KQED's Forum

The cost of healthcare insurance is at the core of the government shutdown. Democrats and Republicans are at a stalemate over the extension of subsidies that decrease the price of insurance purchased under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Without the extension, experts predict a sharp increase in premiums for the 44 million Americans who rely on this health insurance. And hundreds of thousands of Californians may be priced out of the market. With open enrollment beginning in two weeks, we’ll talk to experts including the director of Covered California, about what’s at stake. Guests: Larry Levitt, executive vice president, KFF Jessica Altman, executive director, Covered California, the state health insurance exchange Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unions for federal employees say the White House is planning thousands more layoffs, even though a federal judge in San Francisco has blocked it. This is taking place as the Trump administration has left the National Labor Relations Board paralyzed after firing Biden-appointed members upon taking office. We talk with William Gould IV, the former National Labor Relations Board Chairman, about the rights of workers during a shutdown, the ways California labor regulators could push back and the future of organized labor in the country. We also talk to Gould about his new memoir where he reflects on breaking barriers as Stanford Law’s first Black professor. The book is called “Those Who Travail and Are Heavy Laden.” Guests: William Gould IV, Professor Emeritus, Stanford Law School Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cory Doctorow coined a word to describe how what we once loved about the internet, and relied on, has become exploitative, corrosive, and anti-user. And now he’s written a book about it, “Enshittification: Why Everything Got Worse and What to Do About It.” He analyzes how TikTok, Google Search, email, music streaming and other services and platforms – technology that we expect to always improve – have declined so fast. But the tech activist and science fiction writer insists it can be fixed. “This era, the Enshittocene, is the result of specific policy decisions, made by named individuals,” he writes, and those policies can be reversed and the individuals can be held accountable. We talk to him about what’s gone wrong and how we can make a new, good internet. Guests: Cory Doctorow, science fiction writer, technology activist and journalist. Author, "Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do we leave our homelands? That is the central question which animates the newest work of San Francisco poet laureate Genny Lim and the Bay Area-based Del Sol Quartet. Together, Lim and the musicians explore the implications of migration and the search for a new home in their work, “Facing the Moon: Songs of the Diaspora.” They join us live in the studio for a performance and conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Glynn Washington, host of KQED and Snap Judgment’s “Spooked,” joins us to talk about the podcast’s new season called The Crossroads. It takes stories about encounters with the unknown to new levels by exploring what happens when desperation drives us to bargain with dark forces. As “Spooked” tours the West Coast — with shows on Oct. 23 in Los Angeles and Oct. 25 in Oakland – we’ll talk about why we crave frights, scares and ghosts this month, and what they can teach us about our world year-round. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Millions of people are expected to take part in "No Kings" protests this Saturday in over 2000 cities across the country. The demonstrations are being coordinated as frustration mounts over the president’s military crackdown in cities and federal funding cuts. We talk about what to expect and how this movement compares to previous mass demonstrations in American history. Later in the hour, we talk about the value of having a best friend in adulthood. Vox correspondent Allie Volpe has taken a close look at how best friends stave off not just social alienation but also emotional loneliness and why ranking our friendships on a scale of acquaintance can help us conserve social energy. Guests: Omar Wasow, assistant professor of political science, UC Berkeley Allie Volpe, correspondent, Vox Jaimie Arona Krems, associate professor of psychology, UCLA; director, UCLA Center for Friendship Research Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a news conference Wednesday, President Trump said he will be “strongly recommending” his administration look into sending troops to the city, which he called “a mess.” The comments come after Elon Musk and Mark Benioff said they’d like to see the National Guard in San Francisco. We discuss what may come next, but first we talk with the new host of “Reading Rainbow.” Almost 20 years since it went off air, the beloved kids’ literacy show is back. The reboot is hosted by Mychal Threets who, until last year, was a librarian at the same Fairfield library he grew up frequenting. Guests: Mychal Threets, librarian and literacy advocate; new host of "Reading Rainbow" Marisa Lagos, politics correspondent, KQED; co-host, KQED's "Political Breakdown" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why is it so hard to change the U.S. Constitution? Harvard historian Jill Lepore says the Constitution was intended to be amended but that we’ve all but abandoned the practice. That’s had profound consequences, leaving us with vestigial antidemocratic provisions like the Electoral College, a malapportioned Senate and life tenure for Supreme Court justices. We talk to Lepore about why amendments are so rare and whether the Constitution can survive without them. Her new book is “We the People.” We also hear from Southern California congressman Pete Aguilar about President Trump’s threats to cut “democrat” programs as the government shutdown continues, and how his caucus is responding. Guests: Jill Lepore, professor of American history, Harvard University; staff writer, The New Yorker - her new book is "We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution" Pete Aguilar, democratic representative for the 33rd Congressional District of California; chair of the U.S. House Democratic Caucus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Julian Brave NoiseCat’s paternal family traces their origins to the Coyote, a trickster from native mythology who helped create the world. The story of Coyote weaves through NoiseCat’s memoir, “We Survived the Night,” which recounts his childhood in Oakland, growing up with a non-native mother, and an absent Indian father who was born, and nearly killed, in an infamous Canadian reservation school. NoiseCat’s book weaves together the personal, historical and mythological stories that “were nearly tossed in the dustbin of history.” NoiseCat, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker of “Sugarcane,” joins us. Guests: Julian Brave NoiseCat, author, "We Survived the Night" - NoiseCat is the co-director of the Oscar-nominated documentary "Sugarcane" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At a summit in Egypt on Monday, President Trump and world leaders signed the first phase of a ceasefire agreement aimed at bringing to an end the brutal two-year war between Israel and Hamas. Under the terms of the deal, Hamas on Monday released all 20 of the remaining hostages it had held since its attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and Israel released nearly 2,000 Palestinians it held in jails. We’ll unpack what’s in the peace deal, what brought the parties to the table and what lies ahead for Palestinians returning to a devastated Gaza. Guests: Patrick Wintour, diplomatic editor, The Guardian Zack Beauchamp, senior correspondent, Vox - covering challenges to democracy and right-wing populism; author, "The Reactionary Spirit" Gershon Baskin, negotiator and peace activist - was involved in back-channel discussions of the deal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We continue our series, “In Search of Home: Solutions for the Homelessness Crisis” with an examination of what it takes to help a person experiencing homelessness find their way into permanent housing. We talk with providers operating transitional housing with wrap-around services and rapid rehousing programs, that help with leasing new apartments, about the most effective ways to move a formerly homeless person or family into a permanent home. Guests: Vivian Wan, chief executive officer, Abode, a nonprofit that provides services and housing in the Bay Area Lydia Chriss, Hamilton Families client Kyriell Noon, executive director, Hamilton Families Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We meet Stanford chemical engineer William Tarpeh, who was recently awarded a 2025 MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship. Tarpeh’s work involves developing systems to extract nitrogen from waste streams to be used in fertilizer, cleaners and industrial chemical production. We talk to him about the environmental and public health benefits of his projects in Kenya and elsewhere, the role that California has played in his academic career and his plans for the fellowship. Guests: William Tarpeh, assistant professor of chemical engineering, Stanford University Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A group of American investors, including Silicon Valley allies of President Trump, is expected to take control of TikTok’s U.S. operations from Chinese parent company ByteDance, according to the White House. The video sharing platform has come under heavy bipartisan criticism as a national security risk. We’ll talk to Forbes investigative reporter Emily Baker-White about the proposed deal and what it could mean for TikTok’s millions of users. Baker-White’s new book is “Every Screen On The Planet: The War Over TikTok.” Guests: Emily Baker-White, investigative reporter and senior writer, Forbes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

According to San Francisco workers, the hustle culture of the pre-pandemic days has returned in the form of long working days and weekends at the office. So called “996 work”, which originates from China’s tech scene, is a work schedule that starts at 9 a.m. and ends at 9 p.m., six days a week. The hustle isn’t new to Silicon Valley, but the hyper-competitive AI tech race and the fact that some employers are making 996 mandatory for its staff, or using it as a recruitment filter, could lead to uncharted territory. We talk about the origins of 996, the grind culture of Silicon Valley, and whether or not this trend is going to stick. Guests: Carolyn Chen, associate professor of Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley and co-director, Berkeley Center for the Study of Religion. Author, "Work Pray Code: When Work Becomes Religion in Silicon Valley" Lora Kelley, Journalist and writer covering tech and work Ara Kharazian , economist at Ramp, a tech company focused on financial automation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The deadline is approaching for Governor Newsom to sign — or veto — any remaining bills passed last month by California’s legislature. He’s recently approved laws that crack down on illegal street vending, bar ICE officers from wearing masks and enhance data privacy. Some of the measures pending include a proposal for more transit-oriented development and a reparations package. We’ll talk about what Newsom’s positions on the bills could signal about his priorities for California and what the new laws mean for you. Guests: Guy Marzorati, correspondent, KQED's California Politics and Government Desk Jeanne Kuang, Capitol reporter, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alice Waters has changed the way the country thinks about the importance of fresh, organic produce in the more than fifty years since she founded her restaurant, Chez Panisse, and in the three decades since launching the Edible Schoolyard Project in Berkeley. Now, as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. extolls the importance of healthy food for kids while the administration slashes funding for the programs that provide it, we talk with Alice Waters about how to improve food for children and about her new book, “A School Lunch Revolution: A Cookbook.” Guests: Alice Waters, founder, Chez Panisse; her latest book is "A School Lunch Revolution" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The scope of presidential power is front and center as the Supreme Court begins a new term. Cases on the docket will test Trump’s agenda, including his ability to levy tariffs and his attempts to fire Federal Reserve members. Also at stake are the survival of the Voting Rights Act, as well as a state’s authority to ban conversion therapy, and the rights of transgender athletes. We talk about how the conservative-leaning Roberts court might rule, and what role the Court will play in supporting or stopping Trump’s efforts to shape the country. Guests: Olatunde C. Johnson, professor of law, Columbia Law School; she served on President Biden's Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court Mark Joseph Stern, senior writer, Slate; co-host of the "Amicus" podcast Melissa Murray, professor of law, NYU School of Law; co-host of the "Strict Scrutiny" podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amidst funding cuts, massive layoffs, editorial differences and Donald Trump’s ongoing attacks on media, more and more journalists and creators are leaving traditional media platforms and going independent. They’re turning to newsletters, Substack channels, Youtube and more, to keep doing the work they’ve been doing – but without institutional guardrails. As stalwart publications like The Washington Post are seeing a major exodus of reporters and as Paramount Skylark purchases The Free Press and hires its co-founder Bari Weiss as the new editor-in-chief of CBS news, we check in with independent journalists about the shifting landscape of the media. Guests: Brian Merchant, tech journalist; writes Blood in the Machine newsletter; author, "Blood in the Machine: The Origins of the Rebellion against Big Tech" Alicia Kennedy, food and culture writer; founder, From The Desk of Alicia Kennedy; author, "No Meat Required: The Cultural History and Culinary Future of Plant-Based Eating" Nick Valencia, journalist; former CNN correspondent; founder, Nick Valencia News Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Preventing the next deadly pandemic, because it’s only a matter of time. Senior Science magazine correspondent Jon Cohen has travelled Vietnam and the Amazon rainforest to learn what scientists are doing to keep the most dangerous pathogens at bay, and why we need to avoid what he calls cycles of panic and neglect — a rush of resources and interest when a virus bursts on the scene followed by inattention. Cohen’s new book is “Planning Miracles.” Guests: Jon Cohen, senior correspondent, Science magazine; author, “Planning Miracles: How to Prevent Future Pandemics" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AI video creation software is advancing rapidly and some of its output is very alarming. OpenAI’s Sora, currently the most downloaded app in the App Store, allows users to create incredibly realistic deepfake videos with minimal effort. One viral example? A fake video of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman shoplifting in a department store. With technology this convincing, how can we trust what we see online? And what kind of destabilizing impact could this have on our society? Guests: Max Read, journalist, screenwriter, editor, former editor at Gawker and Select All Alice Marwick, director of research, Data & Society Jason Koebler, co-founder, 404 Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What makes us vulnerable to charlatans? A new book by journalist Quico Toro takes a close look at charismatic manipulators from literal snake oil peddlers to crypto scammer Sam Bankman-Fried. We talk to Toro about how charlatans exploit our need for certainty, belonging and leadership — and why the tricks are old, but thanks to viral amplification on social media, the scale is new. Toro’s book, co-written with Moisés Naim, is “Charlatans: How Grifters, Swindlers, and Hucksters Bamboozle the Media, the Markets, and the Masses.” Guests: Francisco Toro, author, "Charlatans: How Grifters, Swindlers, and Hucksters "Bamboozle the Media, the Markets, and the Masses" - he's also director of climate repair at the Anthropocene Institute Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California has a massive economy, the power of Hollywood and Silicon Valley, and we grow much of the nation’s food. As the Trump administration targets the state with federal cuts, ICE raids, and the deployment of the National Guard, some are asking: How could California—and other blue states—use their considerable power? Could there be a kind of “soft secession” from the federal government? We’ll talk about the possible paths for blue-state resistance. Guests: Clara Jeffery, editor in chief, Mother Jones and the Center for Investigative Reporting Jon Michaels, law professor, UCLA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California City in Kern county is now home to the state’s largest ICE detention facility after private prison giant CoreCivic formally contracted to run it last month. But immigrant rights advocates say it lacks proper permits, and detainees have staged hunger strikes to protest filthy conditions and lack of access to medical care. Meanwhile, California City officials say they have no authority to challenge prison operations. We talk about how it’s dividing the community. Guests: Tyche Hendricks, senior editor covering immigration, KQED Sam Levin, senior criminal justice reporter, the Guardian US Marquette Hawkins, mayor, California City Vikram Amar, professor of law, UC Davis School of Law Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The government has shut down and President Trump is withholding dedicated funds to blue states, demanding universities sign a pact to get federal funding and cracking down on free speech. We bring together a panel of reporters to sort through what is happening in Washington and discuss the ways the Trump administration is throwing out the playbook and creating new, and sometimes unlawful, norms. Guests: Philip Bump, former national columnist, Washington Post - Bump is the author of "The Aftermath: The Last Days of the Baby Boom and the Future of Power in America" Domenico Montanaro, senior political editor and correspondent, NPR Molly Ball, former senior political correspondent, Wall Street Journal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the federal government shutdown extended through a second day, President Trump on Thursday redoubled his threats to carry out mass layoffs, posting on his social media platform that Democrats had given him an “unprecedented opportunity.” We talk to California Senator Adam Schiff about the Democrats’ long game on the shutdown and get his response to Trump’s call this week to use U.S. cities as a “training ground” for the military and his administration’s decision to cancel billions of dollars for energy projects in California and the Pacific Northwest. Guests: Adam Schiff, U.S. Senator representing California; former U.S. Congressman representing Los Angeles; his books include "Midnight in Washington: How We Almost Lost Our Democracy and Still Could" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This fall brings Bay Area residents plenty of options for enjoying the arts from the Castro Theatre reopening with a Sam Smith residency after a two year closure to an exhibit of Witchcraft, Magic, and Occult Knowledge at Stanford. And of course, there are the perennial events like LitQuake, the region’s premier literary festival, and celebrations of Oktoberfest, Día de los Muertos, and Halloween. KQED’s Arts team joins us to provide recommendations. And, we’ll hear from you, what’s the fall event or activity you are most looking forward to? Guests: Gabe Meline, senior editor, KQED Arts & Culture Sarah Hotchkiss, associate editor, KQED Arts & Culture Nastia Voynovskaya, editor and reporter, KQED Arts & Culture Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The United States has for generations been a magnet for students and scholars from around the world seeking higher education and research positions. In fields such as engineering and the life sciences, at least half of workers here with doctorates are born outside the country. But crackdowns on universities, federal funding cuts and a precarious climate for immigrants is turning a brain gain into a brain drain. We talk about why fewer international students and researchers are choosing to come to the U.S and why American scholars are choosing other countries to pursue their work. Are you considering leaving the country for school or work? Guests: Sarah Willcox, deputy director, Scholars at Risk James Glanz, international and investigative reporter, The New York Times Sonya Pfeiffer, civil rights and criminal defense attorney, BT Legal and Pfeiffer Rudolf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Even after the tremendous success of her cookbook, “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat” and the Netflix series it inspired, Samin Nosrat found that, she was lonely and depressed. What grounded her, and helped her claw back the joy in her life, was regularly cooking and eating with friends and committing to community – one “lazy sugo” at a time . We talk to Nosrat about her journey and her new book, “Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share with People You Love.” Guests: Samin Nosrat, chef and author of "Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share with People You Love: A Cookbook"; her previous book is the bestseller "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jane Goodall, one of the world’s most beloved primatologists, has died. She was 91. Goodall was a hero of the conservation movement known for her decades long study of chimpanzees — how they use tools, care for their young, and care for each other. Her discoveries led her to devote her life to animal conservation and fighting deforestation, balanced with the needs of local people. We listen back to our conversation with Goodall from September 2023. She joined us along with two international conservation champions inspired by Goodall’s work to talk about the evolution of her activism and the future of the conservation movement. Guests: Jane Goodall, ethologist and conservationist; co-founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, which is devoted to the protection of great apes and their habitats; her books include "The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times" and "The Chimpanzees of Gombe: Patterns of Behavior" Jean-Gael "JG" Collomb, chief executive officer, Wildlife Conservation Network, which connects philanthropists with a global network of field-based conservation leaders Jeneria Lekilelei, Samburu warrior; director of community conservation, Ewaso Lions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The federal government shut down at midnight on Tuesday after lawmakers failed to reach a deal to continue funding its operations. We hear from Bay Area congressman Mark DeSaulnier as Democrats and Republicans fight a messaging war over who to blame for what could be a long and painful period of no pay and potential job losses for federal employees. Guests: Mark DeSaulnier, United States Congressman, representing 10th district of California (the East Bay) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The politicalization of the Department of Justice took a new turn last week when US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced an indictment against Trump nemesis and former FBI head James Comey. Donald Trump has made clear that this term, he intends to go after his personal enemies, but the capitulation of DOJ to his demands has raised troubling questions. With career prosecutors and FBI agents being fired or leaving in droves, we talk about what is happening to the Justice Department. Guests: Ismail Ramsey, former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California Quinta Jurecic, staff writer, Atlantic Magazine - Jurecic's most recent piece for the Atlantic is titled "The Comey Indictment Is an Embarrassment" Glenn Thrush, reporter covering the Justice Department, New York Times Ejaz Baluch, attorney, Baluch resigned from the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice earlier this year Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Tom Frieden, who led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under President Obama, is sounding new alarms about the direction the agency is heading. Frieden says that since taking office, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has “followed a consistent playbook: deny, distract, and destroy” by promoting vaccine misinformation, linking Tylenol use to autism and firing some of the CDC’s most competent professionals. We’ll talk to Frieden about how he thinks science can prevail over falsehood. His new book is “The Formula For Better Health: How to Save Millions of Lives, Including Your Own.” Guests: Dr. Tom Frieden, former director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - author, "The Formula for Better Health: How to Save Millions of Lives-Including Your Own" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Forum is continuing our series, “In Search of Home: Solutions for the Homelessness Crisis” with a look into what happens when people lose their housing. Each year in the Bay Area, an estimated 44,000 people will become homeless, according to All Home, a Bay Area nonprofit. Some find a new place to live quickly, while others shuffle through couch-surfing, sleeping outside, staying at shelters, living in cars or a tent. We’ll talk about the early stages of losing housing and the interventions that can help keep homelessness “brief and rare” as policy experts say, and head off chronic homelessness. Guests: Vanessa Rancaño, housing affordability reporter, NPR Sharon Cornu, executive director, St. Mary's Center - a provider of transitional housing and other services for seniors and families in Oakland Markos Gonzalez, associate director of programs community outreach, Bay Area Community Services (BACS) - a provider of behavioral health and homelessness services Keanna Ward, Bay Area resident, is formerly homeless Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal spending talks ground to a halt this week, with Democrats wanting healthcare subsidies to be included in any approved funding bills. Republicans are opposed and refusing to negotiate. President Trump does not appear interested in working out a compromise. He canceled a meeting last week with Democratic party leaders, and the White House says that it will order federal agencies to fire employees permanently if Democrats do not vote to approve a stopgap spending measure now. We talk about the stakes and what a government shutdown could mean for California. Guests: Adhiti Bandlamudi, housing reporter, KQED Russell Berman, staff writer, The Atlantic Sarah Wire, senior national political correspondent, USA Today Nicholas Wu, congressional reporter, Politico Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 in an unruly world, and our connection to one another. Her hope is to create “some strange idiosyncratic song, an imperfect echo, to nature and humanity so they will know how much they are loved.” We talk to Limón about her new collection, “Startlement.” Guests: Ada Limón, poet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Breaking into Hollywood isn’t what it used to be. Two former LA Times editors who have covered the entertainment industry for years offer a road map on how to make it in a business being reshaped by AI, streaming and social media. Ada Tseng and Jon Healey spoke with hundreds of showbiz professionals – from actors and producers, to agents and gaffers – getting honest advice about how to get started (hint: think twice before becoming a personal assistant). Their book is “Breaking Into New Hollywood: A Career Guide to a Changing Industry.” If you’re in the entertainment industry, what’s the most valuable advice you received? Guests: Ada Tseng, writer and editor; co-host, "Saturday School" - an Asian American pop culture history podcast Jon Healey, former reporter and editor for The Los Angeles Times Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marin County is known as the birthplace of modern mountain biking and it has long had a robust cycling culture. But lately, motorized e-bikes – some that go over 50 miles per hour – surged in popularity, especially with young people. A rise in serious bike accidents involving children and teens prompted county officials to ban anyone under 16 from riding the fastest e-bikes – the first ban of its kind in the state. We’ll talk about the prevalence of e-bikes, Marin’s attempt to regulate them – and why some Bay Area riders need to slow down. Guests: Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman, news editor, KQED Asha Weinstein Agrawal, professor and researcher, Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University Talia Smith, legislative director, Marin County Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Governor Gavin Newsom has signed into law one of the biggest environmental policy overhauls in decades, a package of six bills aimed at meeting California’s ambitious climate goals — while making housing and electricity more affordable. The new legislation lays out a plan to reduce consumer electricity costs and harden the state’s energy grid; it also insulates utility providers from wildfire liability and incentivizes oil and gas companies to remain in the state. We take a closer look at the changes and trade-offs and what they mean for you. Guests: Guy Marzorati, correspondent, KQED's California Politics and Government Desk Ethan Elkind, director of the Climate Program at the Center for Law, Energy and the Environment, UC Berkeley School of Law; host of the podcast, "Climate Break" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In her new book, “The Invention of Design: A Twentieth-Century History,” historian and designer Maggie Gram traces the evolution of the field of design from a focus on decoration and the way things look, to a much grander idea — that we can design ourselves into a better world. From furniture and iPhone design to helping revamp city government, “good design” has been touted as the answer to a better life. We talk with Gram about her skepticism about tech’s confidence in being able to design solutions to enormous problems and the peril, and promise, of design thinking. Guests: Maggie Gram, historian and designer; author, "The Invention of Design: A Twentieth-Century History" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tens of thousands of Brazilians took to the streets over the weekend to protest an amnesty bill for former President Jair Bolsonaro, who faces 27 years in prison for attempting to overturn the 2022 election. Trump, who has likened himself to Bolsonaro, called the trial a “witch hunt” and punished the country with 50% tariffs and sanctions on government officials. We look at the parallels between the two men, and what the U.S. can learn from Brazil’s effort to hold its leaders accountable and defend its democracy. Guests: Julia Vargas Jones, correspondent, CNN Juliana Dal Piva, investigative reporter, ICL Noticias and Centro Latinoamericano de Investigación Periodística Jack Nicas, Brazil bureau chief, The New York Times Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump’s announcement Friday of a $100,000 dollar fee for H-1B visas has thrown the tech world – and communities of immigrants – into states of confusion and concern. Many employers, working with the scant information from the president, warned traveling workers to scramble back to the US immediately, before the administration later clarified that the fees wouldn’t apply to existing visa holders. But it’s still far from clear what the new rules mean for foreign workers and companies. We’ll talk about the new changes to H-1B visas, how communities and companies are responding and what it means for the future of tech hiring. Guests: Tanay Gokhale, independent journalist based in Oakland; formerly the community reporter at India Currents and continues to write for them on a freelance basis Pranav Dixit, Meta correspondent covering Trump's H-1B visa fee, Business Insider Emily Neumann, immigration attorney, Reddy Neumann Brown PC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A memorial service for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk became a political rally on Sunday, as President Trump told the crowd that unlike Kirk, he hates his opponents and blamed the “radical left” for political violence. Washington Post columnist Shadi Hamid says that as influential Republicans use Kirk’s killing to demonize the left, the country is failing a crucial test: the ability to absorb political violence without discarding democratic cornerstones like free speech, respect for dissent and due process. We talk to Hamid and to New York Times reporter Jeremy Peters about this fraught political moment, and how, in Hamid’s words, we can step back from the brink. Guests: Shadi Hamid, columnist at the Washington Post, his forthcoming book is "The Case for American Power" Jeremy W. Peters, national reporter focusing on free speech, The New York Times - author, "Insurgency: How Republicans Lost Their Party and Got Everything They Ever Wanted" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For decades, policy makers, politicians, and experts have blamed an absence of Black fathers as the reason Black children tend to not fare as well as white children. That reasoning has led to a lot of public policy pushing the two-parent family structure. In her new book, “Inherited Inequality: Why Opportunity Gaps Persist between Black and White Youth Raised in Two-Parent Families,” Harvard Sociologist Christina Cross argues that this claim is a distraction from addressing the systemic inequities that hold kids back such as racial discrimination in the housing market, schools and workplaces. We talk with Cross about how the two-parent paradigm became the standard and when that premise becomes harmful. Guests: Christina Cross, associate professor of sociology, Harvard University - author of, "Inherited Inequality: Why Opportunity Gaps Persist between Black and White Youth Raised in Two-Parent Families" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The mega-wealthy Silicon Valley group, California Forever, has announced a plan to build a manufacturing town in Solano County. Their intention to build the largest site for advanced manufacturing in North America comes at a moment where there is a lot of debate about whether we should reverse the decline of U.S. manufacturing and how to do it. We’ll talk about how the manufacturing industry has changed from the American factory of the past, the role the industry currently plays in the Bay Area Area economy, and the future of manufacturing in our region. Guests: Kate Gordon, CEO, California Forward Adhiti Bandlamudi, housing reporter, KQED Mathew Bogoshian, Executive Director, American Manufacturing Communities Collaborative (AMCC) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has long been one of the world’s largest providers of contraceptives and disaster relief. But recent funding cuts and orders from the Trump administration have dismantled programs, stranded millions of dollars’ worth of contraceptives, and left partner nations scrambling. We look at the unraveling of USAID’s work, the human impact on the ground and what America’s retreat means for the future of global health and humanitarian aid. Guests: Elissa Miolene, global development reporter, Devex, an independent news organization covering international development Hana Kiros, assistant editor, The Atlantic - Her recent article is “Inside the USAID Fire Sale.” Carson Christiano, executive director, Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California synth-pop duo PRXZM joins us in studio for a live musical performance. Classically trained musicians Nick Ortega and Emma Maidenberg host a weekly livestream where fans can watch them compose in real-time and offer feedback. PRXZM’s latest project? Remixing our Forum theme song! We’ll talk to them about the process of remixing and what it’s like to collaborate so closely with their fans. Guests: Nick Ortega, synth, PRXZM Emma Maidenberg, vocals, PRXZM Daniel Reiter, guitar, PRXZM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been as full-throated in his support for President Trump’s aggressive immigration policies as California Governor Gavin Newsom has been in his opposition. We team up with South Florida Public Radio station WLRN to talk about how our states’ different approaches on immigration enforcement are playing out on the ground, and the impact on our communities, economy and voters. Guests: Marisa Lagos, politics correspondent, KQED Tom Hudson, president of news, WLRN; an anchor of "The Florida Roundup" Jasmine Garsd, immigration correspondent, NPR; host of the podcast "The Last Cup," about soccer and the immigrant experience Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California’s prisons were so packed fifteen years ago that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled they violated the Constitution. Today, the state’s prison population has decreased dramatically and California is closing prison facilities. Governor Newsom has closed five during his tenure, with the latest – the California Rehabilitation Center in Norco, California – slated to shut down next fall. We’ll take a closer look at what’s driving the turnaround, and the impact of prison closures on communities and the state’s criminal justice system. Guests: Heather Harris, research fellow specializing in criminal justice, Public Policy Institute of California Caitlin O'Neil, principal fiscal and policy analyst, Legislative Analyst's Office - the California Legislature's nonpartisan fiscal and policy advisor Nigel Duara, justice reporter, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Locals don’t always like to go where the tourists flock in their own town, and as a result there is a lot that they might be missing. A new program, Doors Open California hopes to change that by welcoming Californians to historic sites, movie locations, museums and more all in their backyard. We’ll talk to plugged-in locals about the cool sites and situations that are just around the corner, and hear from you about the Bay Area spots that you think are worth a visit. Guests: Peter Hartlaub, culture critic, The San Francisco Chronicle Pendarvis "Pen" Harshaw, columnist, KQED Arts Kara Newport, president and CEO, Filoli Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Immigrant rights advocates are warning of increased racial profiling and more aggressive Immigration and Customs Enforcement tactics in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to temporarily lift a federal judge’s order that barred the agency from detaining people without probable cause. Concerns intensified after the Department of Homeland Security announced on social media that law enforcement would “flood the zone” in Los Angeles. We look at what’s happening on the ground and where the law stands. Guests: Ahilan Arulanantham, law professor and faculty co-director, Center for Immigration Law and Policy, UCLA School of Law - former Legal Director ACLU of Southern California Andrea Castillo, staff writer covering immigration, LA Times Marissa Montes, professor of law and director, Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic, Loyola Law School Rob Bonta, California Attorney General Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices