Brain-computer-interface (BCI) devices are among the most promising medical innovations today. Individuals who are paralyzed or speechless due to injury or disease are able to learn to control motion and/or speech by means of a brain-computer-interface device.  This can enable significant independence.  However, brain chip devices might also be developed that would enable programs for mind control. Lukas Meier offers a comprehensive perspective –including technology, history and ethics—for ethical controls on BCI innovations.

Lukas J. Meier, Ph.D. is a Fellow-in-Residence at the Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University. He specializes in artificial intelligence, medical ethics, and neurophilosophy. Before joining the Safra Center, Lukas was a Junior Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government. Dr.Meier studied philosophy at the University of Oxford and political science at the University of Göttingen. As part of a team developing an algorithm for ethical decision-making in the clinic, he also spent a year at the Technical University of Munich. His current research focuses on the interrelation between brain-computer interfaces, machine intelligence, and consciousness. He teaches in ethics, metaphysics, philosophy of mind, political philosophy, and medical ethics.

One hundred years after his birth and sixty years after his untimely death, Malcolm X still haunts the American consciousness. Malcolm X’s short life has been the subject of a posthumous autobiography by Alex Haley, several biographies and a biopic by director, Spike Lee. Yet the man, his philosophy, his life and his revolutionary rise from felon to icon - defy easy classification.

According to one book critic “Malcolm X still haunts and inspires this nation — in ways we often fail to understand.”

Now Mark Whitaker has put together the missing pieces to present a full and intriguing picture of the man’s life and legacy in The Afterlife of Malcolm X. Beginning with Malcolm Little’s origins in a childhood marred by racial discrimination in Nebraska and Michigan, Malcolm is 6 years old when his father is found dead; shortly after his mother ends up being institutionalized. Placed in various foster homes, Malcolm excels at school but is discouraged by his white teachers from becoming a lawyer. After dropping out in eight grade he ends up in Harlem in the world of drug use and petty crime and by the time he is 21, he is serving time in jail. But his secular descent eventually becomes his route to religious salvation when he discovers Islam, takes the name of Malcolm X and changes the course of American history.

Malcolm X’s iconic image and charismatic personality have amassed a cult-like following that has far outstripped the number of people who knew of him when he was alive. At times his politics have alternately been described as radical, traditional and everything in-between. But his eloquence and elegance, and his cool, hip style have stood the test of time. But who was the enigmatic Malcolm X – why was he murdered and by whom?

Author and journalist, Mark Whitaker helps us examine the amazing influence of the man, sixty years after his assassination as we evaluate Malcolm X’s enduring impact on American culture, politics and civil rights.

In May 2020, the death of George Floyd became a symbol of police brutality and triggered thousands of protests across the country and throughout the world. In Massachusetts, these events galvanized community action and helped accelerate statewide police reform and conversations on reimagining public safety.  Since then, local leaders have worked to sustain that momentum by organizing rallies, advancing policy, and forging new relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

Today, local civic leaders and a police officer together consider the impact of a recent community rally and a police pledge, in their shared support for peace and justice.  

In partnership with: Dunk the Vote; Courageous Conversations Towards Racial Justice, Milton-Mattapan; Latino Law Enforcement Group of Boston (LLEGO Boston); Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts; Boston’s Higher Ground; Circle of Nations, Inc.; Massachusetts Women of Color Coalition (MAWOCC); Milton Access Television; Greater Love Tabernacle; Church of the Holy Spirit, Mattapan; Parkway Methodist Church, Milton; Milton for Peace; Milton Change Makers; Haymarket People’s Fund; The Commonwealth Seminar; Apex Rooftop Bar and Lounge; Boston Praise Radio & TV; MassNOW; National Pan Hellenic Council (NPHC);

Karen Groce Horan is the Co-Founder of Courageous Conversations Towards Racial Justice, Milton-Mattapan, which holds events and dialogues related to racism, racial healing and positive systems change. Courageous Conversations was a lead organizer of the 2025 March and Rally for George and Justice. A consultant, Karen has worked in both the public and private sectors, championing the causes of equity, justice and environmental resilience. Her current efforts include overseeing environmental justice space for the Neponset River Watershed Association.

The Museum of African American History, Boston and Nantucket, in collaboration with GBH presents National Geographic Explorer in Residence Tara Roberts for an extraordinary evening as she shares the powerful journey behind her memoir, 'Written in the Waters: A Memoir of History, Home, and Belonging'.

When Tara first encountered a photograph of Black scuba divers exploring slave shipwrecks, she felt an undeniable pull to uncover their stories. That moment launched her on a global quest—she joined the underwater archeology group Diving With A Purpose and started a path of discovery more challenging and personal than she could have ever imagined. From the coasts of Senegal and South Africa to the waters of St. Croix and beyond, she confronted the Middle Passage's harrowing history while uncovering her roots and exploring what it means to belong.

Roberts dives into the depths of history, identity, and belonging. As the first Black female explorer to grace the cover of National Geographic and the 2022 Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year, Tara’s work brings history to the surface—both literally and figuratively. Through deeply personal storytelling and historical reflection, she invites audiences to consider the resilience of the human spirit, the significance of remembrance, and the power of discovery.

Her journey also featured in the acclaimed National Geographic podcast Into the Depths, has captivated audiences worldwide. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear Tara’s inspiring story firsthand.

A graduate of Mt. Holyoke College, Tara will receive an honorary doctorate from the college during their 2025 commencement ceremony May 25, 2025.

GBH welcomes Ben Hires, CEO of BCNC, to the host chair for this episode of GBH Amplifies, elevating local voices in the AANHPI community extending the reach of community conversations happening in neighborhoods throughout Massachusetts.

Ben moderates a discussion with Yvonne Hao, former Massachusetts Secretary of the Executive Office of Economic Development, Q.J. Shi, Senior Director of Asian Business Empowerment Council, and Amy Kridaratikorn, chef and co-owner of Sugar & Spice Restaurant. They share how the current economic conditions in the U.S. are impacting immigrants and Asian groups, how organizations like ABEC are building community and helping small business owners in our region.

Join the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation for a talk with Luciano Bueno who explores how bold entrepreneurship is redefining the cotton industry through the lens of future-forward production.

From lab-grown breakthroughs to cutting-edge technologies, he shares how next-generation ventures are transforming the way we make things—faster, cleaner, and smarter. This isn’t just about cotton; it’s a glimpse into the industrial revolutions of tomorrow. Luciano will dive into the challenges, the untapped opportunities, and how entrepreneurial vision can lead to massive impacts.

Luciano Bueno is an American Brazilian entrepreneur who started his journey at 16, selling t-shirts door-to-door to support his family. Doing so he learned grit, hustle, and the art of turning no into yes. Today, he is the founder and CEO of GALY, a frontier tech company pioneering a new age of production through cellular agriculture. Starting with cotton, GALY’s process is 10x faster, 500x more productive, and 80% more resource efficient than production methods—creating new possibilities beyond the constraints of land, weather, or infrastructure.

In times of uncertainty and social upheaval, it takes vision and leadership to help people feel safe, empowered and included. Demonstrating that vision often means going public and taking your cause to the streets. In this hour of GBH Amplifies, two very different hosts with different backgrounds lead conversations about how true community and effective change is brought about through organizing.

At 1 pm, Reggie Ramos, the Executive Director of Transportation for Massachusetts, hosts a discussion with Tiffany Cogell
of the Boston Cyclists Union, Katarina Torres Radisic of the Riders’ Transportation Access Group (RTAG), and Brendan Kearney ofWalkMassachusetts. Together they'll discuss the streets as shared spaces to ignite civil discourse and social cohesion. In this episode, we talk to advocates for pedestrians, cyclists, people with disabilities who interact with daily transportation as a tool for equity, democracy and collective action.

Then at 2 pm, Ron Bell, community leader and founder of Dunk the Vote leads a conversation on how Boston’s Black community can remain strong in the face of current forces at odds with notions of unity, and resilience. He and his guests, urban historian Dr. Karilyn Crockettand Bishop William E. Dickerson of Greater Love Tabernacle, will discuss the importance of putting boots on the ground and having a good “street game,” not just social media campaigns or splashy rallies.

About the Series
Join us for community conversations that amplify local voices from Boston and beyond. Recorded in front of a real cafe audience at GBH’s studio in the Boston Public Library, GBH Amplifies features a rotating cast of well-known hosts from local media, community organizations, and more.