KQED's Forum

Billboards promoting movies “for your consideration” take over Los Angeles freeways every award season, while San Francisco’s drivers are inundated with tech jargon. But billboards do more than promote the industries that power our economy. Up and down California, they serve as cultural touchstones, calls to action and reflections of local values and beliefs. We talk about California’s unique culture and history with billboards. What’s a billboard you remember? Guests: Wendy Liu, author, writes about billboards for Bay Area Current Catherine Gudis, professor in the departments of History and Society, Environment, and Health Equity, University of California, Riverside Matt Stevens, arts and culture reporter, New York Times Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 23 July 2025

The Supreme Court has given the Trump Administration the greenlight to gut the workforce of the Department of Education. The move isn’t just about reducing the government’s payroll; it’s part of a much larger attack on public education according to some education advocates. Critics of the department, which the Republican Party has attempted to shut down since it was created 45 years ago, say the federal government should leave state and local agencies to manage schools. While the agency can’t be shuttered without congressional approval, the significant job losses put into question how effective it can be and how it will oversee student loans, research, and civil rights violations among other responsibilities. We talk about what is next for the department and what it means for students. Guests: Jill Tucker, K-12 education reporter, San Francisco Chronicle Noliwe Rooks, professor and chair of Africana Studies, Brown University Michael J. Petrilli, president, Thomas B. Fordham Institute - a conservative education policy think tank; visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 23 July 2025

Questions continue to mount about President Trump’s connection to the deceased, convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The president’s MAGA base — and now some congressional Democrats — are demanding to see more files, including a so-called “client list” belonging to Epstein. We look at how we got here, and the political impacts of the growing controversy. What do you think the Epstein fallout will be, if any? Guests: Luke Broadwater, White House reporter, New York Times Ankush Khardori, senior writer for POLITICO Magazine and a former federal prosecutor at the Department of Justice; his recent articles include “Playbook: Trump’s Epstein evolution” and “3 Scenarios That Explain the Epstein Debacle: All reflect poorly on the Department of Justice” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 22 July 2025

What constitutes homelessness? In his new book, “There is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America”, author Brian Goldstone documents the stories of five families in Atlanta that despite having full time work are living unhoused. We talk with Goldstone and Margot Kushel, Director of the Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, about the circumstances that render unhoused people invisible in terms of statistics and resources, the experience of having a job but not housing, and the many implications of undercounting unhoused people, especially families, in America. Guests: Dr. Margot Kushel, director, Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative; professor of medicine at UCSF Brian Goldstone, journalist, author of “There is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 22 July 2025

President Trump’s recently passed megabill allocates $75 billion in extra funding to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, tripling its budget and making ICE the largest law enforcement agency in the country. Historian and journalist Garrett Graff has covered law enforcement and democracy for the last 20 years and says it’s hard not to see the funding increase as “turbo-charging an increasingly lawless regime of immigration enforcement.” We talk to him about the implications of a radically expanded ICE. Guests: Garrett Graff, journalist and historian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 21 July 2025

You’ve probably been to a national or state park in California. But have you ever hiked in BLM land?  15% of California –  15 million acres – is  public land operated by the federal Bureau of Land Management. This is land that no one wanted: not beautiful enough to be deemed a national park and too remote to be developed. As such, they are under threat of being exploited for their resources or sold off, which Republicans have threatened to do. In his new book, “The Enduring Wild: A Journey into California’s Public Lands,” Josh Jackson shines a light on the beauty of these “common grounds” that belong to all of us and the perils that they face. Guests: Josh Jackson, author, "The Enduring Wild: A Journey into California's Public Lands" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 21 July 2025

We need to make “Much Ado About Keanu” Reeves. That’s according to pop culture writer Sezín Devi Koehler’s new book about the wildly popular – if sometimes underestimated – Hollywood star. Besides acting in eighty films over his 40-year career, from “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure” to “The Matrix,” Reeves’ roles have challenged stereotypes of masculinity, provided representation of Asian American and native Hawaiian communities— and he’s known for stepping aside to let his costars shine. We’ll talk about what makes Reeves’ career “most excellent.” What’s your favorite Keanu role? Guests: Carly Severn, senior editor of audience news, KQED Sezín Devi Koehler, pop culture writer; author, "Much Ado About Keanu: A Critical Reeves Theory" Angelica Jade Bastién, critic covering film and pop culture, New York Magazine's Vulture Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 18 July 2025

A bill to claw back $1.1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds public radio and television, will be voted on by the House on Thursday evening. The legislation has already passed the Senate, on a largely partisan vote. We’ll talk to the president of KQED and representatives from other public radio and television outlets about the impacts these cuts will have on their mission to provide free public programming to their communities. Guests: Michael Isip, president and CEO, KQED David Folkenflik, media correspondent, NPR News Brian Duggan, general manager, KUNR and KNCC Kate Riley, president and CEO, America's Public Television Stations Andre de Channes, general manager and director of operations, KZYX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 18 July 2025

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has filed a spate of lawsuits against the Trump administration, including challenges to mass terminations of federal employees, the sharing of Medicaid data with immigration authorities and the federal government’s takeover of the California National Guard. His office is also involved in lawsuits related to public health funding cuts and stalled clean energy projects. We’ll talk to the state’s top prosecutor about what’s at stake in the cases and what it’s been like to fight a president he says has an “endless desire to seize more power.” Guests: Rob Bonta, California Attorney General Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 17 July 2025

The Ukrainian town of Irpin made international headlines at the outset of Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion when local reservists repelled Russian forces advancing toward Kyiv. But the toll was severe for the town Ukraine has now designated a “hero city.” Hundreds of civilians were killed during Russia’s month-long occupation of Irpin, and thousands of buildings were destroyed. Among those was the main campus building of the State Tax University. Now a Bay Area organization is helping to rebuild the university, bringing design and construction ideas that it hopes will be a model for other sites. We’ll talk about the project and the multilayered challenges Ukraine faces as it seeks to rebuild while still at war. The reporting for this episode was supported by the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Women on the Ground: Reporting from Ukraine’s Unseen Frontlines Initiative in partnership with the Howard G. Buffett Foundation. Guests: Zhanna Bezpiatchuk, reporter, BBC Ukraine Margie O'Driscoll, executive director, Center for Innovation Eugene Chumakov, design and project architect, Stantec - a sustainable engineering and architecture firm Yuriy Gorodnichenko, professor of economics, UC Berkeley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 17 July 2025

“You can tell what a culture values by who it labels a genius—and also what it is prepared to tolerate. The Renaissance had its great artists. The Romantics lionized androgynous, tubercular poets. Today we are in thrall to tech innovators and brilliant jerks in Silicon Valley.” So writes Atlantic staff writer Helen Lewis in her new book, “The Genius Myth: A Curious History of a Dangerous Idea.” Lewis analyzes how the “genius” label is disproportionately applied to white men, often acting as an excuse for antisocial behavior. She joins us to share why she thinks we could all be more honest about the role history and collaboration play in any individual’s accomplishments—and the good that comes from allowing fewer lone wolves to make decisions on our collective behalf. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 16 July 2025

The Bay Area is getting increasingly older at a faster rate than other parts of the country, making it the third oldest region in the U.S. Some neighborhoods in Berkeley have a median age of 60. What will it take for our infrastructures to be well set up for our aging population? We talk through the latest data, hear from aging experts and learn from local organizations who have been meeting the ‘silver tsunami’ head on. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 16 July 2025

Adolescence has always been turbulent, but what happens when you mix in early puberty, digital information overload and a world that feels increasingly unsteady? Pulitzer Prize-winning science writer Matt Richtel says we’re living through a radical shift in how we come of age. In his new book “How We Grow Up,” Richtel draws on neuroscience and conversations with youth and their families to explore what’s behind a rising adolescent mental health crisis — and why it’s not just about the phones. He joins us. Guests: Matt Richtel, health and science reporter, New York Times; author, "How We Grow Up: Understanding Adolescence" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 15 July 2025

In the first six months of his second term, President Trump has done a lot of what he said he would do, from proposing sweeping tariffs to gutting federal agencies and their workers to deporting thousands of immigrants. And Americans now await the effects of Republicans’ massive bill cutting taxes and expanding immigration enforcement while slashing popular programs. We check in on Trump’s ambitions and the ways Congress and the courts are expanding, or checking, his presidential power. Guests: Philip Bump, national columnist, Washington Post; author of "The Aftermath: The Last Days of the Baby Boom and the Future of Power in America" Claudia Grisales, congressional correspondent, NPR David Graham, staff writer, The Atlantic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 15 July 2025

Water conservation is a constant challenge for Californians, but according to the New York Times’s Michael Kimmelman, there’s one city that’s doing it right: Los Angeles. Kimmelman found that L.A. has consumed less water in total since 1990 even as the city gained millions of residents. We talk with Kimmelman and California water officials about the strategies L.A. is using and what other states can learn from its example. Guests: Michael Kimmelman, architecture critic, New York Times Liz Crosson, chief sustainability, resiliency and innovation officer, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Mark Gold, board member of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California; adjunct professor at UCLA’s Institute for the Environment and Sustainability; former director of Water Scarcity Solutions for the Natural Resources Defense Council Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 14 July 2025

To be a modern consumer is to experience poor customer service at some point in your life. The kind of service that has you in a fever dream of pressing “1” for “representative,” getting your call dropped, calling back again, and then asking to speak to a manager who can’t solve your problem. Experts call this kind of service “sludge,” an administrative morass meant to deter, not help, consumers. And for some businesses, it’s a feature not a bug. We’ll talk to journalist Chris Colin about the practice and hear from you: what’s your sludge story? Guests: Chris Colin, journalist, The Atlantic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 14 July 2025

No band may better reflect the multicultural, gender-expansive exuberance of the Bay Area dream than Sly and the Family Stone. A new documentary “Sly Lives (aka The Burden of Black Genius)” explores the life and context of Vallejo’s brilliant, charismatic and troubled bandleader. We talk with the film’s creators and participants about the gifts Sly gave the world and the tolls it took on him. Guests: Joel Selvin, San Francisco-based music journalist and author, his latest book is "Words and Demons" Joseph Patel, producer of the documentary Sly Lives; he also produced Summer of Soul, which won an academy award for best documentary feature Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 11 July 2025

Journalist E. Jean Carroll has won two multimillion-dollar judgments against President Trump for sexual abuse and defamation. Her new memoir, “Not My Type: One Woman vs. a President,” is a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to sue a U.S. President: the toll it took, and how support and some dark humor helped carry her through. We talk to Carroll about her experiences and hear reflections from MSNBC legal correspondent Lisa Rubin about the significance of Carroll’s victory against a president who has otherwise avoided legal consequences for his actions. Guests: E. Jean Carroll, journalist; author of the long-running advice column "Ask E. Jean"; author, "Not My Type: One Woman vs. a President" Lisa Rubin, legal correspondent, MSNBC; host of MSNBC's "Can They Do That?" on Youtube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 11 July 2025

The flooding in Central Texas over the Fourth of July holiday has claimed more than 100 lives and caused widespread destruction across six counties. Search and rescue efforts are ongoing, with teams from across the country — including California — joining the response. We get on-the-ground updates, hear how rescue operations are going and as extreme weather events become more common, we look at whether this could happen in California. Guests: Hayley Smith, reporter focusing on extreme weather, Los Angeles Times Lucio E Vasquez, breaking news reporter, Texas Newsroom Greg Porter, senior newsroom meteorologist, San Francisco Chronicle Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 10 July 2025

As the Library of Congress’s new National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, Bay Area children’s author Mac Barnett wants to reframe how we think about picture books. With his platform, “Behold the Picture Book,” he’s championing the vital role picture books play in engaging readers of all ages and why we love them. What’s the picture book you love reading over and over and over? Guests: Mac Barnett, author of the children's books "Circle," "Square" and "Triangle" which have been made into a new animated series "Shape Island" on AppleTV+; his books have won Caldecott honors and E.B. White Read Aloud Awards Aida Salazar, children's book author, her picture books include "Jovita Wore Pants" and "In the Spirit of a Dream" Laura G. Lee, children's book author and illustrator, her picture books are "Soy Sauce!" and "Cat Eyes" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 10 July 2025

President Trump on Friday signed into law a massive tax and spending package: the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which delivers sweeping tax breaks for the wealthy while slashing social safety net programs. It cuts nearly $30 billion in Medicaid funding to California, defunds wildfire prevention and, according to Governor Gavin Newsom’s office, puts hundreds of thousands of jobs in the state at risk. The legislation also directs at least $170 billion to immigration detention and border security. Meanwhile, deficit watchers worry about its fiscal impacts. We’ll break down what this bill means for healthcare, immigration, education and everyday Californians like you. Guests: Jessica Roy, personal finance columnist, San Francisco Chronicle David Lightman, chief congressional correspondent, McClatchy Andrea Castillo, staff writer covering immigration, LA Times Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 9 July 2025

Caregiving is the most universal of human acts. But also one of the most invisible. While caring for a child, parent or loved one can be meaningful, and life defining, it can also be exhausting and life breaking. Drawing on her groundbreaking research on baby’s brains, UC Berkeley psychologist and philosopher Alison Gopnik is leading a multidisciplinary project to better understand the social science of caregiving with hopes of translating those insights into practical policies. Gopnik and policymaker Anne-Marie Slaughter join us to talk about how rethinking our approach to caregiving and how we support care providers, could lead to a better, more functional society. Guests: Alison Gopnik, professor of psychology and affiliate professor of philosophy, UC Berkeley; author, "The Gardener and the Carpenter: What the New Science of Child Development Tells Us About the Relationship Between Parents and Children" Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO of New America, a non-profit think tank; author of "Unfinished Business: Women Men Work Family" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 9 July 2025

Atlantic staff writer and Pulitzer Prize finalist Elizabeth Bruenig has attended five death row executions over the past half-decade. “What I witnessed,” she writes in her new cover story, “has not changed my conviction that capital punishment must end. But in sometimes-unexpected ways, it has changed my understanding of why.” We talk to Bruenig about what she saw and what she learned about mercy, forgiveness and redemption. Her article is called “Witness.” Guests: Elizabeth Bruenig, staff writer, The Atlantic - whose recent article is "Inside America’s Death Chambers" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 8 July 2025

When a scrappy San Francisco literary journal launched in 1985 to champion West Coast writers, the dream was to make a lasting imprint. Now, 40 years later, we celebrate Zyzzyza’s anniversary with editor Oscar Villalon and writers Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket) and Ingrid Rojas Contreras. We’ll talk about the literary journal’s vision, its stellar roster of writers and poets, and what makes the West Coast literary scene special. Guests: Oscar Villalon, editor, Zyzzyva Magazine - San Francisco based literary journal Daniel Handler, author of the children's book series "A Series of Unfortunate Events" under the pen name "Lemony Snicket" - contributor, "The End of the Golden Gate" Ingrid Rojas Contreras, Bay Area-based writer, author of the novel “Fruit of the Drunken Tree” and the memoir “The Man Who Could Move Clouds” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 8 July 2025

Musician Greta Morgan began performing professionally when she was 16, singing for groups like The Hush Sound and Gold Motel before touring with Vampire Weekend and charting her own path as a singer-songwriter. But in 2020, a severe case of Covid led to a neurological disorder that reduced her voice to a hush. We talk to Morgan about what a drastic change to her singing voice taught her about her inner voice and how her listening became so powerful that when she watched a meteor shower, she thought she could hear the stars. Morgan’s new memoir is “The Lost Voice.” Guests: Greta Morgan, musician, songwriter and author, "The Lost Voice: A Memoir" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 7 July 2025

“An artist is an ordinary person who can take ordinary things and make them special,” said San Francisco artist Ruth Asawa. From her studio in her home in Noe Valley, Asawa created crocheted wire sculptures whose shadows are just as evocative as the art itself. But as the mother of six, Asawa was also passionate about arts education and teaching. As a new retrospective of her work and life opens at SF MOMA, we talk about Asawa’s legacy as an artist, teacher, and community member as part of our Bay Area Legends series. Guests: Janet Bishop, Thomas Weisel Family chief curator, SFMOMA; She co-curated the exhibition Ruth Asawa: Retrospective Terry Kochanski, executive director, SCRAP Andrea Jepson, close friend of Ruth Asawa; Jepson served as the model for the fountain "Andrea" in Ghiradelli Square, and also worked with Asawa on her public school education projects Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 7 July 2025

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 along the Hippie Trail from Istanbul to Kathmandu in 1978, a trip that made him want to help others experience life-altering travel. We talk to him about his new book called “On the Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer” about a life spent away from home. What would you like to ask or tell Rick Steves? Guests: Rich Steves, travel writer, TV host Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 4 July 2025

LaRussell is known for a lot of things. His prolific music drops. His backyard concerts from his hometown, the “itty bitty city near the Bay,” Vallejo. And, for making a name in the world of hip hop on his own – no record deal needed. LaRussell is one of the Bay Area’s hottest musicians not just because of his talent and artistry, but also his business savvy. He is the founder of Good Compenny, a collective of independent artists. LaRussell joins us in studio for a special musical performance and to talk about growing up in Vallejo, what it means to “leave empty” and how he’s forged a career on his own terms. Guests: LaRussell, artist and founder, Good Compenny - an organization that promotes rising Bay Area artists. Michael Prince, violin, Good Compenny Kenivah Bockari, dj, Good Compenny Simon Ajero, piano, Good Compenny Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 4 July 2025

Spotify was originally marketed as a democratic, anti-establishment music streaming platform. But according to journalist Liz Pelly, it has become a system favoring major labels and its own algorithmic playlists featuring “ghost artists,” all while underpaying independent artists. Pelly draws on interviews with former employees, music industry veterans and artists to pull back the curtain on the music streaming giant in her new book, “Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Cost of the Perfect Playlist." Guests: Liz Pelly, writer; contributing editor to The Baffler Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 3 July 2025

Oakland based art-pop band Tune-Yards is widely loved for their complex and funky rhythms, layers of sound, thrillingly dynamic vocals, and thought provoking lyrics. The duo, Merrill Garbus and Nate Brenner, have just released a new album, “Better Dreaming,” praised by critics as highly danceable and jubilant while, as always, grappling with the state of the world. Merrill Garbus joins us in the studio for a new album listening party and to demonstrate how she creates her powerhouse sound. Guests: Merrill Garbus, singer, musician, Tune-Yards - newest album is "Better Dreaming" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 3 July 2025

Have you ever felt so creatively connected to someone that it’s like you share the same brain? That’s how acclaimed writers Tommy Orange and Kaveh Akbar describe their relationship. They’re best friends who wrote their recent novels “Wandering Stars” and “Martyr” by sending each other “cheernotes” in which they “waved [their] pom poms with genuine excitement at what the other’d just wrought from the ether,” as Akbar puts it. The two are embarking on a Bay Area driving tour to celebrate their friendship and art, and they join us on Forum. Guests: Tommy Orange, novelist, his books include "Wandering Stars" and "There There," which was a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize. Kaveh Akbar, poet and novelist, his books include "Martyr!," a National Book Award finalist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 2 July 2025

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 25-year-old singer and songwriter started classical piano when she was in elementary school and continued her study at the Oakland School of the Arts. In her senior year, she picked up singing – a decision that changed her life. She is now part of a wave of emerging musicians from the East Bay. Stevens joins us for a special live performance, and to talk about her musical roots and journey. Guests: August Lee Stevens, Bay Area-based musician and singer-songwriter; her debut album “Better Places” came out in 2024 Frankie Maston, vocalist Ash Stallard, vocalist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 2 July 2025

NPR’s Rhaina Cohen has taken a close look at friend-powered parenting, joining shared households to see how neighbor-and-friend alliances can break the isolation of modern parenthood. We’ll talk about the challenges of communal living and what parents gain—emotionally, practically, even financially—when they raise their kids with their friends. Cohen’s recent piece for the Atlantic is “A Grand Experiment in Parenthood and Friendship.” Would you raise your kids with your best pals? Guests: Rhaina Cohen, producer and editor for the NPR Documentary podcast Embedded; author of "The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center" and the Atlantic piece, "A Grand Experiment in Parenthood and Friendship" Phil Levin, founder, Live Near Friends - helps people live right next door to friends and family Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 1 July 2025

Singer Sid Sriram was born in southern India, but his family moved to Fremont when he was just a year old. His voice and his sound are the product of his family’s legacy as carnatic traditional signers and of  a childhood in the Bay Area suburbs, listening to jazz and hip hop. Sriram has already achieved fame in India, his career expanded globally after singing for Grammy-Award winning composer A.R. Rahman, and he was recently featured in an NPR Tiny Desk Concert. He joins us in our studio to sing from his new album and talk about growing up Indian-American in the Fremont and what it’s like to be more famous halfway across the world than where you went to high school. Guests: Sid Sriram, musician, his forthcoming album is Sidharth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 1 July 2025

We remember George Floyd, five years after his murder by a Minneapolis police officer. In the days and months after Floyd’s death, millions of Americans took to the streets to protest racism and police violence, ushering in a new era of racial reckoning. Robert Samuels, co-author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning biography “His Name is George Floyd,” wonders however if “the backlash feels more enduring than the reckoning itself.”  We’ll talk about who George Floyd was and where the struggle for racial justice is headed. Guests: Robert Samuels, national political enterprise reporter, The Washington Post - co-author, "His Name is George Floyd: One Man's Life and them Struggle for Racial Justice" Clyde McGrady, national correspondent covering race, The New York Times Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 30 June 2025

Bay Area Latin jazz legend John Santos joins us with a full band for a live in-studio performance. The San Francisco native is a Grammy nominated percussionist and composer influenced by classic rhythms and traditions of the Caribbean. He founded his own label, Machete Records, 40 years ago to avoid mainstream platforms and maintain his creative freedom. Santos joins us to talk about his San Francisco roots, the rhythms of his Puerto Rican and Cape Verdean heritage, and his latest album, Horizontes. Guests: Saul Sierra, musician, bass, vocals John Santos, Latin Jazz percussionist, leader of the John Santos Sextet Marco Diaz, musician, keyboard, trumpet, vocals John Calloway, musician, flute, keyboard Charlie Gurke, musician, saxes Anthony Blea, musician, violin Javier Navarrette, musician, congas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 30 June 2025

A record high 7 million U.S. children have received an ADHD diagnosis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But journalist Paul Tough wonders if we’re thinking about pediatric ADHD all wrong. For a recent New York Times Magazine feature, Tough spent a year talking to leading researchers who now say that standard treatments like Ritalin only help children behave better, not learn better – and even that effect wears off completely over time. We talk to Tough about why he says we need to reconceptualize diagnosis and treatment of ADHD. Guests: Paul Tough, contributing writer, New York Times Magazine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 27 June 2025

A warm summer day sitting beneath the shade of a tree or a beach umbrella with a tall cold drink at the ready and a juicy book waiting to be read — what could be better? We’ll talk to booksellers from Booksmith and Green Apple Books as well as Oakland-based novelist Jasmine Guillory about what they are reading this summer, and we’ll hear from you: When you’re not doom scrolling, what’s on your must read list for this summer? Any recommendations for a romance novel for the newly divorced? Or a beach read for someone who doesn’t like the beach? We’ll talk about new releases, old favorites and classics that have earned their place on your bookshelf. Guests: Jasmine Guillory, novelist and writer, her latest book is "Flirting Lessons" - her work has appeared in O, The Oprah Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Bon Appetit, and Time Camden Avery, co-owner and book buyer, Booksmith, an independent bookstore in the Haight Kar Johnson, event and marketing manager, Green Apple Books Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 27 June 2025

So far this term the Supreme Court has allowed states to ban gender transition care for youth, made it easier for white people and other “majority” group members to prove workplace discrimination and temporarily cleared the way for the Trump administration to deport people to countries they’re not from. We talk about the impact of these rulings and other cases still to be decided. Guests: Rory Little, professor of constitutional law, emeritus, UC School of Law, San Francisco Melissa Murray, professor of law, NYU School of Law - co-host of the Strict Scrutiny podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 26 June 2025

Author and veteran journalist Sara Kehaulani Goo grew up in Southern California making frequent visits to Hawaii, where her extended family owned a vast and rugged stretch of Maui. The land was granted to an ancestor by King Kamehameha III in 1848 before the U.S.overthrew the island nation’s monarchy. Goo’s family held on to a small section for more than a century, but when their property taxes skyrocketed a decade ago, they had to confront what the land meant to them and whether to sell. Goo joins us to talk about her memoir, “Kuleana,” which explores her family’s relationship to those ancestral lands and their Hawaiian culture amid the pressures of capitalism and displacement. Guests: Sara Kehaulani Goo, journalist and author of "Kuleana" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 26 June 2025

A fragile ceasefire is in effect between Israel and Iran, just days after the United States intervened in the war by striking Iranian nuclear sites. President Trump is claiming credit, but journalist and Middle East politics expert Robin Wright writes, “the outcome of this war may be shaped more by Iran’s culture and politics than by the military prowess of its opponents.” We look at Iran’s and Israel’s end games and the implications here of U.S. involvement. Guests: Robin Wright, contributing writer, New Yorker; author, "Dreams and Shadows: The Future of the Middle East," among other books; Her most recent piece for the magazine is "Can Ayatollah Khamenei, and Iran’s Theocracy, Survive This War?" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 25 June 2025

Local media is dying according to headlines. But that is not the case in the Bay Area. Last year the New York Times reported that San Francisco alone had 27 media outlets for its 800,000 residents. And now, four new publications can join that list: Coyote, the Bay Area Current, the Oakland Review of Books and the Approach, all helmed by local writers, reporters and authors. We’ll talk to these media entrepreneurs about what they hope their publications will add to the conversation, and hear from you: What stories do you want local media to tell? Guests: Lauren Markham, writer, reporter, and founder of "The Approach," a new Bay Area publication; Markham is also the author of "Immemorial, "A Map of Future Ruins: On Borders and Belonging" and "The Far Away Brothers: Two Young Migrants and the Making of an American Life". Soleil Ho, founder, "Coyote" an independent, online newsroom focusing on investigative reporting, arts and culture, and opinion pieces Aaron Bady, founder, "Orb," a new Oakland Bay Area publication Justin Gilmore, member, editorial board, The Bay Area Current, which covers working-class life and culture across the Bay Area. Gilmore is an assistant professor of political science at California State University, Stanislaus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 25 June 2025

Today’s young workers are rethinking what makes a good job. A new Resume Builder survey finds that more than a third of Gen Z college grads are working in or plan to enter the trades or other skilled blue-collar jobs. Many say they’re seeking relief from rising student debt, and practical roles less affected by AI, including electrical work, plumbing, welding, veterinary care and EMT roles. We talk to workforce experts and members of Gen Z about the forces driving this shift, and what it means to build a future-proof career with your hands. Guests: Amanda Hoover, senior correspondent, Business Insider Iowayna Peña, director of workforce development, San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development Lisa Countryman-Quiroz, CEO, Jewish Vocational Service Francisco Serrano, former educator turned tradesperson; graduate of CityBuild Academy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 24 June 2025

The Trump Administration has targeted Southern California for its harshest crackdown on immigrants. For the past few weeks, federal agents have raided restaurant kitchens and Home Depot parking lots and roughed up U.S. citizens, sparking anger and protests across the country. In Northern California, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have arrested immigrants who show up for immigration court hearings. We’ll talk about how the administration has so far carried out its plans to deport millions of people and whether our region might experience the kind of widespread raids that have been conducted in Southern California. Guests: Tyche Hendricks, senior editor covering immigration, KQED Jean Guerrero, journalist and contributing writer, New York Times Opinion - she is author of "Hatemonger: Stephen Miller, Donald Trump, and the White Nationalist Agenda" and "Crux: A Cross-Border Memoir" Catherine Seitz, legal director, Immigration Institute of the Bay Area Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 24 June 2025

“As much as I love my mother, I’ve often found myself regarding her with feelings that are somewhat closer to the opposite of love,” writes political analyst Molly Jong-Fast. The mother of which she writes is feminist icon Erica Jong, whose 1973 debut novel “Fear of Flying,” jetted Jong to a level of fame that she spent the rest of her life grasping on to. In 2023, her mother’s declining health and diagnosis for dementia forced Jong-Fast to reconcile her feelings about her mother: Was Jong a good mother? Probably not. Was Jong-Fast a good daughter? She herself is not sure. We talk to Jong-Fast about her book, “How To Lose Your Mother: A Daughter’s Memoir.” Guests: Molly Jong-Fast, author, "How to Lose Your Mother: A Daughter's Memoir"; host of the podcast "Fast Politics"; special correspondent, Vanity Fair Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 23 June 2025

As the war between Israel and Iran continues, members of the Iranian diaspora in the Bay Area are closely watching as people in Iran are being asked to evacuate amidst travel bans, fuel shortages and internet blackouts. The United States is home to the largest Iranian diaspora outside of Iran, with over fifty percent of that population living in California. We talk with Iranian community members and leaders in the Bay Area about how these latest events fit in the larger context of the nation’s history, what it all means for the people in Iran, and how members of the diaspora are navigating the situation from afar. Guests: Persis Karim, poet, essayist and Director for the Center for Iranian Diaspora Studies, San Francisco State University Hasti Jafari, playwright, educator Nahid Siamdoust, journalist; professor of Middle Eastern Studies, University of Texas Arman Mahmoudi, community organizer, BayArea4Iran Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 23 June 2025

Nearly a decade after the end of China’s one-child policy, families are still reeling from its traumas. In multiple cases, officials in China forcibly took children away from their families and placed them up for adoption, fulfilling a lucrative overseas demand for baby girls. In her new book “Daughters of the Bamboo Grove,” journalist Barbara Demick tells the story of one girl named Fangfang, rechristened Esther, who was taken away from her twin sister and family and adopted by a white Christian couple in Texas. We talk to Demick about Fangfang’s story and how it illuminates the one-child policy’s lasting impacts on adoptees and their families in China and abroad. Guests: Barbara Demick, author, "Daughters of the Bamboo Grove: From China to America, a True Story of Abduction, Adoption, and Separated Twins" - former Beijing Bureau Chief, Los Angeles Times Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 20 June 2025

President Trump announced on Thursday that in the next two weeks, he would make a decision about the role the U.S. will take in the escalating Israel-Iran conflict. As Israel and Iran traded fire for a seventh day, fissures emerged among Republicans about whether military action is warranted, while some Democrats are urging passage of a bill that would require Trump to get congressional approval before committing American troops and resources. We’ll talk to experts about the escalating conflict. Guests: Trita Parsi, co-founder and executive vice president, Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft; former president of the National Iranian American Council - his books include "Treacherous Alliance - the Secret Dealings of Israel, Iran and the US" and two other books on US-Iran-Israel relations Robin Wright, contributing writer, New Yorker - her most recent piece for the magazine is "What is Israel's Endgame with Iran?" Wright is also the author of "Dreams and Shadows: The Future of the Middle East," among other books Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 20 June 2025

Two years after the state’s landmark report on reparations for Black residents, where does the effort stand? The California Legislative Black Caucus has put forth bills to address equity issues like unjust property seizures or to help obtain professional licenses, but few bills have cleared the legislature or made it past Governor Newsom’s desk. We look at what progress has been made since the report’s release, and if lawmakers still have the political will to act. Guests: Marcus Anthony Hunter, professor of sociology & African American Studies, UCLA Isaac G. Bryan, member, California State Assembly, 55th District; vice chair, California Legislative Black Caucus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 19 June 2025

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Tennessee law on Wednesday that bans gender-affirming medical care for minors. For many transgender people, the ruling is yet another setback in a long line of attacks on their rights that stretches back through most of human history. And yet, transgender people have created a rich legacy throughout, especially in the Bay Area. Two new projects highlight their stories. One is a KQED series profiling important trans artists and activists from the 1890s-2000s. Another is a new book, “So Many Stars: An Oral History of Trans, Nonbinary, Genderqueer, and Two-Spirit People of Color”. We’ll talk to their creators and an expert in gender law about the court’s decision and what lessons we can take from trans history. Guests: Nastia Voynovskaya, editor and reporter, KQED Arts Caro De Robertis, author, "So Many Stars: an Oral History of Trans, Nonbinary, Genderqueer, and Two Spirit People of Color"; They are also the author of the novels "The Palace of Eros," "The President and the Frog," "Cantoras," "The Gods of Tango," "Perla" and "The Invisible Mountain." Donna Personna, San Francisco resident and trans rights activist Suzanne Goldberg, professor and director of the Sexuality and Gender Law Clinic, Columbia Law School Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 19 June 2025