KQED's Forum

Explore the art and practice of journaling with an author, a comedian, and a therapist. They discuss how journaling can help with personal growth, self-reflection, and creativity. They share different techniques, including nature journaling, and the impact of journaling on processing and healing from traumatic experiences.

“Our national mythos,” writes historian Blair LM Kelley, “leaves little room for Black workers, or to glean any lessons from their history.” Kelley’s latest book “Black Folk” offers a corrective, focusing on the lives of Black working people after the Southern Emancipation, the challenges they faced bringing their skills to bear and the networks of resistance they formed. Kelley’s book is also personal, grounded in the stories of her own ancestors, including her great, great grandfather, a highly skilled blacksmith who was enslaved. We’ll talk to Kelley about the origins of the Black working class and about the people who animate it, then and now.Guests:Blair LM Kelley, Blair LM Kelley, author, "Black Folk: The Roots of the Black Working Class." She is the Joel R. Williamson Distinguished Professor of Southern Studies, director of the Center for the Study of the American South, and co-director of Southern Futures at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bernie Krause has spent more than 50 years capturing the sounds of nature and examining how animals make harmonious ecosystem soundscapes. His art installation, The Great Animal Orchestra, combining Krause’s audio recordings with stunning visuals representing the frequencies of animal sounds is on display at the Exploratorium in San Francisco. The exhibition features rich soundscapes of dozens of animal species from across the globe, including the Amazon Rainforest and the depths of the Pacific Ocean, but Krause says the silences in the recordings also tell a story– of populations in decline, nearing extinction, or being drowned out by encroaching human-made noise. We’ll talk to Krause about the sounds and silences in the natural world.Guests:Bernie Krause, soundscape ecologist; author, "The Great Animal Orchestra: Finding the Origins of Music in the World's Wild Places" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The tap water in Southern and Central California’s urban areas are among the U.S. regions most exposed to PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” according to a recent study by the U.S. Geological Survey. Almost half the tap water in the United States contains one or more PFAS, high levels of which are linked to health issues like infertility and cancer, the study found. It’s raising questions about water quality in a state where more than 1 million people already lack access to safe water, especially in low-income, disadvantaged communities. Still, “drinking water across California is largely safe,” according to the Pacific Institute. We’ll look at the state of tap water in California and talk with experts about how to make sure your drinking water is safe.Related link(s):  EWG’s Tap Water Database: Look up your local water system to find out which pollutants might be of concern, and find suggestions on the best kinds of home filters to remove those chemicals EWG’s Water Filter Guide Guests:Susana De Anda, co-founder and executive director, Community Water Center - a nonprofit environmental justice organization based in California’s San Joaquin ValleyE. Joaquin Esquivel, chair, California State Water Resources Control BoardGregory Pierce, director, Human Right to Water Solutions Lab - UCLA Luskin Center for InnovationTasha Stoiber, senior scientist, Environmental Working Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Faced with more than 500 lawsuits stemming from clergy sexual abuse, the San Francisco Catholic diocese last week said it had no choice but to seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone wrote, “the bankruptcy process is the best way to provide a compassionate and equitable solution” for abuse survivors. But victims say the bankruptcy is just a ploy to deprive them of justice and their day in court. San Francisco’s move to seek bankruptcy relief follows similar filings by the Oakland and Santa Rosa dioceses, following multiple clergy abuse lawsuits. Across the country, more than 30 dioceses have have sought bankruptcy protection. We’ll talk with experts about what it all means for the church, its faithful, and abuse survivors.Guests:Sophia Bollag, reporter, San Francisco ChronicleMichael O'Loughlin, national correspnodent and associate editor, America: The Jesuit Review - O'Loughlin has covered the Catholic church for both the Boston Globe and Crux. He is the author of "Hidden Mercy: AIDS, Catholics and the Untold Stories of Compassion in the Face of Fear"Joey Piscitelli, northwest group leader, SNAP (Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests) - Piscitelli, a survivor of clergy abuse, won a judgment against the Salesian order following a trial in 2006 in Contra Costa CountyMarie Reilly, professor of Law, Penn State University - Reilly is an expert in bankruptcy. Her published work includes studies of Catholic dioceses in bankruptcyRick Simons , attorney, Simons is counsel or co-counsel on 75 individual clergy abuse lawsuits filed in Northern California. He also serves as the Northern California court liaison for the 1,600 clergy abuse cases filed against various Northern California dioceses Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover practical ways to protect yourself and your community from wildfires while understanding their impact on ecosystems. Learn about advances in US forest management and strategies to build resilient homes and communities. Explore the concept of solastalgia and the importance of experiencing life that quickly returns to recently burned landscapes.

Cristina García’s new novel, “Vanishing Maps,” is a sequel to her widely acclaimed debut, “Dreaming in Cuban,” published 30 years ago. The novels follow the del Pinos, a Cuban family disconnected by political allegiances, borders, and immigration. In “Vanishing Maps” the family has scattered beyond Cuba and New York to distant corners of Berlin, Los Angeles, and Moscow. The younger generations are far removed from Cuba, but the island remains a central force in their longings for home and family. García, who was recently a visiting professor at University of San Francisco and resident playwright at Central Works Theater in Berkeley, joins us to talk about how her characters forge bonds and confront borders –- both real and imagined.Guests:Cristina García, author of eight novels including "Dreaming in Cuban," "A Handbook to Luck," "The Lady Matador’s Hotel," "King of Cuba," and "Vanishing Maps." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Americans are doing a lot more of their shopping online, and thanks to generous return policies we’re also sending back more of the stuff that doesn’t fit, doesn’t work or just doesn’t look like its JPG. Many of us even regularly buy clothes in multiple sizes and colors and simply send back anything that we don’t like the look of. But very little of what we return, from bathing suits to defective barbeque grills, is repaired or resold as new. Returned inventory created 9.5 billion pounds of landfill waste last year, according to one estimate. And the shipping of returned inventory in the US, to retailers, resellers and repairers, emitted over 24 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2022. We’ll talk about the logistics of the reverse supply chain and the environmental consequences of all the stuff we buy and don’t want.Guests:Amanda Mull, staff writer, The Atlantic - who writes the column “Material World” on American consumerismTobin Moore, co-founder and principal, Optoro - a returns technology company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Researchers at UCSF have developed a digital avatar to convey the words and facial expressions of a woman with severe paralysis by transmitting her brain activity. They published their results a week after scientists at UC Berkeley announced that they successfully recreated music by recording the brain waves of patients while they listened to songs. We’ll talk with researchers on both projects about the rapidly developing advances in our ability to decode signals in the human brain and the promise of neuroprosthetics to help people regain the ability to speak.Guests:Robert Knight, professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, UC BerkeleyAlex Silva, MD-PhD student of Medicine and Bioengineering, University of California San Francisco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover the power of intergenerational friendships and their impact on well-being. Explore the benefits of cross-generational connections and the challenges of age segregation. Hear inspiring stories of friendship that defy age differences. Learn how intergenerational friendships challenge ageism and support LGBTQ+ communities. Explore the impact of ageism during the pandemic and the importance of consistent friendships. Hear personal stories of connection and support, and the joy of shared activities. Experience the positive effects of intergenerational relationships.