KQED's Forum
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KQED's Forum
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 Alex...
Recent Episodes
3174 episodes
‘When Trees Testify’ They Tell the Story of Black American History
In her new book “When Trees Testify,” plant biologist Beronda L. Montgomery examines the ways trees are intertwined with Black American history as wel...
How Much Do You Wanna Bet…On The News?
Gambling has crept into the news, with prediction markets offering betting odds on everything from Taylor Swift’s wedding date to the U.S. acquisition...
California’s Iranian Diaspora Despairs Over Brutal Crackdown
At least 2,600 protesters have been killed in Iran’s brutal crackdown on anti-government protests, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency...
Reflecting on Martin Luther King Jr.’s Legacy in the Age of Trump
In his second term as president, Donald Trump has dismantled programs that promote equality, fired Black officials from high ranking positions, and ha...
How to Be a 'Super Ager' With Dr. Eric Topol
Cardiologist and genetic researcher Dr. Eric Topol wrote the book on “Super Agers,” distilling everything that modern medicine can teach us about boos...
When Smoke Gets in Your Wine
Buttery notes. Hints of cherry. A wisp of chocolate. All are desirable tastes in wine. But what happens when the grapes have been exposed to wildfire...
How Are You Handling Increased Health Insurance Premiums?
Californians have until January 31 to sign up for health insurance provided by Covered California, the state’s Obamacare plan. Because Congress let he...
Concerns Over ICE Training and Tactics Reach Boiling Point
An ICE officer’s fatal shooting of Renee Macklin Good last week in Minneapolis—and the Trump administration’s response — have stirred both outrage and...
How Trump Redefined the Power of the Presidency One Year Into Second Term
President Donald Trump has redefined the authority of the American presidency. In a recent interview with the New York Times, he said he is constraine...
New California IVF Law Dramatically Expands Access
In vitro fertilization, or IVF, can cost upwards of $20,000 in California — for one cycle. For that reason, it’s put financial strain on many Californ...
Author Mo Willems on Inspiring Young Readers Through Interactive Stories
You may know Mo Willems from his books about “The Pigeon” – who asks, pleads, even demands to do things like drive a school bus. Or from unlikely best...
As Sea Levels Rise, What Will It Take to Protect the Bay Area From Flooding?
Marin Country rang in the New Year with the worst flooding in decades. Heavy storms combined with king tides turned parts of Highway 101 into lakes, p...
RFK's Vaccine and Dietary Directives and the Future of Public Health
Americans are getting their clearest picture yet of how thoroughly Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is remaking federal public health policy. In a move that’s dr...
Anger, Protests and Questions Follow ICE Shooting
The fatal shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis by a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer has sparked protests and anger in the Bay Are...
In Final State of the State, Governor Newsom Lays Out Vision for California in 2026
On Thursday, Governor Gavin Newsom delivered his final State of the State address laying out his vision for California – in contrast to what he calls...
What to Eat in the Bay Area in 2026
From convenience store pork chops to a distinct take on Peking duck, KQED food editor Luke Tsai discovered a lot of great dishes over the year. He joi...
What Are Your 2026 Predictions?
Get out your crystal ball, trust your spidey-senses and look back at 2025’s major takeaways, because it’s time to help us predict 2026. Whether you th...
Is This Menopausal Brain Fog Or Am I Losing My Mind?
When writer Anna Holmes began to get forgetful, she wondered if it was middle age, menopause or dementia-inflected memory loss. The brain fog made her...
What the Military Extraction of Venezuela's President Means for Global Politics and Oil
Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin has been sounding the alarm about creeping authoritarianism, warning of military forces on U.S. streets and extrajudic...
San Francisco Blackouts Raise Concerns about PG&E and Robotaxis
A blackout that left one-third of San Francisco customers without power – some up to three days – was one of six outages that plagued PG&E throughout...
‘Drug Story’ Explores the Disease Business one Med at A Time
In today’s world, it seems there’s a remedy for every modern ailment. Anxiety. Diabetes. Heart disease. There’s a pill for that! But what do the drugs...
Jacob Soboroff on Reporting on the Burning of His Hometown, 1 Year Later
January 7 marks one year since the Palisades and Eaton fires ignited in Los Angeles County. MS NOW senior political reporter Jacob Soboroff reported o...
Former EPA Official Judith Enck on How to Save Our Planet from Plastic
“Plastic is everywhere” writes former EPA official Judith Enck, “wrapped around our food, stitched into our clothes, even coursing through our veins.”...
What’s Next For the U.S. in Venezuela After Maduro’s Capture?
In a press conference on Saturday after Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was captured, President Trump said the U.S. would “run” Venezuela until a...
Forum From the Archives: Wikipedia Founder Jimmy Wales on How to Build Trust
Wikipedia, the crowdsourced encyclopedia, is one of the world’s most visited websites, with 11 billion page views each month. Its founder, Jimmy Wales...
Forum From the Archives: Poet Ada Limón’s New Collection 'Startlement' Centers Wonder and Connection
Sonoma native and former U.S. poet laureate Ada Limón’s collection of new and selected poetry contemplates her relationship to nature, the role of art...
Forum From the Archives: Rabbi Calls for Boundless Compassion Amid Divides
Rabbi Angela Buchdahl leads the largest synagogue in New York City. But she says she’s never been so afraid to talk about Israel. That’s because she t...
The Delightful Experience of Collective Effervescence
Singing along with the crowd at a concert. Cheering together at a sports game. Laughing with the audience at a funny moment in a movie. Even getting w...
Forum From the Archives: ‘Second Life’ Looks at Parenting in an App-Obsessed World
When New York Times critic Amanda Hess was told her baby had a rare genetic condition, her first instinct was to “Google [her] way out of it.” But ins...
The Best Books of 2025
We take a look back at our favorite books of 2025. This year's best seller lists and critic choices were scattered with no clear big hits but there we...
‘Wicked’ Director Jon M. Chu on How His Career Defies Gravity
Bay Area native and acclaimed director of “Crazy Rich Asians” and “In the Heights,” Jon M. Chu now brings one of Broadway’s most beloved musicals to t...
A Look Back at the Biggest News Stories of 2025
ICE raids. Tariffs. National Guard deployment. Ukraine. Venezuela. The longest federal shutdown in history. There was no shortage of major news headli...
Forum From the Archives: Fred Armisen on Recording the Sounds of the Everyday
Fred Armisen, the comedian, actor and musician known for “Portlandia,” “Documentary Now!” and “SNL,” has a new album out called “100 Sound Effects.” T...
Forum From the Archives: New Levi’s Exhibit Proves Iconic Jeans Never Fade
Beyond just a wardrobe staple, jeans are often key parts of signature looks and core memories. Levi Strauss, the San Francisco company that brought je...
Forum From the Archives: What Has a Dog Shown You?
The dog, writes poet Billy Collins, moves through the world unencumbered, with “nothing but her brown coat and her modest blue collar.” In a new colle...
Forum From the Archives: Former Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith Urges Us to 'Fear Less'
For many, poetry is a balm. But for others, poetry feels inaccessible and hard to understand. In her latest book, “Fear Less: Poetry in Perilous Times...
Forum From the Archives: Would You Erase a Painful Memory, if You Could?
In groundbreaking experiments with mice, Boston University neuroscientist Steve Ramirez has succeeded in turning memories on and off, even implanting...
Forum From the Archives: Living Without a Mind's Eye and the Ability to Visualize
If you ask someone with aphantasia to visualize an apple, a tree, or the house they grew up in, their mind draws a blank. Literally. The inability to...
Forum From the Archives: The Art of Audiobooks with Julia Whelan
What’s your favorite audiobook? Chances are, it’s one with a great narrator. Audiobook performers can make, or break, the experience for listeners. Bu...
Forum From the Archives: Is Customer Service a Bad Model?
To be a modern consumer is to experience poor customer service at some point in your life. The kind of service that has you in a fever dream of pressi...