Commonwealth Club Of California Podcast

Immigrants to America have always faced resistance, and have always—over time—assimilated and become vital parts of America. This is a process as old as the nation itself, and it can't be stopped, no matter how many—or how few—new immigrants arrive every year. Leading into November, many people believe we’re in a particularly fraught political moment where “America First'' is threatening their security, and heating up the 2024 presidential election. So what does it mean to be an immigrant in the 21st century? And who decides who is “American” enough? “On Shifting Ground” host Ray Suarez has criss-crossed the country to speak to new Americans from all corners of the globe, and to record their stories for his new book. Join us for a special conversation, as Suarez shares what he learned while reporting and writing We Are Home: Becoming American in the 21st Century. He will be in conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas, founder and president of Define American, and veteran journ

Some of the conspiracy theories now gripping American politics contend that Joe Biden was executed and replaced by a clone and that John F. Kennedy, Jr., faked his death and will one day return to slay Trump’s enemies. But who is susceptible to them, and what makes them so politically potent? Investigating the historical roots of our peculiar brand of political paranoia, Arthur Goldwag joins us for a special online-only program to make sense of the senseless and, in so doing, uncover three uncomfortable truths: that it is older than Trumpism and will outlast it; that theocratic authoritarianism is as hardwired in our American heritage as the principles of the Enlightenment; and that the fear that our system is “rigged” is not altogether unfounded. He explored these matters in his surprising and critical examination of America’s paranoid style in his book The Politics of Fear, which sheds new light on the age-old question: What exactly are we so afraid of? Don’t miss this exploration of the bizarre and dange

On K Street, a few blocks from the White House, you’ll find the offices of some of the most powerful people in Washington. In the 1970s, the city’s center of gravity began to shift away from elected officials in big marble buildings to a handful of savvy, handsomely paid operators who didn’t answer to any fixed constituency. The cigar-chomping son of a powerful Congressman, an illustrious political fixer with a weakness for modern art, a Watergate-era dirty trickster, the city’s favorite cocktail party host—these were the sorts of people who now ran Washington. Investigative journalist Brody Mullins, working with Luke Mullins, says that over four decades, these lobbyists would chart new ways to turn their clients’ cash into political leverage, abandoning favor-trading in smoke-filled rooms for increasingly sophisticated tactics like “shadow lobbying,” where underground campaigns sparked seemingly organic public outcries to pressure lawmakers into taking actions that would ultimately benefit corporate interes

Join us in downtown San Francisco for the second annual summit on some of the hottest topics facing the LGBTQIA+ communities.  Robyn Adams, Remembering Nex Benedict Moderated by: Oliver Elias Tinoco, a queer, undocumented, community youth advocate hailing from South San Francisco by way of Guanajuato, Mexico,  Ewan Barker Plummer, chair of the San Francisco Youth Commission, which advises the Mayor and Board of Supervisors on all issues impacting young San Franciscans.  Daniel Trujillo is 16 years old and loves drawing, playing guitar, bass, and drums, building Lego, and playing in the Tucson Jazz Institute. Daniel recently helped plan a national action in Washington, D.C., called Trans Prom, a creative action by and for trans youth. Connie Murphy is a trans psychology student and community organizer. She works in youth advocacy and creates environments where queer youths can thrive, most recently organizing LYRIC’s Lavender Ball.  Nano Luksanacom, upcoming senior, Lowell High School Dr. April Silas, LG

Join us in downtown San Francisco for the second annual summit on some of the hottest topics facing the LGBTQIA+ communities.  Welcome by San Francisco Human Rights Commission Director Sheryl Davis Suzanne Ford and Nguyen Pham of SF Pride California vs Hate, Chhaya Malik, deputy director for dispute resolution, California Civil Rights Department   Morning Keynote: Honey Mahogany, performer, small business owner and activist Moderator: Michelle Meow Lenny Emson (Kyiv Pride)  Charlene Liu (Shanghai Pride)  Nicolas Rodriguez (PRIDE SV - Marcha Por la Diversidad en El Salvador)  Natalie Thompson (Interpride co-president, World Pride DC 2025)   This program is supported by SF Pride. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are climate heroes everywhere among us, but few get the public attention they deserve. Matt Scott, director of storytelling and engagement at Project Drawdown, has been shining a light on the work of such people in cities across the country in his documentary short series “Drawdown’s Neighborhood.” In Atlanta, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, the San Francisco Bay Area and more, Scott lifts up underrepresented voices of those working directly in their communities on climate issues. This week, we feature some of those voices. Guests: Matt Scott, Director of Storytelling & Engagement, Project Drawdown Grace Anderson, Founder, The Lupine Collaborative Ashia Ajani, Storyteller, Climate Justice Educator, Mycelium Youth Network

We, and all living things, are more than inhabitants of Earth—we are Earth! Life and its environment have coevolved for billions of years, transforming a lump of orbiting rock into a cosmic oasis that supports and is shaped by life.. . . Join acclaimed science writer Ferris Jabr as he reveals a radical new vision of Earth where lush forests spew water, pollen and bacteria to summon rain; giant animals engineer the very landscapes they roam; microscopic plankton, some as glittering as carved jewels, remake the air and sea; and humans alter more layers of the planet in less time than any other species, pushing Earth into a crisis. Jabr will draw on the work in his new book Becoming Earth, which delves into the hidden workings of our planet and its many lifeforms and invites us to reexamine our place in it. What we do next will determine what kind of Earth our descendants inherit for millennia to come . . .  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some San Francisco nonprofits with city contracts have recently come under fire for their business practices and outcomes. With the city's $1.7 billion portfolio of nonprofit services, a lot is at stake in efforts to maximize return on investment, and produce durable outcomes.  Come listen to an informed dialog between Laura Marshall, citywide nonprofit policy manager at the independent San Francisco Controller’s Office, and Kevin Fagan, seasoned reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle, as we seek to better understand how nonprofit oversight in San Francisco actually works. About the Speakers Laura Marshall is the citywide nonprofit policy manager at the San Francisco Controller’s Office, After early work in San Francisco’s nonprofit sector and gaining a Masters in social work at San Francisco State University, Laura quickly identified local government as her preferred venue for helping to improve the lives of the city’s most vulnerable residents. She has worked for the City and County of San Francisco since

One of the most common questions people ask about climate is: what can I do? Since time is one of our most valuable resources — and we spend so much of our time at work — changing jobs may be the most effective individual climate action a person can take. Those changes could be big or small: Leaving the oil and gas industry for geothermal, or helping to bring down the emissions where you already work. The truth is, almost any job can be a climate job. But how do people actually make the transition from dirty jobs to clean? What do climate positive job transitions really entail?  Guests: Caroline Dennett, Director, CLOUT Ltd Arvind Ravikumar, Co-Director, Energy Emissions Modeling and Data Lab, University of Texas, Austin Jennifer Anderson, Carbon Removal Geologist, Charm Industrial Emma McConville, Development Geoscience Lead at Fervo Energy Nathanael Johnson, Electrician

Join us ahead of the San José Earthquakes' epic alumni player-attended California Classico game at Stanford University for an in-depth discussion with Gary Singh, a lifelong fan of the team, as he celebrates the legendary history of the Quakes in his new book, The Unforgettable San Jose Earthquakes: Momentous Stories On & Off the Field. When the San José Earthquakes first started playing soccer in 1974, no one imagined how their efforts would reverberate 50 years later. The Quakes and their fans have overcome a multitude of issues in the last five decades, including leagues collapsing, attempted rebrandings, local apathy, political indifference and even a franchise relocation, yet they never gave up. While players like Johnny Moore, Chris Wondolowski and Landon Donovan have come and gone—along with coaches, general managers and owners—the multigenerational family this San José team created over the last half century stands as strong as ever.   This program is part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the B

Mary C. Daly leads the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and will deliver remarks on monetary policy and the economy followed by Q&A. In 2024, Dr. Daly became a voting member of the Federal Open Market Committee, the monetary policymaking body of the Federal Reserve System. Dr. Daly assumed leadership of the San Francisco Fed in October 2018, building on a distinguished career at the Bank that began in 1996. Starting as an economist specializing in labor market dynamics and economic inequality, she has since served as research advisor, vice president and head of macroeconomics, senior vice president and assistant director of research, and executive vice president and director of research. In Partnership with The San Francisco Press Club.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eighty has been the new 60 for about 20 years now. In fact, there have always been late-in-life achievers, those who declined to go into decline just because they were eligible for Social Security. Journalist, humorist, and history buff Mo Rocca teamed up with Jonathan Greenberg to introduce us to the people past and present who peaked when they could have been puttering—breaking out as writers, selling out concert halls, attempting to set land-speed records—and in the case of one 90-year-old tortoise, becoming a first-time father. (Take that, Al Pacino!) Popular “CBS Sunday Morning” correspondent and frequent “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me” panelist Rocca, author of the bestselling Mobituaries, comes to Commonwealth Club World Affairs in San Francisco to share inspiring stories that celebrate the triumphs of people who made their biggest marks late in life. His new book, Roctogenarians, is a collection of entertaining and unexpected profiles of these unretired titans—some long gone (a cancer-stricken Henri Matisse

Nicholas Kristof has worked almost nonstop for The New York Times as a reporter, foreign correspondent, bureau chief, and now columnist. Join us as he returns to Commonwealth Club World Affairs and recounts the event-filled path from a small-town farm in Oregon to every corner of the world. Kristof, a Pulitzer Prize winner and best-selling author, has reported from Hong Kong, Beijing, Tokyo, as well as India, Africa and Europe. In the process, he has witnessed and written about century-defining events such as the Tiananmen Square protests and massacre, the Yemeni civil war, the Darfur genocide in Sudan, and the wave of addiction and despair that swept through his hometown and a broad swath of working-class America. Kristof will introduce us to some of the extraordinary people he has met, such as the dissident whom he helped escape from China and a Catholic nun who browbeat a warlord into releasing schoolgirls he had kidnapped. These are the people, the heroes, who have allowed Kristof to remain optimistic eve

Small acts of courage matter—and sometimes they change the world. Our history books are filled with the stories of those who fought for democracy and freedom against all odds, from Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela to Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. These iconic struggles for social change illustrate the importance of engagement and activism and offer a template for the battles we are fighting today. But using the right words is often easier than taking action; action can be hard, and costly. More than a century ago, MSNBC host Ali Velshi’s great-grandfather sent his seven-year-old son to live at Tolstoy Farm, Gandhi’s ashram in South Africa. This difficult decision would change the trajectory of his family history forever. From childhood, Velshi’s grandfather was imbued with an ethos of public service and social justice, and a belief in absolute equality among all people―ideals that his children carried forward as they escaped apartheid, emigrating to Kenya and ultimately Canada and the United States. In Small

As countries around the world become more serious about reducing carbon emissions to meet international targets, many are still approving new oil and gas projects, committing us to increased global warming. Yet an increasing number of countries are taking a stand to leave those future emissions in the ground, even at the expense of their own profits.  Last year, Ecuadorians voted to halt the development of new oil wells in the Yasuní National Park in the Amazon, keeping around 726 million barrels of oil underground. Meanwhile, Costa Rica and Denmark have created the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance to facilitate the managed phase-out of oil and gas production. And a group of at least 13 countries — including many island nations — but also notable oil and gas-rich countries like Colombia — are calling for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty as a complement to the Paris Agreement. Can more nations set aside valuable profits from fossil fuel resources in favor of our collective desire for a livable climate? This

Join Commonwealth Club World Affairs and Council for Korean Americans for an inspirational and thought-provoking fireside conversation with James Rhee, the acclaimed CEO, investor and national bestselling author of red helicopter – a parable for our times. Rhee is one of the top thought leaders and innovators in leadership, change, and entrepreneurship—his TED Talk and interview with Brené Brown about his shocking and transformative tenure as the CEO of Ashley Stewart, a business with deep roots in the African American community, have captured the imagination of millions. Rhee is changing hearts and minds about the role of kindness and math in our society, including the workplace. For his efforts, he earned an unprecedented appointment at Howard University, where he serves as the Johnson Chair of Entrepreneurship. Rhee also holds appointments at MIT Sloan School of Management and Duke Law School. He was elected to serve in the inaugural class of Ashoka E-to-E Fellows and was recently honored as the recipient

Join us live for an informative, inspiring and uplifting special event! Juneteenth (June 19) is the federal holiday (beginning in 2021) commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. Honoring Juneteenth, join us for “Standing Tall": A Celebration of Black Resilience Through Solo Performances presented by The AfroSolo Theatre Company. "Standing Tall” is an evening of performances with theater, dance, music and historical-based content that delve into the extraordinary resilience of Black men, navigating the challenges and triumphs unique to the Black male experience. Hosted by Mistress of Ceremony Monetta White, executive director and CEO of the Museum of the African Diaspora (MOAD). AfroSolo Theatre Company is committed to amplifying Black voices and narratives through solo performances, creating transformative experiences that resonate across diverse audiences. Featured PerformancesAlgerion "KTG" Bryant II premieres "Standing Tall," a dance work reflecting the communal power of art and personal resi

Despite his many alleged improprieties, no group has been more intensely and closely aligned with Donald Trump than white evangelical Christians—some even going so far as to elevate him to the status of "savior." Yet, just as Trump fractured political norms, his presidency has splintered white evangelical families with a reactionary movement of people leaving the church: EXvangelicals. Drawing on her own personal religious journey, NPR reporter Sarah McCammon is a guide to understanding the immense support for Trump among white evangelical Christians, the backlash among former believers, and what this tells us about a divided America and the culture wars. After spending her early adult life striving to make sense of an unraveling worldview, by her 30s, she found herself face-to-face with it once again as she covered the Trump campaign for NPR, where she witnessed first-hand the power and influence that evangelical Christian beliefs held on the political right. Growing up in a deeply evangelical family in the

Just what is the machinery that powers hugely influential propaganda? How does it work? Who’s behind it? And what can people do about it? Renée DiResta, a writer and former researcher with Stanford’s Internet Observatory, comes to Commonwealth Club World Affairs to share her research into the way power and influence have been profoundly transformed, how a virtual rumor mill of niche propagandists increasingly shapes public opinion. She says that while propagandists position themselves as trustworthy Davids, their reach, influence, and economics make them classic Goliaths—invisible rulers who create bespoke realities to revolutionize politics, culture, and society. Their work is driven by a simple maxim: if you make it trend, you make it true. By revealing the machinery and dynamics of the interplay between influencers, algorithms, and online crowds, DiResta vividly illustrates the way propagandists deliberately undermine belief in the fundamental legitimacy of institutions that make society work. This alterna

Adam Met is a behind-the-scenes climate policy powerhouse. He also happens to be the bass player in the award winning indie pop group AJR. During Met’s time away from touring the world and rocking the bass in front of thousands of fans, he and the team at Planet Reimagined, the thought and action tank Met founded, set out on a cross country listening tour in order to better understand how to create bipartisan climate policy. What they came up with is a plan to help renewable energy projects get built on land that has already been approved for fossil fuel projects, thus cutting down on the time and red tape required to get the projects up and running. Met also works with organizations like REVERB to help decarbonize the concert experience.  Guests:  Adam Met, Founder, Planet Reimagined, Bass Player, AJR Lara Seaver, Director of Projects, REVERB For show notes and related links, visit ClimateOne.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices