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Conversations with the experts writing thought provoking Globe Opinion op-eds and Ideas features.

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upcoming op-talks

Fireside chat with National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy

Boston Globe editorial page editor Bina Venkataraman and White House National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy will discuss her new role and whether the Biden administration’s policies go far enough, fast enough to address the climate crisis.

previous op-talks

March 17: A fair shot? How to achieve COVID-19 vaccine equity in Massachusetts

Black and Latinx people have been disproportionately affected by the coronavirus pandemic, and yet these communities haven’t been properly prioritized to get vaccinated. Why were people of color put in the back of the vaccine line? What can be done about it?

Feb. 22: Can Boston be the Silicon Valley of longevity?

Boston Globe Opinion contributing columnist Diane Hessan and Joseph Coughlin and Luke Yoquinto of the MIT AgeLab discuss how Boston can become a longevity hub. Globe Opinion and the AgeLab are collaborating on an ongoing multi-platform series to spark Greater Boston’s transformation into the Silicon Valley of aging.

Dec. 16: The Democratic agenda in the new Congress

Globe Senior Opinion writer Kimberly Atkins and Katherine Clark, incoming Assistant Speaker of the US House of Representatives, discuss Clark's new role in Congress, the top items on the Democrats' agenda, COVID-19 relief, and working with a new presidential administration.

Nov. 9: Disinformation campaigns against Black and Latino voters: Looking at 2020 and beyond

Globe editorial writer and columnist Marcela García and panelists Shireen Mitchell from Stop Online Violence Against Women, Adrian Reyna from United We Dream, and Globe national political reporter Jazmine Ulloa will discuss some of the misinformation tactics seen during the 2020 election season, what the counter-campaigns to address them looked like, and why the misinformation ecosystem still matters post-election.

Nov. 6: Election 2020: The finish line

Globe columnist Michael Cohen and senior opinion writer Kimberly Atkins will break down what happened on election night — and what races are still shaking out — and what it means for the future.

Oct. 23: Election 2020: The future of the Republican Party

Globe senior opinion writer Kimberly Atkins, columnist Michael Cohen and conservative political analyst Shermichael Singleton discuss the most consequential election in a generation, the issues it will turn on, and its aftermath.

Oct. 23: The Lincoln Project: A look at the Republican effort to beat Donald Trump

Globe columnists Scot Lehigh and Joan Vennochi discuss the Lincoln Project's efforts to defeat the man who has taken over their party with Executive Director Sarah Lenti and Senior Adviser Stuart Stevens.

Oct. 22: The Justice Department and the rule of law

Boston Globe senior opinion writer Kimberly Atkins and Former Gov. Deval Patrick discuss how Justice Department prosecutors and investigators can protect the rule of law and Americans’ faith in the election amid President Trump’s attacks.

Oct. 14: Can Boston’s new power brokers tackle racial injustice?

Globe columnist Diane Hessan, Quincy Miller, president of Eastern Bank, and Linda Dorcena Forry, former MA State Senator and now head of Diversity and Inclusion at Suffolk Construction, discuss how a unique approach to philanthropy, distributing funds to Black-and-Brown led non-profits within marginalized communities, could support the community and embolden new innovators — and whether it truly will be a game-changer.

Oct. 13: What’s at stake when we don’t trust science?

Eric Lander, president and founding director of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and former Obama science adviser, joins Globe editorial page editor Bina Venkataraman for a discussion on how to renew the compact between science and society, what’s at stake in the coming election, and how to navigate the road ahead as a citizen of this brave new planet.

Oct. 9: Trust: A Conversation With Pete Buttigieg

The Boston Globe & The Boston Book Festival host Pete Buttigieg to discuss his new book, Trust: America’s Best Chance, with Globe editorial page editor Bina Venkataraman. Buttigieg argues that trust in our institutions and each other is the glue that holds societies together.

Sept. 28: Presidential debates in the Trump era

As the presidential debates begin, Globe columnists Scot Lehigh and Joan Vennochi talk to two seasoned political campaign advisers on strategies past and how to prepare for one with President Trump, who has turned traditional campaign norms upside down.