KQED NEWSROOM: Human Trafficking, San Francisco Homelessness, Roominate

Human Trafficking

Next week’s Super Bowl festivities include all kinds of entertainment, including free concerts and parties. But a shadow economy often accompanies these big events. Law enforcement officials say the Super Bowl is a magnet for human traffickers – with people forced to work as prostitutes and laborers against their will.

Guests:
· Bertram Fairries, FBI assistant special agent in charge
· Ruth Silver Taube, legal chair of the South Bay Coalition to End Human Trafficking

San Francisco Homelessness

Next week, as worldwide media descend on San Francisco to cover the Super Bowl, activists are planning protests to draw attention to the issue of homelessness. It’s long been one of San Francisco’s most intractable problems – now highlighted by encampments that seem to be growing. Reporter Monica Lam takes a closer look. And Thuy Vu hosts a discussion about efforts to end homelessness in San Francisco.

Guests:
· Dr. Barry Zevin, medical director of the San Francisco Homeless Outreach Team
· Jennifer Friedenbach, executive director of Coalition on Homelessness
· Supervisor Scott Wiener, San Francisco Board of Supervisors

Roominate

The founders of Santa Clara startup Roominate are working to encourage a new generation of young women to study science, technology, engineering and math – also known as STEM. They’re doing it with a collection of award-winning building toys geared toward girls. They were featured on the reality show “Shark Tank” and recently sold their company to Wisconsin-based toymaker Patch Products. Thuy Vu talks to Alice Brooks and Bettina Chen, the Stanford engineering grads behind Roominate.