The Supreme Court heard arguments on Monday on whether President Trump had the power to fire FTC commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter. Their decision will impact whether presidential powers are expanded which would diminish the independence of government agencies. To discuss, we SPOTLIGHT Claire B. Wofford. Wofford is an associate professor of political science at the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina. Her teaching and research interests are in the field of American politics, with a particular emphasis on the U.S. legal system and the role of gender in structuring political power. She offers courses on American Government, the Judiciary, Constitutional Law, Civil Liberties, and Gender and the Law at the undergraduate level. Wofford earned her Ph.D. in Political Science in 2012 from Emory University, where she specialized in judicial politics, Constitutional law and gender in American politics. Extensive media experience.
Tuesday, Tthe Supreme Court heard arguments on whether to lift the limits on how much money political parties can spend in coordination with candidates. To discuss, we FEATURE Ciara Torres-Spelliscy. Torres-Spelliscy is a professor, teaching courses in election law, corporate governance, business entities, and constitutional law at Stetson University College of Law. She is also a Brennan Center fellow. Prior to joining Stetson's faculty, Torres-Spelliscy was counsel in the Democracy Program of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law where she provided guidance on the issues of money in politics and the judiciary to state and federal lawmakers. She is the author of the book Corporate Citizen? An Argument for the Separation of Corporation and State and the book Political Brands. Professor Torres-Spelliscy has testified before Congress, and state and local legislative bodies as an expert on campaign finance reform. She has also helped draft legislation and Supreme Court briefs. Media includes: The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, The New York Times, CSPAN, DNA TV, and NY1.
Donald Trump has announced plans to sign an executive order that would block AI regulations at the state level. To discuss, we FEATURE Joycelyn Tate. Tate is a leading voice and advocate for fairness, accountability and transparency in the development and use of AI and addressing algorithmic bias and online privacy. As the founder and CEO of TS Strategies, she leads advocacy and initiatives for organizations seeking to advance access to broadband and technology in marginalized communities, and eradicate exploitative data practices, discriminatory algorithms, and invasions of privacy. Tate has been called upon by Congress to advise on the impact of artificial intelligence on marginalized communities. She is a requested speaker at conventions and conferences where she discusses accountability and transparency in the development and use of AI, algorithmic bias, online privacy, and importance of civil rights in technological innovation. Extensive media experience.
Netflix and Paramount are currently in a bidding war to acquire Warner Bros. A potential deal has brought up questions about how this would affect independent filmmakers going forward. To discuss, we FEATURE Michele Meek. Meek's expertise focuses women filmmakers, independent film, girlhood studies, and sexuality studies. She published the compilation Independent Female Filmmakers: A Chronicle through Interviews, Profiles, and Manifestos, and she co-edited the book The Independent’s Guide to Film Distribution. She is also an associate professor in the communication department at Bridgewater State University, where she teaches filmmaking, screenwriting, film studies, digital media, gender studies, and life design. Media includes: Moviemaker Magazine, Indiewire, Boston Globe, NPR.
The European Council of national leaders has warned the Trump administration against interfering in European politics. To discuss, we FEATURE Teresa Eder. Eder heads the program for foreign & security policy at the Heinrich Boell Foundation. The program focuses on strengthening transatlantic exchanges on issues of global peace & security, democracy, and human rights. Previously, Teresa was a program associate at the Wilson Center’s Global Europe Program and worked as a journalist and TV-news producer for German TV ARD and ZDF in Washington, D.C., and as deputy head of the Foreign Desk for the Austrian newspaper Der Standard in Vienna. Her producing, writing, and research focused on transatlantic relations, political division, and issues of extremism & disinformation in the United States and Europe. Media includes: The Washington Post, Foreign Policy, German TV ARD.
Australia has become the first country to ban social media for children under 16. To discuss, we FEATURE Akira Gutiérrez Renzulli. Renzulli is a doctoral student in child and adolescent psychology. She holds advanced degrees in developmental and clinical psychology. Her professional experiences include teaching young children, conducting research related to social-emotional and positive youth development, and supporting educators in implementing social-emotional learning and trauma-informed practices in the classroom. Her clinical experiences include using culturally relevant treatment approaches to support parents in helping their children adopt healthy social and emotional behaviors, build stronger emotional regulation skills, and manage symptoms of anxiety and low mood, including childhood-specific conditions. Media includes: The Miami Herald, Telemundo, U.S. News and World Report.
One year ago, former Syrian president Bashar Assad fled the country and brought a close to the Assad regime. To discuss, we FEATURE Mouna Ghanem. Ghanem is the coordinator of the Syrian Women’s Forum for Peace. She is also vice president of the Syrian political movement Building the Syrian State. A senior gender advisor with extensive experience in the Arab region, Ghanem worked for more than a decade as the deputy representative for UNFPA in Syria and chaired the Syrian Commission for Family Affairs. She also served as the regional director for the United Nation Fund for Women (UNIFEM) in Jordan, Amman and as deputy chairperson for the United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW). Media includes: The Guardian, Hunosotak, WMC Live with Robin Morgan.
Evacuation orders have been issued in Japan following a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Japan. To discuss, we FEATURE Junko Mochizuki. Mochizuki is an experienced researcher working the areas of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction with skills in policy analysis, proposal writing, project management and stakeholder engagement. Currently, Mochizuki is a technical assistance advisor on climate change at the International Monetary Fund. She also serves part-time as a senior research scholar in the Water Security Research Group of the IIASA Biodiversity and Natural Resources Program. Extensive media experience.
16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence is a global campaign that runs from November 25 to December 10. To discuss, we FEATURE ElsaMarie D’Silva. D’Silva is the founder of Red Dot Foundation (India) and president of Red Dot Foundation Global (USA). Its platform Safecity, crowdsources personal experiences of sexual violence and abuse in public spaces. Since Safecity started in Dec 2012, it has become the largest crowd map on the issue in India and abroad. Media includes: The Guardian, The Washington Post, TIME, BBC, NPR.
Liz Theran
