Past Events

Mai Du, Founder of Wah Lum Kung Fu and Tai Chi Academy in Malden and Quincy, welcomes panelists Connie Chin, Chief Executive Officer of Global Arts Live and Myra O. Liwanag, Executive Director, Iskwelahang Pilipino (Filipino School), for a discussion about how arts and culture education combats feelings of isolation and connect new generations to their history. They will also touch on a mapping and network project underway to better connect the AANHPI community.

Be part of the community discussions, make connections, and enjoy an exciting behind-the-scenes experience while celebrating AANHPI voices!

GBH Amplifies talks are recorded in front of the cafe audience. This event features two distinct segments focused on AANHPI issues curated by GBH's AANHPI Event Planning Committee to highlight and celebrate the extraordinary voices of their community during AANHPI Heritage Month.

GBH welcomes Ben Hires, CEO of BCNC, to the host chair for this episode of GBH Amplifies, elevating local voices in the AANHPI community extending the reach of community conversations happening in neighborhoods throughout Massachusetts.

Ben moderates a discussion with Yvonne Hao, former Massachusetts Secretary of the Executive Office of Economic Development, Q.J. Shi, Senior Director of Asian Business Empowerment Council, and Amy Kridaratikorn, chef and co-owner of Sugar & Spice Restaurant. They share how the current economic conditions in the U.S. are impacting immigrants and Asian groups, how organizations like ABEC are building community and helping small business owners in our region.

 India is an emerging major power in world affairs, occupying a pivotal position between China, the United States, and the Global South. Its population size, economy, and geopolitical location ensure that it will be an influential voice in debates and political struggles over global order. What are India’s choices and opportunities for regional and global leadership? How will it maneuver between China and the United States, and what is its role as a voice of the Global South? What opportunities exist for Washington to work with India?

With WorldBoston and Sugata Bose, Former Member of Parliament in India and Professor of Oceanic History and Affairs at Harvard University. 

Carbon gets a bad rap these days, according to author and environmentalist Paul Hawken, who urges us to widen our perception and response to the climate crisis.  Too often carbon is maligned as the “driver” of climate change and blamed for the possible demise of civilization.  However, this narrative is erroneous and misleading. 

Carbon is an intriguing element; the only one that animates the entire living world.  Manifesting in coal and diamonds, it displays a host of different properties because of its ability to bond easily. One vital example is carbon-dioxide, which allows plants to photosynthesize. Though carbon comprises a tiny fraction of Earth’s composition, our planet is lifeless without it. 

Paul Hawken, veteran environmentalist and author, looks at the flow of life through the lens of carbon. Embracing a panoramic view of carbon’s omnipresence, he explores how this ubiquitous and essential element extends into every aperture of existence and shapes the entire fabric of life. Hawken charts a course across our planetary history, guiding us into the realms of plants, animals, insects, fungi, food, and farms to offer a new narrative for embracing carbon’s life-giving power and its possibilities for the future of human endeavor.

Hawken’s latest book, Carbon: The Book of Life illuminates the subtle connections between carbon and our collective human experience and suggests we see nature, carbon, and ourselves as exquisitely intertwined -inseparably connected.

GBH Music and JazzBoston celebrate International Jazz Day with Walid Zairi and Talween, showcasing original world jazz music that blends the oud and accordion. Oud player and Talween frontman Walid Zairi’s compositions are influenced by his Tunisian African roots and classical Arabic music background, with jazz elements layered in to create a fresh and energetic sound. Named after the Arabic word for "coloring," Talween features world-class Boston musicians who weave a kaleidoscope of musical colors with intense melodies, jazz and African rhythms, intricate harmonies, and bold improvisation.

“Listen my children and you shall hear of the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere.”

This talk will explore Revere’s patriotic technological service to his country, starting before his famous ride and ending long afterwards. Paul Revere pioneered new manufacturing techniques in iron casting, bronze bell and cannon making, and copperwork.

As the first American to roll copper into sheets for the young United States Navy, Revere’s innovative practices helped lead his young nation into the industrial age.

In this fireside chat, legal scholar Martha Minow, 300th Anniversary University Professor at Harvard University (and GBH Board Chair), sits down with Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden to talk about accessing reliable information in a world riddled with misinformation.

Opening remarks for this conversation will be provided by David Leonard, President, Boston Public Library and Susan Goldberg, President & CEO, GBH.

Please join us for community talks at the Boston Public Library. All are free and open to the public; limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. Please RSVP in advance for this free event.

History yields many lessons globally, and those who study it critically can fuel progress and cooperation in their communities and nations. Legal scholar Martha Minow and Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden discuss the importance of historical records, the potential for setbacks when knowledge is restricted, and what the future of access to reliable information might look like in a world riddled with unprecedented information manipulation and suppression.

With a piano performance by Miki Sawada, CEO of Gather Hear
Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 30 in A Major, Op. 109 I: Vivace ma non troppo - Adagio espressivo

Introduction by:
Susan Goldberg, President & CEO, GBH
David Leonard, President, Boston Public Library

What happens when false or misleading information runs up against the need for open civil discourse? In this lively conversation, a leading expert on AI and social networks and a champion of civil discourse will explore where their work overlaps, where it clashes, and how the media should be covering it all.

This session will feature:

• Deb Roy, Director & Principal Investigator, MIT Center for Constructive Communication 
• Rajiv Vinnakota, President, The Institute for Students & Scholars 
• Lee Hill, Executive Editor, GBH News (moderator)

Please join us for community talks at the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library. This is free and open to the public; limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of each event.

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Educating children about how they can be engaged citizens and better humans starts long before they cast their first vote. Hear from interdisciplinary education leaders who are leveraging public media as a platform to reach young audiences in transformative ways.

This session will feature:

Moderator:
Seeta Pai, VP, Children’s Media and Education

Panelists:
Lisa Guernsey, Senior Director of Education Policy, New America
Sara DeWitt, Senior Vice President & General Manager, PBS KIDS
Neema Avashia, Educator (Boston Public Schools) and Author
Merve Lapus, Vice President, Education Outreach & Engagement, Common Sense Media

Opening remarks will be provided by Alberto Vasallo III, President/CEO, El Mundo Boston and Sandra Lopez Burke, Managing Director of Community & Government Relations, GBH.

Please join us for community talks at the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library. This talk is free and open to the public; limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of each event.

Registration is encouraged for this free event.