Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Innovative Patient-Centered Care for Cancer Feb 03, 2024

Show notes

The current system of cancer care is not built to optimize for patients, according to our speakers. Clinical trials optimize for sponsor outcomes. Hospitals and clinics optimize for payer reimbursement. Translational research optimizes for publication impact. Electronic health records are optimized for billing efficiency.

Join us in-person or online as Katie Coleman (cancer survivor, founder of the Chromophobe and Oncocytic Tumor Alliance and team member at the Rare Cancer Research Foundation) and Rare Cancer Research Foundation President Marshall Thompson advocate for a better way.

Putting the patient at the center of the cancer research and care ecosystem requires new tools and capabilities. Patients are uniquely positioned—as both ultimate source and beneficiary of all cancer-related samples, data, and findings—to power a change in the way we approach oncology innovation in the clinic and in the laboratory. The first steps toward a patient-centered oncology research, collaboration and clinical exploration program are possible today, and RCRF is building toward a future that empowers all cancer patients to participate in and benefit from the promises of modern personalized medicine.

About the Speakers

Katie Coleman is a devoted and innovative software engineer whose experiences navigating an ultra-rare kidney cancer profoundly shaped her career and purpose. Her passion lies not only in finding solutions that improve that patient experience but also in leveraging her technical expertise to translate these solutions to reality in ways that provide patients opportunities to enable research and medical advances. As the product engineering lead at RCRF, Coleman's role transcends typical engineering boundaries. She marries her technical expertise with a personal commitment to advocacy, striving to propel research and improve outcomes for those battling rare cancers. Coleman is founder of the Chromophobe and Oncocytic Tumor Alliance.

Marshall Thompson is a multi-disciplinary scientist, software engineer, and business leader with a strong interest in applying cutting-edge software practices to genomic-scale biological problems. Thompson completed his undergraduate studies at the University of New Mexico, where he earned degrees in biology and computer science. Marshall went on to earn a doctorate in genetics and genomics from Duke University. Thompson has a wealth of experience in the software and business industry, with skills in software architecture and development, consulting, product development, technical marketing, sales engineering, support, and support management.

MLF ORGANIZER: Gerald Anthony Harris

A Technology & Society 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.

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CLIMATE ONE REWIND: Jane Fonda: A Lifetime of Activism Feb 02, 2024

Show notes

Jane Fonda has spent the last several decades fighting for Indigenous peoples' rights, economic justice, LGBTQ rights, peace, gender equality and more. Now, she is devoting herself to the climate emergency, beginning with Fire Drill Fridays, the national movement to protest government inaction on climate change she started in October 2019.

Through the Jane Fonda Climate PAC, she is focused on defeating political allies of the fossil fuel industry. At 85, Fonda continues to fight for the most vulnerable among us, consistently pointing out the intersection between the myriad of causes. What keeps the iconic Jane Fonda going strong? Revisit our discussion with this activist icon today.

Guest

Jane Fonda, actor, activist

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For show notes and related links, visit our website.

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Simon Shuster: Volodymyr Zelensky and the Invasion that Shook the World Feb 01, 2024

Show notes

A comedic actor becomes president of a country on the brink of war. When a brutal invasion by Russia surprises the world, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky creates even more surprise—by quickly showing himself to be an inspiring wartime leader of his country as it fights off the much larger forces of Russia.

Time correspondent Simon Shuster was given unprecedented access to President Zelensky and his team, and comes to San Francisco to report about the president's evolution from a slapstick actor to a symbol of resilience, revealing how he managed to rally the world's democracies behind his cause. From President Zelensky's days in a nuclear bunker in the opening weeks of the invasion to his military's crucial victories, Shuster offers an in-depth and up-close picture of the invasion as experienced by its number-one target and improbable hero.

Join us in-person to hear about leadership, human fallibility and triumph, and the attempt to change the course of history.

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

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Livingston Taylor & The Sword of Damocles Jan 31, 2024

Show notes

The story of the Sword of Damocles, often associated with the imminent peril of those in power, also speaks to the ever-present balance of joy and responsibility and the universal human condition of mortality. Livingston Taylor's journey as an artist offers a profound narrative of the complexities and paradoxes of a creative life. On the surface, his life may appear charmed, marked by artistic freedom and the allure of fame. Beneath this lies a relentless journey of self-discovery, discipline, and the constant navigation of artistic challenges. Like Damocles, who discovered the weight of the king's crown was far heavier than he had imagined, Livingston has also experienced the pressures and demands that accompany a life dedicated to art. While growing up in a family of very talented individuals, including his brother James Taylor, Livingston's career reflects the trials that come with it and is a testament to his resilience and dedication to carving out his own unique and successful identity in the music industry. His journey highlights that behind every seemingly effortless display of talent and success lies a backdrop of hard work, sacrifice, and personal battles.

Join us as Livingston integrates his songs in a live performance in between conversations about his life story, which, when mirrored against the tale of the Sword of Damocles, is a powerful reminder that the creative path is as much about embracing the joys and rewards as it is about enduring struggles and uncertainties. It underscores the importance of cherishing one's journey, with all its ups and downs, in pursuing artistic fulfillment and personal expression. Light reception with beer, wine, and snacks included after the program.

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Year of the Dragon: A Celebration of Chinese Culture and Cuisine Jan 30, 2024

Show notes

Join us for a celebration of Chinese culture and cuisine and look forward to the Year of the Dragon!

Come celebrate with us with traditional Chinese food and alcohol as we transition from the Year of the Rabbit to the Year of the Dragon. What does the new year bring to the People's Republic of China?

We will talk to Consulate General Zhang Jianmin from the People’s Republic of China, who will present his views on China’s role in California, the United States and the recent APEC conference. Afterward, all attendees are invited to sample regional Chinese cuisine and alcohol sponsored by the Chinese consulate.

MLF ORGANIZER: Dr. Kalidip Choudhury

An Asia Pacific Affairs 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.

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"Ukraine Firsthand: Resistance, Resolve, Recovery Jan 29, 2024

Show notes

Don’t miss this rare chance—right here in the Bay Area—to hear directly from Ukrainian heroes at the forefront of rebuilding their nation while under attack. Go beyond the headlines to truly understand how life in Ukraine changed after the brutal and unrelenting Russian invasion that began almost two years ago. Discover how the whole-of-nation response has unfolded: driving back Russian forces while steeling national resolve and overcoming the war’s destruction.

Join us for personal insight as we host a distinguished Ukrainian delegation of parliament members, governing officials, civic leaders and cultural heritage experts. Hear the mayor of Irpin’s experience of devastating attacks as retaliation for halting Russia’s advance on Kyiv. Learn about Kharkiv, a city just 20 miles from the Russian border, where its citizens are rebuilding while on the frontlines of entrenched war in eastern Ukraine. Discover the inspiring story of Dobrobat, a volunteer builders’ brigade, leading the civil response to rapid response repair. Our resilient and inspiring guests will share their experiences and strategies for mending and rebuilding physical infrastructure, entire communities and cultural heritage vital to national identity.

Stick around after the program to mingle with the community and enjoy delicious local cuisine from Leleka, a San Francisco-based family-run restaurant serving Ukrainian food with a modern twist.

Co-presented by the Center for Innovation.

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Tony Platt with Erwin Chemerinsky: The Scandal of Cal Jan 28, 2024

Show notes

American institutions of higher education have long been the targets of critical books from the right, arguing they have betrayed their fundamental educational role. Now from the left comes a book that takes the author's own institution, the University of California, Berkeley, to task for what he says is its culpability in some of the cruelest chapters of U.S. history.

UC Berkeley, popularly known as Cal, is famous worldwide as a hotbed of left-wing activism and academics. But Tony Platt, who has taught at Berkeley as well as Cal State, Sacramento, says that UC Berkeley hasn't owned up to its roots in "plunder, warfare, and the promotion of white supremacy." He takes it to task for involvement in the eugenics movement, hoarding of Indigenous remains, and its "complicity with the military-industrial complex and its incubation of unprecedented violence through the Manhattan Project."

In this era in which many institutions, educational and otherwise, are reckoning with their histories, join us as Dr. Tony Platt talks with Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of Cal's law school, about his call for the institution to deal honestly with its controversial past.

MLF ORGANIZER: George Hammond

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.

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For Richer, Not Poorer: Richard Kahlenberg on How NIMBYISM Hurts the Working Class Jan 27, 2024

Show notes

While the United States officially denounces prejudice based on race and gender, it has fostered the growth of another form of prejudice: class and income discrimination. Through state-sponsored government policies, millions of working-class Americans have opportunities blocked by exclusionary "snob zoning," making housing unaffordable, frustrating the goals of the Civil Rights Movement, and locking in inequality in our urban and suburban landscapes.

Through poignant accounts of families caught in the web of new redlining, Richard Kahlenberg, in his new book Excluded, brings to life the human consequences of these policies, revealing how economic segregation extends its tendrils into every aspect of life. Access to transportation, employment opportunities, health care, and quality education hang in the balance, disproportionately favoring the affluent.

Kahlenberg will explain the hidden mechanisms that perpetuate America's housing crisis, underscoring the profound impact of where one lives. He'll shed light on a shocking paradox—that the most restrictive zoning flourishes in politically liberal cities, where progressive racial views should hold sway.

It's a compelling indictment of America's housing policy, revealing the intricate web of social engineering that perpetuates segregation by economic class. Join us in unlocking the hidden truths behind America's housing crisis as Kahlenberg explains our problems and offers hope for change.

NOTES

This program has 2 types of tickets available: In-person and online-only. Please pre-register to receive a link to the live-stream event.

If you have symptoms of illness (coughing, fever, etc.), we ask that you either stay home or wear a mask. Our front desk has complimentary masks for members and guests who would like one.

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

All in-person attendees will receive a copy of Excluded compliments of the Ken & Jaclyn Broad Family Fund.

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CLIMATE ONE: Indigenous Perspectives: What Makes a Just Transition? Jan 26, 2024

Show notes

We often talk about a “just transition” from dirty to clean energy as if the term means the same thing to everyone. Indigenous people have seen their resources extracted and exploited to further the wealth of others for centuries. Now renewable energy is looking to expand to Indigenous land.

How can renewable energy help Tribes leapfrog the twentieth century technologies that put them at the end of the line for corporate-controlled electricity? How can we, as Chéri Smith, Founder of the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy, says, “make sure that Tribes are not only having a seat at the table, but they're building the table and inviting everyone else to it?”

Guests:

Chéri Smith, President & CEO, Founder at Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy

Steven Wadsworth, Vice Chairman, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe

Raylene Whitford, Founder, Canative Energy

Maui Solomon, Executive Chairman,Moriaori Imi Settlement Trust

For show notes and related links, visit our website.

This episode was produced in collaboration with On Shifting Ground with Ray Suarez, featuring Suarez as a guest host. Additionally, Sarah Howard provides field reporting.

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Humanities West Presents Shakespeare’s First Folio’s 400th Anniversary Jan 24, 2024

Show notes

On November 8, 1623, just seven years after Shakespeare’s death, his plays were collected and published in what is now known as The First Folio. It is surmised that half his plays might have been lost if the First Folio had not been created when it was, and Humanities West is celebrating not losing that much literary gold with a 400th anniversary program on Shakespeare’s cultural contributions.

Roland Greene will speak on "The First Folio as Cultural Engine." If the Folio had not been published, we would have been left without several famous plays, but also without many other cultural influences that still resonate centuries later. Shakespeare’s plays continue to have such a strong effect on our world today that it is hard to imagine our culture without them. But imagine that; Professor Greene will.

Kip Cranna will speak on "Shakespeare in Song: Operas Inspired by the Bard." Shakespeare has been the source of more operas than any other writer. Generations of composers have brought his dramas to musical life in fascinating ways in a vast variety of styles. Cranna will explore some of these intriguing page-to-stage transformations using video examples (with subtitles) that will take you on a brief literary tour of Shakespearean operas. To quote the Bard, “If music be the food of love, sing on till I am fill'd with joy!”

In association with Humanities West and the Stanford Humanities Center.

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