Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

On this episode of "Insights," we explore the question, What makes you, you? First, we dig into the topic with our guests CNBC news anchor Bill Griffeth and author Paula Williams Madison, who share the surprising results they found while researching their family genetics. Madison’s story takes us on a fascinating trip around the world—from New York to Jamaica to China, while Griffeth’s story ends up uncovering a surprising family secret that one family member hoped would never be discovered. Later, we explore a different approach to what makes you you; Mindfulness, empathy and compassion. Are these characteristics something you’re born with? Or are they something we can train ourselves to achieve? Stanford business school professor Dr. Leah Weiss explores research that shows mindfulness improves all the aspects of emotional intelligence-self awareness, self management, awareness of what is going on with the people around you—and how you manage your relationships, personally and professionally. How do you integrate mindfulness into your daily routine? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the secret to success? For more than 40 years, Al Roker has been the venerable weatherman and beloved anchor on NBC’s “The Today Show.” For the first time, he looks back at his own career and shares valuable “Altruisms” to weather the storm of life. Roker’s savvy advice includes personal anecdotes and life lessons accumulated from his many years in television. Most important, Roker reflects on the keys to embracing and achieving a life of happiness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The murder of George Floyd has sparked a momentous, national wave of protests and calls for police reform. Activists across America and around the globe are now asking the same question: How can elected officials effectively respond to this moment? San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin was elected in 2019 on a platform of criminal justice reform, with the goals of ending mass incarceration and eliminating cash bail. He has responded to the social unrest by doubling down on his efforts to reduce racial disparity, as he understands that people of color are disproportionately affected by crime and police brutality. Elected during the historic 2018 midterms, Rep. Ayanna Pressley is a leader of the push for criminal justice reform in Congress. In late 2019, she introduced the People’s Justice Guarantee, a radical reimagining of the American criminal legal system that would center the conversation of reform around the voices of the people most impacted by injustice in America. Join DA Boudin and Rep. Pressley at INFORUM and The Commonwealth Club, where they will discuss police accountability, their roles in the future of police reform and this pivotal time in American culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The votes of Black Americans are being blocked by the very nation they built. Despite the fact that Black voters played a huge role in the Democrats’ 2018 success, the political power of the Black vote continues to be suppressed and subverted by policies and media coverage alike. In her new book, Say It Louder!, political analyst Tiffany Cross delivers a sweeping snapshot of American Democracy and the role that Black voices have played in its construction while also diving into the many political forces aligned to silence and undermine black voters. Cross describes the ways in which America’s composition was designed to exclude Black voters, but paradoxically would likely cease to exist without them. Pulling from her own expertise in media, histories of campaign leadership, and Black voter data, Cross describes the enduring efforts endlessly attempting to deny people of color the right to vote—a basic tenet of American democracy. Join us for timely conversation about the Black vote, the future of our nation’s politics and what to pay attention to in the upcoming November election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gerald Harris, chair of the Technology and Society Forum, will interview Ian Mitroff and Melanie Ensign. Mitroff will lay out the theory and ideals of companies performing in a socially responsible manner, and Ensign will share her experience with those ideals in the real world of firms such as Uber and Facebook. Join us for an engaging discussion about how crises are managed and what the communications challenges are with the public. MLF ORGANIZER Gerald Harris NOTES MLF: Science & Technology Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trauma can come at any time in the life span and have significant impact on one's life. Trauma comes early to those who have been abused or neglected as children or arrive in the world facing the challenges of poverty and discrimination. It may come later as people deal with the pain of broken relationships, overwhelming job stress, sexual harassment, the dangers of combat or a life-threatening or serious illness. For those who live long enough, contending with the loss of loved ones, physical frailty and impending death brings still more trauma. How does one heal from trauma whenever it comes? James S. Gordon, an authority on post-traumatic stress and an acclaimed mind–body medicine pioneer, has worked for decades with individuals and communities around the world to address the damage done by trauma. In his new book, The Transformation: Discovering Wholeness and Healing After Trauma, Gordon offers the first comprehensive, evidence-based program for reversing the biological and psychological damage from trauma and for discovering and growing through its challenges to become the people we’re meant to be. Offering eye-opening research, innovative prescriptive support and inspirational stories, The Transformation, for the first time, gives the reading public clear guidance in the methods that Gordon has developed and that he and his team at the Center for Mind-Body Medicine have used to relieve the suffering of hundreds of thousands of children and adults around the world. Come hear from one of world's leading experts on trauma and how to transform the lives of those suffering from it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for a virtual conversation with Fergus Bordewich, whose new account of the Civil War does not focus on President Lincoln's role, but instead shows how four Republican congressional leaders often led the way, pushing Lincoln to do more and even defying him at times. Thaddeus Stevens, Pitt Fessenden, Ben Wade, and the pro-slavery Clement Vallandigham, all members of the newly empowered Republican party, passed the drastic measures to defeat the Confederacy, planned Reconstruction, created the forerunner of the IRS, laid the foundation for the Federal Reserve system, passed the Pacific Railway Act to link the heartland with California, created the Land Grant Colleges Act—which laid the groundwork for public state university systems nationwide—demanded emancipation of the slaves before Lincoln was ready to consider it, and in the process laid the foundation for a strong central government. Brimming with drama and outsized characters, Congress at War is a timely reconsideration of the conflicts of power between the White House and Congress that will change the way we understand both the Civil War and our own future. MLF ORGANIZER George Hammond NOTES MLF: Humanities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this era of heightened attention to social justice, one voice is not being heard—the voice of older adults. Drawing from her book Elder Justice, Ageism, and Elder Abuse (Springer, 2019) and more than 35 years as an advocate and program developer, Lisa Nerenberg will trace the forces that have given rise to the elder justice movement. These include heightened attention to ageism, the recognition of aging and elder abuse as public health matters, and the global movement to adopt a universal convention for the rights of older people. Her "elder justice agenda" offers a vision for a more just society for older adults and people of all ages who aspire to live long and fulfilling lives. She will be joined for a Q&A by Bill Benson, a thought leader and driving force in health and aging issues for more than four decades. MLF ORGANIZER Denise Michaud NOTES MLF: Grownups Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Gergen is professor of public service and founding director of the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School, positions he has held for more than a decade. In addition, he serves as a senior political analyst for CNN and works actively with a rising generation of new leaders. In the past, he has served as a White House adviser to four U.S. presidents of both parties: Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Clinton. Professor Gergen's work as director of the Center for Public Leadership has enabled him to work closely with a new generation of younger leaders, especially social entrepreneurs, military veterans and Young Global Leaders chosen by the World Economic Forum. Through the generosity of outside donors, the Center helps to provide scholarships to more than 100 students a year, preparing them to serve as leaders for the common good. The Center also promotes scholarship at the frontiers of leadership studies. In the 1980s, he began a career in journalism. Starting with "The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour" in 1984, Gergen has been a regular commentator on public affairs for about 30 years. Twice he has been a member of election coverage teams that won Peabody awards, and he has contributed to two Emmy award-winning political analysis teams. ​A native of North Carolina, Gergen is a member of the D.C. Bar, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a member of the U.S. executive committee for the Trilateral Commission. He is an honors graduate of Yale and the Harvard Law School. Join one of America's most respected political observers for a discussion of the country's challenges and opportunities at this crucial time in history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What will it take to get the world’s major economies off fossil fuels? In late 2019, former US senator and secretary of state John Kerry, declared a World War Zero on carbon pollution. “It’s really putting the nation on a war footing to avoid the next pandemic which will be exacerbated by the climate crisis, and the way to get ahead of it is to prepare and make the decisions now,” says Kerry. “The long-term energy future of America is not going to be written in fossil fuels” The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to cut U.S. carbon emissions by 7.5% in 2020 — exactly the rate needed globally to meet the climate goals outlined in the Paris Agreement. But can other major emitters like China and Europe make plans to decarbonize at the same rate without throwing their economies over a cliff? “You really can't make any progress on climate without China making an effort,” says Justin Wu, Head of Asia-Pacific, at Bloomberg New Energy Finance. “China basically has hit some of the climate goals it announced a few years ago, including the ones that were part of the Paris agreement,” Wu explains, “but so far hasn't announced any new goals yet. So we’re still waiting to see whether it has something more ambitious in store.” Meanwhile, in December 2019 European Union announced a $1 trillion green deal aimed at transforming the 27 member economies to higher quality of life and lower carbon emissions. “In Europe we are only now catching up with China,” says Julia Poliscanova, Senior Director of Vehicles & E-mobility at the Brussels-based advocacy group Transport & Environment, “so we will see. The race is on, that’s for sure and we see Europe catching up.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices