Subscribe
The Library Store
Donate Now

Media Archive

After the Fall: The Rise of Authoritarianism in the World We’ve Made

Listed on

Ben Rhodes

in conversation with new Executive Director of the ACLU of Southern California Chandra S. Bhatnagar

September 18, 2025

In partnership with the ACLU of Southern California

The 2025 Fall ALOUD season opens with a not-to-be missed conversation about the current state of America presented in partnership with the ACLU of Southern California. Join acclaimed journalist, co-host of Pod Save the World, and two-time New York Times bestseller Ben Rhodes and Executive Director of the ACLU of Southern California Chandra S. Bhatnagar as they discuss Rhodes’ essential new book After the Fall: Being American in the World We’ve Made.

A seasoned political journalist and former Deputy National Security Advisor and speechwriter for President Barack Obama, Rhodes examines various issues and events that have paved the way for the unchecked nationalism and authoritarianism endangering our democracy today. Rhodes and Bhatnagar will discuss where America has gone wrong and how essential it is now to fight for what America can and should be.

“Vital reading for Americans and people anywhere who seek to understand what is happening ‘after the fall’ of the global system created by the United States” — New York Journal of Books

All Media

Subscribe

Library Store

Donate Now

What You Will Need to Register

Your Ranked Dinner Preferences

Review the available dinners and decide on your top choices. You’ll be assigned to one dinner based on availability and your ticket level.

Guest Information

If you are registering guests, please have their full names and email addresses ready.

Payment Method

Have your credit card on hand to complete your purchase.

Register Now

Important: Please select a different dinner for each of your ranked choices. If you choose the same dinner multiple times and space is not available, we won’t be able to seat you at a dinner. In that case, your ticket will be processed as a donation, and you will not be assigned to a Feasts dinner.

Stay Connected
Stacy-Lieberman_headshot_President-and-CEO_LFLA

Stacy Lieberman

As President and CEO of the Library Foundation of Los Angeles (LFLA), Stacy Lieberman is an innovative and inclusive leader whose career dwells at the intersection of arts and culture, lifelong learning, storytelling, and equitable access. Stacy guides the Foundation’s philanthropic and public-facing priorities to serve the Los Angeles Public Library, embracing the notion that libraries are beacons of democracy where everyone is welcome. She works intentionally with community leaders, donors, and internal and external strategic partners to raise awareness and resources for the Library and its life-changing initiatives.

With more than 20 years of experience as a senior executive, Stacy has left an indelible mark on iconic L.A. arts, non-profit, and educational institutions such as The Broad, the Autry Museum of the American West, and the Skirball Cultural Center. Building on an early career in book publishing, she has dedicated her professional life to sharing stories and broadening the reach of public institutions to welcome visitors and students of all ages and backgrounds to experience educational, arts, and cultural opportunities.