentation, KQED’s Scott Shafer will interview Dave about his new book and our growing eldercare crisis. Someone turns 65 every eight seconds in this country, and the pandemic’s ongoing toll on nursing home residents has prompted more people to consider caring for an aging parent at home. Yet what lies ahead when someone makes that choice?

Join Scott Shafer and Dave Iverson for an intimate, unvarnished conversation about the challenges, choices and unexpected rewards of caring for someone during life’s final journey.

Our moderator will be award-winning journalist Scott Shafer. Shafer is senior editor of the California Politics and Government Desk at KQED, where he leads the politics team’s coverage of the state. He is also co-host of the weekly radio program and podcast series "Political Breakdown." Shafer has covered stories for National Public Radio programs, including "All Things Considered," "Morning Edition," "Weekend Edition Saturday" and "Weekend Edition Sunday." He collaborated on and hosted "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown," an eight-part series about the life and political career of the former California governor. He previously hosted "The California Report."

MLF ORGANIZER

Denise Michaud

NOTES

MLF: Grownups

This program is part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation.

SPEAKERS

Dave Iverson

Writer; Documentary Film Producer and Director; Retired Broadcast Journalist; Author, Winter Stars: An Elderly Mother, An Aging Son and Life’s Final Journey

In Conversation with Scott Shafer

Senior Editor, Politics and Government Desk, KQED; Co-Host, "Political Breakdown" Podcast

This program was recorded live in San Francisco on March 31st, 2022 at the Commonwealth Club of California.

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The Art of the Fair Deal: Securing Space for the Arts in San Francisco Apr 12, 2022

Show notes

How can small nonprofit art organizations afford the cost of living in the Bay Area? Innovators in the field have been working for nearly a decade to solve this problem.

Join CounterPulse’s Julie Phelps and CAST’s Moy Eng at The Commonwealth Club for a conversation moderated by Michelle Meow. As CounterPulse poises itself to buy its building in the Tenderloin from CAST later this year, learn how they’ve worked together in piloting a new real estate model that could be applied throughout the city and around the world to keep artists and creatives rooted in their communities amidst economic upheaval.

SPEAKERS

Moy Eng

CEO, Community Arts Stabilization Trust

Julie Phelps

Artistic and Executive Director, CounterPulse

Michelle Meow

Producer and Host, "The Michelle Meow Show" on KBCW/KPIX TV and Podcast; Member, Commonwealth Club Board of Governors; Twitter @msmichellemeow—Host

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. This program was recorded Live in San Francisco on March 31st, 2022 at the Commonwealth Club of California.

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