Michael Pollan

Acclaimed journalist Michael Pollan appeared at The Progressive Forum to discuss his New York Times bestselling book, A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness. The event took place at Congregation Emanu El, Houston, Texas, on March 12, 2026. This page also features Pollan’s appearance at The Progressive Forum on November 9, 2023 discussing How to Change Your Mind, and October 27, 2011, discussing In Defense of Food: The Omnivore’s Solution.

SHORT: If everything alive is sentient, human kinship with other beings and nature becomes more possible. (2:40)

More Michael Pollan Videos

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SHORT. Feeding a growing world population. 4:32

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SHORT. What gives you hope? 2:08

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Michael Pollan is introduced by Progressive Forum president, Randall R. Morton. 2:22

Background

For more than thirty years, Michael Pollan has been writing books and articles about the places where the human and natural worlds intersect: on our plates, in our farms and gardens, and in our minds. Pollan is the author of four immediate #1 New York Times bestsellers, among his ten books. His work has been the subject of several documentaries on Netflix and PBS, including the Oscar-nominated documentary Food, Inc. which was partially based on The Omnivore’s Dilemma.

He was named among the top 10 “New Thought Leaders” by Newsweek magazine and among the “100 Most Influential People in the World” by Time magazine.

In 2003, Pollan was appointed the John S. and James L. Knight Professor of Journalism at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism, and in 2020, along with Dacher Keltner and others, he co-founded the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics. He lives in the Bay Area with his wife, the painter Judith Belzer.

Generously sponsored by Jenny and Mike Blocher, and Melanie Gray and Mark Wawro.

Our 2023 event was sponsored by Melanie Gray and Mark Wawro, and Lisa Parris-Cochinwala.

Our 2011 event was sponsored by The Inn at Dos Brisas, Georgia’s Farm to Market, Garland Kerr and Jim Blackburn, Organic Horticulture Benefits Alliance, San Jacinto Environmental Supplies, and Catherine Walsh MD. 

 

Thanks to videographers:

Ben Doyle, BEND Productions, 2026
Ben Doyle, BEND Productions, 2023
Gotham Image Works, 2011

Thanks to photographer CJ Martin

For citing this website as a source: ProgressiveForumHouston.org

Thanks to Michael Pollan for permission to post event recordings to our website. We welcome visitors to share this exciting educational material.