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California Pushes Back on the Book Banning Movement Jun 21, 2023

Show notes

Earlier this month, amid a sharp rise in book bans across the country, Governor Gavin Newsom called on educators to preserve students’ access to books, including those that “reflect the diverse experiences and perspectives of Californians.” Individual book bans in U.S. classrooms and school libraries increased by 28 percent during the first half of this school year compared to the prior six months, according to a report by the free speech group PEN America. The increase is partly due to newly-enacted state laws, and the bans “continue to target stories by and about people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals,” according to PEN. While rare in California, book battles are percolating in Temecula and Huntington Beach. We talk about the impact of book bans on free expression and students’ access to literature and diverse perspectives

Guests:

Deborah Caldwell-Stone, Director, American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom - and executive director of the Freedom to Read Foundation

Jaea Rivera, officer, Vandegrift High School Banned Book Club - in Austin, Texas.

George M. Johnson, award-winning author of "All Boys Aren't Blue" and "We Are Not Broken"

Jeff Horseman, Riverside County government and regional politics reporter, Southern California News Group

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How Nurses Can Save the World Jun 21, 2023

Show notes

Nursing is a vocation as old as humankind, once practiced by men and women. But for many the word “nurse” conjures up an image of Florence Nightingale or a woman in a starched white uniform and funny cap who defers to the doctor. In her new book, “Taking Care,”journalist Sarah DiGregorio challenges these myths: “If you imagine that nursing arose only in relatively recent times, as a profession dedicated to assisting physicians within hospitals,” writes DiGregorio, “you have it backward. Nursing came first.” Her book explores how chauvinism, racism, cultural norms and misogyny have inflected the profession and crucial role that nurses play in providing safe, caring and cutting edge medical care. We’ll talk to DiGregorio about her book and hear from you: How have nurses affected your life?

Guests:

Sarah DiGregorio , Journalist and Author, "Taking Care: The Story of Nursing and Its Power to Change Our World". DiGregorio is also the author of "Early: An Intimate History of Premature Birth and What It Teaches Us About Being Human"

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In the Transition Away from Fossil Fuels, How to Minimize Harm to Displaced Workers Jun 20, 2023

Show notes

When the Marathon oil refinery in Martinez closed in 2020, more than 300 unionized workers were laid off from jobs they thought they’d retire from. A study from UC Berkeley’s Center for Labor Research and Education followed many of those workers and found roughly one in four were still out of work a year later, and most of those who had found new jobs took sizable pay cuts. As we make the necessary transition away from fossil fuels, Forum discusses what kind of jobs will be lost, and gained, in the green economy and what can be done to minimize harm to the workers whose jobs will be erased and to the communities who depend on their industries.

Guests:

Virginia Parks , professor at the Department of Urban Planning and Public Policy at the University of California, Irvine

John Gioia, member, Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors

Tracy Scott, president, United Steelworkers Local 5

James Feldermann, former head operator, Marathon Martinez refinery

Jessie Hammerling , co-director, The Green Economy Program at the UC Berkeley Labor Center

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Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Zoot Suit Riots Jun 20, 2023

Show notes

“The first uniquely American suit,” is how Clarissa Esguerra, a Los Angeles County Museum of Art curator of costume and textiles, describes the Zoot suit. Known for its wide-legged pants and long coats, the Zoot suit became infamous in June 1943. That was when servicemen, police officers and white civilians attacked the young Mexican, Filipino and Black Americans who donned the suits in what became known as the Zoot Suit Riots. To commemorate the riots’ 80th anniversary this month, the L.A. Times put together a multimedia project tracing the suits’ legacy and status today as a symbol of Chicano pride — while noting the paper’s own culpability in anti-Mexican American sentiment at the time. We’ll speak with the reporters and editor who authored the project and hear your reflections.

Guests:

Gustavo Arellano, columnist, Los Angeles Times

Steve Padilla, editor of the showcase feature Column One, The Los Angeles Times - and oversaw the LA Times' Zoot Suit Riots 80th Anniversary Package

Elizabeth Escobedo, associate professor of history, University of Denver - and author, "From Coveralls to Zoot Suits: The Lives of Mexican American Women on the World War II Home Front"

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Forum From the Archives: Historian Peniel Joseph on America’s ‘Third Reconstruction’ Jun 19, 2023

Show notes

After the election of President Obama in 2008, “the world looked and felt different,” writes University of Texas historian Peniel Joseph. That moment also marked the beginning of what Joseph calls America’s Third Reconstruction, a period of racial progress marked by the Black Lives Matter protests and the social justice movements they inspired. But the Third Reconstruction, like the 19th and 20th century versions that preceded it, has also been beset by white backlash and violent retrenchment. We’ll talk to Joseph about what he thinks we’ve achieved in this period and how far we need to go to achieve racial justice.

Guests:

Peniel Joseph, professor of history and founding director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy, University of Texas at Austin; author, "The Third Reconstruction: America’s Struggle for Racial Justice in the Twenty-First Century"

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Forum From the Archives: Chef Bryant Terry Curates a Feast of Food and Self-Discovery in ‘Black Food’ Jun 19, 2023

Show notes

To celebrate Juneteenth we listen back on our interview with Bay Area-based chef and food justice activist Bryant Terry. He’s created “a communal shrine to the shared culinary histories of the African diaspora,” as he writes in the introduction to “Black Food.” Bringing together a number of contributors who share recipes, stories and artwork — plus Terry’s signature playlists to go with the recipes — “Black Food” aims to be a feast not just for your tastebuds, but your eyes, ears and spirit, too. Terry, who’s also the chef-in-residence at the Museum of the African Diaspora, says this is his last cookbook, but just the beginning of a bigger vision to publish more writers of color under his new publishing imprint 4 Color Books. Terry joins us to talk about “Black Food” and what else he’s got cooking — both in and out of the kitchen.

Guests:

Bryant Terry, author, "Black Food: Stories, Art, and Recipes from Across the African Diaspora," "Afro-Vegan," and "Vegetable Kingdom;" chef-in-residence, San Francisco's Museum of the African Diaspora

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Trans History Told Through Five Objects Jun 16, 2023

Show notes

One of the largest collections of transgender history sits in a small garage turned archive in Vallejo. The Louise Lawrence Transgender Archive has been open to the public since 2018. With Pride month underway, we’ll explore a few key objects from the collection, talk about what they teach us about trans history, and discuss what the history of the transgender community in the Bay Area can tell us about the current moment.

Guests:

Susan Stryker, incoming faculty in gender and sexuality studies, University of Southern California - Her new book is "Transgender History: The Roots of Today's Revolution." She won an Emmy for the documentary film, "Screaming Queens: The Riot at Compton's Cafeteria."

Ms. Bob Davis, founder & director, Louise Lawrence Transgender Archive in Vallejo

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Science Writer Jennifer Ackerman Shares “What An Owl Knows” Jun 16, 2023

Show notes

Owls have long fascinated humans. They appear in cave art dating back 30,000 years. They are an integral part of the Harry Potter universe. Why are we so enthralled by these creatures, who contrary to popular belief cannot turn their heads 360 degrees? In her new book, “What An Owl Knows,” science writer Jennifer Ackerman tackles this question. Thanks to new technology and decades of research, we know more about owls than we ever have, including why their eyes are so big, how they can fly without making noise, and whether they are truly monogamous. Ackerman joins us and we hear from you: What’s your favorite owl story or sighting?

Guests:

Jennifer Ackerman, science writer; author, "What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World's Most Enigmatic Birds" and also "The Bird Way: A New Look at How Birds Talk, Work, Play, Parent, and Think" and "The Genius of Birds"

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Live From Wood Street: What’s Next for Oakland’s Unhoused After Northern California’s Largest Encampment Closed? Jun 15, 2023

Show notes

Until recently Wood Street in West Oakland was the site of the largest homeless encampment in Northern California. To launch our new series on homelessness in the Bay Area, Forum broadcasts live from Wood Street. We’ll talk with people who lived in the encampment before it was cleared by the city in April, and with city and county officials, about alternatives to encampments for unhoused people and Oakland’s strategy for addressing the homelessness crisis.

Guests:

Erin Baldassari, housing affordability reporter, KQED

LaTonda Simmons, interim homeless administrator, city of Oakland

Lucy Kasdin, director, Alameda County Health Care for the Homeless

Moose, former resident, Wood Street encampment

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Is Location Sharing the New Normal? Jun 15, 2023

Show notes

Friends tracking friends. Parents tracking kids. Spouses tracking each other. Location sharing has become all the rage in our over-connected world. The feature can be especially handy during an emergency, and can foster a sense of safety, community, and connection. But location sharing can also be misused, leading to privacy concerns and risks such as stalking or harassment. And teens report a “fear of missing out” feeling when they see friends gathering without them. Should we know where our friends and family are at all times? Is this helpful? Healthy? We’ll talk about the pros and cons of sharing coordinates and hear from you: do you love it? Or does it make you uncomfortable?

Guests:

Rebecca Jennings, senior correspondent covering social platforms and creator economy, Vox - Jennings wrote the recent piece is "Should We Know Where Our Friends Are at All Times?"

Julie Jargon, family and tech columnist, Wall Street Journal - Her recent pieces include "Is It OK to Track Your Spouse's Location?" and "Why Teens Say Location Sharing Is the Greatest -- and the Worst."

Mahi Jariwala, junior, Monte Vista High School; member, KQED's Youth Advisory Board

Joshua Bote, assistant news editor, SFGATE

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