Crosscurrents

For many new immigrants, learning English is an important goal. Sometimes at the expense of their mother tongue. Today, how growing up straddling two languages can have lasting impacts on family and identity. Then, we’ll head to San Quentin to hear the power of an R&B Slow Jam. And, we hear from an All-American track star on growing up in 1960s San Francisco.

For many immigrants, crossing the border is the first step on an often complicated, exhausting path of figuring out life in America. Author Reyna Grande experienced that first hand. As a child she migrated to the US with her parents, and has spent her writing career capturing the raw reality of life across borders. Her newest memoir is “Migrant Heart.” It interrogates how living between two nation...

The Uncuffed My Mixtape is a selection of our producers' favorite songs. Uncuffed producer Ryan Pagan interviewed Louis Sale about a song that reminds him of a complicated time in his life. This piece was created by student producers in the Uncuffed audio storytelling training program, in partnership with journalists at KALW Public Media. Our work in prisons is supported by the California Arts Cou...

Have you ever had a relative that you enjoyed sitting by during family functions because they always had good stories to tell? Ben Tucker is that kind of guy. He’s known for his storytelling performances as part of the Oakland based Stagebridge, where he tells stories about his ‘storied’ life. His family was part of the Great Migration of African-Americans to the West- he grew up in SF’s Bayview n...

Today, we’re bringing you the episode of Uncuffed that won first place for Narrative/Produced Program at the 2026 Public Media Journalism Awards. First, we hear an honest conversation between the UnCuffed host and his mom, that they hope can be healing. Then, we’ll hear from women in prison about what it’s like to be a caregiver from the inside.

The SAT’s are back in the conversation around college admissions. Today, two perspectives on if we should or shouldn’t bring back standardized testing. Then, an Oakland film tackles the challenges parents face when caring for kids with disabilities. And, San Francisco is full of living history, and a lot of it is delicious. We visit the oldest SF ice cream makers.

For decades, standardized tests like the SAT and ACT were a central part of college admissions. In 2020, the University of California system became one of the nation's highest profile university networks to eliminate them, citing concerns about fairness and equity.  Now, that decision is being revisited as hundreds of UC faculty recently signed an open letter in favor of reinstating the admissions...

For parents with children who are disabled, there can be a haunting question - “Who is going to take care of my child when I die?” In the award-winning film “Paper Bag Plan” a father faces that possibility when he learns he’s diagnosed with colon cancer. His 25-year-old son lives with Cerebral Palsy. And he attempts to make his son more independent by training him to be a bagger at a grocery store...

It’s summertime! And with the high heat of Midsummer comes: National Ice Cream Month. So today, we’re bringing you one of our favorite ice cream stories. On a block at the edge of Noe Valley, there’s a three-story beige apartment building that almost always has a crowd in front of it – even on a cold day. It’s Mitchell’s Ice Cream, San Francisco’s oldest known family owned ice-cream maker. It’s be...

Today, an annual check up on San Francisco’s RV ban. Then, we meet some of the talent behind San Francisco’s iconic club, Oasis. Plus, a poem in memory of a beloved San Francisco drummer.

Last year, San Francisco established new parking restrictions. They were aimed at curbing the city's growing number of people living out of their vehicles, mostly RVs. The stated goal was to take RVs off city streets, and get those who lived in the vehicles into more permanent housing.  But while city efforts to reduce the number of RVs appears to be succeeding, the crackdown has left hundreds of...

The day after Christmas, some 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, but especially Tito Soto, the club’s event producer and a headline performer.  KALW’s...

Today, we’ll hear a poem that honors the way we feel when we lose a friend, a space, a community. Here’s Alexiz Angel Romero reading her poem ‘ode to the beating heart, dedicated to Larry “Bucket Man” Hunt.

Cybersecurity isn’t just a concern for the largest corporations, it has local impacts too. Today, what adding AI does to changing cybersecurity risks. Then, in his new memoir, Adam Nimoy explores his relationship with his dad, iconic Star Trek actor Leonard Nimoy. And, the many anthems that represent America.

We share our personal information all the time: at the pharmacy, at school, at the insurance agency. Many of us assume someone there knows how to keep our data safe. But, rapidly evolving AI systems are raising new cybersecurity questions. KALW’s tech reporter, NeEddra James has been reporting on how local governments are responding to AI.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of “Star Trek.” Filmmaker and actor Adam Nimoy not only watched the show, but he went on set when he was a kid. That’s because his father, Leonard Nimoy, played Spock. The half-human, half-alien science officer came from a culture that put logic above emotion.  Leonard Nimoy once said he was so immersed in the character that sometimes he couldn’t turn it off at...

We’re approaching the Fourth of July weekend. A time when people are reflecting on what it means to be American. And  with that reflection comes a complicated mix of emotions. Some celebrate the 4th of July, some protest it, other people are just indifferent. Whatever your feelings are, one thing is for sure: we’ll be hearing a LOT of the national anthem in the coming days. Especially as the count...

There’s a new cohort of journalists learning how to make radio in California prisons. Today, we introduce you to this year’s Uncuffed class at the California Institution for Women - through their favorite songs.

Queer spaces are always evolving, but some things stay constant. Today, a conversation on the challenges and possibilities of creating community spaces. Then, if you could re-imagine the American anthem, what would it sound like?

It's the last day of June, so today we are going to send off this year's Pride Month by imagining what the future of Queer spaces could be. In this segment we hear from two of KALW's recent Audio Academy graduates: Jordan Karnes and Anna Casalme.  They recently hosted a night of clips and conversations at our live event space in Downtown San Francisco. It was called 'Creating Queer Third Spaces: E...

We are approaching the July 4th weekend, and now more than ever people are reflecting on what it means to be American with a complicated mix of emotions. Some celebrate the 4th of July, some protest it, other people are just indifferent.  Whatever your feelings are, one thing is for sure: we’ll be hearing A LOT of the national anthem, especially as the country marks 250 years since the signing of...

A long time Bay Area sci-fi convention is adding AfroFuturism to its programming. Then, we hear how the way schools embrace the LGBTQ+ community impacts how kids shape their attitudes and actions. It’s an episode of TBH, our series made by, about, and for teenagers. Plus, KALW's Notes from the Edge listens to artists about how they would reimagine our National Anthem. 

The 4th of July holiday is this weekend. For some Bay Area nerds, their weekend will include not only fireworks and hot dogs… but space ships, and magic too! The sci-fi/fantasy convention BayCon is returning to the South Bay for its 42nd year this holiday weekend. And this year will feature a new AfroFuturism Lounge. The lounge includes screenings, interactive sessions, and panel discussions about...

Today, the KALW high school summer podcasting institute is kicking off! Each cohort of students produces a show called tbh, short for to be honest. In honor of the program launch, and the wrapping up of Pride month, we’re bringing you one of our favorite tbh episodes from a previous cohort.  This one is about the role schools play in supporting students, and shaping attitudes around the LGBTQ PLUS...

Making your voice heard, and creating change, are fundamental to our democracy. But sometimes, when we see that democracy being threatened, it can make us ponder how we feel about this country as a whole. Saturday is the 4th of July. And every time it comes around, folks consider their relationship with the day. Some celebrate it, some protest it, other people are just indifferent… Whatever your f...