Zócalo Public Square

Africa is transforming--but the West is choosing not to see how people across the continent are improving their lives and countries through business, technological, and social innovation. Dayo Olopade, author of The Bright Continent: Breaking Rules and Making Change in Modern Africa, offers examples of African dynamism and how Americans can reorient themselves to the continent.

American meat has become plentiful and cheap over the past half century. How did this happen, and what does it mean for our diets, our agriculture system, and our culture? Christopher Leonard, author of The Meat Racket: The Secret Takeover of America's Food Business, tells the story of a changing industry--and the damage it's done to rural America.

American meat has become plentiful and cheap over the past half century. How did this happen, and what does it mean for our diets, our agriculture system, and our culture? Christopher Leonard, author of The Meat Racket: The Secret Takeover of America's Food Business, tells the story of a changing industry--and the damage it's done to rural America.

At a "Living the Arts" panel co-presented by Zócalo and the James Irvine Arts Foundation at Arte Americas in Fresno, California, the Rogue Festival's Renée Newlove, graffiti artist Erik Gonzalez, and sculptor Chris Sorensen of Fresno's ArtHop talked with KVPR's Joe Moore about the state of the arts in Fresno and the Central Valley. They discussed the different ways they bring the arts to the community, the challenges they’ve faced, and where they draw their inspiration.

At a "Living the Arts" panel co-presented by Zócalo and the James Irvine Arts Foundation at Arte Americas in Fresno, California, the Rogue Festival's Renée Newlove, graffiti artist Erik Gonzalez, and sculptor Chris Sorensen of Fresno's ArtHop talked with KVPR's Joe Moore about the state of the arts in Fresno and the Central Valley. They discussed the different ways they bring the arts to the community, the challenges they’ve faced, and where they draw their inspiration.

At a Zócalo/UCLA Thinking L.A. event, Michele Siqueiros, executive director of the Campaign for College Opportunity, Century Foundation senior fellow Richard D. Kahlenberg, and UCLA associate vice chancellor for enrollment Youlonda Copeland-Morgan talked with L.A. Times reporter Kurt Streeter about why racial diversity matters, how to bring more underrepresented students to campus, and what can be done to make such students feel welcome at universities in California and around the country.

At a Zócalo/UCLA Thinking L.A. event, Michele Siqueiros, executive director of the Campaign for College Opportunity, Century Foundation senior fellow Richard D. Kahlenberg, and UCLA associate vice chancellor for enrollment Youlonda Copeland-Morgan talked with L.A. Times reporter Kurt Streeter about why racial diversity matters, how to bring more underrepresented students to campus, and what can be done to make such students feel welcome at universities in California and around the country.

Former Financial Times Beijing bureau chief Geoff Dyer, the author of a new book The Contest of the Century: The New Era of Competition With China—and How America Can Win, explains that the U.S. is entering a new era of geopolitical competition with China. But while China's rise is inevitable, the odds remain in America’s favor.

Former Financial Times Beijing bureau chief Geoff Dyer, the author of a new book The Contest of the Century: The New Era of Competition With China—and How America Can Win, explains that the U.S. is entering a new era of geopolitical competition with China. But while China's rise is inevitable, the odds remain in America’s favor.

At a Zócalo/Getty event, writer Susan Orlean, Segerstrom Center for the Arts president Terrence W. Dwyer, and Getty CEO James Cuno weren’t entirely in accord about why and how art changes people’s lives—and on whether all art is created equal in that respect.