Crosscurrents
853 episodes - English - Latest episode: 1 day ago - ★★★★★ - 46 ratingsCrosscurrents is KALW Public Radio's award-winning news magazine, broadcasting in the Bay Area Mondays through Thursdays on 91.7 FM. We make joyful, informative stories that engage people across the economic, social, and cultural divides in our community.
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Episodes
Emergence Magazine: Coming Home To The Cove Episode 3, Part 3
November 23, 2023 14:00 - 24 minutes - 34.1 MBIn this episode we continue a series from our partners at Emergence Magazine. It’s called Coming Home To The Cove, and it follows Theresa Harlan’s quest to chronicle the story of her family’s displacement from their ancestral lands. Today, we hear how California legally facilitated the removal and separation of indigenous children from their families.
Emergence Magazine: Coming Home To The Cove Episode 3, Part 2 / A Prayer For Salmon
November 22, 2023 14:00 - 26 minutes - 36.1 MBWe are continuing a series from our partners at Emergence Magazine. It’s called Coming Home To The Cove, and it follows Theresa Harlan’s quest to chronicle the story of her family’s displacement from their ancestral lands. Today, we hear about the pieces of their old home that remain on the land. Then, an update on the Winnemum Wintu tribe.
Emergence Magazine: Coming Home To The Cove Episode 3, Part 1
November 21, 2023 14:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBNovember is Native American Heritage Month so today we are continuing a special series from our partners at Emergence Magazine. It’s called Coming Home To The Cove, and it follows Theresa Harlan’s quest to chronicle the story of her family’s displacement from their ancestral lands. In this segment, we hear stories from some of the last Coast Miwok people to grow up on Tomales Bay.
Emergence Magazine: Coming Home To The Cove Episode 2, Part 3
November 20, 2023 14:00 - 24 minutes - 33.6 MBThis week and next, we’re bringing you the story of a Coast Miwok family’s eviction from their ancestral home in Northern California and one woman’s mission to bring the living history of her family back to the land. In this excerpt from the second episode of Coming Home to the Cove, we hear about the history of displacement on the Point Reyes National Seashore.
Emergence Magazine: Coming Home To The Cove Episode 2, Part 2
November 16, 2023 14:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBThis week and next, we’re bringing you the story of a Coast Miwok family’s eviction from their ancestral home in Northern California and one woman’s mission to bring the living history of her family back to the land. In this excerpt from the second episode of Coming Home to the Cove, we hear how California broke it's promises to Indigenous people.
Emergence Magazine: Coming Home To The Cove Episode 2, Part 1
November 15, 2023 14:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBThis week and next, we’re bringing you the story of a Coast Miwok family’s eviction from their ancestral home in Northern California and one woman’s mission to bring the living history of her family back to the land. In this excerpt from the second episode of Coming Home to the Cove, we go to Point Reyes where thousands of years of Indigenous presence has been erased.
Emergence Magazine: Coming Home To The Cove Episode 1, Part 2
November 14, 2023 14:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBAll this week and next, we’re bringing you the story of a Coast Miwok family’s eviction from their ancestral home in Northern California and one woman’s mission to bring the living history of her family back to the land. In this excerpt from Coming Home to the Cove, we hear what life was like before they were displaced from Tomales Bay.
Emergence Magazine: Coming Home To The Cove Episode 1 Part 2
November 14, 2023 14:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBIn this episode, we continue the story of a Coast Miwok family’s eviction from their ancestral home in Northern California and one woman’s mission to bring the living history of her family back to the land. In this next segment we hear what life was like before they were displaced from Tomales Bay.
Emergence Magazine: Coming Home To The Cove Part 2
November 14, 2023 14:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBIn this episode, we continue the story of a Coast Miwok family’s eviction from their ancestral home in Northern California and one woman’s mission to bring the living history of her family back to the land. In this next segment we hear what life was like before they were displaced from Tomales Bay.
Emergence Magazine: Coming Home to the Cove Episode 1 Part 1
November 13, 2023 14:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBNovember is Native American Heritage Month. Which means, for the next two weeks, we’re bringing you a series from our partners at Emergence Magazine. It’s called Coming Home To The Cove, and it chronicles a Coast Miwok families’ multigenerational story of displacement from their ancestral lands in Tomales Bay.
Emergence Magazine: Coming Home to the Cove Episode 1, Part 1
November 13, 2023 14:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBNovember is Native American Heritage Month and for the next two weeks we’re bringing you a series from our partners at Emergence Magazine. It’s called Coming Home to the Cove and it chronicles a Coast Miwok family’s multigenerational story of displacement from their ancestral lands in Tomales Bay.
Emergence Magazine: Coming Home to the Cove Part 1
November 13, 2023 14:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBNovember is Native American Heritage Month. Which means, for the next two weeks, we’re bringing you a series from our partners at Emergence Magazine. It’s called Coming Home To The Cove, and it chronicles a Coast Miwok families’ multigenerational story of displacement from their ancestral lands in Tomales Bay.
Safer Streets For Oakland Chinatown / Rapper Bryce Savoy / Blind Café
November 09, 2023 14:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBIn this episode, we hear why Oakland’s Chinatown has the city’s highest concentration of motorist collisions with pedestrians and cyclists. Then, in a new Bay Area Beats segment we meet East Oakland's Bryce Savoy who began his rap career through his family. Plus, we go out on the town for some dinner and a show, but there’s one catch — it's all in the dark.
Mariachi Femenil / Marin Theater’s Lance Gardner / Seeking Justice
November 08, 2023 11:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBIn this episode, how an all-female mariachi band is challenging tradition. Then, the new artistic director of Marin Theatre Company shares his vision. And, why some mothers in Oakland are pushing to recall their District Attorney Pamela Price.
Uncuffed: Hole in the Heart / Dear Mama Mixtape
November 07, 2023 14:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBIn this episode, we bring you the latest story from Uncuffed's third season. We explore the challenges of finding and maintaining love behind bars. Then, the intense heartbreak and trauma of losing someone you love while in prison. Plus, we’ll give you a taste of what our producers like to listen to with The Uncuffed My Mixtape.
The Nakba / State Of Local Bay Area Journalism
November 06, 2023 11:00 - 27 minutes - 37.4 MBThe Bay Area hosts one of the biggest Palestinian communities in the country. In this episode, we will hear from one Palestinian family who continues their fight to return home. It's the story of the original Nakba. And, we get an update on the state of local journalism in the Bay Area.
Pelvic Dysfunction / SF City Attorney David Chiu / New Arrivals: Jen Lumanlan
November 02, 2023 13:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBIn this episode, we meet one doctor who is tackling gender health disparities through pelvic floor physical therapy. Then, we learn why the rollout for driverless cars has hit a speed bump. We'll hear from SF City Attorney David Chiu about his push to rein in robo-taxis. And, a reading from Berkeley author Jen Lumanlan.
Oldest San Francisco
November 01, 2023 13:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBSan Francisco is full of living history. In this episode, a tour of some of its institutions that have stood the test of time. They are all featured in the new book, “Oldest San Francisco.”
State of San Francisco Arts / Stay True / The Orphan Train
October 31, 2023 13:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBSan Francisco is known for its creativity, but the future of its artists is unclear. Today, a conversation about the state of the arts in the city. Then, we hear from the Bay Area Pulitzer prize winning author, Hua Hsu. And, we listen to a reading from a novel inspired by a great-great grandfather’s experience on an orphan train.
The Stoop: Black Horror
October 30, 2023 10:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBScary season is upon us and today we’re exploring the Black Horror film genre. From 1972’s "Blacula" to more recent films like Jordan Peele’s "Get Out" and Nia DaCosta’s "Candyman" — many love the genre but some of us still have our eyes closed. With more Black horror films being made, we’ll explore what actually defines Black Horror.
Child Marriage / Bay Poets / Filipino Heritage Month
October 26, 2023 14:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBNearly 300,000 child marriages have occurred in America during the past decade, and more than 20,000 happened in California. Today, we talk to case workers working against child marriage, and survivors who have overcome it. Then, we hear from three Bay Area women who ply different genres to tell important stories.
The Big Lift: Meeting Family Needs In A High-Poverty School
October 25, 2023 13:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBDozens of studies show that when parents or guardians are engaged in their kids’ education, it has a huge impact. Not just on academics, but on a student’s attendance, sense of self-esteem, and behavior in class. The San Francisco Unified's "family liaison" was created to build trust and get more families engaged with their child’s school.
Uncuffed: Pickleball
October 24, 2023 13:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBA new game comes to the San Quentin yard, and for the first time, correctional officers and staff shared the court with the incarcerated people. In the first episode of Uncuffed Season 3, producers share an unusual step toward changing prison culture — it involves nets, sweatbands, and paddles.
The Oakland A's Uncertain Move / Traditional Dance New Beat / Gold Rush To Ghost Town
October 23, 2023 10:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBIn this episode, we hear why the future of the Oakland's A’s is up in the air. We get an update on their controversial planned move and the opposition against it. Then, we hear how the Oakland Ballet incorporates diversity into their performances. And, we’ll visit Port Costa, a small town with a spooky reputation.
Venture Capital Disclosure / Author J.P. Takashi / 1991 Firestorm
October 19, 2023 13:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBToday, we hear about a new law that forces venture capital firms in California to open up about who they are investing in. Then, an Oakland author on why she wrote about her Black and Japanese heritage from a child’s eye. And, we look back at one of the most destructive fires in California history, the 1991 Oakland-Berkeley Firestorm.
Palm Springs Reparations / Mimi Tempest / Kinetic Steam Works
October 18, 2023 17:42 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBSurvivors and descendants of those who were forced out of their Palm Springs community in the 60s recently filed a lawsuit for reparations. We hear from one of the plaintiffs who now lives in Oakland. Then, in preparation for this weekend's Makers Faire, we learn about the lost art of steam power. Plus, a trailer for the newest season of Uncuffed.
The Future of Downtown San Francisco / Cartoonist Stephan Pastis
October 17, 2023 13:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBSan Francisco is still the most deserted major downtown in America. As part of the city's efforts to revitalize the area, KALW was awarded a temporary pop up space in the financial district. For our opening event, we hosted a conversation about the current state and future of downtown. Then, cartoonist Stephan Pastis talks about his new book and how his work helps him heal.
Tattoo Culture Shift / New Chapter For Litquake / Author Lily Iona MacKenzie
October 16, 2023 13:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBTattooing is an intimate process, and deciding who gets to ink you matters. In this episode, we explore the evolution of Bay Area tattoo culture. Then, the co-founders of Litquake are stepping down and looking back at the festival they created 24 years ago. And, Richmond’s Lily Iona MacKenzie reads from her new book of poetry.
Tattoo Culture Shift / New Chapter For Litquake / New Arrivals: Lily Iona MacKenzie
October 16, 2023 13:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBTattooing is an intimate process, and deciding who gets to ink you matters. In this episode, we explore the evolution of Bay Area tattoo culture. Then, the co-founders of Litquake are stepping down and looking back at the festival they created 24 years ago. And, Richmond’s Lily Iona MacKenzie reads from her new book of poetry.
On Racial Justice: Colin Kaepernick / Ericka Huggins
October 12, 2023 13:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBAs part of KALW’s week of discussions on racial justice, we explore what it means to protest during the national anthem. We hear the history and context behind Colin Kaepernick’s protest. Then, we get an update on how his career has been impacted. Then, we learn about the contributions of Black women to the social justice movement.
Uncuffed Showcase
October 11, 2023 13:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBToday, we feature stories from Uncuffed, our podcast made in California prisons. We hear how some incarcerated men face the challenge of deportation after being released. Then, we learn about the ways Native Americans have fought for their rights while incarcerated. Lastly, what it’s like to be locked up in one of California’s most notorious prisons.
The Stoop Showcase: Racial Justice
October 10, 2023 20:13 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBAs part of KALW’s week of discussions about racial justice, today, we’re going to feature The Stoop podcast, hosted by Hana Baba and Leila Day. In this episode we meet people around the Bay Area working for racial justice in their own ways. From reparations, to health, to literature and even food. We hear from folks fighting injustice in all its forms.
The Stoop Showcase
October 10, 2023 20:13 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBAs part of KALW’s week of discussions about racial justice, we’re featuring The Stoop podcast, hosted by Hana Baba and Leila Day. In this episode, we meet people around the Bay Area working for racial justice in their own ways. From reparations to health to literature, and even food, we hear from folks fighting injustice in all its forms.
Elements: Earth / San Francisco May Restart Encampent Sweeps
October 05, 2023 13:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBToday, we bring you the fourth and final story from our series Elements, about the four most elemental ingredients of life and how they’re being reshaped by climate change. We hear how workers in the Sacramento Delta are deconstructing levees in an effort to correct ecological mistakes. Then, we get an update on San Francisco’s plans to address homelessness.
Elements: Fire / Empowering Girls To Be Rebel Girls
October 04, 2023 10:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBToday, we bring you the third story from our series Elements, about the four most elemental ingredients of life and how they’re being reshaped by climate change. In this story we learn how ecologists are looking at an old ally to help with fire prevention, beavers. And what does it take to keep young girls resilient?
Elements: Air / Uncuffed: Growing Up in Foster Care
October 03, 2023 10:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBToday, an Oakland airport expansion is bringing community groups together for environmental justice. It's the second story from our series Elements, about the four most elemental ingredients of life and how they’re being reshaped by climate change. Then, growing up in the foster care system and aging out into a world that doesn’t see you.
Introducing: Elements / How BART Track Width Affects Your Commute
October 02, 2023 10:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBToday we're launching a new Crosscurrents series: Elements. It's a collection of stories about the four most elemental ingredients of life — air, water, earth, and fire — and how they’re being reshaped by climate change. Today's story takes us to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the front lines of California’s water war. Then, the original vision for BART.
Introducing: Elements / How The Width Of BART Tracks Affects Your Commute
October 02, 2023 10:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBToday we're launching a new Crosscurrents series: Elements. It's a collection of stories about the four most elemental ingredients of life—air, water, earth, and fire—and how they’re being reshaped by climate change. The first story takes us the front lines of California’s water war. And we’ll learn how the original vision for BART still impacts commuters today.
From Mexico to the Castro: Hector Romero sought asylum to save his life
September 28, 2023 18:25 - 24 minutes - 34.1 MBPeople have come to the U.S.YS for different reasons. Sometimes, it can be a matter of life and death. Some LGBTQ+ immigrants flee from their home countries and leave everything behind. And as we head into October, which is LBGTQ+ History Month, we are revisiting a story from someone who shared his experience with just that.
Covering Sports at San Quentin / James 'Sticknasty' Small / The Zohar
September 27, 2023 13:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBToday, we meet the man who reports on the athletes at San Quentin prison who play everything from basketball to pickleball. Then, Fantastic Negrito's drummer James “Sticknasty” Small talks about his debut solo album. And, we’ll hear why a seminal Jewish text got an updated translation.
Confronting Caste / New Arrivals / Grant Avenue Follies
September 21, 2023 10:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBToday, we talk to reporter Sonia Paul about a first-in-the-nation measure to add caste to state anti-discrimination laws. And we hear from three Bay Area authors with three very different novels. Then, we meet the ladies of the Grant Avenue Follies who celebrate mid-century Chinatown's cultural scene one song and dance at a time.
Oakland Coal Trains / Center Of Sexy Times / Bay Poets
September 20, 2023 13:00 - 19 minutes - 26.8 MBToday, we meet researchers using a special night vision camera to track the movement of trains and pollution. We hear how open air coal trains are impacting Oakland communities. Then, we learn how the Folsom Street Fair got it's start. And, we celebrate Latinx Heritage Month by highlighting the work of some Bay Area poets.
Meet San Francisco's Fire Chief / The Future of Small Presses
September 19, 2023 10:00 - 22 minutes - 31.3 MBToday, we meet the first openly LGBTQ fire chief in the country in a new story from our series "At Work." Then, a conversation about the future of small publishing with J.K. Fowler, the founder of Oakland's now-shuttered Nomadic Press.
La Maison Bleue / Who Is The Most Influential Latino In The Bay Area?
September 18, 2023 13:00 - 22 minutes - 30.9 MBIn today's episode, we go to a blue house in San Francisco that attracts crowds of French people. It's a new story in our series Culture Keepers, celebrating Bay Area communities. Then, we get an unexpected answer to a question about the most influential Latino in the Bay Area from our collaborative reporting series, Hey Area.
DIY Punk Culture / Pacific Athletic Conference Collapse
September 14, 2023 18:14 - 22 minutes - 31.5 MBIn this episode, we rock out with a Bay Area band who takes public performance and the idea of moving to music to a whole new level. Today, we’re checking out the DIY punk scene. Then, we hear why 10 out the 12 members left college footballs' Pacific Athletic Conference. What led to the PAC-12's sudden demise?
Keeping History Alive and Ringing / Actor Wayne Harris's 'Train Stories'
September 13, 2023 13:00 - 25 minutes - 34.9 MBToday, we climb into the bell tower at Holy Trinity Cathedral to meet a bell ringer who's been cultivating his craft since childhood and is passing it on to the next generation. Then, we meet Wayne Harris, who wrote and stars in the play "Train Stories," about three African-American men on a train ride, figuring out their place in a 1948 America.
Uncuffed: To My Children / The Future Of Anchor Steam
September 12, 2023 13:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBToday, two formerly incarcerated mothers reflect on how their children keep them strong. Then, we hear how becoming a teacher led one person to finally feel seen. Stories from Uncuffed’s re-entry class. And, we get an update on the possible resurrection of San Francisco's Anchor Brewing Company.
Oakland's Snail Bar / The Stud / Imprisoned Pianist
September 11, 2023 10:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBIn this episode, we meet an East Bay chef who goes beyond shopping at the farmer’s market. We hear how he works to connect food, urban diners and nature. Then, we’ll go back in time to visit San Francisco’s oldest gay bar before it closed its doors. And, we hear how piano playing can create a future for those in prison.
The Stoop: Reclaiming Blackness / 40 Years Of Creativity Explored
September 07, 2023 10:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBIn this episode, we travel thousands of miles to hear how Bay Area movements like the Black Panthers influenced activists in Australia. It's an award-winning episode from The Stoop podcast. Then, we bring it back to San Francisco to visit a place where creativity has reigned supreme for four decades.
San Quentin Film Maker / The Stoop: Within These Walls
September 06, 2023 10:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBToday, we begin with a new story from Uncuffed. We'll meet an incarcerated media-maker who shares how a program at San Quentin rekindled his creative spark from childhood. Then, a 2023 Gracie award-winning Stoop episode explores the secrets of Black history that a building can hold within its walls.