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 ForumErnesto Londoño’s ‘Trippy’ Takes a Journalistic, and Personal, Tour of Medicinal Psychedelics
As the newly named Brazil bureau chief for the New York Times, Ernesto Londoño had hit a journalistic zenith. Yet, he had never been more depressed…
KQED's ForumFormer President Donald Trump Convicted in Hush Money Case
A New York state jury on Thursday found former President Donald Trump guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records. Those falsified records were to cover…
KQED's ForumFormer President Trump is a Convicted Felon. Now What?
A New York jury found Donald Trump guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, making him the first current or former president in US history to…
KQED's ForumMark Mazzetti on ‘How Extremists Took Over Israel’
A recent New York Times investigation reveals how violent radical elements in Israel’s settler movement in the West Bank have been allowed to operate with…
KQED's ForumWoof! Comedian Hannah Gadsby Punchlines Grief, The Apocalypse in New Show
Australian standup comedian Hannah Gadsby took the world by storm with their 2018 show Nanette, which paired punchlines with personal revelations about…
KQED's ForumSal Khan on 'How AI Will Revolutionize Education (and Why That’s a Good Thing)'
When OpenAI released ChatGPT in 2022, schools and universities were quick to ban the use of the generative artificial intelligence chatbot. Teachers have…
KQED's ForumThe Point-in-Time Count Is Meant to be a Snapshot of Unhoused Populations. How Clear is That Picture?
Every other January, hundreds of volunteers hit the stress across the Bay Area and attempt to count the number of unhoused people and families. The…
- KQED's Forum
Is California’s Wine Industry in Trouble?
California’s $55 billion wine industry is experiencing a downturn for the first time in decades. Wine consumption peaked in 2021 and has fallen each year…
KQED's ForumBlowing the Whistle on Medical Research
In 2010 bioethicist Carl Elliott published an extensive article detailing the red flags in a drug study that resulted in the death of one of the human…
KQED's ForumRachel Khong’s Novel ‘Real Americans’ Questions the Limits of Identity
What it means to be American and who gets to claim that identity are questions that animate Rachel Khong’s newest novel “Real Americans.” The book follows…
KQED's Forum‘My Octopus Teacher’ Filmmaker on Connecting to Our Wild Selves
Craig Foster may be best known for “My Octopus Teacher,” the Oscar-winning documentary about his tender relationship with a wild female octopus who inhabited…
KQED's ForumState Supreme Court to Decide Fate of Prop. 22 … and the Gig Economy
The gig economy, as it has been known, was built around a controversial idea — that an Uber driver, for instance, did not work for Uber. These apps, instead…
KQED's ForumShefali Luthra on the ‘Undue Burden’ of Post-Roe Reproductive Care
“It’s difficult to think of a public health crisis more inevitable than the impending end of Roe v. Wade,” writes journalist Shefali Luthra, “and yet, on June…
KQED's ForumAll You Can Eat: Yes, the Bay Area Does Have a Late Night Dining Scene
If you’re looking for a great meal after midnight, you’re unlikely to find a wealth of options in downtown San Francisco. But expand your search to the Bay…
KQED's ForumNicholas Kristof On Finding Hope Through Journalism
Longtime New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof has reported from war zones and humanitarian crises and has examined our own nation’s struggles with…
KQED's ForumAs Home Insurers Exit the State, Officials Promise Faster Action
Governor Gavin Newsom is calling for swifter reforms to California’s beleaguered home insurance market as homeowners across the state continue to lose coverage…
KQED's ForumDutch Research Team Recounts the Long-Term Effects of Starvation
Humanitarian aid groups are reporting “unprecedented” levels of starvation for over 2 million people in Gaza, after nearly eight months of Israeli military…
KQED's ForumThe Long Troubled History of US Immigration Detention and the Case for Ending It
During the Trump Administration, scenes of children separated from parents and placed in chain link cells that looked like cages caused a national outcry. But…
KQED's Forum'A Chance to Harmonize' Tells the Story of the U.S. Music Unit
A generation of American folk singers – including Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and Woody Guthrie – owe their inspiration to a little-known New Deal project known as…
KQED's ForumHere’s What to Do in the Bay Area This Summer
Whether you’re looking for an outdoor excursion, a quiet art gallery to wander through or a rousing show for an evening’s entertainment, KQED’s Arts & Culture…
KQED's ForumCalifornia’s Budget Deficit is $45 Billion. What's Newsom's Plan to Fix It?
Gov. Gavin Newsom last week proposed a series of deep cuts to close the state’s $45 billion budget deficit. The proposals, which include no new taxes, include…
KQED's ForumDoing Democracy: Trump’s Rhetoric Raises Fears of an Authoritarian Second Term
Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential bid “is the most openly authoritarian campaign I’ve seen [from] any candidate anywhere in the world since World War II”…
KQED's ForumTiffany Haddish Wants to ‘Curse You With Joy’
You may know actor and stand-up comedian Tiffany Haddish best for her riotous performance in the 2017 film “Girls Trip.” Or for her Emmy Award-winning turn as…
KQED's ForumCarvell Wallace Journeys Through Loss and Reunion in Memoir ‘Another Word for Love’
In his magazine profiles and podcasts, Oakland writer Carvell Wallace has a gift for examining people and the times we live in with clarity and wisdom. With…
KQED's ForumIn Transit: Amtrak's Future In California
Amtrak reports that overall demand for passenger rail is soaring as yearly ridership totals approach pre-pandemic levels. But in California, the story is…
KQED's ForumCan Fashion Be Sustainable?
Fashion is self-expression. It’s art. It’s also responsible for between 8 and 9 percent of planet-warming emissions. But it doesn’t have to be. We’ll talk…
KQED's ForumAli Velshi on the ‘Small Acts of Courage’ That Define His Family’s Inheritance and His Journalism
In his new memoir “Small Acts of Courage,” MSNBC host Ali Velshi recounts his family’s migration across continents –– beginning in India under British rule…
KQED's ForumThe Uncertain Future of Iconic, Battered, Highway 1
Yet another stretch of Highway 1 near Big Sur remains closed after a chunk of the roadway fell into the ocean in March. The latest closure raises questions…
KQED's ForumWhat Makes a Burrito…a Burrito?
When most people think of a burrito, the “mission-style” burrito probably comes to mind. Rice, beans, meat – and maybe guacamole or salsa – wrapped in a giant…
KQED's ForumGary Shteyngart on a Lonely Week on the World’s Largest Cruise Ship
Author and seasoned travel writer Gary Shteyngart had never been on a ship larger than the Staten Island Ferry before he embarked on the inaugural voyage of…
KQED's ForumIs Hollywood’s New ‘Magical, Colorblind Past’ a Good Thing?
Recent Hollywood films and TV shows have taken to presenting a “Magical Multiracial Past,” according to filmmaker Kabir Chibber in a recent New York Times…
KQED's ForumHouse GOP Targets Berkeley Schools in Antisemitism Hearing
Berkeley Unified School District superintendent Enikia Ford Morthel testified before Congress on Wednesday as part of hearings examining how K-12 school…
KQED's ForumIllia Ponomarenko on Reporting From Ukraine’s Front Lines
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Illia Ponomarenko was a 29-year-old journalist for the newspaper he co-founded, The Kyiv Independent. His daily…
KQED's ForumLookout Santa Cruz Wins 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Its Storm Coverage
The 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting was awarded to the staff of Lookout Santa Cruz on Monday. The prize committee praised the tiny…
KQED's ForumAmor Towles on his New Short Story Collection 'Table for Two'
Amor Towles says the title of his new book “Table for Two” arose from a subconscious conviction “that our lives can often change materially due to a single…
KQED's ForumSFMOMA’s New Collaboration with Artists with Disabilities
If you go to the SFMOMA right now, it’ll be hard to miss the massive, 32-foot wide mural depicting a utopian, fantastical and hopeful version of San Francisco…
KQED's ForumGaza War Ceasefire Talks Continue as Israel Threatens Rafah Invasion
As the war between Israel and Hamas enters its eighth month, U.S., Egyptian and Qatari mediators are awaiting an official response from Hamas on a proposed…
KQED's ForumWill the U.S. Really Ban TikTok?
What’s next for TikTok? President Biden signed legislation on April 24 that would ban the popular video-sharing app unless its Chinese owner ByteDance sells to…
KQED's ForumCalifornia PUC Considers New Fixed Charge for Electricity
Beginning as early as next year you might see a new fixed monthly charge of up to $24 on your electric bill. That’s if the California Public Utilities…
KQED's ForumOakland’s Leila Mottley on Her Debut Collection of Poetry ‘woke up no light’
In her new book of poems, “woke up no light” Leila Mottley writes: play dead / play docile / play along / stare a beast in its mouth and dare it to bite / this…
KQED's ForumAlice Wong Redefines ‘Disability Intimacy’ in New Anthology
“Intimacy is about relationships within a person’s self, with others, with communities, with nature, and beyond,” writes Alice Wong, founder and director of…
KQED's ForumHow a Massive California Prison Hunger Strike Overhauled Solitary Confinement
In 2013, inmates at Pelican Bay, a supermax California prison designed to hold large numbers of inmates in isolation, went on a hunger strike to protest…
KQED's ForumHow to Spend this Summer Camping California
Summer camping season is around the corner, and California’s parks and recreation areas have something for everyone: secluded sites in the Sierra backcountry…
KQED's ForumKQED Series ‘Beyond the Menu’ Tells the Backstory of Food
Hong Kong’s famed pineapple bun does not contain pineapples. Samosas can be found in many cultures outside of India. And the birria taco owes a lot to…
KQED's ForumInside Mexico's Clandestine Drug Treatment Centers
Across Mexico, clandestine treatment centers for drug addiction – locally referred to as anexos – have been accused of unethical therapeutic practices and even…
KQED's ForumWhat’s Next for Pro-Palestinian Campus Protests
Protests against Israel’s war in Gaza continue to grow and spread on college campuses in the Bay Area and across the country. The protests gained momentum…
KQED's ForumViolence Escalates in Sudan as Civil War Enters Second Year
The United Nations on Friday warned of a “dramatic escalation of tensions” among warring parties near El Fasher, North Darfur. The area is already on the brink…
KQED's ForumCity Lights Chief Book Buyer Paul Yamazaki on a Half Century Spent “Reading the Room”
When you walk into the historic, beloved City Lights in San Francisco’s North Beach, it’s easy to get lost in the winding shelves packed with thousands of…
KQED's ForumNPR's Sarah McCammon on Leaving the Evangelical Church
While covering Trump’s 2016 campaign, NPR political correspondent Sarah McCammon understood the white evangelical movement behind his political rise, because…
KQED's ForumKQED Youth Takeover: We’re Getting a WNBA Team
The WNBA is coming to the Bay Area! Fans will have a new women’s team to cheer for, at a moment when female superstars like Caitlin Clark have captivated…
KQED's ForumRainn Wilson from ‘The Office’ on Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution
You’d be forgiven for associating Rainn Wilson primarily with Dwight Schrute, the overbearing, mansplaining geek on “The Office.” And in his bestselling book…
KQED's ForumForum From the Archives: Remembering Glide Memorial's Cecil Williams
Cecil Williams forever changed San Francisco, the Bay Area, and even the world. As the long-time pastor at Glide Memorial Church, known for serving the…
KQED's ForumErik Aadahl on the Power of Sound in Film
We often think of film as a visual medium. But a carefully placed sound effect or a well crafted sonic atmosphere can evoke emotion just as profoundly. Can you…
KQED's ForumKQED Youth Takeover: How Can San Jose Schools Create Safer Campuses?
In 2020 and 2021, against a backdrop of the Black Lives Matter movement and Covid-19 pandemic, school districts across the country made the decision to remove…
KQED's ForumSupreme Court Hears Oral Arguments in Major Homelessness Case
The Supreme Court heard arguments Monday in its biggest case on homelessness in decades. At issue is whether penalizing unhoused people for camping on public…
KQED's ForumPercival Everett’s Novel “James” Recenters the Story of Huck Finn
In his new novel “James,” Percival Everett reimagines the story of Huck Finn through the eyes of the enslaved protagonist Jim. Where Twain used Jim as a plot…
KQED's ForumHave We Entered Into a New Cold War Era?
In the decades following the collapse of the Soviet Union, U.S. foreign policy coalesced around the idea that Russia – and later China – would integrate into a…
KQED's ForumKQED Youth Takeover: How Social Media is Changing Political Advertising
Politicians have historically relied on traditional media — like television — to get out their campaign messages and mobilize voters. Who can forget the…
KQED's ForumDeath Doula Alua Arthur on How and Why to Prepare for the End
Alua Arthur is a death doula — someone who helps people prepare logistically, mentally and emotionally for the end of life. There are practical considerations…
KQED's ForumHow to Create Your Own ‘Garden Wonderland’
Have you ever walked by a lush, green space filled with pollinators and thought, “How can I create one of those?” Your answer might be found in the new book…