KQED's Forum

Writer Dave Eggers, who’s been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, draws inspiration for the first time from his own art school experience and his classical training as a visual artist in his new novel, “Contrapposto.” The novel, which centers the working lives of artists, comes as Eggers opens a new center in San Francisco, Art + Water, that offers local artists free studio space and mentorship. Eggers joins us to talk about what it means to be an artist, in fiction and in practice, here in the Bay Area.

Guests:

Dave Eggers, founder, McSweeney's; co-founder, 826 Valencia; author of many books including "The Eyes and the Impossible" and "The Circle"; his new novel is "Contrapposto"

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California voters cast their ballots in key races across the state on Tuesday, with the race to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom drawing a massive field of candidates. We break down that race, in which Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer led the pack of Democrats facing off against Republican frontrunner Steve Hilton, and look at results for the state’s Congressional primaries, including the race to succeed former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Join us for a recap of the results and what they mean going into November’s general election.

Guests:

Marisa Lagos, politics correspondent, KQED; co-host, KQED's Political Breakdown

Guy Marzorati, correspondent, KQED's California Politics and Government Desk

Sydney Johnson, general assignment reporter, KQED News

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Oakland’s 911 system is perennially understaffed, frequently leading to long wait times for callers facing life and death emergencies or trying to report fires or crimes in progress. The problem has persisted for more than a decade, and we’ll talk to Oakland’s city auditor, an investigative reporter and a 911 dispatcher to explore why, despite a decade of audits and grand jury reports, Oakland’s emergency response system still lags behind national and state standards.

Guests:

Byard Duncan, investigative journalist, Type Investigations; his piece, "911... Please Hold" was done in partnership with Reveal/Center for Investigative Reporting

Michael Houston, city auditor, City of Oakland

Antoinette Blue, dispatcher, Oakland Police; president, SEIU Local 1021

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Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical letter focuses on safeguarding humanity amid the rise of artificial intelligence. In the letter, which is essentially a policy document from the Vatican, the Pope urges tech companies and policymakers worldwide to place human and moral concerns over profit. Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah spoke at the Pope’s release of his letter in Vatican City, signaling an intention of collaboration and dialogue, but Silicon Valley leaders more broadly seem skeptical of the guidance. Will the pope’s recommendations impact the development and deployment of A.I.?

Guests:

Cade Metz, technology reporter, The New York Times; author, “Genius Makers: The Mavericks Who Brought A.I. to Google, Facebook, and The World"

Kim Daniels, director, the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University

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Graduating from high school marks a time when young people will, many for the first time, have to make their own decisions about their future. It’s a time filled with celebrations, optimism and anxiety about the future, and often sadness at leaving their younger selves behind. We’ll talk with high school seniors, their families and experts about this defining moment and how to navigate it in a rapidly changing world.

Guests:

Vincent Topete, graduating senior, Santa Clara High School

Elise Desai, graduating senior, Miramonte High School

Olga Chan, graduating senior, Terra Linda High School

Joseph Gorga, vice president of equity and instruction, Diablo Valley College

Oscar Garcia, founder and chief empowerment officer, Aspira Consulting

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Since his reelection, President Trump has been fixated on illegal immigration in the US, but now the President is taking on immigrants who are here legally. A new policy memo would require some people seeking green cards to leave the country while they wait abroad for their applications to be processed. The memo, which is vague on how this process would work, is already raising concerns for green card holders. We talk with immigration reporters and an immigration attorney about what this change means and who it impacts most.

Guests:

Hamed Aleaziz, reporter covering the Department of Homeland Security and immigration policy, The New York Times

Michelle Hackman, reporter covering U.S. immigration policy, The Wall Street Journal

Alexis S. Axelrad, president-elect, American Immigration Lawyers Association; partner, Barst & Mukamal LLP

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An estimated one in three Californians are insured by Medi-Cal, the state version of Medicaid. But as the federal government cuts billions in funding and imposes new work requirements and paperwork processes, many Californians could lose their coverage. Meantime, in anticipation of the cuts, hospitals and health clinics are already cutting services and closing locations; the state is scrambling to step in while maintaining a balanced budget. We take stock of what the new Medi-Cal landscape means for everyone’s access to health care in California and the Bay Area.

Guests:

Tyler Sadwith, California State Medicaid Director; Chief Deputy Director of Health Care Programs, California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS)

Dr. Milana PeBenito, medical doctor of Family Practice, Maternal and Child Health; member, Sonoma County’s Maternal Child, Adolescent Health Advisory Board

Angela Hart, senior correspondent, KFF Health News

Kristof Stremikis, director of market analysis and insight, California Health Care Foundation

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Theo Baker arrived at Stanford as an eager freshman planning to study computer science and maybe write occasionally for the student paper. But his reporting uncovered something much bigger, ultimately leading to the resignation of Stanford’s president. In his new book, “How to Rule the World,” Baker argues the university functions less like a school and more like a pipeline to power, wealth and Silicon Valley influence. We’ll talk with Baker about what the next generation of elites are really learning at Stanford.

Guests:

Theo Baker, investigative journalist and author, "How to Rule the World: An Education in Power at Stanford University"

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“Gold is having a moment,” writes New Yorker staff writer Jennifer Wilson. Earlier this year, it traded as high as $5,500 an ounce as an unstable economic outlook has central banks and investors buying gold to hedge their bets. Gold has been embraced by the far right, reality TV, and hobbyists and full-time prospectors headed up to the foothills where the California Gold Rush began. Wilson explores all these angles in her latest piece “How Americans Caught Gold Fever Again.” We talk to Wilson and experts – and a gold prospector –  about the legacy and future of this precious metal.

Guests:

Jennifer Wilson, staff writer, The New Yorker - her recent article is "How Americans Caught Gold Fever Again"

Albert Fausel, owner, Placerville Hardware; part-time gold prospector

Quinn Slobodian, professor of international history, Boston University

Brian Wallace, executive officer, Indigenous Futures Society

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The Colorado River basin and its two largest reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, are facing record-low water levels, and the seven states that rely on the water system can’t agree on what to do about it. Now the federal government may need to step in, with the Trump Administration proposing a plan that would cut 40 percent of the Colorado River’s water supply to Arizona, California and Nevada over the next decade. We’ll talk with environment journalists about what this could mean here in California.

Guests:

Camille von Kaenel, California environment reporter, Politico

Luke Runyon, co-director, The Water Desk, Center for Environmental Journalism at the University of Colorado, Boulder

Celene Hawkins, director, Colorado River Program, The Nature Conservancy

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