Zócalo Public Square
@zocalopublicsquare.bsky.social
We combine public programs and journalism to examine essential questions in a broad-minded and accessible spirit.
A unit of ASU Media Enterprise.
A unit of ASU Media Enterprise.
@brandonbluepoet.bsky.social is our guest poetry curator for December! Blue chatted with us in the green room about the play Next to Normal, teaching French fables and fairystales, and first drafts. zps.la/48AAGJo
An Interview with December Poetry Curator Brandon Blue
Brandon Blue is a Black queer poet, translator, educator from the DMV (D.C.-Maryland-Virginia) area. They hold an MFA in poetry from Arizona State University and their chapbook, Snap.Shot, has been pu...
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December 5, 2025 at 7:56 PM
@brandonbluepoet.bsky.social is our guest poetry curator for December! Blue chatted with us in the green room about the play Next to Normal, teaching French fables and fairystales, and first drafts. zps.la/48AAGJo
Venezuelans can conjure contradictory images, particularly for those living in the Global North. "Where’s the truth? Where’s the lie?" asks Zócalo contributing editor José González Vargas. zps.la/48x6JJV
When the News Is Wrong About Venezuela | Essay | Zócalo Public Square
The people of Venezuela conjure contradictory images, particularly for those living in the Global North. We’re starved and oppressed masses under a
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December 4, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Venezuelans can conjure contradictory images, particularly for those living in the Global North. "Where’s the truth? Where’s the lie?" asks Zócalo contributing editor José González Vargas. zps.la/48x6JJV
Landmarks Illinois president and CEO Bonnie McDonald describes how America’s ideals and its messy realities intertwine in the ongoing work of achieving true pluralism. youtube.com/shorts/DOnht...
Historic Preservation Leader Bonnie McDonald on the Messy Reality of American Pluralism
YouTube video by Zócalo Public Square
youtube.com
December 4, 2025 at 12:13 AM
Landmarks Illinois president and CEO Bonnie McDonald describes how America’s ideals and its messy realities intertwine in the ongoing work of achieving true pluralism. youtube.com/shorts/DOnht...
“Where Does Deportation Come From?” Join historian Kelly Lytle Hernández and filmmaker Alex Rivera for a live conversation, film preview, and reading in San Diego next Saturday, Dec. 13, at 6 p.m. w/ @macfound.org, Times of San Diego, and Bread & Salt. RSVP: zps.la/deportation
Where Does Deportation Come From? | Upcoming Experiences | Zócalo Public Square
Co-presented by Zócalo Public Square, MacArthur Foundation, Times of San Diego, and Bread & Salt Deportation has impacted communities across
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December 3, 2025 at 7:33 PM
“Where Does Deportation Come From?” Join historian Kelly Lytle Hernández and filmmaker Alex Rivera for a live conversation, film preview, and reading in San Diego next Saturday, Dec. 13, at 6 p.m. w/ @macfound.org, Times of San Diego, and Bread & Salt. RSVP: zps.la/deportation
Creative consultant and fashion designer Siying Qu explores how migration and cultural exchange drive creativity, suggesting that art and design serve as a barometer, measuring the vibrancy and openness of American society. youtube.com/shorts/FuaFC...
Fashion Designer Siying Qu on Creativity As a Barometer for Immigration Success
YouTube video by Zócalo Public Square
youtube.com
December 2, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Creative consultant and fashion designer Siying Qu explores how migration and cultural exchange drive creativity, suggesting that art and design serve as a barometer, measuring the vibrancy and openness of American society. youtube.com/shorts/FuaFC...
It makes me crazy just how crazy it is that Americans are crazier than us Californians, writes Zócalo’s “crazy columnist” Joe Mathews.
Read about what’s driving him crazy: zps.la/3K7yild
Read about what’s driving him crazy: zps.la/3K7yild
Make California the Craziest State Again | Connecting California | Zócalo Public Square
America, you crazy. Even for Californians. Which should make you realize how crazy you are. Except, of course, you too crazy to realize it.
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December 2, 2025 at 7:05 PM
It makes me crazy just how crazy it is that Americans are crazier than us Californians, writes Zócalo’s “crazy columnist” Joe Mathews.
Read about what’s driving him crazy: zps.la/3K7yild
Read about what’s driving him crazy: zps.la/3K7yild
For decades, the Kennedy Center has played an outsized role in supporting Washington, D.C.’s professional theatrical class. As its ticket sales and subscriptions decline, playwright Gwydion Suilebhan worries about the effects on an entire artistic ecosystem. zps.la/43NMRRy
D.C. Theater Is More Than the Kennedy Center | Essay
But Its Struggles Are Affecting an Entire Artistic Ecosystem
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December 1, 2025 at 6:30 PM
For decades, the Kennedy Center has played an outsized role in supporting Washington, D.C.’s professional theatrical class. As its ticket sales and subscriptions decline, playwright Gwydion Suilebhan worries about the effects on an entire artistic ecosystem. zps.la/43NMRRy
Reposted by Zócalo Public Square
From #retail innovation to cherished #ustradition
Our reading rec #bizhis #thanksgiving w #BHC @retailhistorian.bsky.social @zocalopublicsquare.bsky.social
www.zocalopublicsquare.org/why-the-macy...
Our reading rec #bizhis #thanksgiving w #BHC @retailhistorian.bsky.social @zocalopublicsquare.bsky.social
www.zocalopublicsquare.org/why-the-macy...
Why the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Marches On | Essay
The Department Store Is Struggling, But Its Century-Long Tradition Still Sells America on Spectacle
www.zocalopublicsquare.org
November 28, 2025 at 5:52 AM
From #retail innovation to cherished #ustradition
Our reading rec #bizhis #thanksgiving w #BHC @retailhistorian.bsky.social @zocalopublicsquare.bsky.social
www.zocalopublicsquare.org/why-the-macy...
Our reading rec #bizhis #thanksgiving w #BHC @retailhistorian.bsky.social @zocalopublicsquare.bsky.social
www.zocalopublicsquare.org/why-the-macy...
Tongva, Chumash, and Xicano artist and environmental advocate Isaac Michael Ybarra envisions a California where society adopts Indigenous ways of being and uses these practices to inform how they take care of their neighbors and environment. youtube.com/shorts/tM9ba...
Let the Land Guide the Future of California
YouTube video by Zócalo Public Square
youtube.com
December 1, 2025 at 2:08 AM
Tongva, Chumash, and Xicano artist and environmental advocate Isaac Michael Ybarra envisions a California where society adopts Indigenous ways of being and uses these practices to inform how they take care of their neighbors and environment. youtube.com/shorts/tM9ba...
Trans rights organizer and budget advocacy and policy expert Michaé De La Cuadra imagines a California where people can freely choose what they want to do with their lives and where they want to live. youtube.com/shorts/Mcs4Y...
Autonomy Is the Key to a Healthy Future
YouTube video by Zócalo Public Square
youtube.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Trans rights organizer and budget advocacy and policy expert Michaé De La Cuadra imagines a California where people can freely choose what they want to do with their lives and where they want to live. youtube.com/shorts/Mcs4Y...
After a Waymo ran over KitKat, a beloved SF brown tabby, the cat’s death became “proof of how AI now shapes our lives, and without our democratic consent,” writes Joe Mathews. zps.la/4p0MBHt
This San Francisco Cat Is Dead, But He's Not Done | Connecting California
From the Grave, KitKat Remains a Fierce Feline Force Against Robotaxis and AI
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November 25, 2025 at 6:51 PM
After a Waymo ran over KitKat, a beloved SF brown tabby, the cat’s death became “proof of how AI now shapes our lives, and without our democratic consent,” writes Joe Mathews. zps.la/4p0MBHt
Community organizer and housing justice advocate Aidan Lin-Tostado discusses how technology impacts our lived environments and stresses the need for strong human relationships and community ties. youtube.com/shorts/98MkY...
We Must Strengthen Community in a Digital Age
YouTube video by Zócalo Public Square
youtube.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:37 AM
Community organizer and housing justice advocate Aidan Lin-Tostado discusses how technology impacts our lived environments and stresses the need for strong human relationships and community ties. youtube.com/shorts/98MkY...
After meeting novelist Junot Díaz at a book signing, playwright Marco Antonio Rodriguez embarked on a journey to adapt Díaz's beloved novel, "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao," for the stage. Read all about it: zps.la/4a47tsp
The Long, Wondrous Adaptation of Oscar Wao | Essay
How a Playwright Translated Junot Díaz’s Beloved, Epic Novel of Dominican Dislocation for the Stage
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November 20, 2025 at 9:24 PM
After meeting novelist Junot Díaz at a book signing, playwright Marco Antonio Rodriguez embarked on a journey to adapt Díaz's beloved novel, "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao," for the stage. Read all about it: zps.la/4a47tsp
Immigrant rights advocate Yliana Johansen-Méndez explains why immigration is essential to California’s identity and growth and, despite current challenges, will continue to be. youtube.com/shorts/4iXtG...
Why Immigration Defines California’s Future
YouTube video by Zócalo Public Square
youtube.com
November 19, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Immigrant rights advocate Yliana Johansen-Méndez explains why immigration is essential to California’s identity and growth and, despite current challenges, will continue to be. youtube.com/shorts/4iXtG...
@caltech.edu astrophysicist Konstantin Batygin discusses how AI’s rapid rise is redefining how scientists teach, learn, and innovate. youtube.com/shorts/THqlj...
Caltech Astrophysicist Konstantin Batygin on AI and the Future of Innovation
YouTube video by Zócalo Public Square
youtube.com
November 18, 2025 at 8:14 PM
@caltech.edu astrophysicist Konstantin Batygin discusses how AI’s rapid rise is redefining how scientists teach, learn, and innovate. youtube.com/shorts/THqlj...
In California's recently concluded special election, the Trump regime engaged in abuses and intimidation tactics that have convinced the U.N. to deploy election monitors in other countries.
Joe Mathews on why California needs the U.N. to observe its 2026 and 2028 elections. zps.la/47ZzAGG
Joe Mathews on why California needs the U.N. to observe its 2026 and 2028 elections. zps.la/47ZzAGG
Dear United Nations, Send Election Monitors to California | Connecting California
We Need International Help to Protect the Golden State from Federal Attacks
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November 18, 2025 at 6:16 PM
In California's recently concluded special election, the Trump regime engaged in abuses and intimidation tactics that have convinced the U.N. to deploy election monitors in other countries.
Joe Mathews on why California needs the U.N. to observe its 2026 and 2028 elections. zps.la/47ZzAGG
Joe Mathews on why California needs the U.N. to observe its 2026 and 2028 elections. zps.la/47ZzAGG
What will California’s democracy look like in the year 2200? Business advocate and public affairs specialist Brooke Armour Spiegel predicts a future shaped more by citizen-led initiatives. youtube.com/shorts/ZbDUg...
The Future of California’s Democracy
YouTube video by Zócalo Public Square
youtube.com
November 17, 2025 at 8:50 PM
What will California’s democracy look like in the year 2200? Business advocate and public affairs specialist Brooke Armour Spiegel predicts a future shaped more by citizen-led initiatives. youtube.com/shorts/ZbDUg...
Join us Sat, Dec. 13 at 6 p.m. at Bread & Salt (San Diego) for “Where Does Deportation Come From?,” a conversation between @macfound.org Fellows Kelly Lytle Hernández and @alex-rivera.bsky.social exploring the history of deportation. Free RSVP: zps.la/deportation
Where Does Deportation Come From? | Upcoming Experiences | Zócalo Public Square
Co-presented by Zócalo Public Square, MacArthur Foundation, Times of San Diego, and Bread & Salt Deportation has impacted communities across
zps.la
November 17, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Join us Sat, Dec. 13 at 6 p.m. at Bread & Salt (San Diego) for “Where Does Deportation Come From?,” a conversation between @macfound.org Fellows Kelly Lytle Hernández and @alex-rivera.bsky.social exploring the history of deportation. Free RSVP: zps.la/deportation
In a 1960s experiment, mice who had time to learn their way around a barn avoided a predatory owl. Those who didn't got eaten. A UCLA biologist's thoughts on experts and survival: zps.la/47FkF5E
What Animals Teach Us About Expertise | Essay
A Biologist Explains Why Experience and Acquired Knowledge Matter
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November 17, 2025 at 6:37 PM
In a 1960s experiment, mice who had time to learn their way around a barn avoided a predatory owl. Those who didn't got eaten. A UCLA biologist's thoughts on experts and survival: zps.la/47FkF5E
To write "Hot Girls with Balls," @xbennyboo.bsky.social immersed herself in volleyball and internet culture. "Acquiring this knowledge was central to my writing process. But I wrote a novel, not a reference guide," she explains. On fiction, empathy, and expertise: zps.la/3LFzkoI
There Are No Experts in Fiction | Essay
A Novelist on the Limits of Craft and the Many Paths to Unlocking a Book’s Magic
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November 13, 2025 at 7:22 PM
To write "Hot Girls with Balls," @xbennyboo.bsky.social immersed herself in volleyball and internet culture. "Acquiring this knowledge was central to my writing process. But I wrote a novel, not a reference guide," she explains. On fiction, empathy, and expertise: zps.la/3LFzkoI
Reposted by Zócalo Public Square
👏Hosted by @zocalopublicsquare.bsky.social , Playwrights’ Arena, UCLA Diversifying the Classics, and LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes.
🎟️Reserve your spot: www.eventbrite.com/e/can-comedi...
🎟️Reserve your spot: www.eventbrite.com/e/can-comedi...
Can Comedia Help Us Understand California’s Past?
Co-presented by Zócalo Public Square and an alliance of partners.
www.eventbrite.com
November 12, 2025 at 5:25 PM
👏Hosted by @zocalopublicsquare.bsky.social , Playwrights’ Arena, UCLA Diversifying the Classics, and LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes.
🎟️Reserve your spot: www.eventbrite.com/e/can-comedi...
🎟️Reserve your spot: www.eventbrite.com/e/can-comedi...
Policy analyst Robert Lempert participated in a meeting of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which bridges the scientific community and policymakers. Here's what he learned: zps.la/43emhRa
How Do You Give Expert Advice in Transformational Times? | Essay
A Policy Analyst Wants to Repair Our Broken Climate Change Conversations in Partnership With Decision-Makers and the Public
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November 6, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Policy analyst Robert Lempert participated in a meeting of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which bridges the scientific community and policymakers. Here's what he learned: zps.la/43emhRa
Picture this: The year is 2027. The Trump regime is over. Young people have led a successful revolution to take back the U.S.
Read columnist Joe Mathews’ dispatch from the not-so-distant future: zps.la/47msTiT
Read columnist Joe Mathews’ dispatch from the not-so-distant future: zps.la/47msTiT
Letter from 2027: How America’s Kids Took Down Trump | Democracy Local
Inspired by Gen Z Revolutionaries Around the World, Young People Rose up and the Olds Followed
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November 4, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Picture this: The year is 2027. The Trump regime is over. Young people have led a successful revolution to take back the U.S.
Read columnist Joe Mathews’ dispatch from the not-so-distant future: zps.la/47msTiT
Read columnist Joe Mathews’ dispatch from the not-so-distant future: zps.la/47msTiT
Reposted by Zócalo Public Square
Well that’s a nice wake up surprise! This piece I wrote for @zocalopublicsquare.bsky.social is a finalist for a Los Angeles Press Club National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award! www.zocalopublicsquare.org/romance-genr...
Happily Ever After Is for Everyone | Essay
The romance genre has a single set-in-stone rule: The main characters of the story will end up happily in a relationship. The HEA (Happily Ever After) or the HFN (Happy for Now) is the expectation of ...
www.zocalopublicsquare.org
November 4, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Well that’s a nice wake up surprise! This piece I wrote for @zocalopublicsquare.bsky.social is a finalist for a Los Angeles Press Club National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award! www.zocalopublicsquare.org/romance-genr...
Why does becoming an expert in one field make some scientists think they know about almost any subject? Geologist and NASA mission leader Lindy Elkins-Tanton on the process and pitfalls of becoming an expert: zps.la/3LfkBkh
A True Expert Scientist Knows What They Don’t Know | Essay
Textbooks are a false front for human knowledge. Science textbooks, at least. In high school, I eagerly read the biology textbook and the chemistry textbook and the physics textbook. Every question po...
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November 3, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Why does becoming an expert in one field make some scientists think they know about almost any subject? Geologist and NASA mission leader Lindy Elkins-Tanton on the process and pitfalls of becoming an expert: zps.la/3LfkBkh