Imari Paris Jeffries, President and CEO of Embrace Boston and co-chair of Everyone 250, joins us for his recurring segment AI: Actual Intelligence — a space for original, human insight. This month Jeffries discussed how history, memory, and civic responsibility are shaping current cultural conversations in Greater Boston and beyond. He also previewed Everyone250’s 2026 events to confront erasure and reclaim America’s story. To learn more go here.

Then Mary Grant, President of Massachusetts College of Art and Design, discusses the mass shooting at Brown University and how colleges are grappling with fear, safety, and institutional responsibility while trying to preserve the independence that defines campus life. She also shared her top list of the memorable arts and culture events of 2025.

And we topped things off by topping one off with Cocktail Guru Jonathan Pogash. He returned for his annual holiday visit — offering festive cocktail and mocktail ideas, plus practical advice for stocking a bar and hosting with confidence during the season. Jonathan Pogash is President and Owner of The Cocktail Guru. These are the cocktails he made today 1) Nonalcoholic Hanukkah Harry: POM wonderful pomegranate juice, aquafaba, lemon, turmeric, honey Winter Spice Old Fashioned - Mad River maple cask Rum, home-made winter spice grenadine, bitters and Jonathan’s Famous Eggnog - A classic nog w/ Mozart white chocolate, sherry, and Mad River bourbon

December 18, 2025 - Imari Paris Jeffries, Mary Grant, and holiday cocktails with Jonathan Pogash

The Culture Show Podcast