

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

Dec 16, 2021 • 21min
What Steph Curry's New Three-Point Record Means for His Legacy
The Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry set a new NBA record for career three-pointers on Tuesday. His career total is now 2,977, surpassing Ray Allen’s record set in 2014. "I never wanted to call myself the greatest shooter until I got this record,” Curry said in a post-game press conference, “So I'm comfortable saying that now." We'll talk about Curry’s historic achievement, his legacy and how he’s changed the way basketball is played with The Athletic columnist Marcus Thompson, author of "Golden: The Miraculous Rise of Steph Curry." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 16, 2021 • 36min
The Funny Little Ways Immigrant Parents Show Their Love
Cutting up fruit and delivering it to you without asking if you want it. Sending Google alerts about murders in your area. Sitting with you while you do hours of Kumon homework. These are a few of the ways immigrant parents show their love according to comedian Meghana Indurti, who has a recent New Yorker humor piece on the topic. Her TikToks featuring her stoic father, who didn’t say the words “I love you” until she was 22, have gone viral. We’ll talk to Indurti and we want to hear from you. How have your immigrant parents expressed their affection? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 15, 2021 • 56min
Culture Writer Anne Helen Peterson on ‘the Escalating Costs of Being Single in America’
According to a recent Pew study, a rising percentage of adults in the U.S. are living without a spouse or partner. But U.S. social policy still tends to value families over individuals – reflected in the structure of everything from our tax codes to social security and workplace benefits. As a result, according to the same Pew study, unpartnered adults generally have worse economic and social status outcomes than those who are married or cohabiting. In a story for The Goods by Vox, culture writer and author Anne Helen Petersen asks “what would it look like to create small systems of care for one another that go beyond one other individual?” Petersen joins us to consider that question and talk about the escalating costs of being single in the U.S. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 15, 2021 • 56min
A Mother’s Journey to Save Her Daughter from Addiction, Homelessness
Laurie Ann Steves drove from Seattle to San Francisco last May to try to reconnect with her daughter, Jessica, who is addicted to fentanyl and lives on and off the streets of San Francisco. Steves joins us to share how she tried to intervene in her daughter’s life, just months after losing her son to addiction, and we’ll hear from the San Francisco Chronicle journalists who documented her efforts. As we enter the holiday season, which can be a particularly painful time for those wanting to connect with a loved one struggling with mental health problems, homelessness or drug addiction, we get advice from UCSF psychiatrist Dr. Fumi Mitsuishi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 14, 2021 • 22min
Jan. 6 Committee Refers Mark Meadows for Criminal Contempt Charge
"These text messages leave no doubt, the White House knew exactly what was happening at the Capitol," said Congresswoman Liz Cheney on Monday night at a meeting of the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the Capitol. Cheney, the ranking Republican on the committee, read a series of text messages former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows received on Jan. 6. The committee voted unanimously to refer Meadows for criminal contempt of Congress charges for refusing to cooperate with the investigation. We'll talk about new evidence made public last night about his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 14, 2021 • 36min
Dr. Anthony Fauci on the Fight Against Omicron
Dr. Anthony Fauci told ABC News on Sunday that Omicron's apparent ability to evade some protection from COVID vaccines is "sobering". But the good news, he said, is that boosters can dramatically increase the level of defense. We'll get the latest on the new variant from Fauci, including why he thinks we may not need Omicron-specific vaccines. Then, the Atlantic's Sarah Zhang joins us to take your questions on COVID and talk about her latest article "Omicron’s Explosive Growth Is a Warning Sign" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 14, 2021 • 22min
Study: Migrant Tech Workers Underpaid by Millions through Loophole in H-1B Program
An outsourcing loophole in the H-1B visa program has allowed tech companies to get away with underpaying their migrant workers by millions of dollars, according to a new report by the Economic Policy Institute. While the report focuses on the workers under the IT staffing firm HCL Technologies, the tactic of outsourcing labor to migrant workers and paying them less compared to their U.S. born counterparts to save money is all too common, the report claims. We’ll talk with the study’s co-author. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 14, 2021 • 36min
Governor Newsom Invokes Texas Abortion Law to Take on Guns in California
Following the Supreme Court’s decision last week not to block SB 8, the Texas law that bans abortions after 6 weeks of pregnancy and that also gives private citizens a right to sue anyone who “aids and abets” an abortion, an outraged California governor Gavin Newsom responded by stating he would use that law’s framework to address gun violence. “If the most efficient way to keep these devastating weapons off our streets is to add the threat of private lawsuits, we should do just that,” Newsom said in a statement. “California will use that authority to protect people’s lives,” declared the governor, “where Texas used it to put women in harm’s way.” We’ll discuss whether Newsom’s plan is legally viable and politically astute. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 13, 2021 • 56min
Our Complex, Evolving Relationship with 'Dangerous' Toys and Games
In a not-so-distant past, kids played with toys like Clackers that could shatter into sharp pieces, or lawn darts that caused serious injuries and deaths, or Suzy Homemaker dolls that reinforced gender stereotypes. “Dangerous Games: Treacherous Toys We Loved As Kids,” an exhibit at the Napa Valley Museum in Yountville, celebrates vintage toys and explores the physical and psychological harms some of them posed. We talk about the exhibit, why kids are drawn to dangerous toys and why they rouse so much nostalgia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 13, 2021 • 21min
Sea Level Rise Could Expose Californians to Toxic Pollutants
Sea levels are expected to rise by more than three feet before century’s end if meaningful action is not taken against climate change. The resulting flooding could impact more than 400 of California’s hazard sites, including power plants and toxic waste facilities— and expose hazardous pollutants to nearby residents. The neighbors of these sites are five times more likely to be people of color and low-income, prompting further environmental justice concerns. That’s all according to a recent statewide mapping project from UC Berkeley and UCLA environmental health professors. We’ll discuss the project’s findings and what can be done to address them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


