Iran has publicly executed Majidreza Rahnavard for his ties to anti-government protests that began after Mahsa Amini was killed while in police custody. To discuss, we FEATURE Farin Assemi. Assemi is an award-winning journalist with a strong track record of breaking new ground and delivering high quality, integrated news coverage. She has extensive knowledge and expertise of Iranian politics, social issues, Human Rights and women’s, children’s and social movement in Iran. She was an editor, presenter and broadcaster at Radio Farda- Persian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. She also has worked as a reporter at several newspapers in Iran. Extensive media experience.

Newly elected Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has called a state of emergency on homelessness on her first day, sticking to her campaign promise. To discuss, we FEATURE Stacy Villalobos. Villalobos is the Director of Racial Economic Justice at Legal Aid at Work. She represents workers fighting discrimination before federal and state courts as well as administrative agencies. Stacy has experience litigating a wide range of employment issues, including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wage theft. Stacy also spearheads Legal Aid at Work's Ban the Box and Fair Chance work representing job seekers with criminal records. Stacy has been advocating for workers’ rights for over a decade, beginning during her undergraduate years as an organizer with low-wage immigrant workers on campus. She is an expert on Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, California Fair Employment & Housing Act, California Fair Chance Act, California Labor Code. Media includes: Mercury News, SF Gate, Univision, KQED.

A new bipartisan defense bill is headed to the Senate for a vote. The bill will change the way that sexual assault cases are prosecuted in the military. To discuss, we FEATURE Antonieta Rico. Rico has been published in various outlets including USA TODAY and wrote in TIME about the military's sexual assault epidemic and #MeToo. She is the Women, Peace, and Security Advisor at Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute (PKSOI). Previously, she was the Director of Communications and Policy at the Service Women's Action Network (SWAN), where she led their public affairs efforts. Rico served in the U.S. Army from October 2001 to September 2008, working as a military journalist and public affairs NCO. In addition to her work at SWAN, she is a Program Associate at Women in International Security where she works for the Combat Integration Initiative supporting the successful integration of women into combat arms units. In this capacity, she has co-taught Latin American and Caribbean military leaders a workshop on how to develop Women, Peace and Security National Action Plans for their militaries. Media includes: TIME, Task & Purpose, USA Today, National Geographic.

Joe Biden has signed a new law that would curb the use of confidentiality agreements, making it easier for victims of sexual harassment to speak publicly. To discuss, we FEATURE Amy Epstein Gluck. Epstein Gluck serves as Employment Counsel to FisherBroyles and provides employers with daily employment counseling, including HR policies; workplace investigations; organizational culture; wage and hour audits; and navigating #MeToo issues while complying with federal, state, and local (ever-changing) employment laws. Epstein Gluck’s current practice areas include business employment law—advising on and drafting employment agreements; handling employment negotiations, severance agreements, noncompete and nondisclosure agreements, discrimination and harassment investigations, “wrongful terminations,” and other EEO matters. Media includes: The New York Times, The Washington Post, Boston Globe.

President Biden has signed the Respect for Marriage Act, which gives protections to same-sex marriages and reduce the impact of decisions made by the Supreme Court. To discuss, we FEATURE Rebecca Pilar Buckwalter-Poza. Buckwalter-Poza is a leading voice on LGBT rights and ongoing litigation. She is a cultural commentator, social activist, and attorney barred in Virginia and before the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. Co-founder of Prism (prismreports.org), she most recently served as Senior Strategist at The Justice Collaborative. Prior, she was Daily Kos’s first Judicial Affairs Editor and a Fellow at the Center for American Progress. Rebecca covered the Supreme Court, judicial nominations, and legal developments, with a focus on civil rights, as Daily Kos Judicial Affairs Editor. Media includes: Democracy Journal, Washington Monthly, The Daily Beast, Pacific Standard, The Nation, The Atlantic, Politico, CNN, NPR.

Congress will meet this week to negotiate a spending bill that will fund the government beyond Friday and prevent a partial government shutdown. To discuss, we FEATURE Susan Podziba, Principal at Podziba Policy Mediation. Podziba has served as a public policy mediator for more than 30 years. Most of her projects include working with senior leadership of governments, representative stakeholders, civil society, and the general public. Her clients have included the United States Departments of Commerce, Defense, Education, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, and Transportation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Senate, U.S. Institute for Peace, United Nations, The World Bank, British Council, Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research, Emilia Romagna Regional Authority of Italy, and Negotiation Strategies Institute of Jerusalem. Podziba is author of Civic Fusion: Mediating Polarized Public Disputes and Our City: From Corruption to Participatory Democracy as well as numerous book chapters and journal articles. Media includes: The New York Times, The Washington Post, Boston Globe, Fast Company.

December 15th is the deadline for enrolling in the Affordable Care Act health insurance. To discuss, we FEATURE Laura Packard. Packard is an expert on the Affordable Care Act, health care reform, health insurance, and Medicaid expansion. She is a health care advocate and stage 4 cancer survivor. She founded a non-profit, Health Care Voices, to organize adults with serious medical conditions for affordable comprehensive health care. Laura is Executive Director of Health Care Voter, a national campaign to hold elected officials accountable for their votes on health care, and support those who fight to protect our care. She also hosts CareTalk, a weekly consumer call-in TV show on act.tv and podcast, tackling health care and health insurance questions and topics. Media includes: The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, USA Today, Newsweek, MSNBC.

Scientists have made a big advance in fusion research that can lead to future energy sources. To discuss, we FEATURE Jessica Jewell. Jewell is an expert on energy security, nuclear energy, energy policy, energy & climate change, and renewable energy. She is an Associate Professor in Energy Transitions at the Department of Space, Earth and Environment at Chalmers University and a Professor at the Centre for Climate and Energy Transformation at the University of Bergen. Her research focuses on the feasibility of climate action and influence of energy security on the energy transition. Media includes: The Conversation, The Economist.

President Joe Biden is meeting with over 40 African leaders at a U.S.-Africa summit that seeks to improve the relationship between the two. To discuss, we FEATURE Musimbi Kanyoro. Kanyoro was President and CEO of the Global Fund for Women for nine years. The Global Fund for Women is a public foundation which seeds, strengthens, links and supports the capacity building of women’s rights organizations in every part of the world. Kanyoro is an accomplished leader with three decades of experience managing international non-governmental organizations, global programs, and ecumenical agencies in cross-cultural contexts. She has received three honorary doctorates and several recognition awards, including a leadership award from the Kenya Government. She is the author of dozens of articles, hundred of speeches and has written and co-edited a number of books. Media includes: The New York Times, The Washington Post, Forbes, CNN, BBC.