KQED's Forum

With all the books, podcasts and even business school classes instructing us how to be happier, the path to contentment can be a lot of work. But writer Ian Bogost urges us to appreciate a feeling less grand than happiness: gratification. He finds gratification in paying attention to the small sensory actions of the everyday – the feel of using a stick shift, the sound of paint being slathered on a wall, the texture of a couch cushion. We talk to Bogost about his new book, “The Small Stuff: How to Lead a More Gratifying Life."

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When we think about the workers that keep California’s agriculture afloat, we rarely think about the bees that fertilize our crops. In places like California’s Central Valley, millions of domesticated bee colonies are transported in and out of the state to pollinate crops and to keep our food system running. But between intense workcycles, pesticide exposure and a changing climate, industrial agriculture has proven hard for bees. Can the bees continue to survive in these conditions? In this hour we speak to science writer Jennie Durant about her new book, “Bitter Honey: Big Ag’s Threat to Bees and the Fight to Save Them.”

Guests:

Jennie Durant, science writer and author, “Bitter Honey: Big Ag’s Threat to Bees and the Fight to Save Them”

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The Supreme Court has wrapped a blockbuster term – barely upholding birthright citizenship, allowing states to bar transgender athletes from girls' sports, and weakening the Voting Rights Act, among other cases. While President Trump experienced some noted losses before the Court, including losing his tariffs case, the Court largely upheld his efforts on immigration and expanded presidential power. We talk to legal experts to break down the rulings and what they mean for the country.

Guests:

Rory Little, emeritus professor of Constitutional and Criminal Law, UC Law

Cecillia Wang, National Legal Director, ACLU

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Since 1976, the California Coastal Commission has been regulating activities along the state’s more than 800-mile coastline. To many, the Coastal Commission is the gold standard for protecting the environment, but it has also clashed with property owners who say the commission oversteps its authority. Now the Trump Administration has ordered a review of the Coastal Commission’s compliance with federal law, creating concern among some here in California that it’s the first step toward allowing new offshore oil and gas production. We’ll explore the California Coastal Commission as it marks its 50th anniversary.

Guests:

Camille von Kaenel, California environment reporter at Politico

Jeremy Talcott, attorney at the Pacific Legal Foundation

Larry Goldzband, executive director at the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission

Sara Aminzadeh, deputy secretary for federal affairs at the California Natural Resources Agency

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As the Trump administration continues steering the U.S. toward far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist policies, Stacey Abrams has been on a mission to restore democracy in the United States. Abrams made her name serving 11 years in the Georgia House of Representatives and she was the first Black woman to run for governor as the nominee for a major party in the U.S. After losing her second bid for governor of Georgia in 2022, she turned her focus to fighting for voting rights and The 10 Steps campaign, a nationwide mobilization and education effort to encourage civic engagement. She’s also written more than a dozen books, including romance novels, thrillers, children’s books, non-fiction and memoir. We’ll talk with Abrams about her most recent books and how the nation can undo our government’s shift toward authoritarianism. 

Guests:

Stacey Abrams, author, entrepreneur, and politician. Her latest novel is "Coded Justice."

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Women now enter medicine and many other scientific fields in numbers equal to men, yet they remain underrepresented in leadership and often face unequal pay, limited mentorship and fewer research opportunities. UCSF physician-scientist Jennifer Grandis says that’s harmful not just to women but to science and patient care. We learn why and what can be done.

Guests:

Jennifer Grandis, physician-scientist at the University of California, San Francisco and author of "Harsh Medicine: Why Women Can't Get Ahead in Science and Health Care"

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Have you ever received a voicemail — not intended for you — that made you curious about the life of the stranger who sent it? That curiosity propels the new hit Netflix rom-com “Voicemails for Isabelle,” a sort-of remake of “You’ve Got Mail,” set in San Francisco. We’ll speak with the director, Leah McKendrick, about setting the film in her hometown. And we’ll hear from you: What’s a voicemail you’ll never delete?

Guests:

Leah McKendrick, actor and director, "Voicemails for Isabelle"

Rainesford Stauffer, freelance writer and reporter, wrote the TIME Magazine piece, “Why Voice Notes Are a Small Act of Love”

Amit Kumar, assistant professor of marketing and psychological and brain sciences, University of Delaware

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What does it mean to be American? That’s the question that animates Ben Rhodes’s new book “All We Say: The Battle for American Identity.” Drawing on 15 speeches spanning more than two centuries, the former Obama speechwriter and national security adviser looks at how they shaped and reflected competing visions over race, democracy, belonging and power. We talk to Rhodes about the speeches he chose and what they say about American identity today.

Guests:

Ben Rhodes, author, "All We Say: The Battle for American Identity;" deputy national security advisor and speechwriter under President Obama

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Singer, songwriter and San Francisco native Cecilia Peña-Govea – better known as La Doña – joins us in studio with her band for a special live performance on the heels of the release of her new album, Corrientes. It’s her most ambitious and comprehensive project yet. She traveled to five countries and worked with 40 musicians to compose the 16-track album which spans a variety of genres including cumbia, reggaeton, ranchera, electronic, merengue, and son jarocho, a folk music style that originated in the Mexican state of Veracruz. La Doña joins us to perform, talk about her new album and her Bay Area roots.

Guests:

Cecilia Peña-Govea, singer who performs as La Doña

Amanda Magaña, vocals and congas

Naomi Pasmanick, sax and vocals

Miguel Govea, accordion, vocals and guitar

Camilo Landau, guitar and vocals

Ayla Davila, bass and vocals

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The popular HBO drama “The Pitt,” set in a Pittsburgh emergency trauma center, is having an impact on real-world healthcare. Doctors across California say the show has brought heightened public awareness of their daily work and sparked conversations about the challenges that emergency healthcare workers face. We’ll talk to California ER physicians about the effect the TV show has had on their lives and work, and we want to hear from you: Has “The Pitt” changed how you think about emergency care?

Guests:

Dr. Christopher Colwell, vice chair and chief of Emergency Medicine, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital

Dr. Patil Armenian, professor of clinical emergency medicine and medical toxicology, UCSF Fresno; host, Human School podcast

Dr. Sarah Medeiros, professor of emergency medicine, UC Davis; host, EM Pulse podcast

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