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
Oct 28, 2025 • 55min
In Search of Home Part 4: Strategies For Building Permanent Homes for the Unhoused
Patrick Kennedy, owner of Panoramic Interests, shares his innovative Step Up Housing project, showcasing how micro-units can maximize small lots. Carolina Reid, a UC Berkeley professor, explains the vulnerabilities of extremely low-income households and critiques current policies. Matt Franklin of MidPen Housing discusses the complexities of financing permanent supportive housing and emphasizes its positive outcomes. Together, they tackle the Bay Area’s housing crisis, advocating for collaborative and streamlined approaches to build lasting, affordable homes.
5 snips
Oct 27, 2025 • 55min
When Everyone’s a Critic, Who Should You Trust?
Angelica Jade Bastién, a sharp film and pop culture critic at Vulture, teams up with Kelefa Sanneh, a seasoned music writer for The New Yorker. They dive into the current landscape of cultural criticism, debating the decline of traditional reviews versus the rise of social media voices. Angelica emphasizes that film criticism fosters deeper engagement, while Kelefa navigates how critics help sift through the content overload. They also discuss the challenges of maintaining credibility amid a sea of amateur opinions, and reflect on the evolving role of critics in today's world.
Oct 27, 2025 • 55min
Trump Ramps Up Military Strikes and Troops Near Venezuela, Amid Questions About Goals and Legality // California Condors Alight in the East Bay After 100 Year Absence
Featured guests include Eric Schmidt, a senior national security correspondent at The New York Times, and Hisele Selim Payer, an associate editor at The Atlantic specializing in Latin America. They discuss the Pentagon's controversial military actions near Venezuela, raising legal concerns and potential regime-change risks. Harold Koh provides insight into the legality of these strikes. The conversation shifts to the remarkable recovery of California condors, with Danae Mouton highlighting their return to the East Bay and ongoing ecological challenges.
Oct 24, 2025 • 55min
What’s Your Favorite Children’s Book?
Boris Kachka and Emma Sarappo from The Atlantic dive into the world of children's literature with their curated list of 65 essential books. They discuss what makes a book 'essential,' exploring criteria like distinctiveness and emotional depth. The pair highlights the significance of favorites such as 'Sylvester and the Magic Pebble' and 'School's First Day of School' for managing emotions. Listeners join in, sharing their beloved titles, while the editors reflect on the joys of storytelling and why children's literature holds a special place in our lives.
4 snips
Oct 24, 2025 • 55min
You Can Buy a Burrito on Installment. But Should You?
Julie Margetta Morgan, President of the Century Foundation and former CFPB director, delves into the complexities of buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) services and their surprising impacts on consumer behavior. Amy X. Wang, a New York Times Magazine story editor, shares cautionary tales of emotional spending resulting from these services. Annie Joy Williams, from The Atlantic, discusses personal experiences with BNPL and its marketing tactics targeting women. Together, they explore the blurry line between convenience and debt, highlighting necessary regulatory changes.
14 snips
Oct 23, 2025 • 55min
David Brooks on 'Why America Needs a Mass Movement – Now'
David Brooks, an opinion columnist for The New York Times and PBS NewsHour contributor, discusses the pressing need for a mass movement to counter the rise of populist authoritarianism. He questions the absence of a robust resistance and argues that Trumpism could persist for a generation. Brooks suggests leveraging stories and historical movements to unite diverse groups against authoritarianism. He emphasizes the importance of deepening our connections with others to build meaningful alliances and reclaim patriotism through social mobility.
Oct 23, 2025 • 55min
Fired Federal Immigration Judges Speak Out
Chloe Dillon and Elisa Brasil, both former federal immigration judges, delve into the troubling firings during the Trump administration. Chloe highlights how these dismissals jeopardize due process for millions of immigrants and how the immigration court system has deteriorated. They discuss the heavy burdens on judges, the rushed nature of asylum hearings, and the impact of expedited removals on legal rights. Tyche Hendricks adds insights on community reactions and the broader implications for immigrant populations in the Bay Area.
Oct 22, 2025 • 55min
California Takes On Potent Synthetic Drug 7-OH
Lester Black, cannabis editor at SFGATE, and Dr. Brian Hurley, an addiction physician, delve into the alarming rise of 7-OH, a potent synthetic derivative of kratom. They discuss its shocking potency—over ten times that of morphine—and the troubling accessibility of this drug in gas stations. Black shares personal stories of rapid addiction, while Hurley highlights the concerning local overdose statistics. Together, they explore public health responses, treatment challenges, and the potential impact of banning this dangerous substance.
Oct 22, 2025 • 55min
How Intelligence – Both Human and Artificial – Happens
Join Jay McClelland, a Stanford professor specializing in neural networks, and Gaurav Suri, a computational neuroscientist at San Francisco State, as they delve into how both human and artificial intelligence operate. They explore how simple, interconnected neural units create complex behaviors and the importance of top-down expectations in perception. The duo also discusses consciousness, the challenges of reading memories from brain scans, and AI's limitations in common sense. Together, they reveal how understanding these concepts can bridge the gap between minds and machines.
Oct 21, 2025 • 55min
Rabbi Calls for Boundless Compassion Amid Divides
Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, Senior Rabbi of Central Synagogue in NYC and author of "Heart of a Stranger," discusses the challenges of expressing empathy amidst political divides. She reveals her fear of discussing Israel due to concerns about community fallout and reflects on shared suffering after crises. Buchdahl emphasizes the dangers of a zero-sum empathy mindset, linking her biracial upbringing to her commitment to compassion. She also highlights the importance of storytelling and listening as pathways to repair emotional connections and foster understanding.
