KQED's Forum

Representative Jackie Speier recently introduced legislation to protect whistleblowers who expose fraud, waste, or abuse in the federal government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Speier joins us to talk about her new legislation, the lack of progress in fighting sexual assault in the military, and how the Black Lives Matter protests can spur lasting change in America.

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On Monday, the University of California Board of Regents unanimously voted to endorse a state measure to repeal Prop. 209, a nearly 25-year-old law that bans consideration of race in government contracts, public sector hiring, and college admissions. The measure passed the California Assembly and if ratified by the state Senate, will show up on the November ballot. Proponents argue that barring state agencies and institutions from considering race and gender has hindered equal representation and reinforced systemic advantages for white-owned businesses and white students. We discuss the prospects for restoring affirmative action in California at a time when prejudice and institutional racism in America are top of mind.

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California transit agencies have been hit hard financially by the coronavirus pandemic and months of stay-at-home orders. Ridership is way down for many services and some have been eliminated. But BART opened new stations over the weekend in Milpitas and San Jose, kicking off a new era of public transportation for the South Bay. And on Monday, Sen. Scott Wiener announced his proposed Sustainable Transportation COVID-19 Recovery Act to fast-track construction for public transit projects. This hour, we'll answer your questions about what changes are in store for public transit.

Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs made headlines in early 2019 when the city began giving $500 each month to 125 randomly selected individuals. The mayor has said that the trial program--which was recently extended through next year-- is an important tool to help residents overcome poverty and disastrous events. As San Joaquin County sees the highest number of hospitalizations since the pandemic began, we'll hear how Stockton is faring.  We'll also get the mayor’s thoughts on how to combat police brutality.

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The California state prison system now counts 15 inmates who have died of coronavirus-related causes as of Friday. Overall, more than 2,440 inmates in state prisons have tested positive for the virus, despite efforts to test prison staff and release inmates early. Those figures do not count local and federal prison populations in the state, which have also experienced coronavirus outbreaks. Meanwhile, some inmates have reported lack of access to safety equipment and healthcare. We discuss how coronavirus has spread in California prisons and how measures to prevent the illness are falling short.

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In a 6-3 decision today the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that gay and transgender workers are protected under the Civil Rights Act. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote the majority opinion in the ruling over a section of the Civil Rights Act that bars employment discrimination against race, religion, national origin and sex. At question was the definition of “sex” -- and whether it applied to millions of gay and transgender workers. We'll discuss the historic ruling.

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Alameda County has expanded its shelter-in-place order to allow “social bubbles”.  That lets up to 12 people from different households get together and socialize, though still at a distance and outside. But, you can only belong to one bubble and choosing who you agree to isolate with can be awkward.  We’ll talk about the new rule and the challenges of navigating who to bring in and who to leave out of your bubble.  We want to hear from you.  How are you socializing during social distancing?

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While George Floyd's name continues to be chanted at protests sweeping the nation, Breonna Taylor, another victim of police violence, has gotten less attention. Taylor was a 26-year old emergency medical technician living in Louisville, Kentucky when she was shot eight times and killed by police who raided her home on March 13. While the viral video of Floyd being killed helped fuel public outrage and media coverage, this isn't the first time a black woman victim has been under-acknowledged in the public's eye. It's this kind of disproportionate attention that sparked the "Say Her Name" campaign in 2015 to remind people that black women and girls are also victims of police violence. We'll talk about Breonna Taylor's case and the intersection of gender and race discrimination black women can face not only in life, but in death.

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For decades, experts classified people as having “normal” or “abnormal” brains depending on certain traits. Conditions such as autism, synesthesia, and sensory processing disorder are considered “abnormal.” Several years ago, Jenara Nerenberg, a Harvard and Berkeley-educated writer, entrepreneur, and mother, realized that type of binary thinking is flawed and miscategorizes many people, especially women. She went on to found The Neurodiversity Project, an organization that supports the neurodivergent community, and to write “Divergent Mind: Thriving in a World That Wasn't Designed For You.” In her new book, Nerenberg presents a new way to understand neurodiversity and how it presents differently in women. She also challenges widely accepted misperceptions of neurodivergent traits. We talk with Nerenberg about her new book, The Neurodiversity Project, and her most recent venture, The Interracial Project.

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The killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery have led to renewed calls for racial equality and justice across the U.S. They have also reinforced numerous fears that many parents have about raising black children -- fears that their child could be killed while jogging or sleeping in their home or otherwise “living while black.” In this hour of Forum, we’ll talk about the distinct challenges of raising black children in America. And we want to hear from you: Are you the parent of a black child? What’s been your experience?

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