Upcoming Events, Week of February 23

ON COMPLICITY AND COURAGE

Welcome to new subscribers! Scroll down to see the guest speakers, book club authors, and happy hour guests coming up, as well as a link to this week’s It’s Complicated podcast!

The new focus for my Substack has been off to a great start in 2026! If you are new to my Substack, I am doing research for my book, Uncompromised: Activating Your Moral Compass in an Age of Complicity, and using this platform to showcase some of the authors and research I am learning from to understand what makes people complicit in bad behavior, and learning from the people who take a stand against it.

To this end, I’ll be writing free posts on these topics each month, in addition to my weekly Round Ups, on the topics of complicity and courage. Each month I’ll have one person — like a psychologist, professor, leadership expert — explain the science and theory behind complicity and courage. And then I will also bring in a real-time moral rebel who can talk about what led them to take a stand — despite the personal and professional risks they faced (and often still face). Studies show that people are better able to resist pressure and stand up for their beliefs when they can reflect on their own values and see models of moral courage in action, so I hope you will tune in and take some knowledge and inspiration from my guests! (You can find past guests, as well as posts on the topic, under the Complicity & Courage tab on the homepage.)

Zoom links for guest speakers are sent three hours before the event, and the discussions will be recorded and posted for those who cannot make it live. You can always access past guest speakers here and book club authors here.

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THIS WEEK!

• FEBRUARY (Thursday, February 26, 2026, 5-6 p.m. EST): Five Bullets: The Story of Bernie Goetz, New York’s Explosive ‘80s, and the Subway Vigilante Trial That Divided the Nation, by Elliot Williams. Want to know how the trajectories of Al Sharpton, Rudy Giuliani, and Rupert Murdoch intersected forty years ago, shaping our views of race and crime today? Elliot, a former federal prosecutor and CNN legal analyst, will explain it all. I’ve already started his book and am riveted!

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Coming Up:

• On Complicity: Dr. Alexander Stein, psychoanalyst and expert on ethical decision making, Wednesday, March 4, 1-2 p.m. EST. I came across Dr. Stein on my friend and colleague ’s Substack and have had the fortune of talking with him about his work for my book. I am VERY excited to have a conversation about “complicit ecosystems,” the importance of empathy, and why people choose to go down paths they know are wrong.

• On Courage: Alexander Vindman, author of the Why It Matters Substack and Here, Right Matters: An American Story, Monday, March 16, 12-1 p.m. EDT. Alex was one of the first people in Trump 1.0 to really step forward and speak truth to power as a star witness in Trump’s first impeachment trial. I am excited to talk with him about that experience and his journey from that point to running for the Senate in Florida!

• On Complicity: Max Bazerman, Harvard Business School professor and author of Blind Spots: Why We Fail to Do What’s Right and What to Do About It and Complicit: How We Enable the Unethical and How to Stop, (Date/Time TBA). I have drawn from both of these books by Professor Bazerman and I am excited to talk to him about how the lessons he has drawn for the business context relate to our politics.

• On Courage: Moran, former Senior National Correspondent at ABC News and now author of the Substack, (Thursday, April 23, 2026, 3 p.m. EDT). I always loved being on ABC News when Terry was hosting because of his thoughtful analysis of the news of the day. But I am even more excited to have him on to talk about how the media is responding to the authoritarian threat and his own experience speaking the blunt truth (and paying a price for it).

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The Freedom Academy Book Club

In the past I have typically done a book selection every quarter, but I am going to get more ambitious for 2026 and try to do one each month — too many interesting books and cool authors! Check out the selections below:

• MARCH (Tuesday, March 24, 3-4 p.m. EDT): 38 Londres Street: On Impunity, Pinochet in England, and a Nazi in Patagonia by Philippe Sands. Philippe reached out to me after my appearance on Ezra Klein’s podcast last spring, because I compared the removal of Kilmar Albrego Garcia to Chile in 1973. His gripping account of Pinochet’s indictment for crimes against humanity and extradition to Spain and its thru line from Nuremberg, are important lessons for today. Not to mention that the legal issues surrounding head of state immunity are more pertinent than ever in light of Maduro (and God knows what other leaders the U.S. will rendition in the coming weeks and months).

• APRIL (Thursday, April 30, 1-2 p.m. EDT): Giving Up is Unforgivable: A Manual for Keeping Democracy by , author of Substack. This book talk is waaaaaay overdue, but Joyce has been on the road since her bestseller came out so I am happy to grab her when I can! I know we will all need a civic pep talk and pick me up in April…plus we will have changed the clocks by then so things will already feel more hopeful. I truly can’t wait for this discussion!

• MAY (Thursday, May 28, 5-6 p.m. EDT): Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes by . I know that as we approach SCOTUS decision season we will need an expert guide to help us make sense of rulings that have come down and what to expect on the ones still pending! I am so excited to talk with University of Michigan Law Professor Leah Litman about how the Supreme Court has gone off the rails and what (if anything) we can do about it.

• JUNE (Date/Time TBA): The Voter File by . David has been a guest several times on my Substack but this time we will be talking about his prescient novel! The Voter File came out in 2020 and is a story about how elections can be manipulated if someone can get their hands on…you got it, the voter file. Well, guess what? The Trump administration is trying to get their hands on…states’ voter files. Life imitates art, I guess (David’s first novel, published in 2016, was about Russian election interference.) This will be a terrifying beach read with real world implications!

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This Week’s It’s Complicated Podcast

Renato and I discuss a Fifth Circuit ruling that might not have been on your radar, which would allow people to be locked up indefinitely, with no recourse. (Have you wondered why they are building so many concentration camps?) We also discuss the latest shenanigans at the Justice Department:

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My interviews and events this week:

• I was interviewed for Ms. Magazine for their series on Redefining Power: How Indian American Women Are Rewriting the Rules of Leadership, Identity and Care. Read the interview here.

• I was honored to be a part of the New York City Bar Association’s event honoring with honorary membership, and to participate in the panel on “The Rule of Law and the American Judiciary in 2026.” Watch the event here:

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Public Events:

• I’m excited to announce that I will be speaking at STATE OF THE SWAMP, the rebuttal event to Trump’s State of the Union, on February 24 in Washington, D.C.! Use my personal discount code FROGFRIEND15 to get 15% off. Just for you. Buy tickets HERE.

It’s Complicated is Cruisin’!

Come join me and Renato as we explore the stunning beauty of Alaska and discuss how we can work together to protect our democracy! It’s a small ship, and there will be lots of opportunities to talk to us both, plus we will have an opening and closing reception and dedicated democracy discussion tables throughout the cruise. You can find out more at this link, and fill out your info here to have an agent call you with more information.

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