Aspen Ideas to Go

Wes Moore, author of Five Days: The Fiery Reckoning of an American City (written with Erica Green), says communities around the United States must confront systemic racism. His book, about the life of Freddie Gray delves into the uprising that followed Gray’s death just days after he was taken into police custody. With the recent death of George Floyd, Moore says we’re reliving history. In a conversation with Dina Powell McCormick, former US Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategy, Moore talks about Freddie Gray, systemic racism, and how the Covid-19 crisis has exacerbated poverty in America. Moore serves as CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation, New York City’s largest poverty fighting organization.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

One-hundred years ago this month, women suffragists celebrated the passage of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution. The hard-fought battle to win the right to vote lasted decades. Since then, what strides have women made toward gender equality? What hurdles remain? Cecile Richards, former president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, says women are becoming the most powerful political force in America because they’re in the majority in many ways. Most voters are women, the majority of volunteers for political campaigns are women, and, increasingly, they’re candidates for public office. Richards joins Ai-Jen Poo, executive director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, and Katherine Grainger, adjunct professor at New York University’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, for a conversation about women’s progress. Peggy Clark, vice president of Policy Programs at the Aspen Institute, leads 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

The time we’re living in is unusually tumultuous. The Covid-19 pandemic is causing loss, disruption, illness, grief, anxiety, and uncertainty. The killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many others have fueled pain and anger around racial injustice. “We have all lost our fundamental way of life to some degree or another,” say psychologist Guy Winch, “We are all dealing with massive uncertainty and certain degrees of anxiety. Our emotional health is being impacted significantly.” He speaks with Pam Belluck, science and health writer for The New York Times, about how best to deal with these shocks to the system. 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

George Will, author of The Conservative Sensibility, says conservatism is “an orphan persuasion.” Will, who changed his voter affiliation from Republican to unaffiliated four years ago, thinks conservatism is under threat — both from progressives and elements inside the Republican Party. In a broad-reaching discussion with Susan Page, Washington bureau chief for USA Today, he talks about the transformation of the Republican Party, the 2020 election, and the link between Christian evangelicals and conservatism. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org

As the presidential election approaches, voters are considering factors unique to 2020. While divides on a number of fronts and growing distrust in government may motivate some voters, there’s also deepening concern about America’s response to the Covid-19 crisis and the resulting recession. How will such a chaotic environment continue to shape the public's interests and discourse, and how much will swing voters matter? Rachel Bitecofer, senior fellow of elections at the Niskanen Center, says turning out new voters is more important than capturing swing votes. She speaks with Tamara Keith, White House correspondent for NPR, and Dan Glickman, executive director of the Aspen Institute’s Congressional program.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

David Agus, author of The Lucky Years: How to Thrive in the Brave New World of Health, says we’re living in a golden age when the latest science and technology can customize care. Tools that track behavior like how much we sleep and walk are now widely available. Such technology, says Agus, can help us control chronic conditions, reverse aging, and improve health overall. In his conversation with Jessica Herzstein, a doctor who specializes in preventive medicine, he also talks about the Covid-19 pandemic and when we might expect to have a vaccine. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org

Across the United States, from rural areas to cities and suburbs, people have been hitting the streets to protest racism and police brutality. How is the national fervor around anti-racism different than in the past when people rallied following the death of Trayvon Martin in 2012, or when Civil Rights protestors called for an end to segregation in the 1960s? Alicia Garza, co-creator of #BlackLivesMatter, says she hopes it’s a moment of change when institutions, like police departments, examine their practices, and communities take a close look at rules and roles that disenfranchise Black people. She speaks with Michael Eric Dyson, sociology professor at Georgetown University, and Eugene Scott, political reporter at The Washington Post, about fighting racial oppression in America. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org

Social unrest and physical distancing are not making it easy to connect with other people. Mia Birdsong says it’s particularly important that in this time we show up for one another to offer strength, support, and accountability. Birdsong’s new book, How We Show Up: Reclaiming Family, Friendship, and Community, digs into why many people feel isolated in a society built on community. In this polarized time, she says the ever-present injustices built around race, class, gender, values, and beliefs aren’t what separate us. Instead, it’s denial of our interdependence and a need for belonging. She speaks with friend and fellow author Courtney Martin. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org

Nearly three decades ago, the play “Twilight Los Angeles” — about the Rodney King trial verdict — premiered. Just like in 1992, the world is seeing the problem of racial injustice come back into focus. How is art confronting a racist system in America? What has changed since the riots in LA? Oskar Eustis, artistic director at the Public Theater in New York, speaks with Anna Deavere Smith, the creator of “Twilight Los Angeles.” They discuss how, even though arts institutions are mostly closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, artists continue to work. They’re thinking deeply about how to use their craft to push the country forward in a critical moment. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org

When Covid-19 first started appearing in the United States, it was perceived as an illness that affected travelers, like Tom Hanks. Soon, though, it became clear the disease was infecting people of color more than any other group. Black people are 3.5 times more likely to die of the virus than white people, and Latino people are nearly twice as likely to die, according to researchers at Yale and the University of Pittsburgh. Why is this? Part of the problem is that racism is embedded in the country’s health care system. Raegan McDonald-Mosley, chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood of Maryland, and Thomas Fisher, emergency medical physician at the University of Chicago, speak with Maria Hinojosa, anchor and executive producer of NPR’s Latino USA, about American racism through the lens of Covid-19. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org