KQED's Forum

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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"

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

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

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

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

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”

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"

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"

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

Microsoft developer Andres Freund inadvertently discovered one of the largest internet hacks in history while conducting routine maintenance on his computer. Noticing his computer was a bit slow, he discovered a ‘backdoor’ that could have potentially given the hackers access to millions of computers and servers used by banks, hospitals and governments around the world. The hack, which likely took years to plan and execute, has been called a ‘nightmare scenario’ by cyber security experts, who say that evidence points to state actors. We’ll break down what happened and who is likely behind it. Guests: Alex Stamos, Chief Trust Officer, SentinelOne; computer science lecturer, Stanford University Kevin Roose, technology columnist, New York Times; co-host of the podcast Hard Fork

There was a time when being a DJ meant hauling heavy crates of vinyl LPs, sound equipment and lights from one gig to the next. Now with a computer and a portable speaker, you can make any gathering a party. But just because you can make a playlist doesn’t mean you are a real DJ. To actually spin records and put together memorable sets requires skill, practice and talent. We’ll talk to the founder of a DJ school and DJs from around the Bay about what it takes to be a DJ, who in the words of Rihanna, can “pon de replay.” Guests: Nastia Voynovskaya, editor and reporter, KQED Arts Juan "Wonway Posibul" Amador, DJ and MC - Grammy-nominated DJ Wonway Posibul hosts a daily music show on KALW 91.7 FM that airs from 8-9 PM. Lamont Bransford-Young, DJ and founder of Fingersnaps Media Arts, a DJ school - Bransford-Young hosts "The Fingersnaps Salon" on KPOO. Victoria "Kiki" Fajardo, DJ - DJ Xulaquiles grew up in the East Bay and began her DJ career at 14.

Polls this month suggest that between 9 and 12 percent of Americans support independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. But it’s unclear whether in a general election he and his California-based running mate Nicole Shanahan would draw more votes away from President Biden or Donald Trump. Kennedy, who’s gained political visibility as an anti-vaccine activist and anti-institutionalist, is petitioning to appear on the November ballot in all 50 states; at this point only Utah has confirmed his place. We talk about the impact of RFK’s candidacy and who’s likely to vote for him. Guests: Mike Madrid, Republican strategist; co-founder, The Lincoln Project. His forthcoming book is "The Latino Century: How America's Largest Minority is Transforming Democracy."
Michelle Goldberg, op-ed columnist, New York Times. Her books include “Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism" and "The Means of Reproduction: Sex, Power and the Future of the World."

Stanford women’s basketball coach, Tara VanDerveer – the winningest coach in the history of college basketball – has announced she’s retiring after 45 years leading the epic team. The news comes after a breakthrough NCAA women’s basketball season in which the women’s championship game drew a bigger television audience than the men’s title game for the first time. We’ll talk about VanDerveer’s achievements and legacy and her role in the ascension of women’s basketball. Guests: Michelle Smith, WNBA beat writer, The Next Jennifer Azzi, chief business development officer, Las Vegas Aces. She was a four-year starter at Stanford from 1987-90, leading the team to its first national championship in 1990. Charmin Smith, head coach, University of California Berkeley's women's basketball team; former player, Stanford women’s basketball team - She was key part of the team's three NCAA Final Four Appearances and three Pac-10 Championships between 1995 to 1997. She is also a former member of the WNBA and ABL. Val Whiting, player, Stanford women's basketball team from 1989-93 - She was part of teams that won two NCAA championships and went to the Final Four three years. She was also named Pac-10 Women's Basketball Player of the Year two years in a row.

“The quiet cousin, the rowdy daughter, the bookish aunt, the brash sister. Some are short and busy; others tall, quiet and stately,” writes environmental historian Daniel Lewis. He’s not talking about family members, though. He’s describing trees. In his new book “Twelve Trees,” Lewis urges us to look at trees with empathy and to understand them as beings with history and purpose. We’ll talk to Lewis about the trees he profiles -- including California's coastal redwoods and olive trees -- and why our survival is so closely linked to theirs. Guest: Daniel Lewis, Dibner senior curator for the history of science and technology, Huntington Library; faculty, Caltech; author, "Twelve Trees: The Deep Roots of Our Future"

Constitutional law professor Maxwell Stearns doesn’t think the U.S. is headed for a constitutional crisis…he thinks we’re already deeply in one. And it’s our constitution itself that’s a big part of the problem. In his new book, Parliamentary America, he maps a way out of the crisis, calling for the country to adopt a parliamentary system of government, like most other democracies in the world. As part of Forum’s Doing Democracy series, we’ll talk to him about his plan, and why he says it would help ease political gridlock and prevent an authoritarian taking power in the U.S. Guest: Maxwell Stearns, professor of law, University of Maryland Carey School of Law; author, "Parliamentary America: The Least Radical Means of Radically Repairing Our Broken Democracy"

President Biden called the humanitarian crisis in Gaza “unacceptable” during a call last week with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and said an immediate ceasefire was essential to protect innocent civilians, according to a White House statement. But the White House also reaffirmed its support for Israel and has not slowed military aid, approving new bomb shipments on the day that Israeli forces struck Gaza aid workers, killing seven. Meanwhile Biden faces mounting pressure from progressive and some mainstream Democrats who are asking for an immediate halt to weapons transfers, and from some voters who say they’ll withhold support for him in the November election unless he changes course. We’ll talk about the Biden Administration’s Israel policy and how it’s evolving.  Guests: Erica L. Green, White House correspondent, The New York Times Yasmeen Abutaleb, White House reporter, The Washington Post Alex Ward, national security reporter, Politico; author, “The Internationalists: The Fight to Restore American Foreign Policy after Trump”

“I wish the moment of love in our lives more closely resembled the grace of a ballerina, but no, love mainly tromps and plops, falls over and tiptoes through our lives,” writes Anne Lamott in her newest book “Somehow: Thoughts on Love.” Lamott, a long time Marin County resident, has always been frank about the messy parts of her life from parenthood to addiction. We’ll talk with her about how and where love has shown up for her and its connection with grief, joy, disappointment and anger. Guests: Anne Lamott, author, "Somehow: Thoughts on Love" - Her other books include "Some Assembly Required," "Operating Instructions," and "Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life."

Reversing pandemic-era admission policies, more universities, including MIT, Yale, Dartmouth and Brown, are again requiring that applicants submit SAT or ACT scores. Research has shown that high scores on the tests are a good predictor of college success, and proponents say that the tests are a more equitable metric than a student’s GPA. In California, public colleges – including the UCs and Cal State schools – remain “test blind” and will not consider a student’s scores, even if submitted. We’ll look at arguments on both sides and get tips for prospective students who are navigating testing issues. Would you like to see the SAT and ACT come back in California? Do you think the tests helped or hurt your college application? Guests: Anna Esaki-Smith, author, “Make College Your Superpower: It's Not Where You Go, It's What You Know;" co-founder, Education Rethink; contributor, Forbes Jeff Selingo, author, "Who Gets In & Why: A Year Inside College Admissions," "There is Life After College" and "College (Un)Bound: The Future of Higher Education and What It Means for Students" Eddie Comeaux, professor and associate dean of graduate education, University of California Riverside

On Monday, a total eclipse will cut its way across a swath of North America. Millions are expected to flock to states along the eclipse’s path, from Texas to Maine in hopes of capturing a glimpse (through eclipse glasses) of this celestial event. The last total solar eclipse in the U.S. was in 2017. The next one won’t be until 2044. Although the Bay Area will not experience a total eclipse, there will still be opportunities to see part of one. We’ll talk to experts about what to expect, hear from folks in the path of the totality, and answer your questions. Guests: Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer and professor, Fromm Institute at the University of San Francisco and the OLLI Program at SF State; author of many textbooks and popular books about astronomy Anna Huntsman, reporter, Ideastream Public Media, Cleveland's public radio station Polly Martin, resident of Buffalo, NY Rob Semper, chief learning officer, Exploratorium; member, National STEM Education Advisory Panel

Beyoncé’s new album, “Cowboy Carter,” pays tribute to country music’s greats while reflecting on her own connection to the genre. As she sings on the opening track, “Used to say I spoke ‘too country’ / And the rejection came, said I wasn’t country ‘nough.” That rejection reflects the gatekeeping that’s long plagued country music – gatekeeping that determines who gets to be American and whose ‘country’ it is, says Alice Randall, a songwriter, author and Vanderbilt professor. Randall was the first Black woman to write a No. 1 country hit, and her new book “My Black Country” weaves memoir with the history and impact of Black artists in the genre. We’ll learn that history and Randall’s place in it — and listen to country music from DeFord Bailey, Linda Martell and, of course, Beyoncé. Guests: Alice Randall, Country songwriter and professor of African American and Diaspora Studies and writer-in-residence, Vanderbilt University - author, “My Black Country: A Journey Through Country Music’s Black Past, Present, and Future.”

When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the performing arts world, comedian Kristina Wong found herself adrift. But dozens of frantic calls and one Facebook group later, she was overseeing a network of volunteers – the Auntie Sewing Squad – that churned out hundreds of thousands of homemade masks for those in need. The acts of service and communal care she guided and found are the inspiration for her one woman play “Kristina Wong: Sweatshop Overlord.” We’ll talk with Wong about crafting, community, social justice and the comedy show that brings them all together. Guests: Kristina Wong, comedian and performance artist - she's a Doris Duke Artist Award winner, Guggenheim Fellow and a Pulitzer Prize finalist in Drama. Her one woman show "Kristina Wong: Sweatshop Overlord" is playing now through May 5th at The Strand in San Francisco.

Can you think of a seven-letter word for “complex character?” If your mind flows to “Oedipus,” you’re probably comfortable among the wonderful, nerdy world of crossword puzzle fanatics. Anna Shechtman has been making crosswords since she was 15, drawn to the idea that through riddles and puns a puzzle constructor can access “something foundational about language — a quasi mathematical code that could be rearranged and manipulated through brain power alone.” We talk to Shechtman, who now creates puzzles for the New Yorker, about the art, politics and history of crossword making. Her new book is “The Riddles of the Sphinx: Inheriting the Feminist History of the Crossword Puzzle.” Guests: Anna Shechtman, author, "The Riddles of the Sphinx: Inheriting the Feminist History of the Crossword Puzzle"; assistant professor, Department of Literatures in English at Cornell University

Traveling across one of the bay’s many bridges, it’s normal to see a massive container ship heading to port or back out to sea. The recent crash of a cargo vessel into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key bridge, an accident which killed six people and spilled thousands of gallons of oil, might lead you to ask: could that happen here? For example, in 2007, a container ship hit a Bay Bridge tower, which spurred the adaptation of improved safety systems. We’ll talk to maritime experts about our waterways and the safety protocols we have in place to prevent and react to disasters. Guests: Scott Humphrey, executive director of the Marine Exchange San Francisco Bay Area Region; chairman of the San Francisco Harbor Safety Committee Captain Taylor Lam, captain of the Port for Northern California, US Coast Guard Tony Munoz, publisher and editor in chief of The Maritime Executive

The specter of the opioid epidemic has shadowed life in California for nearly three decades, and opioid deaths in the state are rising precipitously. Physicians have long advocated the use of life-saving opioid medications methadone and buprenorphine to treat addiction. Despite methadone’s proven effectiveness, access to the drug has been blocked across the health care system – and California is among the most restrictive states in the nation. This week, new federal regulations take effect that could expand access to methadone treatment. STAT addiction reporter Lev Facher examined access to these medications in a recent investigation titled “The War on Recovery.” We’ll talk about what this shift at the national level means for addiction treatment in California. And we’ll hear from you: Has access to methadone had an impact on your life or recovery? Guests: Lev Facher, addiction reporter, STAT News Leslie Suen, physician and researcher, University of California San Francisco Jordan Scott, disabled drug user in recovery; organizing coordinator, Pennsylvania Harm Reduction network

Why do monkeys belly flop, elephants mud-slide and rats play-fight? In his new book, “Kingdom of Play,” science writer and professor David Toomey set out to answer these questions. It’s an area of study that hasn’t gotten much attention, and Toomey dives into animal behavioral research looking at the neuroscience, and even dream study, behind it all. We’ll talk to Toomey and learn about what animal play can tell us about our own human behavior. And we hear from you: What animal play have you observed and have had questions about? Guests: David Toomey, author, “Kingdom of Play: What Ball-bouncing Octopuses, Belly-flopping Monkeys, and Mud-sliding Elephants Reveal about Life Itself"; english professor, University of Massachusetts, Amherst - his other books include “Weird Life” and “The New Time Travelers.”

California State Prison, Sacramento – also known as New Folsom Prison – is considered one of the state’s most dangerous. It’s one of several facilities in California that house the most violent offenders, and corrections officers there use force at a rate that’s nearly 40% higher than in other prisons. It’s also a notoriously difficult environment for prison workers, who face high rates of work-related mental health issues, as well as hazing and abuse if they report official misconduct. A new season of KQED’s award- winning podcast “On Our Watch” looks at the pattern of abuse, cover-up and corruption at New Folsom and traces the stories of whistleblowers who tried to bring it to light. We learn more from the KQED reporters behind the investigation. Guests: Julie Small, criminal justice reporter, KQED; reporter, "On Our Watch" Sukey Lewis, criminal justice reporter, KQED; host/reporter, “On Our Watch”; co-founder, the California Reporting Project Valentino Rodriguez Sr., father of Valentino Rodriguez Jr. - a whistleblower who worked at New Folsom Prison

This week, California implements a minimum wage of $20 per hour for fast food workers. Proponents of the measure believe that it will not only allow workers to meet essential needs, but potentially move them up the economic ladder to greater financial security. Restaurant owners and operators contend that they may need to cut back on employee hours, eliminate jobs, and increase their prices. We’ll look at how this measure will impact the Bay Area. Guests: Saru Jayaraman, director, Food Labor Research Center at UC Berkeley; president, One Fair Wage; co-founder, Restaurant Opportunities Centers United Jeanne Kuang, reporter, CalMatters Scott Rodrick, founder, Rodrick Group; McDonald's franchisee in San Francisco

Our current growth-based economic systems do not take into account their human cost, argues journalist Nick Romeo. And while there are economic initiatives and programs around the world that have been shown to improve local citizens’ lives, these are few and far between. Yet they provide models, like “true price” initiatives — price tags that account for human labor costs and environmental impacts. Or job guarantee programs, which ensure every member of a community has access to employment. In Romeo’s new book, “The Alternative: How to Build a Just Economy,” he calls for the return of ethics into economics and offers examples around the world — as well as some in California. We’ll talk to him about what works, what doesn’t and what we have to gain if economists take an alternative approach to structuring, teaching and thinking about our economy. Guests: Nick Romeo, journalist, The New Yorker; lecturer, UC Berkeley

As fighting between Israel and Hamas continues, what will happen after the war ends? The so-called two state solution has long been one of the most prominent ideas, where independent states of Israel and Palestine exist side-by-side, but previous attempts to solidify an agreement have fallen short. We’ll talk with members of A Land For All, a group of Palestinian and Israeli leaders, activists and scholars who have a new political vision of how to live together with “pragmatic and viable solutions to the obstacles that have stymied prior negotiations, moving us from a paradigm of separation towards a future based on power sharing and shared interests.” We’ll talk about their vision for a road to peace and an intertwined future. Guests: Omar Dajani, professor of law, University of the Pacific's McGeorge School of Law; board member, "A Land For All"; former senior legal advisor, Palestine Liberation Organization's Negotiations Support Unit May Pundak, co-leader and executive director, the Israeli branch of “A Land for All” Rula Hardal, lecturer, Arab-American University; research fellow, the Shalom Hartman Institute; co-leader, "A Land For All"

Culinary scientist Arielle Johnson describes flavor as “the thing that drives us to drop serious money on heirloom tomatoes. The reason we don’t just subsist on Soylent. The town where Guy Fieri lives.” Flavor is also molecules, according to Johnson, whose new book “Flavorama” explores how the chemistry of flavor informs how we perceive foods as salty or herbal, sour or sweet. Johnson, who also co-founded the fermentation lab at the critically acclaimed restaurant Noma, joins us to talk about the science of flavor, the complex interactions between our senses of taste and smell and how to create intense and unexpected flavors in our everyday cooking. Guests: Arielle Johnson, food scientist; author, "Flavorama: A Guide to Unlocking the Art and Science of Flavor"; co-founder and fermentation lab and science director, Noma in Copenhagen - a three-Michelin-star restaurant considered the best in the world.

Radio host, journalist, musician, and musicologist Jesse “Chuy” Varela has been a treasured fixture of the Bay Area jazz scene for more than 40 years. When the Jazz Journalists Association honored him with their “Jazz Hero” award last year they wrote that “his deep knowledge of Latin American and Caribbean music has nurtured the boundaryless nature of the Bay Area’s scene, in which musicians prominently collaborate across the jazz/Latin jazz divide.” The KCSM program and music director will join us to talk about the history of Latin Jazz, including the Bay Area’s role…and play some of his favorite tunes. Guests: Jesse "Chuy" Varela, program and music director, KCSM JAZZ 91.1; host, "The Latin Jazz Show” on Sundays at 2 PM

Adrian Ballinger, a mountain guide based in California, has reached Mt. Everest’s peak 8 times – including once without supplemental oxygen. Now that China has reopened the less-traversed north side route to foreigners, he’s headed back next month for the first time in four years. We talk to him about what draws hundreds of climbers to attempt to summit Mt. Everest every year, how to climb ethically and sustainably as ever more visitors descend on the mountain and what it feels like to be on top of the tallest peak in the world. Guests: Adrian Ballinger, mountain guide; founder, Alpenglow Expeditions Graham Cooper, member of Mt. Everest expedition team

The Department of Justice, along with 16 states including California, filed a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against Apple last week. The government alleges that the trillion-dollar company’s practices around its iPhone have quashed competition by limiting access to its app store, constraining the ability to send messages across different platforms and blocking alternative wallet payment systems. The suit is part of a suite of antitrust legal actions aimed at breaking alleged monopolies by tech behemoths including Google, Meta, and Amazon. We’ll talk about what these suits mean for Apple’s devoted user base and the tech industry. Guests: Aaron Tilley, reporter, Wall Street Journal Tim Wu, professor of law, science and technology, Columbia Law School; author, "The Curse of Bigness: Antitrust in the New Gilded Age" Margaret O'Mara, Scott and Dorothy Bullitt professor of American History, University of Washington; author, "The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America"

“As the planet slowly cooks, people will do what they have done for thousands of years in response to climate change in their environment,” writes journalist and author Abrahm Lustgarten, “they will move.” Less than one percent of the earth’s surface is now considered too hot or dry to support human civilization, but climate researchers estimate that by 2070 nearly one-fifth of the planet will be unlivable. The impact will be most acute in parts of Asia, Africa and Central America. But climate models also predict that tens of millions of Americans will become climate migrants during this century– moving to more temperate zones in response to wildfires, flooding, extreme heat and drought. We talk to Lustgarten about what a climate change-induced mass migration could look like in the U.S. and why Californians will be among the most likely to move. Guest: Abrahm Lustgarten, senior environmental reporter, ProPublica; author, "On the Move: The Overheating Earth and the Uprooting of America"

You might not think that 224 pages devoted to a sixth grader’s tricky journey with braces would make for a bestseller, but since its publication in 2010, Raina Telgemeier’s graphic novel “Smile” has remained hugely popular with the kid set. And her follow ups “Guts,” “Drama” and “Ghosts” have earned her rave reviews from kids, tweens, parents and librarians for the humorous, hopeful, and honest depictions of life as an anxious kid. We’ll talk to Telgemeier, a Bay Area native, about her work and how she taps into the zeitgeist of adolescence. Guests: Raina Telgemeier, author of "Smile," "Guts," and "Sisters," among other popular graphic novels for teens and kids

The explosion of online dating apps has made meeting new people radically convenient. But more of those looking for love complain that the platforms take the romance out of dating and turn it into nothing but a game of odds. Perhaps that’s why dating apps are losing their appeal, especially among Gen Z. According to one study, Gen Z-ers make up only 26% of dating app users. We’ll discuss how different generations find connections and why it still might be possible to find romance online. What’s been your experience with dating apps? Guests: Jeanne Proust, interim/acting director, the Center for Public Philosophy; lecturer of philosophy, UC Santa Cruz; philosophical counseling practitioner Myisha Battle, sex and dating coach; host, KCRW's "How's Your Sex Life" podcast; author, Time Magazine's Real Love column; author, "This Is Supposed to Be Fun: Finding Joy In Hooking Up, Settling Down, and Everything In Between"

The rules that guide real estate transactions could soon change dramatically. As part of a $418 million legal settlement, the powerful National Association of Realtors has agreed to eliminate the standard 6-percent sales commission. Under the settlement, subject to a judge’s approval, home listings will no longer automatically offer commission to buyers’ agents, requiring buyers to negotiate fees upfront. We’ll talk about what that might mean for realtors, consumers, and Bay Area home prices. Guests: Nicole Friedman, reporter, Wall Street Journal - where she covers the U.S. housing market and the home building industry Vanessa Gamp, president, San Francisco Association of Realtors Jenny Schuetz, senior fellow, Brookings - where her research focuses on improving housing and land use policies

There was a time when the nation was gripped by an epidemic that leaders felt went to the moral core of the country: bad posture. In her new book, “Slouch,” University of Pennsylvania historian Beth Linker recounts how curved spines, rounded shoulders, and slumped backs were considered reflections of moral fitness, the ability to hold a job, and even intelligence. We’ll talk to Linker about this “posture panic” that contributes to the ableism we see today, and we’ll hear from you: How’s your posture? Guests: Beth Linker, author, "Slouch: Posture Panic in Modern America"; professor of history and sociology of science, University of Pennsylvania

When Judith Butler wrote the pioneering book “Gender Trouble” in 1990, they introduced us to the nascent field of gender theory. Now, more than three decades later, gender has become a catch-all term and bogeyman for conservative movements around the world. It’s become a lightning rod for social anxieties, Butler argues, about sex, feminism, racial equality and queer existence. In their latest book, Judith Butler asks: “Who’s Afraid of Gender?” And why? We’ll talk with Butler about how gender became such an incendiary buzz word and why we still struggle to find common language around it. Guests: Judith Butler, distinguished professor in the Graduate School Department of Comparative Literature, University of California, Berkeley

A drenching rainy season that isn’t over yet has given California another gift, besides a big snowpack and gnarly skiing: a “superbloom.” A superbloom is not a scientific term according to botanists, but this year’s bloom promises to deliver a spectacular display. Anza-Borrego Desert is already reaching its peak, the park currently awash in a carpet of desert sunflowers, dune primrose and dandelions. For many areas across the state, peak blooms are still ahead. We talk to superbloom explorers, experts and wildflower lovers about what to look out for and the best ways to experience this year’s bonanza. Guests: Radhika Thekkath, co-president, Santa Clara Valley chapter of the California Native Plant Society Evan Meyer, botanist and executive director, nonprofit Theodore Payne Foundation Dan McCamish, senior environmental scientist, Colorado Desert District, California State Parks

Chiura Obata had a promising career when he left Japan for California in 1903. But the pull of this new country was compelling. A long-time arts professor at Berkeley, Obata was a leading figure of the Northern California arts community. His watercolor and ink paintings of the natural world, including vistas of the Sierras and Yosemite, as well as finely wrought and closely observed paintings of flowers, fish and fauna brought him acclaim. But the art schools he opened while incarcerated in concentration camps at Topaz and Tanforan in World War II made him beloved. Reflecting on his career, Obata wrote, “I dedicate my paintings, first, to the grand nature of California, which, over the long years, in sad as well as in delightful times, has always given me great lessons, comfort, and nourishment. Second, to the people who share the same thoughts, as though drawing water from one river under one tree.” We’ll talk about a current exhibit of his work at the SFMOMA with Obata experts, including his granddaughter. Guests: Kimi Kodani Hill, Obata family historian - Kodani Hill is the granddaughter of painter Chiura Obata whose solo exhibition is up at the SF MOMA through July 14. Nancy Lim, associate curator, San Francisco Modern Museum of Art (SF MOMA) - Lim curated the Chiura Obata exhibition currently on display at SFMOMA.

For decades, it’s been primarily women and girls who tend to be diagnosed with eating disorders. But recent research shows that adolescent boys are prone to disordered eating as well, though they may exhibit different symptoms from girls. Where disordered eating in girls can focus on thinness, in boys, eating disorders can be complicated by athletic training or a desire for increased muscle mass, making it harder to diagnose under current criteria. We talk about the challenges of diagnosing and treating eating disorders in boys, and we’ll hear from you. Do you have a personal experience with an eating disorder? If you are struggling with an eating disorder and are in need of support, you can find resources and helplines at https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-help/ Guests: Dr. Jason Nagata, adolescent medicine specialist, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Tim Tollefson, professional ultrarunner and race director, Mammoth Trail Fest John Schu, librarian and writer. He is the author of "Louder Than Hunger."

Famine is imminent in the northern Gaza Strip, according to a report released this week by United Nations-backed food experts. The analysis by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) also finds that half of Gaza’s population, 1.1 million people, , would most likely experience “catastrophic” shortages of food by mid-July. We’ll discuss the IPC report and get the latest on efforts to speed up humanitarian assistance as Israel continues to wage war on Hamas. Guests: Rushdi Abualouf, Gaza correspondent based in Istanbul, BBC Alex DeWaal, executive director, World Peace Foundation; research professor, Tufts University Abby Maxman, president and CEO, Oxfam America

James and Jennifer Crumbley are set to be sentenced next month after separate juries convicted them of involuntary manslaughter for failing to prevent their son from killing four classmates in a 2021 mass shooting at a Michigan high school. The Crumbleys’ convictions mark the first time in U.S. legal history that the parents of a school shooter have been found criminally liable for their child’s actions. Some legal analysts say the highly specific facts of the case mark it as an outlier. But others say it could set precedent for parental liability — for gun crimes and beyond. We’ll talk about the verdicts and their potential ramifications. Guests: Erik Ortiz, senior reporter focusing on racial injustice and social inequality, NBC News Ekow Yankah, professor of law and of philosophy and associate dean, University of Michigan Anthony Portantino, state senator, 25th district in Southern California -he authored Senate Bill 53, which would expand existing firearm safe storage laws. Senator Portantino authored California’s safe storage law in 2019

The Ninja Loop is a 12-mile trail that starts in the Marin Headlands and climbs 2,000 feet to a crest from which runners can witness the rising sun if they time it right. Since its christening in 2008, the trail has become a popular stalwart among many fabled Bay Area trail runs, like the Dipsea, and 3,500 attempts have been made to break its course record of one hour and six minutes. We’ll talk about the Loop and other popular trail runs in the region. What’s your favorite run? Guests: Victor Diaz, owner, Renegade Running Ted Knudsen, owner, San Francisco Running Company; race director, Quad Dipsea race which he has run 25 times Olivia Allen-Price, host, KQED's Bay Curious - a podcast that investigates questions asked by local residents about things both profound and peculiar that make the Bay Area unique

Anthropologist Jason De León has spent a career documenting the stories of migrants making their way across the Sonoran Desert at the Southern US border. But in his new book, “Soldiers And Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling,” De León turns his gaze towards the smugglers. For nearly seven years, he embedded with a group of smugglers moving migrants across Central America and Mexico, following them as they led people north. We’ll talk to him about his book, what he learned from this rare look into this side of the billion-dollar industry and what can be done to address the global migration crisis. Guests: Jason De León, author, “Soldiers And Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling"; director, Cotsen Institute of Archaeology; professor of anthropology and Chicana, Chicano, and Central American Studies, UCLA

The City of Berkeley will soon return sacred land to an Indigenous trust, in what Berkeley’s mayor has called the largest urban land give-back in California history. After nearly a decade of litigation the city acquired a 2.2 acre parking lot in West Berkeley which sits on the last undeveloped land of the oldest Ohlone shellmound, which was designated as a city landmark in 2000. The city acquired the land for 27 million dollars, mostly with money from the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust. We’ll talk about the plans for the site and what it means for Ohlone people, the city of Berkeley and the future of the land back movement. Guests: Sophie Hahn, councilmember, Berkeley District 5 Corrina Gould, director, Sogorea Te’ Land Trust; spokeswoman and tribal chair, Confederated Villages of Lisjan/Ohlone Melissa Nelson, board president, Sogorea Te' Land Trust; professor of Indigenous Sustainability, Arizona State University Farimah Faiz Brown, City Attorney, Berkeley

Heart disease is by far the leading cause of death for women in the United States. Yet, women with heart conditions are less likely than men to receive aggressive treatment and preventive medication and more likely to have their symptoms dismissed by doctors. It’s one of the many gender inequities that oncologist Elizabeth Comen explores in her new book “All in Her Head: The Truth and Lies Early Medicine Taught Us About Women’s Bodies and Why It Matters Today.” We talk to Comen about how gender bias is expressed in medicine and the barriers to treating women equitably in a field she describes as created for men, by men. And we’ll hear from you: have you felt dismissed or unfairly treated in the doctor’s office? Guests: Elizabeth Comen M.D., oncologist, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; author, "All in Her Head: The Truth and Lies Early Medicine Taught Us About Women's Bodies and Why It Matters Today"

The warden of the troubled federal women’s prison in Dublin was ousted last Monday amid an FBI raid of the facility. Art Dulgov was removed just months into his tenure in the wake of allegations of retaliation against an inmate who spoke out about abuse at the prison. Despite prior leadership changes and promises to fix problems, the prison – which has been known as the “rape club” – has remained plagued by abuse cases, with at least eight employees charged since 2021, when an Associated Press investigation exposed the abuse scandal. We’ll talk with one of the Associated Press reporters and get the latest on the FBI raid, the leadership shakeup and conditions at the prison. Guests: Alex Hall, enterprise and accountability reporter, KQED Michael Balsamo, U.S. law enforcement news editor, Associated Press Amaris Montes, director of west coast litigation and advocacy, Rights Behind Bars - which is representing Dublin prisoners in their class action lawsuit Ashley Rolanda, she was incarcerated at FCI Dublin, and has been speaking out about conditions at the prison, where she says she was sexually assaulted

Deepfakes are already affecting the 2024 election, and the technology is only becoming more convincing. UC Berkeley computer scientist Hany Farid shared the stage with Mina Kim on March 2 at the Night of Ideas, held at the San Francisco Public Library before a live audience. We listen back to their conversation about how easy it to make fake digital content with generative A.I. and the impact that’s having on our democracy. Guests: Hany Farid, professor, UC Berkeley - with a joint appointment in electrical engineering & computer sciences and the School of Information. He is also a member of the Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Lab and is a senior faculty advisor for the Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity.

Earlier this month we brought some of our favorite Forum guests – a poet, a novelist, a sociologist and a musician – who all work with themes of cross-cultural identity for a conversation, and live music and readings, before an audience. We discussed the complexities of racial and ethnic identity and how the hyphens we sometimes use to bridge our identities – Mexican-American, Chinese-American etc – can serve to both connect and divide us. It was all part of Night of Ideas, an annual public event bringing together artists and thinkers at the San Francisco Public Library. Guests: Mimi Tempestt, poet and multidisciplinary artist - Tempestt's latest book of poetry is titled "the delicacy of embracing spirals" G. Cristina Mora, associate professor of sociology and Chicano/Latino Studies and the co-director of the Institute of Governmental Studies, University of California, Berkeley - and author of the book, "Making Hispanics" Jonathan Escoffery, author - his debut short story collection, "If I Survive You," was released in September of 2022 Kishi Bashi, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist - Bashi's latest LP "Music from the Song Film: Omoiyari" is a companion to his documentary film that explores his identity and the WWII experience of Japanese incarceration. The album comes out on November 17. Bashi is based in Santa Cruz

For many of us, conflict is something to be avoided, but according to longtime negotiation and mediation expert William Ury, we actually need more conflict in our lives. In a new memoir called Possible: How We Survive (and Thrive) in an Age of Conflict, Ury says conflict can “produce better ideas and, ultimately, better relationships.” We talk to Ury, who’s also the author of the bestselling book Getting to Yes, about his nearly 50-year career as a negotiator in conflicts around the globe. And we’ll learn how to apply his conflict resolution strategies to our everyday lives. Guests: William Ury, negotiator and mediator; co-founder, Harvard Program on Negotiation

Laurence Ralph is a Princeton professor who studies gangs and youth violence. Five years ago it all became very personal when a family member, 19-year old Luis Alberto Quiñonez, was killed in San Francisco in retaliation for a gang-related murder he didn’t commit. That tragic story is the subject of his new book, Sito: An American Teenager and the City That Failed Him. We’ll talk with him about the book and his work on juvenile justice reform and how to break the cycles of youth violence. Guests: Laurence Ralph, professor of anthropology, Princeton University; author, "SITO: An American Teenager and the City That Failed Him." He will appear on Thursday March 14 at 7PM at Mrs. Dalloway's bookstore in Berkeley.

After a yearlong wait, the San Francisco Chronicle has a new lead restaurant critic, MacKenzie Chung Fegan. She grew up in San Francisco, has deep roots in its restaurant scene and knows the power of the written word: 50 years ago her grandparents opened Henry’s Hunan, which exploded in popularity after the New Yorker deemed it “the best Chinese restaurant in the world”. We’ll talk with Fegan about her approach to restaurant criticism, what’s on her culinary to-do list and we’ll hear from you: What are you craving from a local restaurant critic? Guests: MacKenzie Chung Fegan, lead restaurant critic, The San Francisco Chronicle

For the first time in over a century, the 250-mile Klamath River will soon flow freely as the nation’s largest dam removal project in history nears completion. Indigenous tribes, fishermen and environmentalists had been fighting to dismantle four hydroelectric dams along the river for more than two decades, owing to the dams’ devastating effects on salmon populations among other environmental impacts. The next phase of the dam removal project is to restore the natural habitat along the river. We learn about the project’s history and future. Guests: Barry McCovey Jr., director, Yurok Tribal Fisheries Department Mark Bransom, chief executive officer, Klamath River Renewal Corporation Kurtis Alexander, enterprise reporter, The San Francisco Chronicle

Every year a ceremony is held at Evergreen Cemetery in Los Angeles for the county’s unclaimed deceased; the most recent ceremony, held in December, honored nearly 1500 people. In a new book sociologists Pamela Prickett and Stefan Timmermans tell the stories of four of the deceased and how they came to be laid to rest in a common grave after their ashes were left behind. We’ll talk about what makes people vulnerable to going unclaimed after they die, and hear about the people who are working to ensure they all receive a dignified burial. Their book is “The Unclaimed: Abandonment and Hope in the City of Angels.” Guests: Pamela Prickett, associate professor of sociology, University of Amsterdam Stefan Timmermans, professor of sociology, UCLA Arnoldo Casillas, attorney

Americans famously hang on to false ideas about politics, even after being presented with the facts. Part of the problem, of course, is misinformation. But according to political scientist Emily Thorson, people also tend to assume that they already know how existing policies work…and they are often wrong. In her new book, “The Invented State,” Thorson argues that providing facts and context in the right way can correct common policy misconceptions. She’ll join us as part of our Doing Democracy series, which examines what democracy means and how it is practiced, to talk about the book, and the latest research on misinformation. Guests: Emily Thorson, assistant professor of political science, Syracuse University; author, "The Invented State: Policy Misperceptions in the American Public"

Electrical vehicle purchases in California dropped significantly in the second half of last year, for the first time in a decade. It’s unclear if this is a trend or just a blip, but some potential EV buyers say that they’re holding off because of concerns over public charger access and reliability. Things may be improving: California approved a $1.9 billion dollar investment in EV charging infrastructure last month, which will bring 40,000 new chargers online – including in rural areas. We’ll talk about what California needs to do to meaningfully expand its EV charging infrastructure ahead of its 2035 ban on the sale of new gas-powered cars. Guests: Ethan Elkind, director of the Climate Program at the Center for Law, Energy and the Environment, UC Berkeley School of Law; host, the Climate Break podcast. Russ Mitchell, automotive editor, Los Angeles Times - He is based in Berkeley and covers the automotive industry. Terry Travis, managing partner, EVNoire - a Mobility Consulting Group that works to integrate and amplify diversity, equity, and inclusion in the electric transportation sector.

In 2015, the Vatican published Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical Laudato Si’, which took a firm stance on climate change and urged people to “hear both the cry of the planet and the cry of the poor.” But even with the Pope’s advocacy for the climate movement, action has been slow, especially here in the U.S., where dioceses are reluctant to divest millions from fossil fuels and discuss climate issues with their congregations. We’ll talk with the Pope’s right-hand man on climate, Father Joshtrom Isaac Kureethadam, about the Catholic Church’s efforts to combat climate change and why the climate crisis is “not just a physical problem, but also a deeply moral one.” Guests: Reverend Dr. Joshtrom Isaac Kureethadam, chair of Philosophy of Science and Director of the Institute of Social and Political Sciences, the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome; former coordinator, Ecology and Creation at the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development; author, The Ten Green Commandments of Laudato Si’

President Biden is expected to call for lower healthcare costs and higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy in his State of the Union Address on Thursday. He’s also expected to announce a temporary U.S. port in Gaza to deliver large-scale humanitarian aid, emphasize the importance of reproductive rights and promote his so-called “unity agenda,” which includes ending cancer, confronting the crisis of addiction and helping veterans. The speech is being billed by administration officials as an opportunity for a “reset” to overcome voter concerns about the President’s age as his approval ratings hover in the high 30s. We’ll analyze the speech and hear your reactions. Guests: Ro Khanna, U.S. Congressman for California's 17th Congressional District (Silicon Valley). Christopher Cadelago, California’s Bureau Chief, Politico - and former White House Correspondent. Mike Madrid, Republican strategist. Catherine Lucey, White House Reporter, The Wall Street Journal.

Author Shannon Reed is aptly named because she absolutely loves to read. As a child with hearing difficulties, reading was a reliable way for her to take in information. Now, whether it’s a book, the back of a cereal box, or a sign in the subway, reading is a hobby, calling, and pursuit that captures her fully. In her new book, “Why We Read: On Bookworms, Libraries, and Just One More Page Before Lights Out,” she delves into how we find connection, comfort and escape in the act of reading. She also gives you permission to put a book down if you’re not loving it. We talk to Reed and a panel of Bay Area authors. And we hear from you: Why do you love to read? Guests: Shannon Reed, author, "Why We Read: On Bookworms, Libraries, and Just One More Page Before Lights Out" - Reed is a Teaching Associate Professor and Director of the undergraduate writing program at the University of Pittsburgh. Oscar Villalon, editor, Zyzzyva - San Francisco based literary journal. Vanessa Hua, author, "Forbidden City" - Hua's previous books include “A River of Stars.” She is a former columnist with the San Francisco Chronicle.

“Even if it was never the intention,” writes Kara Swisher, tech companies have become “key players in killing our comity and stymieing our politics, our government, our social fabric, and most of all, our minds.” Those are harsh words from the longtime Silicon Valley journalist who says she once rooted for young tech innovators like Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. Her disillusionment with the industry she covered is the foundation of her new memoir “Burn Book: A Tech Love Story.” We talk to her about what she’s learned from nearly three decades of reporting. Guests: Kara Swisher, cofounder and editor-at-large, Recode

From Leslie Jamison’s Splinters to Lyz Lenz’s This American Ex-Wife, a number of high-profile recent books explore womens’ experiences with divorce. We’ll talk with Jamison and journalist Tracy Clark-Flory about what these “divorce memoirs”, and their popularity, say about the state of marriage in America today. Guests: Leslie Jamison, author, "Splinters: Another Kind of Love Story." Her other books include "The Empathy Exams." Tracy Clark-Flory, journalist; essayist; author of "Want Me: A Sex Writer's Journey into the Heart of Desire." Her newsletter can be found at tracyclarkflory.substack.com.

California voters finish casting their ballots on Tuesday to choose their top two candidates for U.S. Senate and decide the fate of Proposition 1, the mental health services measure supported by Gov. Gavin Newsom. We’ll take stock of those results, check in on key congressional races around the state and look at the outcome of the presidential nominating contests nationwide. Guests: Marisa Lagos, politics correspondent, KQED; co-host, KQED's Political Breakdown Faith E. Pinho, reporter, Los Angeles Times Scott Shafer, senior editor, KQED’s California Politics and Government desk; co-host, KQED's Political Breakdown

With a predicted anemic turnout, what lessons can be gleaned from voters in this March primary? Issues that crowd the headlines like public safety and homelessness appear in various state and regional ballot measures. Will these concerns tilt the otherwise progressive-leaning Bay Area towards a more conservative path? With the help of the KQED Politics team, we’ll analyze the election results and trends in this primary, and we’ll hear from you: What brought you to or kept you from the polls? Guests: Guy Marzorati, correspondent, KQED's California Politics and Government Desk Marisa Lagos, politics correspondent, KQED; co-host, KQED's Political Breakdown Annelise Finney, reporter, KQED Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, reporter and producer covering politics, KQED News

The 96th Academy Awards are in less than a week, and a lot of ink has been spilled comparing contenders for best actor, best director and best picture. But what about less-discussed “craft categories” that reward creativity behind the scenes — like editing, costume design, cinematography and production design? We’ll talk to artists in each of those fields about what their work entails and how to recognize and appreciate a bold edit or a brilliant visual aesthetic. And we’ll hear from you: what’s an Oscars category you’d love to know more about? Guests: Sam Restivo, editor; credits include "Napoleon," "House of Gucci," and "The Last Duel" Allison Pearce, costume designer; credits include "Paint," "Black Bear," and "Clerks 3" Olivia Peebles, production designer and set decorator; credits include “Miss Juneteenth,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” and “Oppenheimer” Elisha Christian, cinematographer; credits include "The Night House" and "The Voyeurs"

Caroline Paul is 60 years old and she rides a one-wheel, paddle boards wherever she pleases, and as the endurance swimmer Diana Nyad put it, is “the toughest broad I know.” But in her new book, Tough Broad, Paul sets out to show that all kinds of outdoor adventure from BASE jumping to bird watching can enrich the lives of women as they get older in a society that tells them to simply fade to irrelevance. We’ll be talking awe and novelty, accepting loss and challenging norms. As she writes, “This is not a book about adrenaline, it is a book about exhilaration. It is not about bravado, it is about bravery.” Guests: Caroline Paul, author, "Tough Broad: From Boogie Boarding to Wing Walking-How Outdoor Adventure Improves Our Lives as We Age" and "The Gutsy Girl: Escapades for Your Life of Epic Adventure

More than a year after a very bad breakup, LA Times journalist Todd Martens struggled to understand why he was still so stuck on his ex. He doodled her name whenever he held pen and paper; he couldn’t sleep and couldn’t stop stewing. So he turned to science to understand why his mind and body continued to hurt so much and shared what he learned in his recent article “Science can explain a broken heart. Could science help heal mine?” We’ll talk to Martens and turn to experts in neuroscience and psychology for strategies to heal broken hearts. And we’ll hear from you: what’s helped you get through a bad breakup? Guests: Todd Martens, columnist, Los Angeles Times - Martens covers theme parks, games and interactive entertainment for the LA Times. He is a self-professed Disneyland addict who wrote the piece, "This Is Your Brain on Disneyland" Mary-Frances O’Connor, neuroscientist; psychologist; author, 2022 book “The Grieving Brain: The Surprising Science of How We Learn From Love and Loss" David Sbarra, professor of psychology, University of Arizona

Tuesday is the final day to cast ballots in this year’s primary election. Voters across the Bay Area will decide on key races for county supervisor seats, state offices, and a slew of measures aimed at addressing mental health, public safety and the region’s homelessness crisis. Some of the races garnering attention include a rare recall election for two San Francisco judges who have been portrayed as soft on crime. In the East Bay, Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín is competing with five other candidates for a seat in the state senate. In Napa, voters will decide on three of five supervisor seats. We’ll talk about the races you’re watching and what you need to know going into the primary. Guests: Guy Marzorati, correspondent, KQED's California Politics and Government Desk Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, reporter and producer covering politics, KQED News Kim Alexander, president and founder, California Voter Foundation Annelise Finney, reporter, KQED

By early January 2021, 61 courts and the U.S. Justice Department under Donald Trump had rejected the former president’s claims that he’d lost the 2020 election because of fraud. Nevertheless, fed by Trump and those who believed the election disinformation he spread, the Stop the Steal movement flourished and culminated in the January 6 Capitol insurrection. University of Michigan law professor Barbara McQuade has dissected the manipulative messaging tactics disinformers use to promulgate conspiracies like Stop the Steal. We learn how to identify those tactics and what we can do to combat them legally and politically. McQuade’s new book is “Attack from Within.” Guests: Barbara McQuade, professor, University of Michigan Law School - former U.S attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan; author, "Attack From Within: How Disinformation is Sabotaging America"

Macy’s announced this week it would be closing its flagship Union Square store, among 150 other underperforming stores across the country. The news is just the latest blow to the city’s beleaguered shopping district. We’ll talk about the store’s iconic history and imagine other futures for downtown and Union Square. And we want to hear from you. What are your Macy’s memories? And what would you like to see happen in that building and in Union Square? Guests: Amy Campbell, building transformation and adaptive reuse leader, Gensler Peter Hartlaub, culture critic, San Francisco Chronicle Annie Appleby, her parents met while working at Macy's

Lawmakers in Alabama this week are scrambling to limit the effects of a Feb. 16 state Supreme Court decision holding that frozen embryos are human and that anyone who destroys them can be held liable for wrongful death. Since the decision, major IVF providers across the state have suspended their services, leaving an industry in chaos and families going through IVF in limbo. Meanwhile, Republicans in the U.S. Senate blocked a bill Wednesday that would have created national protections for fertility treatment. We’ll talk about the ongoing fallout in Alabama and where the broader movement for fetal personhood stands nationally. Guests: Mary Ziegler, professor of law, UC Davis Amy Yurkanin, senior reporter, AL.com

San Francisco is in the midst of a devastating drug crisis with a record number of overdose deaths last year. In an attempt to address the problem, Mayor London Breed has put a measure on the March 5th ballot that would deny cash assistance benefits to people who use drugs and refuse treatment. Breed has said Proposition F would usher more people into getting help as well as stopping taxpayer dollars from contributing to overdose deaths. Opponents say the measure would do more harm than good by penalizing vulnerable residents who need public assistance to survive. We’ll examine Prop F and hear from voters. Guests: London Breed, mayor, City and County of San Francisco Trent Rhorer, executive director, San Francisco Human Services Agency Aaron Peskin, president, San Francisco Board of Supervisors

In the summer of 2020, Lebanon was trying to contain both a global pandemic and an internal economic crisis when, on August 4th, a warehouse full of ammonium nitrate at the port of Beirut caught fire and exploded in one of the largest non-nuclear blasts in history. The blast killed at least 220 people, injured more than 6000 residents and caused $8 billion in damages. Journalist Dalal Mawad was living in Beirut at the time, and her new book “All She Lost,” examines the event, told through stories of women who lost children, husbands and family members in the explosion and struggled through the financial and political collapse in Lebanon that ensued. We talk to Mawad about what their stories reveal about the treatment of women in Lebanon and how the blast’s survivors are seeking justice for those they lost. Guests: Dalal Mawad, journalist

As some Democrats become increasingly frantic about the chances of 81-year old President Joe Biden winning reelection, there have been high-profile calls for Biden to step down and allow another Democratic candidate to emerge in a brokered convention. Many names, including Governor Gavin Newsom, have been floated as possible alternatives. But the natural successor, Vice President Kamala Harris, is often dismissed due to her own low approval ratings. We’ll talk about Kamala Harris’ record as Vice President and why she struggles to be thought of as a viable option if Biden needs to step down during the campaign or his presidency. Guests: Aimee Allison, founder and president, She the People - a national organization dedicated to building the political power of women of color Errin Haines, editor at large, The 19th - a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom reporting on gender, politics and policy Shira Stein, Washington correspondent, San Francisco Chronicle

For years, observers of workplace culture have predicted the death of the annual performance review, calling it ineffective, unpopular and often biased. But some companies are trying to make it better. Does more frequent, real-time feedback sound good to you… or the use of AI to monitor your productivity? We’ll talk with workplace experts about the future of performance reviews and hear from you. What do you think are the best ways to evaluate employees in today’s changing workplace? Guests: Lori Nishiura Mackenzie, co-founder, Stanford VMware Women’s Leadership Innovation Lab Josh Bersin, corporate talent, human resources and technology analyst; author, "Irresistible: The Seven Secrets of the World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations"

In his latest novel “Wandering Stars,” Oakland writer Tommy Orange traces the stories of the Native Americans who populated his celebrated debut, “There There.” The book, which is both prequel and sequel, begins with the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre and the opening of the first Native American residential school in the U.S whose mission, according to its founder, was to “Kill the Indian to save the man.” Orange examines how you can create identity and connection when your family inheritance embeds thick seams of generational trauma, cultural erasure, and violence. We’ll talk to Orange about his novel. Guests: Tommy Orange, author, "Wandering Stars," "There There," and "Normal Ain't Normal"

We like to think of adoption as an unmitigated social good – a practice that UCSF sociologist Gretchen Sisson says “makes possible the maintenance of both the heteronormative family ideal beloved by the right and the nontraditional, chosen family ideals embraced by the left.” But Sisson says that framing ignores the experiences of birth mothers, who tend to have far less socioeconomic power than adoptive parents and who bear the complicated and even traumatic consequences of relinquishing an infant. Sisson conducted more than 100 interviews with birth mothers who relinquished their children to learn how they came to decide on adoption and the impact that decision has had on them and their families. Her new book is “Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood.” Guests: Gretchen Sisson, qualitative sociologist studying abortion and adoption at Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH) in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, UCSF; author, "Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood” - her research was cited in the Supreme Court’s dissent in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Serina Chacon, birth mother based in Northern California

Have you ever encountered someone you felt like you could share your life story with, even if you just met? In his latest book, “Supercommunicators,” journalist Charles Duhigg details just how some people have come to master the art of conversation. To learn the secrets of effective communication, Duhigg interviewed a CIA agent tasked with recruiting spies, a NASA psychiatrist who screened astronauts for intense missions, and the creators of the hit sitcom “The Big Bang Theory,” who duke out ideas in the writer’s room. Duhigg joins us to talk about how to listen better, how to make yourself understood and how to connect on a much deeper level. Guests: Charles Duhigg, reporter, New York Times; author, "Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection" and "The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business"

Global outrage persists after high-profile Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died last week in an Arctic penal colony. His death — and the two-year anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine — have prompted the Biden Administration to impose new sanctions against Russia that will be announced on Friday. We’ll talk about the deep rift between the Biden Administration and Russia and the ongoing congressional stalemate over aid for Ukraine and the national security issues it implicates. Guests: Kathryn Stoner, senior fellow, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University; author, "Russia Resurrected: Its Power and Purpose in a New Global Order" Max Boot, senior fellow for national security studies, Council on Foreign Relations; columnist, Washington

Oprah and Gayle. Bert and Ernie. All four of the Golden Girls. For many people (and puppets), their soulmate is often their friend. We don’t have a good word to describe that kind of friendship – one that involves intimacy without sex, constancy without marriage, and a belief that you cannot live without the other person. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t celebrate friendships that you build your life around, argues author Rhaina Cohen in her new book “The Other Significant Others.” We’ll talk to Cohen about the breadth and depth of these friendships and how we can center them in our lives. And we’ll hear from you: Tell us about that friend who is your person. Guests: Rhaina Cohen, author, "The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center" - Cohen is a producer and editor for the NPR documentary podcast "Embedded"

If you were watching TV in the 1980s you’re probably familiar with the sounds of electronic music pioneer Suzanne Ciani, whose synthesizer compositions became the sonic logos for Coca-Cola, Atari, GE, PBS and dozens of other brands. Ciani has gone on to cultivate new audiences through her quadraphonic concerts that she produces using an updated version of the same synthesizer that she played as a student at UC Berkeley in the late-1960s, the Buchla 200E. We’ll talk with Ciani about her career, how California inspires her and hear excerpts from her upcoming concert series that celebrates the 40th anniversary of her breakthrough album “Seven Waves.” Guests: Suzanne Ciani, music composer, performer

With the soaring cost of college tuition, which at some private universities can hit over $80,000 a year, it’s not surprising that over 85% of American families apply for financial aid. A critical step in that process is completing the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. But this year, the Education Department’s rollout of a new form has been bedeviled by delays and technical problems that are affecting the admissions process for colleges, students and their families. Some universities are rolling back enrollment deadlines while others are waiting in hope that the issues will resolve. We’ll talk with financial aid experts and hear from you: Are you applying for financial aid? How has that process been for you? Guests: Eric Hoover, senior writer, Chronicle of Higher Education Anna Takahashi, director of college counseling, Eastside College Preparatory School, East Palo Alto Sonia Jethani, associate vice president, financial aid, Cal State East Bay Jake Brymner, deputy director of policy & public affairs, California Student Aid Commission

Have you ever wondered why you keep forgetting where you put your keys? Or the name of a stranger you met at a party? It’s easy to dwell on our everyday forgetfulness, especially as we get older. But for UC Davis neuroscientist and psychologist Dr. Charan Ranganath, the more important question is “why do we remember?” He says that brains have evolved to deprioritize unimportant things in favor of information that can help us survive and navigate a changing world. “Our memory is much, much more than an archive of the past; it is the prism through which we see others and the world.” We talk to Ranganath about how memory works and how better to remember the things that matter. His new book is “Why We Remember.” Guest: Charan Ranganath, professor of psychology and neuroscience, UC Davis, where he leads the Dynamic Memory Lab. His new book is "Why We Remember"

In this era of dramatic videos of smash and grab robberies going viral and drug stores locking up many of their shelves, retail theft is getting a lot of attention. Police departments are making fewer arrests and solving fewer property crimes. Are shoplifting and “smash and grabs” really on the rise, or are we just noticing them more? Either way there is a growing movement to crack down on thieves and reform sentencing laws. A proposed ballot initiative would roll back portions Prop. 47, a California law that reduced prison sentences for petty crimes including shoplifting. We’ll examine the complicated relationship between retail theft, law enforcement and threat of punishment, and what it means for you. Guests: Charis Kubrin, professor, University of California, Irvine Department of Criminology, Law and Society Jeff Reisig, district attorney, Yolo County Marisa Lagos, politics correspondent, KQED; co-host of KQED's Political Breakdown show Rick Chavez Zbur, member, California State Assembly. Zbur represents the 51st Assembly District that includes West Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica

Enlistment in the U.S. military has been in continuous decline since its peak during the Vietnam War. Evolving societal attitudes towards military service, as well as demographic shifts and competition from the private sector have drawn many young people away from serving. One major hurdle is the diminishing pool of eligible candidates, with factors such as obesity rates, educational requirements and drug use impacting the recruitment pool. We’ll talk about what it means for a country to struggle to staff its all-volunteer military and the lengths recruiters are going to fill its ranks in California and nationwide. Guests: Beth Asch, senior economist and PhD in economics, Rand Corporation Roberto Camacho, race, equity, and social justice reporter

Three of five seats on the Napa County Board of Supervisors are up for grabs this year. The results could have major implications in a county known worldwide for its wine industry. The winning candidates will have to tackle controversial issues such as how and where agriculture can expand in the county, how to support the workforce, and how to protect the environment amid demand for housing and commercial development. We’ll talk about the election and Napa’s future. Guests: David McCuan, Professor and Chair, department of political science, Sonoma State University Dan Evans, executive editor, Napa Valley Register Carlos Cabrera-Lomeli, community engagement reporter, KQED Nisa Khan, audience engagement reporter, KQED

When Elon Musk bought Twitter in 2022, he envisioned remaking the company into what he thought should be a “free speech platform.” What ensued was chaos, mass firings and a steep decline in advertising revenue for the already financially struggling company. In her new book “Extremely Hardcore,” Zoe Schiffer tracks Musk’s takeover of the platform, now known as X, and its effects on those who worked for him. We talk to her about the history and future of Elon Musk’s Twitter and hear about your recent experiences on the platform. Guests: Zoe Schiffer, managing editor, Platformer - author, "Extremely Hardcore: Inside Elon Musk’s Twitter"

According to relationship experts, Drs. Julie and John Gottman, it is perfectly OK to go to bed angry. Sometimes a couple needs time to calm down and reset. As they note, “Fights can get intense and messy…We get hijacked by our emotions, our pasts, our old hurts. But if you can get at what’s underneath, there’s so much compassion and understanding.” In their latest book, “Fight Right,” the Gottmans explode misconceptions about fighting and share ways to get through conflict and find connection. We talk to the Gottmans and hear from you: how do you handle conflict in your relationship? Guests: Julie Schwartz Gottman, co-author "Fight Right: How Successful Couples Turn Conflict into Connection" - Schwartz Gottman is a clinical psychologist, therapist and researcher and with her husband Dr. John Gottman, is the co-founder and president of the Gottman Institute. John Gottman, co-author "Fight Right: How Successful Couples Turn Conflict into Connection" - Gottman is a psychologist, researcher, therapist, and with his wife Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman, he is the co-founder, The Gottman Institute.

Grass-roots groups like Moms for Liberty have turned school boards into battlegrounds in California and nationwide, fighting for control over kids’ classroom discussions and reading materials – often at the expense of marginalized communities. But is this a new battle, or the latest in a line of conservative parenting movements? We talk with journalists and historians about previous education showdowns – from the “red scare” of the 1950s to sex education – and examine the lasting role that Republican women have played in shaping school and state politics. Guests: Kathleen Quillian, producer of "Bedrock, USA" podcast; co-host and producer of podcast mini-series "The School Board Queen" Michelle Nickerson, professor of history at Loyola University Chicago; author of "Mothers of Conservatism: Women and the Postwar Right" and "Spiritual Criminals: How the Camden 28 Put the Vietnam War on Trial" Ishani Desai, breaking news reporter, The Sacramento Bee

San Jose, the Bay Area’s largest city, grew at the peak of car-heavy, sprawling urban planning. Most of its nearly one million residents live in single-family homes. These days, many California cities are looking for ways to concentrate more residents near transit to reduce carbon emissions, improve livability and address the Bay Area’s housing crisis. But even with the best intentions and a new mentality, can cities reinvent sprawl into dense, walkable neighborhoods? We’ll talk about San Jose’s attempt to shift toward density and what other cities can learn from it. Guests: Adhiti Bandlamudi, housing reporter, KQED Chris Elmendorf, housing professor, University of California, Davis, School of Law Michael Brilliot, deputy director of planning, city of San Jose

Cold water therapy has been around for a long time, as part of spiritual traditions and physical recovery programs for athletes. But a commercialized version known as “cold plunging” has become the latest wellness craze. Enthusiasts who embrace it as a daily practice say it has benefits ranging from boosting immunity to combating depression and improving sleep. But are these claims backed by science? We talk about what’s driving the urge to plunge and how to do it safely, and we’ll hear from you: Have you tried cold water therapy? Has it worked for you? Guests: Charlie Warzel, staff writer, The Atlantic; author, "Galaxy Brain" a newsletter about the internet and big ideas. Dr. Mark Harper, anesthesiologist; researcher; author, "Chill: The Cold Water Swim Cure"; co-creator, Chill UK - a nonprofit committed to providing courses in cold-water swimming to improve mental health

According to a recent report from GoFundMe, the site has raised $30 billion, since 2010, for fundraising campaigns around the world. Crowdfunding, as a concept, is not new. One of the first crowdfunders was an 1885 appeal to pay for the base of the Statue of Liberty, resulting in thousands of donations, some just mere pennies. Today, donors can help pay for disaster relief, medical treatments, classroom supplies, and more with a click of a button. But are these donations going to those who need the most help? And what does it say about our society that people need to create campaigns to pay for basic needs? We’ll talk to experts about crowdfunding, and hear from you: Have you run a crowdfunding campaign or benefitted from one? Guests: Tony Cookson, professor of finance, Leeds School of Business at University of Colorado Boulder Jeremy Snyder, professor of health sciences, Simon Fraser University; author, "Appealing to the Crowd: The Ethical, Political, and Practical Dimensions of Donation-Based Crowdfunding" Una Osili, associate dean, Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University