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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A Rebellion Is Fizzing in Santa Cruz | Connecting California

4 days ago | zocalopublicsquare.org | Joe Mathews

I want to move to Santa Cruz, but not for the boardwalk, or the cool summer temperatures, or to earn a graduate degree. I want to move to Santa Cruz to join the rebellion. Wanna come with me? Hoping to improve public health and raise revenue, Santa Cruz has established a two-cent-per-ounce tax on sodas. The new tax defies a 2018 state law that prohibits local governments from imposing such levies. This Santa Cruz Rebellion might seem like small root beer.
Getting Undocumented Californians on Medi-Cal Is a Huge Success

1 week ago | zocalopublicsquare.org | Joe Mathews

One recent morning, I interviewed a farmworker over breakfast at a McDonald’s in the south Salinas Valley. Then I drove out of town to talk to a dozen of his colleagues in a cauliflower field. Over a couple hours, we chatted about their diverse circumstances. Some were married, with children in California schools and colleges, and some were single, living far from family.
Let's Rename This California Waterway in Honor of Trump | Connecting California

2 weeks ago | zocalopublicsquare.org | Joe Mathews

“It is not titles that honor men, but men that honor titles.”—MachiavelliThe Tijuana River stinks. So, what could be more fitting than renaming it in honor of Donald Trump? Turning the sewage-filled Tijuana into the River Trump would be far more than commentary on a corrupt and lawless American dictator. It would be the best way for California and Mexico to win necessary attention for a critically endangered waterway. It also would swipe a page from the playbook of Trump, who loves renaming things.
The Future of Local Government is in Western Riverside

3 weeks ago | zocalopublicsquare.org | Joe Mathews

The first 19 cities on the alphabetical list of 20 finalists for this year’s All-America City Award, the most prestigious annual prize in local governance, are the kinds of places you’d expect. You’ll find big, growing cities like Austin, Denver, and Seattle, and distinguished small towns such as Snyder, Texas and Statesboro, Georgia.
My Mom’s Love and Her Journalistic Skepticism Are Inseparable | Connecting California

1 month 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

1 month 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

1 month 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

2 months 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.