KQED's Forum

Costco, the bulk grocery chain known for consistency, devoted employees and discounts, has 145 million members worldwide. New Yorker staff writer Molly Fischer grew up going to a Costco in San Jose (Warehouse No. 148, on Senter Road), and she says “being a child of California in the eighties and nineties offered a front-row seat to the rise of a retail juggernaut.” But new management and Wall Street pressure means that things are changing at Costco, even as its hot dog-and-soda deal remains $1.50. We’ll talk with Fischer about her new piece, “Can the Golden Age of Costco Last?”

Guests:

Molly Fischer, staff writer, The New Yorker - her recent article is "Can the Golden Age of Costco Last?"

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Transgender and nonbinary kids have been in the news a lot lately, but usually they’re not telling their own stories. The California Report Magazine has been airing a series of conversations between trans youth and the people that love and mentor them. We’ll hear from kids, parents and grandparents who have lent their voices to the Love You for You series and we’ll hear from you. Tell us about the trans and gender nonconforming youth in your life.

Guests:

Sasha Khokha, host of The California Report Magazine on KQED

Hunter Stoval, transgender 16 year old

Eloui Santiago, gender nonconforming 14 year old

Ryu Santiago, non-binary, transgender 16 year old

Roberto Santiago , father of two gender expansive children, Eloui and Ryu Santiago

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Beyond just a wardrobe staple, jeans are often key parts of signature looks and core memories. Levi Strauss, the San Francisco company that brought jeans to the masses, has reopened its history museum, The Vault, with an exhibit called “Amped” that celebrates iconic denim looks worn by musicians including Kurt Cobain, Beyoncé, Britney Spears and Freddie Mercury. We’ll talk about the exhibit and hear stories of your favorite pair of jeans. Tell us about the jeans that made you feel brave, the ones covered in patches that you refused to retire or maybe the pair that you were wearing when you met your first love.

Guests:

Gregory Climer, chair, fashion design program at California College of the Arts

Audrey Kalman, created a denim archive for her master's degree from the University of Oregon

Tracey Panek, Levi Strauss and Co. historian

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New York Times Cooking columnist Eric Kim says he’s perfected the Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole (hint: big marshmallows, but halved). Recipe developer Sue Li has a collection of Thanksgiving flavor-inspired pie recipes for bakers of all skill levels. And editor Tanya Sichynsky, who writes “The Veggie” newsletter for the Times, argues you can easily replace the bird with tofu – and even use tofu in your potatoes and desserts. We’ll talk with all three about what they’re bringing to the table this year, and we’ll hear your spiciest Thanksgiving takes and recommendations.

Guests:

Eric Kim, food and cooking columnist, The New York Times; author, "Korean American: Food That Tastes Like Home"

Sue Li, recipe developer, The New York Times

Tanya Sichynsky, editor for the Food and Cooking sections, The New York Times; author of the weekly vegetarian newsletter "The Veggie"

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What’s your favorite audiobook? Chances are, it’s one with a great narrator. Audiobook performers can make, or break, the experience for listeners. But what goes into their work? Julia Whelan has been dubbed “the Adele of audiobooks” and has narrated over 700 audiobooks – including Gillian Flynn’s “Gone Girl,” Tara Westover’s “Educated” and Ottessa Moshfegh’s “My Year of Rest and Relaxation.” She joins us to share her insights into the craft, how AI is reshaping the industry, and what we love about listening to stories.

Guests:

Julia Whelan, narrator, actor and co-founder of audiobook publishing and distribution company, Audiobrary

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In the last year, tens of thousands of white collar workers have been laid off from companies ranging from Salesforce to GM to Target. Last month, Amazon announced it was slashing its white collar workforce by 10%, cutting 14,000 jobs.  Employees who once felt protected by their college and graduate degrees are now entering a stagnant job market that is being called the “Great Flattening.” We talk to experts and hear from you: have you been navigating a layoff?

Guests:

Noam Scheiber, reporter covering workers and the workplace, The New York Times

Aki Ito, chief correspondent covering tech industry and workplace issues, Business Insider

Alisia Gill, founder and CEO, ERA of Enough - an executive coaching firm

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Two campus shootings last week rocked Oakland. On Wednesday, a 15-year-old Skyline High School student was injured in a shooting by two minors on campus. On Thursday, beloved former football coach, John Beam, was shot at his job as athletic director for Laney College and died the next day. We’ll hear from those who knew Coach Beam about his life and legacy and we’ll discuss what Oakland schools are doing to address safety concerns.

Guests:

Esther Kaplan, deputy editor, Oaklandside

Joseph Dycus, sports reporter, East Bay Times

Nelson Alegria, executive director of safety, Oakland Unified School District

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The 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP30, is underway in Brazil. While California Governor Gavin Newsom made an appearance, the U.S. government is not participating in the annual event, which comes as President Trump fires EPA staff, defunds climate research and promotes fossil fuels. At the same time, green investment is booming, and environmental advocates are optimistic about decarbonization. We’ll take stock of how climate advocacy is weathering the abdication of U.S. leadership.

Guests:

Vijay Vaitheeswaran, global energy and climate innovation editor, The Economist

Camille von Kaenel, California environment reporter, Politico

Manish Bapna, president and chief executive officer, NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) - an international nonprofit environmental organization

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As the Trump administration’s deportation campaign has ramped up, so too have the number of federal officers and agents wearing masks. That’s according to Atlantic staff writer Nick Miroff, who says that face coverings have become “a standard accessory for federal immigration enforcement, and a symbol of the mass-deportation campaign that is Trump’s top domestic-policy initiative.” In a rebuke, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new law banning the use of masks by federal agents in the state, but questions about its enforceability remain as the administration challenges the law with a new suit filed Monday. We talk to Miroff about what masking means for public trust in law enforcement. His new piece is called “Why They Mask.”

Guests:

Nick Miroff, staff writer covering immigration, the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S.-Mexico border, The Atlantic

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For many, poetry is a balm. But for others, poetry feels inaccessible and hard to understand. In her latest book, “Fear Less: Poetry in Perilous Times” former U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith aims to make poetry less intimidating. We talk to Smith about how to read poems, how to “listen at the widest possible angle” and how to use poetry to connect to one another across our differences.

Guests:

Tracy K. Smith, former U.S. Poet Laureate; professor of English and of African and African American Studies, Harvard University - Smith's latest book is "Fear Less: Poetry in Perilous Times"

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