The Soul of California

After 75+ shows of the Soul of California, I am closing out the podcast. This finale is a short five minutes, reflecting on the podcast, some of the stories and a few of my takeaways.  A MASSIVE thanks to you out there. I hope that you learned something, enjoyed it along the way and felt inspired to go out and have a California experience. I certainly did.  Please download them and share them - it is unclear how long I will keep the site running. Some are precious stories of people who were very instrumental in creating a new reality and for some reason were not "bankable" enough for prime time. If you want to get in touch, drop me a line at thesoulofcalifornia@gmail.com.  I am now on to creating the world's first Bridge Museum. In a time of walls, shouldn't we celebrate bridges? Connection over division? Dialogue over debate? Intrigued? Check out www.bridgemuseum.org. You are the change, if you want to be.  And don't forget. Feed your soul. Keep listening. 

In this 32-minute episode, Violet Grgich, President of Grgich Hills Estates, discusses the history of the Napa wine producer and the Paris Tasting of 1976, which catapulted her father Mike Grgich, a Croatian villager who fled Yugoslavia to settle in the US, to the center of the wine industry.  Violet then touches on the types of wines that Grgich produces (min. 8) and the differences in climate and land, which impact the final product (min.11). She recounts the honor and the collective reaction to be named as one of the 101 objects that made America. Her 95-year old father still hasn't gotten over it. Violent subsequently talks about taking over the reins at Grgich Hills and the lessons that her father gave her (min. 17).  Turning to Violet the person, she discusses her love of music as well as which wines she would bring to a desert island (min. 23). Wrapping it up, she talks about simplicity and complexity - in music, wine and life.  Feed your soul. Keep listening.    Next up - our swan song - it's been fun! 

In this 34-minute episode, UC Santa Cruz artist/scientist Juniper Harrower places the iconic Joshua Tree in the context of the desert, her PhD research (complete with her mom and a ladder), then moves on to the implications of climate change on the tree (min. 6), and her own nod to social media's dating power for the tree (min. 12).  She then moves on to the balance of the throngs of tourists now visiting the park, stretching public services (min. 24), which medium she prefers to make an impact (min. 27) and closes out with her favorite spot (min.33).  Feed your soul. Keep listening.  juniperharrower.com

In this 17-minute episode, photographer Julian Wasser shares some of his best stories from a 50-year career shooting the titans of entertainment. Julian's lens caught the likes of MLK, the Kennedy brothers, Joan Didion and Roman Polanski, among dozens of others, freezing important moments in time, becoming instantly iconic and acting as a reference point for generations. Throughout it, he gives a comic and an honest look at the profession and additionally offers his thoughts on some of the most meaningful photos, which other photographers have taken.  Feed your soul. Keep listening.  Next up: Juniper Harrower on the Joshua Tree. 

In this 45-minute podcast, Richard Strozzi-Heckler shares the importance of the body in leadership. The eyes, the walk, shoulders, breathing - it plays a massive role in how you are perceived and the confidence that you exude.  Richard gives background on the Dojo (the place) and the Soma (the whole body) and its role in leadership, then moves onto the impacts that it has globally (min. 7), the role of the marital arts and how they fit into the “Western” type of leadership (e.g. Peter Drucker (min. 9)) and how morality is a key aspect of leadership.   He talks about individual physical aspects - the eyes, breathing, shoulders - and how they communicate and how words count for ONLY 7% of how others interpret you.  Yes, a whopping 93% is about your body language….. We then discuss leadership today (min. 23), Rebecca Solnit's “mansplaining” (min. 31) and then close it up with Richard's admission that he sometimes falls into the trap of sizing up someone's soma, becoming more tolerant of the limitations of others and his favorite place in CA.  Feed your soul. Keep listening. 

In this 33-minute episode, Lauren Jabusch of the California Student Sustainability Coalition (CSSC) discusses the increasingly important influence and financial impact that divestment is having within the public school system.  Lauren starts with CSSC's origins as well as the massive reach of the Golden State's public university system and its multi-billion dollar pension schemes, then moves on to the evolution of issues (min. 6) and the engagement with local communities (min. 9).  She then continues with the subtleties of each issue and winning over hearts and minds (min. 12),  the dual use of facts and storytelling and California's broader influence of divestment in the U.S. and abroad (min. 20).  Lauren closes it up with keeping a student-run movement going and  her favorite places in California.    Feed your soul. Keep listening. 

In this 41-minute podcast, Stanford's Paul Brest (and former President of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation) gives an overview of the philanthropy sector, explaining the growth of foundations, the trade-off between a foundation and a donor-advised fund and the coordination of foundation policy on big bets, particularly climate change. Much of our discussion touches on aspects of his just released book, co-authored with Hal Harvey, Money Well Spent: A Strategic Plan for Smart Philanthropy.  Paul further discusses the trade-off and analysis between what are the benefits of succeeding and the likelihood of that success, the "happy accident" of becoming the President of the Hewlett Foundation, as well as touching on a few of the larger California foundations and their programs. Given the increase in the creation of foundations as well as their experimentation in policies potentially impacting a large swathe of the population, this is a timely discussion about their role.  Feed your soul. Keep listening.  Next up: Lauren Jabusch on Protest Divestment.   

In this 41-minute episode, cancer survivor Cheryl Buck shares her own experiences of being one of 1.6 million per year diagnosed with cancer. To her, the tumor is just a symptom of an imbalance - the real problem rests with a body's metabolism.   Cheryl disregarded the usual “cut, burn or poison” approach, embracing the protocol advocated by Dr. Max Gerson, which concentrates on a full court press towards toxicity coupled with nutrients to the nth. Forbidden in the US (but with a presence in San Diego), the Gerson approach has been an option for those diagnosed with cancer, despite fierce opposition from the medical establishment.  Cheryl discusses the history behind this alternative approach, her own story, the underground hospital and the dedication of the daily routine. Informative. Brave. Timely.  Next up: Stanford's Paul Brest on the Philanthropy Movement.  Feed your soul. Keep listening.  

In this 39-minute podcast, Obi Kaufmann takes us on a big picture ride of the system, indeed the organism, that is California. Fresh off the surprise hit of his California Field Atlas, Kaufman recounts his beginnings as a painter, respect for the environment verging on the spiritual and his hope about the “wild reimagining” of the Golden State.   Obi discusses the process of putting together the book (min. 12), his surprise at the extent of the knowledge available (min.18), the coming of the post-carbon economy (min. 24) and the possible “undoing” of projects this century. He then moves on to his feelings about the book's reception (min. 31), its educational potential (min. 34) and closes off with his favorite place. It's not a “where” question, but a “when” question. Get your pencil ready.... All through it, Obi remains philosophical, cheerful and moved by the Golden State's natural beauty and makes the case that we all should be more geographically literate to protect it.  Feed your soul. Keep listening. 

Politician, icon, myth, Jerry Brown leaves an impression on everyone. Love him or loath him, he is the governor of the 5th largest global economy, with the (moral) authority resembling that of a head of state.  In this 55-minute podcast, journalist Narda Zacchino shares with us the background to Brown's 1970s revolution as the State's youngest governor, who is now closing out his long career with his fourth term in that office.  Narda discusses the influence of his father, his messaging in the early days (min. 3), Brown's "canoe politics", and his love of policy (min. 14). She then reflects on his time as Oakland's mayor (min. 16), the eternal rivalry with Texas (min. 20) and "typical" Jerry moments (min. 26). Turning to impact, Narda recounts the good and the work left behind (min. 32) and for the last 15 minutes turns to her own experience as a journalist, the influence of California on the global stage, NorCal vs. SoCal, analog vs. digital and (very likely) California's next Governor. Next time: Obi Kaufman - the poetry of watercolors, serving as a teaching tool.  Feed your soul. Keep listening.    

In this 52-minute podcast, author Deborah Miranda discusses the plight of Native Americans in California, who underwent near genocide over the course of two centuries with the Spanish, the Mexicans and then the Americans all but ensuring their extinction.  Deborah begins with the historical context and the role of the church, the defamation of Native Americans during the Gold Rush (so-called “diggers” and bounties, min. 8), the continuing stereotypes through the Mission Project (min. 13) and developing family trees through cassette tapes (min. 21).  She continues in discussing language challenges (min. 28), writing and a certain footlocker (min. 31), the hopeful future for Native Americans (min. 36) and closes out with hearing her poem at a graduation and an exhaustive list of established and up-and-coming Native American authors.  Bonus - Deborah reads two poems at the end! Content meets delivery, making it a great listen.  Feed your Soul. Keep listening. 

In this 52-minute podcast, Richard Walker, author of Pictures of a Gone City: Tech and the Dark Side of Prosperity, discusses the negatives impacts that the Tech Boom has had in the analog world - housing, sprawl, labor, you name it.... Richard talks about the origins of the book, then moves on to  inequality (min. 6), why we hate the word "class" (min. 11) and then discusses the culture of commuting and the tech buses (min. 13). He then highlights regulation challenges (min. 25), the push-pull of private vs. public services (min. 33), tax optimization and whether sustained regulatory chance is possible (min. 40).  POST-INTERVIEW BONUS: Lawrence Ferlinghetti - Pictures of the Gone World, no. 11 - Closing out his first century, the eternal poet reads the poem that fits so frighteningly well with the Bay Area's Tech Boom and its impacts, despite being written in 1955 (min. 53). Special thanks to City Lights Books for their kind permission.   Feed your soul. Keep listening. 

In this 29-minute podcast, Viet Nguyen discusses The Sympathizer, which takes aim at the Vietnam genre, particularly Coppela's Apocalypse Now, and how it is ripe for parody. He then moves into the impact of literature vs. film (min. 5) and the duality of 30 April - the day in 1975 when Saigon fell (min. 9). Viet shares with listeners the body of literature and other perspectives coming from Vietnam (min. 10) and recounts his own harrowing early life as a refugee in America and the friendly competition with his brother (min. 14). He then closes with how he writes (min. 18) and his teaching (min. 24).  Next up:  UC Berkeley's Richard Walker on the Dark Side of Tech - wealth creation at the pinnacle, life altering challenges for the majority. Timely, to say the least..... Feed your soul. Keep listening. 

In this 49-minute discussion, the Godfather of Multiculturalism Ishmael Reed discusses his writing (min. 7), his love of contagions and his just released book Conjugating Hindi (min. 10) and critical acclaim outside of the US (min. 17). He then continues regarding the establishment and the “space” for minority viewpoints, his thoughts on teaching (min. 35) relaxing (min. 39) and oral histories.   Now entering his ninth decade without one hint of slowing down, Reed remains relevant across a number of art forms.  BONUS POETRY READING: Ishmael reads three of his poems at the end of the interview - not to be missed!  Next up: Pulitzer Prize Winner Viet Thanh Nguyen on another perspective of war.   Feed your soul. Keep listening. 

In this 21-minute episode, Kristine Poggioli, co-author with Carolyn Eidson of Walking San Francisco's 49 Mile Scenic Drive, discusses how Carolyn and her implemented a new year's resolution, walking what was originally created to be enjoyed behind the wheel.  Kristine tells about the drive's origins and then talks about some of her favourite walks, the best views and monuments, the most strenuous and the actual vantage point of walking as opposed to being in a car.  Putting a new twist on an old concept and for a new generation of those dedicated to healthy living, the 49 mile WALK, turns 80 this year, and is fast becoming a part of the city's bucket list..... Next up: Ishmael Reed, The Godfather of Multiculturalism.  Feed your soul. Keep listening. 

In this 33-minute podcast, Susan Anderson of the African American Museum and Library (AAMLO) in Oakland provides the history and context of AAMLO, describes some of its archives and recent events. Shell equally reflects on who writes which narrative, with California not being part of the usual US narrative.  Susan also touches on the digital/analog aspects that archival institutions face, reaching out to students and some of her favorite archives (even though she wouldn't dare take them to a desert island!). She closes up with overview of her book, which is currently in the works.  Next up: California's 49 mile scenic drive/walk.  Feed you soul. Keep listening. 

Novelist. Law Professor. Art Critic. Yxta Maya Murray juggles her life between the three. In this 37-minute interview, Whiting Award winner Yxta discusses how listening to defendants tell their story inspired her to come up with 26 lines of text per day. She then continues with  how she juggled writing and a legal career (min. 6), treasures from Latin America in American museums, changing education in the digital age (min. 15), gentrification's very negative impacts (min.18), how law resembles fiction (min. 25), and how it has been changing in the last few years (min. 32), her latest piece on non-disclosure agreements, and closes with which literature she would take on a desert island. Finally, a bit of  advice to her students.  All through it, Yxta shows her firm grasp on a broad palette of contemporary issues and challenges, remaining throughout the discussion very accessible.  Feed your soul. Keep listening. 

In this 29-minute episode, David Laws recounts the history and background of the "Fairchild Eight" and their Notebooks, what makes them so special technologically and the personalities of each one (min. 6). David then talks about the equivalent today (min. 14), its complete analog beginnings and the memory challenge (min. 16) and closes with how the Computer History Museum acquired the notebooks.  Although not household names, the work of Robert Noyce, Gordon Moore and the other six continues to have an enormous impact on all of us every day.  Feed your soul. Keep listening.

The brainchild of the Packard family and built out of the enormous success that has been the Monterey Bay Aquarium, MBARI is a global leader in oceanography, with an extensive array of equipment and the leadership and R&D to back it up. In this 35-minute podcast, Judith Connor discusses MBARI's origins and mission, the specificities and advantages of Monterey Canyon,  technological advances allowing autonomous and remote research (min. 5), climate change impacts (min. 8), international cooperation (min. 16), communicating the importance of oceans to the general public (min. 18), two of her most challenging dives (min. 26), her getaway island and descending a 20-foot ice shaft in Antartica.  Throughout it, Judith shows both her love and respect for the ocean and demonstrates the key role that it plays, either directly or indirectly, in our lives.  Next up - The Fairchild Notebooks with David Laws of the Computer History Museum. Those notebooks changed everything....    Feed your soul. Keep listening. 

The Best of 2017 - 26 minutes of snippets of some of the policies, persons and personalities that defined the Soul of California this year. In the following order:  UCLA's Donald Shoup on why company parking is massively unjust:  Bassist Nathan East on picking up a guitar for the first time; Secretary Norman Mineta on being a “non-alien” of Japanese ancestry during WWII;  Mural Queen Judy Baca on “getting caught” painting on her boss's wall with gang members;  Rocker Chuck Prophet on Bobby Fuller's legacy and California Noir;  Stanford's Clayborne Carson on Martin Luther King, Jr's most memorable speech;  Betty Reid Soskin and the reaction that her park ranger uniform evokes; Literary statesman T.C. Boyle on human nature and the dying off of a species;  Jim Harris on the mythic ending of Route 66;  Poet Laureate Luis Rodriguez on what he would tell himself as a teen-ager;  UC Berkeley's Michael Dear on why walls don't work;  Biographer Earle Labor on Jack London's farcical struggles with immediate and ultimate happiness;  Writer Steven Provost on James Dean's last meal (and speeding ticket); Novelist Dana Johnson on how well-told accomplishments and not-so-well-told accomplishments make some immortal and some (undeservedly) forgotten.      Thanks for listening to the show this year. Please don't forget to share. After all, it's the holiday season. Grab a cup of something hot and strong and hit the play button…. Have a good holiday and a great new year.  Feed your soul. Keep listening.   

In this 38-minute podcast, Joe Lewis shares with listeners Noah Purifoy (1917-2004) the man, the social worker, the Director of the Watts Towers and pioneering arts advocate and activist. Known for his work with the vernacular, read “junk”, which started in 1965 using debris leftover from the Watts Rebellion, Purifoy worked steadily out of Los Angeles, spending the last 15 years of his life in Joshua Tree. Purifoy took debris, mixed it with the vernacular and social issues, and created unique and powerful works, reverberating far beyond the desert.  Lewis describes the influence that the Watts Rebellion had on Purifoy (min. 2), his standout pieces (min. 4), starting of the Foundation and his “studio” (min. 9) and the role of the natural elements in composing (and decomposing) his work. Joe then continues with how it worked in a “proper” museum, surround by white walls (min. 18), special memories (min. 22), his need to go out to Joshua Tree (min. 29) and how the Foundation deals with the elements to preserve his work and legacy.  Feted by the art world, including at LACMA, Purifoy's art transcends what has been termed “Junk Dada” - there is something intensely relevant in our times about inequality, mass consumption and polarization. Feed your soul. Keep listening.   

Dana Johnson talks about a different side of Los Angeles, one that is under the radar and usually on the other side of the tracks. In this 38-minute podcast, Johnson discusses the changing nature of LA and the suburbs of West Covina where she grew up, the portrayal of a different LA in film (min. 10), her writing style and schedule (min. 12), how she teaches (min. 19), her first job (min. 22), white-dominated pop culture (min. 23), who writes history and the wonderfully moving history on one Biddy Mason (min. 29). Dana closes it out with her top three picks on an island or having a coffee.... Throughout our chat, Dana challenges the status quo in the perception of minorities and provokes us to think about what white-dominated culture means to minorities, who writes it and to whom does it really belong. Class is also part of the equation - just look at the Dodgers of 1980....Garvey, Smith, Sutton, and Baker.  Next up: Junk Dada in Joshua Tree - Noah Purifoy's Legacy with Joe Lewis Feed your soul. Keep listening.    

In this 39-minute podcast, Stephen Provost (pronounced Provo), author of  Highway 99 - California's Main Street, takes listeners down one of American's first highways.  Stephen starts out with how California led the way in highway building and the adaption of signs and traffic safety and then moves on to the construction of the mythic Grapevine and the Ridge Route and its dangerous driving conditions, After discussing the influence of William Mulholland on California's water (min. 8), we then cover the burgeoning roadside vernacular and its culture impact, from gas stations, to “auto courts” and to restaurants (min. 15).  After discussing the influence of the cruising culture around Modesto, where George Lucas and Harrison Ford got their start (min. 15), we move onto street signs and arches (min. 20) and its legacy, being forced for compete with California's other (more scenic) highways (min. 25). We close discussing the financial impact that being bypassed left (min. 29), its demographic (min. 31), as well as Stephen's recommendations to visit places along Highway 99 (min. 34).   Next time: Award winning novelist Dana Johnson.  Feed you soul. Keep listening.       

In this 43-minute podcast, Earle Labor gives an extensive overview of Jack London, starting with his two mothers and two fathers and the hard life that he had as a kid (“poverty made me hustle”). Earle then discusses ultimate vs. immediate happiness and the havoc that it wreaked on his life (min. 4) and also argues that London had a substantial “seeking” drive, which took him to the ends of the earth and to the extreme (min. 10).  We then examine his writing methods (1,000 words a day regardless), his relationship with Sinclair Lewis for plots and the influence of Carl Jung on his “primal” work. After discussing London's health and how his lifestyle impacted it (min. 25), Earle recounts the process of writing the author's biography (min.28) and the shock of opening up a safe on a cold January day in 1975 to see a neat stack of Charmian London's diaries - all 60 of them. We then close with his reflections on the JL Scholar community (min. 36), Earle's desert island three and whether film versions come close to the original writing (min. 38).  All through it, Earle demonstrates his nearly 60 years of love for his career as a Jack London scholar, as a great storyteller, and comes off as one hell of a Southern gentleman. Cast of Characters  Parents - William Chaney - likely his biological father; John London - the "father" who reared him; Flora Wellman, his biological mother;  Flora Prentiss - the one who reared him, an African American and a former slave.  Family - Bessie London - Jack London's first wife, with two daughters, Becky and Joan. Charmian London - Jack London's second wife. Anna Strunsky - his true love, who he did not marry.   Next up:  Highway 99 - California's Main Street  Feed your soul. Keep listening.    

In this 37-minute episode, Michael Dear, author of Why Walls won't Work, takes us through the evolution of the US-Mexico border from quaint and lacklustre demarcations to its current full-fledged military industrialisation.  Michael talks about the rise of borderland mentalities (min. 4) slowly etched into those living in that region, the intertwined economies along the border (min. 10), its militarisation after 9/11 (min. 11), just how ineffective walls are (min. 17) and the “portfolio” of options. We then continue discussing not only the supply of drugs, but the slow change in US government thinking that indeed there is a demand challenge (min. 23). As part of the LA School in urban planning, Michael shares his views about the 2024 LA Olympics (min. 26), the city's challenges around traffic (min. 28), but also that given all of those, it still works relatively well. He closes up with his favourite places in the Golden State (min. 35). Feed you soul. Keep listening.   

In this 65-minute interview, writer Luis Rodriguez discusses his nine lives, going from being a barely pubescent gang member in East LA and the San Gabriel Valley, to being shot at, doped up and finding redemption through the arts, literature and his own writing. After all this, he sets an example to others facing the same temptations and challenges that he faced.  Our discussion touches on how the arts saved his life and the cultural starvation facing many inner city communities (min. 2), the influence of black awareness on his thinking (min. 7), whether politicians really understand urban challenges (min. 18), decriminalisation (min. 24), and his prison experience (in a cell next to Charles Manson, min. 24).  We then continue with how Luis became interested in writing and his own approach (min. 34), including his reading of two poems (about his mother and a sonnet about our country) from his 2016 poetry book Borrowed Bones (min. 40). He then recounts receiving the title of Poet Laureate at the Central Library in Downtown LA, which served as a refuge during his teen-age years. Luis closes with the two things that he would have told himself as a teen-ager with the benefit of 45 more years of experience (min. 56).  From the initial question of whether he is surprised to be alive, Luis shows honesty, humility and insight, with a touch of humor. Next up - UC Berkeley's Michael Dear on why walls don't work.  Feed your soul. Keep listening.   

In this 39-minute podcast, Jim Harris of the Santa Monica Pier Corporation provides listeners an insight into the history and ongoings at one of the US's most iconic structures.  After touching on its original purpose (treating sewage), Jim and I discuss the true and not to true stories such as the Route 66 and the origins of Popeye (min. 7), and city politics and gambling ships (min. 18). We then change tack and touch on its considerable star power in troubled financial times (min.23), the tug-of-war with mulitnationals on the pier (min. 26) and weathering financial storms, 2008 and in the future.  Next up: Luis Rodriguez - the Poet Laureate's nine lives Feed your soul. Keep listening. 

In this episode, TC Boyle discusses the impact that humans have on their environment, citing the Channel Islands, the Galapagos of North America. We then take a tour d'horizon covering writing (min. 12), his historical fiction (min. 20), the disappointment of Hollywood for writers and his tenure as a professor (min. 22).  We continue, referring to humans as species with The Tortilla Curtain as an example  (min. 34), grandiose huis clos experiments (min. 36) and close it up with books and technology (min. 39), escaping to a desert island, his advice to himself as a 20 year old (which he didn't follow) and his favourite place in California. Coming up - the Santa Monica Pier, LA's Poet Laureate Luis Rodriguez, and UC Berkeley's Michael Dear on why walls don't work.  Feed your soul. Keep listening.   

94 years young - Betty Reid Soskin sparkles with insight, humility and at times giddiness as to what she has been able to experience. In this 40-minute podcast, Betty discusses moving to Oakland when Calvin Coolidge (!) was US President and tells life as she experienced it - the unpleasantness of racism in her community (including death threats) and the eventual change in her neighbourhood's attitude. She grins with pride in recounting her work as a National Park Ranger and what she has been able to witness over the course of her long life. She equally discusses some of her most intimate moments when asked about her uniform.  The subject of two documentary films and with a book being released next year, Betty is keeping very busy and is a role model and an inspiration to us all.  Feed your soul. Keep listening.    

As a 19-year old, Clayborne Carson went to the March on Washington, which some in the civil rights struggle deemed a  “picnic”. That aside, the March dramatically affected him, turning Clayborne into an activist, based out of Los Angeles.  Moving from activist/journalist to a Stanford professor, Clayborne went on to publish the papers of Martin Luther King. In this 43-minute podcast, he discusses MLK's most precious speech in his opinion and how the papers are released. Clayborne covers the struggle in the 1960s, various styles and the importance of rhetoric, but also potentially more important organization skills. He also reflects on the Black Panther movement (Huey Newton's archives are also at Stanford) and the applicability of the 1960s struggle with Black Lives Matter. Throughout the podcast, Clayborne is reflective, humble and dauntingly knowledgeable about the last 50 years in the struggle of African Americans. Feed your soul. Keep listening.   

Chuck Prophet's new album “Bobby Fuller died for your sins” was just released to very solid reviews. In this 30-minute podcast, Chuck describes the album as California Noir, and discusses a few of the album's standout tracks. He then touches upon his recording and writing style and his collaboration with the poet klipschutz and many others.  Chuck also lays out the cultural tapestry that is San Francisco and how that culture shaped him in his formative years. Finally, he offers advice to himself as a teen-ager and closes with his desert island five (okay, three, one of which is depressingly brilliant and the other he characterises as a gateway drug, upon which the floodgates open to about 20) and wraps it up with the importance of staycations. Honest, humble and grateful to his cohorts, Chuck Prophet delivers. Next time: Clayborne Carson of Stanford's Martin Luther King Research and Education Institute.   Feed your soul. Keep listening. 

Judy Baca shares a life in the arts that began when Spanish-only speaking Baca drew and painted as a way to communicate. In the early 1970s, she worked in LA's parks with rival gangs, spearheading the first wave of mural painters in the 1970s. Since then, her work and influence went viral - inner cities awash in murals, leading to more engaged youth and offering them an alternative in the face of life's challenges.  In this 52-minute podcast, Judy also discusses the wall project that she painted with her colleagues in a flood control channel and how the idea grew to draw far wider international acclaim. Judy also examines the role that alternative (minority) histories can play in setting the record straight and empowering those who feel marginalised. She closes with what she has learned over the years and what the Judy Baca of today would say to the Judy Baca just starting out in her professional life and her two favourite murals.  Next episodes: SF rocker Chuck Prophet and Clayborne Carson of Stanford's MLK Research Centre.  Feed your soul. Keep listening.      

In this 36-minute podcast, former Secretary of Transport Norman Mineta recounts his response to the 9/11 attacks.  His day started innocuously enough in a meeting with the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and finished in a bunker, deep below an empty White House. It was there that he gave the orders to ground the more than 4,600 planes at that time in US airspace.     Secretary Mineta continues with the policy changes after 9/11, particularly the role of the government in regulating security at US airports (previously in private hands) and also the role that the private sector made, whether it was GE in mass producing scanning equipment, Disney for dealing with long lines or Marriot for its hospitality.  Upcoming podcasts include LA muralist Judy Baca, Clayborne Carson of Stanford's Martin Luther King Research and Education Institute and rocker Chuck Prophet, who just released his new album 'Bobby Fuller died for your sins'.  Feed your soul. Keep listening. 

Norman Mineta has lived the 20th century. Born in San Jose, Mineta's life was typical of a Japanese-American family, at least until World War II. For his being a “non-alien” of Japanese descent, Mineta and his family were interned first at Santa Anita racetrack and then in Wyoming.  He brushed off the initial discrimination of his early years to become one of American's most decorated public servants, with roles as San Jose's Mayor (during the early days of the tech boom), as a Congressman representing Silicon Vally and later as Secretary of Commerce under Clinton and Secretary of Transport under George W. Bush.   In this 52-minute episode, Secretary Mineta speaks directly about his early life experience, particularly  as an internee and as the object of intense discrimination, closing with a very poignant memory of then Captain Ronald Reagan, who oversaw the burial of a decorated American soldier of Japanese descent. It was President Reagan who finally put a line under history in 1988, apologising to those interned and compensating them. Put the kettle on and have a listen - it's definitely worth it and frighteningly relevant today.  Next time: Secretary Mineta recounts his role overseeing American air space on 9/11.  Feed your soul. Keep listening.    

Bassist Nathan East has been keeping busy - contributing to 2,000 albums over the last 35 years, touring with Clapton for decades, contributing 25% to jazz quartet Fourplay - all starting from humble beginnings at Christ the King Church in San Diego, where he first picked up a guitar with four strings…. In this 28-minute podcast, Nathan discusses how he got started with the bass, writing songs, being the front man, collaborating with his son, how 'Reverence' came about and his desert island five.  Throughout the interview, he shares  some of his  “pinch me” moments, whether it's on stage at the Apollo at 16, Barry White's .357 Magnum on the recording console, Al Jarreau and 200,000 others in Rio, or in the studio with many of the greats since the early 1980s.  Next time: Secretary Norman Mineta - interned during World War II for being a “non-alien” of Japanese descent - his story frighteningly parallels the current atmosphere.  Feed your soul. Keep listening. 

We're all guilty of it, cruising for parking, hoping for a free space. But what's the downside? In this 33-minute podcast, UCLA's Donald Shoup gives us a rundown on parking's catastrophic inefficiencies, highlighting poor policy and planning and the outright injustice of the entire sector.  Donald shares how he became involved in the sector, the actual cost of a parking space ($20,000+ for surface, $30,000+ for underground, even up to $80,000!), LA's revolutionary “adaptive re-use” policy allowing for dozens of buildings to be refurbished (creating a real estate boon) and the policy of required spaces for restaurants and shopping malls.  With candor and subtle humour, Shoup advocates introduction of paid parking, the use of revenues locally and the end of the broken model of “each apartment must have two parkings spots”.  Next time: bassist Nathan East, Clapton's bassist, 25% of the Jazz quartet Fourplay and session player on 2,000 (yes, 2,000) albums talks about starting out in a San Diego church, on stage at the Apollo at 16 and his new album Reverence.   Feed your soul. Keep listening.   

In this 20-minute podcast, Wild Records founder Reb Kennedy shares his experiences in starting an East LA-based record label from scratch. Reb discusses his approach to finding promising, yet struggling and immature bands and turning them into proper acts. Over the course of the last 15 years, Reb has played a number of roles with his label's musicians - manager, producer, agent, mentor, psychologist, surrogate father (and mother).  The podcast includes snippets of "Broke his heart" by the Rhythm Shakers in the intro and "Silhouette" by TJ Mayes in the outro…..For the entire offering, check out wildrecordsusa.com. You won't be disappointed.  Next episode - the High Cost of Free Parking. UCLA's Donald Shoup, Parking Guru, reveals the issue's enormous indirect impacts and offers some remedies.  Feed your soul. Keep listening. 

This 32-minute episode takes a look back at a few of this year's best stories and reflections.  In the following order, we have:  Shelly Spiegel-Coleman on the need for a dignified and humane approach to the treatment of illegal immigrants and their families;  Sabrina Fendrick of Berkeley Patients Group on the domination of women in the cannabis industry;  Emily Burns of Save the Redwoods Alliance on how carbon is measured in giant Sequoia and Redwood trees. Alan Hess on William Pereira's reputation among the East Coast elite and how he was “Hollywood's version of an architect”;  Magnus Torén of the Henry Miller Library on the development challenges of Big Sur - “it's being loved to death”;  multi-instrumentalist Louise Goffin on why the piano is her favourite instrument.  Daniel Ostroff on how he inadvertently started collecting Charles and Ray Eames; Jon Christensen on Reyner Banham and why living in LA is actually better than visiting it.  Justin Akers Chacon on the irony of how drastic immigration legislation had a dramatic economic effect in some towns;  Samantha Schoech of Independent Bookstore Day comparing books with the vinyl revival and the staying power of paper books. Grant Lee Phillips recounting his salad days as a 13-year old magician in bars and clubs off of Route 99;  Mary Colwell on John Muir's theory of glaciers as to the real reason why Yosemite is so spectacular;  Tom Williams on “catching a glimpse” of his subject when reading a series of unreleased letters from Raymond Chandler to his childhood friends; Kevin Break on the peace, quiet and bustling nature of the LA River at 2am.  Next episodes include US parking guru Donald Shoup and Reb Kennedy of Wild Records.  Thanks for listening to the show this year. Please don't forget to leave a review.  Have a good holiday and a great new year. Feed your soul. Keep listening.   

  Here is the latest SoC podcast on bilingual education with leading proponent Shelley Spiegel-Coleman of Californians Together. Shelley and her colleagues are fresh from an electoral mandate to implement bilingual education all over the Golden State, the first State in the nation to offer a Seal of Biliteracy.  In this 30-minute podcast, she recounts how Californians Together began, language as an asset (min. 9), Proposition 58's roll-out (min. 13) and responding to the English-only movement (min. 18). Shelley then discusses the implications of a potential clampdown on immigration and the need for people to be seen as humans, not numbers,  (min. 22) and closes with how bilingual education is actually carried out in the classroom (min. 27).  Feed your soul. Keep listening.   

With Proposition 64 passing, marijuana is legal in California. In this 39-minute podcast, Sabrina Fendrick of Berkeley Patients Group gives listeners a history of the century old “Reefer Madness” stereotypes, runs us through the changes in legislation (min. 7), the economic aspects, both the freeing up of the criminal justice system and the potential boom to the State, with estimates of up to $100 million in taxes and the potential advent of a tourist increase (min. 11). She then details the specifics on the issue of medical research and the push/pull between Washington, DC and individual states (min. 16). Sabrina also provides an overview of the US Government's scheduled drugs and where marijuana sits in the line with other drugs (min.19), famous users (Carl Sagan used marijuana daily), what the US can learn from the Netherlands and Portugal (min. 26) and why women dominate the cannabis industry (min. 29). Next time, Shelly Spiegel-Coleman, Executive Director of Californians Together on bilingual education. Why do so many Americans seem so allergic to foreign languages? Feed your soul. Keep listening.    

In this 25-minute podcast, Dr. Emily Burns of Save the Redwoods League discusses how scientists can now measure the carbon content of Redwood and Giant Sequoia trees, and how these trees hold much more than previously thought. Emily explains how the teams, consisting of scholars from Humboldt State University and UC Berkeley, have been able to examine one tree's history all the way back to 474 AD through its rings. She also explains the technique of measuring carbon in a tree (min. 10, not for those with Vertigo), the restoration of forests  (min. 14) and how Sacramento is including the forests as a tool in its climate change policy, economically incentivising forest owners to significantly reduce or halt the cutting down of forests (min. 16). The Redwood's resilience to environmental conditions (and to climate change) is another major benefit going forward.  Emily then closes with her favourite type of tree and trail.    Next time:  Sabrina Fendrick of Berkeley Patients Group on marijuana legalisation.  Feed your soul. Keep listening.

The Transamerica building in San Francisco, Los Angeles International Airport, Pepperdine University, UCSD's Geisel Library, even master planning the city of Irvine, William Pereira's buildings are littered all over California. A career embedded in the mid-20th century at a very special moment in history - the creation of a suburban metropolis in one of the most modern cities in the world.  In this 45-minute podcast, Alan Hess returns to the Soul of California and discusses the variety of buildings which defined Southern California mid-century (min. 7), Pereira's background in Hollywood and his garnering of an Oscar (min. 10), Irvine's masterplan (min 15-25), his legacy and the LA County Museum of Art (min. 29-40) and closes with his favourite building. He makes a convincing case for Pereira's legacy, comparing him to other "forgotten architects" (Green Brothers for the Craftsman style and Rudolph Schindler) who were all but forgotten after their deaths, but have since been elevated to the Pantheon of architecture.  Feed your soul. Keep listening. 

Magnus Torén of the Henry Miller Library in Big Sur provides listeners with a deeper undestaning of Big Sur - one of the most mythic places in California.  In this 42-minute podcast, Magnus discusses hitchhiking down the coast to Big Sir in the late 1970s, the work of the Henry Miller Library (where "nothing happens" - min. 2), how Miller first arrived in the area and some of his writings specifically about (min. 5-10), Miller's relationship with Emil White and Emil Schnellock and some of the outstanding letters that the Library holds (min. 11). Magnus also explains the indebtedness that contemporary artists have had to Miller's work - Neil Young, Arcade Fire, Fleet Foxes and the Red Hot Chili Peppers are just a few of those who have played the Library's very intimate stage (min. 16). Magnus then turns towards contemporary challenges, notably gentrification (min. 23). "It is at risk of being loved to death." Whereas Big Sur used to be an artist colony (and served as a refuge for those hiding from the House Un-American Activities Committee), it has now been gentrified. Traffic and skyrocketing house prices are two of the biggest issues that challenge the preservation of the area's cultural and natural values. He closes with discussing the Esalen Institute, the Zen Monastery in the hills and his own oral history project (min.. 31).  Thanks for listening, subscribing and sharing.   

Lindsay Hatton's novel Monterey Bay takes on a lot - Ed Ricketts, John Steinbeck and the founding of the world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium. She squarely takes on that history and legacy, delivering an enjoyable and thought provoking examination of character set against the tapestry of the Monterey peninsula.     In this 28-minute podcast, Lindsay talks about the novel's setting, her many summers working at the Aquarium, the meticulous use of archives for material and takes a look at the close friendship, indeed bromance, between Ricketts and Steinbeck. While sticking to the historical script between the marine biologist and the novelist of The Grapes of Wrath, she throws caution to the wind and provides an alternative creation of the Monterey Aquarium. Lindsay also discusses the craft of writing, the loneliness in the work and the stark contrast in nearly "performing" for an audience. She also touches on her next novel and closes with her favourite place in the Golden State (it's not where you think). Next time, Magnus Torén of the Henry Miller Library in Big Sur.  Thanks for listening, subscribing and sharing and please don't forget to leave a review.   

In this 39-minute podcast, singer-songwriter Louise Goffin discusses the release of her latest album The Essential Louise Goffin, Volume 1, reflecting on the choice of songs and the origin of several of them. She then discusses the songwriting process generally, her favourite instrument, sharing the same profession as her parents, performing recently in front of 60,000 in Hyde Park and her desert island three.... www.louisegoffin.com Thanks for listening, subscribing and sharing.... We're taking a short break, so see you next time in September. Have a good one.  

Here is episode two of the interview with Eames scholar Daniel Ostroff, author of An  Eames Anthology.  In this 21-minute podcast, Daniel talks about what separates an Eames piece from pseudo designers (and why there is no serious threat to copyright infringement), Apple and “good design”, how Daniel's poor choice of rented furniture in a high profile industry led him to become an avid Eames collector, some of the standout archives that he perused when writing the Anthology (“toys and games are preludes to serious ideas”) and the couple's film philosophy and their use of it in their work. He closes with if he had the choice of just ONE Eames piece, what it would be.…  Thanks for listening, subscribing and sharing.  Question, comment, show suggestion? thesoulofcalifornia@gmail.com.  Next month, singer-songwriter Louise Goffin, the offspring of Carole King and Gerry Goffin, is very much her own woman. Louise discusses her new album, songwriting, her favourite instrument and her recent performance in front of 60,000 at London's Hyde Park.  

Charles and Ray Eames are a couple that left an indelible mark on modern design. Based out of Los Angles for the majority of their careers, the two worked on all things design and in a considerable amount of media, whether it be wood, wire, film or toys. Those in Los Angeles are able to see their 1949 masterpiece Case Study House #8, which sits today on a bluff overlooking the ocean.  Film producer and agent Daniel Ostroff began an unsuspecting relationship with the work of Charles and Ray Eames when a colleague suggested that his newly-found office was in dire need of better furniture. After the purchase of an Eames desk, Daniel began not only filling an office and a house, but curating a collection of their work.  In this 31-minute podcast, Daniel walks us through the philosophy of the couple, the importance of doing something that you love, the very equal input of each them (min. 7), their reinterpretation of plywood, the KAZAM! Machine and leg splints during WW2 (min. 12), the thinking of Case Study House #8 (min. 21) and its longevity compared to other “starchitects”, and closes with the influence of Charles's visit to Germany.  Episode two will be released around 20 July and include Daniel's falling into a career as an Eames scholar, some of the stories around his access to archives in writing An Eames Anthology, how he views their films (as a film producer himself) and which one Eames piece he values the most…. eamesoffice.com Thanks for listening, subscribing and sharing. 

As California enters the 21st Century, it is in real need of a “Re-Coding” - making it ready to maintain its Top 10 global economic position. UCLA Institute for the Environment and Sustainability's Jon Christensen discusses this "Re-Coding", the importance of not only financial muscle and political will, but also cultural adjustment, particularly in light of climate change. With an ageing hardware/infrastructure, software in the form of new policies and a change in behaviour are required. Jon also reflects on how Governor Jerry Brown has changed, leading the charge on climate change and also reveals which piece of infrastructure should be done away (hint - it's several hundred miles long). In this 41-minutes podcast, we also discuss the lasting power of the UK's Reyner Banham, the guru of architecture critics, and his seminal book, Los Angeles - The Architecture of Four Ecologies (min. 21). Jon also touches on the Friends of the LA River and Frank Gehry's proposal for the river (min. 27). The interview concludes with the challenges of gentrification (min. 31), how LA can learn from San Francisco about creating and maintaining networks (min. 35) and Jon's favourite place in and book about California. Thanks for listening, subscribing and sharing.  In July's podcast, modern design duo Charles and Ray Eames with scholar Daniel Ostroff.   

The city of Bakersfield served as an unlikely centre of a new kind of country music, one tinged with electricity, which catapulted musicians Buck Owens and Merle Haggard to international acclaim.  We take a different approach for this show and interview a practitioner - Dallas Good of the Toronto-based Sadies. The Sadies have cross-polinated a number of styles, creating their own unique brand of contemporary music, which draws upon 60s garage rock, psychedelia, surf, roots and of course country. The Sadies have collaborated with the likes of Neko Case, Andre Williams, John Doe and Neil Young.  In this 12-minute podcast, Good discusses the influence of musicians Merle Haggard and Buck Owens. He also reflects on the importance of the Fender Telecaster and Mosrite guitars in the music, and pays homage to Don Rich, Roy Nichols and Clarence White of the Byrds and to the lesser-known session player Alvino Ray, considered to be the father of the pedal steel guitar. The interview fades out with a portion of the song “The Trial” from The Sadies.   Next episode, "Re-Coding California" - urban development and its challenges in the Golden State with UCLA's Jon Christensen.  Thanks for listening, subscribing and sharing. 

In this podcast, Akers Chacón discusses California's draconian Prop 187, the United Farm Workers change in tactics and discusses policy improvement in an election year. He continues with a commentary on the  European refugee influx, integration and language acquisition, the value of bilingual education and the influence of Marx in bringing about change in immigrant neighbourhoods.  Thanks for listening, subscribing and sharing.  Next month, the influence of design team Charles and Ray Eames and Re-Coding California - infrastructure needs for the 21st Century.   

Long one of the hottest issues in California and indeed the US, immigration has been an integral part to the Golden State's success. Hysteria and ignorance have characterised the immigration debate and led to draconian exclusions of the “other”. Ironic given that immigration is part of America's DNA…. In this 31-minute podcast (of two) San Diego-based scholar Justin Akers Chacón discusses the history of US-Mexican relations, starting with the non-honoured agreement of the US-Mexican war and continues through to the Bracero programme and the modern era. He discusses the maquiladoras, the enormous assembly plants on the US-Mexican border, as well as how undocumented workers were able to work and pay taxes with a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) and the detrimental economic impacts of deporting undocumented workers.  In it, Akers Chacón challenges the widely-held perceptions, and discusses  justice (NAFTA for capital, but not for labour), immigration's positive economic impacts and the imbalance between short-sighted politicians and the quest of large multinationals for cheap labour.  Episode two will be released around 20 May and include policy formulation in an election year, the initial milestones and the decreasing impact of the United Farm Workers.  Thanks for listening, subscribing and sharing.