KQED's Forum

For more than a decade, Americans have been having fewer children. Now, the coronavirus pandemic has intensified the decline. Researchers expect births in the United States to drop by 3.6 percent this year bringing them to their lowest point since 1969. Many people who were considering becoming pregnant last year changed their minds and unplanned pregnancies also likely fell. Mina Kim discuss what...

One year ago Tuesday, the sun rose, people were out and about, but because of the coronavirus --then still called the “novel coronavirus” ­--the Bay Area was on the cusp of the first stay-at-home order in the nation. Public health officers from 6 counties and the City of Berkeley held a press conference, telling millions of people they would need to stay mostly at home for three weeks to stop the...

It's sometimes hard to know whether to laugh or cry when we think of our pre-pandemic selves, completely oblivious to the public health crisis that would claim more than 2.6 million lives globally and rain down chaos everywhere. We've asked listeners to share the advice they'd give to their blissfully ignorant past selves, and responses have ranged from the philosophical ("things are going to get...

The coronavirus pandemic magnified many existing issues facing seniors in society, including loneliness and isolation. Social distancing meant our parents and grandparents could no longer go to places of worship, senior centers, restaurants, or visit with family. Many seniors faced lockdowns in assisted living facilities or nursing homes, or were isolated in their own homes. Looking back at this p...

In the early aughts, when singer-songwriter Miko Marks was looking to launch her music career in Nashville, the mecca of country music, she was told by one of the major labels that she was too “innovative” and that she wouldn’t sell records as a Black woman artist. Today, following last year’s protests for racial justice, and after one of country’s biggest stars was captured on camera using a raci...

President Biden formed a task force last month to speed the reunification of migrant children separated from their parents under the last administration’s “zero tolerance” policy. Advocates for the children have been pressing officials to act with urgency and offer the families a path to citizenship and other resources. Roughly 1,000 children are thought to remain separated, and the parents of abo...

The just approved American Rescue Plan includes $1.7 billion for struggling public Bay Area transit agencies. The pandemic has forced agencies such as BART and Muni to cut service. The new funds help avoid further service cuts and massive layoffs. We’ll hear how the agencies are likely to use the funds, and whether they’ll be enough to reverse a massive ridership and budgetary crisis in the region...

Since the pandemic began a year ago, we've checked in with a number of public health officials throughout the region. Now we head to the North Bay to talk with Napa and Sonoma County officials about current coronavirus restrictions, reopening, the rate of infection and the pace of vaccinations. We'll hear what makes the North Bay's experience of the pandemic unique – from bedroom communities to fa...

The House of Representatives passed the $1.9 trillion COVID-relief bill Wednesday and now billions of dollars are set to flow to California in direct payments to individuals, and for things like housing aid and child care assistance. President Biden will sign the bill, called the American Rescue Plan Act, into law on Friday. The plan’s much awaited $1,400 stimulus checks, for a segment of the popu...

New CDC guidelines allow fully vaccinated people to gather indoors without masks or social distancing. But what if not everyone in that group is vaccinated? As more Californians get vaccines, and as Covid rates decline, we’ll discuss how social distancing protocols and the necessity for wearing masks should change. And we’ll talk about the latest best practices for personal protective equipment an...

Native Olympia oysters were once abundant in the San Francisco Bay. But overharvesting and increasing sediment from the Gold Rush mining era had all but wiped them out by the 1860’s when they were a popular and cheap food. We’ll talk about how hard working oysters help clean waterways and provide important habitat for other sea life, and what efforts are underway to bring them back. And we’ll hear...

Governor Gavin Newsom delivers his third State of the State address Tuesday night, not from Sacramento, but from Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. This comes as Newsom has been on the road, touring vaccination sites, businesses and public schools, in what feels very much like a campaign. The Governor is facing pressure from people who want coronavirus vaccinations, from parents who want their kids ba...

Google’s HR department advised employees who filed complaints about racial discrimination to get counseling or take medical leave -- suggestions irrelevant to their complaints, according to a news report from NBC News. Google drew backlash for what some workers consider a toxic and racist company culture because of events such as the firing of Timnit Gebru, April Curley and others who pushed for g...

As the House of Representatives prepares to pass President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion covid relief package, we talk with Oakland Congresswoman Barbara Lee about the stimulus bill and what it could mean for the Bay Area. We’ll also check in with Lee about legislation addressing voting rights, justice in policing and her call for the country to take a deep look at systemic racism by establishing a U....

In California, vaccine eligibility now extends to those 65 and over, health care providers, long term care residents and workers in sectors like agriculture and childcare. And officials plan to expand eligibility to more Californians in the coming weeks. But for children under 16, for whom no vaccine has yet been authorized, the wait for a shot will likely extend until at least the end of the year...

Springtime planting season is here. To new gardeners, the abundance of plant choices can seem overwhelming. Do you plant a flower garden or try your hand at vegetables… and in a drought, how do you identify water-wise or drought-tolerant plants? In this hour, we talk with a panel of green-thumbed experts to hear how a novice gardener can start growing, and what are some sure-fire veggies or variet...

In 2020, the Stop AAPI Hate reporting center documented 2,808 hate incidents against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, with 700 of those reports in the Bay Area. In Los Angeles, the police commission reported a 114% increase in anti-Asian hate crimes in 2020. The troubling rise in anti-Asian violence has taken many by surprise. But for those inside the Asian American community, the crimes fee...

Renowned poet June Jordan viewed poetry as a way of “taking control of the language of your life” and as “a foundation for true community.” Jordan, who started the Poetry for the People program at the University of California Berkeley, thoughtof poetry as a way to speak truth. We check in with four poets -- Jasmine Mans, Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, Aja Monet and Solmaz Sharif -- about making art d...

It’s been a year of loungewear, little make-up, and comfortable shoes, at least for those of us fortunate enough to work from home. And for some people, those style choices might become permanent, reflecting new positions on consumerism and fast fashion. But for others, the chance to return to society in trendy outfits can’t come soon enough. We’ll talk about how the pandemic has shaped our attitu...

In her new book “ Liner Notes for the Revolution” cultural critic Daphne Brooks explores the Black women artists that were major influences on American music. Brooks uncovers the racial politics at play in the recording studio, on stage, and in the reviews of everything from blues to rock and roll. Yale University African American studies professor Daphne Brooks joins us to share her take on the l...

The coronavirus pandemic is taking a major toll on the mental health of children and teenagers, who experts say are reporting increased levels of anxiety and major depression. A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that mental health-related visits to emergency rooms jumped by 24 percent for children ages 5 to 11 and 31 percent for youth ages 12 to 17 years old from Apr...

California school districts will receive $2 billion to open public schools through second grade by April 1st. That’s according to an agreement reached by Governor Newsom and Democratic legislators on Monday. The thorny issue of school re-openings has plagued the state for nearly a year, with school boards, teachers unions, and parents at odds over when and how to do it safely. We’ll break down the...

Mina Kim is no stranger to KQED listeners. An award-winning reporter and anchor, she took over Forum’s daily 10 AM hour in July after hosting on Fridays for many years. But did you know that she’s from Newfoundland, taught first grade in New Jersey, trained doctors and surgeons to be leaders, and was an avid runner before chasing after three kids? With Mina at the helm, Forum’s second hour is now...

With 60 votes required to override a filibuster, even the Democrats’ narrow Senate majority doesn’t guarantee that President Biden’s legislation will pass. The modern filibuster, where senators delay or block a bill just by signaling their intent to filibuster, is enough to kill a bill. The Senate rules have been tweaked over the past decade, but that’s not enough to escape the filibuster’s role i...

In a historic change, California’s youth prisons will stop taking in new offenders in July. In 2023, all state juvenile detention facilities will close and responsibility for youth offenders will shift to counties. The state’s youth lockups have long been plagued by scandals and allegations of mistreatment. The move to smaller, local facilities is intended to provide a less punitive approach and i...