It’s easy to get cynical about Free Speech - many times, it feels like the party crying free speech is simply the party who is not currently in power. But there is another take - that free speech is and will remain a core tenet of our democracy. It’s a complex, multi-faceted issue across domains, and so we are hosting our first “series” of events with P&T Knitwear, an amazing bookstore in Lower East Side. Three salons, culminating in a debate on whether free speech can still be defended in a world of algorithms and anonymity.

Our first in this series is a salon on protests - it seems like every other month there is a new, divisive take on protesting, and whether it is free speech or obstruction. The Minnesota ICE Protests, Don Lemon, BLM, January 6th, No Kings, Columbia. The list goes on. Join us and talk with people who also want to have better conversations and respectful disagreement.

Upcoming UNMUTED Events

Thursday, 3/12: An UNMUTED x P&T Free Speech Salon I: The War on Protest (link)

Monday, 3/16: An UNMUTED Dialogue: Crime and Punishment and Mamdani (link)

Thursday, 3/26: An UNMUTED x P&T Free Speech Salon II: The Battle o Campus (link)

Check out all our events here

The events I’ve got my eye on in the next two weeks. Check them out!

Monday, March 9
•6:30 PM – Chris Hayes Discusses “The Siren’s Call” with Alondra Nelson
Subject: Contemporary thought
Where: Center for Brooklyn History
Who: CBH Books
What: A timely discussion with MSNBC host Chris Hayes and Sociologist Andora Nelson on how the ‘attention economy' has reshaped our inner lives, politics, and democracy. This is based on Hayes’ newest book, ‘The Siren’s Call’. This topic has been popping up on my feed a lot recently, its hot button, but a little over saturated, but if you go, please share your thoughts.

•6:30 PM – Declaration: Little-Known Stories of American Independence
Subject: History
Where: Fraunces Tavern Museum, 54 Pearl StreetNew York, NY, 10004
Who: Liberty 250 Lectures and the Legal History Committee of the New York City Bar Association
What: A conversation and lecture with Robert Watson on some of the untold stories of the Declaration of Independence. My intern watches these kinds of YouTube videos all the time, hell, probably be there.

🗓 Tuesday, March 10
•5:30 PM – Nothing About Us Without Us: Community Policy Summit
Subject: Local Policy
Where: BronxWorks Classic Community Center
Who: The Bronx Defenders
What: An annual dinner and conversation where participants are asked to discuss their policy priorities regarding their neighborhood. This is what civics looks like. We need more of this.

•All Day – Student Movements and Social Justice: Histories and Futures
Subject: History and Contemporary Policy
Where: Elebash Recital Hall, The Graduate Center, New York, NY
Who: The Center for the Humanities at The Graduate Center, CUNY
What: An all-day conference bringing together higher education advocates and organizations to discuss free education, affordable housing, cops off campus, campus labor, accessible childcare, Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions. I think higher-ed policy is a really underexplored space in contemporary politics; it could be worth checking out some of the panels.

Wednesday, March 11
•8:00 AM – 2026 State of the NY Women in Business & Women Economic Forum NY
Subject: Modern Policy and Economics
Where: 605 W 125th St, New York, NY
Who: New York Women’s Chamber of Commerce
What: The Women's Economic Forum and the New York Chamber of Commerce, among others, are teaming up to host a forum focused on New York entrepreneurs and the steps needed in the space. Normally, I don't post about morning events, but this is a great opportunity for new or seasoned entrepreneurs in politics, government, or business at large.

•7:00 PM – Cato Next Gen Reception
Subject: Healthcare
Where: Fraunces Tavern, 54 Pearl Street
Who: Cato Institute
What: A discussion between one of Cato’s health policy experts and Rikki Schlott, journalist of the NY Post, among others on how American healthcare got fucked up, and what to do about it. At a very nice venue, so I might attend.

🗓 Thursday, March 12
•7:00 PM – Garry Kasparov in Conversation with Bret Stephens: The World of Fake Values
Subject: Contemporary thought
Where: Weill Art Gallery
Who: 92NY
What: Garry Kasparov is a former Russian chess legend who left it all behind in opposition to Putin's regime. Since then, he has devoted his years away from chess to analyzing democracy. Now, in a conversation with Bret Stephens, New York Times Opinion Columnist, he discusses the perversion of democracy through technology, isolation, and fear. We might be working with Garry Kasparov’s org - Renew Democracy Initiative - for a four part event series this year…worth checking out!

•7:00 PM – New Public Forum
Subject: Contemporary thought and politics
Where: Frederick P. Rose Auditorium, The Cooper Union, 41 Cooper Square, New York, NY 10003
Who: Cooper Union Art School
What: A student-led policy forum aimed at promoting cross-disciplinary collaboration among the arts, government, and hard sciences. I’m a bit skeptical of student-led forums but….too interesting to pass up!

🗓 Friday, March 13
•7:00 PM – The Earth is Flat, And Other Facts
Subject: Comedy
Where: Caveat NY
Who: Caveat NY
What: A conspiracy filled comedy show. From flat earthers to brand new theories, four comedians will take you through a journey of the bizarre ‘truths’ populating our airwaves. Maybe Alex Jones will show up.

•9:30 PM – Drinking Buddies
Subject: Comedy
Where: Grove 34 Comedy Club
Who: Grove 34 Comedy Club
What: A comedy night dedicated to poking fun at the liberals, the red hats, the conservatives, and everything in between.

🗓 Saturday, March 14
•9:00 AM – Exiting Egypt Economic Conference: Preparing for Uncertainty Part II
Subject: Economics
Where: Emmanuel Baptist Church
Who: A Better World Community Development Corporation
What: The 2026 Annual Socio-Economic Empowerment Conference that will prepare you for any situation in the face of oncoming economic uncertainty.

🗓 Sunday, March 15
•11:00 AM – Sunday Platform with Judge Machelle Sweeting
Subject: Ethics and society
Where: Ceremonial Hall (4th Floor), 2 W 64th St, New York, NY 10023
Who: The New York Society for Ethical Culture
What: A long-standing weekly event, this forum is a discussion about promoting a virtuous society through self-reflection and discourse. This installation features Judge Machelle Sweeting, who is the judge for the Manhattan 10th Municipal Court District of the New York City Civil Court, New York County. I might go to this - text me if you want to join (978 302 5849)

Monday, March 16
•6:00 PM – The Information State
Subject: Current Affairs
Where: The CUNY Graduate Center Skylight Room 9100
Who: Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies
What: A book talk and discussion with journalist and author Jacob Siegel and the director of RDI Eli Karetny. In a world where truth is often purposefully manipulated, this discussion explores the implications of the information, or rather disinformation, state on our democratic institutions.

•6:30 PM – M. E. O’Brien, Trans Childhoods and the Family Romance
Subject: Science and Contemporary Thought
Where: SVA, 133 W 21st StNew York, NY
Who: Art History, Visual & Critical Studies, Honors
What: Ok… hear me out. M. E. O’Brien is a local NYC author and psychoanalyst who explores the connections between identity, capitalism, and classic psychoanalysis. This particular talk bridges classical Freudian theory with the modern implications of trans identities and family units as they operate within modern social structures…. I think. I’ll pay a conservative $10 to subject themselves to this, but you have to record your reaction.

🗓 Tuesday, March 17
•5:00 PM – NYU Stern CSB Ninth Annual Practice Forum
Subject: Business and Government
Where: NYU Stern Business School
Who: NYU Stern Business School
What: Part of an all-day symposium on better business practice, I specifically want to mention the AI in government panel, which takes place at 5. Sooner or later, we have to confront the elephant in the room: what are we going to do with AI?

•6:00 PM – Waterfront, Parks & Cultural Committee
Subject: Local Politics
Where: 1 Centre Street, 2202A-North
Who: Manhattan Community Board 1
What: President of the Battery Conservancy, Paula Recart, will give a presentation regarding the preservation of critical NYC waterfront space. I don't always post weekly board meetings, but since this features a special guest, it may be more eventful.

Wednesday, March 18
•6:00 PM – AF-NYC: Lights Up on Mamdani's New York
Subject: Local Politics
Where: Gadfly Bar
Who: America’s Future
What: An early-term analysis and conversation covering Mumdani’s policy progress and indicators for the future - the speakers are Rob Henderson and Daniel Idfresne. Open bar for $10, can’t complain

•6:00 PM – The Met Club Presents: Our St. Patrick’s Day Social
Subject: Policy
Where: An Upper East Side Bar
Who: Metropolitan Republican Club
What: A St. Patrick’s Day event featuring AOC’s republican Congressional challenger, Diamant Hysenaj. Good luck with that lol.

•6:30 PM – The Power of Policy and Online Verification
Subject: Policy
Where: 66 Hudson Boulevard New York, NY 10001
Who: Duke Sanford School
What: Duke Sanford's Development and Alumni Relations is hosting a conversation with Professor Robyn Caplan, who researches platform governance, content moderation, and digital trust. The conversation will touch on how history informs today's digital shifts, the role of AI in verification, and our unique position at the intersection of science, technology, and society.

🗓 Thursday, March 19
•6:30 PM – Offline Book Club: Enshittification
Subject: Technology
Where: Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL)
Who: New York Public Library
What: A book discussion on Enshittification by Corey Doctorow. The term describes the process by which technology and social media networks make our lives “Shittier”. At this point, discussions of technology, social media, and the tech ecosystem cannot be held in isolation from politics, civics, and our autonomy. This book is honestly “ensufferable” - very liberal activist coded, but could be interesting for others.

🗓 Friday, March 20
•7:30 PM – The Moth Mainstage in New York
Subject: Politics
Where: 566 LaGuardia Pl New York, NY ,10012
Who: The Moth
What: 5 Storytellers will take the stage in a comedic and illuminating night of tales questioning the modern application of “The American Dream”. In our current political moment, the American Dream has persisted in the American Zeitgeist, but is it the same as it once was? Was there ever an American Dream? What is it?! Find out Friday night.

🗓 Saturday, March 21
None I found

🗓 Sunday, March 22
•6:00 PM – The Power Joker
Subject: Comedy and Politics
Where: Caveat NYC
Who: Caveat NYC
What: A riff of the ‘Power Broker’, this comedy show is presented by “Robert Moses” and is a deep dive into NYC's political past and history. Love Caro - not sure how this will be funny.

Show up, think deeper, and as always, stay Unmuted!

The Unmuted Team