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 Forum
Pandemic Takes Growing Toll on Mental Health
The coronavirus pandemic has many people feeling isolated in their homes, detached from loved ones, and anxious about their livelihoods. All of that is taking…
- KQED's Forum
California Faces a Looming Eviction Crisis as Coronavirus Pandemic Continues
Renters across California could be in danger of losing their homes in the coming weeks. Eviction moratoriums that have helped millions of renters are close to…
- KQED's Forum
More California Counties on COVID Watch List as State Records Over 500,000 cases
In the month of July, California experienced its worst surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths leading Gov. Newsom to impose a re-shutdown of businesses in more…
- KQED's Forum
The Untold Story of How Congress Won the Civil War
While Abraham Lincoln tends to get most of the credit for winning the Civil War, historian Fergus Bordewich reminds us not to forget about the role Congress…
- KQED's Forum
Inside the Infamous College Admissions Scandal
In March 2019, news broke of a massive college admissions bribery scandal. Among the accused were prominent business people, well-known actors, sports coaches…
- KQED's Forum
Politics Monday: Rep. Anna Eshoo, COVID-19 Relief, Biden’s VP Pick
First, South Bay Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, chair of the House health subcommittee, joins us to discuss the federal response to the coronavirus pandemic. Then…
- KQED's Forum
After Strong Start in Battling Coronavirus, California Now Leads U.S. in Cases
In mid-March, California became the first state to enact widespread shelter-in-place orders -- seen as a bold action to prevent the kind of spike in…
- KQED's Forum
How Much Should We Worry about COVID When Gathering Outside?
After more than four months of limited activity and isolation, Californians have been itching to socialize. Even as cases rise in the state, many have become…
- KQED's Forum
Unemployment and Recession Woes Intensify as Pandemic Wears On
The end of July spells the end of an additional $600 per week benefit for many unemployed Americans in the midst of a pandemic-induced recession. As Congress…
- KQED's Forum
Open Vallejo’s Geoffrey King on Badge-Bending by Vallejo Police
An investigative report by Open Vallejo, a recently launched independent news site, has found that a secret clique in the Vallejo Police Department bends back…
- KQED's Forum
Poet Cathy Park Hong on ‘Minor Feelings’ and Anti-Asian Racism in the Age of COVID
In her new book of essays, "Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning," poet Cathy Park Hong weaves memoir with cultural criticism to explore topics of…
- KQED's Forum
Employers and Workers Question What Is — And Isn’t Working — About Working From Home
Tech giant Google said Monday it would delay bringing workers back to the office until summer 2021. The company’s decision reflects a massive change that…
- KQED's Forum
Nation’s Most Powerful Tech CEOs to Testify in Congressional Anti-Trust Hearing
The chief executives of Apple, Google, Facebook and Amazon are scheduled to testify on Wednesday before a House subcommittee investigating anti-trust…
- KQED's Forum
Trump Administration to Send More Federal Officers to Portland
More federal officers are reportedly headed to Portland as protests there continue to gain momentum. So far the Trump administration’s response has led to…
- KQED's Forum
What Happens if Trump Resists Stepping Down?
In a recent interview, Fox News host Chris Wallace asked President Donald Trump if he'd accept the Nov. 3 election results. Refusing to say yes or no, Trump…
- KQED's Forum
COVID-19 Prompts Child Care Crisis Across California
Falling enrollment, anxiety about health risks, and confusing guidelines from public health officials have all contributed to a crisis in California’s child…
- KQED's Forum
The Chronicle’s Ann Killion on Bay Area Sports in a Pandemic
It was almost like a typical weekend of baseball in July: the Oakland A's and the San Francisco Giants both faced off against their L.A.-based rivals, the…
- KQED's Forum
Experiences of Translating for Family Members as a Kid
Last week on Forum, during a segment about the disproportionately high coronavirus infection rates among Latinos in California, we heard from 10-year- old…
- KQED's Forum
Twitter Bans Accounts Associated with Conspiracy Community QAnon
Twitter announced this week that it’s removing or restricting more than 150,000 accounts associated with QAnon -- an extremist, far right internet community…
- KQED's Forum
How To Deal with Grief And Loss During the Coronavirus Pandemic
During the past few months, many common rituals for dealing with grief and loss have been completely disrupted. Family members can no longer hold the hand of a…
- KQED's Forum
Parents Turning to Tutors, “Pandemic Pods” to Help with Remote Learning
More than 80 percent of California children are in districts that Governor Gavin Newsom says must use remote-only learning when schools return. That's prompted…
- KQED's Forum
Trump To Send ‘Surge’ of Federal Forces to Chicago and Albuquerque to Quell Violent Crime
President Trump announced Wednesday that he's sending hundreds of federal law enforcement officers to Chicago and Albuquerque to drive down violent crime. The…
- KQED's Forum
Marin County Supervisors Approve Fines for Non Compliance with COVID-19 Health Orders
The Marin County Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance on Tuesday allowing government employees and police officers to penalize businesses and individuals…
- KQED's Forum
Developing and Distributing a Coronavirus Vaccine
It was reported on Monday that the University of Oxford developed a coronavirus vaccine that appears safe and triggers an immune response. Another study from…
- KQED's Forum
Learning to Deal with Uncertainty… Through Poker
After a spate of bad luck led her to question the nature of chance, journalist Maria Konnikova began learning about poker. Konnikova -- who holds a doctorate…
- KQED's Forum
Political Scientists Jacob Hacker and Paul Pierson on ‘How the Right Rules’
The Republican party has increasingly relied on incendiary appeals from the social right to win over voters, while advancing policies that cater less to the…
- KQED's Forum
Political Fight Threatens to Derail Caltrain Funding Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
Caltrain, the light-rail system that runs from San Francisco to Silicon Valley, faces dire financial straits after a 98% drop in ridership during the…
- KQED's Forum
Destruction of Evidence in Vallejo Police Shooting Spurs Calls for Federal Investigation
California’s Attorney General announced an investigation into the Vallejo police department after reports that evidence in the police shooting of Sean…
- KQED's Forum
Political Analyst Tiffany Cross on the Role of Black Voters in ‘Saving Our Democracy’
This election year, Black voters in key swing states hold significant power heading into November, as they were crucial for Democrats' "Blue Wave" in 2018. In…
- KQED's Forum
Gov. Newsom Orders Most California Schools Online For Fall
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that all public and private schools in counties on the state's Covid-19 watchlist must operate remotely this…
- KQED's Forum
As Coronavirus Cases Surge, California Tries to Get a Handle on Testing
As COVID-19 testing facilities across the state face ongoing backlogs, California public health officials adopted new guidance this week to help counties…
- KQED's Forum
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo Discusses His Police Reform Plan
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo recently released a nine-point proposal to revamp the city’s embattled police department. He says the plan will “reform, not defund…
- KQED's Forum
Mayor Jesse Arreguín on Berkeley’s Sweeping Police Reform
The Berkeley City Council approved a motion this week on the issue of police reform, bringing some of the most radical changes to policing in the state. A…
- KQED's Forum
Science Journalist Ed Yong on the Future of the Pandemic
As California and many other states struggle to contain a surge in COVID-19 cases, science journalist Ed Yong says we’re now more vulnerable to additional…
- KQED's Forum
Rep. Ro Khanna on Supporting Remote K-12 Education
“Any forthcoming federal pandemic relief bill must include funds to support teachers, so that under-served children don't fall behind”, argues Silicon Valley…
- KQED's Forum
Open Phones: Life in Lockdown
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Monday that California is officially backtracking into more restrictive shelter-in-place orders as coronavirus infections…
- KQED's Forum
Soledad O’Brien on News Media’s Reckoning with Racism
As newsrooms across the country confront issues of race and diversity, award-winning journalist Soledad O’Brien says it’s a welcome “MeToo” moment for…
- KQED's Forum
‘Demagogue’ Sheds Light on Senator Joseph McCarthy
A new biography about Senator Joseph McCarthy taps into recently-released transcripts of closed-door congressional hearings to shed light on the senator’s life…
- KQED's Forum
Coronavirus Disproportionately Hits Latinos in California
Across California, Latinos have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. They make up about 39 percent of the state’s population, but account for 55 percent…
- KQED's Forum
Eduardo Porter’s New Book Explains How Racism Poisons America’s Economy For Everyone
As the United States grapples with civil unrest, many people are questioning how we arrived in this situation and how the nation can change for the better. In…
- KQED's Forum
California Sues Trump Administration Over New Policy Restricting International Student Visas
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and state public education leaders announced on Thursday that they’re suing the Trump administration over a new rule…
- KQED's Forum
President Trump Commutes Roger Stone’s Sentence
President Donald Trump on Friday commuted the sentence of his longtime friend and political advisor Roger Stone, who had been convicted of lying to Congress…
- KQED's Forum
Newsom Orders Release of 8,000 Inmates from State Prisons
Governor Newsom announced Friday that the state will release 8,000 people incarcerated in the state's prison system, including 700 in high-risk prisons like…
- KQED's Forum
EDD’s Loree Levy Takes Your Unemployment Benefit Questions
Close to 2 million unemployment claims filed since the shelter in place orders were issued have not yet been paid out, according to a San Jose Mercury News…
- KQED's Forum
Author Aims for Punk Rock Memoir With “The Undocumented Americans”
Author Karla Cornejo Villavicencio joins us to discuss her new memoir, “The Undocumented Americans.” Villavicencio arrived in America when she was five and is…
- KQED's Forum
School Districts Across the Bay Area and State Grapple with Reopening Plans
Amid a spike in coronavirus cases and calls by President Trump to reopen schools this fall, school districts across California are contemplating the best…
- KQED's Forum
Activists Call For Better Understanding of History as Statues and Monuments Come Down
Throughout California, statues of controversial historical figures such as Junipero Serra and Christopher Columbus are being removed. This follows a trend…
- KQED's Forum
Stanford Social Psychologist on How White Allies Should Respond To Racism
Stanford Graduate School of Business professor and social psychologist Brian Lowery studies the psychology of racial privilege. Undergirding his work is the…
- KQED's Forum
Supreme Court Rules Prosecutor May See Trump’s Financial Records
In a 7-2 opinion issued this morning, the Supreme Court ruled that President Trump must turn over his financial records and tax returns to a New York state…
- KQED's Forum
Dr. Erica Pan Appointed California State Epidemiologist
Dr. Erica Pan has been appointed the new California State Epidemiologist. She joins us to talk about her experience leading Alameda County’s coronavirus…
- KQED's Forum
Supreme Court Rules on Religious Freedom, Contraceptive Mandate Cases
In a 7 to 2 vote, the Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday in favor of two California churches arguing they should not have to face employment discrimination…
- KQED's Forum
Trump Administration Withdraws from the World Health Organization
The Trump administration officially informed the United Nations on Tuesday that the United States is withdrawing from the World Health Organization, effective…
- KQED's Forum
Drug Overdose Deaths Spike During the Pandemic
Emerging evidence shows that drug overdose deaths are surging from increased substance abuse driven by feelings of isolation, anxiety and depression during the…
- KQED's Forum
Oakland Zoo at Risk of Permanent Closure Unless Allowed to Re-Open Soon
The Oakland Zoo announced last week that it may have to shut down permanently unless it's allowed to open its doors to visitors soon. The zoo, which has…
- KQED's Forum
Fox Anchor Chris Wallace on Coronavirus, Protests and ‘Countdown 1945’
Last month, when many Fox News hosts were putting a positive spin on President Trump’s low-turnout Tulsa rally, Fox News Sunday anchor Chris Wallace didn’t…
- KQED's Forum
Low-income and Undocumented Immigrants Struggle Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic
In a state where more than a quarter of residents are foreign-born, many low-income and undocumented immigrants have dealt with heavy burdens during the…
- KQED's Forum
Jessica Levinson on the Latest Supreme Court Rulings
The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Monday that states are free to punish presidential electors who don’t support the winner of the popular vote. It also…
- KQED's Forum
Illegal July 4 Fireworks Spark Numerous Fires in Bay Area
With official July 4 fireworks cancelled this year due to coronavirus, amateur displays illuminated the skies around the Bay Area Saturday night. But the…
- KQED's Forum
Rebroadcast: The Role of Cross-Racial Solidarity in a Time of Protest
During this time of civil unrest in America, many people are calling for dismantling racism. Much of the conversation frames the conflict as between a black…
- KQED's Forum
Author Casey Gerald on Frederick Douglass and the Meaning of July 4
On July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass delivered a speech titled "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" -- calling attention to the hypocrisy of the…