The UCLA Luskin Lecture Series enhances public discourse on topics relevant to the betterment of society. The Series features renowned public intellectuals, bringing together scholars as well as national and local leaders to address society’s most pressing problems. Lectures encourage interactive, lively discourse across traditional divides between the worlds of research, policy and practice. The Series demonstrates UCLA Luskin’s commitment to encouraging innovative breakthroughs and creative solutions to formidable public policy challenges.
Previous Luskin Lecture Events
March 9, 2021: Pulitzer Prize-winner Megan Twohey, above left, shared insights and anecdotes from an investigation of sexual misconduct by film producer Harvey Weinstein that was a landmark revelation in what later coalesced into the #MeToo movement. Moderating the session was Meredith Phillips, professor of public policy and chair of the undergraduate program at UCLA Luskin.
Nov. 10, 2020: Neera Tanden, a UCLA alumna and the president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, held a post-election analysis with Dean Gary Segura. Tanden, who served in both the Obama and Clinton administrations and was later nominated by President Joe Biden to serve in his cabinet, discussed the current state of the electoral process and the future of the country under the newly elected president. Read more
Oct. 21, 2020: “Voices of Dissent” featured conservative political experts Sarah Longwell and Steve Schmidt, who broke from the Republican Party to oppose the reelection of President Donald Trump. Schmidt called Trump “an autocrat who is unfaithful to the American republic’s ideas and ideals.” Read more
Feb. 11, 2020: In her keynote address, historian Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz traced U.S. gun culture from the nation’s founding to its present-day schisms and the grave consequences of America’s “gun love.” Dunbar-Ortiz joined Ismael Ileto and Adam Winkler for a panel discussion moderated by Brad Rowe. The panelists related personal tales of loss, discussed how to best effect change and discussed arguments over the reach of the Second Amendment. Read more.
Jan. 15, 2020: A screening of a digital adaptation of “We Gon’ Be Alright,” Jeff Chang’s critically acclaimed collection of essays on racial resegregation, followed by a dialogue with the author and filmmakers. Read more.
November 7, 2019: James Forman, Jr., author of “Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America,” shares insights on how America became the ‘World’s Largest Jailer’ while discussing his critically acclaimed 2017 book. The book explores how decisions made by black leaders — often with the best of intentions — contributes to disproportionately incarcerating black and brown people. Read more.
Oct. 17, 2019: During “Dawn of a New Day: Asian American Women Who Are Changing Media,” panelists actress Tess Paras, writer Fawzia Mirza, performance artist Kristina Wong, and director Grace Lee fierce discussed their experiences on becoming female leaders, storytellers, and activists who challenge a predominantly male-dominated film/tv/media industry. With moderator Ada Tseng of TimesOC. For a full recap of the event, click here.
Oct. 10, 2019: UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs joined the Human Rights Campaign in providing nine Democratic presidential candidates a forum to speak about their policy platforms and plans regarding moving LGBTQ equality forward. Read more.
May 14, 2019: In a moderated Q&A, featured panelists including Richard Alatorre, Gil Cedillo, Gloria Molina, Richard Polanco, and Antonio Villaraigosa share their thoughts on the history authors David R. Ayón and George L. Pla capture in their book “Power Shift: How Latinos in California Transformed Politics in America”. To read a full recap of the event, click here.
May 1, 2019: During their lecture “Just Urban Design: Un-Walling Citizenship,” Teddy Cruz and Fonna Forman discussed their inspiration for MEXUS, exhibited at the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale, among other ongoing projects. Click here for a full recap on the lecture.
April 23, 2019: Professor Setha Low shared five dimensions of evaluating the success of public spaces to better assess social justice in public infrastructure based on 25 years of ethnographic research on parks, plazas and streets in cities such as New York, Philadelphia and San José, Costa Rica during her lecture “Social Justice and Public Space: Propositions and Problems.” Click here for a full recap of the lecture.
March 5, 2019: Author and educator Cris Beam shared policy and cultural insights into improving queer care, as well as her personal experiences fostering a trans teenager, during her lecture, “Queer Care: LGBTQ Youth in Child Welfare.”
October 9, 2018: Jorge Ramos. A pivotal figure in the American Latino community, Ramos is the long-time host of Univision Noticias’ evening news, as well as their Sunday news magazine Al Punto. His more than 30 years of engaging and informative reporting — as well as his unwavering dedication to advancing the rights of marginalized communities — have been an inspiration to so many people. He was recognized for his decades of achievements in journalism, and his advocacy for Latino and immigrant communities, with the presentation of the UCLA Medal. Read more.
April 26-April 27, 2018: “Black, Brown, and Powerful: Freedom Dreams in Unequal Cities.” This two-day Luskin Lecture powerfully addresses the use of academic research to advocate for societal change regarding the affordable housing crisis in California, urban displacement, and inequality. To read more about the discussion and watch videos, click here.
March 5, 2018: “A Conversation with Chelsea Manning.” To read the recap of the event with the former United States Defense intelligence analyst, click here
Fall 2017: Off the Table. The UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and the UCLA Food Studies Graduate Certificate Program presented a series of events that took topics of urban agriculture, food security and food policy off the table and brought awareness to the food movement in the Los Angeles area. Read the recap of the events by clicking here
May 25, 2017: “Do Words Matter? Journalism, Communication and Alternative Truth.” A daylong symposium during which journalists, scholars and media pundits debated whether truth matters in a polarized United States, and reporter and news anchor Ray Suarez summarized the condition of American politics vs. American journalism. Read the recap of the event by clicking here.
April 28-30, 2017: “Flash Point 2017”
A weekend of reflection, debate, education and artistic interpretation marking the 25th anniversary of the start of the Los Angeles Riots in 1992. Read the recap of the event by clicking here.
Watch the video of the “Media and Social Change” panel discussion.
Feb. 7, 2017: “Disrupt Aging” featuring Jo Ann Jenkins, CEO of AARP. Read the recap of the event and view a video interview with Jenkins by clicking here.
Read the recap of the event by clicking here.
Jan. 12, 2016: “The Paris Agreement: An Agreement for Humanity”
A Conversation with Mary Robinson
Read the recap of the event by clicking here.
March 30, 2015: “A Conversation With Leon Panetta”
Read the recap of the event by clicking here.
April 14, 2015: “The Role of Arts & Culture in Public Life”
Read about the event by clicking here.
Dec. 4, 2014: “Lessons from Little Rock: A Conversation with Terrence Roberts”
Read the recap of the event by clicking here.
May 15, 2015: “A Conversation With U.S. Transportation Sec. Anthony Foxx”
Read about the event by clicking here.
Jan. 29, 2014: “A Conversation With Sec. Madeleine Albright”
Read the recap of the event by clicking here.
Oct. 21, 2014: “American Winter: Millions of Americans Still Left Out in the Cold”: A Documentary Screening and Discussion
Read the recap of the event by clicking here.
March 21, 2013: The Future of Aging in America: A Conversation with A. Barry Rand, CEO of AARP
Read the complete Rand recap by clicking here.
March 6, 2013: Partnering for Schools: Building the Future of Education in Los Angeles with Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa & LA Unified School District Superintendent John Deasy
Read the complete Villaraigosa-Deasy recap by clicking here.
Dec. 4, 2013: “A Conversation With Marian Wright Edelman”
Read the recap of the event by clicking here.
Jan. 23, 2013: Campaigns Matter! with former Governor Howard Dean
Read the Howard Dean recap by clicking here.
Feb. 28, 2013: Change Can Come with New York City Commissioner of Transportation Janette Sadik-Khan
Read the complete Sadik-Khan recap by clicking here.
Oct. 17, 2012: Sea Change or More of the Same? Looking Beyond Nov. 6. See video by clicking here.
Feb. 16, 2012: A Conversation with Charles Ogletree, Harvard University
Read the Charles Ogletree recap by clicking here.
Nov. 7, 2013: “Policing: Where We Have Been, Where We Are & Where We Are Going” with former LAPD Chief William J. Bratton.
Read the Bratton review by clicking here.
The Luskin School of Public Affairs at UCLA acknowledges the Gabrielino/tongva peoples as the traditional land caretakers of Tovaangar (the Los Angeles basin and Southern Channel Islands). As a land grant institution, we pay our respects to the Honuukvetam (Ancestors), ‘Aniihirom (Elders) and ‘Eyoohiinkem (our relatives/relations) past, present, and emerging.
