Crosscurrents

Ciiku N’Dungu Case is the founder of Cheza Nami, an East Bay based organization that spreads awareness of African cultures in schools through music and dance. Now she is out with a new children’s book called "Wanjiku, Child of Mine." It's about a little girl who grows up in Kenya…

Veteran Oakland storyteller Diane Ferlatte tell us why it’s important to own our cultural stories in an excerpt from " The Stoop " podcast. And, Hana heeds the call and launches her own folktale podcast, telling stories from Sudanese folklore in " Folktales from Sudan "

Today, how solutions for housing and climate action are inherently connected. Then, we explore a garbage dump transformed into a park… and a home.

 East Bay State Assemblymember Buffy Wicks has been pushing the California legislature to take more decisive action on our housing shortage. She says any solution will need to take into consideration an array of interconnected issues. Ethan Elkind, co-host of KALW’s “State of The Bay,” recently spoke with Wicks. And today, we’re bringing you an excerpt of that conversation. 

The Albany bulb is a beloved fixture of the East Bay shoreline. People visit for kite flying, dog walking and the culture of renegade art making. Today, we go out to the bulb with some former inhabitants to hear their story of a community that made the bulb a home. 

Preserving the community and creative spirit of The Albany Bulb  can be credited to one local group that stepped in when the future of the Bulb was uncertain.

San Francisco may need to brace for a surge in homelessness. Today, how national cuts affect Bay Area housing insecurity. Then, a local author explores the dark art of weaponized storytelling in a new episode of Book It.

Sylvie Sturm is a journalist with San Francisco Public Press covering housing policy. Here she explains how funding cuts will push more people onto the streets.

Words matter. And renowned Bay Area author and journalist Annalee Newitz knows that well. Their book “Stories Are Weapons” debuted last year. But it’s becoming more and more relevant every day.

Uncuffed is KALW’s podcast that empowers people in prison to tell their own stories. But today's episode is special because it’s the first EVER cohort of students from a women’s prison.  And you can hear more episodes of Uncuffed here !

Today, local Chinese businesses are struggling to survive with Trump tariffs. Then, co-parenting can be surprising. And, we welcome the Valkyries with the return of BOUNCE!

There are roughly 1000 small businesses that call San Francisco’s Chinatown home. To help us understand how the tariffs are threatening the whole neighborhood, I spoke with the President of the city's Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Donald Luu .

Mother’s Day is coming up on Sunday. And there are many, sometimes unexpected ways, that people step into parenting. Next, we’re bringing you an excerpt from The Stoop Podcast- hosted by me and Leila Day. In it, we meet a family that shows us how co-parenting can evolve.  You can listen to the full episode of The Stoop here!

Today, we hear about Barbara Lee’s plan for her first 100 days in office. Then, a photo exhibit by Paul McCartney. And, celebrated journalist Kevin Fagan talks about his new novel.

Former Congresswoman Barbara Lee is Oakland's new mayor-elect. Our friend’s KALW’s “State of The Bay” recently spoke with Bay Area News Group reporter Shomik Mukherjee about Lee’s plan for her first 100 days in office. Today, we’re bringing you an excerpt of that conversation.  You can hear more from this conversation, and episodes of KALW's State of the Bay , here!

“ Eyes of the Storm ” features 250 behind-the-scenes photos along with other items from Paul McCartney’s personal archive. They were all collected from the Beatles’ tour in Europe and the U.S. from 1963-1964. And now, Bay Area fans can see some of those photos in an exhibit at the de Young museum in San Francisco.  Check out more from Sights + Sounds here !

Kevin Fagan, is an award-winning journalist , with over 40 years covering homelessness and poverty. Kevin is recently retired from the San Francisco Chronicle, and has tapped into his reporting experience to write a novel called “The Lost and the Found.”

Today, we hear about Oakland’s new electric school buses and how the Trump policies have affected clean transit. Plus, celebrating the diverse populations of the Bay Area.

School buses pollute the air and can make students feel dysregulated. Switching to electric can help, but it’s a test of political will.

Since the Trump administration put a hold on funding for climate programs back in January, federal support for a wide range of climate related projects has been thrown into question. 

For Nanki Kaur watching basketball has always been a family ritual, and she’s also always been curious to learn about the different cultural communities in the Bay Area. Earlier in the season, she went to Heritage Nights at Warriors’ games and discovered the perfect combination of her two passions.

Today, we hear from Uncuffed producer Anthony Ivy. He started working with Uncuffed inside Solano State Prison. Now he has a job on the outside with "The Uncuffed Playlist." Check out more Uncuffed episodes here !

Today, we revisit a story about SCRAP, and how they help teachers keep their classrooms well stocked. Then, one woman’s painful but determined recovery.

SCRAP is a beloved San Francisco non-profit. It's a creative reuse and recycling center that collects and re-distributes tons of stuff. But now they will need to find a new home.  While SCRAP looks for its next home and reliable funding to pay for it, we’re bringing you a story from 2016 to demonstrate the ways it serves teachers -- and why teachers need the help.

Samina Ali suffered a disastrous pregnancy, a lengthy coma, and a long, frustrating road to her life’s new normal. Her deeply personal memoir is "Pieces You'll Never Get Back."