Join Jennifer Rubin, former Washington Post opinion columnist and current co-founder and editor-in-chief at The Contrarian, in conversation with Joe Garofoli, senior political writer at the San Francisco Chronicle, for a compelling discussion on the shifting landscape of journalism and democracy in America.

Rubin — who resigned from the Washington Post in criticism of the paper’s nonendorsement decision in the fall presidential elections — will talk with veteran political reporter Garofoli about the pressures journalists navigate in an era of polarization, the evolving dynamics between the media and political power, and why a free and independent press remains essential to an informed public and a functioning democracy.

5:30 pm Reception in the Hazel Wolf Gallery

6:30 pm Lecture in the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Theatre

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About the speakers

Jennifer Rubin is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Contrarian, a pro-democracy platform that covers politics, policy, and culture. She created a stir when she resigned after 14 years as The Washington Post’s top opinion columnist, denouncing owner Jeff Bezos and other media titans for refusing to fulfill their journalistic responsibilities. In just a few months, she and co-founder Norm Ornstein have built a platform with hundreds of thousands of subscribers and published written pieces and interviews with everyone from Paul Krugman to Sherrilyn Ifill to Larry Tribe to Olivia Julianna. During its infancy, The Contrarian has also brought on the Talking Feds podcast (hosted by fellow Berkeley Law grad Harry Litman). Deeply committed to the idea that humor and culture are critical to a democracy, The Contrarian features political cartoons, satire, cooking and more.

Jennifer is also an MSNBC contributor, a frequent guest on syndicated and public radio programs, and a popular speaker on college campuses and other venues. She is author of the book, Resistance: How Women Saved Democracy from Donald Trump.

Before her career in journalism Jennifer practiced labor law for two decades in Los Angeles. She holds a BA and JD from UC Berkeley.

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Joe Garofoli is the San Francisco Chronicle’s senior political writer, covering national and state politics. He has worked at the Chronicle since 2000 and in Bay Area journalism since 1992, when he left the Milwaukee Journal. He is the former host of “It’s All Political,” the Chronicle’s political podcast. Catch it here: bit.ly/2LSAUjA

He has won numerous awards and covered everything from fashion to the Jeffrey Dahmer serial killings to two Olympic Games to his own vasectomy — which he discussed on NPR’s “Talk of the Nation” after being told he couldn’t say the word “balls” on the air. He regularly appears on Bay Area radio and TV talking politics and is available to entertain at bar mitzvahs and First Communions. He is a graduate of Northwestern University and a proud native of Pittsburgh. Go Steelers!