KQED's Forum
KQED
Forum tells remarkable and true stories about who we are and where we live. In the first hour, Alexis Madrigal convenes the diverse voices of the Bay Area, before turning to Mina Kim for the second hour to chronicle and center Californians’ experience. In an increasingly divided world, Mina and Alexis host conversations that inform, challenge and unify listeners with big ideas and different viewpoints.Want to call/submit your comments during our live Forum program Mon-Fri, 9am-11am? We'd love to hear from you! Please dial 866.SF.FORUM or (866) 733-6786 or email forum@kqed.org, tweet, or post on Facebook.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 20, 2026 • 55min
California Confronts the Cesar Chavez Allegations
Matthew J. Garcia, Dartmouth professor and movement historian. Miriam Pawel, journalist and Chavez biographer. Manny Fernandez, NYT California editor-at-large and investigator. They discuss the New York Times investigation into sexual abuse allegations, how archives and reporting corroborated survivors, debates over renaming Cesar Chavez Day, and how movement culture and leadership shaped responses.
Mar 20, 2026 • 52min
How Food Delivery Apps Are Changing the Way We Eat In – And Out
Tony Gemignani, pizza chef and restaurateur, shares hands-on operational tales with delivery platforms. Laurie Thomas, longtime San Francisco restaurateur and industry director, discusses policy and business pressures. Corey Mintz, food journalist and author, analyzes how apps reshaped restaurant models and consumer habits. They chat about fees, delivery’s effect on food identity, packaging waste, and changing ordering culture.
Mar 19, 2026 • 52min
What Do Rising Gas Prices Mean for Californians?
Alejandro Lazo, a CalMatters climate reporter covering California energy impacts, and Severin Borenstein, an energy markets professor at UC Berkeley, break down rising pump prices. They discuss how the Iran war and Strait of Hormuz disruptions drive global oil spikes. They explain why California pays more, inventory and SPR limits, pipeline restarts, and who feels the pinch most.
Mar 19, 2026 • 55min
Fighting for Internet Privacy in an Increasingly Surveilled World
Cindy Cohn, longtime Electronic Frontier Foundation leader and author on digital rights and privacy. She recounts early EFF battles over encryption and AT&T wiretapping. She discusses commercial tracking, license-plate readers, spyware in domestic abuse, and how AI magnifies mass surveillance. She explains why privacy is a check on power and outlines strategies for surveillance self-defense.
Mar 18, 2026 • 52min
Do Airlines Care About Basic Economy Passengers?
Andrea Sachs, travel reporter at The Washington Post who covers airline practices and passenger experience. She breaks down what basic economy actually restricts. She explains baggage and boarding rules, shifting loyalty perks, fees and revenue strategies. She also covers TSA slowdowns, fuel-driven route changes, and practical travel tips for navigating today’s tighter air travel landscape.
Mar 18, 2026 • 55min
Celebrating the ‘Unsung Heroines’ of the Bay Area
Rae Alexandra, KQED Arts & Culture writer and author of Unsung Heroines, mines forgotten Bay Area women’s histories. She shares stories of trailblazing cooks, nurses, doctors, activists and reporters. Short vignettes span 19th to 21st centuries and highlight grassroots protest, archival sleuthing, and the surprising origins of institutions now central to the region.
Mar 17, 2026 • 52min
Ibram X. Kendi Chronicles Impact and Spread of ‘Great Replacement Theory'
Ibram X. Kendi, Howard University history professor and author known for How to Be an Antiracist, traces the rise and spread of great replacement theory. He explains its core claims, how it fuels authoritarian politics, its historical roots and global mutations. The conversation covers examples, scapegoating tactics, demographic fears, and democracy as a counterforce.
12 snips
Mar 17, 2026 • 54min
What's Behind the Great Crime Decline?
Jeff Asher, crime data analyst who tracks city-level trends; Magnus Lofstrom, criminal justice policy director focused on California; Alex Piquero, criminology professor and former Bureau of Justice Statistics director. They explore long and short-term crime trends, city-by-city timing, policing and enforcement tactics, technology and data gaps, demographic and structural influences, and why pinpointing causes matters for policy.
Mar 16, 2026 • 55min
Should Californians Have to Show ID to Vote?
Lindsey Holden, a California politics reporter at Politico, explains the specifics and political context of the proposed voter ID initiative. Christian Grose, USC political scientist and elections expert, discusses evidence on fraud and how ID rules affect turnout. They walk through logistics, who stands to be affected, differing proposals, and the practical costs and consequences of implementing stricter ID requirements.
Mar 16, 2026 • 55min
We’re in for a Major Heat Wave
Daniel Swain, climate scientist at UCANR and noted weather communicator, explains a record-shattering March heat dome. He describes how Pacific conditions and a Kona low amplify the ridge. He outlines consequences for Sierra snowpack, rapid melt and water storage, plus implications for wildfire risk and regional runoff timing.
