How To Be a Dissident in an Age of Fear

Julia Angwin at Local Economy in Oakland

Thursday, July 30, Local Economy hosts a timely conversation with Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Julia Angwin. The talk runs from 6:00 to 7:30 pm, which makes it an easy early evening stop for Oakland folks who want something thoughtful after work.

Angwin will speak about On Courage: How to Be a Dissident in an Age of Fear, a new book written with White House senior advisor Ami Fields Meyer. The book grew out of interviews with activists, scholars, and people who have pushed back under pressure in real life.

Local Economy feels like the right kind of room for this. It is small enough for a direct conversation and grounded enough for a topic that asks people to think together, not just sit back and listen.

The draw here is Angwin herself. She has spent years reporting on power, privacy, technology, and public life, and she brings a clear voice to a subject that can feel heavy. Expect a practical talk about courage, risk, fear, and the small choices people make when they decide to speak up.

If your group chat has been full of big questions lately, this is a good one to attend in person. Bring a friend, grab a seat, and leave with something to talk about on the way home.

Event details
Local Economy, Oakland, California

Hear Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Julia Angwin speak on the new book, co-authored with White House senior advisor Ami Fields-Meyer, On Courage: How to Be a Dissident in an Age of Fear, based on their acclaimed The New Yorker essay, “So You Want to Be a Dissident?”
The book s built on interviews with more than 100 dissidents, activists, and scholars about how people push back against authoritarian pressure in everyday life. It’s meant as a practical invitation for people and communities to reflect together on what courage looks like now.