Zócalo Public Square

Zócalo Public Square brings people together to explore important ideas and connect with one another. In an era where public discussions and online conversations can feel increasingly divided, Zócalo aims to foster an inclusive intellectual atmosphere, encouraging a fresh and varied generation to participate in public discourse. We fulfill our mission through hosting events and sharing thought-provoking journalism. We believe that democracy is not just a structure but also a way of life, and by providing valuable chances for individuals to engage and learn from each other, we help sustain and strengthen it.

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Articles

My Mom’s Love and Her Journalistic Skepticism Are Inseparable | Connecting California

1 week ago | zocalopublicsquare.org | Joe Mathews

I first tried journalism when I was 6. My family was living in Beijing, and I handwrote a two-page newsletter for children and adults in the U.S. expat community. After I made a mistake, a veteran American journalist, then the Beijing bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times, took me aside and explained how important it was to double-check everything—especially those things of which you feel most certain.
An Obituary for the American Republic, 1789-2025

2 weeks ago | zocalopublicsquare.org | Joe Mathews

The American democratic republic, a modest British colony that transformed itself into the world’s richest country and greatest military power despite persistent violence and unresolved internal divisions, has died. It was 236 years old. No official announcement was made of the end of the long-enduring republic, which was launched in 1789. No autopsy has been scheduled. The proximate cause of death appeared to be America’s decline in democratic governance.
All Aboard San Diego's Sprinter Train, the Future of California Rail

3 weeks ago | zocalopublicsquare.org | Joe Mathews

As the late afternoon train took me west across San Diego’s North County, winds from the Pacific slowly gained strength, whistling as they hit the side of the front car. Through the large windows, the tracks grew so bright in the setting sun that I had to squint whenever I looked ahead. Californians with the bad luck to live far from San Diego may never have heard of the Sprinter train. It’s their loss.
The Little Democratic Engine That Could | Connecting California

1 month ago | zocalopublicsquare.org | Joe Mathews

In this dark moment of American dictatorship, California has turned on a small democratic light. It’s called Engaged California, and it’s an online, nonpartisan tool for Californians to deliberate with one another and engage with their government. At first glance, it might not seem like much.
How Trump’s Tariffs Hurt Workers | Essay

1 month ago | zocalopublicsquare.org | Rick Wartzman

“We’re standing up for the American worker,” Donald Trump said from the Rose Garden during his “Liberation Day” address announcing sweeping new tariffs. That’s no surprise. Upending the global trading system is a major goal for a key part of his political base: those walloped by free trade with low-wage countries—among them Mexico and, especially, China. These workers have been thirsting to bring back the good jobs they (or at least their parents) once had. If only.
Hail to the Real Chief, Gavin Newsom | Connecting California

1 month ago | zocalopublicsquare.org | Joe Mathews

Meet the real president of the United States. His name is Gavin Christopher Newsom. He is the chief executive of America’s richest and most populous state, having been elected by more people than any other governor. And in this peculiar moment, that makes him the real president, by default. Sure, there’s a guy living in the White House who some people call president. But real presidents swear an oath to execute the laws and to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution.
We Are All Undocumented Now | Democracy Local

1 month ago | zocalopublicsquare.org | Joe Mathews

We are all undocumented now. We Americans no longer have undeniable legal status in this country. Our rights, our organizations, our jobs, our health, our schools, our laws, our constitution—all are now provisional, subject to the whims of the White House tyrant who calls himself “the King.”None of us can count on the power of citizenship anymore. The U.S. Constitution may say that all persons born here are citizens. But the King says he may cancel the Constitution by executive order.
The Mexican American Photographer Who Captured Little Tokyo | Essay

1 month ago | zocalopublicsquare.org | Gwen Muranaka

In the frantic final month before the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) pavilion closed for an extended renovation, the museum rushed to stage an exhibition of Mario Reyes’ work. For years, Mario had been the photo editor of the Rafu Shimpo, the Los Angeles Japanese American daily newspaper. Now, his health was failing. In late September, he summoned me and his longtime friend Darlene Kuba to his Boyle Heights home.
Is a MAGA Sheriff Threatening Your California County?

1 month ago | zocalopublicsquare.org | Joe Mathews

If you’re a Californian who wants to fight back against the Trump administration, you might start with a campaign to remove your county sheriff. In our state, the position of sheriff is the closest approximation to the lawless, authoritarian presidency Trump is fashioning. Because sheriffs, in matters of jail and policing, do whatever they want. No government post in America produces more corruption.
The Palace of Nowhere Else

2 months ago | zocalopublicsquare.org | David Axelrod

Fire stormed this canyon,Wobbled time and inscribed itselfIn char, this otherworld,Where cedars brushed our faces today,Decades later, the air so fragrantWe stopped and looked upSurprised by young aspens and willowsGold on talus slopes, the stone archHigh on the ridgelineEncircling finitude’s neutral blue.