KQED's Forum

2020 has been a tough year so far and we’re all figuring out how to feel all the different feelings that come up in these unprecedented times. One way people cope with stress and uncertainty is with music. So Forum is launching a special series that will feature a different song every Friday that's "getting you through" feelings of anxiety or grief, or a track that's helping you escape and keep your spirits up. To kick things off, we'll hear some of the songs KQED staff are turning to and we want to hear from you: what’s the music or song that’s getting you through these days? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New CDC guidelines for asymptomatic coronavirus testing caused an uproar this week. The advice was that people who’ve been exposed to the coronavirus but don’t have symptoms shouldn’t get tested. But then, in an unusual clarification, the CDC walked that back. Meanwhile, the FDA gave “emergency use authorization” to a rapid antigen test that costs only $5. Also this week, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a deal with a diagnostics lab to more than double test processing capacity in California. We’ll explain what these developments mean and which could help open schools and bring our economy back to life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ll recap the week in politics, including President Trump’s acceptance speech last night at the Republican National Convention, and the continuing racial justice protests. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the 2020 election just over two months away, it’s time to start thinking about the logistics of voting. To make voting easier and safer during the pandemic, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill back in May to mail every active registered voter a ballot. But many voters have concerns, such as questions about signature requirements and how to cast a ballot if you’re experiencing homelessness or displacement and don’t have a mailing address. These issues are compounded by the pressure put on the already-struggling U.S. Postal Service to handle an expected record number of mail-in ballots. We’ll answer your questions on how to vote this November. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Wednesday, players for the Milwaukee Bucks declined to take the court for game 5 of their playoff series with the Orlando Magic, to protest the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin. The Bucks' action started a ripple effect, where all of Wednesday's games were canceled and more of the league's players, like LeBron James and others, spoke out against police brutality. Wednesday also marked four years since former NFL player Colin Kaepernick first took a knee in protest against racial inequality and police brutality. We'll discuss the latest news and what impact the NBA player strike could have on the greater movement to end racism in the U.S. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake continue in Wisconsin, the state's Democratic governor Tony Evers, called up an additional 500 National Guard troops Wednesday. Earlier that day, officials arrested a 17-year-old gunman accused of killing two people and injuring another during Tuesday nights protests. Meanwhile the NBA postponed three playoff games after the Milwaukee Bucks refused to take the floor in solidarity with the protests. We'll get an update on the protests and the investigation into Blake shooting, which left him partially paralyzed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ll get an update on the Bay Area wildfires. Then--everything you want to know about wildfire, but are afraid to ask. What does "containment" mean? How big is an acre? What kinds of vegetation are likely to burn? Which is worse - when flames "back down" or "lay down"? We'll talk to firefighters and others who can translate these terms for the rest of us.  We’ll also hear what it’s like getting up close to the fires and how best to protect your home from wildfire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump advisor Kimberly Guilfoyle threw blows at her home state during the Republican National Convention on Monday, saying Democrats turned California into “a land of discarded heroin needles in parks, riots in streets and blackouts in homes.” KQED politics reporter Guy Marzorati will recap what has happened and preview what’s to come during the remainder of the convention. Later in the hour, we’ll talk with award-winning investigative journalist Jean Guerrero about her new book, “Hatemonger: Stephen Miller, Donald Trump and the White Nationalist Agenda.” Guerrero details how Stephen Miller rose to the rank of speechwriter and senior adviser to President Trump by pushing divisive policies like the Muslim ban and family separation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wednesday marks the start of classes at the University of California, Berkeley. Like other colleges and universities across the country, the school is trying  to adapt to the coronavirus pandemic while also facing a $340 million budget deficit. At the same, the nation is grappling with demands for social justice and racial equity -- struggles Berkeley has long wrestled with. “I don’t know of any time more difficult in my lived life as this one,” said UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ earlier this month during an address to the campus community. In this hour, we talk with Christ about how the university is responding to the pandemic, student needs, and financial challenges. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A wide swath of stressors -- the coronavirus pandemic, economic recession, wildfires, upcoming election, remote learning, and racism, to name a few -- are putting a major strain on people’s mental health. Any one of those situations can be enough to trigger depression, anxiety and stress, let alone dealing with several at once. The cumulative toll is impacting the mental, physical, and emotional state of millions of Californians. In this hour, we talk with experts about how to cope with the current surge of troubles many are experiencing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices