Zócalo Public Square

The pandemic was bad for schools. It was even worse for rural schools, which are often the centers of daily life, culture, and economy in their communities. Poor internet connections made remote learning inaccessible and downright impossible in many cases. Attendance dropped. Rural schools, which struggle to attract and keep staff even in good times, hemorrhaged teachers and administrators; staff who remained were exhausted and prone to leaving. How can rural schools and districts recover from such damage—and how can state and regional governments best support them? What sorts of changes must rural schools make to adapt to the environmental, economic, and technological threats to rural communities? And what will it take for rural education to survive the 21st century? California Collaborative for Educational Excellence assistant director of systems of support Julie Boesch, Cal Poly Humboldt executive director of initiatives Connie Stewart, and Small School Districts’ Association executive director Tim Taylo

Since the beginning of time, people have gazed up at the stars and wondered: Are we alone in the universe? Now, this question is stoking controversy as the U.S. military continues its release of videos showing “unidentified aerial phenomena”—about which former President Barack Obama admitted, “We don’t know exactly what they are.” It’s time we put together a game plan—preferably one we can all agree on—to guide us when extraterrestrial guests ultimately do arrive. What will contact with a new intelligent lifeform mean for humanity’s future? Can the close encounters Hollywood has imagined help us plot our way forward? And, is it possible that humanity will find unity in how we present ourselves to the new arrivals? Senior operations specialist Corey Gray of LIGO Hanford Observatory, ASU astrobiologist and theoretical physicist Sara Imari Walker, and Afrofuturist poet, fiction writer, and editor Sheree Renée Thomas visited Zócalo–not to discuss whether there is life out there, but to reflect upon how we should

It sometimes feels like we will never laugh again, and that levity’s moment has passed. But comedians have always grappled with difficult topics in difficult times, helping the rest of us better understand ourselves—and let off a little steam in the process. Comedians dare to go where others can’t. Satire, stand-up, and skits can take on the topics that most divide us: race, nationality, gender, religion, class. What is the relationship between dissent and comedy? Is there civic virtue in laughter? Are there any issues that it is “too soon” to joke about? Should comedians around the world draw inspiration from American humor? And can comedy break through apathy, discontent, and division in a democracy under pressure—serving as release valve, remedy, and respite? Political satirist Bassem Youssef, and playwright, actor, and performance artist Kristina Wong visited Zócalo to discuss the current comedic zeitgeist, and why the joke can be mightier than the sword. This event was streamed live from Los Angeles, CA

In the weeks preceding the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, Gov. Gavin Newsom called on California to continue to serve as a “beacon of hope” for those seeking abortions. But even within the state, geography often determines individuals’ reproductive rights—access to abortion, but also access to prenatal and pregnancy care, contraception, sex education, and institutions that support parents. In South Los Angeles, community groups and public officials have worked for years to address disparities, including maternal and infant mortality rates that have been dramatically higher for Black families. What strategies have succeeded in getting more people better reproductive care in South L.A.? And how might they inspire other people and organizations, at the community, state, and even national level, in post-Roe America? Barbara Ferrer, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Janette Robinson-Flint, executive director of Black Women for Wellness, Allegra Hill, midwife and co-o

It’s easy to pin responsibility for war on political leaders or soldiers who commit the worst atrocities, from rape and torture to bombings of civilians and ethnic cleansing. But experts note that, because of technology and other factors, modern conflicts in particular “[blur] the lines among soldiers and civilians, winners and losers.” And the injuries that accompany war—moral as well as mortal—reverberate for generations and create far-reaching ripple effects. What responsibility do citizens living in a democracy hold for a war enacted in their name? Does the burden change if they were born or immigrated after a war began? Or if they themselves served in the government, supported the government, or protested the government? Lieutenant General (ret.) Robert E. Schmidle, Jr., Air Force veteran and social worker Noël Lipana, and Farnaz Fassihi, journalist and United Nations Bureau Chief at the New York Times, visited Zócalo to discuss what it means to bear responsibility for war and its atrocities, and why th

From tax cuts and voting rights to healthcare and labor coalitions, middle- and working-class Americans frequently vote for politicians and support policies that go against their interests. The reason, argues economic and social policy scholar Heather McGhee, is racism. Prosperity and success, as the majority sees it, is a zero-sum game: Whatever benefits Black Americans, as well as immigrants and other minority groups, costs white Americans. In reality, explains McGhee, the opposite is true—whether it’s draining public swimming pools after integration, disinvesting in public education, or deregulating banks. These policies have had a disproportionate effect on Black and brown communities, but they hurt middle- and working-class white people, too. How have politicians and corporations pitted Americans against one another since before the country’s founding? Why is it so difficult for groups to come together across racial lines, even in the 21st century? And how are communities, from fast food workers in Kansa

Mayoral candidates in Los Angeles love to offer plans and make promises. But in L.A., City Hall is more likely to follow than to lead. Change here has always come from Angelenos themselves, and the ways we interact with each other and cope with the accidents, disasters, and ongoing challenges that define life in L.A. Before June’s first-round mayoral election, Zócalo tunes out the politicians and asks the people: what do we want for Los Angeles, and how might we get it? What will it take to improve our diminishing quality of life, reduce the cost of living, and improve our schools? And what are people prepared to do to make Los Angeles more just, safe, healthy, beautiful, and equitable? USC political scientist Ange-Marie Hancock Alfaro, Green Qween co-founder and CEO Taylor Bazley, and CSUN government and community relations assistant vice president Rafael de la Rosa visit Zócalo to imagine what an L.A. of the people, by the people, for the people could look like. This event was streamed live from Los Angele

Direct democracy is supposed to be a people’s process, allowing everyday citizens to enact their own ideas for laws or constitutional amendments. But does California’s system live up to that promise? Qualifying a measure for the ballot costs so many millions of dollars that only the richest people and interests can bring their proposals forward. Elected and appointed officials have considerable sway over the process, and routinely use it for their own aims. And voters have little information, and few opportunities to deliberate, as they make decisions about complicated proposals that, once approved, are very difficult to fix or change. How should recall and ballot initiatives change, and what reforms does the state seem likely to enact? California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, Public Policy Institute of California president Mark Baldassare, and Initiative & Referendum Institute president John Matsusaka, author of Let the People Rule, visit Zócalo to explore what it would take to bring more democracy into

Food, art, culture, weather, beaches, mountains—and people, from all over the world and with a broad range of talents and dreams—make Los Angeles an amazing place to live. A homelessness and housing crisis, drought, traffic, inequality, and political dysfunction can make Los Angeles an impossible place to live. The county is home to areas with the lowest and highest rates of child poverty in the state; innovative tech companies and broadband dead zones; and some of America’s best infrastructure to support green energy as well as poor air quality and deeply entrenched, polluting industries. Los Angeles has a serious gap between its potential and its reality. How are individuals and organizations working to harness L.A.’s many resources to solve its worst problems? What would the best possible Los Angeles look like, and how can the entire city come together to create a shared vision? Gloria Gonzalez, Youth Development Coordinator at Youth Justice Coalition, and Sissy Trinh, Founder and Executive Director of th

In 1933, Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg immigrated to the United States, settling in Los Angeles; he would spend the rest of his life writing music and teaching composition at USC and UCLA. Following him, in 1940, came Russian-born composer, pianist, and conductor Stravinsky, who settled in Hollywood after making the move from France. Then, in 1942, fellow Russian-born composer, pianist, and conductor Sergei Rachmaninoff arrived in Beverly Hills. These immigrants—and others who followed them—fused L.A.’s free-spirited culture with the traditions they brought with them from their homelands. A string quartet of four Los Angeles Opera musicians—cellist Evgeny Tonkha, violist Erik Rynearson, and violinists Roberto Cani and Ana Landauer—visits Zócalo to perform the music of L.A.’s immigrant composers, from Schoenberg to contemporary Indian American composer Reena Esmail, who continues in this proud tradition today by merging the worlds of Indian and Western classical music. This event was streamed live from

Growing homelessness has fueled bitter conflicts in hundreds of neighborhoods across California. The drought is renewing generations-old local wars over water. Schools have become political and cultural battlegrounds, with parents and teachers at odds. And fights over pandemic response, from Shasta to Orange Counties, have escalated into violent threats between citizens and local officials. Why are so many Californians falling into fights with their neighbors? How much do social media and our polarized national politics contribute to local divides? And what are the best strategies to extract ourselves, and our neighbors, from intense conflicts so that we might work together to solve problems? “High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out” author Amanda Ripley, UCLA sociocultural anthropologist Kyeyoung Park, and mediator and former California Superior Court judge B. Scott Silverman visited Zócalo to discuss how we can stop contentious disputes from escalating and taking over our communities. This Zóca

California is turning away from mass incarceration. After generations of opening prisons and increasing the number of inmates inside them, the state government now plans to close a number of institutions. But many state prisons are located in struggling rural communities that depend on the jobs and health care infrastructure these facilities provide. The Newsom administration’s announcement of its intention to close the California Correctional Center in Susanville this year has sparked questions about the resulting effects on the Lassen County community. How do the economies and civic spheres of our prison towns really work? What is the relationship between these institutions and their communities? And what assistance, if any, should the state provide to towns that lose their prisons? Lassen Community College President Trevor Albertson, Parlier mayor and retired correctional officer Alma Beltran, and University of Wisconsin sociologist John M. Eason, author of Big House on the Prairie: Rise of the Rural Ghett

Survey after survey suggests Americans strongly support immigration. Yet fear dominates the politics around immigration. Elected officials and pundits routinely use the rhetoric that immigrants are threats to culture, public safety, and jobs—not only to justify restrictions on migrants’ rights, but also to divide communities and gain power at the expense of democracy itself. What makes this fear-mongering so effective, and is there any way to fight it? How have communities, organizations, and governments successfully reconciled differing views on immigration over the past few years? And could immigration inspire unity rather than conflict and crisis? National Immigration Forum president/CEO and ASU Social Transformation Lab fellow Ali Noorani, author of Crossing Borders: The Reconciliation of a Nation of Immigrants, visited Zócalo to examine how new policies, stories, and responses to immigration can be used to build a more cohesive and welcoming nation. This Zócalo event was streamed online on Thursday, Mar

To leave your birthplace behind and make a home elsewhere is to cross any number of boundaries—national and linguistic, religious and spiritual. While loss is an inevitable part of this journey, it’s not just about displacement; it is also a story of cultural change and celebration. Migrants and immigrants find new ways to balance assimilation and tradition—and to create entirely new identities. This reinvention happens at home and out in the world, and cuts across religion, food, and art. Its impact is as personal as it is global. How do people who are separated from their homelands reinvent cultural practices in their new communities? How does cultural identity change across generations and over time? Ragamala Dance artistic directors, choreographers, and principal dancers Ranee Ramaswamy and Aparna Ramaswamy, writer and Science Fiction Poetry Association president Bryan Thao Worra, and USC Institute of Armenian Studies director Shushan Karapetian visited Zócalo to discuss how they are reimagining what hom

Live from the ASU California Center: Legal scholars Jody David Armour of USC and Eugene Volokh of UCLA, attorney Jean-Paul Jassy, and Battinto L. Batts Jr., dean of the ASU Cronkite School, visit Zócalo to discuss how we might protect free expression while also protecting our society from the misuse of that freedom. Tonight’s event is moderated by Los Angeles Times editorial writer Carla Hall. Visit https://www.zocalopublicsquare.org/ to read our articles and learn about upcoming events. Follow along on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thepublicsquare Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepublicsquare/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zocalopublicsquare LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/z-calo-public-square

The struggle to limit carbon emissions often pits sustainable energy against fossil fuels. But does it have to be this way? As Kartikeya Singh writes in a new essay for Issues in Science and Technology, India’s carbon-heavy government ministries have shown a surprising ability to engineer deep change: the nation brought electricity to over half a billion citizens between 2009 and 2019, then presided over a grid where wind and solar became cheaper than power from coal. Could these ministries—which employ 20 million people—transform the country’s energy sector to be ecologically and economically sustainable? Instead of pinning all our hopes on technology, entrepreneurs, and politicians, what can the world accomplish by harnessing fossil fuel bureaucracies for the future? Center for Strategic and International Studies senior associate Kartikeya Singh visits Zócalo to ask how bureaucracies might embrace obsolescence and reinvent themselves to address today’s most urgent problems. This Zócalo/Issues in Science and

While smog in Los Angeles and wildfire smoke in San Francisco dominate headlines, California’s rural communities are also besieged by a constellation of forces that foul their air. In the San Joaquin Valley, one of the most polluted parts of the state, one in six children have asthma, and the impacts of air pollution cost the region $3 billion annually. Air quality is a statewide issue—more than half of California’s counties fail to meet federal pollution standards. But the burden isn’t evenly distributed: Black and Latino people are exposed to about 40 percent more fine particulate matter from cars, trucks, and buses than white Californians, and low-income communities about 20 percent more than their higher-income counterparts. What would it take for the more privileged parts of California to reduce air pollution that disproportionately affects low-income and rural communities around the state? What political and economic strategies have succeeded in improving air quality locally and statewide? And can peopl

It feels like it’s time for something new. Facebook and Kanye just changed their names. More than half of Americans want to change jobs, and one-third want to switch careers. Businesses are reinventing the way they operate. And social movements are trying to create new systems that are anti-racist and sustainable. Isn’t all this easier said than done? Even after confronting the challenges of the past year and a half, we are finding that our old ways are more deeply entrenched than we expected. What do we need—individually and collectively—to start new chapters and rebuild? Which rituals and practices have societies around the world used to successfully start over? And what sort of new beginning does this current moment require of all of us? Artist and co-founder executive director of Homeboy Art Academy Fabian Debora, TransLatin@ Coalition president and CEO Bamby Salcedo, and UCLA distinguished professor and psychology department chair Annette L. Stanton visited Zócalo to explore the best ways to make a fre

University of Virginia social scientist Caitlin Donahue Wylie, author of “Preparing Dinosaurs: The Work Behind the Scenes” and a new essay in “Issues in Science and Technology” on the topic, visits Zócalo to talk about the power of looking beyond Ph.D.s and publications to recognize and connect to all who contribute to scientific knowledge. Today’s Zócalo/Issues in Science and Technology event is moderated by Issues editor-in-chief Lisa Margonelli. Read more about our panelists here: https://zps.la/3cjL6OA For live captioning, please turn on the video’s caption feature. Visit https://www.zocalopublicsquare.org/ to read our articles and learn about upcoming events. Follow along on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thepublicsquare Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepublicsquare/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zocalopublicsquare LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/z-calo-public-square

Calls are growing for the dismantling of the meritocracy—educational systems and economic structures that claim to elevate individuals based on merit, but instead favor those with wealth or racial privilege. As elites turn against the very merit-based systems that elevated them, governments, corporations, schools, and other entities are extending old policies—like affirmative action—and embracing new initiatives for equity and inclusion. But as we rid our society of standardized tests, “gifted” schools and programs, and traditional corporate hierarchies, finding new methods of evaluation and promotion is proving difficult. What value, if any, do the ideas of merit and merit-based decision-making retain in this moment of reassessment? What were the origins and intentions of those who created merit-based systems for scholarships and federal employment, and how have those systems fallen short? Do today’s profound social inequalities reflect a fundamental failure of the idea of meritocracy, or a corruption of an