Our event series features conversations with well-known thinkers on issues like democracy, justice, race, and the Constitution. Learn how election officials are preparing for the fall, what’s in store in the new Supreme Court term, and more.

Fall 2024 events kick off this week. Don’t miss our upcoming programs!

Thursday, September 19, 3–4 p.m. ET
RSVP for this free virtual event

Election workers are unsung heroes, laboring behind the scenes to ensure that our elections run smoothly and securely. Yet many people don’t fully grasp what their job entails, leaving room for election deniers to spread misinformation. This lack of understanding has fueled a disturbing rise in threats, intimidation, and abuse against election officials since 2020.

Join us for a live virtual event that will spotlight these essential but often overlooked professionals. The discussion will offer a unique opportunity to hear firsthand from the people who make our elections possible as they share their day-to-day challenges and the role that they play in protecting democracy.

Speakers: Adrian Fontes, Arizona Secretary of State // Brenda Cabrera, Former Director of Elections for Fairfax, Virginia // Brianna Lennon, County Clerk of Boone County, Missouri // Moderator: Natalie Tennant, Former West Virginia Secretary of State

Wednesday, September 25, 2–3 p.m. ET
RSVP for this free virtual event

On October 7, the Supreme Court begins its 2024–2025 term — the fourth in which it is dominated by a supermajority of conservative justices. Among the questions on the docket: whether ghost guns are subject to regulation, whether prosecutorial misconduct invalidates a death sentence, the power of federal agencies to protect waterways, the applicability of criminal sentence reduction laws, and access to gender-affirming medical care.

Join us for a live virtual event to learn about what to expect. Experts will explore where the Court stands as it begins hearing cases again and discuss what can be done to shore up democracy.

Speakers: Michael Waldman, President and CEO, Brennan Center // Caroline Fredrickson, Senior Fellow, Brennan Center // Moderator: Wilfred U. Codrington III, Walter Floersheimer Professor of Constitutional Law, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law; Fellow, Brennan Center

Wednesday, October 2, 1–2 p.m. ET
RSVP for this free virtual event

In its last term, the Supreme Court undermined the federal government’s power to solve problems and the public’s ability to hold their political leaders accountable. Meanwhile, in lower courts around the country, judges are dealing with a deluge of cases under the Court’s new history-based rules about abortion, guns, and affirmative action. Where does the fight against originalism stand in 2024? And what might come next?

Join us for a live virtual event as leading historians and Brennan Center experts delve into some of the Court’s most significant recent rulings, how they will shape upcoming legal debates, and how the Court’s disastrous originalist opinions are affecting Americans’ lives.

Speakers: Jonathan Gienapp, Associate Professor of Law, Associate Professor of History, Stanford University; Author, Against Constitutional Originalism: A Historical Critique // Gautham Rao, Associate Professor of History, American University // Rachel Shelden, Associate Professor of History, Director of George and Ann Richards Civil War Era Center, Pennsylvania State University // Thomas Wolf, Director of Democracy Initiatives, Founder of Historians Council on the Constitution, Brennan Center // Moderator: Kareem Crayton, Vice President for Washington, DC, Brennan Center