KQED's Forum

What does it mean for a generation of young people to come of age seeing other young Black people routinely endangered, attacked or killed? In her new book of essays titled “The Trayvon Generation,” poet, scholar and educator Elizabeth Alexander explores that question and meditates on the persistence of racism in the American experience. She writes that “the race work of the generations of my great-grandparents, my grandparents, my parents, and myself is the work of our children’s generation” – a reality Alexander says she both laments and feels enraged by. The book, which includes poetry as well as visual art, expands on her viral 2020 New Yorker essay that reflected on the young people who have always known stories like Trayvon’s – and George Floyd’s and Breonna Taylor’s and Philando Castile’s and…. We’ll talk to Alexander about “The Trayvon Generation” and her hopes for its future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On June 7, San Francisco voters will decide whether to recall District Attorney Chesa Boudin. It’s a ballot fight that pits the former public defender’s progressive ideas on criminal justice reform against claims that he’s soft on criminals and has made San Francisco’s streets more dangerous. Boudin joins us to talk about his record and what he thinks his opponents get wrong, crime in San Francisco and why he thinks he should stay in office. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When a classmate in junior high school told Julissa Arce, an immigrant from Mexico, that she sounded like a white girl, she took it as a compliment. “Sounding like a white girl gave me a false sense of security. Having an accent said I was from someplace else; sounding like a white girl fooled me into thinking I could belong in the United States,” she writes in her new book, “You Sound Like A White Girl: The Case for Rejecting Assimilation.” Writer, speaker, and immigration rights advocate, Arce became well known after publishing her first book, “My (Underground) American Dream,” about her experience working for Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs even though she was undocumented. In her latest release, she eviscerates the idea that through assimilation, anyone can be successful and accepted in America. In reality, she argues, assimilation functions as a tool of white supremacy. We talk with Arce about what it means to reject assimilation and how Latinos and other people of color are reclaiming their identities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert McNamara was president of the Ford Motor Company, head of the World Bank, U.S. Secretary of Defense and widely considered to be the architect of the Vietnam War. He was also a father. His son, Craig McNamara, depicts their strained, yet love-filled, relationship in his new book, “Because Our Fathers Lied,” which explores the wall that existed between them as a result of Craig’s deep opposition to the Vietnam War. We’ll talk with McNamara about what it means to carve out his own legacy and how he contends with his father’s actions today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The decision to terminate a pregnancy is rarely easy, and the reasons women choose abortions are varied. Some are already parents who don’t want another child. Some feel too young to become a parent. Some can’t bear to birth a child conceived in sexual violence. Some are afraid of the risks of pregnancy. And some, simply, don’t want to be pregnant. As Americans' nearly 50-year old constitutional right to an abortion approaches its probable end, we hear from women across the state who have chosen to terminate their pregnancies and what concerns them most about life in a post-Roe world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Various economic factors don’t seem to add up these days. Consumer spending is up year over year, but the country’s gross domestic product fell during the first quarter. Home values are higher than ever in many cities across, but 401k balances are taking a hit from stock market declines. Wages are finally inching up for some workers, but inflation is taking a bite out of purchasing power. Employers continue adding jobs, but worker participation in the workforce hasn’t bounced back. We dive into the contradictions in the economy and what it means for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Mommy, I don’t know what red looks like to you.” That’s the first philosophical puzzle that Scott Hershovitz says he remembers putting to his befuddled parents. And it’s children’s observations like those that Hershovitz, now a full-grown philosophy professor, says that parents need to nurture and take seriously. We’ll talk to Hershovitz about why young kids, unencumbered by received wisdom about the universe, make excellent philosophers and how childlike thinking can teach all of us to better grapple with the mysteries of human existence. Hershovitz’s new book is "Nasty, Brutish, and Short: Adventures in Philosophy with My Kids." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Italian food many Americans grew up with — often called “red sauce” cuisine — is influenced by Italian traditions, “but it is not Italian food,” writes Ian MacAllen, author of “Red Sauce: How Italian Food Became American.” This distinction between Italian and Italian American food evolved from the story of Italian immigration to America — one where pizza and pasta ended up becoming synonymous with American food itself. The Bay Area’s own wine, tomato sauce and cioppino stems from the legacies of the Italian American immigrants who brought their old-world tastes to California’s vineyards and tomato fields. We’ll talk about the legacy and culture of Italian Americans in the Bay Area today, from North Beach to Temescal’s Colombo Club to San Jose’s Chiaramonte's Deli. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The leaked draft Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade has sent shock waves across the country, particularly for those who assumed their 50-year old constitutional right to abortion was safe. But court watchers long have predicted this outcome, brought on by the decades-long efforts of Christian fundamentalists and other far-right actors to remake the Republican party. We'll talk about the political forces that brought us to this moment and the other core privacy rights -- from contraception to gay marriage -- that may be imperiled. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A year-long San Francisco Chronicle investigation found that a San Francisco program that leases residential hotels as a transitional solution for unhoused residents has failed drastically. According to the investigation, many residents reported living in squalid rooms infested with bugs, rats, and black mold. Reporters found that, of 515 people tracked by the government, 21% returned to the streets and a quarter died in the program. They also found that violence toward residents and staff, robbery, and drug overdose deaths were common occurrences in some decrepit buildings. We’ll talk about the investigation’s findings, who should be held accountable and what can be done to provide decent transitional housing for people getting off the streets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danica Roem stunned the world of Virginia politics in 2017 when she became the first openly trans person to win a seat in a state legislature. She defeated a Republican who held the seat for more than a quarter century -- a lawmaker who called himself the state’s "chief homophobe." Roem, who's also a former journalist and thrash metal band front woman, joins us to talk about her new memoir "Burn the Page," all about her unlikely rise in politics and the importance of being your authentic self. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congressman Adam Schiff returned recently from a surprise trip to Ukraine with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats where they observed the toll of the Russian invasion and met with President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss the U.S.'s military and humanitarian commitment to the country. We’ll talk to Schiff about the trip and the status of President Biden's proposed $33 billion aid package for Ukraine, now awaiting congressional approval. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s leaked draft opinion overturning Roe v Wade sparked outrage and protests across the country, in California advocates for abortion access have long been preparing for the decision. Governor Gavin Newsom appointed a Future of Abortion Council whose December policy recommendations are now a set of proposed state laws that would provide funds for abortion access for those in states with restrictive laws and protect doctors who provide services, among other policy changes designed to make California a sanctuary for reproductive rights. From providing tele-health and abortion pills across state lines to ensuring childcare and travel for those seeking services, Forum looks at the role of California in a post Roe country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A leaked Supreme Court draft opinion published by Politico on Monday night indicates the majority of the Court would vote to overturn Roe v. Wade. In the document written by Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr., and joined by the majority of the Court, Alito called Roe wrongly decided and suggested that the issue of abortion should be left to politicians, not courts. If the final opinion follows the logic of the draft, it would represent a fundamental shift in the law and politics around reproductive rights. And while draft opinions are commonly circulated by the justices, the leak of a draft is unprecedented in modern Supreme Court history and raises questions about the operation of the Court itself. We’ll talk about the leak, the draft opinion, and what lies ahead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In his latest play, "The Incrementalist," Oakland playwright Cleavon Smith explores the tension between those who advocate immediate, radical reform to address injustices and those who believe in an incremental approach to changing systems and policies over time. Playing at Berkeley's Aurora Theatre Company through May 15, "The Incrementalist" follows a public intellectual who is brought to UC Berkeley’s campus in 2022 to help facilitate conversations concerning police violence after campus police attack and injure a Black Student Union leader during a protest. The play also includes scenes from student life in 1992, highlighting both the ongoing issues of racism and police violence and the ongoing debate over how best to address them. Smith joins Forum in studio to talk about the play, as well as his personal journey from Mississippian to Californian and from naval officer to playwright. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since the 1990s, lawmakers and advocates have justified harsh anti-crime policies, like California’s Three Strikes Law, as a way to bring justice to the victims of violent crimes. But a new movement is emerging that centers crime survivors, especially women of color, who are often overlooked by a system that’s supposed to help them with services and support – and who don’t always agree with the tough-on-crime agenda. We’ll talk about how the conversation about justice for crime survivors is shifting in California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two large oil refineries in the Bay Area want to switch from processing crude oil and instead turn vegetable oil and animal fats into biofuels. Phillips 66 in Rodeo and Marathon in Martinez say their plans to convert the refineries to create renewable diesel advances California’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel reliance. But some environmental groups and communities close to the refineries oppose the plan, saying a reliance on biofuels contributes to deforestation and other environmental problems that actually accelerate climate change. As the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors considers an appeal to the plans next week, Forum looks at the local, state and global ramifications of California’s push toward biofuels. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I basically went from living in a fishbowl, which is the prison yard, to swimming in a whole ocean.” That’s how Travielle Pope describes what it was like to reintegrate into a profoundly changed society after serving 26 years of a life sentence in a California prison. Pope is one of eight formerly incarcerated people KQED’s Pendarvis Harshaw and his co-producer Brandon Tauszik profile for their new multimedia project “Facing Life.” It explores the everyday challenges – from operating smartphones to finding jobs and shelter – the formerly incarcerated face. We’ll talk about the project and why Harshaw and Tauszik say it’s time to “prepare for a society where mass incarceration is no longer a thing—but mass integration is.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sports journalism has long been a male-dominated field. According to last year’s Associated Press Sports Editors Racial and Gender Report Card, less than 15% of sports reporters in the U.S. and Canada are women. One aspiring sports journalist hoping to be a part of improving that statistic is high school sophomore Mahi Jariwala from Danville, who created and hosts her own sports podcast “She Can Ball.” As part of KQED’s annual Youth Takeover week, Jariwala joins Alexis Madrigal to co-host Forum’s conversation with Bay Area sports journalists Kerith Burke and Amy Gutierrez, plus ESPN’s Mina Kimes and MLB Network's Keiana Martin, about navigating the male-dominated sports media industry and reporting on your favorite sports teams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For years, Asian Americans have largely been overlooked when it comes to representation in the media. This has begun to change some recently following the success of “Crazy Rich Asians.” There have been more box office hits centering Asian American characters and stories, like “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “Turning Red” and Marvel’s “Shang-Chi.” Still, a recent survey found that, “Americans struggle to name prominent Asian Americans, despite several being in the news this year.” Some Asian American youth activists are recognizing the power of media images and art to influence change and using it to push back on Asian stereotypes and hate, as anti-Asian hate crimes increased by 339 percent in 2021. In this student-produced segment, as part of KQED’s Youth Takeover week, we’ll talk with Asian American youth artists and activists about the importance of Asian representation in media and the arts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max and dozens of others are giving TV and movie viewers more choices than ever. But many consumers are feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of monthly subscriptions they’ve accumulated — and their cost. At the same time, the abrupt shutdown of news streaming service CNN+ and reports of subscriber losses by Netflix are signaling problems with the paid streaming business model. Have we reached peak streaming? We’ll take up the question and hear your thoughts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

acquire the company on Monday it spawned a lot of questions in the Bay Area. Will Musk uproot Twitter from its San Francisco home, the way he moved Tesla's headquarters to Texas? If so, what would that mean for the mid-Market neighborhood where San Francisco once lured Twitter with big tax breaks in hopes of transforming the blighted area. And for employees of Twitter, many are wondering how the richest man in the world might transform their workplace, for better or worse. We’ll talk about what Twitter under Elon Musk might look like for the Bay Area and we want to hear from Twitter employees and those who live or work in mid-Market: How do you think this move will change your job or your neighborhood? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all are “a multitude of stories,” say the producers of The Moth Radio hour and podcast, the project that for 25 years has made storytellers of thousands of people around the world. Now, The Moth has published a new book, “How to Tell A Story,” all about how to turn our ephemeral experiences into memorable stories. We’ll talk about what makes for a good story and hear tips for telling your own, whether you’re in a job interview, introducing yourself to strangers or processing a complicated life experience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The average American produces 4.9 pounds of waste daily, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. This is inspiring some to adopt a zero-waste lifestyle, which involves maximizing already-owned items to reduce individual plastic consumption and waste production. While the zero-waste lifestyle has appeared in more social media feeds and advertisements in recent years, it is far from new, with roots tracing back to many communities of color. The spike in popularity has made some activists feel the movement has obscured those roots, reflecting ongoing racism within the environmental activist community. In this student-produced segment as part of KQED’s annual Youth Takeover, we’ll take a critical look at the origins of zero-waste living and how it can be practiced today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Twitter has reached a deal to sell the company to tech mogul Elon Musk for about $44 billion, valuing the company at $54.20 a share. If the sale goes through, Musk vows to make changes to the platform, most notably loosening speech guidelines and making Twitter’s algorithms open source. In a statement on Monday, Musk said that “Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated.” Musk’s acquisition of the platform poses many questions around free speech, and some experts have predicted that Musk’s proposed changes could make it easier for spam, misinformation, and illicit content to spread. We’ll talk about what Twitter could look like under Musk’s ownership and what it means for its users and employees. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Following a visit with president Volodymir Zelensky in Ukraine, U.S. Defense Secretary Austin Lloyd declared that Russia’s military capability should be targeted so "it can’t do the kinds of things that it has done in invading Ukraine." The Biden Administration announced that it would bring back diplomats to Ukraine and also provide the embattled country with $322 million in military aid. Meanwhile, Russia renewed its ferocious attack, bombing two train depots in central Ukraine, and Ukrainian officials acknowledged that 42 villages had fallen into Russian control. As peace talks have stalled and the grim brutality of the Russian invasion wears on, thousands are dead and once-thriving cities like Mariupol have been completely destroyed. With no clear end in sight, we talk about what a protracted conflict in Ukraine means for the region and the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The San Francisco Night Ministry has listened to those who want to talk every night since 1964. Night Ministers walk the streets of the Tenderloin offering an ear to anyone who wants to talk, and trained volunteers operate their phone lines until 4 in the morning. It’s gone on for more than 20,800 nights in a row and counting. The interfaith organization provides spiritual care for all, holding services for many faiths outdoors to increase accessibility. In its own words, “We do not judge or convert. We meet people where they are and offer loving presence.” We’ll hear about the Night Ministry’s work, the support that they hear folks need and what it means to truly listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Bay Area’s biggest city has a major political race on the horizon. Sam Liccardo has been San Jose’s mayor since 2015, and the race to succeed him is heating up. This mayoral race is shaping up to be the most expensive in San Jose’s history, with more than 1.5 million dollars already amassed in campaign contributions, including $300,000 from the San Francisco 49ers. We’ll talk about the candidates on the ballot for June’s mayoral election, their platforms and endorsements, and we’ll hear from you: which priorities do you want from San Jose’s next mayor? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In her new book “Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop,” music journalist Danyel Smith highlights the genius and cultural impact of artists like Whitney Houston, Gladys Knight, Donna Summer, Aretha Franklin, Janet Jackson and more. Pulling not just from research but from her own experiences interviewing a number of the pop icons featured, the book presents a unique mix of memoir, criticism and music history that demands Black women artists get their due recognition. Smith joins us to talk about pop stars of “Shine Bright” and the influence they had on her own life as a Black girl growing up in Oakland and Los Angeles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reem Assil, owner of San Francisco and Oakland’s Reem’s Kitchen, began her career as a chef with a thirst for activism, often advocating for social justice and sustainability at work. As the opening chef of Dyafa, an Arab fine-dining restaurant in Oakland, Assil began to reimagine power dynamics in the kitchen which she boldly reflected on in her Eater article, “Don’t Call Me Chef.” Assil joins Forum to talk about her new book, “Arabiyya: Recipes from the Life of an Arab in Diaspora,” in which she weaves personal essays on food, family, identity, hospitality, activism and political struggles amid recipes influenced by Arab flavors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“If we don’t want to live in a nepotistic society, we have to stop practicing nepotism,” Brookings Institution senior fellow Richard V. Reeves writes in a recent Atlantic piece titled, “Why the U.S. Needs to End Legacy Admissions.” Legacy admissions — when preference is given to college applicants who are related to an alum — is facing heightened scrutiny in the U.S. Some schools are abandoning the practice, and some state and federal lawmakers are seeking to curtail it. In California, a 2019 law requires four-year colleges that consider legacy status in admissions – such as Stanford and the University of Southern California – to disclose their practices. We’ll take a look at the nationwide pressures mounting against legacy admissions and hear your views. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the fall of 1967 Huey Newton, co-founder of the Black Panther party, was charged with shooting and killing a police officer on the streets of West Oakland. The trial that followed came to revolutionize the jury selection process in criminal proceedings and put the then relatively unknown Panther Party into the national spotlight. The film “American Justice on Trial” premiering Friday at the SF Film Festival examines the trial and its consequences. Forum talks with the film's producer as well as Huey Newton’s brother, Melvin, and David Harper, jury foreman during the historic trial which changed his life, and the lives of many others. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Airlines, transit agencies and rideshare companies across the country are no longer requiring passengers and staff to wear face coverings after a federal judge in Florida on Monday struck down federal mask mandates for public transportation. That’s leaving travelers to navigate a patchwork of local rules and raising health and safety questions for some. We’ll talk about the impact of the ruling, which the Department of Justice may appeal, and hear how you’re feeling about going maskless on airplanes, trains and buses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About a decade ago national publications started paying a lot of attention to Oakland’s food scene. The city burst out of San Francisco’s shadow to become a distinct culinary city in its own right. KQED Food Editor Luke Tsai writes that the buzziest of Oakland’s “golden age” restaurants were headed by women of color, “charismatic chefs who were cooking food that was deeply personal, reflecting the cultures that shaped their identities—Afro-Caribbean, Mexican, Korean, Lao.” But over the years notable favorites like Brown Sugar Kitchen, Fuse Box and Juhu Beach Club have closed, and this month beloved Miss Ollie’s has shut its doors. We’ll talk with Luke Tsai and Miss Ollie’s owner Sarah Kirnon about the forces that changed Oakland’s restaurant scene and we want to hear from you. What do you remember from that era? What restaurants are exciting to you now? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marlene Sanchez grew up in San Francisco’s Mission District and experienced the effects of the criminal justice system from an early age. She landed in juvenile detention after getting into a fight at school, an experience that led her to community organizing and activism by the time she was 15. Now she’s the new executive director of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, working to end mass incarceration. We’ll talk with Sanchez, the first woman of color to lead the organization, about the fight for criminal justice reform, advocating for incarcerated women and what it means to invest in communities of color. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pain is a "hallmark of consciousness among all beings," writes physician Haider Warraich in his new book "The Song of Our Scars." Pain, he explains, is also gendered, racial and above all so personal that it's the one thing truly our own. Like an estimated 1.5 billion people worldwide, Warraich himself lives with chronic pain, brought on by a devastating back injury. We'll talk to Warraich about the biology of pain and how we experience what he calls our most complicated sensation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Never trust a candy house! It was only a matter of time before someone made them pay for what they thought they were getting for free,” warns a character in “The Candy House,” illuminating the novel’s larger curiosity around Big Tech in its setting: a world where minds and memories can be uploaded to the cloud and accessed by others. “The Candy House” is Jennifer Egan’s follow-up to her 2010 novel “A Visit from the Goon Squad,” which won the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Critics Circle Award. Known for its inventive playing with form — each chapter can be read as an independent short story, with distinct and yet interconnected characters; one chapter is told entirely through PowerPoint — “Goon Squad” introduced some of the characters and storytelling techniques continued and expanded in this new novel. Egan joins us to discuss storytelling in our online age and why she considers this book an “homage to fiction.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What’s in a name? The question originally posed by Shakespeare is also the title of New York University sophomore Aria Young’s winning entry to this year’s NPR College Podcast Challenge. Young changed her name from 杨沁悦, or Yáng Qìn Yuè, when she moved to Pennsylvania from Shanghai for high school because her original name was “too hard for the English tongue to pronounce,” she says in the podcast. But sometimes she feels her adopted last name isn’t quite right either. We’ll talk about what it means to change your name to “fit in” in America, or to have learned your family has done so, and we’ll hear from listeners about what their names mean to them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Coronavirus cases are on the rise in the northeastern United States, driven by the highly transmissible BA.2, a subvariant of Omicron. We’ll look at what the increase portends for the Bay Area, where cases remain relatively low amid loosening restrictions. And we’ll get the latest on the Covid lockdowns in China which have led to clashes with police over evictions and food shortages. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author and Emory University professor Dorothy Brown says she became a tax lawyer to avoid dealing with race. “I learned early on that people might look at me and see black, but as far as tax law was concerned, the only color that mattered was green,” she writes in her book “The Whiteness of Wealth”. But it soon became clear to her that America’s tax system was worsening the country’s racial wealth gap, which it also helped create. As we approach tax day, we’ll talk with Brown about her new book and how the tax code is stacked against Black Americans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tax Day is coming up. If you’re a procrastinator, instead of compiling your receipts and looking for your W-2 form, you may have gone down a rabbit hole online— and there is no deeper rabbit hole than the one provided by Wikipedia. From the Streisand Effect to fart lightning to the lost state of Westsylvania, the social media account Depths of Wikipedia is dedicated to chronicling the weird and wonderful facts and articles on the internet’s free encyclopedia. We’ll explore some of the strangest topics, passages and photos on the site, and hear some of your favorite entries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California living has inspired songwriters across generations and genres – from Otis Redding “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay” to pop star Katy Perry saluting “California Gurls” to hip hop artists Dr. Dre and Tupac proclaiming “California Love.” The Golden State has also inspired many a playlist, including the “California Playlist” currently being crowd-sourced by The New York Times California Today newsletter. We’ll talk about and play some of the songs that make up the soundtrack of California and hear what songs capture the essence of California for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Owner and manager of KGUA in Gualala, California, Peggy Berryhill has been described as “The First Lady of Native Radio.” As the host of KGUA’s flagship program “Peggy’s Place,” Berryhill spotlights community members: its artists, librarians and lighthouse operator. Part of the Muscogee Nation, Berryhill has worked over her more than four decades-long career to push back on Native stereotypes in mainstream coverage and has collected and preserved hundreds of hours of interviews with Native community members. She joins us on this episode of Forum to discuss the importance of community radio and of hearing Native voices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On April 1st 1950, about 144,000 census takers fanned out across the United States to count the population. Each conversation they had was reduced to a handwritten entry on a census form. Now, 72 years later, the National Archives has released those manuscripts. You can find Marilyn Monroe, Jerry Garcia, Jimi Hendrix, and maybe a long-forgotten relative in these pages. But the census represents more than an exercise in genealogical spelunking; it is an American political tool that has been in force since 1790. We’ll talk to census historians about what they hope to find in the 1950 census, and why this information is so meaningful. Related link(s): 1950 Census Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After acquiring a nine percent stake in Twitter through a series of stock purchases this year, multi-billionaire libertarian entrepreneur Elon Musk is now the social media giant's largest shareholder. That's raising questions about how the controversial Tesla and SpaceX founder and self-described "free speech absolutist" could shape the platform. We'll take up the issues. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apple and Google last year drew praise from consumer privacy advocates when they took steps to stop advertisers and other third party companies from tracking users’ online activities. Apple introduced new privacy settings for its mobile devices, and Google announced a plan to block digital tracking cookies from its Chrome browser by the end of 2023. But another form of digital tracking, known as “first party” tracking, is now on the rise by Google, Pinterest, Tik-Tok and other sites that gather users' searches, location data and other information. We'll get the latest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jazzercise. The Thighmaster. Jane Fonda’s Workout. These are but a few of the exercise fads that author Danielle Friedman recounts in her new book “Let’s Get Physical,” a history of women and personal fitness. For much of the 20th century, “sweating was considered unladylike and women tried to hide their muscles under sleeves,” writes Friedman. The rise of personal fitness, however, offered women a chance to be strong. Yet, along with its message of strength and individual empowerment, women’s fitness is also caught up in the burdens posed by beauty standards. We’ll talk to Friedman about these contradictions and how the industry can change to “harness exercise in ways that truly liberate all women.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Earlier this month, workers at an Amazon warehouse in New York City voted to form the first union in company history. Organized mostly by current and former workers, the successful union drive did not rely on professional organizers and was financed not by union dues, but by GoFundMe donations. The win is energizing to many self-organizing union drives that are gaining momentum elsewhere, like Starbucks and Apple stores. So could Amazon Labor Union’s success as an independent union contribute to a new playbook for labor organizing? We’ll take a closer look at the possible ripple effects and we’ll also learn about the often untold history of various labor organizers who similarly carved their own paths in the U.S. labor movement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Millions of genetically-modified, non-biting mosquitoes may soon be set loose in California after federal regulators gave the green light to a study aimed at preventing transmission of diseases like Zika and dengue. British biotech firm Oxitech says its technology alters male mosquitos to only produce viable male offspring, leading to population declines as females die off. While it may sound like the plot of a horror movie, the company says the new process is safe and necessary to address the growing global threat of mosquito-borne diseases. But some scientists and other critics say it could create even more virulent mosquitos, among other health and environmental risks. We’ll discuss the plan, which still requires state approval. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2019 a PG&E volt transmission line failed, starting the Kincade Fire in Sonoma County, and two years later, PG&E power lines sparked what became the Dixie Fire, the largest wildfire in California’s history. On Monday, the utility company reached a settlement of $55 million which allows it to escape criminal liability stemming from those fires. We’ll talk with Marketplace reporter Lily Jamali about the settlement and where the money will go. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices