Jeff Golden

Jeffrey Simon Golden (born April 24, 1950) is a political activist, radio personality, politician and author from Southern Oregon. His commentary and political leaning are progressive. He currently produces and hosts the regional PBS series Immense Possibilities.

Personal background

Golden was born in Los Angeles, California, the second of four children born to Lane and Jack Golden. His siblings include KC Golden, Policy Director for the Seattle based Climate Change Advocacy group Climate Solutions; Michael Golden, a tribal judge in Humboldt County, California; and Jesse Golden. Jeff grew up in Beverly Hills, California, and graduated from Beverly Hills High School in 1968 as the Student Body President and at the top of his class.

Golden attended Harvard as a Harvard National Scholar, a scholarship program established in honor of Harvard’s 300th anniversary with the goal of encouraging and enabling a small number of the best students from across the nation to attend the university. At college, Golden was active in efforts in opposition to the Vietnam War. In May 1970 he tried to join the Venceremos Brigade, but was turned down. Golden instead volunteered along with northern students to support the work of Featherfield Farm, the first ever sharecroppers' cooperative, created under the Georgia Council on Human Relations in Southwest Georgia. The experience inspired Golden to leave Harvard and try to build a sustainable life on a plot of land in rural Southern Oregon, an experience chronicled in Golden's first published book, Watermelon Summer: A Journal.