David Byrne: Reasons to Be Cheerful

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

A Panel Discussion Serving as Tonic for Tumultuous Times

In 2019, David Byrne—known for being the face of rock band Talking Heads and for his diverse solo work—announced a venture called Reasons to be Cheerful, a project that calls itself “part magazine, part therapy session, part blueprint for a better world.” Through Byrne’s non-profit organization, Arbutus, Reasons to be Cheerful (RTBC) aims toward fulfilling this sensibility, applying it now to the future of our world. Through stories of hope, RTBC seeks to provide inspiration to those who want to know how the world can be better and how we can be part of that change. 

RTBC is a nonprofit online magazine that is tonic for tumultuous times. They tell stories that reveal that there are, in fact, a surprising number of reasons to feel cheerful. Many of these reasons come in the form of smart, proven, replicable solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. Through sharp reporting, our stories balance a sense of healthy optimism with journalistic rigor, and find cause for hope.

On Oct. 16th, RTBC will host a lively conversation on how the incredible growth of wind power is changing the energy and economic landscape across West Texas. RTBC Founder David Byrne will moderate a discussion between Michael Webber, the John J. McKetta Centennial Energy Chair in Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, and Bo Delp, Executive Director of the Texas Climate Jobs Project. They'll discuss how the West Texas wind power turned the state into a global leader in renewable energy, and how the industry is reshaping what it means to live, work and thrive in the region.

Dr. Michael E. Webber is the Sid Richardson Chair in the LBJ School of Public Affairs and the John J. McKetta Centennial Energy Chair in the department of mechanical engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. Webber recently served as CTO of Energy Impact Partners, a $5 billion cleantech venture fund focused on investments in cleantech and climate tech startups.

Bo Delp is the executive director of Texas Climate Jobs Project, a nonprofit advancing a pro-worker, pro-climate agenda to build the labor movement. Delp has worked to support strategic organizing by helping secure more than a dozen policies, including the first paid sick time ordinance in the South. Delp earned his bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech, and his master’s and Ph.D. from Cardiff University (UK).

 

Venue: Allen Theatre

Student Union Bldg, 1502 Akron Ave, Lubbock, TX 79409

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