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Latest Episodes:

Aomawa Shields on Searching For Life in Space, and at Home Jul 12, 2023

Show notes

Does it matter if life exists on another planet? To UC Irvine astrobiologist Aomawa Shields it matters in the same way that a mountain matters and screams to be climbed: not knowing is unbearable. Shields has devoted her career to studying the climate and habitability of exoplanets to further the search for extraterrestrial life. She’s also one of very few Black women in a field dominated by white men and a classically trained actor. We talk to her about her journey as a scientist and an artist and her new book “Life on Other Planets: A Memoir of Finding My Place in the Universe.”

Guests:

Dr. Aomawa Shields, Clare Boothe Luce associate professor of physics and astronomy, UC Irvine; author, "Life on Other Planets: A Memoir of Finding My Place in the Universe"

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What UCSF’s Statewide Homelessness Study Found out About the Causes of California’s Crisis Jul 12, 2023

Show notes

It’s a common belief about homeless people in California: they move here from other places because of the state’s tolerance, mild weather, and generous services. But according to a recent UCSF study, at least ninety percent of those experiencing homelessness lived in California before losing their housing and 75% are in the same county they used to live in. In the largest study of its kind in nearly three decades, researchers talked to thousands of participants about their experiences to find out what factors pushed them over the edge into homelessness. The real story, researchers found, has more to do with the state’s poverty, inequality, and high housing costs. As part of our ongoing series about homelessness in the Bay Area we’ll dig into the findings with the study’s author and formerly homeless Californians who advised on the project.

Guests:

Margot Kushel, director, UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, and principal investigator of the study; professor of medicine, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital the Director of the UCSF Center for Vulnerable Populations

Jesica Gianola, Lived Expertise Advisory Board representative, UCSF Benioff Homeless and Housing Initiative

Robynne Rose-Haymer, Lived Expertise Advisory Board representative, UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative

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You Were Laid Off. Now What? Jul 11, 2023

Show notes

Being laid off is brutal. It can knock people off career trajectories, destabilize people’s sense of their worth, and cause problems in their personal relationships. This year, the Bay Area has seen more than 15,000 layoffs in tech alone. So, our team here at KQED has gone out to collect the best advice on what to do when you’re laid off. How do you protect your mental health? What’s your next step in getting new work? Should you stay in your field or do something else? How do you talk to your partner or family about what’s happened? We’ll hear your stories and share the best advice that we’ve been able to find.

Guests:

Horst Govin, career coach, Job Hunt Bootcamp

Carly Severn, senior editor of audience news, KQED

Carlos Cabrera-Lomeli, community engagement reporter, KQED

Ioanna Angelakis, marriage and family therapist based in San Francisco

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Would You Ever Leave California? Jul 11, 2023

Show notes

More than 70 percent of Californians say they’re happy living in the Golden State, but four in 10 are considering leaving. That’s according to a new survey called the California Community Poll, which found that economic anxiety and dissatisfaction with the state’s legislative priorities are among the top reasons people set their sights on moving. We’ll talk about what the poll says about our state’s varied, competing ideologies and how they map onto age, race and income. And we’ll hear from you: Why you stay, why you’d go, and what you want to see changed to make it easier for you to stick around.

Guests:

Dan Schnur, professor, Annenberg School of Communications at USC and UC Berkeley; helped direct the June 2023 California Community Poll

Helen Torres, CEO, Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE)

Nancy Yap, executive director, Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment (CAUSE)

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California Legislators Hope to Ban Caste Discrimination in the Workplace Jul 10, 2023

Show notes

A bill banning caste-based discrimination in California workplaces is moving through the state legislature after the emergence of several high profile discrimination claims in Silicon Valley’s South Asian community. The claims were brought by Dalits, the most oppressed class in the social hierarchy determined by birth, who say they faced blatant prejudice from coworkers, and were punished when they tried to speak out. Opponents of the bill question the prevalence of caste discrimination in the United States and say the legal focus fuels negative stereotypes of South Asians and Hindus. We’ll talk to the lawmaker who wrote the bill and members of the South Asian community fighting for and against the law.

Guests:

Aisha Wahab, State Senator, from Hayward, CA

Sonia Paul, independent journalist covering caste in the United States; producer, audio documentary for BBC, "The Hidden Caste Codes of Silicon Valley"

Prem Pariyar, human relations commissioner, Alameda County

Suhag Shukla, executive director and co-founder, Hindu American Foundation

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Could the Supreme Court’s Decision to Strike Down Affirmative Action Affect Workplace Diversity? Jul 10, 2023

Show notes

When the U.S. Supreme Court struck down affirmative action last month, its ruling was focused on college admissions. But some legal experts say that, in practice, the ruling could also discourage diversity efforts by employers. Many workplaces instituted diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices following the murder of George Floyd in 2020. But three years later, those policies are facing scrutiny from conservative legal groups — whom experts say may now be emboldened by the court’s ruling. We’ll talk about the role of DEI practices in the workplace, pushback these efforts may face and how it could all affect diversity where you work.

Guests:

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

Nicole Sanchez, founder & CEO, Vaya Consulting - which advises tech and media companies on issues related to diversity and culture

Richard Thompson Ford, professor of Law, Stanford Law School

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Forum from the Archives: U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón on Elevating and Promoting Poetry When America Needs Healing Jul 07, 2023

Show notes

California native Ada Limón is the new poet laureate of the United States. She plans on, “elevating and promoting the expansiveness of poetry.” Limón, who has published six volumes of poetry, grew up in Sonoma and now lives in Kentucky. She says that poetry lived and breathed in her community growing up and has been key to her solitude as well as her sense of connection. She steps into her new role when America needs healing and unifying from art and artists. Limón joins us to talk about her work, her love of poetry, and how she’s reimagining America’s relationship to poetry.

This segment originally aired Aug. 26.

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Forum From the Archives: Dacher Keltner on Finding Awe Jul 07, 2023

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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.

This segment originally aired January 9, 2023.

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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Forum From the Archives: Bay Area’s Forgotten Histories and Oddities Abound in Bay Curious Book Jul 06, 2023

Show notes

Did you know that Rocky Road ice cream originated in Oakland? Or that Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera were once married in San Francisco City Hall? Or that a disaster in Concord helped desegregate our nation’s military? Our region is full of fascinating history that even some lifelong residents don’t know about. Uncovering forgotten history and solving local mysteries is what KQED’s Bay Curious podcast is all about. And now, the show’s reporting is in a book, “Bay Curious: Exploring the Hidden True Stories of the San Francisco Bay Area.” KQED’s Olivia Allen-Price, host of Bay Curious joins us to talk about investigating forgotten histories, legendary locals, and the many quirks and oddities that make the Bay Area unique.

This segment originally aired May 10, 2023

Guests:

Olivia Allen-Price, Host, KQED's Bay Curious - a podcast that investigates questions asked by local residents about things both profound and peculiar that make the Bay Area unique.

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Forum From the Archives: Video Games, Friendship and Renewal Light ‘Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow’ Jul 06, 2023

Show notes

Gabrielle Zevin’s most recent novel “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” draws its title from what Zevin calls one of the bleakest speeches in all of Shakespeare, as Macbeth contemplates life’s monotony and meaninglessness. But to one of her characters, the soliloquy is hopeful, and it expresses the essence of a video game: “the idea that if you keep playing, you could win. No loss is permanent, because nothing is permanent, ever.” We talk to Zevin about the video games, art and friendships that animate the novel, and why California occupies a special place in it.

This segment originally aired January 20, 2023.

Guests:

Gabrielle Zevin, author, "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow"

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