A preview of Friday's sessions

It’s the last day of virtual sessions for the 2023 Crosscut Ideas Festival, and Friday night’s VIP event kicks off our in-person sessions with … slime? 

You might want to bring your poncho.

If you haven’t bought tickets but are interested in attending, you still have a chance — the Festival will culminate in an all-day Saturday in-person event including art installations, workshops and keynote speakers at the Amazon Meeting Center, 2031 Seventh Ave. Find a full list of speakers, sessions and ticket prices at crosscut.com/festival. 

Here are today’s remaining virtual sessions: 

• The New Abortion Underground: After the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, abortion access has become increasingly restricted in many states. The landscape harkens back to before Roe, when grassroot groups like "the Janes" created underground networks to provide access. Judith Arcana, a former “Jane” whose Chicago arrest and mugshot became representative of the movement, joins us to discuss her experience living in the pre- and post-Roe era. Arcana is joined by Kelsea McLain, an abortion rights activist and deputy director of Yellowhammer Fund, which works to ensure access to stigma-free and inclusive sexual-health education. The session starts at 9 a.m.
   
• Spiritual Rx for Mental Health: While yoga is on the rise as the popular new workout, Deepak Chopra's new book, Living in the Light, argues the exercise is also a holistic approach to well-being that includes the body, mind, and spirit. Chopra, a clinical professor of family medicine and public health at the University of California, San Diego, is a pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. He is also the author of more than 90 books translated into 43 languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. Amna Nawaz, the co-anchor of PBS NewsHour, will moderate. The session starts at 11 a.m. 
   
• KCTS 9 presents "Your Last Meal" live podcast taping: "Double Dare" host Marc Summers!: Friday’s VIP event includes a live taping of Your Last Meal, the James Beard Award finalist for Best Podcast and the #1 food podcast on Apple Podcasts. Seattle-based host Rachel Belle is joined by Marc Summers, known best as the host of the Nickelodeon game show Double Dare. Find out what he would choose for his last meal, then follow along as Summers and Belle dig into the dish’s history, culture and science. The event includes catered food, drinks and some light morbid humor. 

The event starts at 7 p.m. at the Amazon Meeting Center, 2031 Seventh Ave. Don’t have a VIP ticket? You can use code SLIME to get 50% at checkout.