Kqeds Forum

Most Americans are now acutely aware that we have a housing crisis, but Atlantic writer Jerusalem Demsas says that we have much less clarity about what’s causing it. “All too often,” she writes, “explanations center around identifying a villain: greedy developers, or private equity companies, or racist neighbors, or gentrifiers, or corrupt politicians.” All which may be true, she says, but they fail to identify the root cause, that housing decisions are made at the hyper local level, in a tangle of zoning boards, historical preservation committees and sparsely attended meetings, “where no one is watching and no one is accountable.” We talk to Demsas about her new collection of essays, “On the Housing Crisis: Land, Development, Democracy” and why she thinks local governments are to blame for the housing shortage. Guests: Jerusalem Demsas, staff writer, Atlantic Magazine; author, On the Housing Crisis: Land, Development, Democracy

Voice actors and motion-capture artists in SAG-AFTRA have been striking against major video game companies since July to secure protections against the use of "digital replicas" created by artificial intelligence. The union is demanding greater transparency, consent requirements, and fair compensation for A.I. use. We'll talk to video game performers on how the strike is impacting them and what it means for the industry. Guests: Mandalit del Barco, correspondent, NPR Alberto Menache, motion capture specialist, co-founder of NPCx Sarah Elmaleh , voice artist, director, chair of SAG-AFTRA Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee Andi Norris, actor, stunt and movement performer, member of SAG-AFTRA negotiating committee

The Bay Area is home to a surprising number of symphonies and philharmonic orchestras. They’re found not just in San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland, but Walnut Creek, Santa Rosa Berkeley and other smaller cities also manage to support orchestras. September ushers in the start of a new season for many of these groups. But sustaining local performing arts organizations and introducing new audiences to classical music remains a huge challenge. We check in with local orchestras about their upcoming performances and how you can support the arts. Guests: Donato Cabrera, music and artistic director, California Symphony Jessica Bejarano, founder and music director, San Francisco Philharmonic Kedrick Armstrong, music director and conductor, Oakland Symphony Gabe Meline, senior editor, KQED Arts & Culture

Americans love big cars. But a new data analysis by the Economist finds the bigger the cars, the deadlier they are for pedestrians, for people driving smaller cars and for our roads and infrastructure. As the Economist’s Daniel Knowles writes, “for every life the heaviest 1% of SUVs or trucks saves in America, more than a dozen lives are lost in smaller vehicles.” Regulators are starting to consider ways car design could be safer for pedestrians and other drivers. But advocates say more needs to be done. As part of our In Transit series, we’ll take a closer look at the impact of big cars and hear from you: Do you love your big car? Why? Guests: 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 Daniel Knowles, Midwest correspondent, the Economist Angie Schmitt, journalist, author of "RIGHT OF WAY: Race, Class, and the Silent Epidemic of Pedestrian Deaths in America", founder at 3MPH Planning and Con

For years, people felt good drinking a glass or two of red wine for the supposed health benefits, but last year the World Health Organization declared that “no level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health.” The debate over alcohol and health is happening as the federal government prepares to release new dietary and nutrition guidelines next year. We’ll talk to experts about whether light drinking is harmful and what we can expect from the new guidelines. And we want to hear from you, how much alcohol do you deem safe? Guests: Esther Mobley, senior wine critic, San Francisco Chronicle Dr. Gregory Marcus, cardiologist, electrophysiologist and professor of medicine, University of California, San Francisco Adam Sherk, scientist, Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria - He is also a researcher for the World Health Organization's Collaborating Centre for Alcohol and Public Health Policy.

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump take the stage Tuesday night for their first Presidential debate. The only debate on the books before November’s election, it’s being held in the key swing state of Pennsylvania. Political analysts are watching for how the two challenge each other on the key issues of immigration, health care and the economy – as well as for the pair’s cadence and debate strategies. Mics will only be turned on for the candidate speaking; there will be no in-room audience. Thirty percent of Americans say the debate will inform their vote, according to a NPR-Marist poll released Tuesday morning. We’ll recap the major takeaways with KQED’s politics team and hear your reactions. Guests: Marisa Lagos, politics correspondent, KQED - co-host of KQED's Political Breakdown Scott Shafer, senior editor, KQED’s California Politics and Government; co-host, Political Breakdown Guy Marzorati, correspondent, KQED's California Politics and Government Desk

Michael Blecker spent three years as an infantryman in Vietnam, and the last four decades fighting for veterans as the executive director of the nonprofit Swords to Plowshares. In that role, Blecker has spearheaded efforts to help vets suffering from the psychic and physical wounds of war. He’s concentrated his work on issues that have plagued veterans including poverty, illnesses like Agent Orange or Gulf War Syndromes, homelessness and despair. Along the way, Blecker has earned praise as one of the country’s leading and most effective advocates for veterans. Nancy Pelosi, calls him an “American hero.” Blecker retires this year, and we talk to him about his life in service. Guests: Michael Blecker, Executive Director, Swords to Plowshares, a nonprofit based in San Francisco and focused on supporting veterans

During her first major interview since becoming the Democratic party nominee, Kamala Harris was asked by CNN if she would appoint a Republican to her cabinet. She replied, “I would,” and added, “I think it’s important to have people at the table and when some of the most important decisions are being made that have different views, different experiences.” In response, vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance told Fox News that former President Trump would appoint a Democrat to his cabinet if elected. While the U.S. hasn’t had an opposite-party cabinet member since the Obama Administration, there’s significant precedent for the practice. We’ll look at the history of presidents, from Lincoln to Obama, appointing cabinet members not from their party, what impact those appointments had and what’s possible in today’s politically polarized environment. Guests: Lindsay Chervinsky, presidential historian; executive director, George Washington Presidential Library - author, “Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Prece

What a difference a few months makes. June’s presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump made history, as Biden’s poor performance led to his withdrawal from the race. On Tuesday, his replacement, Kamala Harris, will debate Trump for the first, and perhaps only time. With polls showing a tightening race (the closest in 60 years, according to CNN), both campaigns are hoping this debate moves the needle. Harris is trying to define herself for the many voters who say they don’t know enough about who she is and where she stands. For his part, Trump has been claiming without evidence that the debate is “rigged” on Harris’ behalf. We’ll preview the debate and get the latest on the race, with less than two months before Election Day. Guests: James Fallows, contributing writer, The Atlantic - and author of the newsletter Breaking the News. He was chief White House speechwriter for Jimmy Carter Sabrina Siddiqui , White House Reporter, Wall Street Journal

We’ve been hearing about women mobilizing to protect reproductive rights but so are an increasing number of men. In 2019 fewer than one in ten men said that abortion rights are a top voting issue; now the figure is 1 in 5, according to new polling. The group Men4Choice says it’s mobilizing men who were once “passively pro-choice” as many have come to witness their partners’ struggles to access reproductive care. Are you a man who’s concerned about abortion rights this election? Guests: Amanda Becker, Washington Correspondent, The 19th Oren Jacobson, co-founder and executive director, Men4Choice Carter Sherman, reproductive health and justice reporter, The Guardian

A truly landmark Supreme Court decision in 2020 resulted in the largest restoration of Native American tribal land in American history. More than half of the state of Oklahoma is now declared “Indian Country” after the court decision. In her book “By the Fire We Carry” journalist Rebecca Nagel, a member of the Cherokee Nation, traces the generations-long fight for sovereignty and the brutal history of tribal land removal that underpinned the decision. We’ll talk to Nagle about her own family’s complicated legacy in the struggle for justice and the implications of the Supreme Court decision. Guests: Rebecca Nagle, author, By the Fire We Carry, The Generations-Long Fight for Justice on Native Land, host of the podcast "This Land" - She's also an activist, writer and citizen of the Cherokee Nation

Juan Gabriel, one of Mexico’s most beloved composers and musicians, managed to achieve superstar status beginning in the 1970s and emerge as a queer icon at a time when homosexuality was taboo in Mexican society. In her new podcast, “My Divo” journalist Maria Garcia, creator of the popular “Anything for Selena” podcast, explores the legacy of Juan Gabriel and its connection to her own queer Mexican identity and family history. We’ll talk with Garcia about her podcast, uncovering a previously unknown chapter of JuanGa’s life and how his story helped her to come to terms with her own sexuality. Guests: Maria Garcia, executive editor, Futuro Studios; creator and host of the podcast series, “My Divo” about Mexican singer Juan Gabriel. She previously created and hosted the podcast "Anything for Selena."

A landmark Stanford Law School study of women incarcerated in California prisons finds the vast majority of those convicted of killing their partner experienced domestic abuse. We’ll talk with journalist and author Rachel Louise Snyder — who partnered with Stanford for the study — about the stories she heard, and why laws governing self-defense fail victims of intimate partner violence. Snyder’s new opinion piece in the New York Times is “When Do Women Have the Right to Kill in Self-Defense?” Guests: Rachel Louise Snyder, professor of literature and journalism, American University - contributing Opinion writer, The New York Times; author, “No Visible Bruises: What We Don’t Know About Domestic Violence Can Kill Us" and “Women We Buried, Women We Burned: A Memoir" Debbie Mukamal, executive director of the Stanford Criminal Justice Center, Stanford Law School

When you go to a medical appointment or get admitted into the hospital, your doctor may be using ChatGPT to save time. Artificial intelligence is already helping medical professionals organize treatment plans, diagnose diseases, and discover new drugs. In the future, it could do even more. We’ll talk to doctors and experts about how AI is being used and its potential and pitfalls in healthcare. Guests: Dr. Bryant Lin, physician and professor, Stanford School of Medicine - He is also a primary care doctor with Stanford Internal Medicine Ilana Yurkiewicz, physician and professor at Stanford, author of "Fragmented: A Doctor's Quest to Piece Together American Health Care" Dr. Jonathan Chen, physician and professor, Stanford School of Medicine Adam Yala, professor of Computational Precision Health, UC Berkeley and UCSF

Donald Trump continues to cast doubt, without basis, on the fairness of the 2024 presidential election and has so far refused to say whether he will accept the certified results. Meanwhile, in Georgia, the Republican-controlled Elections Commission recently approved new rules allowing counties to delay certification of election results. All that’s had election integrity watchers warning that Trump and his allies are laying the groundwork to challenge the presidential election results if he loses. We look at efforts underway in key swing states to protect the electoral process from attempts to undermine it. Guests: Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Arizona-based Democracy reporter, The Washington Post Jessica Marsden, director of impact programs and counsel [leading teams focused on protecting free and fair elections], Protect Democracy Adrian Fontes, Secretary of State, Arizona

In her acceptance speech for the Democratic nomination, Kamala Harris used “the Bay” when talking about where she grew up, rather than name-check Berkeley and its counterculture reputation. And she doesn’t always jump at the chance to call-out progressive San Francisco, where she first made her name in politics. But those omissions don’t seem to be dimming the local pride and excitement over the Oakland-born candidate’s historic nomination. We’ll look back at Harris’ Bay Area background and how it shaped her career, ideas and political identity. Guests: Lateefah Simon, BART Board member, Longtime friend and mentee of Kamala Harris Debbie Mesloh, former advisor and communications director, for Kamala Harris Carole Porter, childhood friend of Kamala Harris Marisa Lagos, politics correspondent, KQED - co-host of KQED's Political Breakdown Stacey Johnson-Batiste, childhood friend of Kamala Harris, and author of "Friends from the Beginning: The Berkeley Village That Raised Kamala and Me"

There are nearly 100,000 fewer private sector tech jobs in California than two years ago, according to a July report from the state Legislative Analyst’s Office. We talk about what’s behind the trend and who’s been most affected by layoffs. And we’ll hear from you: whether you’re a veteran software engineer or new to the field, are you struggling to find a job in tech? Guests: Aki Ito, chief correspondent, Business Insider Sarah Bohn, Vice President and Director of the Economic Policy Center, Public Policy Institute of California Vivek Agarwal, Executive Coach, Coachieve - lecturer at San Jose State University Kyle Elliott, Tech Career and Interview coach, CaffeinatedKyle.com

The donut shop. The local diner. The vacant lot where kids gather to play. These are the kinds of unassuming places that can foster a sense of belonging, according to author, scholar and visual artist Gabrielle Bendiner-Viani, In her new book, “The Cities We Need: Essential Stories of Everyday Places,” she argues that these often overlooked places do the essential work of forming communities. She spotlights residents making acute observations about the ordinary wonders in places such as Oakland’s Mosswood neighborhood. We talk about the book, and hear from you: Where would you take someone on a guided tour of your neighborhood? Email us at forum@kqed.org  or leave a voicemail at 415-553-3300.  Guests: Gabrielle Bendiner-Viani, author, "The Cities We Need:Essential Stories of Everyday Places", Bendiner-Viani is the co-founder of Buscada, an interdisciplinary art, design and social research studio. She is also the author of "Contested City: Art and Public History as Mediation at New York's Seward Park Urban Ren

When Ann Powers began to draft her expansive new biography of Laurel Canyon music legend Joni Mitchell, she says that “certain subjects emerged: childhood as an imaginary terrain where singer-songwriters could express their ideals and idiosyncrasies; sadness as a complicated form of women’s liberation; side roads and retreats as the secret sources of an artist’s strengths. And traveling, always traveling.” Powers’ book charts Mitchell’s influences, collaborators and milieu, weaving in reflections on the broader politics and trends of each decade during Mitchell’s career. It grapples with the sexism of Laurel Canyon’s heyday and Mitchell being labeled a “confessional” artist, as well as Mitchell’s own complicated relationship with feminism and with being the only woman at the table. We talk to Powers about Joni Mitchell’s life and art and hear how Mitchell has affected you. Powers’ new book is “Traveling: On the Path of Joni Mitchell.” Guests: Ann Powers, music critic and correspondent, NPR

Michael Andor Broudeur is a classical music critic for the Washington Post and he’s also a self-described “meathead” with an relentless desire to make his body bigger. In his book “Swole: The Making of Man and the Meaning of Muscle” Broudeur grapples with the contradictions and complexities of male body image and masculinity. He embraces the gay male gym culture he’s a part of but writes that it would be silly “to try and distance the symbol of the buff male bod from its long and wide lineage of unsavory cultural signifiers. As a mascot for classical beauty, the meathead must also embody white supremacy, hetero-patriarchy, and a vast panoply of nationalisms.” We listen back to our June conversation with Brodeur about how weight training has shifted his perspective on what it means to be a man. Guests: Michael Andor Brodeur, author, "Swole: The Making of Men and the Meaning of Muscle"; classical music critic, The Washington Post