First Fridays Series

Women’s leadership is shaping the future of social justice, sustainability, renewable energy, and gender equality. In this powerful episode of the Samuel Lawrence Foundation’s First Fridays series, we bring together two female experts working to amplify women’s voices and drive meaningful change in nonprofits, DEI, arts and culture, and environmental advocacy. Amy-Willard Cross – Founder of Gender...

Safe, stable housing is a fundamental human right, yet millions across the U.S. face housing insecurity, homelessness, or displacement due to systemic inequality, policy challenges, and economic pressures. This February, the Samuel Lawrence Foundation’s "First Fridays" series tackles the critical issue of the housing crisis with an expert panel of advocates, policymakers, and scholars. Together, t...

Filmmaking is more than just a medium for visual entertainment — it’s a powerful tool for storytelling that moves, captivates, and often, transforms us. In this January’s webinar, we explore the profound impact of film on human emotion and its role in shaping culture, identity, and society. Join us for an exciting conversation with filmmakers and storytellers who are pushing the boundaries of how...

Join us for a special edition of our First Fridays Webinar, where we’ll take a deep, reflective look back on the powerful moments that defined our webinar series. This month, we’re not just revisiting key topics—we’re examining how these conversations have shaped our understanding of the pressing issues that are at the heart of the Samuel Lawrence Foundation’s mission. From the dangers of nuclear...

If a language disappears, what is lost along with it? Once a language disappears — along with the knowledge of the elders who speak it — whole swaths of wisdom disappear, too. And that is precisely what is happening in the Amazon right now, as well as in many Indigenous communities around the world. It is universally acknowledged that Indigenous people have a special relationship with the land, an...

“Education Innovation” introduced us to four visionaries whose work around the globe is being lauded for cutting-edge education. Our panel featured the following accomplished educators: Dr. Jeff Duncan-Andrade, Chair of Latinx Studies, San Francisco State University - Dr. Jeff Duncan-Andrade has taught in East Oakland for decades and has earned huge recognition as a model educator by his peers. "E...

The struggles we’re experiencing in the United States are undeniable — but we’re not alone. As the UN Foundation noted in an op-ed earlier this year, “Choose a country — any country — and you will likely find the same trends: Trust in public institutions is plummeting, wealth inequality is on the rise, and societies are increasingly polarized.” It is in an effort to navigate this mistrust in insti...

The country we live in — and the world outside our borders, as well — is very divided. Certain issues on which we all have quite strong feelings seem — and indeed in fact may be — unbridgeable. And that is where the arts can play such a powerful role. The beauty, precision, and craftsmanship of works of art — whether visual arts, like painting and sculptures, or performing arts, such as music and...

This stunning webinar serves as a crucial introduction to our 7/24/24 symposium, where attendees gained a comprehensive understanding of real dangers and challenges posed by 3.6 million pounds of radioactive waste on the beach at San Onofre, CA. We will explore actionable solutions for a safer future. Speakers: Kate Brown, Professor, History of Science, MIT Stephanie Cooke, Journalist, Writer, New...

World Oceans Day is one of the bigger social awareness days on the social-good calendar. In this month's panel, we will explore our oceans health, tapping into the expertise of our panelists, who will give us a perspective from scientific, academic, and cultural lenses. Matthias Egger is an executive at The Ocean Cleanup, a nonprofit organization that is trying to clean up the Great Pacific Garbag...

Experts warn of irreversible environmental damage if we don't shift away from fossil fuels immediately. Nuclear energy is often hailed as a solution to our reliance on fossil fuels, but its radioactive waste is a danger to human and environmental health, a toxic byproduct that lasts for thousands of years. So what is the solution to our climate-crippling reliance on fossil fuels? Enter Blue Planet...

While many countries and companies regularly host State of the Union and State of the Corporation meetings to update their constituents and stakeholders on their progress, there's a notable absence of a State of the Earth event focusing on the planet's overall health, strengths, and weaknesses. In our State of the Earth, we brought together a panel of experts representing the “four P's”: People, P...

We’re living in a precarious era, one defined in the last half decade by a polycrisis of three Cs: COVID, climate, and conflict. And much of the worst elements of these crises have been exacerbated by poor leadership. As the global climate gets increasingly worse, it’s worth noting that international climate conferences are dominated by men, like the UN COP conferences, where the heads of state of...

What does it mean for a nuclear plant to be decommissioned? What’s the status of the nuclear waste currently stored on-site at San Onofre? What concerns does the public need to be aware of? Is San Onofre safe? As advocates for a safe and sustainable future for Southern California, SLF is thrilled to present the next edition of our First Fridays Series, "The San Onofre Briefing: The Latest on SoCal...