Crosscurrents

Today, a story about a young Oakland woman who’s a little lost… then finds herself in the middle of a mysterious cross country trip. Then, an indie folk artist explores the power of vulnerability in her music. Plus, we’ll hear from Bay Poets. 

In the new novel “Off the Books,” a young, Chinese-American woman works an underground job in The Town. She chauffeurs mysterious people to their destinations. No questions asked. But she has a lot of questions for her handsome new client. He needs a ride across the country to transport a huge, black suitcase. What’s in the bag is a mystery.  “Off the Books” is the debut novel by Soma Mei Sheng Fr...

Maw Shein Win was El Cerrito's inaugural poet laureate. Here she is reading her piece, ‘The Grisham House.'

August Lee Stevens is an indie soul and folk artist from that city. She’s a graduate of Oakland School of the Arts. She   and has just In 2024 she released her debut EP - Better Places . In this segment of Bay Area beats, Stevens discusses her musical career, and what it's like producing her own music, in this 2024 piece from reporter D’Andre Ball.

It’s National Poetry Month! Today, the history of Bay Area poetry and San Francisco’s first Latino Poet Laureate. Then, we hear the deep thoughts and feelings of a teenager with autism. And, we take you to a San Francisco neighborhood that’s being torn apart… by Boba.

April is National Poetry Month, and to celebrate in proper style we’re exploring the amazing archives at San Francisco State’s Poetry Center. Josiah Luis Alderete is the host of KALW’s series, Bay Poets. And he has dug up audio of San Francisco poets that have had a deep and lasting impact on shaping this city’s literary landscape.  Here, KALW’s Sunni Khalid speaks with Josiah about Alejandro Murg...

Besides being National Poetry Month, April is also World Autism month, and today we're bringing you the words of Alameda poet Lucien Gonzalez. Lucian describes himself as a non-speaking autistic person. He loves watching NPR Tiny Desk concerts, traveling to new places, and writing poetry. Lucian worked with a KALW producer to create an audio essay weaving together two of his poems. They are voiced...

Food fights aren’t new. But in every city, there’s a different battleground. In Los Angeles, it’s the raging debate over who makes the best French Dip sandwiches – Philippe’s or Cole’s? In South Philadelphia, it’s Pat’s versus Geno’s for where to get the best cheesesteak. Or in Montreal, where can you get the better bagel – St-Viateur or Fairmount? And in San Francisco? Tensions run high about… Bo...

Three and a half years after the arrival of ChatGPT, many schools have been slow to write clear guidelines for how students should, and shouldn’t, use AI. It’s the next story from The Homework Machine series.

Today, we bring you the second story from our 2025 series: The Homework Machine. In part one, we heard about the rapid rise of AI, and what it’s meant for our schools and education.  In this next episode we’ll hear how reporter Jesse Dukes has been working with researchers at MIT, speaking to teachers and students all across California and around the country. He learned that the arrival of ChatGPT...

Adopting and adapting to new technologies is part of the human experience. For our segment Bay Poets, poet Larry Dorsey Jr. explores the blurred lines between living life and capturing its moments through technology, Here he is reading his poem, "Your Mind Can’t Tell the Difference.” 

A few years ago, teachers started suspecting their students might be using generative AI in their work. Today, we hear about AI in education. And for some teachers, it’s not all that scary. Plus, a poem.

Parents and teachers alike are continuing to grapple with what has undoubtedly been a hot education topic- artificial intelligence. Any K through 12 student with an internet connected device has had access to ChatGPT and other powerful generative AI.  And one big thing AI can do effectively? Writing. Essays. Homework assignments… So what has that meant for our schools and education? For his 2025 s...

Parents and teachers alike are continuing to grapple with what has undoubtedly been a hot education topic- artificial intelligence. Any K through 12 student with an internet connected device has had access to ChatGPT and other powerful generative AI.  And one big thing AI can do effectively? Writing. Essays. Homework assignments… So what has that meant for our schools and education? For his 2025 s...

Here’s Youth Speaks alumni Larry Dorsey Jr reading his poem “Blind Man Dancing In The Rain.”

There's a new kind of solar on the block... but will law-makers allow renters to use plug-in solar? Then, a fully electric train ride into the future of Caltrains. And, one group is keeping fun at the center of something that’s the cause of a lot of grumbling -- litter. It's Oakland’s Trash Falcons!

Electricity prices have risen sharply over the past decade. A new, cheap solar power option could cut bills. But it’s facing legal challenges. Crosscurrents host Hana Baba sat down with KALW's climate reporter, Mary Catherine O’Connor, to learn more.

If you’ve ridden Caltrain anywhere between San Francisco and San Jose recently, you might have noticed that those trains have  made the jump to being fully electric. Gone are the days of the loud, lurching—and often smelly—diesel locomotives.  And electrifying the 51 miles of railway along the Peninsula was not cheap. It was a multi-billion dollar modernization project. It’s also just a small part...

Reporter Laura Isaza brings us this story from 2023, of one OAKLAND group tackling the trash near their home.

Today, two new stories from Uncuffed. Plus, a special conversation with the Sights and Sounds team about what they’re looking forward to in their second year.

Uncuffed Solano producer Saladin Rushdan loved his first car, a Mercury. But after he was sent to fight in the Vietnam War, he came back a changed man, with different feelings about the car of his youth.

Uncuffed producer Daniel Cowie struggled to find the courage to reach out to his father. But a conversation at Solano State Prison changed everything — and led to him finding his sister.

Last year, KALW’s Jenee Darden launched a new show all about arts and culture around the Bay. Now, the Sights and Sounds Show is celebrating its first anniversary! I sat down with Jenee, to hear some highlights from their first year… and a look at what’s to come.

Today, Author Meena Harris talks about her new children’s book where a little girl asks "Where are all the statues of women?" Then, we explore the science fiction that’s helped imagine our current reality. And, the art at a Bolinas exhibit offers many different views of our future.

Where are the women? That’s a question a little girl named Maya had. She is the main character in the book "Maya’s Big Question." In the story, Maya goes on a field trip to Washington, D.C. and notices that just about all of the monuments and statues pay tribute to men.  “Maya’s Big Question,” is the fifth book by New York Times bestselling Bay Area author Meena Harris. The main character is named...