A preview of Tuesday’s sessions

The Crosscut Ideas Festival is back, with sessions running today through Saturday. The annual festival is a gathering for newsmakers, changemakers and innovators to come together and discuss current events and the issues of our time. Along with virtual sessions running all week, the Crosscut Ideas Festival will culminate in an all-day Saturday in-person event including art installations, workshops and keynote speakers.

Each day, we’ll offer a synopsis of what’s to come. Here are today’s virtual sessions: 

• What Washington Thinks of the Supreme Court: Crosscut reporter Mai Hoang and pollster H. Stuart Elway discuss the surprising results of the recent Crosscut | Elway poll regarding the U.S. Supreme Court. Registered voters throughout the state gave their thoughts on this year’s docket, including affirmative action, trans rights and their overall opinions on the Court. The session starts at 9 a.m. 
   
• Will the Metaverse Kill Reality?: Tech companies such as Meta have placed big bets on the metaverse, but the technology comes with its own obstacles. Consumers have been slow to adopt, high prices remain a barrier and the quality of the content is in question. Video-game enthusiast and author Steven L. Kent moderates a panel with Jesse Schell, CEO of Schell Games, and Michael Pachter, equity research analyst. The session starts at 11 a.m. 
   
• A Republican Reset: Will Hurd, former U.S. Representative from Texas and Republican party member, discusses the future of the party with unDivided podcast host Brandi Kruse. Hurd’s book, American Reboot, argues for moving beyond the partisan gridlock that characterizes American politics. But can the Republican party move past its own gridlock? The session starts at 2 p.m. 

Interested in attending? Tickets are still on sale for virtual events and Saturday’s in-person sessions at the Amazon Meeting Center, 2031 Seventh Ave. Find a full list of speakers, sessions and ticket prices at crosscut.com/festival.