KQED's Forum

Far more than just a link between our heads and torsos, the neck is what biologist Kent Dunlap describes as “the ultimate multitasker.” The neck “flexes, senses, vibrates, transports, and secretes every second of our lives,” all while serving as a locus of beauty, grace and vulnerability. We talk to Dunlap about his new book “The Neck: A Natural and Cultural History.” Guest: Kent Dunlap, professor of biology, Trinity College

Bay Area Latin jazz legend John Santos joins us with a full band for a live in-studio performance. The San Francisco native is a Grammy nominated percussionist and composer influenced by classic rhythms and traditions of the Caribbean. He founded his own label, Machete Records, 40 years ago to avoid mainstream platforms and maintain his creative freedom. Santos joins us to talk about his San Francisco roots, the rhythms of his Puerto Rican and Cape Verdean heritage, and his latest album, Horizontes. Guests: Saul Sierra, musician, bass, vocals John Santos, Latin Jazz percussionist, leader of the John Santos Sextet Marco Diaz, musician, keyboard, trumpet, vocals John Calloway, musician, flute, keyboard Charlie Gurke, musician, saxes Anthony Blea, musician, violin

Republicans are looking to cut as much as $880 billion from Medicaid, a federal program that provides healthcare for 72 million Americans. Distinct from Medicare, which covers seniors, Medicaid includes coverage for low income people, the disabled, substance abuse programs, nursing home care, and the Affordable Care Act, among other kinds of care. Nearly half of all births in the U.S. are covered by Medicaid, and polls show enormous support for the program across political parties. Donald Trump has said that cuts to Medicaid are off the table, but congressional Republicans’ proposed budget to pay for the president’s signature $4.5 trillion dollar tax cut relies on massive cuts to the program. We’ll talk to experts about the future of Medicaid. Guests: Larry Levitt, executive vice president, Kaiser Family Foundation Joanne Kenen, journalist In-residence, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Kristof Stremikis, director of market analysis and insight, California Health Care Foundation, independent nonprofit focused on improving healthcare for Californians Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, former administrator, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services; served as administrator during the Biden administration from 2021-2025

Germany holds parliamentary elections this weekend, and political watchers there are expecting its nativist Alternative for Deutschland party to make gains, despite long being a political pariah. The pro-Putin, anti-immigrant AfD has neo-Nazi ties and has earned the praise of Elon Musk and a meeting with Vice President JD Vance. We look at Germany’s far right resurgence and what it means for the U.S. and Europe. Guests: Jen Kirby, Foreign and National Security Reporter Sophia Besch, senior fellow, Europe Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Last week the U.S. Senate confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a noted vaccine skeptic, as Health and Human Services Secretary. This comes as a measles outbreak in Texas widens to 58 people and as Louisiana’s top health official says the state will no longer promote mass vaccination. We talk to pediatrician and infectious disease specialist Adam Ratner about his concerns about the nation’s vaccination program under Kennedy and Trump, the impact of misinformation on public health, and why measles is a harbinger for other public health crises. Ratner’s new book is “Booster Shots: The History and Future of Measles Vaccines.” Guests: Adam Ratner MD, infectious disease specialist and pediatrician https://www.adamratnermd.com/

Black History Month has been officially celebrated in the U.S. since President Gerald Ford signed a proclamation nearly 50 years ago declaring the month of February as time to recognize the contributions Black people have made to the country. This year, though, the Trump administration’s attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion have put a chill on the celebrations. We talk about how we arrived at a place where honoring Black history is being questioned just five years after the so-called racial reckoning of 2020. Guests: Adam Harris, senior fellow, education policy program of New America; former education reporter, The Atlantic; author, "The State Must Provide: Why America's Colleges Have Always Been Unequal--and How to Set Them Right" Michael Harriot, journalist; poet; public historian; author, "Black AF History: The Unwhitewashed Story of America."; co-founder, ContrabandCamp.com, a subscription-based journalism project covering the intersection of race, politics, and culture. Tiffany Caesar, assistant professor of Africana studies, San Francisco State University

Since taking office, President Trump has issued executive orders rolling back trans Americans’ rights in schools, prisons and the military. The administration is also attempting to pull critical federal funding for transgender health programs and research. Many of these actions are being challenged in court, but they’re still impacting trans Americans’ day-to-day lives — even in California. We’ll talk about the national and statewide landscape for trans rights in Trump’s America. Guests: Jo Yurcaba, reporter, NBC Out, the LGBTQ section of NBC News Jim Mangia, president and CEO, St. John's Community Health in Los Angeles Dannie Ceseña, director, California LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network

Picking up stakes and moving somewhere new was once so common in America that cities had a designated “Moving Day” when thousands of tenants would move house on the same day. Often whole blocks of residents would change addresses, with moving boxes and bags littering the streets. But in the last 50 years, more Americans have stayed in place. Not by choice, but by a lack of social mobility, according to Atlantic writer Yoni Appelbaum. Regions with opportunities lack affordable housing. Cities with abundant cheap housing lack opportunities. In his new book, “Stuck: How the Privileged and the Propertied Broke the Engine of American Opportunity,” Appelbaum contends that it is progressive policies that have stood in the way of progress. We talk to Appelbaum. Guests: Yoni Appelbaum, deputy executive editor, The Atlantic; he is the author of "Stuck: How the Privileged and the Propertied Broke the Engine of American"

After his California home burned in a wildfire, acclaimed author and travel writer Pico Iyer retreated to a remote monastery in Big Sur. There, he discovered the power of solitude and stillness to help process loss and cope with uncertainty. In his new book, “Aflame,” Iyer writes about his frequent visits to the monastery over the following three decades, always finding joy and renewal in the “silence and emptiness and light”… and lack of screens. We’ll talk with Iyer about the book, and why his inner journeys mean more to him than his far-flung trips across the globe. Guests: Pico Iyer, journalist and author, "Aflame"

A century ago, the United States designated its first wilderness area – a place to be forever preserved and protected from human impact. But what does “wilderness” mean in the era of smartphone technology that keeps us constantly connected and human-fueled climate change? And who gets to enjoy these “untrammeled” spaces? These are the questions posed by environmental journalist Marissa Ortega-Welch in her podcast “How Wild.” We talk with Ortega-Welch, an environmental historian, and an outdoor educator about the complex history and future of our wildest landscapes. And we hear from you: What does wilderness mean for you? Guests: Marissa Ortega-Welch, science and environmental journalist, host of the podcast "How Wild" Phoebe Young, professor of environmental history and chair of the history department, University of Colorado Boulder; author, "Camping Grounds: Public Nature in American Life from the Civil War to the Occupy Movement" Aparna Rajagopal, founding partner, The Avarna Group

We pull back the curtain on the San Francisco Opera with Music Director Eun Sun Kim and General Director Matthew Shilvock, who joined us live on stage on Feb. 4 to talk about the artistry and passion that make this Bay Area institution beloved. On this rebroadcast, Kim shares behind-the-scenes footage of her recent production of Lohengrin from documentary filmmaker Elena Park and discusses how she interprets timeless works alongside live performances by the Opera’s young resident artists, the Adler Fellows. Guests: Eun Sun Kim, music director, San Francisco Opera Matthew Shilvock, general director, San Francisco Opera Elena Park , documentary filmmaker and director, “Eun Sun Kim: A Journey Into Lohengrin”

New Yorker writer Rachel Syme loves letters — their content, the paper they are written on, the envelopes that enclose them. For Syme, “A letter is a vessel that can gently cradle family drama that would otherwise explode at Thanksgiving dinner; it is the ideal medium for giving voice to what is difficult to say out loud, and for reconciliation, forgiveness, and clarity.” In her new book, “Syme’s Letter Writer,” she offers advice on how to develop a letter writing style, how to write about juicy gossip, and how to write your mother. We talk to Syme, and hear from you, what’s a letter you’ve written or received that changed your life? Guest: Rachel Syme, staff writer, The New Yorker; during the pandemic, she founded a pen pal exchange that attracted 10,000 members from over 75 different countries

What is outrage, and what triggers it in us? When someone violates our moral sense, we might bristle with rage or thirst for retribution but UNC psychology professor Kurt Gray wants us to understand that the other side is also motivated by moral convictions, even if they don’t make sense to us right away. We talk to Gray about how understanding the psychology of moral conflicts can help us better manage them. His new book is “Outraged: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground.” Guests: Kurt Gray, social psychologist and professor of psychology and neuroscience, University of North Carolina; director, Deepest Beliefs Lab and the Center for the Science of Moral Understanding

In the midst of President Trump’s rapid fire, sweeping, and arguably illegal actions since inauguration day, resistance and protest against the president and his agenda has seemed quieter than at the beginning of his first term. But as the administration continues to take controversial actions on federal funding immigration, and transgender rights, resistance is ramping up in congress, the courts and on the streets. We’ll talk to Trump opponents about their strategies and what resistance could look like in this Trump term. And we want to hear from you, what is missing from the Democrat’s resistance strategy? Guests: Ezra Levin, co-founder and co-executive director, The Indivisible Project; co-author, Indivisible Guide; former Congressional staffer Rebecca Solnit, writer, newsletter called "Meditations in an Emergency" about politics, language and possibilities; historian; activist; author, more than twenty books that include "Orwell’s Roses"; "Recollections of My Nonexistence"; "Hope in the Dark"; and "Men Explain Things to Me." Lateefah Simon, U.S. representative, California's 12th congressional district; former board director, Bay Area Rapid Transit; board trustee, California State University system; longtime friend and mentee of Kamala Harris

Journalist Nicola Slawson has been single for more than a decade, and says there’s beautiful freedom in being unattached. But, too often, single people are made to feel that there’s something wrong with them. In her new book, “Single: Living a Complete Life on Your Own Terms,” Slawson says you don’t need to wait to fall in love for your life to start. As Valentine’s Day nears, we want to hear what you like – or miss – about being single. Guests: Nicola Slawson, freelance journalist; author, "Single: Living a Complete Life on Your Own Terms"; writer, "The Single Supplement," a newsletter for single women

During his campaign for San Francisco mayor, Daniel Lurie promised to bring progress on tough issues that have dogged the city for years including homelessness and drug addiction. He also pledged to revitalize downtown and other areas that have yet to recover from the pandemic. But he’s come into office facing major challenges with a looming budget deficit and President Trump threatening to withhold federal funds over the city’s immigration policies. One month into office, we’ll check in on Mayor Lurie’s plans, hear what he’s excited about, and take your questions and suggestions. Guests: Daniel Lurie, mayor, San Francisco; founder and former CEO, Tipping Point Community, a foundation focused on fighting poverty in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Office of Management and Budget director Russell Vought on Saturday halted new funding to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and temporarily shut down its headquarters. It’s the latest effort by Vought, a Project 2025 architect, to tear down the so-called “deep state” of bureaucrats who could object to Trump’s policies. Vought is also fixed on expanding the powers of the executive branch in relation to the legislative branch, supporting a presidential power to claw back funds already allocated by Congress. We’ll talk about what Vought’s tenure as OMB director will mean for the future of federal funding. Guests: Megan Messerly, White House reporter, Politico James C. Capretta, senior fellow, American Enterprise Institute; former associate director at the White House Office of Management and Budget under President George W. Bush Bob Bauer, professor of practice and distinguished scholar in residence, New York University School of Law; co-author of “After Trump: Reconstructing the Presidency”; White House Counsel to President Barack Obama (2009-2011)

Between 2000 and 2020, the number of young people incarcerated in the United States declined by an astonishing 77 percent. Red states and blue states alike lock up fewer kids than in 2000 — and in most, the drops have been precipitous: more than half of states have experienced declines of 75 percent or more. In his New York Times Magazine piece, Yale Law professor James Forman examines the reasons for the drop in incarceration and how states are responding. We talk to Forman and California experts about what the statistics can tell us about our shifting juvenile justice system and what we’ve learned about addressing youth crime. Guests: James Forman Jr., professor of law, Yale Law School; won the Pulitzer Prize in 2018 for his book, "Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America;" his most recent piece in the New York Times Magazine is titled, "What Happened When America Emptied Its Youth Prisons" David Muhammad, executive director, National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform; former Chief Probation Officer for Alameda County Laura Abrams, professor of social welfare, UCLA's Luskin School of Public Affairs; author of "Compassionate Confinement: A Year in the Life of Unit C" and "Everyday Desistance: The Transition to Adulthood Among Formerly Incarcerated Youth" Katherine Lucero, director, Office of Youth and Community Restoration; former supervising judge in juvenile court, Santa Clara County Superior Court

President Trump’s executive orders are testing the limits of presidential power, but they are not going unchallenged. An avalanche of litigation has been filed opposing efforts to end birthright citizenship, stop federal funding, and dismantle critical government agencies. Will the courts be able to meet this moment? We’ll hear from legal experts about how a judicial system and Supreme Court shaped by Trump may – or may not — act as a check and balance on the president. Guests: Dahlia Lithwick, senior editor and legal correspondent, Slate; host, Amicus podcast; author, "Lady Justice: Women, the Law, and the Battle to Save America" Jamal Greene, professor of law, Columbia University Law School

President Trump on Friday called for the closure of the U.S. Agency for International Development, America’s main humanitarian and development agency. The administration has already been dismantling USAID, over the last few weeks, forcing employees out and cutting off billions of dollars in foreign aid. Under the plan, the agency is to be left with less than 600 staff out of about 10,000. Critics, like former USAID official Jeremy Konyndyk say the closure will “put millions of lives at risk” and could undermine US foreign policy. We’ll look at what feeding USAID into the “woodchipper,” as Elon Musk has pledged, means for those who rely on its services, which include HIV treatment, disaster relief, and children’s health. Guests: Jeremy Konyndyk, president, Refugees International. He also led USAID offices during previous administrations. Joia Mukherjee, chief medical officer, Partners In Health Elissa Miolene, reporter covering USAID and the U.S. government, Devex