Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

Join us, as we remember the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam war, to hear the novelist and poet Quế Mai in conversation with Craig McNamara, whose father was Robert McNamara, the secretary of defense under both JFK and LBJ during the Vietnam war.Quế Mai will discuss her poetry, the long-lasting impact of war on the Vietnamese, and how Vietnam has continued to change politically after the war. She will also focus on Vietnamese literary culture, its poetry and proverbs, and the various Vietnamese “ways of life” that have survived the violent chaos of several decades of war.Having experienced the hardships of rural life first-hand in the 1970s and 1980s, Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai has used her literary skills to travel the world with her stories. The Color of Peace, her new book of poetry, can be read as a travelogue of the route one can take to forgiveness, appreciation and extending one’s love for one’s own people and homelands to all of humanity.Vietnam, with its more than 4,000 years of history and culture and its poetry-loving people, remains the passionate center of The Color of Peace. When read in the light of her international bestselling novels, The Mountains Sing and Dust Child, which have been translated into 27 languages, it provides her readers with a unique understanding of Vietnam’s past and present and a glimpse into its future.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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bestselling author, popular commentator, and former litigator Elie Mystal has long been critical of the U.S. Constitution. Now he focuses his ire on 10 laws that he says are causing way too much misery to millions.In Bad Law, Mystal brings his trademark legal acumen and passionate snark to a takedown of 10 of what he considers the most egregiously awful laws on the books today. These are pieces of legislation that are making life worse rather than better for Americans and should be repealed completely.On topics ranging from abortion and immigration to voting rights and religious freedom, he says Americans have chosen rules to live by that do not reflect the will of most of the people. With respect to the decision to make a law that effectively grants immunity to gun manufacturers, for example, Mystal writes, “We live in the most violent, wealthy country on earth not in spite of the law; we live in a first-person-shooter video game because of the law.”But, as the man Samantha Bee calls “irrepressible and righteously indignant” and Matt Levine of Bloomberg Opinion calls “the funniest lawyer in America,” points out, these laws do not come to us from on high; we write them, and we can and should unwrite them.Don’t miss Mystal at Commonwealth Club World Affairs as he visits all the hot-button topics in the country today.This program contains EXPLICIT language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Summer is coming soon, and for many that means vacation. While traveling far and wide can be an amazing experience, the carbon cost of traveling is significant. But what if we could rekindle a sense of awe in our own neighborhoods? After years of extreme expeditions all over the world, adventurer Alastair Humphreys spent a year exploring the detailed local map around his home. His new book “Local” is an ode to slowing down, as well as a rallying cry to protect the wild places on our doorstep.Guest: Alastair Humphreys, Author; AdventurerThis episode also features field reporting from producers Austin Colón and Megan Biscieglia.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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can a new class-based approach to college admissions produce economic and racial diversity alike—and greater fairness?For decades America’s colleges and universities have been working to increase racial diversity. But Richard Kahlenberg argues that they have been using the wrong approach. He makes the case that class disadvantage, rather than race, should be the determining factor for how a broader array of people “get in.”While elite universities claim to be on the side of social justice, the dirty secret of higher education is that the perennial focus on racial diversity has provided cover for an admissions system that mostly benefits the wealthy and shuts out talented working-class students. Kahlenberg says that by fixing the class bias in college admissions we can begin to rectify America’s skyrocketing economic inequality and class antagonism, giving more people a better place at the table as they move through life and more opportunity to “swim in the river of power.”Kahlenberg, author of the new book Class Matters, has long worked with prominent civil rights leaders on housing and school integration. But his recognition of class inequality in American higher education led to his making a controversial decision to go over to the “other side” and provide research and testimony in cases that helped lead to the controversial Supreme Court decision of 2023 that ended racial preferences. That conservative ruling could, Kahlenberg says, paradoxically have a progressive policy outcome by cutting a new path for economic and racial diversity alike—and greater fairness.This program is supported by the Ken & Jaclyn Broad Family Fund. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Secretary of State Shirley Weber had been a lifelong educator. For 40 years she had been a professor at San Diego State University, having been named a professor emerita of Africana studies and served as the president of the National Council for Black Studies. And then, in the fall of 2011, Weber decided to run for office.Secretary Weber served first in the California State Assembly for nearly a decade, before Governor Gavin Newsom appointed her to the position of secretary of state of California. So, why did a career educator decide to run for office?Secretary Weber, in conversation with Creating Citizens’ Griffith Swidler, talks to an audience of Sacramento high school students about her path into politics. Weber details her upbringing, the people who influenced her, and how young people can lead us toward a less polarized America.This program is part of  Commonwealth Club World Affairs’ civics education initiative, Creating Citizens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the essential role of educators in sustaining our society and economy. As families navigated the challenges of work and caregiving, teachers emerged as critical support systems, ensuring students continued learning amid unprecedented disruptions. From maintaining safe classrooms to addressing academic and emotional needs, educators have been at the forefront of our collective recovery.Join us for an engaging panel discussion at Commonwealth Club World Affairs, featuring education and policy experts who will examine the urgent need for universal access to quality education and its broader economic and democratic implications. The conversation will explore key lessons from the pandemic and outline a path toward a more equitable and resilient education system.About the Panelists Jenny Lam: Former San Francisco Board of Education commissioner and director of policy, communications, and strategic partnerships at the San Francisco Department of Early Childhood. Lam has led citywide education initiatives, including expanding childcare, mental health services in schools, and Free City College, ensuring equitable access to education resources. Tracey Mitchell: Educator, author, and former executive director of education for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Mitchell has developed culturally relevant curricula and after-school programs, emphasizing student success and equity in education policy. Dr. Vanessa Marrero: Executive director of Parents for Public Schools of San Francisco and a leader in education equity and policy. Marrero has extensive experience in K–12 education, community engagement, and strategic enrollment, ensuring families have access to quality public schools. Christina Jenq, Ph.D.: Labor economist specializing in education’s economic impact. Jenq’s research focuses on gender inequality, political economy, and workforce development, offering critical insights into how education shapes economic mobility. The discussion will be moderated by Virginia Cheung, former school board candidate and former director at Wu Yee Children’s Services, who brings deep expertise in early childhood education and policy.This thought-provoking session will provide valuable perspectives on transforming education to strengthen our economy and democracy. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from leading voices shaping the future of education policy.Organizer: Virginia Cheung A Social Impact 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In researching her new book World Eaters, Catherine Bracy interviewed founders, fund managers, contract and temp workers in the gig economy, and limited partners across the landscape. She says she learned that the current VC model is not a good fit for the majority of start-ups—and yet, there are too few options for early stage funding outside of VC dollars. While there are some alternative paths for sustainable, responsible growth, without the help of regulators, there is not much motivation to drive investors from the roulette table that is venture capital.Join us as Bracy takes our stage and offers her urgent and illuminating perspective into how the most pernicious aspects of the venture capital ethos reaches all areas of our lives, into everything from health care to food to entertainment to the labor market, and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.Certain to be controversial, Bracy’s tale is an eye-opening account of the ways that the values of contemporary venture capital hurt founders, consumers, and the market.Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming.Commonwealth Club World Affairs is a public forum. Any views expressed in our programs are those of the speakers and not of Commonwealth Club World Affairs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since its creation under President Richard Nixon in 1970, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has worked to reduce pollution and toxic exposures to ensure that Americans have clean air, clean water and clean soil. The EPA has also sought to reduce emissions to address climate change. Now that the Trump administration is in power, the EPA is being threatened with a 65% reduction in their budget. In addition to EPA cuts, the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, is making cuts left and right in an effort to trim $1 trillion from the federal budget. The combination of DOGE and Trump’s executive orders — plus the threatened cuts to the EPA and the federal spending freezes — have put thousands of jobs, and clean energy and climate related projects, in limbo. This could have a devastating impact on the national public health and safety standards we now take for granted, and will undermine our ability to address the climate crisis. How far do these cuts go? What is real and what is bluster? What would a country with a severely limited EPA look like? Guests:Gina McCarthy, Former Administrator, EPAUmair Irfan, Reporter, Vox This episode also includes a news feature reported by April Ehrlich of Oregon Public Broadcasting.Next week, Climate One is hosting a series of live conversations as part of SF Climate Week 2025! Tickets for all four of our events, featuring leaders such as Jenny Odell, San José Mayor Matt Mahan, Rep. Jared Huffman, Abby Reyes, Margaret Gordon and two of this year's Goldman Prize winners are on sale now through the official SF Climate Week event calendar.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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Songkran is a festival from Southeast Asia marking the new year and celebrating making a fresh start.This special program includes a program discussion hosted by Michelle Meow featuring conversations on cultural heritage, community impact, and empowerment initiatives; cultural performances, including traditional dances, live music, and storytelling sessions; a traditional water blessing ceremony; and delicious authentic Southeast Asian cuisine prepared by local chefs.About the SpeakersKesinee Angkustsiri Yip has been helping companies, organizations, and executives manage their reputations for more than two decades. An award-winning communications strategist recognized by the International Association of Business Communications, she co- founded Creative Catalyst (www.creativecatalystworks.com) to address culture and connection challenges—the things AI does not—by bringing improv into the workplace. While improv can be funny, it’s not just for the theater. Improv techniques can help entrepreneurs and leaders as well as customer-facing, sales, HR, and DEI teams reduce anxiety, cultivate safe spaces, and encourage creativity. Her book, “Yes, and...” for Success: Improv Secrets to Supercharge Professional Creativity and Connection is out on Amazon and available at Bay Area bookstores. Kesinee has performed at BATS Improv and has led workshops and trainings in the United States and abroad. Kesinee is on the Board of the Asian Women’s Shelter in San Francisco (www.sfaws.org) and is active with the LEAD-LISA Startup Incubator (www.gsb-lead-lisa.com). She earned a BA from Stanford University and an MBA in Marketing and Strategic Planning from Rice University.Maly Phommavong is based in Sacramento and has been in the interpreting field since 2015. In 1987, she arrived in the United States at age 13 as a child of refugees with a family of 12. She graduated with a Master’s Degree in Criminology from CSU of Fresno in 2000, and worked as a deputy probation officer for Contra Costa County in 2002. She retired early from the Probation Department in 2015, and began working as a registered court interpreter for the California Judicial Court. Maly has been involved in grass-roots advocacy and volunteered in nonprofit organizations for decades. In 2015, She began her online presence through conducting live community discussions covering various issues affecting the community in the Lao language catering to non-English speaking members. Her videos have reached the Laotian audience worldwide.Kenya Prach is a survivor of the Khmer Rouge genocide who escaped to Thailand refugee camps before finding a second chance in the United States. Arriving with no knowledge of English and few opportunities, Kenya faced immense challenges, from being unable to attend high school or community college to being turned away from work. However, a kind gesture from an African American homeless man helped guide him toward education and a new life. A Cambodian-born martial artist, Kenya is known for his expertise in Kbach-Kun-Boran-Khmer (Bokator) and Muay Thai kickboxing. Despite enduring the horrors of the Khmer Rouge regime, he pursued martial arts in Thailand and later excelled in boxing in the United States. With a deep understanding of hardship and compassion, Kenya has dedicated his life to helping others, particularly in the fight against human trafficking and advocating for human rights. He believes that true wealth lies not in material possessions but in kindness, care and love. Through his work and his book Black Stone Hands, Kenya seeks to give a voice to the voiceless and inspire others to make a difference by uplifting those in need.See more  Michelle Meow Show programs at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California.Our thanks for the generous support of The Bamboo Organization for making this program possible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us to celebrate National Poetry Month with Red Hen Press’s poetic publisher, Kate Gale, and Red Hen Press poets Kim Dower, Francisco Aragón and Kim Addonizio, who will each be reading their poems that have electrified the literary world.Francisco Aragón, the director of Letras Latinas, is a gay Latino poet, the author of After Ruben. Kim Dower’s new book What She Wants explores obsession and desire. And Library Journal has written that “if Kim Addonizio were an opera, the audience would never stop throwing flowers at her feet.”Michelle Meow will delve into this “living poets society” to demonstrate the talent that makes independent publisher Red Hen Press and its poets so successful.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.See more Michelle Meow Show programs at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California.This program contains EXPLICIT language.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices