NYU Wagner Review Podcast Channel

It’s important for city government leaders—particularly Mayors—to be equipped with the access, capacity, and knowledge to deal with shifts in migration patterns caused by climate change, conflict, or economic factors. This episode features Wagner alums Vittoria Zanuso ‘14 and Samer Saliba ’14 from the Mayors Migration Council, an organization focused on enabling cities to better meet the needs of incoming migrants. Tune in to hear about their innovative approaches, and why they think it’s important to stop labeling migration as a “crisis.” The speakers also discuss how their education at NYU Wagner has been influential in their professional careers.

2021 began with the news that 111% of the net jobs lost in December of 2020 - 140,00 - belonged to womxn. According to the National Women's Law Center, men gained 16,000 jobs while womxn lost 156,000. The COVID-19 pandemic and the sprawling public health and economic disaster that followed in its wake have delivered a perfect storm of devastation for American womxn, especially womxn of color. Still, womxn were the best part of the past year. As the majority of the healthcare workforce, womxn were the backbone of the nation's pandemic care and response. Womxn have been organizing their communities well before the pandemic, but their passion and dedication made all the difference in elections up and down the ballot in November. It seems impossible to fully explain all the ways in which womxn held it down in the past year, but that's never stopped us before. In celebration of International Womxn’s Day, Wagner Womxn hosted a panel discussion to discuss the unique circumstances and burdens impacting womxn in 2021 as a product of COVID-19. Panelists include Nicole Bateman, Kathryn Anne Edwards, Angela Garbes, and Dr. C. Nicole Mason. The conversation will be moderated by Amy Auton-Smith.

Hazel Millard, a Senior Research and Program Associate in the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center, discuss how different cities are approaching money-in-politics reform and the dangers that the Citizens United decision imposes upon our democracy. We will also learn about the history of Citizens United and how Congress is working to address money-in-politics reform. Transcript [00:00] Welcome from Emily Finkelstein and an overview of the Citizens United v. FEC landmark case, [04:20] Hazel Millard begins a discussion on Citizens United, legislation efforts, and dark money in politics. GUEST SPEAKER Hazel Millard is a senior research and program associate in the Democracy Program at The Brennan Center for Justice where she focuses on money in politics. Prior to joining the Brennan Center, Millard was a speechwriting intern in the Obama White House and the Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General. Millard graduated summa cum laude from Middlebury College in 2018 with a BA in history.

Liba Beyer, director of Human Rights Watch Global Campaigns and an NYU Wagner alum, discuss the importance of communicating human rights to produce social change. She shares her strategies to garner the attention in over-crowded digital spaces, and the skills needed to make an impact on society. She provides an analysis on various human rights issues including the death penalty and voting restorations. Beyer runs Persuasion Lab at Human Rights Watch, she explains the mission of this lab is to “figure out the tactics and tools that will move hearts and minds on human rights values to evaluate impacts in communications and audience growth/brand lift.” Finally, she describes her vision of an ideal advocacy campaign. Guest Speaker Liba Beyer joined Human Rights Watch in 2002 and has made significant impact in her many roles including expanding the Human Rights Watch Council by opening both the Chicago and Toronto offices. Liba currently leads the Public Advocacy, where she engages donors and public constituents in high level global advocacy campaigns and serves as the liaison between supporters in thirty two cities with the programmatic work and advocacy priorities of the organization. Liba has helped produce hundreds of international special events, donor trips and multi-polar advocacy campaigns. Liba received an MPA from NYU Wagner under a fully sponsored Jewish leader fellowship.

We meet with fellow alumni, and current International Rescue Committee employee, Handaa Enkh-Amgalan to hear about her upcoming book "Stigmatized," which dives deep into the disease-stigmatization surrounding Tuberculosis. Enkh-Amgalan will share her perspective of the broad role of stigmas in society, she will give her understanding of the infection rates of Tuberculosis and the multicultural approach to handling diseases. Stay for the end to understand the importance and role of international health organizations, along with self-care tips and the strength in numbers of community support. Guest Speaker Handaa Enkh-Amgalan works in the global humanitarian sector, focusing on refugee empowerment. Born and raised amid resilient, hard-working, and education-loving parents in an informal settlement in Mongolia, Handaa firmly believes in the power of pursuing and gaining higher education to become empowered and make a difference in the world. Through this book, Handaa shares her story of persevering through obstacles from financial hardship to stigma and illness, and obtaining education and achieving success despite the tough odds. Handaa holds a Master’s degree from New York University in public policy and a Bachelor’s in Economics from East Tennessee State University.

Professor Cyril Ghosh, author of “De-Moralizing Gay Rights: Some Queer Remarks on LGBTQ+ Rights Politics in the US” and Adjunct Associate Professor at NYU Wagner, examines the role of the Supreme Court in guaranteeing (or not) LGBTQ+ rights in the United States. He explains criticisms on the landmark case "Obergefell v. Hodges" that ruled in favor of same-sex marriage, examines the consequences of “pinkwashing,” and describes what to expect from the Supreme Court after the Trump Administration. Ghosh offers insight on what will probably be the next big LGBQT+ issue to reach the Supreme Court, and describes what can be done to impact these issues.

In this two-part Explainer series, a historical context of the US 2020 elections is discussed by breaking down the complexity of American governance and political systems. Rhea Almeida, an NYU Wagner Review Contributing Editor and MPA candidate, and Tim Naftali, a CNN presidential historian and politics expert, aim to provide a historic view of the elections, the evolution of suffrage, and the framework of the Electoral College. They also dissect the emergence of voting rights for different sections of the American society, and historic voter suppression mechanisms. Transcript [00:00] Welcome from NYU Office of Global Services. [02:02] Rhea Almeida begins facilitating a conversation with professor Tim Naftali about American democracy and elections. GUEST SPEAKER Timothy Naftali, clinical associate professor of public service and a clinical associate professor of history, is the director of NYU’s undergraduate public policy program. The first federal director of the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, Naftali has served as an historical consultant to anumber if federal investigative and historial projects, such as the 9/11 Commission and the Interagency Working Group on Nazi and Imperiial Japanes War Crimes. The author or co-author of 5 books (and editor or co-editor of 8 books), Naftali specializes in presidential, international and espionage history. He is currently a CNN presidential historian and appears regularly in historical documentaries.

In this two-part Explainer series, a historical context to the US 2020 elections is discussed by breaking down the complexity of American governance and political systems. In Part I, Ana Raymundo, an NYU Wagner MPA candidate, talks with policy expert Professor John Gershman to analyze the emergence of the Republican and Democratic parties in America, the distribution of state and federal powers, and the different roles of Congress and Senate. They examine pathways for international students and election-onlookers to engage with the intricacies of these systems better.

Kristin Van Busum, an NYU Wagner ‘10 alum and founder of the social enterprise Project Alianza, describes the merits, challenges, and takeaways of starting your own business. She explains the bottom-up educational solutions that her organization provides within farming communities of Latin America. In this podcast episode with Rhea Almeida and Luisa Portugal, Kristin describes the importance of working with local governments, the challenges of fundraising, and key takeaways from her time education experience at NYU Wagner. Guest Speaker Kristin is founder and CEO of Project Alianza, a woman-led social enterprise that provides education for children living in remote farming communities in Latin America, and a NYU Wagner alumni, having finished her MPA in 2010. She is cofounder of WomenSpeaks, a BostonSpeaks initiative that champions the advancement of women as effective communicators and leaders. She is a TEDx and keynote speaker, Fulbright Scholar, Aspen Institute Fellow, and was a Gold Winner in the MassChallenge Boston accelerator for high-impact startups where she is currently the Social Impact Entrepreneur in Residence. Prior to founding Project Alianza, she worked at RAND Corporation, a global policy think tank.

Today's podcast is includes an informative introduction to the Urban Planning specialization at NYU, with our special guest Jacquelyn Spade a MUP candidate. She will share her insights on the urban planning specialization at NYU, how it impacts communities, and how urban design perpetuates racial inequality. She also examines the top down vs. bottom up planning, disciplines within the fundamental ideologies of planning, the importance of green space, and the importance of our live environment in positive habit formation. Guest Speaker Jacquelyn Spade is a second-year MUP Candidate at NYU Wagner specializing in International Development Planning. She currently interns for Komera doing data analysis. She has an academic background in Sustainable Community Development with a specialization in Climate Change and Green Infrastructure from the University of Massachusetts – Amherst. Her professional background in management and renewable energy having spent time as a Fellow at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center working on their SolarizeMass program.

This podcast episode focuses on the role CannaPolicy, a public policy and advocacy group working in the cannabis space. They discuss their mission to provide NYU students with the tools, resources, and education necessary to responsibly advance cannabis legalization, rebuild communities harmed by prohibition, and positively impact the development of the nascent cannabis industry. CannaPolicy is a part of NYU’s larger Cannabis Network, a first of its kind intersectional ecosystem of student groups committed to advancing cannabis justice and equity in the policy, business, legal, and healthcare fields. Together the group work's to develop NYU students into thought leaders building a more responsible, equitable, and socially conscious cannabis industry for all. TRANSCRIPT: [00:00] Welcome and introduction from host Kyle Roland. [01:23] Tosin Ajayi describes how she founded the CannaPolicy group, [02:56] Michelle Smoler introduces herself and her mission for the CannaPolicy group, along with policy and racial justice issues, [05:43] Christina Noland discuss the importance of legalizing cannabis. Featured Photo Credit: YURI GRIPAS/REUTERS

With Election Day on Nov 3rd, MPA candidates Rhea Almeida and Luisa Portugal speaks with Dr. Paul Light as he shares insight on presidential candidates' ability, or inability, to deliver on their campaign promises. In light of the recent COVID-19 Pandemic, Dr. Light also examines the need to rebuild the political infrastructure in America. He covers a variety of topics, including: rebuilding institutions, relying on evidence-based policymaking, and increasing bureaucratic accountability. Tune in as he shares his ideology on the core problem within America, which may be a surprise to many. Transcript [00:00] Welcome from Rhea Almeida and Luisa Portugal, [01:43] Professor Wagner begins his discussion on American governance. Lectured Courses at NYU: Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation by Design (3 credits)Introduction to Social Impact (4 credits)

One week before the 2020 election, Wagner Womxn's panel explores what it means to be a womxn in the political sphere. They discuss identity politics, the importance of women's engagement in politics, and what NYU Wagner students can do to get out the vote in our own community. Panelists include De'Ara Balenger, co-founder of Maestra and former director of engagement for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign; Jen Bendery, senior political reporter at HuffPost; Charlotte Clymer, activist and writer; Dianne Morales, candidate for Mayor of New York City; Kunoor Ojha, chief of staff for the Green New Deal Network and Elizabeth Warren presidential campaign alum; and Christina Reynolds, vice president of communications at Emily's List; moderated by Professor Katherine Grainger, co-founder of Supermajority. Transcript [0:00] Introduction by Alexis Richards, NYU MPA Candidate, President of Wagner Womxn, and staff writer for NYU Wagner Review, [01:15] Katherine Grainger begins moderating and asks the guest speakers to introduce themselves, [02:47] Kunoor Ojha introduces herself and discuss her role as an organizer, [04:09] Dianne Morales, the first afro-latina candidate for NYC Mayor, introducers herself and discuss her role as an educator, [05:10] Christina Reynolds briefly discuss her years of professional experience, [05:47] Charlotte Clymer briefly discuss her past experience, and her role in the upcoming elections, [06:42] Jennifer Bendery discuss her journalism role and topics she has covered, [07:10] Katherine Grainger begins asking the panelist questions, [36:03] De’Ara Balenger joins the group of panelist, introduces her past professional experience, and continues the conversation on voting.

Bloomberg columnist, author, and NYU professor Gernot Wagner describes how climate change is not only an opportunity for action, but also for-profit. He examines the social cost of carbon, the role of big fossil fuel companies, and key differences in the climate policies presented by US presidential candidates Joe Biden and president Donald Trump. Finally, Professor Wagner provides a solution to a zero-carbon future through global policy action, innovative investment, and accountability. Transcript: [0:00] Welcome from Rhea Almeida and Luisa Portugal, [2:09] Professor Wagner begins his discussion on climate change. Guest Speaker: Gernot Wagner is a climate economist. His research, writing, and teaching focus on climate risks and climate policy. He teaches climate economics and policy at NYU, where he is a clinical associate professor at the Department of Environmental Studies and associated clinical professor at the NYU Wagner School of Public Service. Gernot writes the Risky Climate column for Bloomberg Green and has written two books.Prior to joining NYU, Gernot was the founding executive director of Harvard’s Solar Geoengineering Research Program (2016 – 2019). He has taught at Columbia, Harvard, and NYU, and has been a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

In this fight for American democracy, the VOTE 2020 initiative at NYU Wagner has three goals: (1) to encourage everyone in the NYU community to vote, (2) to enable community members to find volunteer opportunities to ensure greater voter engagement across the country, (3) to fund students to work for non-partisan, get-out-the-vote operations. Luisa Portugal sits down with Professor Erica Foldy and the Vote 2020 Cohort, represented by NYU Wagner MPA candidates’ Alexis Richards and Abe Nelson, to discuss their efforts during the presidential election , the Vote2020 Fellowship and how students can get involved with the program. Transcript [0:00] Introduction by Tiffany Rose Miller, Editor-in-Chief of NYU Wagner Review [00:45] Erica Foldy, an NYU Wagner professor, discuss Vote 2020’s initiative efforts, [1:18] Luisa Portugal begins moderating, first question ask how Vote 2020 was started, [3:12] Alexis Richards and Abraham Nelson, Co-Directors of VOTE 2020, discuss their involvement with the initiative, [6:30] Alexis and Abe discuss how NYU students can get involved with election efforts, [12:46] Things to know when voting by mail.

This podcast features a speaker panel of experts and leaders in the field climate change. They discuss what environmental advocacy looks like one year after the monumental Climate Change protests in 2019, while also considering the backdrop of 2020. The panel then reviewed rollbacks and changes in regulations that took place under the current Administration, as well as individual states’ activities and responses to those actions. They discussed how activism in 2020 has been shaped by ongoing unprecedented events and challenges of getting the Green New Deal legislation passed in Congress Panelist included speakers from varying points in their roles as activists including Janiece Watts of Fresh Energy, Ben Longstreth of NRDC, and Joe Hobbs of Fridays for Future. They will explore how to best to combat Climate Change through an activism lens particularly while we are still living through a global pandemic. The panel is moderated by Carolyn Kissane, Clinical Professor at NYU School of Professional Studies. Transcript [0:00] Welcome from Gioia Kennedy, NYU Wagner student and Chair of ACE, [00:24] Gioia Kennedy reads The Alliance for Climate Change and Environment’s mission statement, [1:40] Matt Minner, NYU Wagner student and Co-events Chair of ACE, introduces the speakers and moderator, [5:48] Dr. Carolyn Kissane begins the panel discussion, [7:07] Ben Longstreth discuss his work as a climate advocate, [11:16] Janiece Watts explains her path to activism, [18:44] Joe Hobbs walks us through his passion for climate activism at such a young age.

NYU Law Professor Philip Alston draws on his decades-long experience in human rights, and explains why poverty is extremely political. We hear his views on the limitations of UN Sustainable Development Goals, and why technocratic economists are not the only experts we need to rely on, especially after COVID-19. This podcast episode features Alston’s take on how multilateral organizations should evolve, why climate change needs a bolder approach, and why the eradication of poverty is not a priority of the elite power within global institutions. We end discussing Professor Alston’s adventures in a remote village in Papua New Guinea. Guest Speaker: Philip G. Alston’s teaching focuses primarily on international law, human rights law, and international criminal law. He co-chairs the NYU Center for Human Rights and Global Justice. In the human rights area, Alston was appointed in 2014 as the UN Human Rights Council’s Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights and has visited and reported on Chile, China, Mauritania, Romania, and Saudi Arabia. He was previously UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions from 2004 to 2010 and undertook fact-finding missions to: Sri Lanka, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Philippines, Israel, Lebanon, Albania, Kenya, Brazil, Central African Republic, Afghanistan, the United States, Albania, and Ecuador. Photo Credit: Philip Alston, United Nations special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights. Photo by: Cia Pak / U.N.

Presented by NYU Wagner Health Network (WHN) and Wagner International Student Society (WISS). This discussion will feature international students from NYU Wagner's MPA-Health program, that share how their respective home countries have been responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. They will also critically analyze public health policies to identify areas for improvement, and a potential for adoption by other countries. Meet the panelists: Chiamaka Ojiako: Nigeria Rouding Wang: China Kyaolin Rajbhandary: Nepal Moderator: Hanan Almarzooqi Transcript 0:00: Welcome from moderator Hanan Almarzooqi 00:34 Introduction of first speaker Kyaolin Rajbhandary 17:33 Introduction of second speaker Chiamaka Ojiako 42:43 Introduction of third speaker Rouding Wan Rouding Wang

Sherry Glied, a health economist and Dean of New York University’s Wagner School, walks us through her professional journey: starting out as a labor economist to being part of the team who designed the Affordable Care Act. Glied gives us insight into her time at Washington, D.C. working on health policy under the Bush, Clinton and Obama administrations, and analyzes the ins and outs of Presidential Candidate Joe Biden’s healthcare policy. Finally she gives a glimpse into her past and present life in academia during her time at Harvard, Columbia, and now NYU. Guest Speaker: Sherry Glied is Dean of New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. From 1989-2013, she was Professor of Health Policy and Management at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. She was Chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management from 1998-2009. On June 22, 2010, Glied was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at the Department of Health and Human Services, and served in that capacity from July 2010 through August 2012. She had previously served as Senior Economist for health care and labor market policy on the President’s Council of Economic Advisers in 1992-1993, under Presidents Bush and Clinton, and participated in the Clinton Health Care Task Force. She has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine, the National Academy of Social Insurance, and served as a member of the Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking.