KQED's Forum

When Black women convene, writes licensed clinical psychologist Joy Harden Bradford, there is a “cadence and rhythm to our gatherings… a natural sisterhood that breeds openness.” That observation underlies Bradford’s approach to group therapy, which she says sparks breakthroughs and healing that often don’t happen as quickly in individual sessions. We talk to Bradford about what makes for a successful therapeutic community, and why elements like humor, intuitiveness and rhythm generate healing of Black women’s spaces. Bradford’s new book is “Sisterhood Heals: The Transformative Power of Healing in Community.”

Guests:

Joy Harden Bradford, licensed psychologist; host and founder Therapy for Black Girls; author, "Sisterhood Heals: The Transformative Power of Healing in Community"

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The hushed thrum of the womb. The warble of the last living species of a now-extinct bird. The fury and thrust of a jet engine in flight. These are some of the sounds that populate filmmaker Sam Green’s immersive documentary “32 Sounds.” The movie is not just a collection of sounds, but rather a meditation on the strange power that sound has on us, whether it is voices, music, the natural world or sounds that we are trying to tune out. Watching the movie, even on a tiny screen, can be a full-body experience in which you’re encouraged by Green, who narrates the film, to feel the sound. We’ll talk to Green and his Oscar-winning sound designer, Mark Mangini, about how sound can literally move us.

32 Sounds will be screened at the Exploratorium on July 27, at the Smith Rafael Film Center July 28-30, the San Francisco Roxie Theater, July 29 and Berkeley’s Rialto Theater, July 30.

Guests:

Sam Green, filmmaker; his film,"32 Sounds" will be screened at the Exploratorium on July 27, at the Smith Rafael Film Center July 28-30, the San Francisco Roxie Theater, July 29 and Berkeley’s Rialto Theater, July 30.

Mark Mangini, sound designer, "32 Sounds"

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Writer Andrew Leland has been going blind since he was a teenager, which is when he was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa. Now in his forties, he reflects that “the most painful part so far has been the not-knowing” when he will completely lose his sight. But his encroaching blindness has also been a portal to creativity and intellectual exploration. As someone who still has his sight, Leland wonders if he is a citizen in “the country of the blind” and if so, what does that mean? We talk to Leland about his new memoir “The Country of the Blind.”

Guests:

Andrew Leland, author, "The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight." Leland is an editor at "The Believer" and, from 2013 to 2019, he hosted and produced the podcast "The Organist" for KCRW in Los Angeles.

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“Show me the life hack you randomly saw one day, that is now an unconscious, standard practice in your life.” That’s the call to action Kelly Hurst posed on TikTok that has since gone viral with over 37,000 responses and millions of views. People have created ingenious shortcuts for all kinds of tasks, from using the car seat warmer to keep takeout warm to using the washing machine as an ice bucket for parties. Life hacks can be anything that saves time, effort or money and takes the friction out of your day. We’ll talk to Hurts and a panel of journalists and life hackers who will share the best (and worst) tips out there, and we’ll hear from you: What’s a life hack that you’ve adopted?

Guests:

Carly Severn, senior editor of audience news, KQED

Jordan Calhoun, editor-in-chief, Lifehacker.com

Kelly Hurst, content creator, TikTok; host, The Life Bath podcast

Ross Yoder, food and lifestyle editor, Buzzfeed

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Hollywood productions have gone dark after TV and film actors, represented by SAG-AFTRA, joined members of the Writers Guild of America on the picket line last week. Like the writers, actors are striking over compensation, residual payments and the use of AI to replace them. This is the first time in more than 60 years that both writers and actors have gone on strike simultaneously. We’ll talk about the impact of both strikes and the connections between them.

Guests:

Alissa Wilkinson, senior correspondent, Vox

Eric Haywood, writer, producer and director. His TV shows include "Empire" and "Law & Order: Organized Crime"

Jonathan Handel, entertainment and technology attorney, TroyGould. He's also a journalist covering labor and entertainment for Puck.

Kathryn Howell, president, SAG-AFTRA San Francisco-Northern California local; actress known for a wide range of character roles in film and TV, including "Criminal Minds," "The Zodiac" and "James and the Giant Peach."

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In his latest article for The Atlantic, Sam Quinones writes that America’s shift toward treatment instead of jail time for drug abuse “is both well intentioned and out of date, given the massive street supplies of fentanyl and meth. It is failing just about everyone.” He argues that instead of waiting for addicts to voluntarily enter rehab, the legal system should force them to go. Quinones is a journalist who has covered the drug trade for over a decade and published two books on the subject: “The Least of Us: True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth” and “Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic.” We’ll talk about how to address the nation’s ever-more challenging drug crisis that we see playing out on our streets and in our families.

Guests:

Sam Quinones, journalist and author. His recent piece in The Atlantic is titled "America's Approach to Addiction Has Gone Off the Rails.” His books include "The Least of Us: True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth" and "Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic."

Vitka Eisen, president and CEO, HealthRIGHT 360, San Francisco's largest drug treatment provider

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Keeping on top of bills and finances can be a challenge for anyone. But for older adults suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and other cognitive issues, things can get out of control fast. They may pay the same bills repeatedly, make impulsive purchases, or fall for online scams. And according to recent studies, financial mistakes can actually be an early sign of dementia. In this hour, we’ll talk about the latest research on memory problems and money, and how to protect your finances from cognitive decline.

Guests:

Duke Han, professor of family medicine, neurology, psychology and gerontology, Keck School of Medicine, USC

Marti DeLiema, assistant professor, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

Sarah Boden, health and science reporter, WESA public radio in Pittsburgh

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The Women’s World Cup kicks off on July 20 in New Zealand and Australia, and the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team is fighting to maintain its title. The team includes experienced vets like Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan and newcomers like 18-year old Alyssa Thompson and Trinity Rodman. The competition itself is fiercer than ever with new countries entering the field – just one indicator that women’s soccer is finding its footing among fans around the world. Despite broadcast bungles and time zone differences, the league and its players are finally getting their time in the spotlight, globally and here in the States. We’ll talk about the growth of women’s soccer, who to watch in the World Cup and the Bay Area’s new women’s soccer club, the Bay FC.

Guests:

Marisa Ingemi, sports writer, San Francisco Chronicle

Danielle Slaton, co-founder, Bay FC

Theo Lloyd-Hughes, freelance journalist reporting on NWSL

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It has been a whirlwind few weeks for the tens of millions of Americans struggling with student loan debt. First, on June 30, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Biden’s debt cancellation plan. Since then, the administration has announced other plans to help borrowers, and more are in the works. But will they survive legal challenges? And what do the new programs mean for those buried in debt, with payments set to resume as soon as October? We’ll talk about the latest developments and what’s at stake for borrowers in California.

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The Rossmoor community in Walnut Creek has a population of nearly 10,000 people aged 55 and older, its own newspaper, bus service and over 200 local clubs, making it feel like its own small town. Opened in 1964, Rossmoor is among the longest running, age-restricted communities in the country. It’s also the cornerstone of the 94595 zip code, which according to the San Francisco Chronicle, is the only zip code in the Bay Area with home prices near their all-time high, in contrast to the rest of the region where home prices are trending lower. We’ll take a look at the history of Rossmoor, why people want to live there and the current state of other developments like it.

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