Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Democracy Noir: Documentary Film Screening Jul 12, 2025

Show notes

Fresh off its award-winning run in Europe, Democracy Noir arrives in the United States as a very timely documentary film about how Viktor Orbán politically reshaped Hungary. It paints an incisive portrait of how Orbán used a free and democratic election to install authoritarian rule, enjoying widespread approval from Hungarian nationalists as well as from conservatives around the world inclined to his illiberal views. He changed the constitution, took over the courts and the media, and dismantled the rule of law. Admired by Donald Trump and the Heritage Foundation, Orban’s influence helped shape Project 2025 and the current policies of the Republican Party.

Democracy Noir tells this story through the activism of its three subjects: opposition politician Timea Szabo, journalist Babett Oroszi, and nurse Nikoletta (Niko) Antal. It details how unchecked power can quickly remove rights that once were taken for granted, and it shows how three women come to terms with their country’s unravelling social and cultural landscape.

Studying the recent history of another country whose political trajectory mirrors your own can bring clarity to your situation. Join us to view, and then to discuss, this example of an increasingly emboldened far right political party and the rise of autocratic politicians around the world.

A Humanities 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.

Documentary image and post courtesy Clarity Films; Field photo courtesy the speaker.

OrganizerGeorge HammondNotes

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CLIMATE ONE: Biomimicry & Green Burial: Living and Dying with Nature in Mind Jul 11, 2025

Show notes

Nature can feel distant from our everyday lives. Maybe it’s a place we visit on the weekends, a getaway from the hustle and bustle, something “out there,” just beyond the edges of our neighborhoods. But we are part of it, and as more and more people consider their impact on the Earth, sustainable practices are extending even to death, where green and natural burials are gaining popularity.

Within the field of biomimicry, a design practice informed by what already exists in nature, innovators are exploring ways to sustain the ecosystems we’re surrounded by, rather than depleting them. Scientists have looked to butterfly wings to improve the efficiency of solar panels, and wetland plants to purify water in buildings.

How can we build in a way that addresses climate concerns and has a softer impact on the environment in which it exists?

Guests:

Janine Benyus, Co-Founder, Biomimicry Institute
Emily Miller, Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer; Founder, Colorado Burial Preserve

This episode also features field reporting from Producer Megan Biscieglia at Fernwood Cemetery and Funeral Home.

On July 31, Climate One is hosting Premal Shah and Kinari Webb for a live episode recording! With years of experience navigating the global climate movement, the two are sure to offer unparalleled insights during their conversation with Co-Host Greg Dalton. Tickets for the show, which will be held at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, are available now through our website.

Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today.

For show notes and related links, visit our website.

Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads

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Dr. David Kessler: Diet, Drugs, and Dopamine Jul 11, 2025

Show notes

In America, body weight has become a pain point shrouded in self-recrimination and shame, not to mention bias from the medical community. For many, this battle not only takes a mental toll but also becomes a physical threat: three-quarters of American adults struggle with weight-related health conditions, including high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. We know that diets don’t work, and yet we also know that excess weight starves us of years and quality of life. Where do we go from here?

This evening, Dr. David Kessler will discuss some key points from his new book, Diet, Drugs and Dopamine, which unpacks the mystery of weight in the most comprehensive work to date on this topic, giving readers the power to dramatically improve their health.

About the Speakers

Dr. David Kessler is a prominent figure in public health, medicine and academia. He served as the commissioner of the FDA from 1990 to 1997, making significant contributions to drug approval, food safety and consumer protection. He is also a professor of pediatrics and epidemiology at the University of California, San Francisco. Additionally, he has served as dean of the Yale School of Medicine and the UCSF School of Medicine.

The moderator is Anahad O'Connor. He is a health columnist who writes about food and nutrition for The Washington Post's Well+Being desk. Anahad joined the Post in 2022; before that, he was a staff reporter for The New York Times, where he spent two decades covering health and science.

A Nutrition, Food & Wellness 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.

ORGANIZER: Patty James

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San Francisco Pride Third Annual Human Rights Summit Segment 1 Jul 10, 2025

Show notes

On June 26, join us for the third annual Human Rights Summit from San Francisco Pride and The Michelle Meow Show at Commonwealth Club World Affairs.

SF Community Health Center Panel
Moderator: Human Rights Commission Board President Leah Pimentel
Speakers: Lance Toma, Jahnell Butler

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

This program contains EXPLICIT LANGUAGE

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San Francisco Pride Third Annual Human Rights Summit Segment 5 Jul 10, 2025

Show notes

On June 26, join us for the third annual Human Rights Summit from San Francisco Pride and The Michelle Meow Show at Commonwealth Club World Affairs.

Segment. 5

At the Intersection of Immigrants, Trans, and People with Disabilities
Addressing the mounting attacks on immigrants, trans people, and people with disabilities. The intersections of these communities—and the compounding impacts of policy and budget decisions—are at the heart of what we hope to address.
Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF), MIJENTE, SF Pride, Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE)
Moderator: Maceo Persson, Vice President of the Board of SF Pride
Speakers: Devon Ojeda (Advocates for Trans Equality, A4TE), Claudia Center (Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund), Aldita Amaru Gallardo (Action for Transformation Fund), Dr. Alexis Petra (Transclinique)

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

This program contains EXPLICIT language.

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San Francisco Pride Third Annual Human Rights Summit (Breakout Session 2) Jul 10, 2025

Show notes

On June 26, join us for the third annual Human Rights Summit from San Francisco Pride and The Michelle Meow Show at Commonwealth Club World Affairs.

Breakout session 2:
Our Family Coalition & LGBTQIA+ Families
Mimi Demissew and Robin Lowey

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

This program contains EXPLICIT language.

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San Francisco Pride Third Annual Human Rights Summit Segment 7 Jul 10, 2025

Show notes

On June 26, join us for the third annual Human Rights Summit from San Francisco Pride and The Michelle Meow Show at Commonwealth Club World Affairs.

Segment. 7

Closing Plenary
Harper Steele and Suzanne Ford

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

This program contains EXPLICIT language.

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San Francisco Pride Third Annual Human Rights Summit Segment 2 Jul 10, 2025

Show notes

On June 26, join us for the third annual Human Rights Summit from San Francisco Pride and The Michelle Meow Show at Commonwealth Club World Affairs.

Segment. 2:

Global Pride Organizers
Rise in Right wing extremists and anti-LGBT rights advocates
Moderator: Michelle Meow, Producer and Host, "The Michelle Meow Show"
Speakers: Carmen Prins (South Africa), Julia Maciocha (Budapest), Koko Tiamsai (Thailand), Melissa Gonzalez (Guadalajara), Jessica Yamamoto (Cambodia)

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

This program contains EXPLICIT language.

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San Francisco Pride Third Annual Human Rights Summit (Breakout Session 1) Jul 10, 2025

Show notes

On June 26, join us for the third annual Human Rights Summit from San Francisco Pride and The Michelle Meow Show at Commonwealth Club World Affairs.

Breakout:
LGBTQIA Elder SSID & MEDICAID
Moderator: Sandra Riva, Openhouse + On Lok Community Day Services
Speakers: Paul Aguilar, Vince Cristostomo, Ms. Billie Cooper, Dr. Jessica Eng (On Lok PACE)

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

This program contains EXPLICIT language.

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San Francisco Pride Third Annual Human Rights Summit Segment 3 Jul 10, 2025

Show notes

On June 26, join us for the third annual Human Rights Summit from San Francisco Pride and The Michelle Meow Show at Commonwealth Club World Affairs.

Segment. 3:

LGBTQIA & Tech Luncheon + Program
Donna Sachet, Emcee

Addressing AI and Tech for the LGBTQIA+ Movement
Moderator: Celso Dulay
Speakers: Sister Roma, Susan Gonzalez, Amp Somers

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

This program contains EXPLICIT language.

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