Snap Judgment

Drama Club is the happy, safe space for Lee and Parker until their school play becomes a homophobic middle school meltdown. The lights get turned up to 10, the adults are in a media frenzy, and the kids are just trying to figure it all out. STORIES Don’t Say Gay Dads Drama Club is the happy, safe space for Lee and Parker until their school play becomes a homophobic middle school meltdown. The ligh...

The county clerk in a sleepy town finds himself on the frontlines of a national fight over abortion care.  When a New York doctor prescribes abortion meds to a Texas woman, a state's rights fight erupts. Ulster County Clerk Taylor Bruck is front and center when he invokes the "shield law" to prevent Texas AG Ken Paxton from filing a case against the doctor.  Produced by Anna Sussman and Zoe Ferrig...

This week on Snap Judgment… it's the tough jobs, the rough jobs, the roll up your sleeves and get it done jobs. When the oddest man in town is arrested for murder, only one lawyer steps up to represent him. Plus misadventures under the Not-So-Big Top. STORIES The Writing Is On The Wall When the scariest man in town is arrested for murder, only one lawyer volunteers to represent him... Produced by...

The group from Union Point moves into their new homes on the tiny plot of land near Lake Merritt. They run their own security and decide who comes into their space. But then, on a Monday morning in March, we hear devastating news… A fire burns through the plot of land on E12th. Is this the end of the experiment, or will the group keep building? This episode contains strong language & graphic i...

Mama D, President Matt, and the rest of the group are finally seeing their experiment in co-governance take shape. They built their security sheds and saw their tiny homes for the first time. But when Nino Parker stepped onto the sidewalk in a neck brace, on crutches, it was clear that the group was about to face a whole new level of chaos.   This episode contains strong language & graphic ima...

Mama D sees that the future of the experiment is up to her and what she decides: Lead the group to the plot of land offered by the city, hope and pray for a magical new plot, or disband the group and dissolve the experiment.  Following weeks of indecision, Mama D makes a choice. And while everyone from the group was hard at work to turn their dream into reality, they didn’t seem to notice a major...

The standoff between Public Works and the group from Union Point Park ends with a handshake -- a deal to build a new kind of housing community funded by the city where homeless residents make their own rules. But right away, the civility of this agreement seems to break down.  And after months of waiting, the group from Union Point Park finally gets a plot of land on E12th street for their radical...

Using broken refrigerators, mattresses and dishwashers, residents of Union Point Park barricade their tent-city. And they fight for an extraordinary idea: their own plot of land from the city, where they could live in community and set their own rules, on their own terms. A Tiny Plot is a new 5-part series from KQED ’s Snap Studios. Host and Reporter Shaina Shealy takes listeners inside an encampm...

It's barricades vs. bobcats, tents vs. tiny homes and a team of people fighting to stay together. Listen to a radical experiment in freedom that puts an entire city under the microscope… "A Tiny Plot” is a new series from KQED’s Snap Studios. Producer Shaina Shealy embedded with a group of people in an encampment in Oakland at a park called Union Point. They were ordered to disperse, running out o...

300 people spend a week on a plane with Rihanna to attend seven concerts, in seven countries, over seven days. And when morale is low among a group of paratroopers, their Sergeant takes them on an unexpected trip.  STORIES Diamonds in the Sky Fans and journalists embark on a seven-show tour with Rihanna… in seven countries, over seven days, on a Boeing 777, to celebrate her seventh album in seven...

The hallowed halls of an Airbnb house a spirit that can only be seen through sprinkles, spritzes, and sparkles… of air freshener. Snap’s Queen of Comedy, Jen Kober, returns with a story only she could tell. Plus, Glynn shares a story about a close personal witch. The episode contains strong language, sensitive listeners please be advised.  These stories were told at Spooked LIVE! We have a West Co...

Eleven attractive, young people set sail across the Atlantic in a raft as part of a radical group experiment. And a boy falls in love with a girl… and her fungus. STORIES  Vintage Spirit Did you ever think that you missed a moment of history?  A moment you were made for? Glynn explores an era that had a spark. Produced by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Raft of Passion Mary needed to get away from her husband....

She’s stunning grey, sleek as a race car, and stronger than all the boys. Her name is Winning Colors and for Dino and Miami she’s the long shot of a lifetime. This story contains strong language and includes descriptions of gambling, sensitive listeners please be advised. If gambling has become a problem for you or for someone you know, you can call 1-800-GAMBLER (426-2537) to seek free, confident...

Here’s a preview from a new podcast, Charlie’s Place. How did a Black man in the 1940s Jim Crow South open a club where Black and white people danced together? Charlie’s Place was revolutionary, and that meant it was dangerous. Host Rhym Guissé explores the unbelievable true story of Charlie Fitzgerald, a mysterious Black businessman whose nightclub became an unlikely site of integration in Myrtle...

World class runner Shelby Houlihan goes on trial and a bad burrito is her smoking gun. Plus, what do you do when you look just like figure skating’s supervillain?  STORIES The Burrito Theory  World class runner Shelby Houlihan goes on trial and a bad burrito is her smoking gun. Thank you Shelby, for sharing your story with us! Produced by John Fecile, original score by Clay Xavier. Tonya for Hire...

A young girl’s fantastic dream to be a doctor sends her into the middle of political realities of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Plus – the story of the first dog to travel around the world and the hottest alien takeover of all time. Round Trip A young girl’s fantastic dream to be a doctor sends her into the middle of political realities of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. This story contains scenes of domestic abu...

When Michelle moves into The Gearbox on the Caribbean island of Montserrat, she meets a new dance partner. And in Yauco, the mountain is alive. It knows you. It is aware of you. And when you pass, it will not let you leave unforgotten.   This story comes to us from our evil-twin, Spooked ! You can listen to Spooked on any podcast platform, episodes drop weekly. If you want more supernatural fun, c...

He’s slick, slippery, sweet-talking his way past the guards and straight into a superfan’s dream. He’s the stuff of legends, he’s Super Bowl Rick. And meet his counterpart… Tom Garvey. The man who lived inside the walls of his favorite stadium, Phantom-of-the-Opera style. It’s Pittsburgh vs Philly in an epic sports story-off. This episode contains explicit language, sensitive listeners please be a...

Sir Dyno is the Chicano Eazy-E, the king of lowrider car shows, an up-and-coming gangsta rapper straight outta Northern California. But when he gets the money to finance his next CD, he has no idea that the same music that made him a legend will also lead to his downfall. This story contains drug references and offensive language, sensitive listeners please be advised. Thank you, David Rocha, for...

In the Big Top, the Ringmaster wows the crowd in his top hat and sparkly jacket. But underneath the glitz is a feeling that only a father can lay to rest. And what do you do when your family’s big moment on national TV turns into a total disaster? ...Happy Father's Day y'all!  Ringmaster In the Big Top, the Ringmaster wows the crowd in his top hat and sparkly jacket. But underneath the glitz is a...

This week on Snap, we go to Guadalajara, Mexico where Dante meets Jorge. As they start to understand each other they soon discover that what brings them together also sets them apart. This episode contains sexual references, sensitive listeners please be advised. Thank you, Dante and Jorge, for sharing your story! The Spanish version of this episode is available at CUIR: Historias Disidentes, a no...

After years of fighting battles as a child soldier, a Sudanese man finds himself a refugee in Australia. As he struggles to overcome his past, he comes face-to-face with his childhood tormentor on a TV show. This episode recounts real events that happened to a child soldier, including graphic scenes inside a prison camp, listener discretion is advised. Thank you, Ayik , for sharing your incredible...

Have you ever wanted something so badly you’d do anything to make it happen? Sixteen-year-old Mohamed decides to dig deep in his religion to take the next step with his crush. There’s no love like young love… especially when it’s a secret.  This story contains strong language, discusses sexuality, and mentions corporal punishment. Please take care while listening. BIG thanks to Mohamed Ali for sha...

Three epic romances, but only one of them makes it into the time capsule. Nichole, Zakiya, and Emmanuel must choose the best Black Love story for the world of the future. This week on Snap, we're featuring an episode from our friends at Our Ancestors Were Messy. Our Ancestors Were Messy , is a podcast covering the gossip, scandals, and pop culture that made headlines in the Black newspapers of seg...

When the biggest baddest bird in the wild is on the brink of death, one couple will do anything to bring her back home. Snap presents, “Birdzilla: Mother of Eagles.” A Canadian love story. This episode discusses the subject of death and contains strong language, sensitive listeners please be advised. Thank you, Murdo Messer, for sharing your story with us! And all of us here at Snap are thinking f...