The First Friday Forum speaker series provides lectures of importance and interest to the entire community about this ever-changing world sponsored by Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church. Attend the programs that interest you with no registration, subscription, or entry fee.
Programs are offered at 1:30 p.m. on a Friday January through June and are available simultaneously on the Lafayette campus and via streaming. Arrive at 1 p.m. to enjoy refreshments and conversation in the Oak Room before the talk.
To attend on-line, click the “Watch” button at the top of this page. When available, program recordings will be posted in the Archive below.
March 6 Program
March 6 – Monica Gandhi, Professor of Medicine and Physician at UC San Francisco on “Navigating a Post-Pandemic World.”
The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally changed how we live, work, and interact with one another. From lockdowns and mask mandates to vaccine rollouts and shifting public health policies, we all experienced unprecedented disruptions to our daily lives. Now, years later, we face important questions: How do we live with COVID-19 as an endemic disease? What lessons should we carry forward? How can we better prepare for the next pandemic?
Gandhi will address these critical questions in her talk at the First Friday Forum March program. She will share insights from her extensive experience as one of the country’s most prominent public health voices during the pandemic. She will discuss the science and politics of our pandemic journey, highlighting both successes and challenges. She will present her practical recommendations for managing endemic respiratory diseases, such as, expanding equitable vaccine distribution, reassessing testing policies, increasing access to outpatient therapies, and emphasizing harm reduction over restrictions. Her approach emphasizes reason, science, and compassion while acknowledging that though eradicating these viruses may be challenging, controlling them without disrupting society is possible.
Gandhi is a professor of medicine and associate chief in the Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. She serves as the director of the UCSF Center for AIDS Research and the medical director of the HIV Clinic at San Francisco General Hospital. She is the author of “Endemic: A Post-Pandemic Playbook,” which offers a roadmap for coexisting with new respiratory diseases using existing tools and evidence-based strategies.
Remaining 2026 Schedule:
April 10 – Daniel Sargent, Professor of American History and Public Policy at UC Berkeley on “One World under God? Faith and International Order.” Sargent is a historian who specializes in U.S. foreign policy and the history of international relations. He will discuss the claim that humanity will be unable to sustain international cooperation grounded in shared values without a belief in a higher order.
May 1 – Martha Olney, Teaching Professor Emerita of Economics at UC Berkeley, on “Inflation!” Olney will provide an accessible overview of the causes, varying impacts, and the limited remedies that the Federal Reserve has to address increases in the cost of living. She will discuss the public policy choices around inflation, employment, and interest rates.
June 5 – Charles Henry, Professor Emeritus of African American Studies at UC Berkeley. “King: His Life and Legacy.” Henry will talk about three stages of King’s life: the young King; King the icon; and King the radical. The conclusion will focus on King’s relevance to non-violent protest today.
To contact the First Friday Forum team or to subscribe to or be removed from the FFF email list, send an email to fff@lopc.org.
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