What do travel writer Rick Steves and former Governor Gary Locke have in common? They are both adding some international flavor to the start of our third season of Civic Cocktail.
Locke, who also has served as U.S. commerce secretary and U.S. ambassador to China, will weigh in on last week’s Chinese delegation visit to Seattle. What, in fact, will Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit in Seattle mean for Chinese-Northwest relations? Locke will answer questions from the audience, host Joni Balter and a panel of journalists that includes Crosscut’s Drew Atkins and Peter Jackson, former editorial page editor of the Everett Herald.
Next up, nationally known travel show host and guidebook author Steves will offer up a few travel tips and discuss how globetrotting helped shape his world view, social activism and political work, including his advocating for the reform of marijuana laws. Crosscut's Knute Berger and The Seattle Globalists's Sarah Stuteville will weigh in on the discussion.
The doors open at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 7 at the Tom Douglas’ Palace Ballroom, and program starts at 6 p.m. Tickets for the event, co-sponsored by Crosscut with Seattle Channel and Seattle City Club, are $20 for Crosscut or CityClub members, $25 for the general public and $25 at the door. You can register here. We hope to see you there, but if for some reason you can’t make it, you can catch the program later on the Seattle Channel.
Whether or not you can attend, here’s a quick guide to keep you well informed on this month’s hot issues and our two popular guests.
Gary Locke and China:
"Welcome, President Xi. Now about those dissidents..." Crosscut, Sept. 22
"Local dignitaries meet Chinese President" KING5, Sept. 22
"Gary Locke joins Seattle law firm" Puget Sound Business Journal, Sept. 18
"Photo turns U.S. envoy into lesson for Chinese" New York Times, Aug. 2011
Rick Steves:
"Rick Steves: How to sample the Danish good life in easy Copenhagen" Houston Chronicle, Sept. 24
"Rick Steves: In Europe, getting far from the madding crowd" Miami Herald, Aug. 26
"Why travel is well worth the money" TedxRainier, Dec. 2011
"Travel writer Rick Steves sees two Americas on pot" SFgate, Jan. 2015
"Rick Steves offers a European take on America's drug war" Houston Chronicle, March 2012
