KQED's Forum

Forum looks back on the life and work of longtime San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi, who died Friday of an apparent heart attack. We welcome your memories and reflections on Adachi, a vocal advocate for criminal justice reform.

Dietary supplements that purport to improve brain health are "pseudomedicine," according to a recent paper published in JAMA by a team of UCSF researchers. They say that although there is no known nutritional supplement that prevents cognitive decline or dementia, a loosely regulated $3.2 billion brain health industry continues to market ineffective, costly and potentially dangerous products. We'll talk about how to avoid bogus brain remedies and what actually works to improve cognitive function.

Dolores Huerta, a lifelong community activist and pioneering feminist, is best known for co-founding the United Farm Workers of America. She also came up with the movement's famous slogan: "Sí, Se Puede," which translates to "Yes, We Can." As part of the Oakland Symphony's "Playlist" series, Huerta curated a list of songs that have inspired her work and that the symphony will performed on Friday. We'll talk with Huerta about the songs she chose, her activism and the role of music in political movements.

Employees in the U.S. are finding it increasingly hard to disconnect from work, even when they're not physically there. A Yelp employee is suing the Bay Area-based company because he says he was fired for not responding to an email over Easter weekend. And New York City is considering a proposal to ensure that city workers get a break from texting, emailing or phone calls when they're not on the clock. In this hour, we'll dig into the what's being called "the right to disconnect." Tell us: do you feel like your employer expects you to respond even when you're "off" of work?

The Trump Administration announced this week that it will cancel a nine $929 million federal grant to the California High Speed Rail Authority and at the same time seek to claw back $2.5 billion in federal funds already spent on the bullet train project. The announcement came shortly after California and other states filed a lawsuit challenging the President's national emergency declaration to fund a southern border wall. In this segment we’ll talk about what all this means for the future of the rail project. And we want to hear from you: What do you think of the latest battle between the Trump administration and California?

While Oakland teachers are on strike, parents choosing to not cross the picket line need alternative options for their kids. Parent groups, community centers and religious organizations are offering alternative educational and recreational spaces for children to spend school hours. And it may be an ideal time to visit one of Oakland’s museum or take in a $1 show at Grand Lake Theater. In this segment will discuss options available to families, include sending their kids to school, all of which will remain open. Tell us: what is your family's plan to deal with the strike?

Oakland teachers start their picket lines on Thursday after months of failed negotiations with the Oakland Unified School District. The teacher's union is asking for a 12 percent pay increase and smaller class sizes. The district says they're too financially strapped to meet the demands. Forum broadcasts from Oakland on the first day of the teacher's strike and we'll hear from the school board, the union, teachers and parents about what's next for Oakland schools.

Governor Newsom announced in his State of the State speech that he will scrap a controversial $19 billion plan to build two tunnels under the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to carry water southward. Instead, state officials will pursue a downsized one-tunnel conveyance system. We'll talk about the future of the project, known as California WaterFix, and what the new plan means for farms, cities, and the environment.

The Diocese of Oakland this week published the names of 45 priests, deacons and religious brothers who have been credibly accused of the sexual abuse of minors. This comes as the Vatican prepares for a summit on clergy sexual abuse that will include Pope Francis and presidents of the world's bishops conferences. Forum talks about the scandals and how the church is responding.

More than 40 Indian paramilitary officers were killed last week in Indian-administered Kashmir. India accuses Pakistan of backing the militant separatists who say they were behind the attack. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has threatened a strong response, with Pakistan warning India against military action. We'll get the latest on the conflict between the two nuclear-armed rivals.

When Dani Shapiro sent in a DNA sample as part of an at-home genetic testing kit, she had already spent a lifetime examining and writing about her family history. So when the test results revealed that Shapiro's late father was in fact not her biological father, her sense of identity was obliterated. We'll talk with Shapiro about her discovery, chronicled in "Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love." And we want to hear from you: Has genetic testing changed how you view yourself or your family?

Oakland teachers say they will on strike on Thursday, unless a deal can be reached with the district. The union is demanding higher pay and smaller class sizes. But the district says its hands are tied by a budget crisis. We'll get the latest on the strike, and whether it might be averted.

Forum reviews, analyzes and answers your questions about the latest news from Washington, D.C.

"I guess we'll just have to do it ourselves." That's a growing sentiment in many communities where individuals are tired of waiting for government to act. In this hour, a special broadcast from the Night of Ideas festival in San Francisco. Michael Krasny and guests talk about new models for communities to offer affordable housing, healthier food and more efficient and equitable use of tax dollars. Some of these ideas call for reclaiming the urban commons and come out of the "sharing cities" movement. Hear about some real-world examples of participatory governance in the Bay Area.

With climate change comes rising seas, flooding and increased natural disasters. And those effects may be felt most acutely in cities. In this hour, hear a special broadcast from the Night of Ideas festival at San Francisco's Main Library. Host Michael Krasny was joined by a futurist, an architect/designer, a science fiction writer, and a landscape architect. They look at some bold actions cities can take, and ask: How can we design cities for a changing climate?