NOVEMBER 23, 2024
Baratunde Thurston
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: WHAT IS REAL?
TONIGHT’S LEAD PATRON
At Davenport & Company LLC, we believe that wealth management is timeless. Opportunities arise, trends change, and technologies evolve — but the fundamentals of investment research and management remain. With an emphasis on building wealth together, our financial advice and personal service are the foundation of our success with individuals and institutions across generations.
Davenport is an independent, employeeowned firm, founded in Richmond in 1863 and still headquartered here today. Since our founding, we have experienced nearly every kind of financial market and we have learned the importance of balancing stability and innovation in a dynamic environment. We recognize that there is more to our business than delivering high-quality financial services; it is about building meaningful relationships. Our more than 500 associates, across four states, maintain a discipline of putting our clients’ needs ahead of our own and delivering products and services that meet their goals.
We offer a comprehensive set of resources including financial and retirement planning, asset management, stock and bond brokerage, insurance and annuities, public and corporate finance, and research. Our boutique money management division, Davenport Asset Management, has emphasized long-term investing across a variety of disciplines in separately managed accounts for more than 35 years, and offers six publicly available mutual funds.
Recognized for our leadership and industry contributions for several years, we are proud to be named a “Best Place to Work” in Virginia and a “Best Employer” in North Carolina. We are committed to the communities in which we live and work. Davenport Shares, our employee-run philanthropic initiative, actively supports local organizations and dedicates company time and resources to projects that enhance the vibrancy and quality of life in our region.
We invite you to visit our website at Investdavenport.com, and connect with us on LinkedIn and Facebook.
THIS SEASON IS ALSO MADE POSSIBLE BY THESE LEAD PATRONS
Capital One is on a mission to help our customers succeed by bringing ingenuity, simplicity, and humanity to banking.
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TONIGHT’S PRODUCER PATRONS
We’re unconditionally committed to stopping cancer, offering the latest in prevention, research and care. Celebrating 50 years of impact.
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FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
DEAR RICHMOND FORUM SUBSCRIBERS AND SPONSORS,
Welcome to our 39th season!
It is my great pleasure to extend a heartfelt thank you for choosing to be part of this remarkable community.
Whether you have been with us for many seasons or this is your first, I am honored to have your support and participation in the conversations that distinguish our city and shape our world.
By joining us this season, you are sharing in our commitment to civil discourse and intellectual discovery. In a time when our nation is fractured by cultural divides and ideological obstinance, the Forum community is distinguished by our abilities to listen to diverse viewpoints, challenge our own perspectives, and engage thoughtfully with complex issues. We strive to create a space where open dialogue thrives and deepens understanding. By seeing issues from more than one perspective, we grow as individuals and as a collective. With you, we can build a more informed, empathetic, and connected world.
I look forward to experiencing a new slate of ideas, stories, and points of view with you this season. With the notable personalities and timely topics coming to our stage, I expect the energy in the theater to be electric!
We hope you will continue to utilize the Ticket Marketplace for seat upgrades throughout the season. Our upgraded system offers more flexibility for all subscribers while ensuring every seat in the theater is filled and as many people as possible can experience the excitement of a full house. If you are unable to attend a program or give your tickets to someone who can, please remember to donate your seats back to The Forum so another subscriber may attend. You will receive a tax donation receipt at the end of the calendar year.
You can share insights from tonight’s Richmond Forum program by giving the gift of an online subscription to your friends and family. As a subscriber, gift subscriptions are available to you at a special price in the Portal until the end of December.
Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm for The Richmond Forum. Together, we can foster dialogue, challenge ideas, and make meaningful connections in our community and beyond. Here’s to another unforgettable season!
Sincerely,
Heather Mullins Crislip
Baratunde Thurston
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: WHAT IS REAL?
NOVEMBER 23, 2024
OPENING MUSIC Ms. Jaylin Brown
OPENING REMARKS Heather Mullins Crislip
Executive Director
The Richmond Forum
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION
William R. B. Hershey
Chief Financial Officer & Managing Director
Davenport & Company, LLC
PRESENTATION Baratunde Thurston
INTERMISSION Ms. Jaylin Brown
Submit your questions via Slido
AUDIENCE QUESTIONS
Baratunde Thurston with Vida Williams
Davenport & Company is an independent, employee-owned firm, founded in Richmond, Virginia in 1863. During our history, we have experienced nearly every kind of financial market and we have learned the importance of balancing stability and innovation in a dynamic environment. We know there is more to our business than delivering high-quality financial services; it is about building meaningful relationships.
BARATUNDE THURSTON
TONIGHT’S SPEAKER
RIGHT NOW, THIS AI MOMENT HITS DIFFERENT. IT’S THE FIRST TECHNOLOGY DESIGNED NOT JUST TO SERVE US, BUT TO BE US.
BARATUNDE THURSTON IS AN EMMY-NOMINATED MULTI-PLATFORM STORYTELLER AND PRODUCER operating at the intersection of race, technology, democracy, and climate. He is the host of the PBS television series “America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston,” the creator and host of “How To Citizen with Baratunde” (which Apple named one of its favorite podcasts of 2020), and a founding partner of the new media startup Puck.
Thurston uses his unique ability to integrate and synthesize themes of race, culture, politics, and technology to explain where our nation is — and where we can take it. At Puck, he regularly writes about new developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and their implications across different industries, individuals, and the culture at large. He has appeared and shared these insights on numerous podcasts, including The Progress Network’s “What Could Go Right?” and Techmeme’s “Ride Home.” Thurston has also interviewed dozens of tech leaders on the Webby Award-nominated web series “Lenovo Late Night IT.”
This October, Thurston launched the video podcast, “Life With Machines,” through which he aims to demystify AI and make it personal with a wide range of guests: entrepreneurs, artists, policymakers, technologists, business leaders, creators, educators, and scientists.
His comedic memoir “How to Be Black” is a New York Times bestseller. In 2019, he delivered his speech “How to Deconstruct Racism, One Headline at a Time,” which MSNBC’s Brian Williams called “one of the greatest TED Talks of all time.”
Thurston serves on the boards of Civics Unplugged and the Brooklyn Public Library and lives in Los Angeles, California.
Tonight, he will explore whether our obsession with artificial intelligence has us wandering too far from our essential human nature and challenge us to shape a future where we balance commercial and humanitarian interests.
VIDA WILLIAMS TONIGHT’S MODERATOR
VIDA WILLIAMS IS CHIEF DATA OFFICER AT STRIDE, INC., where she guides the organization’s development of datadriven utilities to power student learning outcomes across the country.
Prior to joining Stride, Inc., Williams served as chief data officer at Virginia ABC, as well as chief diversity officer and chief data officer at Richmond-based SingleStone Consulting, an information technology services company.
Williams also served as an adjunct professor of Innovation and Business at Virginia Commonwealth University’s da Vinci Center, where she led budding entrepreneurs through special projects to advance innovation for social good.
Her previous experience includes working as managing partner at The Axis Partners, Inc., a Richmond-based data science and process engineering firm, and as vice president of project management at Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc. in Richmond.
Williams earned her Bachelor of Arts in history and English from Duke University.
HAVE A QUESTION FOR BARATUNDE THURSTON?
Head to slido.com to submit a question for the Q&A. You can also endorse questions submitted by fellow audience members, both in the theater and online, to increase the chance of them being asked.
Your question is more likely to be selected when you include your name!
Build Better Lives.
MS. JAYLIN BROWN
TONIGHT’S MUSICIAN
VOTED STYLE WEEKLY’S 2024 BEST R&B/SOUL ARTIST, Ms. Jaylin Brown’s elegantly eclectic tunes are steeped in emotion and inspired by artists like Jill Scott and Lianne La Havas. Her music has been described as “a revelation, a journey into the soul of music.”
As she maneuvers through melodies with ease, Ms. Jaylin Brown casts healing over her audience by encouraging them to sing along. Her roots in Richmond culture are heavily reflected in the way her music holds influence from myriad contemporary styles. She studied opera at Virginia Commonwealth University and received her Bachelor of Arts in music performance in May 2020.
Ms. Jaylin Brown returns to Virginia after completing her master’s degree in contemporary performance and production from Berklee College of Music’s international campus in Valencia, Spain. She looks forward to continuing the work of her master’s thesis to heal her community through music. She is accompanied tonight by Charles Owen (saxophone, keys) and Joe Edwards (drums).
Pictured:
Dream Bigger
Deloitte
10 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT AI
ACCORDING TO AI
We instructed OpenAI’s ChatGPT language learning model to give us a list of 10 things the Richmond Forum audience should know about artificial intelligence ahead of tonight’s program. Here is what it had to say.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS MORE THAN A BUZZWORD; it’s a transformative force already embedded in critical areas of society. From healthcare to finance, AI now performs complex functions that impact our lives in ways often unseen. But as AI systems advance, their integration raises important questions: How do data quality and bias shape AI’s decisions? How will AI reshape professional roles, rather than simply replace them? And ultimately, who holds the responsibility for ensuring AI’s ethical use? This list dives into ten essential aspects of AI, providing a deeper understanding of the technology’s real-world impact and the pivotal role of human oversight in steering its future.
1. AI POWERS MANY INVISIBLE PROCESSES IN YOUR LIFE.
AI’s learning process hinges on enormous datasets, and quality is crucial. Imperfections in data — such as biases, outdated information, or gaps — can lead to inaccurate or biased AI outputs. The phrase “garbage in, garbage out” highlights that AI’s reliability is directly tied to data integrity, requiring rigorous quality checks and ongoing refinement.
2. DATA IS THE BACKBONE OF AI — BUT IT’S IMPERFECT.
The core of artificial intelligence is data. AI systems analyze vast amounts of data to identify patterns and make predictions. This process is called “machine learning.” The more data AI has, the better it gets at tasks like language translation, image recognition, and even medical diagnosis.
3. AI OPERATES DIFFERENTLY FROM HUMAN INTELLIGENCE.
While AI can mimic aspects of human cognition, it lacks awareness, common sense, and nuanced contextual understanding. Even advanced models like ChatGPT or AlphaGo don’t “know” or “understand” but execute tasks through probabilistic calculations and optimization of patterns identified in data. These models excel in structured tasks but often struggle with ambiguity or uncommon scenarios.
4. AI IS TRANSFORMING WORKFLOWS, NOT ENTIRELY REPLACING JOBS.
Rather than entirely replacing jobs, AI is reshaping them. For instance, in medicine, AI algorithms assist radiologists by identifying patterns in scans, but radiologists still provide critical oversight. Similar transformations are occurring in fields from law to finance, where AI handles data-heavy tasks, freeing professionals to focus on complex decision-making and strategy.
5. NARROW AI DOMINATES; GENERAL AI REMAINS OUT OF REACH.
Narrow AI: This is the AI we interact with today. It performs specific tasks (like playing chess or driving a car) but can’t operate outside those tasks.
General AI (AGI): This would have the ability to understand and perform any intellectual task a human can. This concept remains speculative. Despite advances, AGI requires breakthroughs in areas like self-directed learning, reasoning, and adaptability that today’s systems can’t achieve.
Superintelligence: An AI that surpasses human intelligence in all aspects. It is still a concept from science fiction, but one being actively discussed by experts.
6. CREATIVITY IN AI IS PATTERN-BASED, NOT ORIGINAL.
AI models like DALL-E or GPT can generate artwork, prose, and music, but their “creativity” relies on patterns in existing data. For instance, AI-created art is a synthesis of visual data it has encountered. True creative innovation — developing entirely new styles or perspectives — remains a uniquely human domain, as AI lacks intentionality or inspiration.
7.
AI
BIAS IS A PERSISTENT CHALLENGE.
Bias can be inadvertently built into AI systems due to the data used for training. For example, facial recognition AI often performs poorly on minority groups due to underrepresentation in training datasets. Addressing these biases requires ongoing audits, diverse datasets, and, increasingly, regulatory guidelines to reduce harm and maintain fairness.
8. AI IS SHAPING FUTURE JOB ROLES AND INDUSTRY TRENDS.
AI’s evolution is already creating demand for new roles, such as AI ethics specialists, machine learning model auditors, and data-labeling experts. Future trends suggest industries will increasingly need skilled interpreters who understand both AI and human decision-making, driving AI-driven business strategies responsibly.
9. HUMAN OVERSIGHT OF AI IS ESSENTIAL FOR ETHICAL USE.
AI’s ability to execute decisions quickly can lead to problematic outcomes without human oversight. In high-stakes fields like law enforcement, finance, and medicine, clear guidelines, transparency, and human oversight are necessary to avoid unintended consequences and ensure AI aligns with ethical standards.
10. THE PATH AI TAKES IS SHAPED BY SOCIETAL CHOICES.
The future direction of AI will be influenced not just by technological breakthroughs but by regulatory decisions, ethical considerations, and public acceptance. As a society, balancing innovation with responsible use will determine whether AI continues as a force for good or creates unanticipated challenges.
CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION
• How did ChatGPT do in writing this article? Could you tell it was written by AI?
• Do you think it was unethical for us to publish AI-generated content? Is it ethical for newspapers and other media companies to do so?
• In what ways might AI-generated content reinforce or challenge cultural biases?
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COMMITMENT
We’re
MACHINE TAKEOVER
THE EVOLUTION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) is one of the most transformative forces of our time, but its origins trace back to ideas and aspirations that span centuries. For the Forum audience, many of whom may recall the early days of computing, understanding AI’s history requires looking at how human curiosity and technological advancement intertwined over time. Let's explore the key milestones that shaped AI into what it is today.
Early Beginnings: Philosophical Roots
The concept of artificial intelligence has ancient roots. Philosophers like Aristotle imagined mechanical beings capable of reasoning, and these early ideas planted the seeds of AI. During the Enlightenment, thinkers such as René Descartes further explored the nature of human cognition, laying a theoretical foundation for machine-based reasoning.
In the 19th century, Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage envisioned programmable machines. Lovelace is often credited with being the first to see that machines, beyond performing arithmetic, could one day execute complex tasks, including decision-making — an insight that foreshadowed the modern understanding of AI.
The Birth of AI: 1950s
Artificial intelligence as a field officially began after World War II, a time when rapid advancements in computing paved the way for a new kind of science. Alan Turing , one of the pioneers of modern computing, posed a critical question in his 1950 paper, “Computing Machinery and Intelligence.” He asked, “Can machines think?” and proposed the now-famous Turing Test as a benchmark to evaluate whether a machine could convincingly mimic human intelligence.
The 1956 Dartmouth Conference, organized by John McCarthy, is often marked as the birth of AI. McCarthy, along with notable scientists such as Marvin Minsky, Claude Shannon, and Herbert Simon, set the stage for AI as a research discipline. They were optimistic, believing that within a generation, machines would surpass human intelligence. McCarthy coined the term “artificial intelligence,” defining a bold new frontier.
The Early Days: 1960s and 1970s
The 1960s and 1970s saw the development of fundamental AI techniques, such as problemsolving algorithms and symbolic reasoning. Researchers created early AI programs like ELIZA , a simple chatbot developed by Joseph Weizenbaum in 1966 that simulated human conversation, albeit in a limited and rule-based way. Though rudimentary, ELIZA demonstrated how computers could mimic human interactions, even if only superficially.
At the same time, AI researchers began exploring expert systems, which aimed to replicate the decision-making processes of human specialists. Programs like DENDRAL (used in chemistry) and MYCIN (used in medical diagnosis) were early examples. However, as researchers dove deeper into complex tasks, they realized that human intelligence, shaped by emotion, context, and intuition, was not so easy to replicate.
AI Winters: 1970s to Early 1990s
AI experienced several so-called “AI winters,” periods when enthusiasm waned and funding for research diminished. This was primarily due to overly ambitious promises that fell short, as well as the limitations of early computers. The hurdles in developing practical systems became apparent in the 1970s when the high cost of computing and the slow progress in solving problems of perception, reasoning, and language processing dampened optimism.
A second AI winter hit in the late 1980s and early 1990s as expert systems failed to deliver commercially, despite initial successes. The limitations of rule-based systems in handling realworld complexity became clear and funding dried up. However, these periods of stagnation were not without progress — researchers quietly developed new algorithms and the groundwork was laid for AI’s resurgence.
The AI Renaissance: 1990s to Early 2000s
AI began to emerge from its winter in the mid-1990s, thanks to advances in hardware and new approaches. One of the major breakthroughs came from machine learning , a method in which machines learn patterns from data rather than relying on hard-coded rules. Early success in this field came with programs that could recognize speech, identify handwriting, and play chess.
In 1997, IBM’s Deep Blue defeated world chess champion Garry Kasparov, marking a turning point in AI’s visibility. The machine’s victory was an early demonstration of how machines, armed with data and computational power, could outperform humans in specialized tasks.
At the same time, neural networks , a computational model inspired by the structure of the human brain, began to show promise. Neural networks had been explored since the 1950s, but it was only in the 1990s that their potential for large-scale learning began to be realized. These models laid the foundation for the powerful deep learning systems that would soon revolutionize AI.
The Deep Learning Revolution: 2010s
The 2010s marked a watershed moment for AI, as deep learning became the dominant approach. This shift was driven by the explosion of data available on the internet (often called “big data” ) and the dramatic improvements in computing power, especially through graphics processing units (GPUs). Companies like Google, Facebook, and Microsoft invested heavily in AI research, fueling a new era of breakthroughs.
Deep learning systems , powered by neural networks with many layers (hence the term “deep”), excelled in image recognition, natural language processing, and even self-driving cars. In 2012, a deep learning model developed by Google learned to recognize cats in YouTube videos without any human guidance — an amusing but profound demonstration of unsupervised learning.
One of the most famous AI achievements of the 2010s was AlphaGo, an AI developed by DeepMind (acquired by Google). In 2016, Lee Sedol, one of the world’s top players of the 2,500-year-old abstract strategy board game, was defeated by AlphaGo in a series of matches. The game of Go had long been considered beyond the reach of AI due to its complexity, but AlphaGo’s victory showed that machines could now handle incredibly intricate and intuitive decision-making processes.
The AI Explosion: 2020s and Beyond
In the early 2020s, AI has moved from niche applications into everyday life. Systems like GPT-3 (released by OpenAI in 2020) and ChatGPT (2022) marked a new era in language modeling , allowing machines to generate human-like text, hold conversations, and assist in writing, coding, and many other tasks. These AI models are not simply rule-based but can generate novel responses, raising questions about creativity and machine intelligence.
Meanwhile, AI has begun to transform industries ranging from healthcare and finance to manufacturing and entertainment. Generative AI , which creates images, music, and other media, is pushing boundaries and blurring the line between human and machine creativity.
At the same time, concerns about AI’s impact on jobs, privacy, and security have become central topics of global discourse. Governments, academics, and businesses are now debating how to ensure AI develops in ways that benefit society, without exacerbating inequality or causing unintended harm.
CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION
• How have your own interactions with and perceptions of AI changed over time?
• How have society’s aspirations and fears surrounding AI evolved over time?
• What do you envision will be the next era of AI development?
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2024-2025 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EXECUTIVECOMMITTEE
Teresa Downs, Chair Altria*
Ellen E. Spong, Immediate Past Chair AtlanticUnionBank*
Andrea Lynn White, Vice Chair GenworthFinancial*
Will R. B. Hershey, Treasurer Davenport&Company*
Jonathan Brabrand, Secretary ProfessionalRestorationServices*
COMMITTEECHAIRS
Kristin Cavallo, Program Chair Subscriber
Janet Tope, Investment Chair Subscriber/Supporter
Steve Humble, Nominations & Governance Chair VPM*
P. Anand Rao, PhD, Education Chair UniversityofMaryWashington
DIRECTORS
Kevin D. Best
VirginiaCommonwealthUniversity*
Jimmy Chou SingleStone*
Anthony Conte WellsFargo*
Regina J. Elbert DominionEnergy*
Tonya S. Hall
VirginiaStateUniversity*
Eva Hartmann
LunaInnovations
Cindy Joyce
CWAdvisors,formerlyAgili*
D. Brennen Keene McGuireWoods*
A. Brent King PerformanceFoodGroup*
Kelly O'Keefe BrandFederation*
Rick Palmieri
WilliamsMullen*
Celia Rafalko
*PatronofTheRichmondForum
PRODUCTION TEAM & STAFF
THERICHMONDFORUMSTAFF
Heather Mullins Crislip ExecutiveDirector,heather@richmondforum.org
Dee A. Raubenstine DirectorofDevelopment&SponsorEvents,dee@richmondforum.org
Michael Brown DirectorofSubscriberServices&Operations,michael@richmondforum.org
Sandra Wheeler DirectorofStudentPrograms,sandra@richmondforum.org
Lucretia M. Anderson Speech&DebateInitiativeManager,lucretia@richmondforum.org
Maggie McVicar DirectorofCommunications,maggie@richmondforum.org
2024–2025RICHMONDFORUMSCHOLARS
Rose Borchert, St.GertrudeHighSchool
Journi Marlow, HenricoHighSchool
Jeffrey Sproull, TheStewardSchool
Natalie Stopf, AppomattoxRegionalGovernor'sSchool
Daniel Zhang, MaggieL.WalkerGovernor'sSchool
CaryStreetPartners
Daphne Maxwell Reid
Subscriber/Supporter*
Rhodes B. Ritenour
BonSecoursVirginiaHealthSystem*
Alison Rogish Deloitte*
Linda V. Schreiner
Subscriber/Supporter
Lisa Sims VentureRichmond
Zack Smith PartnerMD*
Greg Stivers ProfitOptics*
Sally Tate Hourigan*
Ashley L. Taylor, Jr. TroutmanPepper*
Maria Tedesco
AtlanticUnionBank*
Pient Tran CapitalOne*
Todd B. Waldo
HughHelen,LLC
PRODUCTION
Jacquelyn Craig ProductionStageManager
Ray Bullock AssistantStageManager
Boitnott Visual Communications HDVideo
Ryan Marasco
ProductionManager
BoitnottVisualCommunications
Cream Studio OpeningVideo
Carlos Chafin Composer InYourEar
Heidi Winton-Stahle Makeup
Todd Waldo OnlineHost
ALTRIATHEATER
Audrey M. Booth TheaterManager
Steve Sweet TechnicalDirector
Thomas Vecchione ProductionManager
Glenn Major GeneralManager
SUPPORT
Hope Scott
VIPGroundTransportation
JamesLimousine
Josée Covington AirTravel
CovingtonTravel
P. Kevin Morley
Photographer
SPEECH & DEBATE
THE 2024 - 2025 ACADEMIC YEAR is off to a great start, with the Richmond Forum Speech & Debate Initiative (RFSDI) gaining 19 teams and 23 coaches since last year. We are heavily investing in middle schools and hope to have all in the region engaged for the 2026 National Speech & Debate Tournament in Richmond.
The middle school division of the national tournament is open to all, unlike at the high school level where students must qualify in order to be invited to attend. The Richmond region has a rare opportunity to send significant numbers of middle school students to a national tournament for a relatively low cost.
We hope to prepare schools to take advantage of this opportunity. By supporting intermediate programs, we are further sustaining speech and debate in the region by creating a pipeline of trained students for their zoned high schools.
Our 2024 - 2025 local tournament season kickoff is well underway. Critical competitive events are coming up quickly and we need your help! Visit richmondforum.org/speechdebate to learn about volunteer opportunities.
SEPTEMBER 26
Meadowbrook High School Expo and Scrimmage
OCTOBER 11-12
Revolutionary Rhetoric
OCTOBER 26
Chrissy Ellis Legacy Speech & Debate Invitational, Manchester High School
NOVEMBER 16
Jaguar Jamboree Invitational, Hermitage High School
DECEMBER 14
Crimson Wave Holiday Invitational, Petersburg High School
JANUARY 17
9th Annual Clash of the Titans, Cosby High School
OUR PARTNER SCHOOLS FOR THE 20242025 SPEECH & DEBATE SEASON:
INDEPENDENT/REGIONAL
Appomattox Regional Governor's School
Collegiate School
Maggie L. Walker Governor's School
St. Catherine’s School^
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY
Clover Hill High School
Cosby High School
James River High School
L.C. Bird High School
Manchester High School
Matoaca Middle School^
Meadowbrook High School
Midlothian High School
Monacan High School*
Salem Church Middle School^
Swift Creek Middle School^
HANOVER COUNTY
Atlee High School
Mechanicsville High School
Patrick Henry High School
HENRICO COUNTY
Brookland Middle School^
Deep Run High School
Douglas Freeman High School
Fairfield Middle School^
Glen Allen High School
Godwin High School
Henrico High School ^
Holman Middle School
Hungary Creek Middle School^
Moody Middle School
Pocahontas Middle School^
Tuckahoe Middle School^
Varina High School
Wilder Middle School^
PETERSBURG
Petersburg High School
RICHMOND
Armstrong High School*
Dogwood Middle School^
Franklin Military School^
Henderson Middle School^
Huguenot High School
John Marshall High School*
Open High School
Richmond Community High School
Richmond High School for the Arts
Thomas Jefferson High School*
LEARN MORE!
2026 National Speech & Debate Tournament
June 14 - 19, 2026
We are thrilled to announce that Capital One and Dominion Energy are proudly sponsoring the 2026 National Speech & Debate Tournament! Their support is critical for creating a remarkable experience for our 10,000+ out-of-town visitors and ensuring Richmond students are well-prepared to compete on their home turf.
PLATINUM SPONSOR GOLD SPONSOR
Learn about the tournament and sign up for our newsletter at richmondforum.org/2026
Revolutionary Rhetoric October 10 - 12, 2024
Last month, The Richmond Forum partnered with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation to host the first annual Revolutionary Rhetoric Speech & Debate Invitational. Students from across the commonwealth competed in the inaugural event featuring a 1770s-themed student congress and several period-specific speech events.Thank you to Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP for their generous support.
Next year’s event will take place November 2025. Stay tuned for the official announcement!
NEW PERSPECTIVES
At Genworth, we empower families to navigate the aging journey with confidence, and we care about the wellbeing of each human being.
We value creativity and embrace diverse perspectives as we strive to serve with excellence… our customers, colleagues, and community.
We are proud to support The Richmond Forum as it presents powerful voices so the Richmond region can listen, learn, and lead.
RICHMOND FORUM SCHOLARS
CELEBRATING ITS 11TH ANNIVERSARY, the Richmond Forum Scholars Program is a once-in-alifetime opportunity for five of the region’s highest achieving and most impressive high school juniors to volunteer behind the scenes at America’s largest speaker series. Since 2013, these students have had the rare opportunity to interact directly with national and international speakers by playing essential roles in each Richmond Forum program evening.
Throughout the season, these Scholars work closely with Forum staff to check in guests at sponsor receptions, escort speakers throughout the evening, work as runners backstage, and introduce speakers in the Student Room. Congratulations to this remarkable group!
ROSE BORCHERT is a junior at Saint Gertrude High School . She is very active in her school community, holding an office in the student government and participating in clubs like Model Judiciary and General Assembly. Passionate about political science, international relations, and law, Rose aspires to study and pursue a career in those fields.
JOURNI MARLOW is a junior at Henrico High School . Born and raised in Richmond, Journi is a distinguished mock trial state and national champion. She possesses a deep passion for the visual arts and excels in her academic pursuits. Journi aims to pursue a career in law, using her talents to advocate against injustice and foster positive change in the world.
JEFFREY SPROULL is a junior at The Steward School. He is an active student athlete who plays three sports and participates in clubs like the Outdoor Adventure Club and Model UN. Jeffrey also plays the saxophone and has a keen interest in history and politics. He plans to study law and international affairs in college.
NATALIE STOPF is a junior technology major at Appomattox Regional Governor’s School . She founded her school’s National Speech & Debate Association program at the start of her sophomore year. Natalie plans to become an OBGYN and use her passion for advocacy to change women’s health legislation in America.
DANIEL ZHANG is a junior at Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School for Government and International Studies. He is deeply interested in technology and writing. After college, Daniel intends to explore the intersection of medicine, technology, and the humanities. In his free time, he enjoys running, photography, and playing with his cat, Woody.
2024-2025 PATRONS
LEADPATRON
Altria Group
Davenport & Company LLC
Dominion Energy
Genworth Financial
Wells Fargo
HOSTPATRON
Capital One Bank
circle S studio
Hourigan Group
Troutman Pepper LLP
YouDecide
PRODUCERPATRON
Atlantic Union Bank
Bank of America
Boitnott Visual Communications
Bon Secours Virginia Health System
Covington Travel
Cream Studio
Deloitte Services LP
Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center
ProfitOptics, Inc.
TCV Trust & Wealth Management
Universal Corporation
VCU Health
Virginia Cancer Institute
Virginia Commonwealth University
EDUCATIONPATRON
Dr. & Mrs. W. Baxter Perkinson Jr.
Trinity Episcopal School
MEDIAPATRON
VPM
MUSICPATRON
CW Advisors, formerly Agili
PRESENTER
2nd Order Solutions
12 On Your Side
ASGN
Brand Federation
Buckingham Greenery, Inc.
Cobotiq
Columbia Gas of Virginia
Digital Video Group
DLG Strategic
Fahrenheit Advisors
Froehling & Robertson
Fulton Bank
Gentry Locke
Heritage Wealth Advisor
HHHunt
Hirschler
Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
James River Carriers
Kaufman & Canoles, P.C.
KPMG, LLP
Lakewood
Marks & Harrison
McGuireWoods LLP
MCV Foundation
MEDRVA Healthcare
Dr. Andrew J. & Mrs. Patricia Michael
Nelson Mullins
Neurosurgical Associates
PartnerMD
Performance Food Group Company
Sage Wealth Advisors
Transact Capital
University of Richmond
Virginia State University
Westminster Canterbury
Woodfin Oil
Workshop Digital
CONTRIBUTOR
Actuarial Benefits & Design Company
COLAB
The Dana Foundation
EY
In Your Ear Studios
J.P. Morgan
Mary & Ted Linhart
Markel Group
Westham Partners
Williams Mullen
FRIEND
Mrs. Ralph L. Anderson
Bob & Kate Beckler
Anne & Roger Boevé
BrownGreer PLC
CEBCO
The Change Decision
Kevin & Sheila Clasbey, Platinum Premier
Marge Connelly & Julie Christopher
Drs. Betty Neal & Ronald A. Crutcher
Rick DeJarnette
Dr. Arpita DePalma, Thought Work MD
Endodontic Partners
Thomas A. Grant
Paulina Hidalgo & Edwin Huertas
Gregory Karawan
Mr. & Mrs. Robert A. Mann
Mac & Amy Marshall
Blair & Bill Martin
The Martin Agency
Montgomery Compliance Law
Mike Mulvihill & Marcy Walsh
Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia
Judy & Dave Pahren
Mary Ellen Pauli & Allesandra L. Schroeder
Dianne Reynolds-Cane, MD
Lisa & Leon Roday
Will & Lisa Sims
SingleStone
Ellen Spong & Gus Epps
Tredway S. Spratley & Janine M. Collins
VAMAC, INC.
Warren Whitney
Wells Coleman
Adrienne Whitaker
Vanessa & James Wigand
SUPPORTER
Nupa Agarwal
Raziuddin Ali
Sherrie Armstrong
Virginia Bacon
Melody Barnes & Marland Buckner
Richard & Sidney Bland
Winn & Scott Bleicher
Sonia Phipps Brokaw
Susan Caley
Patricia Carmichael
Will Caudle & Dr. Leanne Yanni
Kristen Cavallo
Samantha & Jimmy Chou
Candace & Bob Cody
Angela & Ted Cox
Mr. & Mrs. John H. Cronly III
Harold M. Cruse, DDS
Tanya & Brad Cummings
Bill & Gale Cushing
Beth Daniel
Mr. & Mrs. James Daniel, Jr.
Kenneth M. Dye
Jack M. Enoch
Laura & Jay Erskin
Whitney Fero
Patricia Fields
Whitney K. Forstner
Kristen R Fournier
Leah Fremouw & Jacob Powell
Susan & Steve Gaidos
Thomas Gallo
Kimberly & Mike Giancaspro
Mr. & Mrs. Robert B. Giles
Sallie Gilliam
Maya & Stu Glaser
McChesney & Nancy Goodall
Greg & Gloria Gravlin
Ruth & Ed Griggs
Michael C. Guanzon, Esq.
Dr. & Mrs. Thomas P. Harrison
James Head
Phillip & Ellen Marie Hess
Jon & Trish Hill
Gregory & Deborah Hillman
John M. Holloway
Dennis & Kathleen Maccio Holman
Bob & Susan Horne
Steve & Wendy Humble
Bobbie Hunt
Lana Ingram
Anne-Marie Irani & Lawrence Schwartz
Otis & Machel Jones
Kastelberg Family
Linda & Kerry Keenan
Bruce & Theresa Kelley
Janet & Jay Kraft
Jeffrey Lacker & Lisa Halberstadt
Anne & Preston Lloyd
Chris Lumpkin
Luna Innovations
George L. Mahoney
John & Rhoda Mahoney
Dr. Shailaja Malhotra
Paul, Olivia & Luke Manno
Candace & Patrick Martin
Elizabeth & Michael Martin
Elizabeth Mason
Kevin & Nina McDonough
Jerry Miller
Michael & Benita Miller
Guru Mohanty
Charleen B. Moore
Lauren & Elliott Moore
Ina Moses & Jeff Smyser
Bosha Nelson & Peter Nash
Jan Nelson
Amy & David Nisenson
Nyfeler Survey
Jeff & Paula O’Flaherty
Samantha & Steve Otero
Thomas Perry
Greta Peters
Michael & Laura Phelan
W. Paul Pitts
Therese Podgorski
Mrs. Leslie Pridgen
Celia Rafalko
Ellen P. Ray
Andi & Brian Redmond
Tim Reid & Daphne Maxwell Reid
Paul D. Reilly
Mollie & Jim Reinhart
Linda F. Rigsby
Ryan & Danielle Ripperton
William D. Robinson & Paula SaylorRobinson
Penn & Laurie Rogers
Dr. Vipal & Jeanette Sabharwal
Rick & Carly Schofield
Linda Schreiner
Jane & Maurice Schwarz
Ben & Vivian Sillmon
Laine Sims, LCSW
Jessica & Robert Smith, III
Susan Snyder
Sarahbeth & Steve Spasojevich
Leila & Kirk Spitzer
Leslie Stack & Frank Rizzo
Dr. Ken Stoner
Charles & Deborah Sutton
Leila Taaffe
Nathan & Sally Tate
Technology Leasing Concepts, Inc.
Melodie Thigpen & Paulette Moncol
Doug & Janet Tope
Marc & Marnie Warner
Siri & Kyle Wiggins
Beth & Van Williams
Julie & Gary Wilson
Becky & John Young
Robyn L. Young
Thank you for your support!
students and faculty from Trinity Episcopal School have the opportunity to attend The Richmond Forum in a special program designed to connect the classroom, the community and current events. Trinity and The Forum are grateful to the Perkinsons for their continued support.
Thanks to the generous support of Dr. & Mrs. Baxter W. Perkinson, Jr., Coeducational • College Preparatory Grades 8-12 • Average Class Size: 14 Richmond’s First International Baccalaureate World School
1987
RICHMOND FORUM SPEAKERS
January Ted Koppel
February Hodding Carter and Larry Speakes with Paul Duke
March General Brent Scowcroft with Diane Sawyer
April Charles Kuralt
1988
January Oprah Winfrey
February Jeane Kirkpatrick and Vladimir Pozner with Marvin Kalb
March George Will
April Art Buchwald
1989
January Sam Donaldson
February Henry Kissinger with John Chancellor
March William Buckley and Charles Rangel
April Dr. Carl Sagan
1990
January Paul Duke, Howard Fineman and Charles McDowell
February Frank Carlucci, George McGovern, William Proxmire and William Rusher with Bettina Gregory
March Mike Wallace
April Alistair Cooke
1990–1991
October Chancellor Helmut Schmidt
January Admiral William Crowe, General Alexander Haig and Robert McFarlane with Edwin Newman
February H. Ross Perot
March Art Buchwald and Andy Rooney
April Captain James Lovell and Dr. Frank Drake with James Burke
1991–1992
October Barbara Walters
January PM Margaret Thatcher
February General H. Norman Schwarzkopf with Larry King
March Dr. Marc Micozzi and Dr. Victor McKusick with Patricia Cornwell
April Mark Russell
1992–1993
October Terry Anderson
January Hiroki Kato and T. Boone Pickens
February Dr. Joyce Brothers
March Dr. Bill Cosby
April President Mikhail Gorbachev with Cokie Roberts
1993–1994
November Senator Warren Rudman, Lamar Alexander and Dr. Marvin Cetron with Chris Wallace
January Frank Capiello and Michael Holland with Louis Rukeyser
February President George H. W. Bush
March Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
April Bob Newhart
1994–1995
November General Colin Powell
January Walter Cronkite
February Dave Barry
March Tom Clancy
April Jack Kemp and George Mitchell
1995–1996
November PM Brian Mulroney and Ambassador Carla Hills
January Neil Armstrong, Eugene Cernan and Dick Rutan with David Hartman
February Calvin Trillin
March Charles Kuralt
April David Gergen, Pierre Salinger, Sheila Tate and Bob Woodward with Ed Bradley
1996–1997
November Carl Reiner with Dick Cavett
January Paul Volcker with Ray Brady
February Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough
March Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber with Sir David Frost
April Marcia Clark, Philip K. Howard, Dr. Rodney Smolla and Kym Worthy with Prof. Arthur Miller
1997–1998
November Bill Moyers
January Wynton Marsalis
February PM Shimon Peres
March Mary Tyler Moore
April Peter Lynch
1998–1999
November PM John Major
January Robert Bennett and Dr. William Bennett with Tim Russert
February Harry S. Dent, Jr. and Lou Dobbs
March Lily Tomlin
April Dr. Robert Ballard and Jean-Michel Cousteau
1999–2000
November Julie Andrews
January Todd Brewster and Peter Jennings
February John Krubski and Michael Connors with Ray Brady
March Archbishop Desmond Tutu
April James Carville and Newt Gingrich with Tim Russert
PAST PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT
“Technology and the New Marketplace (2000)”
On the heels of surviving the Y2K threat, John Krubski, a futurist and innovation consultant, and Michael Connors, president emeritus of America Online, sat down with Ray Brady on February 19, 2000 for a discussion about tech futures in the new millennium.
At the time, only 41.5% of U.S. households had access to the internet. Twenty-four years later, 92% of Americans are now online.
2000–2001
November Senator John Glenn
January Tom Brokaw
February PM Benjamin Netanyahu
March Frank McCourt
April Dr. William Kelso
2001–2002
November Hal Holbrook
January Rabbi Marc Gellman and Msgr. Thomas Hartman
February Dick Clark
March Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough
April Madeleine Albright and James Baker with Gwen Ifill
2002–2003
November Ken Burns
January Rudolph Giuliani
February PM Benazir Bhutto and Queen Noor with Gwen Ifill
March Louis Freeh
April Senator Fred Thompson
2003–2004
November Cal Ripken, Jr.
January Robert Shiller and Jeremy Siegel
February Candice Bergen
March President Mary Robinson
April Thomas L. Friedman
2004–2005
November General Tommy Franks
January Michael Beschloss and Walter Isaacson
February Tim Russert
March Dr. Fareed Zakaria
April Frank Gehry
2005–2006
November Robert Redford with Pat Mitchell
January Sherry Lansing
February General Colin Powell (Ret.)
March Tom Wolfe
April Rick Wagoner
2006–2007
November Burt Rutan
January Malcolm Gladwell and Alvin Toffler
February B.B. King
March Jim Lehrer
April Dr. Jared Diamond
2007–2008
November President Vicente Fox
January Carly Fiorina
February Michael Douglas
March Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
April David Brooks
2008–2009
November PM Tony Blair
January Reza Aslan and Jon Meacham
February Smokey Robinson with Daphne Maxwell Reid
March Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long
April Marion Nestle and Michael Pollan
2009–2010
November Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson
January Greg Mortenson
March Steve Forbes
April Condoleezza Rice
May David Plouffe
2010–2011
November President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
January Laura Bush
February Anderson Cooper
March Dr. George Church
April David Blaine
PAST PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT
“Future Tech: Exponential Change, Infinite Possibilities (2018)”
On February 17, 2018 , innovator, engineer, physician, and entrepreneur Peter Diamandis led the Forum audience through his optimistic view of the future.
He addressed the potential impact of AI advancements on the future of work and whether there is a danger in machines becoming too smart. Diamandis discounted the sci-fi trope of the AI villain, instead believing that it will be “the greatest tool we will have to solve all of our problems.”
2011–2012
November Dr. Robert Ballard
January Robert Gates
February Quincy Jones with Tim Reid
March Charles Krauthammer and Robert Reich with John Donvan
April Sir Ken Robinson and Rafe Esquith
2012–2013
November Platon
January Steven Spielberg, Tony Kushner and Doris Kearns Goodwin with Tim Reid
February President Bill Clinton
March Captain Mark Kelly and Gabrielle Giffords
April Dr. Jane Goodall
2013–2014
November Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf and Maajid Nawaz with John Donvan
January Dan Buettner
February President George W. Bush
March PM Gordon Brown
April Steve Martin and Martin Short
2014–2015
November Diana Nyad
January Garry Trudeau
March Ben Bernanke with Paul Solman
April Dr. Daniel Levitin and Rosanne Cash
May General Keith Alexander and Robert Mueller with John Donvan
2015–2016
November Michael Sandel
January Alan Alda
February James Balog
March PM Julia Gillard
April Russell Wilson and Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
2016–2017
November Nate Parker
January Doris Kearns Goodwin and Jon Meacham with Steve Inskeep
February Krista Tippett
March PM Ehud Barak and Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei with Robin Wright
April Ron Howard with Linda Holmes
2017–2018
November President Barack Obama
January Glenn Close
February Peter Diamandis
March Ambassador Samantha Power
April Joe Scarborough and Newt Gingrich with Mara Liasson
2018–2019
November Captain Scott Kelly
January Tina Fey with Linda Holmes
February Dr. Sanjay Gupta
March Ian Bremmer
April Dr. Temple Grandin with John Donvan
2019–2020
November Bob Costas
January Dave Isay, Catherine Burns and Brandon Stanton with John Donvan
February Peggy Noonan
2020–2021
November José Andrés
January Theresa May
February Esther Perel
March Bryan Stevenson
April Vijay Gupta
2022
January Bob Iger with Kara Swisher
February Gloria Steinem with Zainab Salbi
March Erik Weihenmayer
April Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates
May Rhiannon Giddens
June Michelle Obama
2022–2023
November Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster (USA, Ret.)
January Maria Ressa
February Ella Al-Shamahi
March John Lithgow
April Dr. Cornel West and Thomas Chatterton Williams
2023–2024
November Isabel Wilkerson
January Joel Sartore
February Liz Cheney
March Dr. Anthony Fauci
April Jan Crawford and Kimberley Strassel
2024–2025
November Baratunde Thurston
January Dr. Amber Straughn
February Mike “Coack K” Krzyzewzski
March Richard Reeves
April Martha Stewart with Soledad O’Brien
Explore our past speaker archive and share your Forum memories at richmondforum.org/speaker.
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JAN CRAWFORD & KIMBERLEY STRASSEL
AT THE RICHMOND FORUM APRIL 20, 2024
WITH THE SUPREME COURT PREPARING TO HEAR ITS FINAL ROUND OF ORAL ARGUMENTS for the then-current term, a captive Richmond Forum audience tuned in for an inside look at the state of the Court. In a conversation moderated by Jayme Swain of VPM, legal affairs journalists Jan Crawford and Kimberley Strassel discussed all matters of the Court, from notable cases on the docket to unlikely friendships on the bench.
According to Pew Research Center, fewer than half of Americans (44%) now express a favorable opinion of the Court. However, Crawford assured that despite low approval ratings, the Court is in capable hands. “The rule of law is strong,” she said. “The wheels are not coming off the bus, and the bus is going places.”
Having covered the institution’s inner workings for 30 years, Crawford has learned that the justices take their relationships with one another and the traditions of the Court seriously. Their commitment helps them maintain common ground when they disagree on how to interpret the law.
Strassel added that the current political climate has led to an overreporting and exaggeration of the partisan division of the Court. “Of 58 cases that were decided last year, 48% were unanimous,” she shared. According to her data, the justice who was most often in the majority was Brett Kavanaugh. “He
voted 95% of the time with Chief Justice Roberts, but also 80% with Justices Jackson and Kagan.”
As for the current term, the pair touched on a range of cases regarding reproductive rights, the First Amendment, and former President Donald Trump. They agreed that common themes on the docket include states’ rights, limits to executive power, and putting governing bodies “back in their lane.”
“Congress is not doing its job [in adequately writing the law] so other agencies or branches are picking up the slack,” Crawford explained. She and Strassel both drew attention to Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, a case in which the Court would decide whether to overrule its 1984 decision in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council. Chevron laid out that courts should defer to how federal agencies interpret the law, as long as that interpretation is reasonable. “Agencies currently have a lot of power. If there are gaps in the law or it’s unclear, the agency will interpret it … and that’s not the structure of our Constitution.”
“The Court’s kind of danced around this,” Strassel said. Citing what she sees as a recent trend in agencies leveraging dated provisions to expand their reach, she expanded, “At a certain point, you can’t hide an elephant in a mouse hole.” She anticipates this will be an ongoing subject for the Court over the next few years, barring a change in its makeup.
The duo does not foresee that makeup changing anytime soon, despite recent calls for Justices Thomas and Sotomayor to step down from both sides of the aisle. Lighter observations about the justices were noted, including their individual strengths and their willingness to work together. Crawford distinguished that because their terms are much longer than most elected officials, justices take the long view.
“They see themselves as stewards of the institution,” Crawford said. “That’s not to say that things weren’t really bad after Dobbs, and it wasn’t really bad after Bush v. Gore, but they figure out a way to come together.”
JANANDKIMBERLEYAREAMAZING, BRILLIANTWOMEN.BOTHDEMONSTRATED DEEPEXPERTISEABOUTTHESUBJECT MATTER.THEYFELTFREETOCHALLENGE ONEANOTHER,BUTDIDSOWITHRESPECT ANDHUMOR.IAMALONG-TIMEFANOF KIMBERLEYSTRASSEL.WHILEIKNEWOF JANANDAMVERYFAMILIARWITHHER REPORTING,ILEFTWITHDEEPRESPECTFOR HER.BOTHWEREEXCELLENT.
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speakers. 5) Guests of Capital One, the Host Patron for the evening. 6) Ninja Strings provides musical entertainment.
1) Kimberley Strassel and Jan Crawford on stage. 2) Jayme Swain of VPM asks questions from the audience. 3) Strassel and Crawford visit the Student Room to talk with local high school students. 4) Teresa Downs of Altria, the evening’s Lead Patron, introduces the
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UP NEXT AT THE FORUM
FEBRUARY 15, 2025
MIKE “COACH K” KRZYZEWSKI
JANUARY 11, 2025
DR. AMBER STRAUGHN
NASA’S SEARCH FOR COSMIC HISTORY
The launch of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) in 2021 was one of the most remarkable engineering feats in human history. Three years in and a million miles away, the telescope is revolutionizing our understanding of the cosmos, which may leave humankind with more insight into our origins and our place in the universe. Astrophysicist Dr. Amber Straughn is no stranger to the expanse, having worked on the JWST project science team at Goddard Space Flight Center since long before its launch. Accompanied by stunning JWST-captured images, she will take us on a journey back to the cosmic dark ages, revealing the nature of exoplanets and galaxy formation of the early universe. (Format: Speech with Q&A)
MARCH 22, 2025
RICHARD REEVES
Are Boys Falling Behind?
APRIL 26, 2025
MARTHA STEWART WITH SOLEDAD O’BRIEN
The Life Behind Living
Uncommon
momentum
“There will always be a niche community of resistant old-timers … but the vast majority go where the momentum is.”
Just like Baratunde Thurston, we believe in embracing A.I. technology as a force for human good. Which is why we are creating a new, innovative college dedicated to getting ahead and not just keeping up. In other words, when it comes to being a world-class thought leader, we’re in a class of our own.
VCU. We are the uncommon.