KQED's Forum

Hate crimes against Jews and Muslims in the U.S. are reaching all time highs according to the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism. Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, three college students wearing Palestinian scarves were shot in Vermont, synagogues have been targets of gunshots and vandalism, and reports of physical assaults against Jews and Muslims are rapidly rising. Fears of physical violence have many wondering if they should remove headscarves and yarmulkes. We’ll talk to experts about the rise in hate and how Muslims and Jews around the region are coping.Guests:Dov Waxman, political science professor, UCLA; director, UCLA Y&S Nazarian Center for Israel Studies; Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Chair, UCLA Israel StudiesMaha Elgenaidi, founder and executive director, Islamic Networks Group - a nonprofit focused on building understanding of Muslim and other marginalized groupsRuth Ferguson, activist; co-writer, San Francisco Chronicle op-ed "As San Francisco Muslims and Jews, We've Always Felt Safe in Our City. Until Now."Nadia Rahman, founder, Rahman Consulting. Rahman co-wrote the San Francisco Chronicle opinion essay, "As San Francisco Muslims and Jews, We've Always Felt Safe in Our City. Until Now." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Health officials in Gaza report that at least 18,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Israel began its bombardment of the region, in retaliation for Hamas’s October 7 attack that left 1200 Israelis dead and 240 more taken hostage. The war has created increasingly desperate conditions in Gaza as its health care system collapses, food and water shortages worsen and the vast majority of residents remain displaced. The humanitarian situation is leading to growing international calls for a ceasefire and demands from U.S. officials that Israel do more to protect civilians while the war continues. We’ll learn more about conditions on the ground in Gaza and whether and to what extent Israel and Hamas are violating international rules of armed conflict.Guests:David Scheffer, senior fellow, Council on Foreign Relations; former U.S. ambassador-at-large for war crimes, Clinton Administration; contributor, International Criminal Court; professor of practice, Arizona State UniversityBel Trew, chief international correspondent, The Independent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During the past year, Bay Area artists including Chicana songstress La Doña, homegrown rapper and producer Afterthought and Oakland indie singer-songwriter Madeline Kenney dropped new albums proving that our region remains a hotbed of musical talent. The genres and styles of music coming out of the Bay also reflect the diversity of thoughts and backgrounds of our region’s people. For this hour of Forum, we’re teaming up with KQED music writers to showcase their favorite albums of 2023 from Bay Area artists you need to have on your playlist. And, we’ll bring you a special live performance from one of the featured artists.Guests:Nastia Voynovskaya, associate editor, KQED ArtsPendarvis "Pen" Harshaw, columnist, KQED Arts; host, KQED's "Rightnowish" podcastAlan Chazaro, food reporter, KQED; poet; educatorAfterthought, San Francisco rapper and producer, the 2023 album "Communal Healing" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Millions of Californians rely on CalFresh’s benefits to feed their families. But ever since emergency federal contributions to the program ended back in April, food banks across the state say they’re serving record numbers. One in five Californians is food insecure, according to a CalMatters report published in August, but getting accurate accounting presents its own challenges, as various ethnic and racial groups may be underreporting due to stigmas they associate with aid. We’ll find out what those challenges are and discuss what resources are available for all Californians.Guests:Jeanne Kuang, reporter, CalMattersAmanda C McClain, assistant professor, San Diego State UniversityBetzabel Estudillo, director of engagement, Nourish CA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former U.S. housing secretary and presidential candidate Julian Castro joins us to talk about his new role as CEO of the San Francisco-based Latino Community Foundation. The foundation, which has raised more than $100 million in the last decade, is the largest statewide organization that supports Latino-centered programs. Castro has spent most of his career in Texas, including his tenure as mayor of San Antonio, but he and his twin brother, Joaquin, earned their undergraduate degrees at Stanford University. We’ll talk with Castro about what he will bring to his new job and his vision to expand the foundation outside of California.Guests:Julián Castro, newly appointed CEO, Latino Community Foundation; former U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary and former Democratic presidential candidate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Despite financial challenges in the podcast industry, 2023 produced high-quality and diverse podcasts. Top recommendations include 'Re-Dracula' and 'What's the Frequency?' for unique storytelling, the impact of a hate crime in restorative justice, and exploration of self-worth in 'Wait for It'. Challenges discussed include being candid and honest while balancing vulnerability, and the state of podcasting amid recent layoffs at Spotify. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination's impact is also explored, with 'Your Wrong About' and 'I Said No Gifts' among listener favorites.

Legendary Arhoolie Records founder Chris Strachwitz transversed the United States and Mexico for decades recording traditional roots music and unknown artists. The El Cerrito-based producer, who died last year, was known for his ear for music, but he also had an eye for capturing images. More than 150 of those photos documenting his travels and recording sessions are collected in a new book, “Arhoolie Records Down Home Music: The Stories and Photographs of Chris Strachwitz.” Co-author and veteran music journalist Joel Selvin joins us to talk about Strachwitz’s art and legacy.Guests:Joel Selvin, San Francisco-based music journalist and author. His latest book is "Arhoolie Records: Down Home Music" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Humanitarian conditions in Gaza have become increasingly desperate as Israeli forces intensified bombardments in the southern part of the region this week, now leaving most of Gaza’s 2.2 million residents displaced, thousands dead and electricity, food and water in short supply. Two months after Hamas’s deadly attack on Israel, we take stock of the war that’s ensued, its devastating impact on civilians and what a path toward a peaceful settlement could look like.Guests:Steve Coll, staff writer, The New Yorker; former dean, Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University. His books include "Ghost Wars," which won a Pulitzer Prize.Adam Goldman, reporter covering national security, New York Times Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you get to the part of the ballot that asks you to vote for a local judge, have you ever thought, “am I qualified to make this decision?” While federal court trial and appellate judges are appointed and enjoy lifetime tenures, state court judges often have to run for election or re-election, and most voters have scant information on the candidates. In California, you can run to be a judge if you have been a lawyer for ten years, no trial experience necessary. And while we expect judges to be neutral, can they be when they have to run for office and take campaign donations? In our next installment of our “Doing Democracy” series, we look at what it means when judges have to stand for election.Guests:Michael S Kang, professor, Northwestern School of Law. Kang is the co-author of "Free to Judge: The Power of Campaign Money in Judicial Elections." He served on the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United StatesJudge LaDoris Hazzard Cordell, retired judge, Superior Court of California. She is the author of "Her Honor: My Life on the Bench...What Works, What's Broken and How to Change It"Teresa Johnson, incoming president, Bar Association of San Francisco. Johnson is a partner at the law firm Arnold & Porter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover how to navigate misinformation online, including strategies like fact-checking and lateral reading. Learn about the importance of media literacy education and the challenges of understanding statistics and research. Explore the pitfalls of relying on single studies and the strategy of critical ignoring. Lastly, delve into the newly signed bill in California that mandates media literacy in schools.