Past Events

The Food and Drug Agency (FDA) was established in 1938 to ensure the quality of foods and medications. At the time, many medications and processed foods contained impurities and toxins that were threatening public health. When the FDA took charge of testing and guaranteeing the safety of products it represented the public interest and was funded by the taxpayer, not the pharmaceutical and food companies. That situation began to change in the 1980s when a special arrangement was initiated in which pharmaceutical companies paid fees to the FDA that were meant to expedite the testing and approval of new medications. The public is largely unaware of this partnership between the regulator (FDA) and the regulated (pharma industries). Dr. Kesselheim explains the background and the concerns about this arrangement. Photo credit: Science for the Public

Pulitzer prize-winning historian, David Hackett Fischer’s latest book AFRICAN FOUNDERS: How Enslaved People Expanded American Ideals draws on decades of research, some of it conducted in West Africa. Fischer shows that African and African Americans were agents of pluralism that drove the development of early America. He shines a light on the little-known history of how enslaved Africans and their descendants created new regional cultures and enlarged American ideas of freedom. Thus, slaves actually helped shape the early American republic; Fischer’s work will transform our understanding of the influential role slaves played in America’s origins ranging from their impact on music to linguistics, from farming techniques to ethical principles. David Hackett Fischer is a University Professor and Warren Professor of History emeritus at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He is the author of numerous books, including the 2005 Pulitzer Prize winner Washington’s Crossing and Champlain’s Dream. In 2015, he received the Pritzker Literature Award for Lifetime Achievement in Military Writing. He wil be in conversation with Johanna Li, Associate Editor at Simon and Schuster.

Norsemen/Viking seafarers navigated unpredictable waters to create colonies in remote lands. Dr. Bolender explains how archaeologists locate and reconstruct the far-flung settlements in Greenland, Iceland and elsewhere. The ancient ruins suggest how the Norsemen/Vikings adapted to new territories and transformed the environment in ways still felt today. Dr Bolender discusses the known settlements and also the question of Viking settlements in North America. Dr. Bolender appeared in the BBC/PBS Nova documentary, Vikings Unearthed.

What can hold more than 500 species, sequester more than 500 lbs. CO2/year, be 10F cooler than its surroundings, soak up lots of rainwater,and be made by and for children in a space no bigger than a tennis court? A "mini-forest" planted using the Miyawaki Method, of course! Biodiversity for a Livable Climate hosts Miyawaki-Method advocates Hannah Lewis (Bio4Climate Compendium editor) and Daan Bleichrodt (The Netherlands' Tiny Forest initiative leader), as they talk about mini-/tiny-forests and their role in climate resilience, urban beautification, and connecting all of us to nature. Dave Morimoto, Professor of Biology and Chair of Natural Science and Mathematics in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Lesley University will moderate the discussion. Hannah’s new book, “Mini-Forest Revolution” will be published by Chelsea Green on June 9, 2022. ### Resources [Article from The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/13/fast-growing-mini-forests-spring-up-in-europe-to-aid-climate) [Daan Bleichrodt and Global Earth Repair Foundation](https://globalearthrepairfoundation.org/daan-bleichrodt/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=daan-bleichrodt) [Tiny Forests - Netherlands](https://www.ivn.nl/tinyforest/tiny-forest-worldwide/countries/the-netherlands) [Compendium of Scientific and Practical Findings Supporting Eco-Restoration to Address Global Warming.](https://bio4climate.org/compendium/) [The mini forest in Danehy Park - North Cambridge](https://bio4climate.org/miyawaki-forest/)

Accessibility is central to transportation. For people with disabilities and for our aging population, access is a deal-maker. While the Americans with Disability Act has been the law for decades, the MBTA and other transit agencies are making slow progress towards providing full accessibility. How is the MBTA prioritizing accessibility improvements, and what are the partnerships that are necessary to success? In addition, the advent of e-bikes have made cycling more accessible and convenient for many more people than conventional bikes. What is needed for e-bikes to realize their potential and to encourage widespread adoption. The panel for Next Stop: Mobility for all, moderated by GBH News Reporter, Bob Seay, includes Laura Brelsford, MBTA Assistant General Manager for System Wide Accessibility, Reggie Ramos, Director of Inclusive Public Transit at the Institute for Human Centered Design, and Sarah Dylan Breuer, Co-host of Bike Talk, KPFK radio. ### Resources [Accessibility at the MBTA](https://www.mbta.com/accessibility) [History of Accessibility at the T](https://www.mbta.com/accessibility/history) [Current Accessibility Initiatives](https://cdn.mbta.com/sites/default/files/2021-12/2021-12-03-swa-initiatives.pdf) [How to Get Involved](https://www.mbta.com/accessibility/get-involved) [Public Meeting on Status of Settlement Agreement](https://www.mbta.com/events/2022-06-08/public-meeting-accessibility-and-daniels-finegold-v-mbta-settlement-update) [An Act to Reduce Traffic Fatalities](https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S2273) [MBTA Bus Network Redesign](https://www.mbta.com/projects/bus-network-redesign)

How much CO2 does the much-promoted carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology actually extract from the atmosphere—and at what cost? Answer: very little extraction and at great cost with serious environmental risks. CCS keeps the fossil fuel industry going at taxpayer expense, although renewable energy and biological sequestration are available, much less expensive, and environmentally beneficial --definitely the only viable solution to the excess atmospheric CO2 crisis. This discussion provides important facts the public rarely gets.

Seaweed often gets a bad rap – maybe it just has the wrong name! Many regard it as a nuisance – slimy, smelly stuff that mars our beaches, entangles us while swimming and not good for much, except of course making sushi. But an increasing number of marine scientists, ecologists, entrepreneurs and foodies are beginning to appreciate seaweed’s remarkable properties. The benefits of seaweed are enormous and we are only starting to explore its myriad applications, from farming to pharmaceuticals, from food to packaging. Some species can take CO2 out of the atmosphere at 5 x the rate of land-based plants, and in addition to being a sustainable food source for humans and animals, it is one of the fastest growing plants. Nori provides more protein than soy, more vitamin C than orange juice and it is full of Omega 3s, iodine, zinc and magnesium – and it doesn’t require agro-chemicals, fertilizer or antibiotics! Seaweed has been called the miracle crop because it can be cultivated easily, protects the planets by trapping carbon, it provides many foodstuffs, supplies jobs and generally does good. Of course, in some parts of the world, like Ireland, farmers have been cultivating seaweed as an animal food and fertilizer for centuries. Our Forum will talk to experts around the world about why they are so excited about algae and how they became involved in this huge field of sustainable seaweed aquaculture. Please join our discussion with Dr. Stefan Kraan, a Dutch marine biologist and founder of the The Seaweed Company in Galway, Ireland who specializes in high-quality, seaweed products that he produces in Ireland, India, Morocco and the Netherlands. Sean Barrett is the founder of Dock to Dish, an expansive network of small-scale community-based fishery programs, as well as The Montauk Seaweed Supply Company in Long Island. Sean is currently pioneering a “sea to soil” movement to revive an ancient symbiotic relationship between regional gardens, farmlands and local oceans through the cultivation of macroalgae, such as sugar kelp, which he converts into fertilizer and livestock feed. Vincent Doumeizel is Senior Advisor for the UN Global Compact, Head of the Safe Seaweed Coalition and director of the food program at Lloyd’s Register Foundation. Image credit : Pexels # Resources [Article from The Guardian about Seaweed Farming in NY](https://amp.theguardian.com/environment/2021/aug/26/new-york-seaweed-farming-kelp-producers)

The pandemic also saw many roads and streets emptied of traffic, and more demand for safe outdoor spaces. Planners took a fresh look at how we used pavement, while MassDOT and the Barr Foundation provided new funding programs for cities and towns to create new outdoor dining and parks, while accelerating the buildup of dedicated lanes for buses, bikes and pedestrians. In just the last 2 years, 183 communities have created 310 projects with the Shared Streets and Spaces program, while several cities and towns have established new dedicated lanes for buses and bikes. What are the results, who wins and loses when we relocate our limited pavement, and what should we expect in the coming years? Bob Seay, GBH News Reporter, will moderate the discussion. Guest panelists are: Christian MilNeil, Editor in Chief, Streetsblog.org, Lisa Jacobson, Senior Program Officer, Mobility at Barr Foundation, Elijah Evans, Executive Director Bikes Not Bombs and Jay Monty, Transportation Planner, City of Everett.

As cultural criticism becomes more valuable than ever, marginalized writers are still routinely pushed to the sidelines and no one is more ostracized than the Black woman critic. But what happens when they manage to find the courage to write–and ultimately find success–anyway? Join award-winning Boston Globe cultural columnist Jeneé Osterheldt as she moderates a discussion among journalist Clarissa Brooks, writer, cultural critic, and community organizer, Erica Campbell, News Editor at NME, and Candace McDuffie, journalist and cultural critic, as they explore this topic in depth. ### Resources Books that inspired Clarissa: [Misogynoir](https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/misogynoir-transformed-black-womens-digital-resistance_moya-bailey/27142551/item/47825335/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw4PKTBhD8ARIsAHChzRKoOuoT1rUk2vypC1Uu6z19R7vIcZSeLWUexSs_NzNoS7hDoMDKaxYaApt5EALw_wcB#idiq=47825335&edition=58138873) - ['Glitch Feminism'](https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/glitch-feminism-a-manifesto/26138950/item/41838276/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw4PKTBhD8ARIsAHChzRKFWg5GKAzFraqNEkLWiHA6D2xUGLWLIl9cEZ42DEfrM7baCn2J_XoaAi2TEALw_wcB#isbn=1786632667&idiq=41838276) [Jia Tolentino on what happens when life is an endless performance](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jia-tolentino-on-what-happens-when-life-is-endless/id1081584611?i=1000447807714) [The Guardian: The journalist as influencer: how we sell ourselves on social media](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/oct/20/caroline-calloway-writers-journalists-social-media-influencers) [Black Criticism Is Always Good — Especially When Black Art Isn’t](https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2021/05/10463837/black-criticism-important-them-series-backlash) [NY Times: The Vitality of Black Criticism](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/07/arts/music/black-critics-pop-conference.html) [What Happens When the Line Between Hip-Hop Journalist & Online Personality Becomes Blurry?](https://www.okayplayer.com/culture/no-jumper-dj-akademiks-hip-hop-journalist-2018.html)

Russia and the United States have many areas of conflict and some possible areas of mutual interest. Arms control, Russian interference in U.S. elections and support of cyberattacks, and the fate of opposition politicians in Russia all continue to be concerning. Now, with Russia’s war in Ukraine, the relationship between Russia and the U.S. has become particularly fraught. How will the Biden administration approach these issues, and how will the U.S.-Russia relationship be affected for years to come? Join WorldBoston for a discussion of this complex topic with Dr. Alexandra Vacroux, Executive Director of the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University.