Access to quality healthcare is a cornerstone of quality of life—but in New Mexico, that access is under threat due to a critical shortage of healthcare workers across the system. In this episode, we explore the scope of the crisis and possible paths forward.Dr. David Gonzales, Chief Medical Officer at CHRISTUS St. Vincent, and Fred Nathan, Executive Director of Think New Mexico join the program to discuss How to Solve New Mexico’s Health Care Worker Shortage, a policy report recently published by Think New Mexico. Together, they highlight the urgency of the issue—from the lack of X-ray technicians and nurses to a statewide physician shortfall—and outline practical, evidence-based solutions aimed at reversing the trend and strengthening New Mexico’s healthcare infrastructure.

Sharing a 179-mile border, New Mexico maintains a unique and close relationship with its southern neighbor. As Cinco de Mayo was celebrated, tensions in U.S.–Mexico relations made headlines. President Trump’s recent comments about sending U.S. troops into Mexico prompted a firm response from President Claudia Sheinbaum, who vowed to defend Mexico’s sovereignty. In this timely episode, Ambassador Tony Garza and Consul Patricia Pinzón Sánchez discuss Sheinbaum’s leadership, growing border security measures, and the essential role of the Consulate in supporting Mexican citizens. They highlight how trade, culture, and education continue to bind our two nations together.

As President Trump marks his first 100 days in office, his approval rating stands at just 42%—the lowest of any recent president. A key factor behind this decline is the administration’s controversial trade policy, particularly the reciprocal tariffs announced on April 2, now called “Liberation Day” by the President. In this episode, Ambassador Robert Holleyman, former Deputy U.S. Trade Representative, and Edward (Ted) Alden, Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, examine what has become the defining issue of Trump’s early presidency.

For a change of pace, The Forum invites you to listen to conversations with two bestselling authors Anne Hillerman and Chris Whipple as they discuss their recently published books. “Shadow of the Solstice is the 10th in Hillerman’s acclaimed mystery series. Whipple’s “Uncharted” is the fly-on-the-wall story of the 2024 presidential campaign.

This month, two major spiritual traditions—Judaism and Christianity—enter the holiest seasons of their faiths: Passover for the Jewish community and Easter for Christians. Rabbi Neil Amswych from Temple Beth Shalom and Carmen Flórez-Mansi, Director of Music at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, share how the practices and values of their respective traditions have evolved over time.

Former Secretary of the Interior and current gubernatorial candidate Deb Haaland has wrapped up her state-wide listening tour. She voices concern over ongoing budget and staff cuts at the Department of the Interior, highlighting their effects on New Mexico’s public lands and communities. Haaland outlines her plans to address key state issues including public safety, healthcare, and sustainable energy.Composer Brad Ellingboe and poet Tony Silvestri discuss the New Mexico premiere of their ecological cantata, A Place Called Home, taking place at the Lensic on Saturday, April 12. The duo shared insights on their collaboration and the transformative power of music to inspire change.

For nine years, Michael Missal served as Inspector General at the Department of Veterans Affairs—until he was abruptly fired on January 24. Meanwhile, veteran journalist Steve Herman is on administrative leave as the Trump administration moves to shut down the Voice of America (VOA). For the first time in its 82-year history, VOA has been offline since mid-March, silencing a global news source relied upon by millions.What happens next? As Missal and Herman explain, their fate—and the future of government oversight and press freedom—now rests in the hands of the courts.

Diplomat David Firestein and businessman Patrick Jenevein took vastly different paths to China, but both offer unique insights into its evolving political landscape. This program examines how Xi Jinping’s leadership marks a sharp departure from his predecessors and what that means for the United States and its allies

CNN legal commentator and bestselling author Jeffrey Toobin discusses his latest book, “The Pardon: The Politics of Presidential Mercy.” President Ford’s pardon just one month after President Nixon’s resignation, while viewed more favorably today than in 1974, continues to be controversial. Toobin takes the position that that how presidents use the power of the pardon reveals “the president’s soul.”

Dr. Larry Rasmussen, professor emeritus at Union Theological Seminary, discusses with co-hosts Peter Smith and Talitha Arnold when the guardrails of our nation’s democracy are being tested, we should reexamine the life of German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, an influential anti-Nazi dissident.