With life programming. Please consider donating to help us continue our work. Please visit us at commonwealth club. You can find us and the description box below. Welcome to todays virtual program. I served as a supervisor in the city and county and most recently at the california director for bernie 2020 where i could work very close with sean campaigning for senator sanders. Theres not too many things more that scare me than writing a book. [laughter] and how to fight injustice. Sean will share with us a little bit about his journey and if you have a question and then reserve time at the end. And those that can order on the link that commonwealth put up but we encourage you so what the process was like theres nothing more difficult than telling your own story. We originally planned on doing this as a live event back in may with my book coming out in april. I love the bay and so many of my closest friends are there. We have five kids. We had all taken off of work and school and going to do the two were together with 30 venues around the country. I worked for almost one year writing the book. And then fighting for justice for so many people with the daily discipline that i did for the book and then writing daily every day for months on end. It was like one year of hard work. And its not the autobiography. But its really about my philosophy of change in a manifesto when 2013 when the black lives matter began as far west as hawaii and the deep south in the mississippi delta everywhere you can imagine everywhere i would go i would get one question. My book is the answer. From all political persuasions and ages come i am frustrated about injustice and Police Brutality. How do i use my life to change that . Everywhere i would go if i was speaking or walking on the streets come as recently as today i get direct messages and emails of some version of that question people being aware of what is wrong with the world but not clear what to do about it. Im trying to close the gap using your life to make change. You have to craft it and hone it and build it and make it im trying to unpack what that means in the book. Host i thought you articulated that well with that question. And talking to young people that know this is the pathway, constantly asked how do i do it . I want to make a change so every young person wants to make a difference and a positive contribution. And school doesnt necessarily teach you that. And with all that education there is never a place where people unpack here is how you change the world. And then in a lot of ways most of the institutions were not built to change the world but to maintain it. And with the favorite charities. And they werent necessarily built for change. So when you try to say i dont like the way things are and that conspires against you to do that. And for years i did the things i thought would work to make change. It is a failure of after protesting and trending topics and fully willing to be aware of our worst problems with wealth and income disparities and Health Care Crisis some estimates have it higher if you have children. Our country is willing to say i see that problem and im sorry for that problem but then do nothing about it. There is an awareness that often empower and im afraid im seeing that now even with the love and political figures in that black lives matter to us and how so as the policies are fighting for and then to say show us your board. Show us your senior staff. Thank you for your awareness. And to give some clear steps how they can fill that gap in their own lives. So if you just focus on reforming the police and how we employee people and how schools are run. That it became man easy scapegoat. And then go to mecca what you say to those that were discourage of those nominees and then the rest of the question is how do you think they can engage with and demand seat at the table . I have five children the oldest are 18 and 20. They dont think im old enough to have a 20 yearold but i was almost a kid when i started having kids. Literally being a father my entire adult life. That those that are severely disappointed for political nominees. Our last preference of every major candidate. They literally preferred nine other people over him. They are learning a hard lesson very quickly that me and you learned a long time ago its hard to vote somebody that you are crazy about. And when you do get to vote for somebody that looks like you or comes from your community are actually shares your political philosophy, you have to fight for the moment. Im 40. For most of my adult life, i have never been enthusiastic and those voting for the first time i know if it is pragmatic but there is disappointment with the availability of candidates and politics there are some including bernie that ignited the imaginations with what could be. If you have a candidate who seems not to have an imagination are hopeful or how things could happen it is disappointing but you cant check out of the democracy. In previous president ial elections like lesser of two evils. I dont think they are comparable nobody has been a better bigger critic than me. I dont think id be welcome into the biden white house. It is one of the first times that i am going to be voting to oust a candidates versus voting for a candidate that i really am excited about. And so, it is difficult. But it is a part of american democracy. Comment jane we were really close, obviously bernie one california. And we all, me and so many volunteers and staffers worked our hearts out. If he is able after such a disappointing loss. And he gave more to this race than anybody from his own life and his own time, if he is able to pivot, i feel in some ways i know it to him to be able to find a way to pivot as well. And not get stuck in my frustration. That question came from lynn on youtube. I have to say that i never thought i would run for office. I was reading your story about you are that activists with the megaphone at the back of the pack. Hows that activists in college. I was radical i was blow by did not believe in politicians. And i was voting is a disempowering exercise because i thought it was voting between the lesser of two evils. I was never excited about anyone i was voting for. But it was only as an organizer where i got involved at the neighborhood level that i started going to my local school board meeting. In my local City Council Meeting and i started to realize that actually the most important things are elective representatives do, as they determine how to spend our dollars. We should have a seat at that table. My friends and understand what i did. But when i served on the board , i would tell my friends i look for a 10 billiondollar foundation. Im when i have one wealthy individual or family it is everyone. Because everyone paid into that fund. I we should be voting on these down ballot races. Because they are determining how to spend our money back into our community. So that budget, how much we pay teachers, Police Officers, parks, streets, and which neighborhoods we invest them in. That is a document that reflects our values and priorities. Us not just blinded numbers and dollar signs. Ive always encouraging folks to think about down ballot. If you are not excited about biotin and, look, thats the second question, start organizing for the local races. Is a lot happening, grass roots law no these Police Departments actually won by cities. Thats right. I love to hear a little bit more about grassroots. And i want to come back to the book. You know, first you said something, a few minutes ago about the goals and objectives even of the black lives Matter Movement that policing is just a fraction of what we are fighting for. And it reminded me, jane, on a first move mckay lives in california in two different occasions but i lived in Southern California twice for almost five years. When i first moved to californi california, we moved to irvine. And heres how we ended up at irvine. We had never lived in california before. And we literally googled safest cities in Southern California. And irvine that year, which i think was 2013, was actually listed as the safest city in america. When we moved out to irvine, i had been there for about three weeks and something dawned on me. I had never saw a police car. Not parked on the road, not driving on the road, we were there for four weeks, five weeks, six weeks. I was there for almost eight weeks before i saw the first police car. Now mind you, this is in americas safest city. So i literally asked a friend of mine for even then when i saw the police car was parked in the parking lot of a grocery store. And i asked my friend, is there a Police Department and irvine . He took me showed me the police to parma, showed me the jail. I was tucked behind somewhere. So here irvine is the safest city in america. But irvine is not safe. Because the police are everywhere prayed that is how they wanted to define safety for particular communities. Irvine was a safest city in america paid because everybody had not only a job but a wellpaying job. Everybody was covered with health insurance. I saw something that happened irvine was like 99 insured. Sometimes there were hospitals as beautiful as shopping malls. There were parks on every corne corner. All of these schools were well resourced. But irvine was safe for very different metrics. It wasnt safe because it was over police, it was safe because it was built to be safe. It was built and fashioned and funding that safety was just a part of the fabric of the town. It wasnt because there werent drugs and irvine. My daughter started ninth grade there, the year remove their prayed the first day she got there she came home and she was alarmed. She been homeschooled for six years. And she said kids all over the school were not only talking about drugs, they were giving drugs to each other. Selling drugs to each other. When kids got caught with drugs at irvine, their parents set them to treatment. They didnt get a rested. We were treated as if they had Substance Abuse problems. It was a function of their privilege. That instead of being arrested over and over again, kids at her school were given outpatient treatment. Sometimes they were not even suspended from school. Until all of the said new realize, no, this place was designed to be safe. From the way they do their mouth, the way they factor in safety. So it is very different. And in the black lives Matter Movement, he also mentioned budgets. That is what defunded the police is about. We are talking about defunding the police. Just to translate to those who may be watching now or who might watch it later, when we say defund the police, what we are saying is we just want to look at the police budget. Where policing is now over 50 of the citys general fund, to the tune of billions of dollars in some cities. And so we are saying, i think it is a Smart Evolution of the black lives Matter Movement to say you know what, black lives matter let me see it matter in your budget. Let me see how black lives matter on the line items that you mention, jane. And it is important for us to understand, as doctor king said that budgets are moral documents. They do, they show intention. So if you love children, show me in your budget how you love children. Whatever it is you say you love, i was a christian pastor for many years, jane. And in the bible there is a scripture that says, where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. In other words, your money shows where your heart is. And what we are saying is, a budget shows your priorities. And right now in america, budgets show that cities value mass incarceration. The value policing at all costs. You and i talked earlier, when you actually ask the people, what do you prefer, that is not really what people want to be the highest priority. They do want to be safe. There is safety all around the World Without millions and millions of Police Officers. Heres a real path to doing it. And in the grassroots law project, but we are trying to do is organize people, just as you said on the city level. Because as much as a president ial campaign and elections matter, and it does matter, 95 of all people who are arrested are arrested for their local Police Department because of local laws of policies for their process of the local District Attorneys office. And the truth is, even when we have president obama an office, there is very little that he did that trickle down to local Police Departments. And so we are organizing our policing, that is a local fight. And we are doing in the bay. There are cases that we are taking on in the bay. In cases that we are working on all around the country. We are working with the family of rhianna taylor. The family of george floored, of the mod artery. And in the bay area, sean who was shot and killed admits to protest for george floyd. Sean who was just 20 years old, the very last text he sent his sister was a petition to sign for george floyd. And police, not only did they shoot and kill sean, they have now lied about it. The District Attorney has recused herself. And was saying listen, there still has to be justice. And i wish the case could be tried in San Francisco. Sean lived in San Francisco for a big chunk of his life. And i think we could actually get some measure of justice if the case could be moved there. But we will wait and see. For audience members no, Sean Montrose is a San Francisco college San Francisco student was shot and killed by the Police Department in june. Through the windshield. They shot him through the windshield for it he was kneeling on the ground hands up. Through their windshield they did not in get out of the car. They said he but they claim he had a gun. But it turned out he had a hammer in his pocket. And they did not even give him a shot. This 22yearold never saw the next day. And i cant imagine anything more heartbreaking. But i will say, the city council is a small elected body. This is a body we can influence. It is more moderate but they need to hear from us. These local City Council Meetings are not sexy, they are tedious. Its were were in turn change happens. Its where it happens is you go and the website to learn about how to engage. Because of the very local level we can make that difference. And people running right now for city council. Candidates are running. So we have to hold folks accountable right now while they are running for office. We had the Mayors Office open open, the incumbent mayor not running for reelection, this is the time to really step up in that case. And sean, i want us to go back to the book. You talked about this in your first response. Just how there is no natural pathway for folks to make change. There are no entrylevel job. You get hired here in salute make your way up, right . I think often when i talk to young people obviously they hear about my accomplishments, right . Resume, social media i think that can be very intimidating for folks that are starting on the journey. But what doesnt get talked about as much, is the path to getting there. I always talk about how when i first graduated college with my american studies and political to science degree, i was really depressed. I did not know what to do. I knew i wanted to make a difference. But i was really lost. You feel the passion, you see the injustice. And you want to fight but you dont exactly know where or how to start. And i dont think you talk enough about that. You talk about that in your book. The losses and the disappointments. And also just like depression. That many of us go through. I think when young people go through that they think they are the only ones. They say people iq on social media and theyre like oh, i could never be shaun im so depressed about where i am. I dont have the answers, right . Or what you say to young folks, actually they dont have to be young. [laughter] know anybody. Folks who are struggling to assert themselves to be that leader i think everyone is struggling right now, jane, you know First Lady Michelle Obama did a recent episode on her podcast where she said she thought she was fighting through depression. She talked about how it was kind of it was environmental depression. She said the death of george floyd, ahmau brown and taylor, ahmaud arbery. Its a anyone had had herds her say that. There was an expectation, here she is one of the most famous women in the world with access of power, and wealth. And this moment is still overwhelming her. And it is hard. I have delivered nearly 50 different eulogies for families just over the past few months who lost their loved ones to the coronavirus. In my own neighborhood where live in brooklyn i am in my basement in brooklyn right now. We have people who died on the block to the left of us, to the right of us, behind us. Weve had businesses close all around here. And said this is a very, very painful year. It is a painful year for our country. Even if you removed the pandemic would be hard. He put the pandemic on top of all of it, so i understand how hard it is. How hard it feels. You know jane, i tell the story in my book about most of what i have fought for in my life as an organizer, i have lost or faile failed. Most of the candidates i have fought for have not one. Most of the families i fought justice for his nine get it. What still wakes me up in the morning, is really two things. One, every new day a new family comes to me. And they are not exhausted. They just now experience some type of injustice. In this country, American Police killed three or four people a day. And every day, almost everyday one of those families comes to me, and even though i may be overwhelmed with all of the struggles and challenges of fighting for justice, they are still grasping for straws. And they still need somebody to fight for them. It cant always be me. Has to people locally, people in the bay, has to be people in new york or in atlanta. Or in the deep south fighting for ahmaud arbery. And so some of it is, the because we are fighting for is still here. And still calling on us and needing us. But the flip of that is also true. The cause of injustice is going to continue. Not just with Police Brutality. They are layers and layers of injustice in america. We could unpack it from many different angles. Sometimes when you are feeling down, you dont have to pretend you dont feel that way. Sometimes you need to take a break. I have a therapist, jane, we have a family therapist. There are Free Services that provide counseling as well. If you are privileged enough to have health insurance, it often covers therapy as well. You know, there are lots of things we have to do to fight through the feelings of despair. And lastly, i have had enough of victories there are families we fought for the did get justice. Just less than two months ago. Our team at the grassroots project fought for a law called breonnas law that banned no knock warrants. And it passed unanimously in louisville. It is the most strict no knock warrant ban in the country. And nobody in louisville will ever die the way Breonna Taylor died. And again our team had a big part in that. Again that is a local law. We worked with the city counselors who wrote it and crafted it. And we walked that thing all the way through. So when you have those victories. You have to celebrate them. You have to hold onto them and cherish them. But sometimes you know as an organizer, even most of the time as an organizer, you wont always get which you are fighting for. Sometimes you get closer sometimes you move the needle. But you dont always get what you are fighting for. But it is worth the fight. And part of what i have had to also communicate, to organizers instead of saying young organizers i would think of them as new organizers. Because you may be any age. But you are new to being an organizer or an activist. Sometimes what you do is loosen the lid on the jar. You dont even get it all the way off. But you just loosen it a little bit. And the next person may loosen it a little bit more. And sometimes i just know that even my own efforts are just a small part of a bigger story. And i just want people to know , particularly people who are advancing systemic oppression, racism or bigotry. I just dont want them to think they can get away with it in silence. That we are going to say nothing or do nothing. Even if i know i cant change an issue, i want to make sure that people who advance a bigotry and ugliness in this country they at least see us fighting back every chance we get five rundown six elections. Ive 13 and ive lost three. And like you, i have campaign for a lot of folks that havent one. Although we are proud we campaign together, for the District Attorney. And that we have him now is a criminal justice leader here in the city. But i was really moved by something that actually my meditation teacher has taught me. Or has said to me which was that we cant ever move if you give up the next thing youre fighting. Its not just resistance. It is persistence. Right . The persistence can never stop. And even if i lose this battle, if i get up the next day to continue fighting i have not lost. And that is part of that work. We have just got to keep getting up the next day. Theyre going to be a lot of losses. I think people always ask me, why did you want to go into Public Service . And i always say that is a really easy question to answer. I mean who doesnt want to make a positive change for their community . Much more difficult question to answer is why continuing to do this work . It is so disappointing. It is so difficult. It is demoralizing. And the one thing i have had to learn to share with and this is one thing that nancy on youtube asked us ive had to learn to sit with pain and to cry on a regular basis. And no that is part of what keeps me going every day. Not lose touch with those emotions. And nancy asked how you maintained your commitment, energy and motivation. Think we talked a little bit about that. I also want to expand on that. Because someone in your position, i think a lot of leaders is 300 different directions. Everyone is asking for something. Everyone wants a peace of you. Your mensa generosity in the moment that is very hard to do. A lot of folks in your position, you know it is hard. And how do you maintain that . I think it has a lot to do with even how not how i was amazed at the arc of my life. Before i was an activist, and organizer. I had had a lot of rules that required me to it be very present. I was high school, history and civics teacher. When you are a schoolteacher you are just on. There is no off switch. You have to be present and you have to be committed. For over three years after i left that position, i taught for three years in atlantas jails and prisons. At 13 different jails and prisons all over atlanta fulltime. And that was a position again, where i had to be, uber present and committed. And look at young people in the eye. And they had to, forgive my language, thinking i will censor myself. They can say bs from a mile away. These are young people have been lied to and mistreated. I do be fully present and fully myself. And i was a pastor for almost 15 years. And as a pastor, i led families through their hardest days. And sometimes their worst moments of loss, of death. And i was there for high moments of birth, marriage, and things like that as well. But a huge part of what i did as a pastor, was to just be a witness and be present with people when they had experienced tremendous loss. And so now, as a travel as an organizer, as a leader, a lien on a lot of that history of just being there. A being present normally until the last person leaves. Before the pandemic i would shake every hand, take every photo. Some of it was i knew that for a lot of people, this might be the last time i would ever meet them or see you then. Even not to be morbid but, even in my own life i know that tomorrow is not promised, even with the safety risk in things i face on a daily basis. And so wherever i would go, i would always try to treat, like if that was the last place i spoke i wanted people to have had a good experience where they learn to something and had a real human encounter with somebody they knew cared about them. But there are a lot of things i do. I have a whole chapter in the book. It is the nexttolast chapter that is about selfcare. And that is a buzzword anyway. I talk about some of the strategies i have for selfcare, for healthy boundaries, and i say that as somebody, it has taken me pretty much all 40 years of my life to start developing a lot of those systems. I wasnt born with healthy habits. I did not even have them for most of my 20s or even to my 30s. I hit a wall several times as an organizer. I dont mean like physically hitting a wall many times in my life as a leader and organizer. But i have hit a wall were i was completely exhausted or depleted, or discouraged. And in those moments, i am also grateful that i have people who love me, to care for me, to look out for me. Even if you dont have a close family or friends unit, you have to know when to unplug. And i have had to say this to activists everywhere. This feeling that the world or the cause can to do without you for a day or a week or a month, its an exaggerated sense of selfimportance. There is no cause in the world that is going to crumble if we are not there for a few days or a few weeks. Sadly, injustices going to go on. In any problem that was there is still going to be there when you take some time to care for yourself and return. And this sounds cliche, but doing good work is very much a marathon. And so i turned my phone off at night for instance. Late at night, when i go upstairs tonight, it is almost 10 00 p. M. Here on the east coast. When i go upstairs, i will cut my phone all the way off. And if anyone, theres an emergency somebody will have to call my wife or somebody else. I dont look at the news, i dont watch the news and bed. I try to create disconnect so i can try to turn my mind off. And try to get rest. Rest is a huge part of it as well. I try not to look at i try not to work late into the night. I have cut off points that allow me to it have boundaries. I dont work and eat at the same time when ie, i just eat. Ie and talk. I. E. In enjoy the food. I might need and look at something fun. But i tried to give myself Little Pockets of respite throughout the day that allow me to it be smacked think a lot of times those in Public Service are selfless martyr. What ive often seen, we are about the same age, you know, not a lot of folks that i organize with in my 20s are still around now that im in my 40s. Host same. Guest that boundaries important prey theres obviously things i used to make fun of. Eating well, no got, i did not understand yoga or meditation. Now every year i do seven day silent meditation retreat. Because you have to print you can take the time off. It was scary the first time i did it. How can i do this for seven days, will people survive without me . And they do. They damn sure do. The world moves on around you. Select the world is moving on without you. And you know, more importantly us to want to be there. The long term i am in it for the longterm. I made a commitment even with my family, my wife and kids, many of my heroes, im grateful that i am friends with the children of doctor king. Of malcolm x and others. These are women, women and men whose dads died at age 39 or 40. And i have done a lot of things that i never say out loud to even keep myself safe. I have made promises to both my wife and kids that i would try to be here for as long as possible. And that may sound strange to people. But a lot of great leaders, even if they are not killed, they burn out in so many ways. And sometimes the work wears them down. They can create incredibly unhealthy habits and other things. I try my best to be as healthy, as stable as i can. I want to be here too. And that requires me to it say no. That is a Learned Behavior as well. I think for a lot of my young organizing life i said yes to everything. And allow myself to overcommit in ways that i could not deliver to people even if i wanted to. I said yes too much. Now i still want to help as many people as possible. I just have to exercise wisdom in doing that work. Stuart you still say yes a lot. I will say, a woman who has become like a coach or mentor to me, told me just remember every time you say yes, you are saying no to something else. Oh yeah for sure. Stuart if its hard for you to say no, yes is often something else. Saying yes to one thing is no to something else. Standing up and, this comes up a lot in your book. It is hard, right . And actually we were talking about budgets and how we invest our dollars. When we have a job, moved by house, all of those monies goes into this pool. And i remembered 2015, the doctor Michael Brown and eric garner, one of my colleagues introduced a resolution to three hitter more Police Officers. Now here in San Francisco each Police Officer is roughly about 170,000. Head. Thats training in for all the time. And i remember coming out to oppose it. I was really scared that day. Because i knew i would get a lot of backlash from the constituents i represent. The real question is what is it take to make our city safe . So if we are talking about is 171,000, as an elected should be easy for me to it to commit to three under Police Officers. I know i can do that. But can i promise to make the city saver . That is a much more difficult commitment to make as an elective. I remember asking the question, what if we invested in 300 of her most at risk families and gave them 171,000, what are said to be safer . Of course after that i actually ran 2016 he put out mailers about how i dont believe in the Police Actually said the police dont prevent crime. Afterschool programs prevent crime. There are other things we can invest in. And so we feel the force of that, becomes difficult to stand up, right . And i know you have been posting recently about Death Threats. Not just against you wishes would think. But your family too. Yeah, from officers in california actually. On facebook crazy. How do you, how do you continue to stand up . In the face of all of the challenges and the fear mongering, that hates, that is thrown at you. While it is discouraging. First i just want to be honest about it. I get Death Threats almost every day. Normally they are anonymous. Normally they seemed like there not real but designed to intimidate and frighten my family. This last incident though, was a current officers and former retired officers that were in a Facebook Group for Police Officers in california. Who were using their real names, their real identity and were plotting on how they were going to cause harm to me and my family. And they were talking about it openly. They werent joking they are dead serious. They were asking each other the email for steps and directions. When somebody in that group, an officer in the group was so alarmed that they told a friend who they knew me. And that person reached out to me to it tell me that. And normally i am pretty unflappable when i see these things. But when i saw the screenshots i realized no i think they actually mean this. And i was in a weird position. Because who do you call when youre being threatened by the police . You cant call the police. It put me in a position that i felt like i did not necessarily have anywhere to go. So i felt like i needed to share publicly. In my family was deeply discouraged. Right now, jane, we have security at our house. And i have some level of safety and security in that sense. But it is very frustrating, fighting for change, fighting for justice, fighting for people then puts me and my family and others in harms way. Now ive said this, my wife of my mother or show of my biggest supporters. But both of them have asked me several times, shaun, could you find anything else to do . My wife jokes she was made to either to go back to being a teacher, some reason she asks me if i want to be a mailman. I dont know why she chooses mailman as a profession but she just wants me to it do anything other than what i am doing. I feel a sense of guilt that i dont pivot and stop. Because it puts my family in harms way. And so, the work can be heavy. And i just dont want to deny that. Thankfully i am surrounded with coworkers and colleagues, friends, families i fight for and fight with. Im very close with them. And all of them help keep me encouraged through it. Ultimately, even as a father. From middle school high school, college, i am even a lot of the fighting that i do in standing up that i do, i do with the hope that i can change and Impact Society for them. And so some of the work i do, i dont fuse him as a scapegoat to say hey im just doing it for them. But i am hoping i can make this country a better, safer, more equitable place for them and for families all around the country. So speaking of social media , jack on youtube asked, do you think social media has been more helpful or harmful and organizing what about politics in general . I talk about a lot in the book from cover to cover. I think that jack back i love that use the book to talk about social media. [laughter] i think people who read the book will be super surprised because people know me as somebody who uses social media as a tool. But i have seen the shortcomings of it. Does a couple of things well. It allows people who otherwise may never know each other, who share similar affinities to then find each other in a way that otherwise might not be able to happen. In 1999 a Student Government president. We were organizing for a younger brother who would been killed by the nypd. But we couldnt find any bus who cared. We were struggling. There was no facebook. Still like you had to put up flyers and hope that somebody saw the flyers and came to the interest meeting. And it was hard. And so social media has changed that. Social media is not just a place for people of good affinities to find one another. Social media also allows people who are hateful. Who are bigots, who are xena foams, misogynistic. It allows all of them to find one another and support one another as well. So it can be a tool for good, i dont think you ever would have had President Donald Trump without social media. I dont think any expert in the world. Stu and i agree with that. There is no path him ever being present without twitter. I agree. Guest so in some ways he is twitters frankenstein. He is the monster that social media created. And yet here we are, also using social media to fight back against injustice. To rally each other, to connect with one another. So it is not evil. And it is certainly not all good. But what i see is, those who want to use it for evil, for good, it just depends on how much effort you are going to put into it. What this is, even try to say this in the book, some people who are fighting for the worst things just use these tools really, really well. And the good news of that is, we can find ways to use these tools in ways that matter as well. We cant always think that it is just destiny, or the way things are. Anything that can be used to advance a horrible agenda, we can use those same tools to advance our dreams. Our goals. Enter organize one another in ways that matter. You know, just as social media created president trump, social media created black lives matter. Im always struck by this history in learning about the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights act of 1964 and the Immigration Rights act of 1965. So we were very good people that fought for that. Good electives we want to pass those acts because they are the right thing. But actually, the lesserknown part of that history was the backdrop was more. And how the u. S. And the ussr were fighting in the hearts and minds of asians and Latin Americans. One of the things that really supported the ussr and communism with the quote unquote third world countries was invention of the television. It is when booktv came that for the first time, asians, africans, Latin Americans saw white americans during peaceful blackandwhite protesters. And the ussr, like asia and latin america said why would you want to be like the americans . Their racist capitalists. And actually countries in america, started closing their markets the u. S. Companies. And it is when that started to happen, that congress realized they had an issue. And if you read the congressional records, yes there are good people fighting for, it was also people motivated by u. S. Companies having access to his many markets as possible that push these. Because america did not want to lose the cold war to communism. Right . And knowing that history that booktv helps kind of accelerate the civil rights movement, the same way as the cell phone help to accelerate black lives Matter Police brutality had been happening for centuries. Technology has changed those things and impacted those things in a major way. Yeah. And so i know that i am here because the civil rights movement. My parents came because the 1965 immigration act. We would not be here if not for the body of black, largely black and White Civil Rights Movement protesters that fought. And so i am a product of the civil rights movement. It even being able to now, its crazy as a daughter of immigrants, woman of color i get to run for office now. That is crazy, right . But it is so important to understand this lineage. I see that we have eight minutes remaining. And i kinda want to get there as many of these questions. There are a number of questions. Try to get as many questions and as we can. A lot of questions today about bidens pick for Vice President britt a lot of folks want to know how you feel about buys president harris . How folks come especially those in the movement at least for black lives who are not actively supporting biden and harris and say it is a step back. How do they participate . What you think of todays selection. Into what is your advice for young people who feel this is a step back . Guest i understand that first offered i am sympathetic with that perspective joe biden seemed to have narrowed his possible candidate list down to a few candidates. The finalist i saw just before we got on, made me think that harris was actually perhaps the best person on that shortlist. And so for everybody who is disappointed in it, it is not a big encouraging thing to say will listen, it couldve been Gretchen Whitmer who is the governor of michigan. Who i have an active problem with. There are so many problems she has with her justice record as well. It couldve been susan rice who has no overt elected experience. And has a deeply problematic record in international affairs. There is a part of me that looks at harrison says i dont know maybe she was actually the best of his finalist. And i have said this publicly many times. I have major beef with harris record as District Attorney of San Francisco. I said i would give it a b and may be. Ive examined that record. Now i also say, that you have to look at her record as d. A. And not judge it through a 2020 len lens. Almost no prosecutors were doing the brave work that we see codeine doing today and 2020 part almost nobody was doing that in 2005 when she was District Attorney. And so i dont judge her through a 2020 rubric. But what i have seen since she left office as d. A. Even as she left office as attorney general, every year shes gotten better and better on issues of justice reform. Now, that may be a bitter pill for people to swallow. I dont know her. I dont know her team. I say it as independent of a thinker as i can be, i heard her this year say that we should and qualified immunity. I heard her meka set on social media earlier tonight, jane, that i dont think anybody in the u. S. Senate has said smarter things about the black lives Matter Movement and Police Reform this summer, over these past three or four months. Very frankly its been somebody has been Super Critical of her for years. I was really, really surprised at how sharp and sincere and refined her policies were. Way more than joe biden. And her policies and ideas were better than almost any elected official i saw. And so people who dont want to give her another chance or think they wished it was karen bass or lee or someone else from california it was more progressive, i get it. That is what i hoped as well. It is what most of us who are super progressive would have preferred. Still though, i think she is policy wise significantly better than almost anybody in the United States senate, outside perhaps of a birdie may be. And on some issues, she is super sharp. Im going to give her a chance. But im also still going to be a critic. I am not going to stop critiquing her on issues related to palestine. Her issues related to medicare for all. I dont even know that i will be endorsing her or joe biden. I will be critiquing i will be voting against. And yet i understand people who take either side on that issue. Something ive decided that you talked about earlier which is if youre not excited about the president ial race, go vote. Getting at the ground ballot level paired find out whos running for school board. Find out whos running for local school board. Whos running pure Public Transit agency board. Also this is where we are building the pipeline for the next bernie sanders, aoc and omar. A lot of folks theres a huge exception. So strum actually for that matter. But many folks start at the very local level. In this work is going to be the work. For those in the bay area, we have open city council, there are three young latin Affordable Housing advocates. Alicia crater, running for city council. We have to keep a sign in running, she is currently president. So get involved in those races. Build a pipeline so that you have can continue to support. And, one of my biggest concerns is that if biden wins. If biden wins which i also hope to. That we all kind of sit back. Its okay dont organize anymore. In some ways trunk, the advantages strum is we all got organize. Because we couldnt step back. And so for those of you who arent excited about biden and harris, yet the whole them accountable to the agenda we care about. Guest and if they do win, there will be a new u. S. Senator in california pray theres an opportunity for us to fight for someone brilliant and progressive that really represents the New California in that seat. And there are, jane you said it. There are brilliant people running for office all over the country. So even though i am not over the top excited about this. I am excited about people who are running for office all over the bay. All over california. Right here in new york where i am. I am not unplugging. Even as you and i campaign, you work for bernie we campaign for bernie. I am still disappointed. Im still disappointed over 2016. I dont get over those losses easily for even with that i refuse to completely unplug for it all. The moment is too important. And i would never want to look back on this time, which i think 2020 is one of the most difficult years in modern history of the world. I dont want to look back on this year end say i wish i would have been more involved. I wish i wouldve done more. I said some kind of things about their other progressives i have to say how i feel, what im thinking. We cant be so blinded sometimes by our political philosophy or worldview. I want you to have an established worldview that it causes you to miss an opportunity to see something that could be good. And so for me, i am still excited that a woman could be Vice President. Im still excited that a black woman could be Vice President. An Asian American woman. Smacked thats right. Its not nothing. And i know we often fight against identity politics alone because for us, philosophy matters. Politics matter. But it is very exciting to see a woman who comes from two immigrant parents, be able to grow and thrive and lead and be nominated for Vice President. She is also the first Vice President nominee and the democratic party. That i think ever from california. Several been a nominee for Vice President from california. So there are things to be excited about. But all of our nerves are fraye frayed. And everybody is super frustrated just in general. And it can cause you to even miss a moment that means something. And even people think its symbolic or whatever. I think the nomination matters. And i am hoping, joe biden is about as immoderate as a democrat could be. I am hoping that her policies and positions make him better and bring him. So even if people are supercharged about here. Theres still a lot theyre worth celebrating. Smacked one of the other reasons i joined bernie 2020 a year ago, was i knew bernie was a winner whether he won the nomination or not. Thought it every debate the agenda he put forth was our agenda, dominated the debate questions. Every question was on medicare for all. Eliminating city debt and free college. And as a progressive activist it was really amazing to see these questions get asked in 2020 prayed wed never thought about asking the questions in 2008. So we have to keep fighting. Whether the candidate that is that progressive or not, we can change the conditions around that candidate. And hopefully we can make biden one of the most progressive president s we have had in this country because of the condition that we put in place. In giving him that way to lead in that way. And i agree with you, someone who supported him as a democratic nomination, i did say, one of the most empowering things for me was actually watching the debates and see people, see audrey gang up on that stage. I wasnt expecting it. We at the same Debate Watch Party to see andrew on emotiona emotional. He is not my candidate. But it matters. And for me its not that i wanted it had to be a person of color woman i supported. But a woman of color has the choice, i could pick a woman. I could pick a person of color. And i picked the person identified with with my politics. The fact that it could have chosen audrey gang, or harris, said that weve got to continue to fight for that. Now we have run out of time. It is a tradition to ask all of the speakers the following question. What is your 62nd idea to change the world . Oh wow that is a great question. I didnt know that was a question or i would have prepared a perfect 62nd answer. I will start here. Changing the world begins with a decision. And that decision is you choosing the cause that you want to impact the most. And if you look, i say leaders most people think of elected officials. But when you look at the most effective leaders and they are normally not elected officials, the most effective leaders in the world have put their foot down and the very specific cause. It might be the environment. For me its Police Brutality and mass incarceration. It might be womens issues im here at my house, my wife is chosen childhood literacy. But until you decide, that i am going to use my life, my time, my skills, my network my money, this is the thing that i am going to fight for, to fight against. You will just be floating above the surface of a lot of issues. And i will close with this thought, jane. To me, the greatest evidence of the reality that you have chosen a cause to fight for, is not when you tell me what that because it is. It is if i ask your friends. If i ask your family prettify ask the people around you, hate what is her cause . What is his cause . You could tell me have chosen this or that. But when youve really chosen it, everybody around you will know. Your friends, your coworkers, your colleagues or neighbors. Because shell be fighting for with everything in you. With every ounce and every fiber of your being. So i encourage everyone who sees this now or later, live life on purpose. Choose a cause, choose an issue and just drill down deeply. The world really need specialist who will fight until they see change in that issue. Thank you shaun. I just want to say in my years of watching you, ive been incredibly struck both by your tenacity and your generosity. So thank you. And we need many, many more in this world. Make change, you can also go to amazon to purchase the book. Inc. About how we use our dollars to grow the world that we want to see. Thats just want to make sure i cover all the announcements but if you want to watch more virtual programs, please visit commonwealth. Org. I really wish we couldve done this in person. But to hear your voice in my earbuds there something so intimate also about this conversation. And so i really appreciate we have this larger and wider audience in some way that can join in. unspent think of another event after this one. Follow shawn king at chongqing on twitter and on instagram. And inform San Francisco thank you so much for having both of us. I welcome you and your family back to the bay. And the work continues, thank you all for attending tonight. Take care. host we are going to get in to this conversation but lets start with why a for a moment and what located you to write this was the intended intended audience and estimate the purpose do you wish for this red november to serve . The guest i became interested in the leftward drift of the democratic hardy because it seemed to me to be quite radical