Crosscurrents

Today, we’re going to feature some of the musicians who have provided a soundtrack for Bay Area protests, the Brass Liberation Orchestra.

Struggling with homelessness can make it hard to maintain simple routines. Today, the artist inviting the unhoused community to come as they are. Then, one new novel is inspired by the legacy of environmental racism.

Today, we'll see how an encampment in Berkeley is coming together with the help of one resident.

One new novel from an Oakland writer is inspired by the legacy of environmental racism.

April is National Poetry Month and to celebrate in proper style Bay Poets has been exploring the Poetry Center at SF State’s amazing archives. Today, we wrap up the series and poetry month by talking about San Francisco’s current Poet Laureate, Genny Lim.

Poets have always given a voice to social movements. So today, we bring you a conversation with San Francisco’s first Latino Poet Laureate about how this art from shows up now. 

A Palestinian folk dance group is bringing their people’s story to the big stage. Blending the old and the new into one struggle for freedom. And, a first generation immigrant from the Palestinian and Lebanese diaspora shares poetry. Plus, how the wrongful conviction of two Filipino-immigrant nurses inspires a dance production in San Francisco.

Dabke is an Arabic folk dance with roots in Palestine. In Oakland, one troupe is bringing the generations-old dance to the big stage on April 26th- along with the story of their people’s struggle for freedom. 

Today we will be listening to musician and poet Camellia Boutros read an excerpt from her poem.

How the wrongful conviction of two Filipino-immigrant nurses inspires a dance production in San Francisco.

Today, how the ocean can be a very queer place, literally and metaphorically. Then, one play is bringing the excitement of basketball to the stage. And, a poem that takes photobombing to an almost spiritual level.

There is a growing number of people connecting with the ocean through the outdoor activity called tidepooling. KALW Reporter Anna takes us to a queer tidepooling events in the Bay Area to figure out what makes exploring these places on our coasts important, particularly for queer folks.

The play “Flex” takes audiences back to 1998, right after the launch of the WNBA. It is an exciting time for a high school girls basketball team in a dusty, rural Arkansas town. The young ladies are playing hard to win a state championship.

For poetry month Berkeley poet Zack Rogow ponders how the simple act of photobombing persists with a life of its own. 

Today, we hear how the need for housing can clash with the need to protect our natural resources. Then, how residents of the agricultural town of Pescadero have been dealing with flooding for decades.

Cities along the Bay Area shoreline are trying to restore wetlands to help mitigate floods and fight climate change. But as housing prices in the Bay skyrocket some cities like Newark, are also looking to that empty land to build housing.

Pescadero is a small farming town about two miles east of highway 1 on the coast. Today how the residents of the agricultural town in San Mateo County have been dealing with flooding for decades.

Today, we peer through the lens of over 120 years of Muni photography. Then, an immersive show that is set in one of the San Francisco homes that survived the 1906 earthquake. And, a dad gets a first class lesson in empathy at a family visit in prison.

A photographic exhibit at City Hall that came from a hidden archive highlights one of San Francisco’s most venerable institutions.

"EARTHQUAKE! Shaken, But Standing Strong" is an immersive historical show and tour of the surviving Haas-Lilienthal House that will take place on April 17 and 18.

Uncuffed producer Michael Callahan shares a story about how sometimes the roles get reversed when he's parenting from prison. 

For poetry month Oakland poet James Cagney walks us down memory lane with an ode to the home he grew up in. Here is his piece 'What Remains Eternal.'

Today, a conversation with Congressional candidate Marie Hurabiell. Then, the return of the East Bay literary festival Beast Crawl. And, we honor poet Bob Kaufman.

KALW’s State of the Bay has been inviting the candidates for California’s 11th district to come on their show. And we’ve been airing segments of those conversations here on Crosscurrents this month.Today, the final candidate in the series: Marie Hurabiell.

April is National Poetry Month and Downtown Oakland has some of the best Bay Area poets delivering powerful prose. That’s because they’re part of the annual Beast Crawl, Oakland’s longest running literary festival. 

April is National Poetry Month but it is also the birthday month of one of San Francisco's most iconic poets, Bob Kaufman. To mark the occasion, Bay Poets host Josiah Luis Alderete reads one of Bob’s piece "Suicide" from his first book “Golden Sardine” published by City Lights Books in 1967.

Today, a local voice actor and kids podcaster talks about his experience with autism. Then, one new play features four Berkeley teenagers seeking figurative and literal harmony during a summer of music school. And, a local poet reminds us to take a breath.

Today we feature an award winning Bay Area creator who says being neurodivergent is exactly what helped him excel at what he does. Jonathan Cormur is a San Mateo county based voice actor, host of the award winning kids podcast Dorktales Storytime. 

The play “Girls, Girls, Chance, Chance, Music, Music" is about four talented teens who spend their summer in Berkeley at a prestigious music program for girls. And like life, some days there’s harmony and other days they have to deal with the hard notes. The show includes themes of friendship, self-discovery and how music helps many of us survive. 

April is National Poetry Month! Here’s a poem about the perpetual need to rearrange our personal comfort throughout our lives. 

Today, a conversation with Congressional candidate Saikat Chakrabarti. Then, we hear about one special song from the UnCuffed team. And, how one poet from the east coast became part of San Francisco’s literary history. 

This is a big election year for California’s District 11. Nancy Pelosi has held the seat in the US House of Representatives since 1987 and her retirement has created the first really competitive race to represent San Francisco in congress for nearly 40 years. 

KALW’s State of the Bay has been inviting the candidates for California’s 11th district to come on their show, and help voters get to know what they are running on and for. And we’re going to be airing segments of those conversations here on Crosscurrents this month.

Today, Saikat Chakrabarti. Chakrabar...

The Uncuffed My Mixtape is a selection of our producers' favorite songs. Here, Uncuffed producer Rahim Bradshaw interviewed Michael “Luqman ” Russell Jr. about a song that makes him think about the challenges of maintaining a relationship while incarcerated.

April is National Poetry Month and to celebrate in proper style Bay Poets has been exploring the Poetry Center at San Francisco State’s archives. Josiah Luis Alderete is the host of KALW’s series, Bay Poets. And he has dug up audio of four San Francisco poets that have had a deep and lasting impact on the city’s literary landscape. We will be presenting them to you throughout the month. 

Today’s poet was is from the East Coast, but helped shape San Francisco’s literary scene. Here’s KALW News Editor, Sunni Khalid, speaking with Josiah a...

Today, a young man from Vallejo takes his next step towards the NBA. We hear his story, and how his mother worked to keep his pro basketball dream alive. Then, we visit a local pioneer who brought henna art to the Bay 30 years ago.

As the Golden State Warriors take the floor for their final home game of the regular season, questions still linger. With injuries shaping much of the year, and the postseason picture uncertain. Will younger players get a chance to step into the spotlight?

It’s a moment built on opportunity, something every young player dreams of. Including Chance McMillian of Vallejo. After completing his first season with the Santa Cruz Warriors, the team’s developmental affiliate, he’s one step closer to reaching his long-held dream. Reporter Demetrius Johnson brings us his story. 

The San Francisco Public Library is honoring SWANA - Southwest Asian and North African - Heritage month with programs including art, film, ballet... And a henna workshop taught by San Francisco henna artist Renda Dabit. Crosscurrents host Hana Baba went to visit Renda in her SF henna studio, and sat down for some henna and a chat.

Many lesbian and queer bars are important community spaces, but they struggle to survive financially. Today, we visit two different queer bars in Oakland to see what it takes to survive in the Bay Area. Then, we hear from State Senator Scott Weiner on why he wants to join the US House of Representatives. 

Late last year, the beloved Oakland queer bar Friends and Family announced the news that it was closing. Their community was so upset, devoted customers even threw the bar a funeral. KALW’s Jordan Karnes went to find out why these spaces are so important to their communities, and what’s the magic formula that queer bars need to survive. 

Nancy Pelosi has held the District 11 seat in the US House of Representatives since 1987. She announced her retirement last fall and  that has created the first really competitive race to represent San Francisco in congress for nearly 40 years. 

KALW’s State of the Bay has been inviting the candidates for California’s 11th district to come on their show, and help voters get to know what they are running on and for. And we’re going to be airing segments of those conversations here on Crosscurrents this month.

Today, California State Senator Scott Weiner. He’s speaking...