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 ForumComplicating and Questioning Adoption ‘Salvation’ Narratives
Have you heard the conventional narrative that parents who adopt are “saviors,” and kids who are adopted should feel unfettered gratitude? What impact does…
KQED's ForumHow to Spice Up Your Life
A shelf of clear glass jars filled with spices can be so beautiful – think vibrant turmeric cozying up next to a dark red chili powder – and also so…
KQED's ForumWhat Incites Joy?
What in our lives sets us up to experience joy? And how does joy make us act and feel? Those are the the central questions poet and essayist Ross Gay explores…
KQED's ForumHow Can PG&E Navigate Rising Costs, Extreme Weather, and Modernizing the Grid
Wildfires and recording-breaking heat waves continue to pose huge challenges for Pacific Gas and Electric, the state’s largest investor-owned utility. The…
KQED's ForumControl of Congress Contingent on Results in Tight House and Senate Races
The red wave Republicans hoped for never materialized, but they are close to winning a majority in the House as the nation awaits results in key House races…
KQED's ForumIs Mexico Edging Towards Authoritarianism?
American news coverage about Mexico invariably focuses on migration and drug cartels. Less talked about is whether the country is edging towards…
KQED's ForumCan't Sleep? UCSF's Aric Prather Has a Prescription
Roughly 70 million Americans have a chronic sleep disorder, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and lack of sleep is associated with…
KQED's ForumWhat the World Looks Like Through the (Adorable Little) Eyes of a Puppy
When Alexandra Horowitz brought home a pandemic puppy it was clear little Quiddity would be very closely watched. Horowitz is founder of Barnard’s Dog…
KQED's ForumHow Black Californians Experience the Healthcare System — and Want to See It Improve
Nearly one in three Black Californians has received inadequate treatment for pain or otherwise been unfairly treated by a health care provider because of their…
KQED's Forum‘Bravo Company’ Explores the Aftermath of the War on Terror on Veterans
Wall Street Journal reporter Ben Kesling’s new book, “Bravo Company,” tells the story of one Army regiment’s deployment to Afghanistan and their struggles on…
KQED's ForumMayors, Millionaire Taxes and Many Many Measures: Bay Area Election Results
There’s about to be a new sheriff in Santa Clara county, for the first time in about a quarter century. Oakland and San Jose are getting new mayors, San…
KQED's ForumMidterms 2022: Statewide Post-Election Analysis
This midterm election is a nail-biter. Very tight congressional races across California could determine which party takes control of the House and Senate…
KQED's ForumAre We Alone in the Universe? The Latest on the Scientific Inquiries to Find Out
Scientists have yet to discover evidence of life beyond earth, but according to NASA researchers that doesn't mean the universe is lifeless. Where does the…
KQED's ForumBay Area Tech Layoffs Stoke Fears of Impending Recession
In the past week, reports of major layoffs at tech employers including Twitter, Meta and online payments company Stripe are fueling fears of a tech bust 2.0…
KQED's ForumChurches Across the Country Violate Tax Rules on Political Activity, Investigation Finds
Federal tax law prohibits churches and other nonprofit religious organizations from endorsing candidates and otherwise engaging in political campaigns. But a…
KQED's ForumCan There Be Such a Thing as Too Much Democracy?
“Not everyone should get a say” seems counterintuitive to the idea of democracy. But according to Atlantic writer Jerusalem Demsas, when it comes to new…
KQED's ForumAsk a Seismologist: What are Your Earthquake Questions?
When last week’s 5.1 magnitude earthquake hit near San Jose, more than two million people received an alert — up to 19 seconds before they felt shaking. But…
KQED's ForumSan Francisco’s Prop. O and the Uncertain Future of California’s Community Colleges
Next week San Francisco voters will decide whether to approve a new parcel tax to fund City College, which has faced severe financial struggles for the past…
KQED's ForumUC Davis Study: Nearly One-Third of Americans Support Using Violence to Advance Political Goals
Nearly a third of Americans -- and nearly 60% of MAGA Republicans -- say that resorting to violence to achieve political objectives is usually or always…
KQED's ForumWith Zines and Mixtapes, Writer Hua Hsu Found Identity, Friendship, and Consolation
When New Yorker writer Hua Hsu was growing up in Cupertino in the 1990s as the only child of Taiwanese immigrants, he created mixtapes and zines – homemade…
KQED's ForumIf You Find Identity Theft Terrifying, Wait for the Bureaucratic Nightmare That Follows
When LA Times associate editor Jessica Roy had her wallet stolen, she braced for the worst: She froze her credit, filed a federal identity theft complaint and…
KQED's ForumWhat Elon Musk’s Shakeup of Twitter Means For the Bay Area
Elon Musk took ownership of the San Francisco based social media network Twitter less than a week ago and he’s already overhauling the company. Musk…
KQED's ForumSupreme Court Critical of Race -Conscious University Admissions
The Supreme Court’s conservative majority appeared skeptical of race-conscious admission policies at the University of North Carolina and Harvard University…
KQED's ForumGeorge Saunders on his New Collection of Short Stories, 'Liberation Day'
George Saunders is widely considered one of the greatest fiction writers alive, attested to by all the prizes, the respect of other writers, and even book…
KQED's ForumThe Enduring Ties of Siblings
No one knows you like your sibling. They are the keepers of family secrets. They know how to push your buttons. They are probably the longest-lasting…
KQED's ForumThe Fight for “Ethical AI” and the Hidden Laborers Behind Artificial Intelligence
Terms such as artificial intelligence, big data and machine learning bring to mind computers processing loads of data into uses for the real world. But the…
KQED's ForumFighting Cybercrime with ‘The Ransomware Hunting Team’
Michael Gillespie is a cancer survivor and cat lover who used to work for Nerds On Call in Illinois. Fabian Wosar is a high school dropout from Germany who…
KQED's ForumAn Insider’s View of Power with Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Former Chief of Staff
What has the Democratic Party become under Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s leadership, and how is it changing? How does the government actually function, as viewed from…
KQED's ForumMicroplastics Corrupted Our Planet. Here’s What We Can Do.
Plastic is designed to last. And last it does. Often composed of “forever chemicals” which take thousands of years to break down, it flakes throughout its life…
KQED's ForumTen Candidates Vying to Be Oakland’s Next Mayor as City Grapples with Violence, Homelessness
Crime in Oakland is up. The problem of homelessness seems intractable. And the A’s may or may not be leaving for Las Vegas. These are only some of the issues…
KQED's ForumAntisemitism on the Rise as Midterm Elections Near
Rants by rap artist Kanye West put antisemitism front and center over the weekend as a hate group amplified West’s remarks on banners hung from a Southern…
KQED's ForumIt’s a Public Radio Music Day Dance Party
Wednesday, by actual Congressional decree, is Public Radio Music Day. We’re celebrating by listening to some of our favorite live music performances from Forum…
KQED's Forum‘Artivista’ and MacArthur Winner Martha Gonzalez on Achieving Social Justice Through Music
2022 MacArthur fellow Martha Gonzalez describes herself as an ‘artivista’ – at once an artist and an activist. The frontwoman of the East Los Angeles band…
KQED's ForumFinding Amazing Food in Unlikely Places
In 2021, Khristian Rabut bought a gas station along Interstate 205 in Tracy. Instead of just offering customers the usual gas station fare, he and his wife…
KQED's ForumUCSF's Dr. Bob Wachter Takes Your Covid Questions
Citing dramatically reduced Covid-related hospitalizations and deaths, Governor Gavin Newsom announced this week that he's lifting California's Covid-19 state…
KQED's ForumMacArthur Winner Priti Krishtel Wants to Reform the Patent System and Create Health Equity
You’ve heard the stories and seen the headlines – life-saving drugs can be so expensive, people have to choose between them and buying food or paying rent…
KQED's ForumCriminal Trial of Trump Organization Set to Begin
Remember former Trump Organization chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg, who pleaded guilty in August to running a years-long tax evasion scheme? He’s set…
KQED's ForumIt’s OK to Be Mediocre
If you browse the self-help aisles or click on a TED Talk, you will rarely be given the advice that “it’s OK to be mediocre.” You’re more likely to be told how…
KQED's ForumAbortion on the Ballot, from Prop 1 in California to Races Nationwide
Since the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, removing Americans’ constitutional right to an abortion, a dozen states have enacted near-total bans on the…
KQED's ForumState Assembymembers Launch Renters’ Caucus to Advocate for Tenant Rights
Nearly 44% of Californians rent their homes, but the vast majority of state legislators don’t. In the state assembly, only three out of 80 members are solely…
KQED's ForumSports Betting and Taxes on Wealthy to Subsidize Electric Cars on November Ballot
On this November’s ballot, voters will decide on whether to legalize sports betting and whether to tax the rich to subsidize electric cars. Proposition 26…
KQED's Forum‘Saving Main Street’ Chronicles Small Business Owners Fighting to Survive the Pandemic
The pandemic shutdowns forced millions of small businesses across the country to close up shop or barely hang on. Journalist Gary Rivlin spent months following…
KQED's ForumFamilies of Victims of Anti-Asian Violence Speak Out in New PBS Documentary
On March 16, 2021, eight people were killed by a gunman in Atlanta, GA — the majority of whom were Asian women. The murders galvanized a political and social…
KQED's ForumElection 2022: Key Races to Watch in and around San Jose
San Jose voters will decide on several key races this election including selecting the mayor, several city council members and the county sheriff. In the…
KQED's ForumElection 2022: Which California Races Are You Watching?
The outcomes of a number of competitive races up and down the state could determine which party controls the House of Representatives come January. We’ll talk…
KQED's ForumAre You Election Ready? Making Sense Of The Bay Area’s Races and Ballot Measures
Ballots have landed in mailboxes across California. Now comes the hard part: figuring out what all the ballot measures mean. Senior editor Scott Shafer and the…
KQED's ForumJonathan Abrams’ Hip-Hop History “The Come Up” Is a Rapper’s Delight
As an 11-year old kid growing up in the L.A. suburbs, writer Jonathan Abrams managed to wheedle a Tupac Shakur cassette from a sympathetic Circuit City…
KQED's ForumSheng Wang and Bay Area Comedians on Getting Their Start in the Bay Area Scene
Cal Berkeley alum Sheng Wang never expected himself to pursue a career in comedy. But after twenty years as a comedian, practicing his material at San…
KQED's Forum‘Out of the Shadows’ Explores the Complicated History of the 1986 Amnesty Law That Changed the Lives of Millions
“Our lives would have been impossible without Ronald Reagan,” says Patty Rodriguez in the opening episode of the podcast series, Out of the Shadows: Children…
KQED's ForumL.A. City Council Scandal Rocks City
During a raucous L.A. city council meeting yesterday, a crowd of demonstrators demanded the resignations of Nury Martinez, Kevin DeLeón, and Gil Cedillo, three…
KQED's ForumBorshch and Beyond: Anna Voloshyna on Ukraine’s Diverse Cuisine
San Francisco chef Anna Voloshyna’s new cookbook Budmo! is a celebration of Ukrainian food and a call to rescue the regional diversity of her home country’s…
KQED's ForumThe Battle for State Legislatures Goes National
More Californians are contributing their dollars and time to elections in states like Michigan and Arizona where the winning party will have control over…
KQED's ForumAsk a Nobel Scientist: 2022 Bay Area Winners in Chemistry and Physics Take Your Questions
Two Bay Area scientists have won the 2022 Nobel Prize. Stanford’s Carolyn Bertozzi is one of just eight women to ever win the prize in chemistry (out of 189…
KQED's ForumConstance Wu on Her Essay Collection 'Making a Scene'
After years of struggling and fighting for every role, actor Constance Wu had a popular TV show and a starring role in the hit movie “Crazy Rich Asians.” Then…
KQED's ForumOakland Will Be The First City in California to Give Land Back to Native Americans
For thousands of years and hundreds of generations, the Ohlone people have lived on the land that is now known as the East Bay. They were forcibly removed from…
KQED's ForumHomelessness in California vs. Massachusetts
In San Francisco, more than half of people experiencing homelessness are unsheltered. In contrast, just three percent of Boston’s unhoused people are living on…
KQED's ForumTapping into California’s Craft Beer Boom
Craft beer has a long history in California with breweries such as Anchor Steam that started in San Francisco in the mid-1800s and still brews there today. But…
KQED's ForumUnder Threat of Draft, Russians Face Realities of Ukraine War
After Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans last month to mobilize more troops to wage his campaign against Ukraine, the reality of the war is…
KQED's ForumCan California’s New Housing Laws Put a Dent In The State’s Housing Shortage?
Many California lawmakers agree that the lack of unaffordable housing is a huge challenge, but for years they have not agreed on how to fix the problem. This…
KQED's ForumHiking the Pacific Crest Trail is Hard. And Climate Change Is Making It Harder.
Stretching 2,600 miles from Mexico to Canada, the Pacific Crest Trail winds through the Mojave Desert, up to the Sierras and along the Cascades. Backpackers…