KQED's Forum

For her new book How the Other Half Eats: The Untold Story of Food and Inequality in America, Stanford-trained sociologist Priya Fielding-Singh talked to 75 Bay Area families from a variety of backgrounds about their everyday food choices. She joins us to discuss class, race, and nutritional inequity and why, as she writes in the book, “access to healthy food is about more than geography and finances.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For his new book, ‘Misfire: Inside the Downfall of the NRA,’ NPR investigative reporter Tim Mak dove deep into the inner workings of the National Rifle Association. Over the course of three years, Mak interviewed 120 sources and pored through thousands of pages of documents, emails and memos, and in his book, he offers a portrait of an organization wracked by venality, gross mismanagement and financial misconduct, much of it caused by Wayne LaPierre, the NRA CEO and his wife Susan, who plundered membership dues to pay for their extravagant lifestyle. We talk to Mak about his book and the future of the NRA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brazilian jazz guitarist Bola Sete is considered one of the greatest – but also underappreciated – musical talents of his era. A new three-disc compilation, “Samba in Seattle: Live at the Penthouse, 1966-1968,” captures live recordings of Sete, who lived and performed in the Bay Area for decades, at a storied jazz club. Critics say the new album highlights Sete, who died in Marin County in 1987, at the prime of his career and brings much deserved appreciation to his artistry. The recordings, however, could have been lost forever if not for a few strokes of fate. We talk about the life and music of Bola Sete. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Of the many Californians who died of COVID , 1 in 8 lived in a nursing home, totaling almost 9400 people. The high death toll is now prompting legislators to rethink oversight and funding of these institutions. We’ll talk about how the pandemic has exposed systemic problems with the quality of care in nursing homes and what a proposed state budget reform linking nursing home funding to new quality standards, might mean for the approximately 400,000 state nursing home residents. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In her celebrated 1999 essay collection "Remembered Rapture" — about the life and craft of a writer — feminist author and educator bell hooks insisted that "[n]o Black woman writer in this culture can write ‘too much’. Indeed, no woman writer can write ‘too much'.... No woman has ever written enough.” hooks, who passed away Wednesday at age 69, published more than 30 books, including the noted works “Ain’t I A Woman?”, “All About Love,” “Sisters of the Yam” and “Teaching to Transgress.” Her writing was foundational in shaping Black feminist thought and widening the feminist worldview beyond white, middle class identity. From her pointed critiques of the “imperialist white supremacist capitalist patriarch” to her poignant thoughts on love and healing, we'll reflect on hooks' life and work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Food and Drug administration on Thursday permanently lifted a restriction on mailing abortion pills to patients. Previously, the pills had to be physically handed out by physicians, but that rule had been loosened during the pandemic. The decision comes as the US Supreme court is considering limits on abortion rights, and is likely to spark further legal battles. We’ll talk about the FDA’s move with Roll Call reporter Sandyha Raman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The searing images of Afghans desperate to get on to planes leaving Kabul brought the world’s attention to the crisis created in part by the American withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan in August. In the four months that have passed, the Taliban have solidified their rule, the international community has responded with sanctions and asset freezes of funds, and a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions has begun unfolding. According to the United Nations, “nearly 23 million people – that is 55% of the population – are facing extreme levels of hunger and nearly 9 million of them are at risk of famine.” The Bay Area is home to one of the largest enclaves of Afghan Americans, and that community has been working tirelessly to help new arrivals and to offer assistance to a country in tatters. As the intensifying crisis nearly disappears from American media coverage, we talk to an Afghan refugee about her fraught journey to leave the country she loves and her community’s struggle to resettle, and we’ll discuss the humanitarian crisis facing those left behind. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Taking the side of environmental groups and commercial beekeepers, a California judge earlier this month said he would issue a statewide order banning a pesticide called sulfoxaflor. Part of the class of neuro-active insecticides called neonicotinoids, sulfoxaflor protects crops from insects, but scientists say it is toxic to bees. A study by environmental group Earthjustice found that the number of honeybee colonies in the U.S. fell by 45% from April 2020 to April 2021. We’ll talk about the ban and the worrying decline of pollinators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new investigation by the Los Angeles Times looks at the cases of California doctors who were barred from practice for sexually abusing patients. And it uncovers an alarming pattern: more than half of those who sought to get their licenses back since 2013 were reinstated by the state Medical Board. That’s a higher rate than for doctors who lost their licenses for all other reasons, the Times found. We’ll talk with Times reporters about their investigation, the lack of repercussions for abusers, and hear the stories of abuse victims. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

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

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

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

"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

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

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

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

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

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

Comedian and storyteller Mike Birbiglia has been called “the king of the one-man show." His first solo piece “Sleepwalk with Me", all about his life as a stand-up comic, was a hit off-Broadway and spawned a book and feature film. And he made it all the way to Broadway with 2019’s award-winning “The New One” in which he riffed on his fear of fatherhood. In January he’ll bring his latest “The Old Man and the Pool” to Berkeley Rep. We’ll talk to Birbiglia about the show and why his confessional style, which he describes as “a hybrid of comedy and emotionality” seems to resonate with audiences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Virtual learning has led to a boom in school surveillance technologies that can monitor students’ online behavior and allow teachers to view students’ screens and search histories. Though many schools are back in person, surveillance tech appears here to stay, with 81% of teachers reporting using some form of it. Proponents say the technology curbs cheating, keeps students on task and helps identify instances of threats or abuse. But critics have concerns about privacy and data collection. They also have equity concerns: as this technology is more likely to be deployed on school devices, students without personal devices — especially low-income students of color — are more likely to be surveilled. We’ll talk about all of this and take your questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Artist Judy Chicago made her name in the 1970s with her groundbreaking feminist piece, “The Dinner Party”. Chicago has said she didn’t know if she’d live long enough to escape the shadow of that iconic piece. Now, in the first retrospective of her work, the full range of the 82 year old artist’s career is on exhibit at San Francisco’s de Young Museum. The retrospective highlights “how forward thinking and daring Judy has always been in tackling uncomfortable subject matter that is now very much at the forefront of our current discourse,” curator Claudia Schmuckli said. Forum talks with Judy Chicago and Schmuckli about the evolution of her art and social consciousness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As 2021 winds down, we want to hear from you about your favorite discoveries of the year. Did you find new places to go, things to do, cooking techniques or hobbies that inspired and sustained you over the past year? Whether it’s finding an exciting new TikTok influencer or a hidden neighborhood stairway–share your 2021 passions with us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pfizer and BioNTech said Wednesday that laboratory tests suggest that their coronavirus vaccine is effective against the Omicron variant after three doses, adding that just two doses “may not be sufficient to protect against infection”. We’ll get the latest on Covid research and treatment and take your coronavirus questions with Bob Wachter, chair of UCSF’s Department of Medicine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“To all the wild, mad girls.” That’s to whom Venita Blackburn dedicates “How to Wrestle a Girl,” her new short story collection set amid the urban landscapes of Southern California. The stories explore in part what Blackburn describes as the “physicality of girlhood” -- girls' changing bodies and desires, their athleticism and their fierce protection of each other in the face of external threats. We talk to Blackburn about the book and her own California girlhood that inspired it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In his new article for The Atlantic, “Trump’s Next Coup Has Already Begun,” staff writer Barton Gellman looks at efforts to subvert democracy and upcoming elections, warning that government officials will be making "a grievous mistake" if they don’t take these threats more seriously. Gellman calls the January 6 insurrection a “practice” for future, more effective, efforts by Trump and the GOP to overturn an election. Last month a European think tank added the U.S. to its list of "backsliding" democracies for the first time. Their report highlighted that “a historic turning point came in 2020-21 when former president Donald Trump questioned the legitimacy of the 2020 election results in the United States.” We'll talk to Gellman about the state of U.S. democracy and what it could mean for the 2024 presidential election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eighty-eight percent of California’s nail salon owners do not have enough customers to meet business expenses and rehire workers, and most salon workers are now taking home less than $400 per week. That’s according to a new study from the UCLA Labor Center and the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative, outlining the “tremendous emotional and financial strain” of the COVID-19 pandemic on the nail salon industry. California’s nail salons, which employ roughly 100,000 licensed manicurists, are primarily small businesses staffed principally by women and Vietnamese immigrants and refugees. We’ll talk about the challenges salon workers and owners face in the state and the practices and policy solutions that could help them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Farmworkers in California work outside even during wildfires that fill the air with toxic smoke. California law requires employers to provide mask and safety guidance during those periods of dangerous air. But, an investigation by KQED and The California Newsroom found that state officials rarely enforce those rules putting roughly 4 million outdoor workers at risk. Despite those failures, Douglas Parker, the former head of California Division of Occupational Health and Safety responsible for enforcing the regulations, was recently appointed by President Joe Biden to lead the nation’s worker health and safety efforts. We talk about the investigation’s findings and whether California regulators are falling short in protecting workers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First uncovered almost a century ago, sickle cell disease is a painful and debilitating red blood cell disorder that can lead to other medical problems like infections and strokes. It hits Black people the hardest, has historically lacked research, and patients have struggled to access basic care. We’ll hear about a promising new UCSF clinical trial using CRISPR gene editing technology on patients’ stem cells. And we talk with a patient about how the disease has affected her life and her community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sierra Nevada snowpack, a vital water source for California, could vanish within the next 25 years, according to a new study from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. While scientists have tracked and warned about diminishing levels of snow covering the Sierra Nevada for years, the new research provided a more specific timeline about when California could reach a no-snow reality and what that means from a scientific perspective. The study’s authors, however, want their study to not just alarm people, but also push them to change behaviors and policies to slow down or reverse the loss of snow in the Sierras. We’ll talk about how climate change is reducing the Sierra snowpack and what that means for the state. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ajwang Rading’s name will appear on the ballot for the first time next fall when he runs to represent California’s 18th Congressional district, which includes parts of San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties. Having grown up in and out of homelessness, Rading has a different perspective when it comes to tackling housing and social service issues in Silicon Valley. We talk with Rading about his past and future as part of Forum's First Person series, which profiles local leaders and change-makers who make the Bay Area unique. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fish have a sacred role for the Klamath Tribes in the Klamath Basin, which spans part of Southern Oregon and Northern California. An 1864 treaty gives tribes the "exclusive right of taking fish in the streams and lakes,” but drought and poor water quality are killing the fish and causing a fight over resources between indigenous tribes and white farmers who were promised certain water allocations of their own. A new Fault Lines documentary by Al Jazeera called "When the Water Stopped," delves into the different sides of the conflict that is fueled by climate change, decades of federal land mismanagement and racism. According to activist and Klamath tribal member Joey Gentry, “our water crisis still exists today because of racism against the tribe, and racism against the tribe exists, in part, today because of our water crisis." We'll talk with Gentry and environmental reporter Emma Marris about the ongoing conflict and what it will take to resolve it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The parents of a teenager accused of fatally shooting four classmates and wounding seven other people at a Michigan high school last week were charged with involuntary manslaughter Saturday. Charges against parents in school shootings are rare. But Michigan prosecutor Karen D. McDonald called the actions of the parents, Jennifer and James Crumbley, "egregious" based on evidence that they bought the gun for their son and kept it unsecured. We'll talk about parental criminal liability in school shootings, and its potential to prevent gun violence by minors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization in what looks to be the beginning of the end of Roe v. Wade, according to legal scholars. If that is the case, and Roe is reversed, there stands to be a number of ripple effects beyond abortion rights, too. In a new article for The Atlantic, "What Roe Could Take Down With It," constitutional law expert Kimberly Wehle writes that "the logic being used against Roe could weaken the legal foundations of many rights Americans value deeply" including laws regulating marriage equality and contraception use, for example. We'll consider the different layers of what's at stake with abortion rights and beyond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With gas-burning vehicles the largest source of California's greenhouse gas emissions, transitioning to clean energy sources in transportation is considered key to slowing climate change. In recent weeks California has been allocated a major boost in federal and state funds to expand the electric vehicle charging network. We'll discuss the plans and how much they might move the needle on e-vehicle adoption. We’ll also look at promising new technology to make EV's more attractive and affordable, and innovative proposals for improving charging, including electrified roads that charge the car while you drive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever felt "slipfast" (a longing to melt into a crowd and become invisible)? Or "scabulous" (proud of a certain scar on your body)? Those are some of the many words John Keonig has created for emotions we've felt all our lives but lacked words to describe. We talk to Keonig about why he says there are vast holes in our emotional lexicon and why it's important for humans to develop a richer language to describe our interior lives. Koenig's new book, more than ten years in the making, is "The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scorpions might be terrifying to most people. But to scientist Lauren Esposito, they are the foundation of her career, which has taken her from a childhood in El Paso, turning over rocks in search of insects, to eventually land her at the California Academy of Sciences. In addition to discovering new species of these arachnids, she’s also become an outspoken advocate for queer scientists. An ongoing exhibit she curated at the California Academy of Sciences celebrates the contributions of LGBTQ+ people. Esposito joins as part of our first person series, which profiles leaders and change-makers in the Bay Area. We’ll talk with her about the organization she founded, 500 Queer Scientists, why she’s drawn to studying scorpions, and how she has so far managed to avoid being stung. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For decades, young athletes only had one major route to the playing professional leagues — playing for an NCAA Division I team. Today, however, talented basketball players have a chance to skip college and go professional in leagues like Overtime Elite, which pays its players six-figure salaries while prepping them for a professional career either in the NBA or abroad. Is this a positive trend that allows athletes to monetize their abilities or is it a youth sports culture taken to the apex of extremes? We’ll talk about professional high school basketball and what it means for the future of the sport. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Wednesday, officials in San Francisco confirmed California’s first case of the coronavirus omicron variant. The patient in the case had recently traveled to South Africa, whose scientists first identified the omicron variant and tracked thousands of cases among its population. The emergence of the variant has reinforced concerns about low rates of vaccination in Africa and other developing regions, which have struggled to obtain and administer vaccines for their citizens. We’ll talk about global vaccine inequities and how to expand vaccine access worldwide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Retailers hope for a record holiday spending season this year, but for many Americans, prices rising at the fastest rate in 30 years may hamper holiday glee at the checkout counter. Even Christmas trees are up to 30% more expensive than last year. We’ll break down how prices and supply chain issues are affecting consumers, and get some tips on how to save money while beating shortages. And we want to hear from you: How are you changing your shopping habits this holiday season? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court will hear arguments Wednesday morning in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The case, brought by Mississippi’s only licensed abortion clinic, challenges a 2018 state law that bans nearly all abortions after 15 weeks, with no exceptions for rape or incest. Mississippi officials are asking the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision that affirms the constitutional right to abortion. Meanwhile, abortion restrictions in states such as Mississippi and Texas are pushing people to travel out-of-state to seek abortion care. We examine the Mississippi case and its potential impact on California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Monday, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey announced -- in a tweet -- that he was leaving the company he co-founded in 2006. His successor, Parag Agrawal, started as a product engineer and climbed Twitter’s ranks to become Chief Technology Officer in 2017. We'll look at Dorsey’s legacy and discuss what the change could mean for the future of the San Francisco-based social media giant as it grapples with challenges like misinformation and finding new users. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Earlier this year, California proposed an overhaul of its K-12 math teaching guidelines to address racial and economic disparities in math achievement. The draft proposal recommends de-emphasizing calculus, detracking some students and incorporating data science and equity and inclusion into math instruction. Critics say that the framework, which is an optional set of guidelines and not a new curriculum, politicizes math. We talk to Stanford professor Jo Boaler, a member of the committee which drafted the guidelines, about the proposed framework. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thirty years ago, white Los Angeles police officers savagely beat Rodney Glen King, a young Black man who had led them on a high-speed chase through the city. After a jury failed to convict four police officers, despite a graphic videotape of the beating, the city erupted into violence. This season of Slate’s Slow Burn podcast dives into the events of early 1990s Los Angeles and the decades of police brutality and injustice that led to them. We’ll talk with host Joel Anderson about the characters, context and legacy of the biggest U.S. civil disturbance of the 20th century. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We'll break down the latest news from Sacramento and other political headlines from around the state with guest host Marisa Lagos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The World Health Organization today warned that the global risk from the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, is “very high”. The variant, first discovered in South Africa, has now been detected in more than a dozen countries. We’ll talk about what we know so far about how contagious the variant is and how effective vaccines are likely to be against it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Albert Samaha is the son of immigrants from the Philippines, a country molded by centuries of Spanish and American colonization and imperialism. His new book “Concepcion: An Immigrant Family’s Fortunes” is part memoir, part family history. Samaha reflects on his Filipino American identity and his family’s immigration experience, comparing the America he grew up in to the America that shaped his ancestors’ homeland. We’ll talk with Samaha about assimilation, Filipino American underrepresentation and how the descendants of immigrants reckon with the sacrifices of their elders. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The pandemic forced many of us to rethink cultural norms — one being the expectation that people, especially women and younger folks, should color or hide their roots. Amid salon closures and cancelled social events, many people chose to grow out their gray hair, and some are sticking with the look. We’ll talk about why for some the choice to go gray can feel fraught, and why for others it brings a sense of empowerment. And we want to hear from you: Did you decide to grow out your gray hair during the pandemic? Or are you on the fence about whether to forgo the dye? What does gray hair mean to you? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Airports are often the first, last, and sometimes only impression a traveler has of a city. Singapore's Changi airport dazzles; Newark Airport in New Jersey offers less delight. SFO leads the way in design with its newly opened Harvey Milk Terminal which boasts Heath tiles in the restrooms, lighting that makes you look less tired, and improved acoustic design. But the airport industry has been challenged by the pandemic, which dropped traveller numbers and put new stresses on airports already grappling with issues like aging infrastructure. We'll talk about airports you love, airports you never want to see again, and hear from experts about airports of the future. This segment originally aired Oct. 1. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last December, Forum spoke to four nurses and doctors on the frontlines of COVID care in California. At the time, cases were surging statewide, and no vaccines were available. They described heartbreaking patient deaths, overflowing ICUs and the heavy emotional toll of their work. The same healthcare workers join us again, nine months later, to share what has improved and the profound challenges that remain for those caring for the sickest patients. This segment originally aired Sept. 23. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices