Crosscurrents

Today, the legacy and relevance of the Asian American Jazz Movement, through A musician and composer whose work is entwined with her community’s past. Then, a local brass band that’s lending a whole new layer to protests. And, a supportive foster dad gives a big lesson in forgiveness.

The Asian American jazz movement has roots in 1970s San Francisco . It was a dynamic time. The term “Asian American” was first being used, as people were building political coalitions among and across racial lines. Art reflected all of that. Many Asian American artists and activists found inspiration in Black musicians who used jazz as a tool for social change . Today, the work continues. The next...

Music can be a tool for cultural expression and social change. For this story, we’re going out in the streets to meet a band that provides a soundtrack for Bay Area protests. They’re called The Brass Liberation Orchestra. For nearly 25 years The Brass Liberation Orchestra – or BLO – has played a range of protests. But they’ve been especially busy since President Trump’s second term began. Reporter...

When Uncuffed producer Rahim Bradshaw was just a kid, he was sent to live with a foster family. While he secretly enjoyed their comforts, he struggled to trust them. Years later, Rahim reflects on how their unwavering support was the closest thing he had to family. 

Today, "The Tiny Chef" is coming to the California Academy of Sciences! Then, we get some context for San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie's recently announced new plan for free and subsidized childcare. And, bluegrass from around the world.

A six-and-a-half inch, green, animated creature has captured the hearts of children and adults. He’s known as the Tiny Chef.  He’s also beloved for the way he talks. It’s an unknown language, but it teaches kids to have patience and compassion for those with speech impediments.  Nickelodeon recently canceled “The Tiny Chef Show.” But, he’s not gone.... Actually he’s right here in San Francisco at...

As Bay Area families enjoy the Tiny Chef exhibit, many are also thinking about some serious daily family life matters - like childcare. As part of his new affordability push, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie announced a new plan for free and subsidized childcare. KALW’s State of the Bay host Ethan Elkind recently dug into the plan with Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, a Politics reporter at The San Franc...

Now, a segment from On Repeat, a mini-pod for music discovery. It’s hosted by Tshego Letsoalo, KALW’s Music Editorial Director. In it Tshego talks with KALW music programmers about the songs they can’t stop listening to. In this episode from 2024, Tshego talks with Peter Thompson, host of KALW’s Blue Grass Signal. Check out Blue Grass Signal , with Peter, Saturday’s at 4pm on KALW. 

Today we hear instruments from all over the world from a little shop in Berkeley. Then, why Oakland’s police remain under federal oversight after more than two decades. And, a man in prison shares how he found refuge in a church.

If you have ever walked into Lark in the Morning you might have heard the Sound of Danboo... The store is a combination museum for rare , international instruments, a repair shop, and a brick and mortar retail store. It also serves as a hub for lessons in everything from banjo to the sitar to the hurdygurdy. After working in tech, the current owner bought Lark in the Morning, and continues the leg...

Oakland’s Police Department has been under federal oversight since 2003. The city is arguing that most of the reforms have been accomplished and the OPD was ready to complete the rest -- without federal oversight. But many, including civil rights attorneys and some community leaders, are skeptical. Roselyn Romero is a criminal justice reporter with Oaklandside . KALW's news editor Sunni Khalid spo...

Uncuffed producer Michael Callahan shares how he found hope and refuge in a prison church, just days after he arrived at the institution.

Many young people in the Bay Area say their city councils just don’t hear them- and they have a lot to say. Today, we hear from the youth. Then, when living outside, getting a handle on even the most basic things, like the time and the weather, can be a challenge. And, a coming-of-age film explores how a Bay Area teenager is trying to keep her balance.

16-year-old Charlie Zeitlin is Legislation Subcommittee Vice-Chair of the Palo Alto Youth Council. KALW News Editor Sunni Khalid spoke to him about what matters to the next generation of voters in Silicon Valley.

This week's Sidewalk Stories dives into how unhoused people get information — from news and history to the time and weather. 

The indie film "Still Life" takes viewers back to teen life in 1999: corded phones, reading profiles of Claire Danes in Seventeen magazine and Y2K hysteria. For Dafne, the main 15-year-old character, this is around the time of her life when her mother dies from leukemia. "Still Life" was shot in the Bay Area, and was inspired by screenwriter and director Lauren Shapiro's experiences growing up her...

Today, we meet a performer who’s bringing loud, colorful and all-over-the-place shows to San Francisco’s drag scene. Tito Soto is all about the spectacle. Then, an incarcerated man finds new meaning in a classic childhood song. And, the San Francisco Symphony's upcoming "SoundBox" show is not your average symphony concert. Plus, a poem.

The day after Christmas, stage performers, cabaretists, and dancers got some really good news. The beloved San Francisco nightclub Oasis was slated to close on January 1, 2026 . But it was rescued by a major donation from a Bay Area philanthropic group. This was welcome news to everyone in the Oasis family, especially Tito Soto, the club’s event producer and a headline performer. KALW's Stafford H...

Uncuffed producer Jeremy Strain shares why a favorite childhood song still speaks to him, decades later.

Violinist Alexi Kenney is curating the San Francisco Symphony event called “SoundBox: Dream Awake.” It’s not your typical classical concert. It actually takes place backstage at Davies Symphony Hall.  Jenee Darden is the host of KALW’s Sights and Sounds show. She sat down with Alexi to talk about "SoundBox" and his music. Here's an excerpt from that interview. “SoundBox: Dream Awake” is at Davies...

February is Black History Month. So before we go, a poem. Here’s Mukethe Kawinzi reading their piece, ‘'ripgut.'  You can hear more Bay Area poets here . 

Today, an Iranian singer and composer chooses between obedience or exile. The award winning songs of Mahsa Vahdat. Then, a south bay artist who’s keeping Persian music alive, one note at a time. And, a poem about dancing with modern Persian identity.

Mahsa Vahdat decided to sing, despite the Iranian government’s ban on solo female performance. Then she had to make a choice: obedience or exile.

Justin Ebrahemi is KALW’s Communication Manager… and he’s also a poet! Here he shares a piece about dancing with modern Persian identity called "Brief Islands." 

Tattooing is a form of storytelling. Today, an artist honors his lineage by integrating Filipino traditions into his contemporary practice. Then, using dance to tell the story of Filipino migration to the Bay Area. And, we sing a little karaoke.