KQED's Forum

¡Hella Hungry! is a regular series from KQED food writer Alan Chazaro that profiles Bay Area foodmakers who help shape the region's culinary culture. Flor Martinez Zaragoza, a 27-year-old from San Jose, uses her Instagram account to advocate for farmworker rights and highlight how local produce makes it from the farm to the table. The Vegan Hood Chefs, a San Francisco duo, serve Southern-inspired comfort foods while “revolutionizing hood nutrition.” Joog co-founded SMAX, an East Bay pop-up and test kitchen, to reimagine Asian flavors and create artfully designed sandwiches and treats. We’ll talk about the series, the local food scene and what qualities make a restaurant, food truck or pop-up feel distinctly Bay Area.

Guests:

Alan Chazaro, food reporter, KQED; poet and educator

Luke Tsai, food editor, KQED Arts & Culture

Flor Martinez-Zaragoza, farmworker rights advocate; nonprofit leader and influencer, @flowerinspanish

Joog, co-founder, SMAX, an East Bay pop-up and test kitchen

Ronnishia Johnson, co-founder, The Vegan Hood Chefs, a food truck that offers Southern-inspired comfort foods

Rheema Calloway, co-founder, The Vegan Hood Chefs, a food truck that offers Southern-inspired vegan comfort foods

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“Our country has never before faced the kind of threat we documented. May it never again,” wrote Congressman Adam Schiff in the New York Times last month. His words came as the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol, on which he served, released its final, 845-page report. We’ll talk to Schiff and NPR senior political editor Domenico Montanaro about what happens next and how Republicans are setting up to lead the chamber, in the wake of last week’s chaotic election of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Guests:

Domenico Montanaro, senior political editor and correspondent, NPR

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As another atmospheric river batters California, the state finds itself in the midst of weather whiplash: Parts of the state are flooding even while California remains in a drought emergency. As of early Monday, despite historic amounts of rain, most of the state’s reservoirs had not reached capacity and experts say this current system of rainstorms does not guarantee an end to the drought. In 2022, the year began with a similar set of storms to be followed by an unusually warm and dry winter that melted off the snowpack early. We’ll talk about the impact the storms are having on our aging water system and what we can learn about how to avoid flooding and capture more water from extreme weather events like this as they become more frequent with climate change.

Guests:

Erica Gies, independent journalist; author, "Water Always Wins;" National Geographic explorer" - Gies wrote the recent New York Times essay "California Could Capture Its Destructive Floodwaters to Fight Drought"

Karla Nemeth, director, California Department of Water Resources

Jay Lund, vice-director of the Center for Watershed Sciences, University of California, Davis - Lund is also a professor of civil and environmental engineering.

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How can we live the good life, one enlivened by joy, meaning and community? That’s the question UC Berkeley psychology professor Dacher Keltner has been exploring for the last 20 years, and he says he's found the answer: find awe. It’s the emotion we experience when we encounter vast mysteries -- in nature, in art and even in sport. We talk to Keltner about the science of awe and we'll hear what you find awe-inspiring.

Guests:

Dacher Keltner, professor of psychology and faculty director of the Greater Good Science Center, UC Berkeley; author, "Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life"

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Transit agencies throughout the Bay Area are struggling with low ridership, funding shortfalls, and worker shortages. Office workers who used to pack light rail trains are still largely working from home, posing both financial and existential questions for various transit agencies. How can the region’s transit ecosystem survive in an uncertain future? And, how can the Bay Area support a robust transit system to reduce traffic and carbon emissions? We dive into how the Bay Area’s mass transit systems are faring and what the future could bring.

Guests:

Dan Brekke, editor and reporter, KQED News

Therese McMillan, executive director, Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Association of Bay Area Governments

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California Governor Gavin Newsom will be sworn into his second term on Friday, following a march to mark California's commitment to democracy on the anniversary of the U.S. Capitol insurrection. We'll look at the issues and events that defined Newsom's first term and how his administration plans to deal with challenges ahead, including gas prices, housing issues and a revenue shortfall. And we'll hear what you think the Governor's priorities should be in the next four years.

Guests:

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

Scott Shafer, senior editor, KQED’s California Politics and Government desk; co-host, KQED's Political Breakdown show

Mike Gatto, former Democratic State Assemblymember from Los Angeles

Nicole Nixon, politics reporter, CapRadio

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We make them. We break them. We vow to restart. At least after one more cookie… They’re our new year’s resolutions. For some, they are an inspiration to live a better, more intentional life. For others, they are a list of broken promises. Why do we annually go through this exercise? And what does science tell us about how we can change our habits? We’ll talk all things resolutions, and hear from you: What are your 2023 resolutions and how do you plan to stick to them?

Guests:

Katy Milkman, professor, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania; author, "How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be;" co-founder and co-director, the Behavior Change for Good Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania

Marielle Segarra, reporter and host, NPR's Life Kit

Elizabeth Lopatto, senior writer, The Verge; author, recent article "Some New Year’s Resolutions that Won’t End Up in Your Pile of Shame"

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The U.S. birthrate is at its lowest since the 1970s, and that’s because more American millennials and Gen Z are deciding not to have kids than previous generations. Health journalist Jordan Davidson sought to find out why, and she interviewed more than 300 people about the factors they considered in deciding whether or not to become parents. They cited concerns ranging from the economy and environment to their relationships with their own parents. We’ll talk with Davidson about what she learned, and we’ll hear from you: are you — or were you — hesitant about having children?

Guests:

Jordan Davidson, health journalist and editorial director, Health - and author, "So When Are You Having Kids: The Definitive Guide for Those Who Aren’t Sure If, When, or How They Want to Become Parents"

Van Ethan Levy, licensed marriage and family therapist and professional clinical counselor

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Food banks and meal delivery programs are straining to meet the needs of Bay Area residents as costs rise and support dwindles. In Alameda County, an estimated one in four residents deal with food insecurity compared with 1 in five before the pandemic. We’ll talk about hunger in the Bay Area and the challenges faced by food assistance programs.

Guests:

Regi Young, executive director, Alameda County Community Food Bank

Dana Cronin, freelance reporter - Cronin wrote the recent piece "‘It’s Not Enough.’ SNAP Recipients Struggle Amid High Food Prices" for Civil Eats

Jim Oswald, director of marketing and communications, Meals on Wheels San Francisco

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to approve the experimental dementia drug Lecanemab as soon as this week, a move embraced by Alzheimer's disease researchers after trials showed it slowed the progression of the disease in some patients with mild cognitive impairment. The new potential therapy is also raising hopes that it could help those who are symptom-free but have brain changes -- detected by new blood tests -- that signal Alzheimer's. We'll talk about the latest advances in Alzheimer's research.

Guests:

Dr. Adam Boxer, endowed professor in memory and aging and professor of neurology, UCSF - He directs UCSF’s Neurosciences Clinical Research Unit and the Alzheimer’s Disease and Frontotemporal Degeneration Clinical Trials Program at the UCSF Memory and Aging Center.

Dr. Kristine Yaffe, professor of psychiatry, neurology and epidemiology, UCSF - She also directs UCSF's Center for Population Brain Health.

Dr. Michael Weiner, professor of radiology, UCSF - principal investigator of the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative

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