Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

The National Rifle Association is widely considered to be one of the most influential—and arguably most controversial—interest groups in America. In its infancy, the NRA operated as a nonpartisan organization for gun owners to learn firearm safety, practice marksmanship and shoot for recreation. The organization has expanded into a political powerhouse since then. Despite existing in an era where mass shootings and other gun-related deaths provoke public outcry, the NRA still manages to exert its power and consistently defeat proposals for gun restrictions.In his new book Firepower, political researcher Matthew Lacombe seeks to understand how the NRA came to be this powerful. Drawing on nearly a century of archives and records, Lacombe discovers that the NRA has fashioned a distinct pro-gun worldview among its supporters to influence their political actions and mobilize them when necessary. He says the NRA has used its large, unified and active base to secure an alliance with the Republican Party and ensure its political objectives are advanced. Lacombe sheds new light on how the NRA has grown powerful by mobilizing average Americans, and how it uses its GOP alliance to shape the national agenda and maintain political power.Join us as Matthew Lacombe discusses Firepower and reveals how the NRA has turned its once-nonpartisan membership into modern political pawns.SPEAKERSMatthew LacombeAssistant Professor of Political Science, Columbia University; Author, Firepower: How the NRA Turned Gun Owners into a Political ForceIn Conversation with John BolandPresident Emeritus, KQED Public Media; Member, Commonwealth Club Board of GovernorsIn 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 March 25th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In February 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic changed life as we know it in the United States, journalists Alexis Madrigal and Erin Kissane of The Atlantic started the COVID Tracking Project. The project was an effort to provide comprehensive data and to pressure public health agencies to publish better metrics regarding the spread of COVID-19. While the founders only anticipated that the project would last a few weeks until the government began to keep more accurate numbers, the project will officially cease collecting data on March 7, exactly one year after it started.Join Alexis Madrigal at INFORUM to learn more about how the project has functioned in the past year, the staff’s experiences working with government officials, and what lessons Madrigal has to impart as our society begins to envision a post-pandemic world.SPEAKERSAlexis MadrigalStaff Writer, The Atlantic; Founder, The COVID Tracking ProjectIn Conversation with DJ PatilPh.D., Former U.S. Chief Data Scientist; Senior Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs; Member, Commonwealth Club Board of GovernorsIn 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 March 24th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The U.S. population is aging. The number of Americans aged 65 and older will more than double over the next 40 years, reaching 80 million in 2040. The group most often needing help with basic personal care, adults ages 85 and older, will nearly quadruple between 2000 and 2040.Aging in place will be an option for many people, which means staying in the comfort of your own home, rather than moving into a retirement or long-term care facility. Most of the care provided to older adults in this country comes from families, friends and neighbors. In fact, by 2030, it is projected that half of the families in the United States will be involved in caring for an older adult.While home-based care is less expensive than institutional care, few of the 45 million family caregivers in the United States are trained or paid to provide this complex care. In California, the economic value of family care was put at $63 trillion in 2017. This vast labor force could be tapped for future success, including better health outcomes, less demand on the health-care system, and reduced costs. But optimizing the home-based caregiver system requires a systematic approach, which will be discussed by our panel of experts.MLF ORGANIZERRobert Lee KilpatrickNOTESMLF: Health & MedicineSPEAKERSTheresa (Terri) HarvathPh.D., RN, FAAN, FGSA, Professor and Senior Director for Strategic Initiatives, Family Caregiving Institute, Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, University of California, DavisSusan C. ReinhardPh.D., RN, FAAN, Senior Vice President and Director, AARP Public Policy Institute; Chief Strategist, Center to Champion Nursing in America and Family Caregiving InitiativesJonathan DavisFounder and CEO, TrualtaIn 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 March 25th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Ifeoma Ozoma and a colleague resigned from the policy team at Pinterest last year and went public with their claims of discrimination, racism and retaliation at the social media giant, they helped fuel an ongoing examination of the corporate cultures in Silicon Valley and elsewhere that often reveal racial disparities that belie companies' public statements of gender and racial equity. Ozoma found herself being "doxed" — her personal information shared online by her opponents — and unsupported by the company's executives. Now she is working on an initiative that could help employees reporting discrimination get around often-stifling NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) they have signed.Join us for a conversation with Ozoma about her initiative and the experience of herself and many others in the corporate world.Ozoma is the founder and principal of Earthseed, a consulting firm advising individuals, organizations and companies on the issues of tech accountability, public policy, health misinformation and related communications. She is a tech policy expert with experience leading global public policy partnerships, public policy related content safety development, and U.S. federal, state and international policymaker engagement at Pinterest, Facebook, and Google.Ozoma's health misinformation initiatives have been lauded by the World Health Organization, The Washington Post’s editorial board, and The New York Times. Ozoma is on the First Draft, Inc., board of directors. She is also a member of the Brookings Institution’s Transatlantic Working Group on Disinformation and The Washington Post's Technology 202 Network.Projects Ozoma has taken on include: leading legislation with California State Senator Connie Leyva to allow every individual in California to share information about discrimination they have faced on the job, even after signing an NDA; leading research and an initiative funded by Omidyar Network that will provide tech whistleblowers with needed resources; serving as a juror on the Google News Initiative COVID-19 Vaccine Counter-Misinformation Open Fund; advising a UN agency on coronavirus vaccine messaging and vaccine misinformation management; serving on the Selection Committee of the University of Washington’s Center for an Informed Public’s Award for Excellence; and advising large nonprofit organizations on addressing misinformation and engagement with large tech platforms.NOTESNot a member? Click here to join.See more upcoming and past Michelle Meow Shows at The Commonwealth Club.SPEAKERSIfeoma OzomaFounder and Principal, EarthseedMichelle MeowProducer and Host, "The Michelle Meow Show," KBCW/KPIX 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 March 18th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is your Commonwealth Club week in review. Hear what you missed this week, and what we’ve got lined up for you next week.We’re always adding new programs - check out commonwealthclub.org/online for all of our upcoming events.If you haven’t already - please consider becoming a member of the Club. Enjoy exclusive discounts and access to special programs all while knowing your contributions directly support our many public programs and civic initiatives.Visit commonwealthclub.org/special, for special rates on memberships.Thanks for your support and as always - thanks for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Too often, people are told to be professional and maintain traditional order in workplace settings, but this often leaves employees abandoning their humanity as soon as they step into the company building. As workplaces diversify, leaders are challenged to create a safe, justice-oriented working environment that simultaneously promotes creative individuality and traditional business models.Enter Kim Scott, author of the new book Just Work, looking to transform the modern workplace. She seeks to encourage leaders to create more just workplaces and establish new norms of collaboration and respect. With experience advising at Dropbox, Qualtrics, Twitter and other tech companies, Scott shares her knowledge and power for confronting modern workplace challenges, and offers a new solution.Join us as Kim Scott reimagines workplace settings to create more just and humane company environmentsNote: This program contains EXPLICIT language.In 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 March 23rd, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For too long, Americans have treated racism as a disease of the past. Now, it’s more than obvious that symptoms of intolerance and discrimination still linger today. Many are fatigued fighting for racial equality and attempting to solve a centuries-old problem, begging the urgent question: How can we end American racism in our lifetimes?CNN anchor Don Lemon seeks an answer. In his new book This Is the Fire, Lemon examines America’s systemic flaws that prevent equality for all. As America’s only Black prime-time anchor, Lemon has achieved mass popularity from his thoughtful and nuanced takes on modern racism. In his book, he shares his vulnerable experiences growing up in the shadows of segregation and his adult confrontations with scholars and politicians alike. In doing so, Lemon offers a searing and poetic plea to America: we must resist racism every day, and we must resist it with love.Join us as Don Lemon and Valerie Jarrett, President Barack Obama’s most trusted friend and advisor, imagine a better, more equal future for all Americans.SPEAKERSDon LemonAnchor, "CNN Tonight with Don Lemon"; Author, This Is the Fire: What I Say to My Friends About Racism; Twitter @donlemonIn Conversation with Valerie JarrettFormer Senior Adviser to President Barack Obama; Twitter@ValerieJarrettn 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 March 19th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Warmer, shorter winters may sound like an impact of climate change that would inspire more joy than despair. But rising temperatures and decreasing snowpack won’t just transform water supplies and species ranges. It will also disrupt a multi-billion dollar winter sport industry, including the jobs and local economies associated with them. “If we're not able to ski or snowboard anymore,” says Mario Molina, CEO of Protect Our Winters, “the least of our concerns will be the activities that we participate in.” So how are winter sports enthusiasts and others preparing to weather the storm?Speakers:Elizabeth Burakowski, Assistant Professor, Earth Systems Research Center, University of New HampshireKit DesLauriers, National Geographic Explorer; Skimountaineer Geraldine Link, Director of Public Policy, National Ski Areas Association Mario Molina, CEO, Protect our WintersRelated Links:Protect Our WintersHigher Love: Climbing and Skiing the Seven SummitsNational Ski Areas Association Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jennifer Doudna has changed the life-science field. In 1987, she and her collaborators created CRISPR, an easy-to-use tool that can edit DNA, and opened a brave new world of medical miracles. Conversely, the invention of CRISPR raised many moral questions. With the device, scientists can now detect and destroy DNA, hypothetically making humans less susceptible to viruses, preventing depression, enhancing individual height or muscles or IQ.In his new book The Code Breaker, famed biographer Walter Isaacson follows Doudna from when she first learned what “the double helix” is all the way to her winning the 2020 Nobel Prize. Driven by a passion to understand how nature works and to turn discoveries into inventions, Doudna has become a leader in the scientific field, often wrestling with the moral issues that arise from her discovery.Join us as Walter Isaacson traces a thrilling detective tale that involves the most profound wonders of nature, from the origins of life to the future of our species.NOTESWant to attend this program for free? Join today at the Monthly Sustaining Membership level and receive a special discount code to use at check out. If you are already a member, please log in to receive your $5 general admission ticket. Discounts will automatically be applied during check out.Copies of The Code Breaker are available for purchase. Purchased books will be sent to the address provided at checkout (domestic U.S. addresses only).Part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation.This program is done in association with Wonderfest.SPEAKERSWalter IsaacsonProfessor of History, Tulane University, Former CEO, Aspen Institute, Author, The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human RaceIn Conversation with Kishore HariStrategic Partnerships, Science Communications and Engagement, Chan Zuckerberg InitiativeIn 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 March 17th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for a discussion of women in politics, paths to success, making a difference, and how female leaders are shaping the future. Meet the SpeakersMalia M. Cohen serves as a member of the California State Board of Equalization (BOE), California’s elected tax commission. She was elected to the BOE in November 2018, served as Chair in 2019, and is the first African-American woman to serve on the Board. As the BOE Board Member for District 2, she represents 10 million constituents living in all or parts of 23 counties extending from Del Norte County in the north to Santa Barbara County in the south. In January 2019, her BOE Board Member colleagues unanimously selected her to serve as Chair of the Board. A strong advocate for social justice and inclusion, Board Member Cohen pledges to ensure that the views of all who come before the Board of Equalization are considered carefully, with respect, civility, and courtesy. Fiona Ma, CPA, is California’s 34th state treasurer. She was elected on November 6, 2018 with more votes (7,825,587) than any other candidate for treasurer in the state's history. She is the first woman of color and the first female Certified Public Accountant (CPA) elected to the position. Ma was a member of the State Assembly from 2006–2012, serving as speaker pro tempore from 2010–2012. Prior to serving as speaker pro tempore, she was Assembly majority whip and built coalitions during a state budget crisis to pass groundbreaking legislation that protected public education and the environment while also expanding access to health care. Stefanie G. Roumeliotes, a native to the San Francisco Bay Area, has parlayed her passions for supporting political candidates and causes, and enhancing the welfare of others, into a highly productive career as a seasoned strategist and fundraiser in the political and non-profit arenas. Recognized nationally as a leader in her field, Stefanie has established an admirable reputation for handling each enterprise she manages with expertise and success. In 2004, Stefanie founded SGR Consulting, of which she is CEO.SPEAKERSMalia M. CohenMember, California State Board of Equalization; Former Member, San Francisco Board of SupervisorsFiona MaCPA, Treasurer, State of California; Former Member, San Francisco Board of SupervisorsStefanie G. RoumeliotesFounder and CEO, SGR Consulting; Northwestern Finance Director, Hillary Clinton 2008 Presidential CampaignMichelle MeowProducer and Host, "The Michelle Meow Show," KBCW/KPIX TV and Podcast; Member, Commonwealth Club Board of Governors—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 March 18th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices