Advertise on podcast: Westminster Town Hall Forum

The second Forum of our “Ethics Still Matter” spring season features former FBI Director and #1 New York Times Best-Selling Author James Comey. This Forum returns us to where we began in fall 1980 with Special Watergate Prosecutor Archibald Cox who also spoke on “Ethics and Government.” Do ethics matter in government? Is truth just a matter of perspective? What is asked of and from us if our democracy and once-trusted institutions are to endure? James Comey led the FBI from 2013 to 2017, appointed by President Barack Obama. At the FBI, he tried to change its approach to leadership, diversity, and cyber threats. Like Archibald Cox, Comey’s tenure came to an abrupt end under a controversial president. Prior to FBI service, Comey was a federal prosecutor in New York and Virginia and served as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and U.S. deputy attorney general under President George W. Bush. Comey’s 2018 and 2021 books on ethics and leadership were both New York Times bestsellers. He holds a law degree from the University of Chicago Law School. The Forum will be moderated by Justice Margaret Chutich who is an American lawyer and judge who served as an associate justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court from 2016 to 2024. She was appointed by Governor Mark Dayton. She previously served as a judge on the Minnesota Court of Appeals. Her career in law and justice is marked by her advocacy for LGBTQ+ representation. She holds degrees from the University of Minnesota and the University of Michigan. https://westminsterforum.org/2026/james-comey/

Gerrymandering is expanding and making news from coast to coast. How will it affect our elections? Sam Wang – one of the nation’s leading experts on redistricting, representation, and election reform – will address gerrymandering and share his data-driven approach to building and repairing an American democracy that represents all. Wang is founder and director of the Princeton Gerrymandering Project and the Electoral Innovation Lab and a professor of neuroscience at Princeton University. He has contributed to election law cases in North Carolina, Maine, and New Jersey, and his research and commentary have appeared in the New York Times and Washington Post. His analysis has been cited by Chief Justice John Roberts in U.S. Supreme Court opinions. Wang also is co-author of two popular books: Welcome to Your Brain: Why You Lose Your Car Keys But Never Forget How to Drive and Other Puzzles of Everyday Life and Welcome to Your Child’s Brain: How the Mind Grows from Conception to College. He was originally trained in physics at the California Institute of Technology, where he graduated with honors at the age of 19. Wang earned his Ph.D. in neuroscience from Stanford University. The session’s moderator will be Kaomi Lee, reporter with Twin Cities PBS. Lee uncovers stories about Minnesotans across Greater Minnesota for Almanac, the weekly public affairs program, and has a passion for exploring diverse perspectives and issues that affect the wider community. She also produces a podcast that features the experiences of adult Korean adoptees. https://westminsterforum.org/2026/sam-wang/

The Forum’s annual “Arc Toward Justice” Series is dedicated to honoring the legacy of George Floyd and the ongoing need for racial, social, and systemic change. On May 28, The Rev. Dr. Nikia Smith Robert, executive director of Abolitionist Sanctuary, will ask us to consider Martin Luther King’s arc in terms of incarceration and abolition. Is it bending? What is our work to do? What is the call to action in our time? Robert is an alumna of the same sorority as Shirley Chisholm, a 1986 Forum speaker and the first Black woman elected to Congress. Robert will return to themes from Chisholm’s 1986 Forum “Civil and Human Rights in the U.S. and Third World ” as she invites us to consider the call to ethics and abolition and the ongoing work of justice. Dr. Robert is a recognized thought leader and speaker on the topics of mass punishment, abolition, religion, and Black motherhood. She founded Abolitionist Sanctuary to build a national coalition of Black-serving churches, civic organizations, and communities to unite against the moral crisis of mass incarceration and the criminalization of impoverished Black motherhood. In addition to this work, Dr. Robert is also an assistant professor of Ethics and Social Justice at the University of Kansas and an ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The session’s moderator will be The Rev. Dr. Jessica Patchett who is senior pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis and was previously senior pastor at Christ Presbyterian Church in Madison, Wisconsin. She holds a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry in Gospel and Culture from Columbia Theological Seminary. https://westminsterforum.org/2026/nikia-smith-robert/

On November 17, 1983, Elie Wiesel—Holocaust survivor, author, and activist—began his Forum speech “Why Hate?” by saying, “The best thing one can do at noon on a Thursday is to tell stories.” Now, more than 42 years later, we gather anew to consider the power of stories and the role of music and memory by welcoming Violins of Hope, presented by the Minnesota JCC. Violins of Hope is a powerful collection of over 70 restored string instruments played by Jewish musicians before and during the Holocaust. These extraordinary violins will be featured in May – June 2026 in Twin Cities performances, exhibitions, and educational programs that honor the memory of the Holocaust and carry a message of hope, resilience, resistance, and unity. Our May 14 Forum will feature some of these instruments and will weave together their stories with music played on them, as we consider the role of story and storytelling in defending human rights and human dignity. Forum format: The Forum will open with a welcome from our Executive Director Dr. Wilhelm Garbers followed by Avshalom (Avshi) Weinstein sharing his and his father’s story about the Violins of Hope project. Rabbi Marcia A. Zimmerman will then reflect on ethics, memory, and story, interwoven with select stories of the Violins of Hope (narrated by local actors) and the opportunity to hear from the violins themselves (as performed by Marc Levine). The final portion of the Forum will feature a moderated Q & A with The Rev. Dr. Jessica Patchett and Rabbi Zimmerman. With special thanks to: The Minnesota JCC for making this presentation possible. Rabbi Marcia A. Zimmerman of Temple Israel in Minneapolis for weaving together this beautiful tapestry of music, memory, and story and providing program commentary. Avshalom (Avshi) Weinstein for sharing some of his and his father’s story and the Violins of Hope. Marc Levine for giving voice to the Violins of Hope and all of his work coordinating the Violins of Hope project for the Minnesota JCC. Sasha Blinnikova, Tiffany Cooper, and Sasha Andreev for sharing the stories of the violins and those whose stories are carried therein. The Rev. Dr. Jessica Patchett of Westminster Presbyterian Church for serving as moderator. All whose stories are carried in these violins. May we never forget.

Our Noon Forum: Special guest Justice Alan Page will join us to celebrate the Forum’s 45 years of affirming Ethics Matter. Justice Page was one of the Forum’s earliest presenters, sharing “The Student Athlete” in 1982. Now, in conversation with moderator The Rev. Dr. Jessica Patchett, Page will reflect on his career, education, athletics, and philanthropy from an ethical perspective. Minnesota’s first African American Supreme Court Justice, Alan C. Page was elected to the court in 1992. He was reelected in 1998 and 2004. Page is widely renowned for his career as a professional football player. Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988, he is recognized for his defensive efforts with the Minnesota Vikings in the 1970s. Page, who attended law school at the University of Minnesota during the height of his football career, is an ardent defender of equal education for children. He is the founder of the Page Education Foundation, which assists minority youth with post‑secondary education. In November 2018, Justice Page received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Moderator Jessica Patchett is senior pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis and was previously senior pastor at Christ Presbyterian Church in Madison, Wisconsin. She holds a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry in Gospel and Culture from Columbia Theological Seminary. https://westminsterforum.org/2026/anniversary-celebration-alan-page/

NPR’s Nina Totenberg joins us for the third Forum of our spring season, sharing observations about the U.S. Supreme Court and how it has changed since she presented “Perspectives on the Supreme Court” at the Forum in spring 1993. What is justice? Who decides the role of the courts as its arbiter? What is the Supreme Court’s place in upholding democracy and defending human rights? Totenberg is one of the country’s most respected journalists and legal affairs correspondents with more than 40 years’ experience at NPR covering the Supreme Court. Her deep experience and nuanced perspective provides insight into today’s judicial headlines. Totenberg has also penned Dinners with Ruth: A Memoir on the Power of Friendships, a testament to her long friendship with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Totenberg has won every major journalism award in broadcasting and was the first radio journalist to win the National Press Foundation’s “Broadcaster of the Year” award. In 2023 she was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame by the Museum of Broadcast Communications. Totenberg will be joined in conversation with guest moderator Cathy Wurzer. She is host of Morning Edition on MPR News and co-host of “Almanac,” a weekly public affairs program produced by Twin Cities PBS for Minnesota’s statewide public television network. Wurzer has received numerous awards during her career, including being inducted into Minnesota Broadcaster’s Hall of Fame. https://westminsterforum.org/2026/nina-totenberg/

The first Forum of our “Ethics Still Matter” spring season features Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH, reflecting on an early Forum topic, “Critical Issues in Medical Ethics,” addressed by the University of Minnesota’s Dr. John Najarian in 1982. Throughout time, ethical questions and norms have been grounded in the obligation to care for our neighbors. Yet public health system norms are being dismantled and attacked at high levels, surfacing the question, “Do our neighbors matter?” Dr. Osterholm is a renowned expert on the epidemiology of infectious disease, serving as the Regents Professor, McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Public Health, and the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. He also is co-founder of the Vaccine Integrity Project and author of the new book, The Big One: How We Must Prepare for Future Deadly Pandemics. The Moderator for today’s Forum will be Jan Malcolm. Jan Malcolm served as the Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health under three governors and has been recognized for her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. https://westminsterforum.org/2026/michael-osterholm/

As a follow-up to our Fall Season: "Ethics, Conscience, and the New Public Square," listen in to the conversation between AMPERS CEO Joel Glaser and our Executive Director Sara Wilhelm Garbers as they discuss community radio and public media in our time.

THE RIGHT REV. MARIANN EDGAR BUDDE, Episcopal Diocese of Washington Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde is the first woman elected spiritual leader for the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, which includes the Washington National Cathedral and other congregations and Episcopal schools in the District of Columbia and four Maryland counties. Previously, Bishop Budde served as rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Minneapolis for 18 years. Join us as Bishop Budde shares her thoughts on the intersection of faith and politics and speaking truth to power. She will offer insight on how courage is contagious and necessary. We are grateful to the Minneapolis Foundation for their support in bringing Rev. Budde to the Forum. https://westminsterforum.org/2025/the-right-rev-mariann-edgar-budde/

STEVE HAHN, Professor of History, New York University Pulitzer-prize winning historian Steve Hahn is renowned for his understanding of the political dynamics of the American South. He suggests that Donald Trump’s reliance on racial resentments and coercion is not new to America but familiar to its history. Join us as Professor Hahn discusses his latest book, Illiberal America, a reflection on America’s history of competing values, equally deep-seated, in which the illiberal will of the community overrides individual rights. His book addresses what lessons can be learned from that history and a democratic resurgence in the age of Donald Trump. His book will be available for purchase at the Forum. We are pleased to have the Humphrey School of Public Affairs’ Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota as our program partner. https://westminsterforum.org/2025/steve-hahn/

STEVE GROVE, CEO and Publisher, Minnesota Star Tribune We live in a time of dynamic change, when our most important institutions face unprecedented challenges. Public trust in the media, government, technology, and almost every other body in our civic lives is declining rapidly. Reinventing our institutions for a modern era is an essential task, but faces severe challenges at the national level, where our civic discourse is so polarized. Steve Grove — who’s been an executive in tech, government, and media — will share his insights on why starting local is the best opportunity we have to reclaim the promise of America and rebuild trust in our future. Steve’s recently- published book, How I Found Myself in the Midwest, will be available for purchase at the Forum. https://westminsterforum.org/2025/steve-grove/

DUCHESNE DREW, President, Minnesota Public Radio SYLVIA STROBEL, President and CEO, Twin Cities PBS (TPT) Duchesne Drew and Sylvia Strobel currently sit at the epicenter of preserving the future of public broadcast media in Minnesota. Following the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s loss of $1.1 billion in federal funding for NPR, PBS, and member stations over the next two years, hear what these incredible leaders are doing in their respective organizations not only to protect these critical resources for our state in this unprecedented moment, but to brace and prepare for an uncertain future. https://westminsterforum.org/2025/duchesne-drew-and-sylvia-strobel/

In this special episode of the Forum podcast, we talk with Paul Neimann, one of the originators of the Forum. He and his wife Diane moved to Minneapolis in the 1970s and believed their new home deserved a great speaker series. That idea became the nationally renowned Westminster Town Hall Forum. Diane passed away in 2019. But Forum director Tane Danger sat down with Paul to learn more about the origins of the Forum. Where did the idea originally come from? Who was it intended for? Was the Forum always free? How did they find the first speakers? The Forum has now hosted hundreds of speakers and touched hundreds of thousands of hearts and minds. That's in no small part thanks to Paul and Diane Neimann's efforts more than four decades ago. Please, enjoy this short history of the Forum's earliest days. And join us in thanking Paul and Diane Neimann for helping get this treasured program started.

Dr. Keyu Jin speaking at the Westminster Town Hall Forum in Minneapolis. Born in China and educated in the U.S., she is a world-renowned economist at the London School of Economics. Her most recent book is "The New China Playbook: Beyond Socialism and Capitalism." In it and in this talk, she explains how China became the most successful economic story of our time as it has shifted from primarily state-owned enterprise to an economy that is thriving in entrepreneurship, and participation in the global economy. She also discusses how the U.S. and China might improve relations by better understanding one another's economic systems. This program was recorded in front a live audience at Westminster Presbyterian Church in downtown Minneapolis on April 18, 2024. It was moderated by Tane Danger. Learn more about the Westminster Town Hall Forum at our website: www.WestminsterForum.org Keyu Jin is a tenured professor of eco­nomics at the London School of Economics and Political Science who has worked with the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund. She is currently a global board member for Richemont. Born and raised in Beijing, she holds a BA, an MA, and a PhD in eco­nomics from Harvard University, and resides with her family in London and Beijing.

Legendary tech journalist Kara Swisher in conversation with Tane Danger at the Westminster Town Hall Forum in Minneapolis. Swisher's newest work is "Burn Book; a Tech Love Story." It’s part memoir, part history and, most of all, a necessary recounting of tech’s power players and influence. In it she shares how tech came to be at the center of global commerce and power, and the risks that poses to democracy and humanity. She'll be in conversation with Forum director Tane Danger and then take questions from the audience. This program was recorded in front a live audience at Westminster Presbyterian Church in downtown Minneapolis on March 19, 2024. Learn more about the Westminster Town Hall Forum at our website: www.WestminsterForum.org Kara Swisher is the host of the podcast On with Kara Swisher and the cohost of the Pivot podcast with Scott Galloway, both distributed by New York magazine. She was also the cofounder and editor-at-large of Recode, host of the Recode Decode podcast, and coexecutive producer of the Code conference. She is a former contributing opinion writer for The New York Times and host of its Sway podcast and has also worked for The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post.