KQED's Forum

After a whale struck Maurice and Maralyn Bailey’s boat in 1972, the British couple found themselves stranded on a tiny rubber raft in the Pacific Ocean. In a new book, journalist Sophie Elmhirst looks at how the shipwrecked couple survived together for months – starving and pushed to their emotional limits. We’ll talk to Elmhirst about relationships under extreme conditions and why we’re so drawn to survival stories. And we want to hear from you: How do you think your own relationship would fare under similar circumstances? Guests: Sophie Elmhirst, author of "A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession and Shipwreck" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every month, 5.5 million Californians rely on Cal Fresh, the state’s version of food stamps. But Trump’s $186 billion in cuts to SNAP, the nation’s primary anti-hunger program, means that California will lose billions of dollars in funding. Experts note that these changes to SNAP, which began rolling out this month, constitute a drastic overhaul of the social safety net program and threaten to increase hunger in the country just as the economy is showing signs of slowing down. We’ll talk about the impacts of Trump’s budget decision on those in need as well as the grocers and food banks that help provide food to SNAP recipients. Guests: Leslie Bacho, CEO, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, a food bank that serves Santa Clara and San Mateo counties Lauren Bauer, fellow, Economic Studies, Brookings Institute; associate director of the Hamilton Project - her research focuses on social safety net policies Lupe Lopez, co-founder and owner, Arteagas Food Center, a chain of local grocery stores with outlets in San Jose, Hayward, and Gilroy among other locations Rebecca Piazza, executive director, safety net strategy, Code for America - Piazza served in the Biden-Harris Administration as Chief of Staff at the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, modernizing delivery of SNAP, WIC, and other nutrition programs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Millions of people are having deeply personal conversations with AI chatbots, but how safe are these interactions? We’re joined by two technology reporters who have been investigating troubling cases, including a California teenager whose months-long chats with ChatGPT took a tragic turn and a vulnerable man who was convinced by one of Meta’s AI female personas to “meet” in person. We look at how these tools can manipulate – or be manipulated – to cause harm, and what we’re learning about the psychological impact of AI companions. Guests: Kashmir Hill, features writer covering technology and privacy for the New York Times; author of "Your Face Belongs to Us: A Secretive Startup's Quest to End Privacy as We Know It" Jeff Horwitz, reporter covering tech, Reuter's Enterprise Team Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Political economist, educator, author, and former labor secretary, Robert Reich, has spent decades examining inequality as a way to make sense of the world. His career has focused on economic justice, the impacts of globalization and our shifting economy. We’ll talk with Reich, who recently retired from teaching at UC Berkeley, about the lessons he’s learned and taught, the influence of corporate power in America, and the ways in which wealth, poverty, and the widening income gap threaten our very democracy. Guests: Robert Reich, formerly the Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley; he has served in three national administrations, most recently as secretary of labor under President Bill Clinton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California’s long-delayed high speed rail project is finally ready to start laying tracks in the Central Valley next year. But the Trump administration has called it a “rail to nowhere,” pointing to construction delays and a budget that’s ballooned by $100 billion. The federal government has clawed back $4 million in grant funding – a move Governor Newsom says is illegal and that California plans to fight in court. With federal money tied up in the lawsuit, state lawmakers are pooling funds and pushing public-private partnerships to keep construction on track. We’ll get the latest on this slow-moving project from two transportation journalists. And we want to hear from you: What questions do you have about the future of California’s high speed rail? Guests: Colleen Shalby, staff writer covering transportation and mobility, The Los Angeles Times Ralph Vartabedian, independent journalist who has written about California's high-speed rail for over a decade Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After decades spent representing the East Bay in Congress, Barbara Lee was inaugurated as Oakland’s new mayor three months ago. She’s now at the helm of a city with a lot of local pride and boasting rights, but also with brutal financial challenges, a politics battered by scandal and recall, and a citizenry eager for progress on crime, homelessness and other urban woes. Barbara Lee joins us to talk about what she’s been learning in her first months in office and how it’s shaping her plans for the city. And we hear from you: What do you want to ask your new mayor, and what do you want her to know about your Oakland? Guests: Barbara Lee, mayor of Oakland Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When political advisor Chloe Dalton found an injured newborn hare near her home in the countryside, she decided to nurse it back to health. The two quickly formed a bond of quiet companionship. We talk to Dalton about what the hare taught her about trust, attention, preparing for loss and the ordinary magic of engaging closely with the natural world. Her new memoir is “Raising Hare.” What has a relationship with a wild animal taught you? Guests: Chloe Dalton, political advisor and author, "Raising Hare" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it mean to be an “auntie”? Studies have shown that aunties — whether they are a family member, a chosen maternal figure or a parent’s friend — play a crucial support role in a child’s upbringing. But the work doesn’t end at the family unit. Aunties are often the ones showing up and acting as powerful forces of social change. We’ll talk with artists, scholars and community organizers about the underrated power of aunties, and the ways in which they actively redefine the nuclear family unit and our systems of care. Guests: Kristina Wong, comedian and performance artist; Doris Duke Artist Award winner, Guggenheim Fellow and Pulitzer Prize finalist in Drama; her kids' book "Auntie Kristina's Guide to Asian American Activism" comes out Spring 2026 from Beaming Books Jocelyn Jackson, chef and community organizer; founder, JustUs Kitchen; co-founder, People's Kitchen Collective; executive producer, Life is Living Festival; former chef-in-residence, Museum of African Diaspora Kareem Khubchandani, educator, scholar and performer; associate professor of theater, dance and performance studies, Tufts University Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, California has aspired to be a national haven for abortion rights. But the reality is more complicated. Catholic hospitals in the state are refusing emergency care for miscarriages, major retailers have refused to stock abortion medications and federal lawsuits are targeting California doctors and pharmacies. We listen back to our conversation about the cases reshaping reproductive healthcare and their potential impacts on both Californians and the nation. Guests: Mary Ziegler, professor, UC Davis School of Law Shefali Luthra, reproductive health reporter, The 19th Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The fast-evolving retail landscape has zapped the life out of once bustling shopping centers throughout the Bay Area. And yet, many of the region’s legacy malls are still thriving. While San Francisco Centre, the former home of high-end department stores downtown, is now mostly empty, a revamped Stonestown in San Francisco’s west side is full of shoppers. Tenants such as indoor arcades, escape rooms and niche food vendors are drawing crowds to once desolate malls. We talk about where Bay Area shoppers are still going and how brick and mortar shopping is changing. Guests: Heather Knight, San Francisco bureau chief, The New York Times Michael Berne, president, MJB Consulting Kirthi Kalyanam, marketing department chair, director of the Retail Management Institute, Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Republican spending bill signed into law by President Trump last month slashes an estimated $150 billion in federal Medicaid funding to California over the next 10 years. Nearly 40% percent of Californians rely on Medi-Cal for health coverage, and now millions are expected to fall off the rolls. That’s leaving medical providers bracing for impacts, especially in places already struggling to serve all who need care. We talk to heads of clinics in the Central Valley, Shasta County and Los Angeles to hear how they’re coping. Guests: Mitesh Popat, chief executive officer, Venice Family Clinic David Quackenbush, president and chief executive officer, Golden Valley Health Centers Jo Campbell, chief executive officer, Hill Country Community Clinic Miranda Dietz, interim director, Health Care Program, UC Berkeley Labor Center Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Voters in the Sunset district of San Francisco are casting ballots on whether to recall their supervisor Joel Engardio. Engardio, a vocal champion of the city’s previous recalls of three school board members and former District Attorney Chesa Boudin, has angered residents in his district over his support of Proposition K, which closed the oceanfront’s Great Highway. The 2-mile stretch of land opened as Sunset Dunes Park, but whether that park is wanted, is still under debate with some saying it impacts local businesses and daily commutes. We talk about San Francisco’s recall fever and the balancing act required by officials representing the needs of their districts, and the desires of the city. Guests: Joe Eskenazi, managing editor and columnist, Mission Local Jason McDaniel, associate professor of political science, San Francisco State University Sydney Johnson, reporter, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Los Angeles County—famous for its sunshine—just 20% of urbanized areas are shaded at noon. That’s creating a serious health hazard for people who work outdoors, wait at bus stops or play outside. Environmental journalist Sam Bloch argues that shade should be considered a basic human right, akin to access to clean air and safe drinking water. We speak with Bloch about why modern cities have so little shade and how we can reintroduce it as a fundamental element of urban design. Bloch’s new book is “Shade: The Promise of a Forgotten Natural Resource.” Do you struggle to find shade in your community? Guests: Sam Bloch, environmental journalist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a new crop of students start school this fall, Bay Area colleges and universities are navigating headwinds ranging from funding cuts to a shrinking student population. Fewer Californians are enrolling in college than a decade ago and now schools are bracing for a “demographic cliff,” a drop in high school graduates stemming from lower birth rates after the Great Recession. At the same time, college graduates are vital to the region’s economy and a degree remains a reliable path for social advancement. We’ll talk with the presidents of San Francisco State University, Saint Mary’s College and West Valley College about how they are managing those major challenges while pursuing their missions. Guests: Roger Thompson, president, Saint Mary's College of California Lynn Mahoney, president, San Francisco State University Jennifer Taylor-Mendoza, president, West Valley College Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mars is inhospitable to human life with its cosmic radiation, atmosphere of carbon dioxide and nights as cold as 200 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. But as Space X founder Elon Musk pledges to colonize Mars, and as NASA renews its push for interplanetary travel, a husband and wife duo has explored whether people really can live in space. What would it require to have babies on another planet? To grow food? To prevent conflicts in space from sparking geopolitical chaos on Earth? We’ll talk about it all with Kelly and Zach Weinersmith, co-authors of “A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through?” Guests: Kelly Weinersmith, scientist and adjunct faculty member in the biosciences department, Rice University; co-author, "A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through?" Zach Weinersmith, cartoonist of the webcomic Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal; co-author, "A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through?" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On September 1, 1950, Oakland’s Fairyland opened its gates to 15,000 visitors who paid between 9 and 14 cents to explore this storybook adventure land. The park, with its whimsical fairy tale set pieces and rides geared for young children, was a wild success inspiring copycats across the country. It even served as inspiration to Walt Disney himself. Today, Fairyland offers respite and entertainment for visitors of all ages– many of whom visited as a child and are now grandparents themselves. We’ll talk about the park’s history and its future, and we hear from you: What’s your favorite memory of Fairyland? Guests: Kymberly Miller, CEO, Children's Fairyland Randal Metz, director, Storybook Puppet Theater at Children's Fairyland; author, "Creating A Fairyland" Barbara Lee, mayor of Oakland; former U.S. representative from California's 13th district Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In October 2005, about six weeks after Hurricane Katrina struck, New Orleans-born writer Clint Smith returned to his devastated home to find haunting remnants: a ruined wedding dress, a chair hanging from a chandelier, a perfectly preserved birthday cake. Smith has continued to visit his hometown, marking progress and the destruction still visible. We talk to him about his new piece for the Atlantic called “Twenty Years After the Storm.” And we’ll hear from you: what was returning home from a natural disaster like for you? Guests: Clint Smith, poet and staff writer, The Atlantic - his recent essay for the magazine is "Twenty Years After the Storm." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before the COVID pandemic hit, San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf averaged over 15 million visitors each year. While the waterfront is still one of the most visited areas in the region, the local businesses — including fishing companies, souvenir shops and restaurants — are struggling from a lack of investment, high rents and lower tourism. Now, the Port of San Francisco has announced a multi-year plan that involves a $10 million investment to renovate the area. Set to begin in 2026, the first phase of “Fisherman’s Wharf Forward” is a facelift for Taylor Street, which includes the demolition of a historic fish restaurant, Alioto’s, and the construction of a new public plaza with a waterfront lookout. We talk with the San Francisco Port, local fishermen and an urban design critic about the revitalization project, plans to preserve the history of the area, and what it all means for locals, tourists, and those whose livelihood depends on the waterfront. Guests: John King, author, "Portal: San Francisco's Ferry Building and the Reinvention of American Cities"; former urban design critic, San Francisco Chronicle Elaine Forbes, executive director, port of San Francisco Sal Alioto, captain of historic fishing and tour boat, The Golden Gate, in Fisherman's Wharf Sarah Bates, captain of the fishing vessel, Bounty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a highly unusual move, the Trump Administration announced the government will take a 10 percent equity stake in computer chipmaker Intel. The new arrangement makes the U.S. government the largest shareholder in Intel, a relationship many economists, policy experts and elected officials say is problematic, unnecessary and signals an overreach of presidential power. Earlier in August, fellow chipmakers Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices agreed to pay the United States 15 percent of their revenue from selling chips in China. We talk about what those deals mean, the administration’s strategy and why experts say this is a step toward fascism. Guests: Louise Matsakis, senior business editor, WIRED Tad DeHaven, policy analyst for federal and state economic and fiscal policy issues, Cato Institute - a think tank Nils Gilman, chief operating officer, executive vice president of programs and deputy editor of Noema Magazine, Berggruen Institute - a think tank Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California Republican lawmakers are suing to block Governor Gavin Newsom’s redistricting plan from the November ballot, as President Trump vows his own lawsuit against the state’s effort to redraw its congressional maps to favor Democrats. That’s despite Trump encouraging a similar effort in Texas that favors Republicans. Meanwhile, Newsom is trolling the President on social media, co-opting his taunting style. We’ll talk with KQED’s politics team about Newsom’s tactics and get the latest redistricting news. What do you think of the Governor’s methods? Guests: Marisa Lagos, politics correspondent, KQED - co-host of KQED's Political Breakdown Guy Marzorati, correspondent, KQED's California Politics and Government Desk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices