Interview Referenced Resources

People

• SPEAKER_01 - likely Barack Obama, based on context and references to his presidency and books.
• SPEAKER_02 - audience member expressing thanks.
• SPEAKER_03 - audience member interjecting.
• SPEAKER_04 - interviewer, likely Heather, moderating the conversation.
• Coach Ariyama - mentioned in the context of UConn's winning streak and a room at the White House.
• Bob Moses - mentioned as a role model and inspiration from the civil rights movement.
• Diane Nash - mentioned as a role model and inspiration from the civil rights movement.
• Dr. King - mentioned in relation to the Civil Rights Movement and its achievements.
• Lyndon Johnson - mentioned as a figure who helped make the Voting Rights Act and Civil Rights Act happen, despite his political constraints.
• Orban - mentioned as an example of autocracy in Hungary.
• Sergey - mentioned as co-founder of Google, with whom Obama had a conversation.
• Larry - mentioned as co-founder of Google, with whom Obama had a conversation.
• John Lewis - mentioned in the context of the Selma march and the Edmund Pettus Bridge, representing the fight for equality.
• George Washington - mentioned as part of the historical narrative of America.
• Thoreau - mentioned as part of the historical narrative of America.
• Emerson - mentioned as part of the historical narrative of America.
• Lincoln - mentioned in relation to a quote about doing things together and as part of the American story.
• Douglas - mentioned as part of the historical narrative of America.
• Kennedy - mentioned in relation to his inaugural address.
• Nixon - mentioned in reference to the Nixon tapes and their indifference to bombing Cambodia.
• Bush administration - mentioned in contrast to Nixon's administration regarding conversations about actions.
• Nelson Mandela - mentioned as an example of someone whose commitments were tested through significant hardship (imprisonment).
• Vladimir Putin - mentioned in relation to propaganda tactics.
• Steve Bannon - mentioned as having adopted a propaganda saying from Putin and the KGB.

Organizations

• The White House - mentioned as having a room for Coach Ariyama.
• UConn - mentioned in relation to its winning streak.
• The Connecticut Forum - the venue for the interview.
• The Justice Department - mentioned as having figures who ensured the federal government weighed in on the side of equality and freedom.
• The KGB - mentioned for a propaganda saying adopted by Steve Bannon.
• Google - mentioned as a company Obama visited on its campus in Mountain View in 2005.
• The Republican party - mentioned as the opposition that criticized Obama for an "apology tour."
• The Democratic party - mentioned in the context of needing people in both parties to uphold the law.
• Wall Street - mentioned as the origin of a global financial crisis.
• Walmart - mentioned in the context of retail disruption.
• Amazon - mentioned as a competitor to Walmart.
• The Obama Foundation - mentioned as an organization that fosters the next generation of leaders.
• My Brother's Keeper - a program associated with the Obama Foundation, targeting young men of color.
• Girls Opportunity Alliance - a program associated with the Obama Foundation, focusing on women and girls.
• Ivy League schools - mentioned as places where leaders can be found.
• The United States of America - the country discussed throughout the interview.
• Poland - mentioned as a country where solidarity was rising and experiencing rapid growth.
• The Philippines - mentioned for its people power movement.
• China - mentioned in the context of economic growth and taking advantage of trade rules.
• Eastern Bloc countries - mentioned as places experiencing rapid growth after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
• Hungary - mentioned as an example of autocracy under Orban.
• The former Soviet republics - mentioned in relation to the accumulation of money after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
• The Republican side - mentioned as criticizing Obama's actions.
• The left - mentioned as sometimes being "scolds" and wanting absolute positions.

Documents

• A Promised Land - Obama's book, in which he wrote about the conflict between working within and pushing against the system.
• The Constitution - mentioned as embodying institutional norms and laws.
• The Voting Rights Act - mentioned as a successful piece of legislation.
• The Civil Rights Act - mentioned as a successful piece of legislation.
• The Declaration of Independence - mentioned in contrast to the "bad story" of America that ignores its principles.
• The Presidential Center - mentioned as being named after a speech Obama gave in Selma for its 50th anniversary.
• The Audacity of Hope - Obama's book, written before his presidency, containing a chapter about visiting the Google campus.
• Time Magazine - mentioned as a publication that used to provide a shared cultural reference point.

Tools

• Cat videos - mentioned as a distraction from reading.
• TikTok - mentioned as a platform for content, alongside cat videos.
• Internet - mentioned as a driver of changes in the information ecosystem.
• Social media - mentioned as a tool that highlights inequality and can be used for propaganda.
• Cell phones - mentioned as a technology that allows people to see how others live and can trigger migration.
• Macs - mentioned as the type of computers used in Obama's early campaign office.
• Web pages - mentioned as an early form of online presence for a campaign.
• Tweets - mentioned as having a different effect than books.
• Apps - mentioned in relation to Meetup.
• Meetup - mentioned as a program that encouraged people to meet in the real world, fostering community and trust.

Technologies

• Digital technology - mentioned as something Obama was an early adopter of in campaigning.
• AI models - mentioned as having the potential to cause shifts in white-collar work.
• AI revolution - mentioned as a significant upcoming disruption.
• Battery technologies - mentioned as a potential solution for climate change.
• Zero emission carbons - mentioned as a goal in addressing climate change.
• Communications revolution - mentioned as a factor triggering mass migration.
• Existing technologies - mentioned as capable of reducing emissions significantly if people were organized.
• AI - mentioned as a technology that is not overhyped and will cause disruption.