Shows / KQED's Forum
KQED's Forum
Forum tells remarkable and true stories about who we are and where we live. In the first hour, Alexis Madrigal convenes the diverse voices of the Bay Area, before turning to Mina Kim for the second hour to chronicle and center Californians’ experience. In an increasingly divided world, Mina and Alexis host conversations that inform, challenge and unify listeners with big ideas and different viewpoints. Want to call/submit your comments during our live Forum program Mon-Fri, 9am-11am? We'd love…
Episodes
KQED's ForumKurt Gray Explores the Psychology of Outrage
What is outrage, and what triggers it in us? When someone violates our moral sense, we might bristle with rage or thirst for retribution but UNC psychology…
KQED's ForumThe Opposition Playbook: What Would an Effective Resistance to Trump Look Like?
In the midst of President Trump’s rapid fire, sweeping, and arguably illegal actions since inauguration day, resistance and protest against the president and…
KQED's ForumWhat Do You Love About Being Single?
Journalist Nicola Slawson has been single for more than a decade, and says there’s beautiful freedom in being unattached. But, too often, single people are…
KQED's ForumSan Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie Takes Your Questions
During his campaign for San Francisco mayor, Daniel Lurie promised to bring progress on tough issues that have dogged the city for years including homelessness…
KQED's ForumOMB Director and Project 2025 Architect Russell Vought Halts CFPB Funding
Office of Management and Budget director Russell Vought on Saturday halted new funding to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and temporarily shut down…
KQED's ForumJuvenile Incarceration Declined by 77%. Did Public Policy Do Something Right?
Between 2000 and 2020, the number of young people incarcerated in the United States declined by an astonishing 77 percent. Red states and blue states alike…
KQED's ForumWill Courts be a Check and Balance on Donald Trump?
President Trump’s executive orders are testing the limits of presidential power, but they are not going unchallenged. An avalanche of litigation has been filed…
KQED's ForumUSAID Closure Puts “Millions of Lives at Risk,” Humanitarian Groups Warn
President Trump on Friday called for the closure of the U.S. Agency for International Development, America’s main humanitarian and development agency. The…
KQED's ForumThe Future of Dietary Supplements Under Trump’s FDA
Dietary supplements like those for weight loss and muscle building have become a multi-billiondollar industry, even as health experts say that in many cases…
KQED's ForumIncarcerated Women Firefighters Spotlighted in “Fire Escape” Podcast
“Fire Escape,” a new podcast from Snap Judgment and KQED, follows the story of Amika Mota, who while serving a nine-year prison sentence, joins an all-women…
KQED's ForumDavid Graham on Trump’s 'Strategy Behind the Chaos'
As Donald Trump makes provocative foreign policy statements and issues executive orders that are quickly walked back or challenged in court, and as Elon Musk…
KQED's ForumWhat Sonoma State’s Massive Budget Cuts Mean for the University’s Future
Facing a $24 million deficit, Sonoma State University has announced plans to eliminate six academic departments, lay off dozens of faculty and end…
KQED's ForumUkrainian Artists on Their Oscar-Nominated Documentary 'Porcelain War'
The 2025 Academy Award-nominated documentary “Porcelain War” tells the story of Ukrainian artists Slava Leontyev and Anya Stasenko as they defy the Russian…
KQED's ForumTrump Ignites Trade Wars with China, Backs Down on Canada, Mexico
A 10% tariff on Chinese goods went into effect on Tuesday as China retaliated with its own set of tariffs. Earlier Donald Trump put his threatened 25% tariffs…
KQED's ForumKey Trump Nominees Await Confirmation After Bruising Hearings
Three of President Trump’s most contested nominees — Kash Patel, Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. — sat for confirmation hearings last week, facing…
KQED's ForumLauren Markham on Reckoning with Future Loss from Climate Change
With an unprecedented phenomenon like climate change, do we have the words or the ways to express the feelings that it creates? In her new book, “Immemorial,”…
KQED's ForumTrump’s Embrace of Crypto Business Raises Ethics Alarms
Donald Trump was once a cryptocurrency skeptic, saying as recently as 2021 that bitcoin “seems like a scam.” Today, some critics are saying the same thing…
KQED's ForumHow Fraud, Greed and Negligence Have Stymied Alzheimer’s Research and Progress Toward a Cure
Nearly seven million Americans, about one in nine people over the age of 65, live with Alzheimer’s. It’s a heartbreaking disease for those afflicted and the 11…
KQED's ForumRick Steves Reflects on a Life of Travel
Rick Steves is one of the most trusted sources for Americans traveling abroad. But he once dreamed of becoming a piano teacher. That was before he backpacked…
KQED's ForumStar On the Rise: August Lee Stevens Performs Live In Studio
Hercules native August Lee Stevens dropped her debut album “Better Places” last year earning her a following and praise for her indie soul sound. The…
KQED's ForumImani Perry Finds Blue in the Black American Experience
Imani Perry says that the color blue tells the story of her people, reflecting both oppression and resilience, sorrow and hope. In her new book “Black in…
KQED's ForumFake Pharmaceuticals Laced with Fentanyl Are a Global Health Crisis
Counterfeit pharmaceutical pills laced with drugs like fentanyl are a new global crisis according to a recent article in the journal Lancet. The fake…
KQED's ForumWill the LA Fires Make California's Housing Crunch Worse?
The Southern California wildfires have decimated neighborhoods and displaced tens of thousands of people in Los Angeles County. The fallout is exacerbating the…
KQED's ForumTrump Federal Funding Freeze Order Sows Confusion, Fear
A federal judge temporarily blocked President Trump’s order to freeze federal grants and loans on Tuesday, as Medicaid and other programs experienced…
KQED's ForumHow Can San Francisco Fill Up Empty Offices and Stores?
Once bustling San Francisco neighborhoods such as Union Square and the Financial District have been plagued with high retail and office vacancy rates since the…
KQED's ForumLiz Pelly on Spotify and the ‘Cost of the Perfect Playlist’
Spotify was originally marketed as a democratic, anti-establishment music streaming platform. But according to journalist Liz Pelly, it has become a system…
KQED's ForumChris Hayes on Our 'Endangered' Attentions
MSNBC host Chris Hayes spends a lot of time thinking about how to grab — and hold — people’s attention. He says the stakes are high because those who can…
KQED's ForumAre We Now a Broligarchy?
If Trump’s nominees are confirmed, his administration could include at least 13 billionaires, collectively worth $383 billion. And at the inauguration…
KQED's ForumComedian Joel Kim Booster on ‘Bad Dates’ and Why He’s a ‘Rude Little Pig’
You might have seen Los Angeles-based comedian Joel Kim Booster in the Maya Rudolph series “Loot,” or enjoyed his “Pride and Prejudice” adaptation “Fire…
KQED's ForumBay Area Legends: Activist Alice Wong and The Power of Bringing Visibility to Disability
Writer and disability justice activist Alice Wong’s illness took her ability to speak without technological assistance, but she continues to make herself, and…
KQED's ForumDr. Sunita Sah on How To Say ‘No’
Whether it’s declining an invitation, disagreeing with a boss or questioning a doctor, why is it so hard for us to say “no?” In her new book, Cornell…
KQED's ForumThe Biggest Breakthrough Technologies Coming This Year
A cattle supplement that cuts down on cow burps and thus, greenhouse gas emissions. Drugs that make it far easier to prevent AIDS and maybe end the disease…
KQED's ForumJon Waterman Documents Arctic Climate Crisis in 'Into the Thaw'
Mountaineer Jon Waterman first journeyed to the High Arctic in 1983, intent on learning all he could about the strange land with grizzlies and caribou, sea…
KQED's ForumState Lawsuits Quickly Follow Trump’s Day One Immigration Orders
On his first day in office Donald Trump issued a slew of executive orders to address what he called “an unprecedented flood” of immigration. Terminating…
KQED's ForumAdvice on Recovering from a Wildfire, From Californians Who’ve Been There
Set up a P.O. box. Learn your insurance policy. Know it’s OK to mourn the material objects you lost, or to refuse donations you don’t need. These are just some…
KQED's ForumIsraeli-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement Brings Relief, Uncertainty and Hope for the End of Brutal War
The first Israeli hostages and Palestinian political prisoners have been released and Gazan exiles have begun returning to their war-ravaged communities after…
KQED's ForumDonald Trump Inaugurated as 47th U.S. President
Donald Trump takes the presidential oath of office on Monday, ushering in a second term that he says will push hardline policies on immigration and trade…
KQED's ForumRemembering LA Filmmaker David Lynch and His ‘Lynchian’ Legacy
We look back on the life and career of legendary Los Angeles director David Lynch. Known for “Blue Velvet,” “Mulholland Drive” and “Twin Peaks,” Lynch used…
KQED's ForumForum From the Archives: john a. powell on Polarization and 'The Power of Bridging'
On Monday we will, once again, inaugurate Donald Trump as president and, once again, it will come as the country is bitterly divided and often deeply…
KQED's ForumTravel Writer Pico Iyer Celebrates the Joys of Sitting Still
After his California home burned in a wildfire, acclaimed author and travel writer Pico Iyer retreated to a remote monastery in Big Sur. There, he discovered…
KQED's ForumHas Sports Betting Changed the Game for the Bettor?
In the nearly seven years since the Supreme Court legalized sports betting, it has exploded as an industry. Last year, 67.8 million Americans put down bets…
KQED's ForumOregon Senator Ron Wyden on How Democrats Can Regain Influence
Democrat Ron Wyden has represented Oregon in the U.S. Senate for three decades, championing legislation on the environment, health care and tax reform. We’ll…
KQED's ForumYou’re Probably Eating More Ultra-Processed Foods Than You Think
Americans are getting more and more of our calories from ultra-processed foods. One study found that more than half of our diets consist of foods that contain…
KQED's ForumHow to Stay on Top of Your New Year's Fitness Goals
It’s that time of year when many of us dust off our running shoes, sign up for a gym membership and vow to develop a fitness routine we can stick with. Whether…
KQED's ForumL.A. Fires Place Enormous Pressure on Insurance Industry
Even before the fires in Los Angeles, California’s insurance market was under enormous pressure. Extreme weather events like wildfires, which have been…
KQED's ForumCalifornia Health Programs At Risk Under Trump 2.0
California could lose billions of dollars in health funding if the Trump administration follows through on GOP plans to overhaul Medicaid, which provides…
KQED's ForumWhat Impact Are the LA Wildfires Having on You?
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Friday declared the Los Angeles wildfires a public health emergency, as President Biden reiterated his…
KQED's ForumAI Companions Are Always There For You, But At What Cost?
AI companion apps are becoming increasingly popular, with millions of users engaging with them for over an hour each day. Most users report positive…
KQED's ForumRespite from Strong Winds Expected in Los Angeles Wildfires; All Hail the Humble and Glorious Bean
Meteorologists say firefighters may get a respite today and tomorrow from the strong Santa Ana winds fueling the massively destructive wildfires in Los…
KQED's ForumWhat Has Martha Stewart Meant to You?
Food and lifestyle megacelebrity Martha Stewart was the country’s first female self-made billionaire when her media empire Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia went…
KQED's ForumLos Angeles Fires Continue to Rage; Is Time Running Out for TikTok?
Multiple wildfires continue to sweep through LA county, causing massive evacuations and the most destructive fires Los Angeles has ever seen. We’ll provide an…
KQED's ForumLos Angeles Fires Destroy Homes, Force Evacuations; What Will You Remember about Jimmy Carter?
Three major wildfires fueled by winds up to 100 miles an hour are tearing through the Los Angeles region of Southern California this morning. The fires are…
KQED's ForumBay Area Cities Welcome New Leadership
San Francisco inaugurates its new mayor, Daniel Lurie, on Wednesday. Across the bay, councilmember Kevin Jenkins has been appointed as Oakland’s interim mayor…
KQED's ForumThe Board Games that Gen Z Loves to Play
For some Gen-Z and millennials seeking “in real life” connection, nothing beats a heated game of Uno, Rummikub or mahjong. Board and card games are…
KQED's ForumAn Exit Interview with SF Transit Director Jeff Tumlin
Jeff Tumlin became director of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency in December 2019, just months before the pandemic sent ridership plummeting…
KQED's ForumPro-Eating Disorder Communities Find New Spaces Online
Pro-anorexia content is spreading on all social media platforms, but on X it is thriving. So-called “pro-ana” communities, which attract tens of thousands of…
KQED's ForumRemembering What (Really) Happened on January 6
Monday will mark 4 years since the January 6 attack on the U.S. capitol, which the FBI classified as an act of domestic terrorism. President-elect Donald Trump…
KQED's ForumTrump Allies Already Pressuring State Leaders on Immigration
California officials could face jail time if they attempt to block the administration’s immigration agenda, according to a recent letter to state and local…
KQED's ForumThe Controversial History of the Coit Tower Murals
The murals inside of San Francisco’s Coit Tower are a popular tourist destination, but have been a source of contention from their inception. In his new book…
KQED's ForumMark Lilla on the Power of Ignorance
“Aristotle taught that all human beings want to know,” writes Columbia professor of humanities Mark Lilla, adding that “our own experience teaches us that all…