Aspen Ideas to Go

Biographer Walter Isaacson's latest book tells the story of biochemist Jennifer Doudna. She helped develop a controversial tool that has the power to transform the human race. CRISPR can edit genes to cure diseases but can also be used to create designer babies. Doudna's involvement in pioneering the technology won her the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Before CRISPR, Doudna was known as the scientist who cracked the code for what the molecule RNA can do. RNA is well known now as playing a role in the Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines. Isaacson's book, The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race, was released this month. aspenideas.org

In the United States, the odds are stacked against women and people of color who want to start a business. As a Black entrepreneur, Danielle Kristine Toussaint understood this first-hand. Before opening her creative agency She Thinks Purple, she dealt with barriers only a community of women could help her overcome. In her book, Dare to Think Purple: A Survival Guide for Women in Social Entrepreneurship, she tells still-in-progress success stories of women leading companies and organizations. As a kickoff to Women's History Month, Toussaint speaks with Anne Mosle, a vice president at the Aspen Institute, about setting up for success by doing things like surrounding yourself with people who inspire you and committing to a practice of building confidence. aspenideas.org

The sobering impacts of the pandemic, and the need for a rapid transition to a clean energy economy compel us to consider opportunities that lie at the intersection of the two. President Biden wants to invest $1.7 trillion toward the mid-century goal of a net-zero America, creating ten million new, high-quality jobs, his administration predicts. Recent announcements from major auto companies coupled with enormous commitments from financial institutions lend the new administration strong tailwinds. What are the implications of a reinvigorated climate agenda for everyday Americans, and how will it be deployed across the nation? Which technologies should be adopted ASAP to actually get our grid to net zero? And how could a new era of stakeholder capitalism firmly uphold our climate goals for which failure isn’t an option? Hear from White House Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy, TPG Co-CEO Jim Coulter, and US Senator Tina Smith (D). aspenideas.org

Grappling with the challenges and problems life throws at us is difficult, especially during a pandemic. Psychotherapist Lori Gottlieb says the stories we tell about ourselves and others can make it even harder to cope. She says we must look closely at the running commentary in our own minds to see if we are being too self-critical, or if we are not taking responsibility for our situation. Making connections with others can help us to hold a mirror up so we can better see ourselves. Aspen Institute president Dan Porterfield speaks with Gottlieb about taking care of our emotional health and ways to make the changes we want in our lives. Gottlieb authored the New York Times bestseller “Maybe You Should Talk to Someone” She co-hosts the “Dear Therapist” podcast and Atlantic magazine advice column. aspenideas.org

In this pandemic recession, millions of Americans are going hungry, and Black and Hispanic households are hit harder than white ones. Throughout US history, hunger and health have been tied to race. Slave owners gave slaves just enough food to survive. “To be enslaved was to experience hunger,” says food historian Fred Opie. Now, Covid-19 is affecting low-income, communities of color disproportionately. Poor access to healthcare, bias in clinical settings, underfunded educational and health institutions, housing segregation, chronic stress, and a lack of access to clean water, air, and nutritious food converge to shape the health of children and families of color. Fred Opie, author of Southern Food and Civil Rights: Feeding the Revolution, joins Tamearra Dyson, executive chef and owner of Souley Vegan LLC for a conversation about food justice. Dr. J. Nadine Gracia, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Trust for America’s Health, moderates the conversation.As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Aspen Institute is nonpartisan and does not endorse, support, or oppose political candidates or parties. Further, the views and opinions of our guests and speakers do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org

President Trump’s second impeachment trial is beginning. In his first days in office, President Biden is navigating a pandemic and an economic crisis. With presidential leadership once again at the forefront and President’s Day just around the corner, we’re revisiting an episode featuring presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin. In her book, Leadership in Turbulent Times, Kearns Goodwin examines the leadership qualities of past presidents. Were presidents Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Lyndon B. Johnson born with leadership attributes, or did they learn them throughout life? Goodwin writes that they were “guided by a sense of moral purpose.” She speaks with Kitty Boone, vice president of public programs at the Aspen Institute, about how the presidents’ leadership traits can be adopted and used by aspiring leaders.As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Aspen Institute is nonpartisan and does not endorse, support, or oppose political candidates or parties. Further, the views and opinions of our guests and speakers do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org

America’s Founders didn’t envision activist groups mobilizing on social media and disinformation spreading across the internet. Thanks to the web, new threats to democracy — like the January 6th attack on the US Capitol — have emerged. Following a similar deadly march in 1787, the Founders questioned the strength of the democracy they built. Shays’s Rebellion led to more support among the Founders for a stronger national government. But the protective barriers they thought would safeguard democracy are being tested in an online era. Nate Persily, professor of law at Stanford, talks with Jeffrey Rosen, president of the National Constitution Center, about why passion may be eclipsing reason and how the internet may be to blame.Additional Resources A More Perfect Union: Jeffrey Rosen and Ali Velshi on the Founders and the Mob Mobs in America's Past and Present The Internet's Challenge to Democracy: Framing the Problem and Assessing Reforms Social Media and Democracy The Storming of the Capitol and the Future of Free Speech Online The Election Reform Agenda: A Deep Dive into H.R.1 As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Aspen Institute is nonpartisan and does not endorse, support, or oppose political candidates or parties. Further, the views and opinions of our guests and speakers do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org

Most Americans see religious freedom as an important right. Yet how that freedom is defined and applied isn’t consistent, and efforts to safeguard the religious freedom of some may be discriminatory for others. Experts say it is critical to address this issue politically, socially, and culturally or risk alienating people from all backgrounds. Religious liberty lawyer Asma Uddin works for the protection of religious expression for people of all faiths. She speaks with Montse Alvarado of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, The Sikh Coalition’s legal director Amrith Kaur, and political and religious strategist Michael Wear. They discuss the causes of political and religious polarization, tribalism, and ways to find a path forward and a common cause, while advocating for equal freedom and fairness for all. They also talk about the role religious freedom played in motivating the mob that attacked the Capitol on January 6. aspenideas.org

Joe Biden is a centrist who believes in the power of bipartisanship. To get both sides to listen to each other, he’ll have to break down the barriers created by today’s polarized politics, says New Yorker magazine staff writer Evan Osnos whose latest book is “About Joe Biden: The Life, the Run, and What Matters Now.” Osnos speaks with Margaret Brennan of Face the Nation on CBS News. They discuss how Biden’s experience with loss and grief gives him the ability to connect with people in relevant ways, how Catholic faith is truly part of who he is, and why it’s valuable to make the vice presidency into a meaningful role. Osnos also speaks about his perspective being in the Capitol during the violence on January 6th. aspenideas.org

Last year Russia infiltrated the digital networks of federal agencies and many of America’s largest corporations, and last week’s armed insurrection on the US Capitol was fomented through disinformation campaigns on social media. Cyberattacks and manipulation of elections and domestic affairs threaten national security and global relations. John Carlin of the Aspen Institute’s Cybersecurity & Technology Program leads a conversation with Kevin Mandia, CEO of FireEye, the cybersecurity company that uncovered last year’s massive Russian hack, Senator Mark Warner, Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Luta Security’s  founder and digital defense expert Katie Moussouris. They discuss how the Russian hack was discovered and what it means for the future of digital security worldwide, including how to assign responsibility for cybersecurity and social media failures. Senator Warner also shares his assessment of the damage of a foreign-led cyber attack compared to the domestic insurrection he experienced at the Capitol. Their conversation was recorded on January 7, 2021. aspenideas.org