KQED's Forum

KQED

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 to hear from you! Please dial 866.SF.FORUM or (866) 733-6786 or email forum@kqed.org, tweet, or post on Facebook. read less

Our Editor's Take

KQED's Forum podcast delivers informative conversations about issues impacting California and beyond. KQED is a community-driven radio station that serves Northern California with engaging content. This NPR podcast is a daily talk show featuring listener content and expert guests. Topics vary from trending diets to California's labor market. The show brings together different viewpoints and helps people make informed decisions.

The hosts of KQED's Forum are Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal. Mina has worked as an award-winning reporter and news anchor. Her cohost Alexis is a writer and scholar at UC Berkeley. He's fascinated by the racial history of the Bay Area and how Oakland has transformed over the years. Mina and Alexis focus on bringing clarity and knowledge to their listeners.

One episode discusses the controversial topic of the "Book Banning Movement." When one governor tasked schools with banning specific books, not everyone agreed. The books taught students stories about people of color and LGBTQIA+ rights. In the episode, authors and educators discuss this movement's impact. Plus, listeners reveal the books that inspired them most growing up.

Another episode talks about the uncertain future of the world's water. A book by scientist Peter Gleick examines humans' relationship with water. What connection does this have with climate change? What can people do to improve this relationship and the planet?

It's not all serious content on this podcast. The episode "All You Can Eat" explores how to make the best picnic. A food editor and chef join to share their mouth-watering ideas and recommendations. They also discuss the beauty of seeing multi-generational immigrant communities picnicking together. In the Bay Area, food influences combine, transforming the picnic concept.

KQED's Forum is an informative podcast driven by the Californian community. It asks questions, such as why is summer camp considered a "hot mess for parents?" How are teen girls starting revolutions? Does it matter if there is life outside of Earth? One episode commemorates the 80th anniversary of the Zoot Suit Riots. Each episode brings new topics and fresh perspectives. New episodes debut on a periodic basis.

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NPR's Sarah McCammon on Leaving the Evangelical Church

NPR'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 she grew up in that world. McCammon left the church troubled by the misogyny, homophobia and racism she witnessed. That experience is at the center of her book “The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church.” We speak to McCammon and hear from you: Have you left organized religion? Why? Guests: Sarah McCammon, National Political Correspondent, NPR; co-host, NPR Politics Podcast; author, "The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church"

Episodes

NPR's Sarah McCammon on Leaving the Evangelical Church

NPR'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 she grew up in that world. McCammon left the church troubled by the misogyny, homophobia and racism she witnessed. That experience is at the center of her book “The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church.” We speak to McCammon and hear from you: Have you left organized religion? Why? Guests: Sarah McCammon, National Political Correspondent, NPR; co-host, NPR Politics Podcast; author, "The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church"

KQED Youth Takeover: We’re Getting a WNBA Team

KQED 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 basketball lovers of all ages. As part of KQED’s Youth Takeover week, high school athletes Mahi Jariwala, Jessie Lin and Olivia Ma bring together a sports journalist, a basketball coach and a Title IX attorney to talk about the impact of women’s basketball in the Bay Area – and the arrival of a new professional team. Guests: Mahi Jariwala, senior, Monte Vista High School Jessie Lin, senior, Woodside High School Olivia Ma, junior, BASIS Independent Fremont Marisa Ingemi, women's sports reporter, San Francisco Chronicle Kim Turner, co-CEO of the nonprofit Bay Area Women's Sports Initiative; Title IX attorney Jeff Addiego, vice president, Warriors Basketball Academy

Rainn Wilson from ‘The Office’ on Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution

Rainn 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 “Soul Boom” the three-time Emmy Award-nominated actor acknowledges the connection: “Why is the beet-farming, paper-selling, tangentially Amish man-baby with the giant forehead and short-sleeved mustard shirts writing about the meaning of life?” But then again, why wouldn’t he be curious? Wilson joins us to talk about his own journey with faith, why big philosophical questions make life worth living and why we need what he calls a “spiritual revolution.” And we’ll also hear why he thinks “The Office” is such a cultural mainstay, informing TV mockumentary trends, cringe humor and Gen Z artists like Billie Eilish. Guests: Rainn Wilson, actor who played Dwight Schrute on the TV show, "The Office." His most recent book is "Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution."

Forum From the Archives: Remembering Glide Memorial's Cecil Williams

Forum 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 poorest, most vulnerable residents of San Francisco, he led a congregation that was infused with the spirit of care and social justice as well as love, joy and music. Cecil Williams died this week at the age of 94, to celebrate his life and legacy, we listen back to his interviews, a sermon and the music of Glide. Guests: Cecil Williams, founder and Minister of Liberation, Glide Memorial United Methodist Church in San Francisco

Erik Aadahl on the Power of Sound in Film

Erik 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 imagine a movie like “Godzilla” without the monster’s signature roar? Or the terrifying silence of “A Quiet Place?” For Erik Aadahl, the Oscar nominated sound designer behind both of those films, sound is the human sense tied closest to our emotions. We talk with Aadahl about what his work entails, how he sources sound for his films and how he creates soundscapes both otherworldly and joyous. What movies stand out to you for their sound? Guest: Erik Aadahl, sound designer; co-founder of the studio, E Squared - credits include "Transformers," "Godzilla," "A Quiet Place," "Argo," "Kung Fu Panda," and "The Creator"

KQED Youth Takeover: How Can San Jose Schools Create Safer Campuses?

KQED 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 police officers from their campuses. In the San Jose area, pressure from teachers and parents pushed several school districts to increase mental health support on campuses – hiring social workers and creating wellness centers – as an alternative to policing. As part of KQED’s Youth Takeover week, high school juniors Khadeejah Khan and Nico Fischer, and a panel of educators, will examine that decision, learn how different schools in San Jose have adapted, and discuss new issues around safety. And we’ll hear from you: how can we create safe, positive environments for students? Guests: Khadeejah Khan, senior, Santa Clara High School Nico Fischer, sophomore, Santa Clara High School Rachel Stanek, English teacher of thirty years Tomara Hall, special education teacher, equity leader and community organizer Michael Gatenby, teacher, East Side Union High School District

Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments in Major Homelessness Case

Supreme 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 land violates the “cruel and unusual punishment” clause of the 8th Amendment — even if they refuse offers of shelter. The case, Grants Pass v. Johnson, could have massive implications for how California cities address homelessness. Nearly half of all unhoused Americans live in California, according to a report last year by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Affairs. We’ll discuss the arguments and how the Court might rule. Guests: Marisa Kendall, homelessness reporter, CalMatters Meghan Ryan, professor of law, Southern Methodist University (SMU)

Percival Everett’s Novel “James” Recenters the Story of Huck Finn

Percival 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 device, Everett offers a fully realized portrait of the man who dreams of traveling “safely through the light of the world.” A prolific author and an English professor at USC, Everett’s earlier work inspired the film “American Fiction.” We talk to Everett about his writing, his faith in readers to understand difficult text, and this latest book, which is being lauded by critics as a new American classic. Guests: Percival Everett, author, "James"; English professor, USC - his other books include "I Am Not Sidney Poitier," "The Trees," "God's Country," and "Erasure," which was adapted for the film "American Fiction." "James" is his 34th novel

Have We Entered Into a New Cold War Era?

Have 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 western world order, leaving American power “fundamentally unchallenged.” But in fact, the military, economic and technological threats posed by those countries have drawn the U.S. toward a new cold war era – one that New York Times reporter David Sanger calls “more complex and dangerous” than we have confronted in nearly 100 years. We talk to Sanger, who’s covered U.S. national security for decades, about why the U.S. misjudged threats to its power and how it might reshape its global influence. His new book is “New Cold Wars: China’s Rise, Russia’s Invasion, and America’s Struggle to Defend the West.” Guests: David Sanger, White House and National Security Correspondent, New York Times

KQED Youth Takeover: How Social Media is Changing Political Advertising

KQED 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 infamous 1988 Willie Horton ad? But while traditional media still dominates political ad spending, politicians are spreading their messages on digital platforms once reserved for entertainment. Even TikTok is being leveraged by many politicians as the way to engage a digital generation. As part of KQED’s annual Youth Takeover week, high school juniors Ryan Heshmati and Kate Quach bring together a panel of media experts to talk about how political advertising works today and how we got there. Guests: Ryan Heshmati, junior, Saratoga High School Kate Quach, junior, St. Ignatius High School David Broockman, associate professor of political science, University of California-Berkeley Makena Kelly, senior politics writer; author, WIRED's Politics Lab newsletter Kyle Tharp, author, For What It’s Worth - a newsletter tracking digital strategy, spending and trends in politics

Death Doula Alua Arthur on How and Why to Prepare for the End

Death 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, like memorial planning and medical directives. And then there’s the act of thinking how we’d ideally want to die — outdoors or indoors, surrounded by loved ones, arguments resolved — that shows what’s most important to us and can help us live in alignment with those priorities. Arthur’s new memoir, “Briefly Perfectly Human,” is an account of the relationships she formed with her dying clients and the reflections they shared with her — including regrets in romance and work, their vulnerabilities in a failing body and what brought them authentic joy. We’ll talk to Arthur about how to ease our transitions to death and hear how tending to the dying has shaped her own life and outlook. Guests: Alua Arthur, death doula, attorney, and adjunct professor; author, “Briefly Perfectly Human: Making an Authentic Life by Getting Real About the End"; founder, Going with Grace — a death doula training and end-of-life planning organization

How to Create Your Own ‘Garden Wonderland’

How 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, “Garden Wonderland,” by Bay Area landscape and garden expert Leslie Bennett and her co-author Julie Chai. Their new book offers advice on how to create landscapes that include flowers, fruits and vegetables, healing plants, and gathering spaces that honor a gardener’s personal culture. In time for spring, we talk to Bennet and Chai as well as nursery owner Flora Grubb about your garden wonderlands. Guests: Flora Grubb, co-owner, Flora Grubb Gardens in San Francisco and Los Angeles, and Grubb and Nadler Nurseries Leslie Bennett, owner and creative director, Pine House Edible Gardens; co-author, "Garden Wonderland: Create Life-Changing Outdoor Spaces for Beauty, Harvest, Meaning and Joy" Julie Chai, co-author, "Garden Wonderland: Create Life-Changing Outdoor Spaces for Beauty, Harvest, Meaning and Joy"

First Trump Criminal Trial Underway in New York

First Trump Criminal Trial Underway in New York

Opening arguments could take place as soon as next week in Donald Trump’s criminal trial in Manhattan, where he stands accused of covering up hush money payments he made to adult film actor Stormy Daniels. The trial, which is expected to last for more than a month, is one of four criminal prosecutions the former president faces. Delay has beset some of those cases, as courts consider a host of pre-trial motions and interim appeals filed by Trump’s defense team. We’ll take stock of where the criminal cases against the former president stand and their impact on November’s election. Guests: Alan Feuer, reporter covering extremism and political violence, New York Times

The Beauty in Finding ‘Other People’s Words’ in Your Own

The Beauty in Finding ‘Other People’s Words’ in Your Own

About ten years ago, two of journalist Lissa Soep’s closest friends died around the same time. In her grieving, she found consolation in the philosophy of a 20th century Russian literary theorist, Mikhail Bakhtin, and his theory of “double voicing” – the idea that our speech is “filled to overflowing with other people’s words”. Her friends had not disappeared, instead, they’d slipped into her own language, and that of the people around her. We talk to Soep about great friendships, the mysterious power of language to sustain conversations even with those who have died and her book, “Other People’s Words.” Guests: Lissa Soep, author, "Other People's Words: Friendship, Loss and the Conversations that Never End." She is also senior editor for audio at Vox Media

What the 99 Cents Only Stores Closure Means to Californians

What the 99 Cents Only Stores Closure Means to Californians

Dollar stores – the bargain chains prevalent in rural areas that sell miscellaneous merchandise at steeply discounted prices – have been blamed for contributing to food deserts and pushing out smaller mom and pop grocers. But the 99 Cents Only chain stood for something different to its fans, according to LA Times reporter Andrea Chang, who says that people relied on the bright and well-organized spaces for good quality merchandise. The California-based company announced that it will be closing all 371 of its stores just as another prominent chain, Family Dollar, plans to shutter 1000 stores. We’ll talk about the history of dollar stores, the impact they have on communities across the country and what happens to the people reliant on them when they leave. Guests: Eliza Ronalds-Hannon, senior reporter, Bloomberg Andrea Chang, wealth reporter, Los Angeles Times Sara Portnoy, professor of Latinx food studies and food justice, USC; creator and executive producer of "Abuelitas on the Borderlands" film series

Bay Area Diaspora Closely Watching India’s Upcoming Election

Bay Area Diaspora Closely Watching India’s Upcoming Election

India’s general election will begin on Friday, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks a third straight term in power. The election is set to be the biggest in history, with nearly a billion Indians eligible to cast ballots. Modi remains popular in India but has been criticized for his human rights record and attacks on the media and judiciary. We’ll preview the election, which runs through June, and hear from members of the Bay Area’s Indian communities. Guests: Anita Manwani, president, The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) Silicon Valley Nikhil Inamdar, Indian business correspondent, BBC Milan Vaishnav, senior fellow and director, South Asia Program at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; host, Grand Tamasha podcast Raju Rajagopal, co-founder, Hindus for Human Rights

are u addicted to ur phone

are u addicted to ur phone

New York Times tech reporter Kashmir Hill last year found that each day she was picking up her iPhone more than 100 times and looking at it for an average of five hours — roughly “the equivalent of January, February and half of March,” she writes. Even though that discovery filled her with “queasy regret,” she couldn’t nix the habit. So she decided to downgrade to a flip phone for a one-month experiment – one she says rewired her brain. Hill’s dumbphone experiment came as research suggests smartphone users are reaching for their phones every time they feel bored or anxious, which can lead to hours unintentionally spent staring at a 5-inch screen. Are you concerned you’re spending too much time on your smartphone? Guests: Kashmir Hill, tech reporter, New York Times; author "Your Face Belongs to Us"; her recent NYT article is "I Was Addicted to My Smartphone, So I Switched to a Flip Phone for a Month" Anna Lembke, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, Stanford Universityl; author, “Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence”

José Vadi’s “Chipped” Looks at Life from a Skateboarder’s Lens

José Vadi’s “Chipped” Looks at Life from a Skateboarder’s Lens

A chipped skateboard — one where a piece has come off the nose or tail — is the symbol of a boarder who is dedicated to their deck, held together by nothing but grip tape. It’s also a metaphor for lessons learned, observes José Vadi in his new memoir, “Chipped.” “No matter the age, being a skateboarder lends itself to caustic stares from passersby,” he writes. Vadi delves into skate culture, from its music to its videos, and what it means to identify as a skateboarder. We talk to Vadi about how that lens has shaped his views of public space, geography and his life as a writer. Guests: José Vadi, author, "Chipped: Writing from a Skateboarder's Lens"; Vadi's previous book is "Inter State: Essays from California"

‘The Notorious PhD’ on How Hip Hop Made America

‘The Notorious PhD’ on How Hip Hop Made America

To USC professor Todd Boyd, hip hop has so permeated American life that what was once a musical subculture now informs entertainment, fashion, sports and politics. In his recent book, “Rapper’s Deluxe: How Hip Hop Made The World,” Professor Boyd – also known as the Notorious PhD – traces the genre over the last 50 years from its humble beginnings in the Bronx, to its west coast ascent in the 1990s and through to the election of President Obama and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement. We talk to Boyd and hear from you. What’s a defining moment of hip hop for you? Guests: Dr. Todd Boyd, professor of cinema and media studies, USC; author, "Rapper's Deluxe: How Hip Hop Made the World"

San Francisco Voters Face a Crowded and Contentious Mayor’s Race

San Francisco Voters Face a Crowded and Contentious Mayor’s Race

This November San Francisco voters will get to decide whether to give London Breed another four years as mayor. Polls show voters are dissatisfied with how Breed has handled crime and homelessness, and her political weakness has invited several strong challengers into the race, from the political left, right and middle. Board of Supervisors’ President Aaron Peskin, Supervisor Asha Safaí, philanthropist Daniel Lurie and venture capitalist Mark Farrell are all making a run for the job, among others. We’ll talk about the candidates, San Francisco’s shifting politics and how the city’s ranked choice voting system could affect the dynamics of the race. Guests: Heather Knight, San Francisco bureau chief, New York Times - formerly a San Francisco Chronicle reporter since 1999. Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, reporter and producer covering politics, KQED News Former San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim, California chair, Working Families Party - a progressive advocacy organization