KQED's Forum

California voters cast their ballots in key races across the state on Tuesday, with the race to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom drawing a massive field of candidates. We break down that race, in which Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer led the pack of Democrats facing off against Republican frontrunner Steve Hilton, and look at results for the state’s Congressional primaries, including the race to succeed former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Join us for a recap of the results and what they mean going into November’s general election. Guests: Marisa Lagos, politics correspondent, KQED; co-host, KQED's Political Breakdown Guy Marzorati, correspondent, KQED's California Politics and Government Desk Sydney Johnson, general assignment reporter, KQED News Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 3 June 2026

Oakland’s 911 system is perennially understaffed, frequently leading to long wait times for callers facing life and death emergencies or trying to report fires or crimes in progress. The problem has persisted for more than a decade, and we’ll talk to Oakland’s city auditor, an investigative reporter and a 911 dispatcher to explore why, despite a decade of audits and grand jury reports, Oakland’s emergency response system still lags behind national and state standards. Guests: Byard Duncan, investigative journalist, Type Investigations; his piece, "911... Please Hold" was done in partnership with Reveal/Center for Investigative Reporting Michael Houston, city auditor, City of Oakland Antoinette Blue, dispatcher, Oakland Police; president, SEIU Local 1021 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 3 June 2026

Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical letter focuses on safeguarding humanity amid the rise of artificial intelligence. In the letter, which is essentially a policy document from the Vatican, the Pope urges tech companies and policymakers worldwide to place human and moral concerns over profit. Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah spoke at the Pope’s release of his letter in Vatican City, signaling an intention of collaboration and dialogue, but Silicon Valley leaders more broadly seem skeptical of the guidance. Will the pope’s recommendations impact the development and deployment of A.I.? Guests: Cade Metz, technology reporter, The New York Times; author, “Genius Makers: The Mavericks Who Brought A.I. to Google, Facebook, and The World" Kim Daniels, director, the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 2 June 2026

Graduating from high school marks a time when young people will, many for the first time, have to make their own decisions about their future. It’s a time filled with celebrations, optimism and anxiety about the future, and often sadness at leaving their younger selves behind. We’ll talk with high school seniors, their families and experts about this defining moment and how to navigate it in a rapidly changing world. Guests: Vincent Topete, graduating senior, Santa Clara High School Elise Desai, graduating senior, Miramonte High School Olga Chan, graduating senior, Terra Linda High School Joseph Gorga, vice president of equity and instruction, Diablo Valley College Oscar Garcia, founder and chief empowerment officer, Aspira Consulting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 2 June 2026

Since his reelection, President Trump has been fixated on illegal immigration in the US, but now the President is taking on immigrants who are here legally. A new policy memo would require some people seeking green cards to leave the country while they wait abroad for their applications to be processed. The memo, which is vague on how this process would work, is already raising concerns for green card holders. We talk with immigration reporters and an immigration attorney about what this change means and who it impacts most. Guests: Hamed Aleaziz, reporter covering the Department of Homeland Security and immigration policy, The New York Times Michelle Hackman, reporter covering U.S. immigration policy, The Wall Street Journal Alexis S. Axelrad, president-elect, American Immigration Lawyers Association; partner, Barst & Mukamal LLP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 1 June 2026

An estimated one in three Californians are insured by Medi-Cal, the state version of Medicaid. But as the federal government cuts billions in funding and imposes new work requirements and paperwork processes, many Californians could lose their coverage. Meantime, in anticipation of the cuts, hospitals and health clinics are already cutting services and closing locations; the state is scrambling to step in while maintaining a balanced budget. We take stock of what the new Medi-Cal landscape means for everyone’s access to health care in California and the Bay Area. Guests: Tyler Sadwith, California State Medicaid Director; Chief Deputy Director of Health Care Programs, California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) Dr. Milana PeBenito, medical doctor of Family Practice, Maternal and Child Health; member, Sonoma County’s Maternal Child, Adolescent Health Advisory Board Angela Hart, senior correspondent, KFF Health News Kristof Stremikis, director of market analysis and insight, California Health Care Foundation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 1 June 2026

Theo Baker arrived at Stanford as an eager freshman planning to study computer science and maybe write occasionally for the student paper. But his reporting uncovered something much bigger, ultimately leading to the resignation of Stanford’s president. In his new book, “How to Rule the World,” Baker argues the university functions less like a school and more like a pipeline to power, wealth and Silicon Valley influence. We’ll talk with Baker about what the next generation of elites are really learning at Stanford. Guests: Theo Baker, investigative journalist and author, "How to Rule the World: An Education in Power at Stanford University" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 29 May 2026

“Gold is having a moment,” writes New Yorker staff writer Jennifer Wilson. Earlier this year, it traded as high as $5,500 an ounce as an unstable economic outlook has central banks and investors buying gold to hedge their bets. Gold has been embraced by the far right, reality TV, and hobbyists and full-time prospectors headed up to the foothills where the California Gold Rush began. Wilson explores all these angles in her latest piece “How Americans Caught Gold Fever Again.” We talk to Wilson and experts – and a gold prospector –  about the legacy and future of this precious metal. Guests: Jennifer Wilson, staff writer, The New Yorker - her recent article is "How Americans Caught Gold Fever Again" Albert Fausel, owner, Placerville Hardware; part-time gold prospector Quinn Slobodian, professor of international history, Boston University Brian Wallace, executive officer, Indigenous Futures Society Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 29 May 2026

The Colorado River basin and its two largest reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, are facing record-low water levels, and the seven states that rely on the water system can’t agree on what to do about it. Now the federal government may need to step in, with the Trump Administration proposing a plan that would cut 40 percent of the Colorado River’s water supply to Arizona, California and Nevada over the next decade. We’ll talk with environment journalists about what this could mean here in California. Guests: Camille von Kaenel, California environment reporter, Politico Luke Runyon, co-director, The Water Desk, Center for Environmental Journalism at the University of Colorado, Boulder Celene Hawkins, director, Colorado River Program, The Nature Conservancy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 28 May 2026

Barbara Lee was elected mayor of Oakland last year with the city reeling from a political scandal, mired deep in fiscal crisis and scarred by years of violent crime. She promised a calm, no-nonsense approach to dealing with Oakland’s major problems.   A year later, the city’s financial outlook has stabilized some, its streets are safer than they have been in decades and Mayor Lee is talking about running for a full four-year term. We’ll talk with Lee about the successes of the past year and about the city’s many challenges including homelessness, the budget, illegal dumping and an empty downtown. Guests: Barbara Lee, mayor of Oakland Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 28 May 2026

America used to value things — youth sports, local businesses and accessible healthcare, for example — simply because they were good for communities. That’s according to Sen. Chris Murphy, who says over the past 50 years the United States has seen a shift away from common goods in favor of profit, disconnection and unhappiness. We speak with the Connecticut Democrat about his new book, “Crisis of the Common Good,” and the values he believes could unite America — or at least the Democratic Party. Guests: Chris Murphy, senator from Connecticut (D), U.S. Senate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 27 May 2026

You may be among the nearly two million voters who have already cast their votes for California’s primary election next week. But if you’re procrastinating like the rest of us, we’ll break down what’s on your ballot. We’ll go beyond the governor’s race to statewide races like attorney general and insurance commissioner, to the key congressional races that could determine the direction of the Democratic Party, and the ballot measures that are conflicting, confusing or causing controversy. KQED’s Politics Team will answer your questions and discuss what you need to know to fill out your ballot. Guests: Guy Marzorati, correspondent, KQED's California Politics and Government Desk Marisa Lagos, politics correspondent, KQED; co-host, KQED's Political Breakdown Sydney Johnson, reporter, KQED News Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 27 May 2026

The United States turns 250 this summer, but for many Americans feeling burned out by partisan politics it may feel hard to imagine wanting to celebrate. We talk to author Jeremy David Engels about his new book, “On Mindful Democracy: A Declaration of Interdependence to Mend a Fractured World,” which offers a path out of partisanship and a community-centered approach to democracy. Guests: Jeremy David Engels, author, "On Mindful Democracy: A Declaration of Interdependence to Mend a Fractured World;" professor of communication arts and sciences, Penn University; co-founder, Yoga Lab; mindfulness and yoga instructor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 26 May 2026

Great museums can drive tourism, and the Bay Area has no shortage of world class institutions. But museums everywhere are facing rising costs, declining fundraising support, and lower attendance. Last month, the Cal Academy of Sciences laid off more than fifty employees. Yet, public support for museums remains high, museums’ clientele has steadily diversified and many museums are managing to do well. With summer around the corner, we’ll check in on the state of Bay Area museums. Guests: Lori Fogarty, executive director, Oakland Museum of California Dr. Soyoung Lee, The Barbara Bass Bakar Director and CEO, Asian Art Museum Sarah Hotchkiss, senior editor, KQED Arts & Culture Laura Zander, chief growth and operating officer, Exploratorium Teddy Vollman, chapter president, CalAcademy Workers United Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 26 May 2026

“All my life I have tried to be a good woman,” writes Savala Nolan. Being “good” meant not rocking the boat. It meant following the rules and fitting herself into the mold of duty, excellence, sacrifice, and hard work. But as a Black woman and mother navigating a world built for men, Nolan learned that the lessons of being good no longer fit her life. In her new book of essays “Good Woman: A Reckoning,” Nolan, an attorney who heads UC Berkeley Law’s Thelton E. Henderson Center for Social Justice, blends history and memoir as she examines the confining expectations of womanhood. We listen back on our March interview with Nolan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 25 May 2026

Aziz Abu Sarah, who is Palestinian, and Maoz Inon, who is Israeli, have both lost family to the conflict in the Middle East. They are also both peacebuilders who say they “forged a bond of brotherhood when the world expected us to hate each other.” We first talked to them earlier this year about their relationship and their vision for a culture of dialogue and forgiveness; today we're revisiting our conversation about their book, “The Future Is Peace: A Shared Journey Across the Holy Land.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 25 May 2026

Presidents have traditionally waited until their final months in office to give clemency, but just over a year into his second term, President Trump has issued a wave of pardons—including almost 1,600 for January 6th rioters. The New Yorker’s Ruth Marcus says Trump has created a quid-pro-quo “pardon economy,” where pardons are sold for political and personal gain. We’ll talk with Marcus and a former pardon attorney about why they think Trump is setting a dangerous precedent. Guests: Ruth Marcus, contributing writer, The New Yorker Larry Kupers, former pardon attorney, U.S. Department of Justice during the Obama and Trump Administrations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 22 May 2026

The college graduates in the Class of 2026 have not had an easy path. Part of their high school years were spent in Covid lockdown. And now, they are graduating into a difficult economy pockmarked by political strife, high cost of living and the rise of AI. Nationally, more than 40% of recent college graduates are considered underemployed, working in jobs that do not require their degree, and the unemployment rate for recent grads has risen to 5.6%.  Graduating into uncertain economic cycles is nothing new, but how are this year’s graduates coping? We’ll talk to students about their experiences and to experts about how to navigate this job market. Guests: Emily Medress, chief strategy and operations officer, Kissick Family Foundation Stella Occhialini, graduating senior, UC Berkeley Caden Chang, college senior, San Jose State University Anita Manuel, associate director, career education, San Jose State University Nicole Smith, research professor and chief economist, Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 22 May 2026

As the June 2nd primary approaches, many California voters remain undecided about their pick for California’s next governor. This year’s race is especially crowded, with Xavier Becerra, Tom Steyer and Katie Porter leading the pack of Democrats facing off against Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco. We look at the issues that matter most to California voters and find out what polls say about the state of the race. Have you decided yet about who you’ll vote for? Guests: Marisa Lagos, politics correspondent, KQED; co-host of KQED's Political Breakdown Guy Marzorati, correspondent, KQED's California Politics and Government Desk Paul Mitchell, vice-president, Political Data Inc. Melanie Mason, California bureau chief, Politico Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 21 May 2026

The award-winning documentary by Bay Area director Yoav Potash, “Among Neighbors,” sheds light on the history of antisemitism in Poland, where both during and after the Holocaust, Jews were murdered not only by Nazis, but also by their Polish neighbors. Spanning seven decades of history, the film includes eyewitness testimony and asks what true reckoning and repair look like during today’s reemergence of nationalism and authoritarianism. Government officials in Poland have called for the film to be banned under a 2018 law in Poland forbidding speech that condemns the nation’s role in the Holocaust. We talk with Potash about his film and how he “worked to navigate the ethics of being a filmmaker, a Jew, and a participant in the story.” Guests: Yoav Potash, writer, producer, and director of the documentary “Among Neighbors” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 21 May 2026

Two teenage gunmen killed three people, and later themselves, in an attack Monday at the Islamic Center of San Diego, the city’s largest mosque. Authorities are investigating the shooting as a hate crime, and it comes as anti-Muslim sentiment is on the rise across the United States. We get the latest updates from the investigation, hear how San Diego’s Muslim community is responding and talk to experts about growing threats posed by rising Islamophobia. Guests: Tazheen Nizam, executive director, Council on American-Islamic Relations-San Diego Andrew Dyer, reporter covering extremism, the military and veterans affairs, KPBS Maha Elgenaidi, executive director, Intercultural Networks Group Raqib Naik, executive director, Center for the Study of Organized Hate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 20 May 2026

Since it was created back in 2012, DACA has allowed unauthorized immigrants who arrived in the US during childhood to go to school and work without fear of deportation. Now, many recipients are reporting extra long delays for renewing their status, which is required every two years, leading some to lose their jobs, health insurance, and stability and causing many to worry that they will be deported. President Trump tried to shut the program down during his first term and is expected to try again during his second. We talk with DACA recipients, advocates and legal experts about the Trump administration’s efforts to weaken DACA. Guests: Leo Rodriguez, union organizer; Oakland resident; DACA recipient Sarah Souza, DACA recipient and immigrant rights and economic justice activist; serves on the San Francisco Immigrant Rights Commission; legislative aide for San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin Alex Padilla, U.S. Senator Bill Ong Hing, professor of law and migration studies, University of San Francisco; author of several books on immigration policy and race relations including "Humanizing Immigration: How to Transform Our Racist and Unjust System; helps run the USF Immigration & Deportation Defense Clinic Xochilt Cruz Lopez, Richmond resident; DACA recipient who experienced a long delay for her renewal Jupiter Peraza, San Francisco resident and DACA recipient Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 20 May 2026

The recent hantavirus outbreak, which killed three people and sickened close to a dozen more, is largely under control, with many passengers now quarantining back in their home countries. But the response, led by a World Health Organization significantly weakened by funding cuts, exposed the obstacles that come with a decentralized approach to global health. It’s a challenge that will play out next in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where an outbreak of Ebola has been labeled an international health emergency. Guests: Dr. Peter Chin-Hong M.D., infectious disease specialist, UCSF Medical Center Josh Michaud, associate director for Global Health Policy, Kaiser Family Foundation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 19 May 2026

Even as a young child, Zayd Ayers Dohrn knew that the FBI was after his family. His parents Bernardine Dohrn and Bill Ayers had been living as fugitives for years, wanted for their leadership of the Weather Underground Organization, a communist revolutionary group known for their bombings of American institutions like the Pentagon and US Capitol. In his new book, “Dangerous, Dirty, Violent & Young” Dohrn recounts his childhood on the run and grapples with the complicated legacy he inherits from revolutionary parents, who to some are seen as heroic outlaws and to others as terrorists. Guests: Zayd Ayers Dohrn, author, "Dangerous, Dirty, Violent & Young;"professor, Northwestern University; playwright Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 19 May 2026

On May 13th, Cuba ran out of oil, crippling public services for nearly 10 million people. It’s a result of a months-long oil blockade initiated by the Trump administration. We’ll talk with Ada Ferrer, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian of US-Cuba relations, about this latest development in the long-tumultuous relationship between these two nations. She’s the author of the new book, “Keeper of My Kin: Memoir of an Immigrant Daughter” She weaves together Cuba’s history with her own family’s story, and she shares what – and who – they left behind to come to America. Guests: Ada Ferrer, professor of history, Princeton University; author of "Keeper of My Kin: Memoir of an Immigrant Daughter" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 18 May 2026

The Federal Reserve Board begins this week with a new chair, Trump appointee Kevin Warsh. The Fed is a nonpartisan government body tasked with setting interest rates and controlling inflation, but since the start of Trump’s second term, former Fed chair Jerome Powell endured enormous pressure from the president, including a federal investigation against him, which has since been dropped. Can we trust our central bank to retain the independence that has made the U.S. the center of the globe’s financial system? We talk with the makers of a new Frontline documentary, “The President vs. The Fed.” Guests: James Jacoby, director, "The President vs. The Fed;" Jacoby has won an Emmy award for his previous film "Amazon Empire," and a Peabody award for his film "The Facebook Dilemma" Anya Bourg, producer, "The President vs. The Fed;" previous films include "The Facebook Dilemma" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 18 May 2026

Though our lives are filled with uncertainty, we’re less tolerant of it than ever, says journalist Simone Stolzoff, author of the new book “How to Not Know: The Value of Uncertainty in a World that Demands Answers.” Surrounded by prediction markets, statistics and the world’s knowledge on our phones, we think we should always be certain – in who we are, what we believe and what the “right” choice is. But Stolzoff says that accepting and even appreciating uncertainty can help us be more tolerant, humble and ready to take on life’s curveballs. Guests: Simone Stolzoff, journalist and author, "How to Not Know: The Value of Uncertainty in a World that Demands Answers" and "The Good Enough Job: Reclaiming Life from Work" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 15 May 2026

Singer, songwriter and San Francisco native Cecilia Peña-Govea – better known as La Doña – joins us in studio with her band for a special live performance on the heels of the release of her new album, Corrientes. It’s her most ambitious and comprehensive project yet. She traveled to five countries and worked with 40 musicians to compose the 16-track  album which spans a variety of genres including cumbia, reggaeton, ranchera, electronic, merengue, and son jarocho, a folk music style that originated in the Mexican state of Veracruz.  La Doña joins us to perform, talk about her new album and her Bay Area roots. Guests: Cecilia Peña-Govea, singer who performs as La Doña Amanda Magaña, vocals and congas Naomi Pasmanick, sax and vocals Miguel Govea, accordion, vocals and guitar Camilo Landau, guitar and vocals Ayla Davila, bass and vocals Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 15 May 2026

An El Niño is starting to form in the tropical Pacific Ocean, and some forecasters say it could be a “monster,” the most powerful in 150 years. The weather system could trigger potentially catastrophic heat waves, flooding and drought, with effects we could start to feel as early as this summer. We talk to science journalists about how this brewing El Niño could test our readiness for the chaos of a warmer climate, and answer your questions about its potential impacts here in California and beyond. Guests: David Wallace-Wells, science writer and essayist, The New York Times Opinion Bill McKibben, co-founder, climate activism group Third Act; author of more than 20 books, including "The End of Nature" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 14 May 2026

As the world moves away from fossil fuels, oil and gas companies are betting on plastic to keep profits rolling in. In her new book, “Plastic Inc.,” investigative journalist Beth Gardiner digs into how plastic went from a useful byproduct of oil and gas production into a material that has literally seeped into every aspect of our lives from the air we breathe to the water we drink. Overproduction of single-use plastic has left the world with a massive pollution problem, which plastic producers have successfully blamed on consumers, Gardiner argues. And, while Bay Area residents look for ways to reduce their plastic use, oil companies plan to double or triple plastic production. We talk about why the world is drowning in plastic and how we might reverse the trend. Guests: Beth Gardiner, environmental journalist; author, "Plastic Inc." and "Choked: Life and Breath in the Age of Air Pollution" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 14 May 2026

Forced arbitration clauses are buried in everything from product warranties to bank loans to employment contracts, often requiring consumers and workers to give up their right to sue without realizing it. Brendan Ballou, a former federal prosecutor and co-founder of the Public Integrity Project, says arbitration has become an opaque, parallel legal system that favors corporations and undermines the rule of law. We talk to Ballou about new book, “When Companies Run the Courts,” which looks at why forced arbitration has become so widespread and what states like California are doing to restrict it. Guests: Brendan Ballou, former federal prosecutor; CEO, the Public Integrity Project; author, "When Companies Run the Courts: Forced Arbitration and America's Secret Justice System" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 13 May 2026

Both Democrats and Republicans have turned to redistricting to improve their chances in this fall’s midterm elections. But a recent court case striking down a Democrat-leaning redistricting map in Virginia and a Supreme Court decision rolling back the Voting Rights Act, have dimmed hopes for Democrats. All this while Republican state legislatures lock in maps that give their party an edge. We talk about what it all means for the midterm elections and beyond. Guests: Erin Covey, editor of the U.S. House of Representative, The Cook Political Report Kareem Crayton, vice president, Brennan Center for Justice's Washington, D.C. office; Crayton is an expert on redistricting Nick Corasaniti, reporter, the New York Times Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 13 May 2026

A 2025 study found political violence is shifting from a primarily right-wing phenomenon to one now more common on the left (fueled partly by a significant decrease in right-wing attacks during President Trump’s second term). And it’s increasingly accepted across the political spectrum, with about a fifth of Americans saying they’d support violence to achieve political goals. The Atlantic’s Adrienne LaFrance calls this dangerous attitude “blood populism,” and we’ll talk to her about why she believes people with these opinions should be seen not as partisans but extremists. Plus, a violence prevention researcher explains why political violence is a public health issue. Guests: Adrienne LaFrance, executive editor, the Atlantic Garen Wintemute M.D., M.P.H. , director, Centers for Violence Prevention at UC Davis; he also practices and teaches emergency medicine at the UC Davis School of Medicine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 12 May 2026

California launched Project Homekey after the pandemic to quickly create new housing and get homeless people off the streets. Over the last few years the state has spent $3.8 billion converting existing properties such as old hotels and apartment buildings into housing that could be built fast and at a lower cost than ground-up construction. But the program has had mixed results according to a CalMatters investigation that found that about half of the development projects in the program either came in late, went over budget or were never built. We’ll talk about how well Project Homekey is working, and what we can learn from its successes and failures. Guests: Marisa Kendall, homelessness reporter, CalMatters Ryan Finnigan, associate research director focused on homelessness in California, Terner Center for Housing Innovation, UC Berkeley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 12 May 2026

Tensions remain high in the Persian Gulf as the U.S. and Iran exchanged fire late last week, calling into question whether an already fragile ceasefire still holds. Meanwhile, President Trump called Tehran’s response to an American proposal to end hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz “totally unacceptable.” We’ll talk about the latest diplomatic efforts, the risk of escalation and the impact of the war in the region and at home. Guests: Trita Parsi, co-founder and executive vice president, Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft; author, "Losing an Enemy: Obama, Iran and the Triumph of Diplomacy;" former president, National Iranian American Council Joshua Keating, senior correspondent, Vox Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 11 May 2026

Mac Barnett is a bestselling children’s book author and, since last year, the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature.  He has a new small book out for adults, Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children, that is a rousing defense not just of children’s books but of children themselves, as people and as readers.  “If you’ve read good books to kids, you’ve probably been surprised when they noticed a detail in the pictures that you didn’t see, or been humbled when they understood something about the story you couldn’t. That’s because children tend to be better readers — more open-minded, more diligent, and more passionate — than adults. (No offense.)” We’ll talk to Barnett about how kids make us better readers and the enduring power of children’s books. Guests: Mac Barnett, National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature; author, "Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children;" his children's books include "Circle," "Square" and "Triangle," "Extra Yarn", "Sam and Dave Dig a Hole" and the "Terrible Two" book series among others Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 11 May 2026

How can we find and start our life’s work? That’s the question Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Jodi Kantor tried to answer for Columbia University’s seniors last spring in a graduation speech that went viral. She urged graduates facing a brutal job market to focus on two things: need and craft. Kantor encouraged graduates to use that lens to assess what services, products or information society will most need in their working lives and what expertise they can develop to bring them to fulfillment. We talk to Kantor about her new book “How to Start.” Guests: Jodi Kantor, investigative reporter, The New York Times; author, "How to Start: Discovering Your Life's Work" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 8 May 2026

When she was 16, journalist Tracy Clark-Flory found out that she had a long-lost sister. Her mother shared that as a teenager, she had given up a child for adoption, and the grief of that act had sent her to a mental institution. There was not much more that her mother shared, and Clark-Flory did not ask. But years after her mother’s death, Clark-Flory set out to find her sister and learn more about why her mother could not keep her child. She tells that story in her new book, “My Mother’s Daughter.” Guests: Tracy Clark-Flory, journalist and essayist; author, "My Mother's Daughter: Finding Myself in My Family's Fractured Past" and "Want Me: A Sex Writer's Journey into the Heart of Desire"; her newsletter can be found at tracyclarkflory.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 8 May 2026

We’re spending too much time sitting behind screens. First we’re at our desks for eight, maybe ten hours. Then, all too often, we get home and plop onto the couch for a few more hours of screen time. But what is the actual harm, and what can we do to limit—and maybe even reverse—the damage? We get answers from TED Radio Hour host Manoush Zomorodi, author of the new book “Body Electric: The Hidden Health Costs of the Digital Age and New Science to Reclaim Your Well-Being.” Guests: Manoush Zomorodi, host, NPR's "TED Radio Hour"; author, "Body Electric: The Hidden Costs of the Digital Age and New Science to Reclaim Your Well-Being" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 7 May 2026

A proposed rule change for obtaining Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits could reduce or eliminate income for some 400,000 adults with Down syndrome, dementia and other disabilities who live with low-income relatives, according to a new analysis from ProPublica. It’s a change that advocates worry will further burden disabled people and their families — and could make it harder for disabled people to stay in their homes instead of institutions. We talk with disability rights advocates about the proposed changes and the shifting landscape for people with disabilities under the Trump Administration. Guests: Eli Hager, reporter, ProPublica; his recent article is, “The Trump Administration Aims to Penalize Disabled Adults Who Live With Their Families” Kristen Pedersen, executive director, The Arc San Francisco Eric Harris, associate executive director of external affairs, Disability Rights California Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 7 May 2026

The new Netflix documentary “The Plastic Detox” follows six couples struggling with unexplained infertility, asking them to cut plastic from their lives to see if that could help them conceive. While not a scientific study, the film explores the intriguing possibility that reducing everyday plastic exposure can actually improve our health. But how likely is this? We talk with the fertility researcher and one of the couples in the documentary to hear what they think we should — and should not — take away from the experiment. Guests: Shanna Swan, professor of environmental medicine, Icahn School of Medicine; founder and director, Action Science Initiative Monique Tavares, owner, San Ramon construction company BL Pavers; participant, “The Plastic Detox” Jasmine McDonald, associate professor of epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 6 May 2026

Pioneering geneticist J. Craig Venter, who revolutionized biology with his role in sequencing the human genome, died last week in San Diego. In this hour, we look back at Venter’s scientific contributions and consider whether our expectations for the medical and scientific transformations from DNA mapping have been realized. How has our knowledge of the human genome changed our understanding of how life works on a molecular level, and how much could it continue to change with the new powers of AI? Guests: Dr. Fyodor Urnov, professor of Molecular Therapeutics, University of California, Berkeley; scientific director, Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI) Philip Ball, science writer, his most recent book is How Life Works: A User’s Guide to the New Biology Michael Marshall, science writer, his most recent book is The Genesis Quest: The Geniuses and Eccentrics on a Journey to Uncover the Origin of Life on Earth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 6 May 2026

Humans eat more than 550 metric tons of meat and seafood a year — a number that’s steadily climbing, and expected to do so until at least 2050. At the same time, scientists are working to develop plant-based and cultivated meats that deliver the same experience with more nutrition and at a lower cost. We talk to Good Food Institute founder and president Bruce Friedrich about his new book, “Meat: How the Next Agricultural Revolution Will Transform Humanity’s Favorite Food— and Our Future.” Is alternative meat in your future, or even a reality for you today? Guests: Bruce Friedrich, founder and president, The Good Food Institute; author, Meat: How the Next Agricultural Revolution Will Transform Humanity's Favorite Food--and Our Future" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 5 May 2026

As a teenager Mary Cain was a running phenom. At 17, she ran the 800 in under two minutes, and broke numerous national high school records. She went pro that same year, to be coached by Alberto Salzar at Nike. But while Cain was winning accolades on the track, she was suffering deeply. In her new memoir, “This is Not About Running,” Cain, now a second year medical student at Stanford, recounts how Salazar and his team created a culture of abuse that ground down athletes like her. We talk to Cain about what lessons can be learned from her experience and her efforts to protect young athletes. Guests: Mary Cain, author, "This Is Not About Running;" former professional runner; second year medical student at Stanford Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 5 May 2026

A blue whale mother that fasts for months while her calf puts on close to 250 pounds a day. A male hamster who acts as a midwife while his partner gives birth. Healthy bird parents that lurch along the ground, feigning injury to keep predators away from their nest. These are some of the remarkable examples of animal caregiving that science journalist Elizabeth Preston says can hold up “uncanny mirrors to the human experience and the puzzle of why and how we’ve evolved to pour our resources into our children.” We talk to Preston about her new book, “The Creatures’ Guide to Caring.” What have you noticed about the animal caregivers around you? Guests: Elizabeth Preston, science journalist; author, "The Creatures' Guide to Caring: How Animal Parents Teach Us That Humans Were Born to Care" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 4 May 2026

After a federal appeals court on Friday blocked mail-order access to the abortion pill mifepristone, the Supreme Court stepped in to pause the ruling, restoring access to one of the most common ways to end early pregnancies. Despite the administrative stay, it is not clear how the court will handle the case. We’ll talk about what the restrictions could mean for access both in states with abortion bans and in California and other states where abortion remains legal. Guests: Mary Ziegler, professor of law, UC Davis School of Law Shefali Luthra, reproductive health reporter, The 19th [an independent, nonprofit newsroom reporting on gender, politics and policy] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 4 May 2026

We all know the stinging pain of rejection: the exclusion from a high-school in-group or the all-too-common experience of applying for a job and receiving an email starting with “We regret to inform you…” But beyond the personal experience of rejection is a power dynamic worth interrogating, argues author Alison Kinney. Her new book, “United States of Rejection: A Story of Love, Hate, and Hope,” examines it as not only a personal force, but a political one. Guests: Alison Kinney, author; assistant professor of writing, Eugene Lang College at The New School Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 1 May 2026

When punk rock thrashed through the Bay Area in the 70s and 80s, there were some venues that became iconic hubs, like Mabuhay Gardens in San Francisco and Berkeley’s Gilman street. But in rural Sonoma country, the scene was cobbled together in backyards, barns, and from fields with very long extension cords. Growing up in Santa Rosa, KQED’s arts and culture editor Gabe Meline was both a part of the punk scene and an obsessive collector of its flyers, zines, cassettes and ephemera. He’s now guest curated a new exhibit at the Museum of Sonoma County, Disturbing the Peace: Sonoma County’s Early Punk Underground. We talk to Meline — and check in those in punk scenes of other Bay Area towns — about the music and ethos of punk and why this young DIY movement against authority is so relevant now. Guests: Gabe Meline, senior editor, KQED Arts & Culture Mike Park, owner, Asian Man Records - an independent label based in San Jose; member of the ska-punk band Skankin' Pickle in the 1980s and 90s Matthew Kadi, photographer and drummer. His band Monster Squad started in Vacaville in 1997 and is still playing shows. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 1 May 2026

In the last month, about a dozen authors wrote to Forum saying they’d been messaged by a fraudster claiming to be Mina Kim. In exchange for a “small fee,” they’d be invited to talk about their book on the show. This is a new kind of impersonation scam targeting the wider publishing industry, and like online dating schemes, they’re using flattery and promises of publicity to con the authors into sending money. We look at why authors are being targeted, just how deep this publishing scam goes, and how AI is superpowering online scams. Guests: Lauren Goode, senior correspondent covering Silicon Valley, Wired Dan Barry, senior writer, The New York Times Julian Sancton, senior features editor, The Hollywood Reporter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 30 April 2026

When President Trump sent troops into Iran, he did so without a green light from Congress. Now he faces a deadline on May 1 to either end the war in Iran or secure official approval from Congress. That timeline is laid out under the War Powers Resolution, a law that allows presidents to start wars without congressional approval. Democrats in Congress have tried and failed to pass multiple resolutions to halt the war. Meanwhile, the war is losing support from Republican lawmakers, who have not proposed a vote to approve it. We talk about the war in Iran, lawmakers’ efforts to stop it so far, and whether the Trump administration is feeling any pressure from the 60-day deadline. Guests: Harold Hongju Koh, professor of international law, Yale Law School; legal advisor to the U.S. Department of State from 2009-2013 Mark DeSaulnier, U.S. Congressman representing California's 10th district (the East Bay) Robert Jimison, congressional reporter covering foreign policy, defense and national security issues, The New York Times Elisa Ewers, senior fellow, Council on Foreign Relations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 30 April 2026