Past Events

American women face immense pressure to conform to unrealistic expectations. GBH Amplifies features three who have found their power and defined themselves in spaces where they can have an impact. They expect the freedom to show up authentically, feel safe, get care for their loved ones and enjoy some moments of serenity and joy.

M'Shairi McKenzi, an astrologer, poet and the co-host of Show and Tell Boston, examines how her childhood trauma affects her relationships, informs her parenting style and her view of motherhood. She'll lead a conversation with Neighborhood Birth Center's Nashira Baril and DeeDee's Cry founder Toy Burton to explore the 'mother wound,' preserving self worth, and why sometimes breaking up with your parent is the right choice.

About the Series
Join us for community conversations that amplify local voices from Boston and beyond. Recorded in front of a real cafe audience at GBH’s studio in the Boston Public Library, GBH Amplifies features a rotating cast of well-known hosts from local media, community organizations, and more.

American women face immense pressure to conform to unrealistic expectations. Meet four women who have found their power and defined themselves in spaces where they can have an impact; from the office to the stage, from the halls of government to the delivery room. They expect the freedom to show up authentically, feel safe, get care for their loved ones and enjoy some moments of serenity and joy.

Malia Lazu, Founder & CEO of The Urban Labs welcomes OB/GBH Physician Dr. Lucy Lomas, The Theater Offensive's Giselle Byrd and MassNOW's Sasha Goodfriend to discuss how, despite representing half the population, progress for women requires constant struggle. From bearing societal burdens to facing stereotypes, women are often targets. What actions can we take? How can women in Boston protect their health and peace?

About the Series
Join us for community conversations that amplify local voices from Boston and beyond. Recorded in front of a real cafe audience at GBH’s studio in the Boston Public Library, GBH Amplifies features a rotating cast of well-known hosts from local media, community organizations, and more.

Brain-computer-interface (BCI) devices are among the most promising medical innovations today. Individuals who are paralyzed or speechless due to injury or disease are able to learn to control motion and/or speech by means of a brain-computer-interface device.  This can enable significant independence.  However, brain chip devices might also be developed that would enable programs for mind control. Lukas Meier offers a comprehensive perspective –including technology, history and ethics—for ethical controls on BCI innovations.

We welcome Jamie Loftus—comedian, Emmy-nominated TV writer, and podcaster—to celebrate the paperback release of her New York Times bestseller Raw Dog: The Naked Truth About Hot Dogs. She will be joined in conversation by Tori Bedford— radio and television host and reporter at GBH News.

The GBH BPL studio will host Outspoken Saturdays, a spoken word poetry event for emerging artists. Every first Saturday of the month, the series will be created in collaboration with spoken word artist Amanda Shea. Join us!

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Honor the mother figure in your life with this evening of stories celebrating motherhood in all of its forms. More than just a night out, this storytelling event is a heartfelt tribute to moms, mentors, and caregivers—the ones who lift us up, hold us steady, and shape our lives with love. Whether you are a mother yourself or someone who has been touched by one, these powerful stories will honor the strength, sacrifice, and joy of nurturing loved ones. Through moments of resilience, laughter, and deep connection, our storytellers will remind us why motherhood—however it unfolds—is one of life’s most profound journeys. This evening is a tribute to the mothers in our lives.

At Stories from the Stage, produced by GBH WORLD, ordinary people share extraordinary experiences that you will not soon forget. You’ll hear stories of love and loss, amazing adventures, incredible surprises, and unexpected triumphs. In each taping, we get up-close and personal with storytellers about what inspires them and the craft of storytelling. Join us!


Each ticket includes: 
· A seat on the set of Stories from the Stage: Maternal Instinct
· A drink token for a refreshing glass of wine or beer (additional beverages can be purchased on-site)
· Light nibbles from our partners SamosaMan, Batter + Bloom, and Popped!
· A small potted plant from Mahoney's
· Complimentary parking

6:30pm Doors open to GBH's Atrium where light refreshments are available
7:00pm Doors open to GBH's Calderwood Studio for seating

Complimentary treats will be provided by SamosaMan, Batter + Bloom, and Popped! Small potted plants will be gifted to guests by Mahoney's.


Note all onsite purchases will be credit card only.
Event registration is required. Seating is general admission.The maximum capacity of this event is 130.
All guests must age 21 or older and have a valid ID.


This event is presented with support from our sponsor Liberty Mutual Insurance.
This event is also presented with support from our sponsor UMass Amherst.

Climate change, global disruption, and labor scarcity are forcing us to rethink the underlying principles of industrial society. How can a new generation reanimate the best ideas of our industrial forbearers and begin to build a realistic and human-centered future? Join us at the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation for a conversation with David Mindell who envisions a new form of industrialism that draws upon the first principles of the Industrial Revolution that date back to the 18th Century in his recent book 'The New Lunar Society'.

While discussing new industrialism, he will tell the story of the Lunar Society, a group of engineers, scientists, and industrialists who came together to apply the principles of the Enlightenment to industrial processes. The Lunar Society included pioneers like James Watt, Benjamin Franklin, and Josiah Wedgwood whose conversations both ignited the Industrial Revolution and shaped the founding of the United States.

Join American Experience PBS for an exclusive virtual film preview and discussion of the new documentary film "Mr. Polaroid".

Join the iconic Sasha Velour, season 9 winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race, author of "The Big Reveal", and visionary drag artist, in conversation with Giselle Byrd, Executive Director of The Theater Offensive.

Hosted at the Boston Public Library, this talk explores the transformative power of drag, and the revolutionary role of art in shaping inclusive futures.

Come hear Cuban-Spanish flautist Anabel Gil Diaz and her ensemble bring the rhythms of Latin jazz to the BPL!