Crosscurrents

Today we're sharing a series that won the award for best ongoing coverage in radio and audio in 2021 from the Northern California chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. It's called The Progressive Prosecutor and it's about San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin's first year in office. It was described by the judges as an invaluable resource as voters try to understand the upcomi...

Today, we hear how Chesa Boudin's parents played a big part in shaping his journey from the public defender's office to the top prosecutor's seat. A story from our award winning series, 'The Progressive Prosecutor.' Then, a reading from Oakland poet James Cagney.

Last week, the City of San Francisco issued an apology to its Chinese communities for historical injustices, but is an apology enough? We hear from the head of the Chinese Historical Society of America Justin Hoover. Then, a designer talks about the joys she gets from creating and selling corsets. And, we’re answering a question from a listener that’s just right for Valentine’s Day. Then, we hear...

Today, we discuss the superstitions we hold and the wives tales we believe in. We’ll explore the history of folk beliefs handed down to generations of Black people. Then, we talk to a San Francisco drag performer vying for the crown on this season’s RuPaul’s Drag Race. And, we hear a reading from Oakland poet Landon Smith.

Today, we’re bringing you part two of the winner of the Northern California’s chapter of the Society of Professional Journalist’s award for best audio story for explanatory journalism in 2021. A documentary about how the criminal justice system has become the primary way the United States deals with mental illness.

In part one of a two-part investigation into how the country’s jails have become our default mental health treatment centers, we go to Santa Rita jail in Alameda County, one of the largest and deadliest jails in California.

Today, we answer one of our most popular listener questions in our Hey Area series, “where is the boundary of East Oakland?" Then, we’ll remember the life and music of Bay Area soul legend, Freddie Hughes. And, we listen as San Francisco scientist and poet Jenny Qi reads from her debut book.

Today, we go back to the '60s and hear how young Black people embraced a sense of freedom at that time. Then, we talk to Stanford historian Dr. Clayborne Carson. Next, we answer a listener's question about the Bay Area's history. And, we hear from San Francisco author Shanna Farrell as she reads from her book.

Today, we hear about thousands of San Franciscans that live with untreated hepatitis C and how a mobile van is breaking down barriers to provide treatment. Then, we learn about another Bay Area mobile health team that brings medication to people with addiction and living on the streets. Then, we answer a listener’s question about Redwood City’s slogan. And, we’ll hear a reading from Oakland author...

Today, we hear how single payer healthcare for California is on the table again, but a strong opposition warns of a high price tag and big tax hikes. Then, we explore the mind of the crow, our urban neighbor. And, we hear from a man devoted to protecting the elusive gray fox and other animals that live along the bay.

Today, we learn about a victory in the fight to save Cantonese language classes at City College of San Francisco. But is it enough? Then, we talk to the producers of the Edwardian Ball about the festival’s legacy and fashion. And, we hear author Justin Barker read from his memoir, Bear Boy.

Over the last two years we’ve brought you stories about Covid-19, but today we’re reaching into our archives and going back a few decades, when the Bay Area and the world faced another public health crisis, AIDS. The federal government was slow to respond to that epidemic and the community had to step-in to take care of each other. We’re going to meet Meridy Volz, she provided relief to people who...

Today, Berkeley filmmaker Morgan Schmidt-Feng tells us about his latest documentary, “Anton: Circling Home.” It follows an 80-year-old New York artist and his love for pigeons. Then, we’ll learn about pigeons themselves, the often misunderstood urban animal. And, we’ll hear a reading from San Francisco author Shruti Swamy.

Today, we hear how how one group says we should be measuring our progress as a state. Then, we talk about how Black people are diagnosed with autism later than other groups. And, Petaluma cheese monger Rory Stamp reads from his new book.

Today, we talk about a new center in the Tenderloin that's focused on helping people who are struggling with drugs and mental health. Then, we examine Sacramento’s historic Sutter’s Fort. And, we listen to San Jose cookbook author Beth Lee as she reads about Jewish baking.

Sofie Lovern is a Latina convert and comedienne who learned the difficulty of trying to merge two very different cultures in a marriage, even when their religions were the same. Her struggle with marriage is not uncommon with new convert women who are often rushed into marriage. Her marriage fails, but her comedy brings her through it all. She emerges unmarried but still Muslim.

Today, we hear how Bay Area Schools are now funded to give students two free meals a day, and that means schools are feeding a lot more kids. So we decicded to check in with school chefs and students to see how it’s going. Then, we keep it on the topic of school meals and also very close to home with a visit to the Burton High School cafeteria for lunch. And, we hear a reading from Santa Rosa grap...

Today, we’re bringing you an episode of a new podcast from Northern California Public Media called Living Downstream, looking at environmental justice issues around the world. Last week, we brought you an episode about air pollution in West Oakland. This time, we’re going to the biggest lake in California, which is now starved of water. We hear how it impacts the health of the people who live arou...

The story of two men who work to reconcile their identity as Latinx—with their identity as Muslims. One has dedicated his life to helping the Latino Muslim community in his city, the other still isn’t even sure being in a community as a Latinx Muslim is possible.

On the first day of this year, San Francisco Chronicle reporter Jill Tucker called up the Bay Area’s top Covid experts. We’ll hear what they said. Then, we learn about an investigation into California’s failure to protect outdoor workers from wildfire smoke. And, we listen to Dr. Rupa Marya as she reads from her book.

Today, it's the second part of a special from the environmental justice podcast Living Downstream, from Northern California Public Media. West Oakland residents breathe and suffer from pollution caused by toxic diesel exhaust. In part two of this story reporter, Sarah Holtz takes us into the issue with community organizer Margaret Gordon and the Director of Clean Air Advocacy, Will Barrett.

Today, we're bringing you a special from the environmental justice podcast Living Downstream, from Northern California Public Media. For decades, community members and allies have complained about the diesel truck traffic around the Port of Oakland. People who live in this neighborhood have elevated instances of asthma and shorter life spans than others in the county. We meet the activists who are...

Students at San Francisco’s City College started organizing this past spring to preserve the school’s language classes. Today, we hear the story behind the movement Save Cantonese at CCSF. Then, Bay Area poet Christine No writes about her personal journey of trying to understand love. And, San Francisco author Conrad Benedicto reads from his first novel.

One Black man works to connect his faith to his community, and to his fallen leaders. A new story from The Spiritual Edge series Becoming Muslim looks at a path to Islam that means walking in the footsteps of Black Revolutionaries.

Today, we'll hear stories about how people in prisons get through the holidays, even when they can’t see their families. It's a special episode from KALW's podcast, Uncuffed.