Crosscurrents

On a corner in Richmond, California, there’s a business that has celebrated the city’s Black history and Southern roots for 30 years: CJ’s BBQ & Fish. Born and raised in Richmond, with a family that came from Arkansas to work in the shipyards, Charles Evans is at the center of it all. KALW's Senior Editor Lisa Morehouse brings us the story. 

Like a lot of people in San Francisco, Fernay McPherson’s family came here from somewhere else. Her mother and grandmother moved to the Fillmore District in the 1960s. They were part of the migration that brought African Americans from the South to cities across the U.S. When those families migrated, their recipes did too.  In this story from 2024, reporter Sarah Jesse went to Fernay’s kitchen whe...

Today, we meet a group of fans trying to save their college football team, through the power of social media. Then, we go on a road-trip to explore the borders of basketball fandom. And, the origins of a phenomenon known simply as “the Wave.”

A group of die-hard fans are out to save Cal football with the power of memes. KALW’S Jordan Karnes went to a game to find them. 

Today, finding human connection through song. Then, Star Parties give Bay Area earthlings a rare glimpse into outer space. And, one woman's most meaningful song.

Haena Worthing, an Uncuffed producer at the California Institution for Women, remembers the day her daughter was born.

Three years after a major flood, residents are still recovering… Today, a story on seeking accountability. Then, how some unhoused people stay warm in the rain. And, smooth jazz artist Brian Culbertson talks about collaborating with Sheila E on his recent album.

A 2022 New Year’s Eve flood at the Coliseum Connections housing development in Oakland left lasting effects on the residents that it displaced. Reporter E Okobi spoke with one resident who is still living in the aftermath. 

Jazz and funk musician Brian Culbertson first made waves in the smooth jazz scene when he was just a college student. Twenty-nine albums and 41 Billboard chart-topping songs later, he's still creating music on his piano and keyboard that make fans groove and chill. His latest album is "Day Trip" and it features artists such as Marcus Miller and the Bay Area's own Shelia E. And this summer, Brian i...

While most of Oakland sleeps, one place is alive with activity… and fresh produce. Today, we exploring Oakland’s Produce Market. Then, we’ll learn how to catch fish… in our own backyard.

Look in your fridge right now: maybe you have apples, lettuce, some herbs? As Californians, we have a sense of where those foods are grown. But produce, it takes a journey to get from farms to our homes. It goes through many places, and is cared for by many, many people. For her series, California Foodways, KALW’s Senior Editor Lisa Morehouse got up in the middle of the night, to meet a bunch of t...

If you head out on a Ferry from Oakland’s Jack London Square over the Bay, to San Francisco… there’s another special place where you can get fresh food: Fisherman’s Wharf.  Here, boats dock early in the morning with salmon and halibut, mackerel.. and now it’s Dungeness crab season! The catch then goes into refrigerated trucks, to eventually end up across the country or around the world.  But for o...

The Oakland school board’s student directors are making their voices heard…but what about their votes? Then, a new story from Uncuffed about breaking the prison pipeline. 

In California, students can sit on school boards — but how much power do they actually have? KALW’s education reporter Julia Haney talked to one of the young leaders on Oakland’s school board about the impact he hopes to make. 

Uncuffed producer Derrell "Sadiq" Davis shares the story about an incarcerated father who worries his newborn son will follow in his family’s footsteps. Can he break the cycle?

Comedian Luenell has been keeping audiences laughing for decades. She’s originally from Oakland but now lives in Las Vegas, where she has a residency at Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club on the strip. You can see Luenell on screen with Tracy Morgan in the Paramount+ sitcom “Crutch.”  Host of KALW’s Sights and Sounds, Jenee Darden caught up with Luenell to talk about her latest projects. Here’s a part of...

Today, we're distilling whiskey on Vallejo’s Mare Island. Then, a West Oakland artist recalls using her music and spirituality to heal from a severe car accident.

Californians have made whiskey since the Gold Rush when they served miners and then loggers. Craft bourbon has been taking off in the last couple decades -- with as many as 150 distilleries in the state.  For her series California Foodways, KALW’s Lisa Morehouse visited a distillery’s new home in the North Bay that’s producing whiskey at a location where people used to make something really differ...

West Oakland artist Nia Cephas came up with a word that encompasses her cultures, spirituality, and connection with people: Cosmicpolitan. That’s also the name of her debut album.  Nia’s music reflects both her African American and Afro-Brazilian roots. Her songs range from being a testament of survival to an invitation to just feel free.  KALW’s Sights and Sounds Show host, Jenee Darden, spoke wi...

Today, a new story from Uncuffed about finding out your dad isn't who he says he is. Then, an Oakland cello player challenges us to break away from negative ideas about darkness. And, a musician encourages us ALL to keep on singing.

What happens when you find out your dad isn't who he says he is? A new story about family from Uncuffed and San Quentin producer Jorge Lopez.

When you hear the words “dark” and “darkness” what comes to mind?  Many of us may associate the words with mostly negative connotations. In the Black Diaspora, and among other communities of color, there’s an ongoing conversation about why that is… and how to change it.  Mia Pixley is a Black cellist, singer, and psychologist based in Oakland. Her new album, “Love. Dark. Bloom”  is a blend of clas...

Recently, Oakland-raised musician, composer, and bandleader, Kev Choice, performied live at KALW's Studio Events space in downtown San Francisco. It was part of a preview for the upcoming show "In the Name of Love: A Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr." from Living Jazz.  Living Jazz is an educational organization that provides musical retreats in nature and workshops in elementary schools. KALW...

Today we’re bringing you an episode of Uncuffed from 2024 that really resonated with our Newsroom staff. It’s about a lesser known, but important aspect of life in prison: grieving.

When most Bay Area residents go to San Francisco International Airport, it’s so they can leave. But some unhoused locals are heading to SFO to stay. Reporter Erin Bump brings us the story of folks seeking shelter at the airport, and the people there who are trying to help.