Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

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COVID-19 Vaccines and Returning to Normalcy Dec 17, 2020

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Amid dire news of increasing COVID-19 deaths and strict lockdowns this winter, we see vaccines being approved in record time. How and when will these vaccines be rolled out to hundreds of millions of Americans? Who will be offered them first, and when will the rest of us gain access? Will we take them when offered—and if not, will they be mandated? As these vaccines are dosed in unprecedented volumes here and around the world, how fast can they slow the spread of the coronavirus? Most of all, when can we get back to the activities we’ve been missing? Will vaccines ever allow life to return to normal? In the Club's final COVID program of the year, two experts will tell us what to expect, and when.

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Making History with Sarah McBride: Special Annual Michelle Meow Year-End Program Dec 16, 2020

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At times it seemed that 2020 would never end, but here comes December, right on schedule, and we're holding our annual "Michelle Meow Show" year-end special. We'll relive a bit of the past year, we'll have some celebrity video cameos, and our featured speaker for the night is Sarah McBride, whom Delaware voters elected in November as the nation's first transgender state senator. McBride's career is steeped in politics. She worked on campaigns, including Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden's 2010 campaign and Governor Jack Markell's 2008 race. In 2012, she interned at the White House, becoming the first transgender woman to work there in any role. In 2016, she became the first openly transgender person to speak at a national party convention when she addressed the 2016 Democratic National Convention. Join us for fun program of looking back and forward, as we celebrate the end of this momentous year and we consider what's in store in 2021.

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Surviving the Silence: Screening and Discussion on the 10th Anniversary of the DADT Repeal Dec 15, 2020

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Years before Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Colonel Patsy Thompson was forced to expel Army hero Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer for being a lesbian. What no one knew was that Thompson was as well. The way Thompson handled the military trial, however, led to Cammermeyer’s re-instatement via federal court and eventual change in military policy. While Cammermeyer’s memoir was adapted as a 1995 television movie by Barbra Streisand, Thompson’s story remained a secret . . . until now. Join us for a screening of the new documentary Surviving the Silence followed by a discussion with the principals involved. In addition to revealing history, Surviving the Silence explores Thompson’s life with now-wife Barbara Brass. They candidly share how they wrestled with heartwrenching choices in public and in private, hiding their relationship, and struggling to protect their love while preserving Patsy's career—and, how they emerged to become vibrant activists later in life.

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Take Out Girl: The Cost of Survival Dec 11, 2020

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Join us for a conversation with the director and the stars of the new indie drama Take Out Girl. Writer, director, actor, cinematographer and creator Hisonni Mustafa Johnson is a rising star in the film world, garnering accolades and nominations for his television pilots (Fight Night Legacy, Olympia and Grayson: Earth One). Hedy Wong is an actress and writer known for Laff Mobb's Laff Tracks, Chinatown Squad, and the new Take Out Girl. And Alex Pham—better known by his stage name $tupid Young—is a Cambodian-American rapper, lyricist, entrepreneur and actor, who portrays an LAPD officer in Take Out Girl. His YouTube channel has garnered 34 million views; he also runs his own label, Afficials, which he founded in 2017. Johnson, Wong and Young will join us to discuss Asian-American experiences, diaspora, race relations, violence, and poverty. They will be in conversation with "Michelle Meow Show" co-hosts Michelle Meow and John Zipperer. NOTES: This program contains EXPLICIT language.

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David Kennedy: The Future of Democracy in America Dec 11, 2020

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David Kennedy is one of America’s preeminent historians, having been awarded both the Pulitzer and Bancroft Prizes, among others. His scholarship is notable for its integration of economic and cultural analysis with social and political history, and for its attention to the concept of the American national character. Professor Kennedy is the inaugural speaker in the Club’s new series, The Future of Democracy. This series will explore challenges and threats to democracy in the United States, drawing on historical evidence and relating it to the current political and social landscape. Come for an engaging discussion of America’s past and current leaders and what they may portend for the direction of the country. NOTES This program is part of The Commonwealth Club’s Future of Democracy Series, supported by Betsy and Roy Eisenhardt.

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The Impact of COVID-19 on Refugees Dec 09, 2020

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Our distinguished panel will discuss how beleaguered nonprofits are struggling to deal with the increased challenges for desperate refugees and aid workers in the Middle East and elsewhere during the COVID-19 crisis. Dr. Niveen Rizkalla will present findings from her timely research with an emphasis on Syrian refugees and aid workers in Lebanon. Amanda Lane will share the importance of small grass-roots organizations, like the Collateral Repair Project that she directs and which mostly works with Syrian, Iraqi and Kurdish refugees in Jordan. They will both discuss how dedicated NGOs, aid workers and volunteers are striving to nimbly solve basic human needs—physical and psycho-social—in the face of disease, violence, fear and other challenges. MLF ORGANIZER Celia Menczel NOTES MLF: Middle East

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Michael Eric Dyson with Angela Rye: Reckoning with Race in America Dec 08, 2020

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From Hurricane Katrina’s racial impacts to Jay Z’s hip hop politics, Michael Eric Dyson has uplifted race-related academia through his analysis on a diverse array of Black cultural topics. Dyson began his lengthy academic career at Knoxville College at 21 years-old after having worked in factories in Detroit, Michigan, to support his family. He later went on to receive his Ph.D. in religion from Princeton University and teach at distinguished college institutions such as Brown and Columbia before his current position as a professor of sociology at Georgetown University. In his new book Long Time Coming, Dyson examines how the death of George Floyd jump-started a social movement that has been brewing for more than 400 years. With each chapter dedicated to a Black martyr, Dyson builds upon the anti-Black cultural and social forces throughout history that have led to the subjugation of Black people in the current day. Ending with a poignant plea for hope, Dyson points the way to social redemption. Dyson provides a guide to help America finally reckon with race. Join Michael Eric Dyson in conversation with CNN’s Angela Rye as they both offer ways to finally address and grapple with systemic racism and racial tensions in the United States. NOTES Co-presented by INFORUM. Our thanks to Marcus Bookstore in Oakland for fulfilling book orders.

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A Conversation with Speaker Nancy Pelosi Dec 08, 2020

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As the United States grapples with COVID and an economy in crisis, and with President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris about to take office, here's a special opportunity to hear from and submit your questions to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi about the direction of the country, plans for the new Congress and the possibilities for breaking gridlock in Washington and the country in general. What does the future hold for a stimulus package, policing and race relations, health care, and the environment? What will America look like one year from now? Speaker Pelosi is in her third term as the 52nd Speaker of the House of Representatives and is the first woman to serve in this role. She has represented San Francisco in Congress for 33 years. Join us for a rare visit with this iconic political leader.

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Adrian Tam: Out and Proud vs. Proud Boys Dec 05, 2020

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"There was a time when people like me could not win." —Adrian Tam Becoming the only gay Asian-American member of the Hawai'i House would be a significant achievement for any 28-year-old. Adrian Lam not only achieved that, but he did it by defeating the leader of the state chapter of the far-Right Proud Boys. Tam will join us from Hawai'i to discuss his successful campaign—which he won with 63 percent of the vote in November's election—and his plans as a newly minted representative of the people. Representative Adrian Tam was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. He is the proud graduate of Kalani High School, and received his bachelor's from Pennsylvania State University. Upon graduating, Tam became a licensed real estate agent. In 2016, he worked as a temporary hire at the Hawai'i State House of Representatives before moving to the Hawai'i State Senate to work for Senator Stanley Chang from 2017– 2020. In 2020, Tam launched a successful campaign for the Hawai'i State House of Representatives. Tam is currently the representative for Hawai'i State House, District 22 serving Waikiki and Ala Moana.

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John Brennan: Inside the CIA and the Fight for Intelligence Dec 04, 2020

Show notes

John Brennan, former director of the Central Intelligence Agency, has spent years making quick decisions on complex issues to protect the national security of the United States. With 25 years of experience in intelligence, Brennan has served as a Near East and South Asian security analyst, as the CEO of The Analysis Corporation, and as the assistant to the president for homeland security under the Obama Administration. Brennan is often applauded for his strong integrity when it comes to security issues, going as far to criticize President Trump on several occasions before his security clearance was ultimately revoked. In his new book Undaunted: My Fight Against America’s Enemies, at Home and Abroad, Brennan describes his life from a young CIA recruit to the crucial moments that have shaped American history, including the U.S. invasion of Iraq, the assassination of Osama bin Laden, and the Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. He demystifies the inner workings of the CIA and highlights the selfless work of the people involved in national security. Brennan offers a rare and insightful look at the concealed world of national security, the intelligence profession and Washington’s chaotic political environment. He also offers a portrait of a man striving for integrity—for himself, for the CIA and for his country. Part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation.

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