Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

"I Love New York." "Keep Portland Weird." "Virginia Is For Lovers." "Don’t Mess with Texas." We all know them. We all say them—but how do we sum up the Bay Area?The Bay offers the world culture, diversity, natural beauty, innovation and commitment to progress. Yet the Bay wrestles with persistent housing challenges and news stories about the “Bay Area exodus.” Layer on the COVID-19 pandemic, and it's no surprise that regional pride and confidence in the Bay Area is taking a hit. But this moment of unprecedented crisis can be a turning point for the Bay Area.Join a panel of Bay Area locals and legends who will discuss how The Bay shaped who they have become, why they call this region home, and different solutions to rebuilding and strengthening the Bay Area. This panel will wrestle with how we can not only recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, but create the vibrant, equitable region that we all aspire to live in.NOTESIn partnership with Tipping Point Community.SPEAKERSSam CobbsCEO, Tipping Point CommunityHeather KnightColumnist, San Francisco ChronicleNed SegalChief Financial Officer, TwitterLenny MendoncaFormer Chief Economic and Business Advisor, State of California—ModeratorIn response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. This program was recorded via video conference on August 25th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you gotten the feeling that this pandemic has also been spreading an epidemic of irrationality? From insisting that climate change is a hoax to believing that vaccinations cause autism, many are willing to reject outright even a solid scientific consensus. And though it may be somewhat amusing to hear COVID-19 being blamed on 5G networks, chemtrails or Bill Gates's insatiable greed, the amusement stops when bad thinking leads to bad acting, such as the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol. Nadler and Shapiro argue that the best antidotes for such bad thinking and acting are the insights and practical skills of philosophy. Their engaging tour through the basic principles of logic, argument, evidence and probability can make anyone a more reasonable and responsible citizen. They also demonstrate how you can spot and avoid flawed arguments and unreliable information; determine whether evidence supports or contradicts an idea; distinguish between merely believing something and knowing it; and much more. In doing so, they reveal how epistemology (which addresses the nature of belief and knowledge) and ethics (the study of moral principles for governing behavior) can reduce bad thinking and bad acting. Ironically, it turns out that the millennia-old advice to know thyself, to aim at leading a good, rational and examined life, remains just as relevant today—that is, if you personally desire to overcome the current version of our seemingly endless human predicament.MLF ORGANIZERGeorge HammondNOTESMLF: HumanitiesSPEAKERSSteven NadlerWilliam H. Hay II Professor of Philosophy, University of Wisconsin–Madison; Director, Institute for Research in the Humanities; Co-Author, When Bad Thinking Happens to Good PeopleLawrence ShapiroProfessor of Philosophy, University of Wisconsin–Madison; Co-Author, When Bad Thinking Happens to Good PeopleIn Conversation with George HammondAuthor, Conversations with SocratesIn response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. This program was recorded via video conference on September 1st, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A conservatorship, also known as a guardianship in most states, is the court-ordered assignment of the responsibility for care and the conservation of the estate of an incapacitated person to a third party. The probate court system, where these orders originate in California, has been highlighted in the media for decades for dysfunction that can provide a safe haven for predatory and parasitic attorneys.Too often, vulnerable adults under the “protection of the court” are not protected. Unscrupulous conservators and guardians protected by influential attorneys neglect and exploit the very people they claim to safeguard.The Britney Spears case exposed to the world what thousands of people nationwide each year are experiencing; the deceitful side of conservatorship.Meet four dedicated activists who are counseling victims and their loved ones, and demanding state and federal reforms to prevent abuse. They will speak about who the victims are and how estate trafficking and fraudulent adult guardianships and conservatorships occur. They will also explain important steps you can take to protect yourself or a loved one.What is needed for California and federal legislation to reform the system? Our experts will explore how the #FreeBritney movement will likely end.MLF ORGANIZERDenise MichaudNOTESMLF: GrownupsSPEAKERSRick BlackExecutive Director, CEAR (Charlotte, NC)Thomas ColemanAttorney; Executive Director and Founder, Spectrum Institute (Palm Springs, CA)Lisa MacCarleyAttorney; Founder, Bettys HopeLeanne SimmonsHuman Rights Advocate; Entertainment Industry Professional; Co-manager, @FreeBritneyLADr. Gloria DuffyPresident and CEO, The Commonwealth Club of California—ModeratorIn response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. This program was recorded via video conference on August 30th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join John Hagel III and Alison Levine as they share their fear-busting methods for combating today’s uncertainty. Digital business disruption, the emergence of epidemics, and engaging social movements are changing the world before our eyes. Our panel will share their experiences in negotiating extreme environments.Levine led the American Women’s Everest Expedition, and Hagel is engaged in rapidly changing business environments as a business strategist. They will show us how to manage risk more fully in our own lives. Their methods and experiences can inspire us to become more confident in following our own dreams to succeed.Following our program, we will have a rooftop reception and book signing.MLF ORGANIZERElizabeth CarneyNOTESMLF: Business & LeadershipSPEAKERSJohn Hagel IIIBusiness Strategist and Founder, Deloitte's Center for the Edge; Entrepreneur; Author, Journey Beyond FearAlison LevineTeam Captain, first American Women's Everest Expedition; Speaker; Author, On the EdgeElizabeth CarneyEntrepreneur; Chair, Business and Leadership Member-Led Forum, The Commonwealth Club of California—ModeratorIn response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. This program was recorded via video conference on August 26th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At a press conference following the conviction of wealthy socialite Ed Buck last month, journalist and political strategist Jasmyne Cannick said, "Ed Buck is going to pay for the crimes he committed, not just to their loved ones but to an entire community of Black men here."Buck was once well regarded in the West Hollywood LGBTQ community and a prominent Democratic Party fundraiser. But his conviction on nine charges, including involvement in the deaths of Gemmel Moore and Timothy Dean, maintaining a drug den, distributing methamphetamines and solicitation of prostitutes, ended that. It's a sordid story that might never have come to light—or to court—without the persistence of journalists such as Cannick to bring justice to the victims.Join us for an exclusive talk with Cannick.About the SpeakerJasmyne Cannick founded Justice for Gemmel and All of Ed Buck’s Victims to extend her advocacy for the survivors and victims of Ed Buck beyond her journalism, leveraging both her political acumen and her community relationships.She is the co-founder of My Hood Votes along with Compton rapper Eric “Eazy-E” Wright’s son Lil E, a voter registration initiative focused on Los Angeles County’s roughest neighborhoods. Cannick is a proud co-founder of the National Black Justice Coalition, the nation’s largest and oldest Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender civil rights organization. She is a former co-chair of the National Stonewall Democrats Black Caucus. She currently sits on the board of the Los Angeles African American Women’s Political Action Committee and the Black Alliance for Justice Immigration (BAJI) Political Action Committee. In 2020, she won a seat on the Los Angeles County Democratic Party's County Central Committee, representing the 53rd Assembly District.SPEAKERSJasmyne CannickJournalist; Political StrategistMichelle MeowProducer and Host, "The Michelle Meow Show," KBCW and Podcast; Member, Commonwealth Club Board of Governors; Twitter @msmichellemeow—Co-HostJohn ZippererProducer and Host, Week to Week Political Roundtable; Vice President of Media & Editorial, The Commonwealth Club—Co-HostIn response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. This program was recorded via video conference on August 26th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us to discover how astronomer Vera Rubin's persistence, after her work was initially dismissed, finally convinced the scientific community that dark matter might exist. It is now taken for granted that the universe is mostly dark, made up of particles that are undetectable even by our most powerful telescopes. This discovery of the possible existence of dark matter signaled a Copernican-like revolution in astronomy: not only are we no longer the center of the universe, but even the stuff we’re made of appears to be insignificant. By showing that some astronomical objects seem to exaggerate gravity’s grip, Rubin played a pivotal role in this discovery.Yeager tells the story of Rubin’s childhood fascination with stars, and her scientific education at Vassar and Cornell. She became a rarity, a woman in science, and her findings were equally incredible to her colleagues. Since some observatories still restricted women from using their large telescopes, Rubin was unable to collect her own data until a decade after she had earned her Ph.D. But in 1993 she received the National Medal of Science for her groundbreaking work. She’s also been memorialized with a ridge on Mars, an asteroid, a galaxy, and most recently the Vera C. Rubin Observatory—the first national observatory named after a woman.MLF ORGANIZERGeorge HammondNOTESMLF: HumanitiesAshley Jean YeagerAssociate News Editor, Science News; Author, Bright Galaxies, Dark Matter, and Beyond: The Life of Astronomer Vera RubinIn Conversation with George HammondAuthor, Conversations With SocratesIn response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. This program was recorded via video conference on August 26th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paralyzed by indecision? Sukhinder Singh Cassidy’s debut book Choose Possibility: Take Risks and Thrive (Even When You Fail) is a new view on risk, proposing that we take rather than avoid risk and enjoy the opportunities that come along with it. In it, the Silicon Valley mogul makes easy math of the choices that we make each day that can put us on the path to success. She argues that it is not one big decision that cements our future, but the million small ones that open up doors, enabling us to see success through. With not one but three successful companies under her belt, Cassidy maintains that she is no stranger to mistakes. But in the face of pitfalls and misfires, what has set her apart and launched her success is her ability to adapt, overcome and grow from such setbacks.At INFORUM Sukhinder Singh Cassidy will crunch the numbers of risk, reveal the “seven myths of success”, all while guiding us on how to take the first step and all the ones that follow—making risk synonymous with opportunity rather than fear.SPEAKERSSukhinder Singh CassidyFounder & Chairman, theBoardlist; Board Member, Upstart; Author, Choose Possibility: How to Master Risk and ThriveSuzanne St. John-CraneCEO, American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley—ModeratorIn response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. This program was recorded via video conference on August 25th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In November 2018, Paradise, California suffered through the nation's deadliest wildfire in a century. The Camp Fire leveled the mountain town, killing 85 people and destroying more than 18,000 structures. At the time, reporter Lizzie Johnson was a staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Her definitive firsthand accounts of the fire and its wreckage helped tell the vivid story of this massive disaster.Three years later, Johnson's new book, Paradise: One Town's Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire, provides a detailed overview of the fire that destroyed Paradise, examines what went wrong and suggests ways to avert future tragedies as the climate crisis unfolds and California's drought worsens. Drawing on years of on-the-ground reporting and reams of public records, including 911 calls and testimony from a grand jury investigation, Johnson provides a minute-by-minute account of the Camp Fire, following residents and first responders as they fight to save themselves and their town.As California enters what is usually the toughest part of its fire season during a historically dry year, please join us in a timely look back at the tragedy of Paradise, California, what is being done to bring that city back, and what we all need to be aware of regarding the increasing dangers from wildfires in our "new normal."SPEAKERSLizzie JohnsonStaff Writer, The Washington Post; Author, Paradise: One Town's Struggle to Survive An American WildfireIn Conversation with Elizabeth WeilReporter, ProPublicaIn response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. This program was recorded via video conference on August 24th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This special family event will feature a multigenerational panel of adult civic leaders and educators talking together with their children about practices and opportunities for engaging young people in civic life. Increasingly, youth have been speaking up about the importance of having parents and teachers who model civic engagement and encourage them to get involved in their communities. But how can we get our kids involved in ways that are both meaningful and rewarding? How can families engage in civic work together? What can kids do on their own, and how do they want adults to support them?A lifetime of civic engagement begins in youth. We encourage you to watch this special program with your family.This program is presented by Creating Citizens, an education initiative of The Commonwealth Club.About the SpeakersAmber Coleman-Mortley’s passion is focused on elevating diverse voices and perspectives in the civic education space, working with students, educators and parent communities for more equitable outcomes. She holds a B.A. in African American Studies from Oberlin College and an M.A. from American University in Media Entrepreneurship. Coleman-Mortley is a former decorated college athlete, former educator and athletic coach. She covers civics, K–12 education and family life at MomOfAllCapes and on her podcast with her daughters, "Lets K12 Better." She has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Smithsonian magazine, and a variety of other broadcast, podcast and online media outlets.Suzanne Ford is a fierce activist working toward equal rights for the trans community. She is employed as a regional sales manager at Revere Packaging, being named by Plastics News as one of the Women Breaking the Mold in the Packaging Industry in 2017. Ford serves as president of the Spahr Center in Marin County and as a board member and vice president of SF Pride. She also works on the board at Trans Heartline. Ford lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her wife Beverly and son Daniel. She is available to speak to groups or employers about trans issues and her experience facing the world as a trans woman.Lateefah Simon is a nationally recognized advocate for civil rights and racial justice in Oakland and the Bay Area. She has been the president of Akonadi Foundation since 2016. That same year—driven by Oscar Grant's death—she was elected to the Bay Area Rapid Transit Board of Directors and served as its president. Since 2015, Simon also has served as a member of the Board of Trustees for the California State University, the nation's largest public university system, and state officials often turn to her for strategic advice on policy matters related to racial justice. Simon spearheaded San Francisco's first reentry anti-recidivism youth services division under then-District Attorney Kamala Harris' leadership. Simon received the MacArthur Foundation "Genius" Award in 2003, making her the youngest woman to receive the award —in recognition of her work as executive director of the Young Women's Freedom Center.SPEAKERSAmber Coleman-MortleyHost, "Let's K12 Better" PodcastSuzanne FordActivist; President, Spahr CenterLateefah SimonPresident, Akonadi FoundationKimberly EllisDirector, San Francisco Department on the Status of Women—ModeratorIn response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. This program was recorded via video conference on August 24th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listener Advisory: This episode contains some content related to a suicide. If you or someone you love is thinking about suicide, the National 24-hour Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255.This summer, the climate crisis seems to be unfolding faster than ever before — with catastrophic floods, huge wildfires, and killer heat. It’s becoming increasingly hard to mentally set climate aside as a future problem — it is here, real in our present moment. How do we grapple with the weight of these changes, and process our fear for what is coming for us, and for the next generation? And how do those emotions affect our decisions about whether or not to have children, who in many ways represent an embodied version of our hope for the future?Guests:Daniel Sherrell, Author, Warmth, Coming of Age at the End of Our WorldSeb Gould, physics teacherIrène Mathieu, pediatrician and poetVirginie Le Masson, co-director of the Centre for Gender and Disaster at University College London Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices