Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Lindy West: The Witches Are Coming Nov 25, 2019

Show notes

In the age of #MeToo, where women are empowered to tell their truth rather than worry about the consequences of speaking out, there is hardly a better role model than best-selling author Lindy West. West first came to prominence as a young blogger with a no-holds-barred approach to topics such as feminism, racism, sexism and fat shaming. Her memoir (which includes her very public fight with her then boss Dan Savage for his fat-phobic articles) is the subject of the Hulu series “Shrill” starring Aidy Bryant. In her newest book, The Witches Are Coming, she flips the language of #MeToo critics on its head. West calls for a witch hunt to examine the chasm between who we are and who we think we are. She pulls no punches calling out the misogyny prevalent in the media and the exclusionary nature of American politics for women and minorities. By extolling the world-changing magic of truth, she shows us the only way out is through: through the uncomfortable reality of today’s polarized politics and through the pressure to stay silent on issues that matter. Join West at INFORUM as she pushes us to mold our culture for ourselves, rather than be molded by it. Note: This program contains explicit language.

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C-Dubb Podcast Live: Facebook and Social Media Racial Bias Nov 25, 2019

Show notes

Join us for a free live taping of a special edition of "The C-Dubb Show" podcast at The Commonwealth Club with "The Michelle Meow Show." In recent months, a big conversation in the tech community has been about claims that black voices are being censored on social media when speaking on issues of race. Facebook has been a particular focus in this conversation, as black users from across the world have complained about being censored and blocked regularly. One of those users was Carolyn Wysinger, who was featured in a USA Today article about those who have been "Zucked." Note: This program contains some explicit language.

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Alcatraz Occupation at 50: Richard Oakes and Red Power Nov 23, 2019

Show notes

Fifty years ago this November, a group of Native Americans that came to be known as Indians of All Tribes began a 19-month occupation of Alcatraz Island. The takeover and occupation attracted a groundswell of interest from across the United States and the globe. The initial focus of the occupation was a protest against the U.S. government's policies that took aboriginal land away from Native Americans. The Alcatraz occupation is recognized today as one of the most important events in contemporary Native American history and one of the most important public displays of the Red Power movement, a social movement that demanded self-determination for Native Americans in the United States. The occupation helped bring Native American activism to the forefront of the consciousness of the American people. The 50th anniversary of this important event is being recognized throughout the Bay Area in an effort led by the San Francisco Arts Commission. The takeover and occupation was led, in part, by Richard Oakes, a charismatic student from San Francisco State. The first biography of Oakes, A Journey to Freedom, was published late last year. Its author, Kent Blansett, will make a special visit to Marin County to discuss Oakes, the role the occupation played in the Red Power movement of the 1960s and the ongoing legacy of Native activism that was spurred by the 1969 takeover. Kent Blansett is a Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Shawnee and Potawatomi descendant. Blansett will also discuss the role that Marin County residents played in the start of the Alcatraz occupation, including the role of the Sausalito-Indian Navy, which helped Oakes launch the occupation late in the evening of November 20, 1969. Join us for this special event.

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CLIMATE ONE: Letters to The Boss: Help Fix Our Climate Nov 22, 2019

Show notes

Is the customer always right when it comes to corporate climate action? At Amazon, Microsoft, and Google, employees are the ones demanding bold change. Thousands of tech workers have gone on strike and signed public letters demanding CEO action on climate. Meanwhile, millennials — who are projected to make up three-quarters of the workplace in six years — have said they would take a pay cut to work at an environmentally-responsible company.

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The 2020 Presidential Election: What LGBTQI Voters Should Know Nov 22, 2019

Show notes

In recent years, LGBT candidates have made major strides in being elected to office across the country. At the same time, protections have been weakened against discrimination in health care coverage, employment, military service, and access to public and private services. Former Houston Mayor Annise Parker—the first openly LGBT mayor of a major American city—will review the results of the recent November 2019 election and look ahead to the 2020 presidential election to highlight the issues of importance to LGBTQI Americans. LGBTQ Victory Fund and Victory Institute President and CEO Annise Parker is the first former elected official to lead the organizations, having served six years as a Houston City Council member, six years as city controller and six years as mayor of the city. She is one of only two women to have been elected mayor and is the only person in Houston history to have held the offices of council member, controller and mayor. In addition to her duties as mayor, Parker was a member of President Obama’s Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, chaired the U.S. Conference of Mayors Criminal and Social Justice Committee, and served on the boards of the Texas Environmental Research Consortium and Houston Galveston Area Council. She is a past Fellow of the Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. She also co-owned Inklings, a lesbian/feminist bookstore for 10 years.

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City College of San Francisco: Engineering, Architecture, Technology and the Environment Nov 21, 2019

Show notes

Our panel members will explore the depth of talent, expertise, learning, knowledge and experiences at City College in making important improvements to combat global environmental issues and problems. Environmental flexibility and plans for the college's adjacent 17 acres that were graciously leased to City College by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission for many decades will help students, college and communities learn, address and implement important knowledge and advancements to enhance solar, wind, charging stations and sustainable learning opportunities now and in the future. Join us to discuss City College and the future of our environment. MLF Organizer: Ann Clark MLF: Environment & Natural Resources

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Diversity 2.0: A Modern Guide to Intersectionality and Allyship at Work Nov 21, 2019

Show notes

To promote women in the workplace, we need to understand how to advance and support working women of all kinds: women of all races; women with disabilities; immigrant women; women of various religions; women of all ages and generations; working moms, queer/trans women; and women who are first, only or different in any way. You are invited to join a vibrant panel discussion featuring experts and intersectional feminists from various angles of the diversity and inclusion world. There will be plenty of time for audience questions. You should attend if you want to get a sense of the first critical things about being a supporter to several key areas of diversity so you can be a better ally to groups that you're not in and so that you can strengthen your feminism and your women/workplace efforts with an understanding of all women. MLF Organizer: Emily Meghan Morrow Howe MLF: Executive Womxn

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Transgender Day of Remembrance: Addressing Violence Against Black Transgender Women Nov 21, 2019

Show notes

Join us for a memorable program exploring the struggles of African-American transgender women, who are the most frequent victims of anti-trans violence. Toni Newman is the executive director of St. James Infirmary in San Francisco. St. James is a peer-based occupational health and safety clinic, offering free, compassionate and nonjudgmental health care and social services for former and current sex industry workers. With the many challenges facing the aforementioned—including but not limited to political climate, homelessness, violence and the overwhelming intricacies of the legal, public and social systems—St. James Infirmary offers an independent alternative, providing individuals with culturally competent and nonjudgmental services. Monica Roberts is the founding editor of the award-winning TransGriot blog and is an award-winning human rights advocate. She is a sought-after collegiate and conference speaker who has been advocating for the human rights of transgender people for more than 20 years, with a focus on the issues affecting black trans people. Her writing has appeared at Ebony.com, The Advocate, Black Girl Dangerous and OutSmart magazine. Roberts has also received the 2018 GLAAD Media Award, the Robert Coles “Call of Service” award from Harvard University's Phillips Brooks House Association, the Virginia Prince Transgender Pioneer Award and the Barbara Jordan breaking barriers award from the Harris County Democratic Party.

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The Hidden Causes of America’s Broken Education System and How We Can Fix It Nov 20, 2019

Show notes

In her new book, The Knowledge Gap, education journalist Natalie Wexler chronicles what she calls America’s broken education system. She cites the devastating impact, especially on underserved children, of an elementary education where she says comprehension is mistakenly seen as a matter of building generic skills, overlooking the essential need to build actual knowledge. Wexler says not only is school boring as a result, but scores on measures of reading comprehension remain stagnant. Beyond diagnosing the problem, Wexler showcases innovative educators who she says are bringing real learning into the classroom. Wexler challenges all of us to think beyond the typical excuses for failing schools and consider the need for a knowledge-rich curriculum that exposes children to vocabulary and stories that build upon each other. A senior contributor to Forbes.com, Wexler’s writing has also appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic and The Washington Post, and she is the co-author with Judith C. Hochman of The Writing Revolution: A Guide to Advancing Thinking Through Writing in All Subjects and Grades. Kati Haycock is the founder and former CEO of Education Trust, an organization dedicated to high achievement for all students, particularly those of color or living in poverty. Kate Walsh has led the National Council on Teacher Quality for over 15 years, championing greater transparency and higher standards for all institutions that impact teacher effectiveness. Wexler will speak about her findings and then join a conversation with education advocates Kati Haycock and Kate Walsh, moderated by KIPP teacher Josh Martinez. Come for a vital discussion aimed at solving America’s education woes.

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CLIMATE ONE: John Browne: Engineering the Future Nov 16, 2019

Show notes

Can oil companies reinvent themselves as clean energy providers? John Browne attempted it over more than a decade as CEO of British Petroleum, where he led the company's “Beyond Petroleum” rebranding campaign. In his new book, Make, Think, Imagine: Engineering the Future of Civilization, Browne argues that the solution to reducing emissions and addressing climate change is a mass deployment of engineered technology — and that the tools we need to get there already exist. Join us for a conversation on the potential of energy incumbents to become innovators.

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