Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

Latest Episodes:

The History of Political Resistance—And What Lessons Can We Apply to Today's Democratic Crisis? Jan 09, 2026

Show notes

Political resistance is as old as injustice itself, fighting with tools that span from civil disobedience (boycotts, strikes, sit-ins) to armed struggle, challenging tyranny, colonialism, racism, and inequality through both nonviolent or violent means.

Historically it has evolved from ancient community defiance to modern national movements like Black Lives Matter, utilizing culture, direct action, and grassroots organization. Key nonviolent strategies include passive noncooperation (e.g., sit-ins and boycotts) and active confrontation (e.g., U.S. Civil Rights Movement), with recent studies highlighting effective nonviolent strategies, like those seen in the Eastern European revolutions.

We will look at the history of political resistance in the United States and make some recommendations for the current tumultuous times.

About the Speakers

Dr. Michael Baker recently retired from a 40-year career in general, vascular, and trauma surgery. He also served 30 years in the uniform of his country and retired from the U.S. Navy with the rank of rear admiral, having earned numerous awards including a Combat Action Ribbon and 3 Legion of Merit Awards. He currently teaches history, political science, and military affairs for the Osher LifeLong Learning (OLLI) Programs at UC Berkeley, Dominican University, Cal State East Bay, Cal State Channel Islands—and is on the Board of Governors of Commonwealth Club World Affairs. He teaches Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) to physicians in the United States, at military bases around the world, and most recently returned from his fifth tour in Ukraine teaching ATLS to physicians in that war-torn nation.

Jack Funk graduated with a BA in political science from UC San Diego in 1977. He received his JD from Berkeley School of law in 1980. Following law school, he worked as a trial attorney in the Contra Costa County Public Defender’s Office for 30 years. He has retired from the practice of law. He is currently president of the Martinez Education Foundation, which raises money to support schools in Martinez, and is also the chair of the Retiree Support Group of Contra Costa County, which is an organization created to protect retiree rights and interests. Since February of this year, he has been working with the Diablo Valley Resistance, which is focused on activities that push back against the Trump political agenda.

An East Bay Chapter and Humanities Member-led Forum program. Chapters and forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California, and they cover a diverse range of topics.

Organizer: Michael Baker

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CLIMATE ONE: Inside The Chaotic, Lucrative ‘Disaster Economy’ With Grist Jan 09, 2026

Show notes

It’s been a year since catastrophic fires tore through Los Angeles. For those who lived through them, the impacts are still being felt. Rebuilding in the aftermath of more frequent and severe fossil-fueled disasters is becoming a big business. Enter the disaster economy, powered by a grab bag of dedicated people helping communities rebuild, and by contractors who may overpromise, underdeliver, and profit from tragedy. Caught in the middle are the survivors, often left to navigate red tape, scams, and soaring costs just to rebuild their lives.

In this episode, produced in collaboration with Grist, we explore the people and systems behind this booming, often exploitative multi-billion dollar industry, and share strategies to help listeners stay protected.

Episode Guests:

Haley Geller, Photo Stylist; Mother

Ayurella Horn Muller, Staff Writer, Grist

Cricket Logan, Wastewater Management Mechanic, City of St. Petersburg, Florida

Naveena Sadasivam, Writer and Editor, Grist

For show notes, related links, and episode transcript, visit ClimateOne.org

Highlights:

00:00 - Intro

05:06 - Haley Geller on her personal wildfire experience

07:22 - Haley Geller on how life has changed since the fire

11:04 - Haley Geller on navigating the recovery process

16:21 - Ayurella Horn Muller on covering recovery workers

18:39 - Cricket Logan on his disaster recovery work experience

24:16 - Ayurella Horn Muller on the mental health work of disaster recovery

28:25 - Ayurella Horn Muller on working conditions for recovery workers

38:03 - Naveena Sadasivam on talking to people who experienced disaster recovery

40:22 - Naveena Sadasivam on one person’s experience with rebuilding after a fire

49:51 - Naveena Sadasivam on what regulations exist to help prevent fraud

53:41 - Naveena Sadasivam on steps people can take to protect themselves

********

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Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer: Lessons for Anyone Who Wants to Make a Difference Jan 06, 2026

Show notes

It’s not just governors and presidents who have to confront and overcome huge challenges; we all do at every stage of our life. Now Gretchen Whitmer shares advice and stories from her life, from her childhood to her current role as governor of the state of Michigan.

When Gretchen Whitmer was growing up, her grandmother Nino taught her that you can always find something good in other people. “Even the meanest person might have pretty eyes,” she would say. That can be hard to remember when people are attacking you or literally plotting to kidnap you.

Whitmer returns to Commonwealth Club World Affairs on the occasion of the publication of the young adult edition of her best-selling memoir True Gretch: What I’ve Learned About Life, Leadership, and Everything in Between. She shares the lessons that gave her strength during some of the most turbulent years in her state’s history, from the COVID-19 pandemic to a massive flood to the rise of domestic terrorism and the fight over reproductive rights.

“Big Gretch,” as she’s known, offers an inside look at an American politician drawing on her family, resilience and humor to provide lessons for young people and anyone looking to make a difference in the world.

* Note: This podcast contains explicit language.

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CLIMATE ONE: ENCORE: Gloria Walton and Wawa Gatheru Believe in Grassroots Change, Not Just Charity Jan 02, 2026

Show notes

Those standing up to climate and environmental injustice face challenges they weren’t seeing a year ago. But Gloria Walton, head of The Solutions Project, sees a bigger picture:

“ The reality is that the same systems that created the climate crisis, whether that's colonialism, white supremacy, racism, and the patriarchy, those are the same ones that have harmed communities of color for generations,” she says. Her organization has channeled tens of millions of philanthropic dollars to grassroots efforts that build community resilience.

Black Girl Environmentalist founder Wawa Gatheru is helping more Black girls, women, and gender-expansive people enter and lead in the climate space. She says the climate fight has shifted from education to action, with over 70% of Americans now understanding that climate change is real. So what should this 'action phase' look like?

Guests:

Gloria Walton, President & CEO, The Solutions Project

Wawa Gatheru, Founder & Executive Director, Black Girl Environmentalist

For show notes and related links, visit ClimateOne.org

Highlights:

00:00 – Intro

05:30 – Gloria Walton on the impact of the Altadena wildfires

10:30 – Walton’s work as an organizer in South Central LA

13:00 – Living with idea of abundance

19:00 – Finding and keeping your individual power within our democracy

21:00 – Work of West Street Recovery Project in Houston

22:30 – Developing local resilience hubs

24:00 – Reframing frontline communities as victors, not victims

27:00 – Channeling philanthropy to climate resilience and frontline communities

36:00 – Story of Hoʻāhu Energy Cooperative Molokai

42:00 – Wawa Gatheru’s start in climate and environmental advocacy

44:00 – Not seeing herself in climate spaces

48:00 – Climate storytelling can offer nuance and move people

55:00 – Work and growth of Black Girl Environmentalist organization

59:00 – Climate One More Thing

****

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CLIMATE ONE: ENCORE: Solar Power to the People Dec 26, 2025

Show notes

At this moment, the cheapest way to create electricity is by pointing a solar panel at the sun. That’s good news for the climate. It’s also good news for communities who want to take control of their own electricity generation.

In the heart of Brooklyn, UPROSE is helping to build a solar project that will be owned by the community, provide jobs, and help residents bring down their energy costs. In Puerto Rico, where hurricanes have devastated the power grid, community members are building solar microgrids to provide reliable electricity as the utility has proven they cannot. Meanwhile in conservative rural Virginia, Energy Right is helping farmers and rural communities adopt solar projects, touting a free market message about energy independence and security.

Guests:

Elizabeth Yeampierre, Attorney; Executive Director, UPROSE

Skyler Zunk, CEO and Founder, Energy Right

Arturo Massol-Deyá, Executive Director, Casa Pueblo de Adjuntas

For show notes and related links, visit ⁠ClimateOne.org⁠.

Highlights:

00:00 - Intro

4:11 - Elizabeth Yeampierre on the history of UPROSE

10:40 - Elizabeth Yeampierre on Sunset Park Solar

14:31 - Elizabeth Yeampierre on the GRID plan

20:46 - Arturo Massol-Deyá on the Origins of Casa Pueblo

23:43 - Arturo Massol-Deyá on providing solar power to the community

33:04 - Arturo Massol-Deyá on what other communities can learn from Casa Pueblo

38:08 - Skyler Zunk on the importance of reliable energy

47:06 - Skyler Zunk on dealing with resistance to solar projects

50:49 - Skyler Zunk on the Inflation Reduction Act

****

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Jonathan Karl: Donald Trump and His Campaign of Retribution Dec 23, 2025

Show notes

Election Day in the November 2024 presidential election was a pivotal moment in American history, and in his second term, President Trump has moved quickly to imprint his vision on the country and its policies. But before November 5, there was a whole campaign that was wild, unpredictable, fiery and violent. Jonathan Karl, ABC News chief Washington correspondent, calls it “the campaign that changed America.”

Karl, author of the bestsellers Tired of Winning, Betrayal, and Front Row at the Trump Show, returns to Commonwealth Club World Affairs for a special online-only discussion of the issues raised in his newest book, Retribution: Donald Trump and the Campaign That Changed America. Karl went behind the scenes to learn about what was happening in the White House and in the presidential campaigns during such shocking moments as President Biden’s withdrawal from the campaign, assassination attempts, Vice President Kamala Harris’ historic campaign, and more.

Don’t miss this program featuring one of our leading political journalists explaining how we got here—and what to expect from American politics in coming years.

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Social Impact Holiday Mixer: Celebrating Philanthropy, Partnership and Purpose Dec 21, 2025

Show notes

The Social Impact Holiday Mixer is an evening of celebration and connection bringing together philanthropists, nonprofit leaders, and changemakers from across the Bay Area. Hosted at Commonwealth Club World Affairs, the program blends festive warmth with civic purpose.

Honorary chair and emcee Willie L. Brown, Jr., two-term mayor of San Francisco and former speaker of the California Assembly, opens the evening with reflections on leadership, philanthropy and community. He is joined by co-hosts Elisabeth Pang Fullerton, a philanthropist and impact investor studying Global Public Health Leadership at Harvard, and Eddy Zheng, founder of the New Breath Foundation and national advocate for cross-cultural healing and justice.

Following brief remarks, the evening transforms into an interactive roundtable discussion, with microphones, held by the co-organizers, circulating among guests to share social impact success stories and lessons learned. The program concludes with an open reception, inviting continued conversation and collaboration. Wine and hors d'oeuvres by Vino Godfather.

About the Speakers

Honorary chair and emcee Willie Brown was a two-term mayor of San Francisco, legendary speaker of the California State Assembly and is widely regarded as one of the most influential African-American politicians of the late 20th century. Mayor Brown has been at the center of California politics, government and civic life for more than five decades.

Co-host Elizabeth Pang Fullerton is a philanthropist, early-stage investor, and startup veteran who leads a foundation advancing equity in health care, education and conservation. As general partner of her family office, she invests in mission-driven ventures addressing global challenges. Currently studying at the Global Public Health Leadership Program at Harvard, she focuses on building more just, inclusive, and human-centered systems.

Co-host Eddy Zheng, president and founder of the New Breath Foundation, bridges Black, Asian American, immigrant, refugee, and formerly incarcerated communities. Featured in The New Yorker, The Guardian, PBS, NPR, and the award-winning film Breathin’: The Eddy Zheng Story, he advances cross-cultural healing and justice through culture, history and identity.

Moderator Dave Clark is an Emmy Award-winning television news anchor for KTVU Channel 2, a trusted Bay Area morning voice since 2007. With more than 50 years in broadcasting, his work has aired nationally and internationally. He now pairs journalism with community service, supporting Joshua’s Gift and The Vibrancy Foundation alongside his wife, artist and entrepreneur Lucretia Clark (aka Livacious Lu).

A Social Impact Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums.

OrganizerVirginia Cheung & Ian McCuaig

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Michelle Meow Show End of the Year Celebration: BAE Dec 20, 2025

Show notes

BIG. ASIAN. ENERGY. is a Bay Area cultural force, elevating Asian power, women’s leadership, and the unstoppable vitality of our AAPI communities. Through headline events and community activations, BAE champions economic recovery, public safety, and support for small businesses by bringing bold visibility to Asian stories year-round. It’s a catalyst to celebrate, amplify, and activate the future of San Francisco.

Come and hear more about BAE and how you can join the force.

Speakers:

Dion Lim, our moderator, is an Emmy Award–winning journalist known for nearly two decades as a TV news anchor and reporter, most recently in San Francsico and the Bay Area.

Marjan Philhour is managing director of Mercury’s San Francisco office, bringing more than three decades of experience in government, politics, strategic communications and community advocacy to the firm.

Nancy Tung was elected as chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party in April 2024. She previously served as an elected member of the party's local leadership for four years. She deeply understands the impact the Democratic Party has on our local elections and is guiding a new caucus of moderate Democrats in the party.

Monica Gandhi M.D., M.P.H., is a professor of medicine and associate chief in the Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). She is also the director of the UCSF Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) and the medical director of the HIV Clinic ("Ward 86") at San Francisco General Hospital.

Kiki Lopez is a proud immigrant transwoman living with HIV. She is a program manager for the Stop the Hate Program and the California Reducing Disparities Project at San Francisco Community Health Center. She passionately advocates for people living with HIV, immigrant communities, and transgender folks, especially queer and trans Asian and Pacific Islanders.

Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming.

See more Michelle Meow Show programs at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California.

Commonwealth Club World Affairs is a public forum. Any views expressed in our programs are those of the speakers and not of Commonwealth Club World Affairs.

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CLIMATE ONE: This Year in Climate: 2025 Dec 19, 2025

Show notes

2025 has been a doozy in so many ways. And climate news has been no exception. Climate One hosts Ariana Brocious and Kousha Navidar look back at what the year has meant for climate progress: the good, the bad, the ugly — and the joyful.

According to the World Meteorological Organization, 2025 will go down as one of the ⁠top three⁠ warmest years in the 176-year observational record. Climate-change-fueled extreme weather continues to wreak havoc on communities across the world. And yet, it’s not all bad news. As Bill McKibben points out, we now live on a planet where the cheapest form of energy basically comes from pointing a piece of glass at the sun. And globally, renewable energy surpassed coal for the first time ever.

Despite the federal government’s attacks on climate science and policy, local climate action is still happening across the country and globe, and each of us holds power to make change.

Guests:

Adrienne Heinz, Clinical Research Psychologist, Stanford University School of Medicine

Roxanne Brown, Vice President at Large, United Steelworkers

Pattie Gonia, Drag Queen and environmentalistFor show notes and related links, visit ⁠ClimateOne.org⁠

Highlights:

00:00 - Intro

02:00 – 2025 has been the year of AI

04:30 – Trump admin attack on science, climate and environmental regs and rules

06:45 – Good news on renewables and the rise of China as an electrostate

08:30 – New York implements congestion pricing

10:00 – US has removed itself from global climate negotiations

12:45 – Remembering Jane Goodall

15:30 – Adrienne Heinz on how to support yourself and others after a weather disaster

25:30 – Roxanne Brown on how Trump’s pullback of IRA, BIL and CHIPS acts have hurt American workers and industry

34:00 – Growing threat of disinformation in climate conversations

36:30 – Pattie Gonia on how drag performance fits in with their climate and environmental activism

51:00 – How joy is strategic

53:30 – A look ahead at 2026

*****

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From IPO to International Bridge: Vinita Gupta in Conversation with Nalini Elkins Dec 15, 2025

Show notes

From patents to IPOs to international bridge titles, Vinita Gupta has navigated male-dominated arenas with clarity and courage. In this fireside chat with Nalini Elkins, she shares fresh takes from her new memoir on resilience, inclusion, and building durable success in a volatile world—plus what it takes to keep learning through every pivot. join us to hear her timely playbook for founders, operators and the curious.

Vinita Gupta is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and the first woman of Indian origin to take a company public in the United States. Her memoir, The Woman in Deed: Road to IPO, Bridge Tables, and Beyond, traces a life of invention, leadership, and competitive bridge at the highest levels. She writes on innovation, integrity, and reinvention across the India–U.S. corridor.

Nalini Elkins, the CEO and founder of Inside Products, Inc., is a recognized leader in the field of computer performance measurement and analysis. She is also the chief technical officer and co-founder of Outside the Stacks. An accomplished software product designer, developer and strategist, she has founded or co-founded three high-tech start-ups over the course of her career. In 2014, Nalini was awarded the prestigious AA Michelson Award by the Computer Measurement Group (CMG).

An International Relations Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums.

Commonwealth Club World Affairs is a public forum. Any views expressed in our programs are those of the speakers and not of Commonwealth Club World Affairs.

Organizer: Frank Price

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