Podcasts about East Bay

"Meet the New Right-Wing Tech Intelligentsia" is Jimmy Wu's recent piece for Bay Area Current, a new publication covering labor, culture and politics based in East Bay. In it, Jimmy beautifully describes some of the aesthetics and icons preoccupying the tech elites and their media mouthpieces right now.  "Meet the New Right-Wing Tech Intelligentsia" https://bayareacurrent.com/meet-the-new-right-wing-tech-intelligentsia/ Related: Soleil Ho on anti-poor influencer Michael Shellenberger https://www.patreon.com/posts/michael-thinks-f-97015564 The AI industry must be stopped, with Stop AI https://www.patreon.com/posts/end-agi-before-127632638 Garry Tan must be stopped, with Emily Mills https://www.patreon.com/posts/stop-garry-tan-90552668 Sad Francisco is produced by Toshio Meronek and edited by Tyger Ligon. Support the show and get new episodes early on Patreon: https://patreon.com/sadfrancisco 

APEX Express is a weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. On this episode, host Miata Tan speaks with three guests from the Coalition for Community Safety and Justice (CCSJ), a leading community-based resource providing direct victim services for Asian Americans in San Francisco. They unpack CCSJ's approach to policy change, community advocacy, and public education, and reveal how their Collective Knowledge Base Catalog captures lessons from their work. Important Links: Community Safety and Justice (CCSJ) CCSJ Collective Knowledge Base Catalog CCSJ‘s four founding partners are the Chinatown Community Development Center, Chinese for Affirmative Action, Chinese Progressive Association, and Community Youth Center. Transcript: [00:00:00]  Miata Tan: Hello and welcome. You are tuning into APEX Express, a weekly radio show, uplifting the voices and stories of Asian Americans. I am your host, Miata Tan, and today we are focusing on community safety. The Coalition for Community Safety and Justice, also known as CCSJ, is the leading community-based resource in providing direct victim [00:01:00] services for Asian Americans in San Francisco. The four founding partners of the Coalition are Chinatown Community Development Center, Chinese for Affirmative Action, Chinese Progressive Association, and the Community Youth Center. You might have heard of some of these orgs. Today we are joined by three incredibly hardworking individuals who are shaping this work. First up is Janice Li, the Coalition Director. Here she is unpacking the history of the Coalition for Community Safety and Justice, and the social moment in which it was formed in response to. Janice Li: Yeah, so we formed in 2019 and it was at a time where we were seeing a lot of high profile incidents impacting and harming our Asian American communities, particularly Chinese seniors. We were seeing it across the country due to rhetoric of the Trump administration at that time that was just throwing, oil onto fire and fanning the flames. [00:02:00] And we were seeing those high profile incidents right here in San Francisco. And the story I've been told, because I, I joined CCSJ as its Coalition Director in 2022, so it says a few years before I joined. But the story I've been told is that the Executive Directors, the staff at each of these four organizations, they kept seeing each other. At vigils and protests and rallies, and it was a lot of outpouring of community emotions and feelings after these high profile incidents. And the eds were like. It's good that we're seeing each other and coming together at these things, but like, what are we doing? How are we changing the material conditions of our communities? How are we using our history and our experience and the communities that we've been a part of for literally decades and making our communities safe and doing something that is more resilient than just. The immediate reactive responses that we often know happen [00:03:00] when there are incidents like this. Miata Tan:  And when you say incidents could you speak to that a little bit more?  Janice Li: Yeah. So there were, uh, some of the high profile incidents included a Chinese senior woman who was waiting for a bus at a MUNI stop who was just randomly attacked. And, there were scenes of her. Fighting back. And then I think that had become a real symbol of Asians rejecting that hate. And the violence that they were seeing. You know, at the same time we were seeing the spa shootings in Atlanta where there were, a number of Southeast Asian women. Killed in just completely senseless, uh, violence. And then, uh, we are seeing other, similar sort of high profile random incidents where Chinese seniors often where the victims whether harmed, or even killed in those incident. And we are all just trying to make sense of. What is happening? [00:04:00] And how do we help our communities heal first and foremost? It is hard to make sense of violence and also figure out how we stop it from happening, but how we do it in a way that is expansive and focused on making all of our communities better. Because the ways that we stop harm cannot be punitive for other individuals or other communities. And so I think that's always been what's really important for CCSJ is to have what we call a holistic view of community safety. Miata Tan: Now you might be wondering, what does a holistic view and approach to community safety look like in practice? From active policy campaigns to direct victim service support, the Coalition for Community Safety and Justice offers a range of different programs. Janice Li, the Coalition Director, categorizes this work into three different [00:05:00] buckets.  Janice Li: It is responding to harm when it occurs, and that's, you know, really centering victims and survivors and the harm that they faced and the healing that it takes to help those, folks. The second piece is really figuring out how do we change our systems so that they're responsive to the needs of our communities. And what that looks like is a lot of policy change and a lot of policy implementation. It's a lot of holding government accountable to what they should be doing. And the third piece is recognizing that our communities don't exist in vacuums and all of our work needs to be underpinned by cross-racial healing and solidarity. To acknowledge that there are historic tensions and cultural tensions between different communities of color in particular, and to name it, we know that there are historic tensions here in San Francisco between the Black and Chinese communities. We have to name it. We have to see it, and we have to bring community [00:06:00] leaders together, along with our community members to find spaces where we can understand each other. And most importantly for me is to be able to share joy so that when conflict does occur, that we are there to be able to build bridges and communities as part of the healing that we, that has to happen. Miata Tan: Let's zoom in on the direct victim services work that CCSJ offers. What does this look like exactly and how is the Coalition engaging the community? How do people learn about their programs? Janice Li: We receive referrals from everyone, but initially, and to this day, we still receive a number of referrals from the police department as well as the District Attorney's Victim Services division, where, you know, the role that the police and the DA's office play is really for the criminal justice proceedings. It is to go through. What that form of criminal justice accountability. Could look like, but it's [00:07:00] not in that way, victim centered. So they reach out to community based organizations like Community Youth Center, CYC, which runs CCSJ, direct Victim Services Program to provide additional community. Based services for those victims. And CYC takes a case management approach. CYC has been around for decades and their history has been working, particularly with youth, particularly at risk youth. And they have a long history of taking a case management approach for supporting youth in all the ways that they need support. And so they use this approach now for people of all ages, but many of the victims that we serve are adults, and many of them are senior, and almost all of them are limited English proficient. So they need not only culturally competent support, but also in language support. And so the case management approach is we figure out what it is that person needs. And sometimes it's mental health [00:08:00] services and sometimes it's not. Sometimes it's trying to figure out in home social services, sometimes it's not. Sometimes for youth it might be figure out how to work with, SF Unified school district, our public school system you know, does that student need a transfer? It could be the world of things. I think the case management approach is to say, we have all of these possible tools, all of these forms of healing at our disposal, and we will bring all of those resources to the person who has been harmed to help their healing process. Miata Tan: I'm curious. I know we can't speak to specific cases, but. how did this work evolve? what did it look like then and what does it look like today? Janice Li: What I would say is that every single case is so complex and what the needs of the victims are and for their families who might be trying to process, you know, the death of one of their loved ones. What that [00:09:00] healing looks like and what those needs are. There's not one path, one route, one set of services that exist, but I think what is so important is to really center what those needs are. I think that the public discourse so much of the energy and intention ends up being put on the alleged perpetrator. Which I know there's a sense of, well, if that person is punished, that's accountability. But that doesn't take into account. Putting back together the pieces of the lives that have been just shattered due to these awful, terrible, tragic incidents.  And so what we've learned through the direct victim services that we provide in meeting harm when it occurs is sometimes it's victims wake you up in the hospital and wondering, how am I going to take care of my kids? Oh my gosh, what if I lose my job? How am I gonna pay for this? I don't speak English. I don't understand what my doctors and nurses are telling me [00:10:00] right now. Has anyone contacted my family? What is going on? What I've seen from so many of these cases is that there aren't people there. in the community to support those folks in that sort of like intimate way because the, the public discourse, the newspaper articles the TV news, it's all about, that person who committed this crime, are they being punished harsh enough? While when you really think about healing is always going to have to be victim and survivor centered.   Miata Tan: Janice Li describes this victim and survivor centered approach as a central pillar of the Coalition for Community Safety and Justices work. I asked her about how she sees people responding to the Coalition's programming and who the communities they serve are. Janice Li: So the Direct Victim Services program is just one of the many, many programs that CCSJ runs. Um, we do a wide range of policy advocacy. Right now, we've been focused a lot [00:11:00] on transit safety, particularly muni safety. We do a lot of different kinds of community-based education. What we are seeing in our communities, and we do work across San Francisco. Is that people are just really grateful that there are folks that they trust in the community that are centering safety and what community safety looks like to us. Because our organizations have all been around for a really long time, we already are doing work in our communities. So like for example, CCDC, Chinatown Community Development Center, they're one of the largest affordable housing nonprofits in the city. They have a very robust resident services program amongst the dozens of like apartment buildings and, large housing complexes that they have in their portfolio. And so, some of the folks that participate in programs might be CCDC residents. some of the folks participating in our programs are, folks that are part of CPA's existing youth program called Youth MOJO. They might [00:12:00] be folks that CAA have engaged through their, immigrant parent voting Coalition, who are interested in learning more about youth safety in the schools. So we're really pulling from our existing bases and existing communities and growing that of course. I think something that I've seen is that when there are really serious incidents of violence harming our community, one example Paul give, um, was a few years ago, there was a stabbing that occurred at a bakery called a Bakery in Chinatown, right there on Stockton Street. And it was a horrific incident.  The person who was stabbed survived. And because that was in the heart of Chinatown in a very, very popular, well-known bakery. in the middle of the day there were so many folks in the Chinatown community who were  they just wanted to know what was happening, and they were just so scared, like, could this happen to me? I go to that bakery, can I leave my apartment? Like I don't know what's going on. [00:13:00] So a lot of the times, one of the things that CCSJ does as part of our rapid response, beyond just serving and supporting the victim or victims and survivors themselves, is to ensure that we are either creating healing spaces for our communities, or at least disseminating accurate real-time information. I think that's the ways that we can Be there for our communities because we know that the harm and the fears that exist expand much more beyond just the individuals who were directly impacted by, you know, whatever those incidents of harm are. Miata Tan: And of course, today we've been speaking a lot about the communities that you directly serve, which are more Asian American folks in San Francisco. But how do you think that connects to, I guess, the broader, myriad of demographics that, uh, that live here.  Janice Li: Yeah. So, CCSJ being founded in 2019. We were founded at a time where because of these really [00:14:00] awful, tragic high profile incidents and community-based organizations like CA, a really stepping up to respond, it brought in really historic investments into specifically addressing Asian American and Pacific Islander hate, and violence and. What we knew that in that moment that this investment wasn't going to be indefinite. We knew that. And so something that was really, really important was to be able to archive our learnings and be able to export this, share our. Finding, share, learning, share how we did what we did, why we did what we did, what worked, what didn't work with the broader, committees here in San Francisco State beyond. I will say that one of the first things that we had done when I had started was create actual rapid response protocol. And I remember how so many places across California folks were reaching out to us, being like, oh, I heard that you do community safety [00:15:00] work in the Asian American community. What do you do when something happens because we've just heard from this client, or there was this incident that happened in our community. We just don't know what to do. Just to be able to share our protocol, share what we've learned, why we did this, and say like, Hey, you translate and interpret this for how it works. In whatever community you're in and you know, whatever community you serve. But so much of it is just like documenting your learning is documenting what you do. Um, and so I'm really proud that we've been able to do that through the CCSJ Knowledge Base.   Miata Tan: That was Janice Li, the Coalition Director at the Coalition for Community Safety and Justice, also known as CCSJ. As Janice mentioned, the Coalition is documenting the community safety resources in an online Knowledge Base. More on that later. Our next guest, Tei Huỳnh, will dive deeper into some of the educational workshops and trainings that CCSJ offers. You are tuned into APEX [00:16:00] Express on 94.1 KPFA​ [00:17:00] Welcome back to APEX Express on 94.1 KPFA. I am your host, Miata Tan, and today we are talking about community safety. Tei Huỳnh is a Senior Program Coordinator at Chinese Progressive Association, one of the four organizations that comprise the Coalition for Community Safety and Justice. Here's Tei discussing where their work sits within the Coalition. [00:18:00]  Tei Huỳnh: CPA's kind of piece of the pie with CCS J's work has been to really offer political education to offer membership exchanges with, um, other organizations workshops and trainings for our working class membership base. And so we offer RJ trainings for young people as well as, in language, Cantonese restorative justice training. Miata Tan: For listeners who might not be familiar, could you help to define restorative justice? Tei Huỳnh: Restorative justice is this idea that when harm is done rather than like implementing retributive ways. To bring about justice. There are ways to restore relationships, to center relationships, and to focus efforts of making right relations. Restorative justice often includes like talking circles where like a harm doer or someone who caused harm, right? Someone who is the recipient of harm sit in circle and share stories and really vulnerably, like hear each other out. And so the [00:19:00] first step of restorative justice, 80% of it in communities is, is relationship building, community building. Miata Tan: These sorts of workshops and programs. What do they look like? Tei Huỳnh: In our restorative justice trainings we work with, we actually work with CYC, to have their youth join our young people. And most recently we've worked with another organization called, which works with Latina youth, we bring our youth together and we have, uh, a four-part training and we are doing things like talking about how to give an apology, right? We're like roleplaying, conflict and slowing down and so there's a bit of that, right? That it feels a little bit like counseling or just making space, learning how to like hold emotion. How do we like just sit with these feelings and develop the skill and the capacity to do that within ourselves. And to have difficult conversations beyond us too. And then there's a part of it that is about political education. So trying to make that connection that as we learn to [00:20:00] be more accepting how does that actually look like in politics or like in our day-to-day life today? And does it, does it align? More often than not, right? Like they talk about in their classrooms that it is retributive justice that they're learning about. Oh, you messed up, you're sent out. Or like, oh, you get pink slip, whatever. Or if that's not their personal experience, they can observe that their classmates who look differently than them might get that experience more often than not   And so building beginning to build that empathy as well. Yeah. And then our adults also have, trainings and those are in Cantonese, which is so important. And the things that come up in those trainings are actually really about family dynamics. Our members really wanna know how do we good parents? When we heal our relationship, like learning to have those feelings, learning to locate and articulate our feelings.  To get a Chinese mama to be like, I feel X, Y, Z. Elders to be more in touch with their emotions and then to want to apply that to their family life is amazing, to like know how to like talk through conversations, be a better [00:21:00] parent partner, whatever it may be. Miata Tan: Something to note about the workshops and tools that Tei is describing for us. Yes, it is in response to terrible acts of hate and violence, but there are other applications as well. Tei Huỳnh: And you know, we've seen a lot of leadership in our young people as well, so we started with a restorative justice cohort and young people were literally like, we wanna come back. Can we like help out? You know, and so we like had this track where young people got to be leaders to run their own restorative justice circle. It might sound like really basic, but some of the things we learn about is like how we like practice a script around moving through conflicts too. and that, and we also learn that conflict. It's not bad. Shameful thing. This is actually what we hear a lot from our young people, is that these tools help them. With their friends, with their partners, with their mom. One kid was telling us how he was like going to [00:22:00] get mad about mom asking him to do the dishes he was able to slow down and talk about like how he feels. Sometimes I'm like, oh, are we like releasing little like parent counselors? You know what I mean? Uh, 'cause another young person told us about, yeah. When, when she would, she could feel tension between her and her father. She would slow down and start asking her, her what we call ears questions. and they would be able to slow down enough to have conversations as opposed to like an argument . It makes me think like how as a young person we are really not taught to communicate. We're taught all of these things from what? Dominant media or we just like learn from the style of communication we receive in our home , and exposing young people to different options and to allow them to choose what best fits for them, what feels best for them. I think it's a really, yeah, I wish I was exposed to that . Miata Tan: From younger people to adults, you have programs and workshops for lots of different folks. What are the community needs that this [00:23:00] healing work really helps to address? Tei Huỳnh: What a great question because our youth recently did a survey Within, um, MOJO and then they also did a survey of other young people in the city. And the biggest problem that they're seeing right now is housing affordability because they're getting like, pushed out they think about like, oh yeah, my really good friend now lives in El Sobrante. I can't see my like, best friend we have youth coming from like Richmond, from the East Bay because they want to stay in relationship. And so the ways that, like the lack of affordability in the city for families, working class families has also impacted, our young peoples. Sense of health. And, this is actually a really beautiful extension of, growth, right? In what people are seeing termed as safety, From like a really tangible kind of safety previously safety was like not getting punched, interpersonal violence to now understanding safety from systemic violence as well, which includes, like housing and affordability or [00:24:00] gentrification.   Miata Tan: Through the workshops that Tei runs through the Coalition for Community Safety and Justice Communities are also exposed to others with different lived experiences, including speakers from partner organizations to help make sense of things. Tei Huỳnh: It was a huge moment of like humanization. And restorative justice is really about seeing each other, I remember too, like after our guest speaker from A PSC, our young people were just so moved, and our young people saying like this was the first time that they've shared a room with someone who was formerly incarcerated. they were so moved with like, how funny he was, how smart he was, how all the things you know, and, and that there are all these stories to shed. We really bring in people to share about their lived experiences with our Asian American youth. And then people wanted to like follow up and also Mac from A PSC was so generous and wanted to help them with their college essays and people were like, [00:25:00] yes, they wanna keep talking to you. You know? Um, and that was really sweet. In our. Recent restorative justice work, and our most recent training with POed which works with Latina youth while we saw that it was harder for our young people to just, connect like that, that they were able, that there were like other ways that they were building relationships with  Miata Tan: What were you seeing that went beyond language? Tei Huỳnh: I think it was really sweet to just see like people just trying, right? Like, I think as like young people, it's like, it's also really scary to like, go outside of your, your little bubble, I think as a young person, right? One year we were able to organize for our adult session and our youth session, our final session that happened on the same day. and so we had we had circles together, intergenerational, we brought in a bunch of translators and youth after that were so moved, I think one young person was [00:26:00] talking about how they only like. Chinese adults, they talk to other parents and to like hear these Chinese adults really trying, being really encouraging. There's like something very healing. Restorative justice is not an easy topic for young people. I think at the first level it is about relationships in community to hold those harder feelings. I was really moved by this, a really shy young girl, like choosing to like walk and talk with another young person that they didn't have like that much of a shared language, but Wiley was, they were just really trying to connect. There are moments like when the, youth, like during our break, would wanna put on music and would try to teach the other youth, how they dance to their music. You know, like it's just, it was just like a cultural exchange of sorts too which is really sweet and really fun  ​[00:27:00] [00:28:00]  Miata Tan: You are tuned into APEX Express on 94.1 KPFA, a weekly radio show uplifting the voices and stories of Asian Americans. I'm your host Miata Tan, and today we are [00:29:00] talking about community safety. Since 2019, the Coalition for Community Safety and Justice, also known as CCSJ, has been leading the charge in helping Asian Americans in San Francisco to heal from instances of harm. From Direct Victim Services to Policy Work. The Coalition has a range of programs. Our next guest is Helen Ho, research and Evaluation manager at Chinese for affirmative action in San Francisco. Her research helps us to better understand the impact of these programs. Here's Helen describing her role and the importance of CCS J's evaluation  Helen Ho: My role is to serve as a container for reflection and evaluation so that we can learn from what we're doing, in the moment, we're always so busy, too busy to kind of stop and, assess. And so my role is to have that [00:30:00] time set aside to assess and celebrate and reflect back to people what we're doing. I was initially brought on through an idea that we wanted to build different metrics of community safety because right now the dominant measures of community safety, when you think about like, how do we measure safety, it's crime rates. And that is a very one dimensional, singular, narrow definition of safety that then narrows our focus into what solutions are effective and available to us. And, and we also know that people's sense of safety goes beyond what are the crime rates published by police departments and only relying on those statistics won't capture the benefits of the work that community organizations and other entities that do more of this holistic long-term work. Miata Tan: The Coalition for Community Safety and Justice, has been around since 2019. So was this [00:31:00] process, uh, over these five years, or how did you come into this? Helen Ho: Yeah. The Coalition started in 2019, but I came on in. 2023, you know, in 2019 when they started, their main focus was rapid response because there were a lot of high profile incidents that really needed a coordinated community response. And over time they. Wanted to move beyond rapid response to more long-term prevention and, uh, restorative programming. And that's when they were able to get more resources to build out those programs. So that's why I came on, um, a bit later in the Coalition process when a lot of programs were already started or just about to launch. So what I get to do is to interview people that we've served and talk to them about. Their experiences of our programs, how they might have been transformed, how their perspectives might have changed and, and all of that. Then I get to do mini reports or memos and reflect that back to the people who run the programs. And it's just so [00:32:00] rewarding to share with them the impact that they've had that they might not have heard of. 'cause they don't have the time to talk to everyone . And also. Be an outside thought partner to share with them, okay, well this thing might not have worked and maybe you could think about doing something else. Miata Tan: Certainly sounds like really rewarding work. You're at a stage where you're able to really reflect back a lot of the learnings and, and, and work that's being developed within these programs.  Helen Ho: The first phase of this project was actually to more concretely conceptualize what safety is beyond just crime rates because there are many, Flaws with crime statistics. We know that they are under-reported. We know that they embed racial bias. But we also know that they don't capture all the harm that our communities experience, like non-criminal hate acts or other kinds of harm, like being evicted that cause insecurity, instability, feelings [00:33:00] of not being safe, but would not be counted as a crime. So, Um, this involved talking to our Coalition members, learning about our programs, and really getting to the heart of what they. Conceptualized as safety and why they created the programs that they did. And then based on that developed, a set of pilot evaluations for different programs that we did based on those, ideas of what our, you know, ideal outcomes are. We want students to feel safe at school, not only physically, but emotionally and psychologically. We want them to feel like they have a trusted adult to go to when something is wrong, whether. They're being bullied or maybe they're having a hard time at home or, um, you know, their family, uh, someone lost their job and they need extra support. And that all, none of that would be captured in crime rates, but are very important for our sense of safety. So then I did a whole bunch of evaluations where I interviewed folks, tried to collect [00:34:00] quantitative data as well. And that process. Was incredibly rewarding for me because I really admire people who, uh, develop and implement programs. They're doing the real work, you know, I'm not doing the real work. They're doing the real work of actually, supporting our community members. But what I get to do is reflect back their work to them. 'cause in the moment they're just so busy then, and, and many people when they're doing this work, they're like: Am I even doing, making an impact? Am I doing this well? And all they can think about is how can I, you know, what did I do wrong and how can I do better? And, and they don't necessarily think about all the good that they're doing 'cause they don't give themselves the time to appreciate their own work because they're always trying to do better for our communities. Miata Tan: The Coalition for Community Safety and Justice is cataloging their learnings online in what they call a Collective Knowledge Base. Janice describes the [00:35:00] Knowledge Base as the endpoint of a long process to better understand the Coalition's work. Helen Ho: The Coalition for Community Safety and Justice was doing something, was building something new in San Francisco, and the idea was that there may be other communities across the country who are trying to build something similar and contexts across country, across communities. They're all different, but there is something maybe we could share and learn from each other. And so with this Knowledge Base Catalog, the impetus was to recognize that we're not experts. we're just trying things, building things, and we, we make a lot of mistakes and we're just doing the best that we can, but we've learned something and we'll, we'll share it. and this. Kind of approach really reminded me of a recipe book where you develop a recipe after many, many, many times of testing and tweaking and [00:36:00] building, and there's a recipe that really works for you. And then you can share it. And if you explain, you know, the different steps and some of the. You know, ingredients that are helpful, the techniques and why you chose to do certain things. Someone else can look at that recipe and tweak it how they want. And make it suitable for your own community and context. and once I got onto that analogy it blossomed to something else because. Also the act of creating food, like cooking and feeding our communities is something so important , and yet sometimes it can be seen as not serious. And that's really similar to community Safety is a very serious issue. But then. There's some worries that when we talk about like restoration and healing that's not a serious enough reaction response to safety issues, but when in fact it is crucial and essential, you know, healing and [00:37:00] restoration are crucial for our communities as much as cooking and feeding our communities and both are serious, even if some people think that they're not serious.  Miata Tan: I hear you. I love that metaphor with cooking and the recipe book as well. For our listeners, could you explain where the Knowledge Base Catalog lives online and how people can access it? Helen Ho: Sure. You can go to our website@CCSjsf.org and there's a little tab that says Knowledge Base. And you can either access it through the PDF version where you can get all of the catalog entries in one file, or you can search our database and you can filter or search by different things that you're interested in. So there a lot of programs have, cross functions or cross, aspects to them that might be of interest to you. So for example, if you. We're interested in programs to cultivate trusted community figures so you can look at the different programs that we've done that in different contexts in housing, at schools, or in business [00:38:00] corridors, because when you cultivate those trusted figures, when something bad happens, people then know who to go to, and it's much easier to access resources. You can also, if you're interested in, in language programs, you know, how did we think about doing programming for immigrant communities in their native languages? You can look at our tags and look at all of the programs that are in language. So our Chinese language, restorative justice, or our Chinese language victim services. You can look at all the different ways that we've, done our programming in language and not just in terms of translating something that wasn't English into Chinese, but creating something from the Chinese cultural perspective that would be more resonant with our community members. Miata Tan: How are you reflecting back this work through your research and the Knowledge Base Catalog?  Helen Ho: Before each evaluation, I interviewed the implementers to understand, you know… what's your vision of success? If your [00:39:00] program was successful beyond as wildest dreams what do you think you would see? What do you think people would say about it? And based on those answers, I was able to create some questions and, and measures to then understand. What you know, what assessment would look like in terms of these interviews with, um, program participants or collaborators. And so then I was able to reflect back in these memos about, insights that program participants learned or feelings that they, that they had or for. Program collaborators, what they've seen in their partnerships with us and what they appreciate about our approach and our programming. And also avenues that we could improve our programs. Because we know that harm and violence, although we often talk about them in terms of singular incidents, it's actually a systemic issue. And systemic is a word that people throw around and we don't even know. Like it's so thrown around so much out. I, I don't even remember what it means anymore, but. But we know that there are [00:40:00] big societal issues that cause harm. There's poverty, there's unaddressed mental health and behavioral health issues. There is just a lot of stress that is around that makes us. More tense and flare up and also, or have tensions flare up into conflict which makes us feel unsafe. And so there are policies that we can put in place to create a more. Complete instead of a patchwork system of support and resources so that people can feel more secure economically physically, uh, health wise. And all of that contributes to a, strong lasting and holistic sense of safety.  Miata Tan: As Janice and Helen have both mentioned The Coalition was able to grow in part due to funding that was made during 2019 and 2020 when we were seeing more acts of hate and [00:41:00] violence against Asian Americans. California's Stop the Hate program was one of those investments. Helen explains more about how the work has continued to expand.   Helen Ho: Another reason why the Coalition has been able to evolve is the, government investment in these programs and holistic safety programming. So. The city of San Francisco has been really great through their grants in looking in funding, holistic programming for different racial and ethnic communities and the state. Also, through their Stop the Hate grant has been able to fund programming and also the research and evaluation work that allows us to learn and evolve. Improve and also. Take these learnings beyond when grant programs might end and programs might end, and so that we can hopefully hold onto this, these learnings and not have to start from scratch the next [00:42:00] time Miata Tan: Thank you for laying all that out, Helen. So it sounds like there's a lot of different stakeholders that are really helping to aid this work and move it forward. What have you seen, like what are folks saying have had an impact on their community in a, in a positive way?  Helen Ho: Yeah. There's so much that. The Coalition has done and, and many different impacts. But one program that I evaluated, it was community Youth Center, CYC's, School Outreach Program in which they have teams of adults regularly attending lunch periods or school release periods at several schools in the city. And the idea here is that. At lunchtime or at score release period, kids are free. They're like, we're done with class, we're just gonna be out there wild. And they're figuring how to navigating social relationships, how to be in the world, who they are. , That can come with a lot of conflict, [00:43:00] insecurity a lot of difficulties that then end up, if they escalate enough, could turn into harm. For example, it's middle school kids are playing basketball and so when someone loses a game, they might start a argument and what the school outreach team would do is they're there. They've already built relationships with the students. They can step in and say, Hey, what's going on? Let's talk about this. And they can prevent. Conflicts from escalating into physical harm and also create a teaching moment for students to learn how to resolve their conflicts, how to deal with their difficult emotions of losing and equipping them with tools in the future to then also navigate conflict and, and prevent harm. And so I was able to interview the school collaborators uh, administrators or deans to understand, you know, why did they call on CYC, why did they want to establish this partnership and let adults outside the school come into the [00:44:00] school? And they were just so appreciative of the expertise and experience of the team that they knew. That they could trust the team to develop warm, strong relationships with students of all races and, and identities. That there was not going to be a bias that these adults, the team would be approachable. And so this team brought in both the trust, not only social emotional skills and conflict navigation, but also the organization and responsibility of keeping students physically safe. Another program which is the development of in-language Chinese restorative justice programming and also restorative justice program for Asian American youth. And in interviewing the folks who went through these training programs, I myself learned, truly learned what restorative [00:45:00] justice is. Essentially restorative justice takes the approach that we should, not look to punishment for punishment's sake, but to look at accountability and to restore what has been harmed or lost through, you know, an act of harm in order to do that, we actually have to build community you know, restoring after harm has been done requires relationships and trust for it to be most effective. And so what was really transformative for me was listening to. Youth, high schoolers learn about restorative justice, a completely new idea because so much of their life has been punitive at the home. They do something wrong, they're punished at school, they do something wrong, they're punished. And it's just a default way of reacting to quote unquote wrong. But these youth learned. All of these different [00:46:00] skills for navigating conflict that truly transform the way that they relate to everyone in their life. youth were talking to me about, resolving conflicts with their parents. To believe that their parents could change too. So, you know, what does that have to do with criminal justice? Well, when we think about people who have harmed, a lot of times we're hesitant to go through a restorative route where we just want them to take accountability rather than being punished for punishment's sake for them to change their behavior. But one criticism or barrier to that is we think, oh, they can't change. But you know, if your middle-aged immigrant parent who you thought could never change, could change the sky's the limit in terms of who can change their behavior and be in a better relationship with you. Miata Tan: These workshops are so important in helping to really bring people together and also insight that change. Helen Ho: We also wanna look ahead to [00:47:00] deeper and longer term healing. And so what can we do to restore a sense of safety, a sense of community and especially, um, with a lot of heightened, uh, racial tensions, especially between Asian and black communities that you know, the media and other actors take advantage of our goal of the Coalition is to be able to deescalate those tensions and find ways for communities to see each other and work together and then realize that we can do more to help each other and prevent harm within and across our communities if we work together. For example, we're doing a transit safety audit with our community members, where we've invited our community members who are in for our organization, mainly Chinese, immigrants who don't speak English very well to come with us and ride. The bus lines that are most important to our community coming in and out of Chinatown [00:48:00] to assess what on this bus or this ride makes you feel safe or unsafe, and how can we change something to make you feel safe on the bus? it's so important because public transportation is a lifeline for our community, And so we completed those bus ride alongs and folks are writing in their notebooks and they shared so many. Amazing observations and recommendations that we're now compiling and writing a report to then recommend to, um, S-F-M-T-A, our transit agency the bus. Is one of the few places where a bunch of strangers are in close quarters, a bunch of strangers from many different walks of life. Many different communities are in close quarters, and we just have to learn how to exist with each other. And it could be a really great way for us to practice that skill if we could just do some public education on, how to ride the bus.    Miata Tan: I asked [00:49:00] Helen about how she hopes people will access and build on the learnings in CCS J's Collective Knowledge Base. Helen Ho: Each community will have its own needs and community dynamics And community resources. And so it's hard to say that there's a one size fits all approach, which is also why the recipe book approach is more fitting because everyone just needs to kind of take things, uh, and tweak it to their own contexts. I would just say that for taking it either statewide or nationwide, it's just that something needs to be done in a coordinated fashion that understands the. Importance of long-term solutions for safety and holistic solutions for safety. The understands that harm is done when people's needs are not met, and so we must refocus once we have responded to the crises in the moment of harm, that we [00:50:00] also look to long-term and long lasting community safety solutions. Miata Tan: So with this Knowledge Base, anyone can access it online. Who do you hope will take a peek inside? Helen Ho: Who do I hope would take a peek at the Knowledge Base? I would really love for other people who are at a crossroads just like we were in the early. Days who are scrambling, are building something new and are just in go, go, go mode to come look at some of what we've done so that they just don't have to reinvent the wheel. They could just take something, take one of our templates or. Take some of our topics workshop topics. Something where it just saves them a bunch of time that they don't have to figure it out and then they can move on to the next step of evolving their programs even more. Um, I think that's my greatest hope. I think another this might be too cynical, but I also feel like with [00:51:00] the political. Interest waning in Asian American community safety, that there's going to be a loss of resources. You know, hopefully we can get more resources to sustain these programs, but in reality, a lot of programs will not continue. And it is a tragedy because the people who have developed these programs and worked on them for years Have built so much knowledge and experience and when we just cut programs short, we lose it. We lose the people who have built not only the experience of running this program, but the relationships that they've built in our community that are so hard to replicate and build up again. So my hope is that in however many years when we get another influx of resources from when people care about Asian American community safety, again, that somewhere some will dust off this Knowledge Base. And again, not have [00:52:00] to start from scratch, but, start at a further point so that we can, again, evolve our approach and, and do better for our communities. Miata Tan: That's really beautiful. Hoping that people for the future can access it.  Helen Ho: Another thing about, people either from the future and also in this current moment when they're also asking what's being done. Because I think a part of feeling not safe is that no one's coming to help me and the cynicism of no one's doing anything about this. And and also.  a withdrawal from our community saying, oh, our Asian, the Asian American community, they're approaching it in the wrong way or not doing the right what, whatever it is that your criticism is. But my hope is that folks in our community, folks in the future, folks outside of our, you know, Asian American community, can come to this Knowledge Base and see what we're doing. [00:53:00] Realize that there are, there is a lot of work being put into creating long-term, equitable, holistic safety solutions that can heal individuals in our community, heal our communities at a as a whole, and heal our relationships between communities. And there's so much good being done and that. If more folks join in our collaborations or in our efforts to get more resources to sustain these programs, we can really continue doing great things.  Miata Tan: With this Knowledge Base catalog, is there a way you hope it will continue to evolve to help better inform, I guess someone who might be on the other side of the country or in a totally different place? Miles away from San Francisco. Helen Ho: I would love to be able to do more evaluations and documenting of our work. I mean, we're continually doing more and new stuff. , Even [00:54:00] in a period where we don't have as many resources, we're still doing a lot of work. For example. We are continuing our work to get SFPD to implement a language access policy that works for our communities. And we're doing more and more work on that. And to be able to document that and share that new work would be really exciting. Um, and any other of our new initiatives I will say, going back to the recipe book analogy or metaphor, I don't know if this is just me, but when I have a cookbook, it's great. It's like so long. There's so many recipes. I only use three of them and I use those three all of the time. so that's what I was also thinking about for the Knowledge Base where there's a lot of stuff in here. Hopefully you can find a few things that resonate with you that you can really carry with you into your practice. Miata Tan: Thank you so much for speaking with me today, Helen.  Helen Ho: Thank you for having me. ​[00:55:00]  Miata Tan: The music we played throughout today's [00:56:00] episode was by the incredible Mark Izu check out stick song from his 1992 album Circle of Fire. Such a beautiful track, Now, a big thank you to Janice Tay and Helen for joining me on today's show. You can learn more about the Coalition for Community Safety and Justice via their website. That's ccsjsf.org  Make sure to check out their fantastic Knowledge Base Catalog that Helen spoke to us about from examples of victim centered support programs to rapid response resources during instances of community harm. There's some really important information on there. And thank you to all of our listeners for tuning in. For show notes, check out our website. That's kpfa.org/program/APEX-express. APEX Express is a collective of activists that include [00:57:00] Ayame Keane-Lee, Anuj Vaidya, Cheryl Truong, Jalena Keane-Lee, Miko Lee, Miata Tan, Preeti Mangala Shekar and Swati Rayasam.  Tonight's show was produced by me, Miata Tan. Get some rest y'all .  ​  The post APEX Express – 1.22.26 – What Is Community Safety? appeared first on KPFA.

Dr. Cynthia Rapaido, a highly accomplished educator, holds an Ed.D. in International and Multicultural Education and an M.A. in Educational Administration from the University of San Francisco. She earned her B.S. in Applied Arts and Sciences Biology from San Diego State University. With over 30 years of experience in K–12 education, she has served as a high school principal, assistant principal, and teacher, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the educational landscape across various schools and districts in California.Dr. Rapaido's dedication extends to higher education, where she has contributed significantly as a faculty lecturer, dissertation advisor, and university field supervisor at esteemed institutions such as the University of California, Berkeley, University of San Francisco, and California State University, East Bay. Her passion for teaching, mentoring, and coaching educators is evident in her continuing role as an educational leadership coach and consultant. She also mentors graduate and doctoral students at her alma maters.Often actively engaged in research, Dr. Rapaido participates in academic peer review panels and presents her work at conferences, covering diverse topics within education and leadership. Her research interests include educational leadership, teacher education, school climate, diversity sensitivity, multicultural competency, social justice, emotional intelligence, and the impact of colonialism and imperialism.Dr. Rapaido was honored by the Filipina Women's Network (FWN) in 2011 as one of "100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the United States". She was commended by the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) and received the "2013 California Secondary Co-Administrator of the Year" award. The following year, the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) recognized her as a finalist for the prestigious "Assistant Principal of the Year" award for the State of California, highlighting her outstanding, active, and front-line leadership.In July 2024, Dr. Rapaido published her first book, "Step Up Your School Leadership Game ~ The New Administrators' Guide ~ Lessons to Navigate Big and Small Challenges with Confidence and Purpose".Takeaways:Dr. Cynthia Rapaido possesses over 30 years of experience in K12 education, contributing to various roles.Her extensive career includes positions as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal in California schools.In 2024, Dr. Rapaido authored her first book, which serves as a guide for aspiring school leaders.She emphasizes the importance of mentorship for new educators and administrators entering the field.Dr. Rapaido advocates for building relationships with both students and parents to enhance educational outcomes.The podcast discusses the critical transitions students face from elementary to high school, highlighting the need for support.Chapters:00:02 - Introducing Dr. Cynthia Rapaido06:10 - Transitions in Education16:50 - Transitioning from Education to Writing

The Top Phone Habits People Hope To Kick: We're calling ourselves out in this one. A new survey reveals the top phone habits people are desperate to break in 2026. From endless scrolling in bed to constantly checking notifications that aren't even there. We break down the most common bad habits, surprising stats about screen time, and why so many of us admit we couldn't go a single day without our phones.  Do These Things To Become More Interesting In Social Circles: What makes someone instantly more interesting to be around? It's not being louder, smarter, or funnier…it's the little things. In this episode, we run through a list of subtle social habits that quietly boost your presence, help people feel heard, and make conversations flow better. These are small changes with big impact that once you notice them, you'll see them everywhere.  What's Trending: From heartbreak to hype: Bob Weir passes, the 49ers score big, and we've got six pics that sum up the weekend. Ariana Grande hints at a new project, Pruneyard Cinemas closes, and it's time to finally clean your desk. Catch all the updates, laughs, and “did that really happen?” moments right here.  Second Date Update: After drinks in Redwood City, Miguel walked away feeling hopeful. Hannah was bright, curious, and honest about how exhausting dating in your thirties can feel. No awkward moments, no forced conversation. Just a solid, relaxed vibe. Then… silence. This episode explores how dates that feel “good” don't always turn into something more.  Younger Gens Spill The Strangest Things Their Boomer Parents Do: We love our parents. We really do. But that doesn't mean we understand why they still balance a checkbook, use speakerphone everywhere, or think handing in a paper résumé will land you a job. Younger generations share the weird, funny, and surprisingly endearing things their boomer parents do. It's equal parts comedy, nostalgia, and “oh no… that's my mom.”  Good News: David, Robin's dad in the East Bay, is walking 5K daily with his dog to raise mental health awareness. Rain or shine, he's proving that small steps can create big change

Is the Bay Area housing market quietly setting a trap for buyers waiting until 2026?Join Spencer Hsu, a top 0.5% real estate agent in the U.S., as he breaks down why the “everyone left California” narrative is already outdated — and how return migration is reshaping buyer competition across San Francisco, the Peninsula, and Silicon Valley.While headlines still focus on out-migration and affordability concerns, the data tells a different story. Tech professionals, executives, and families who left during the pandemic are moving back — driven by hybrid work mandates, career opportunity, education, healthcare, and lifestyle realities. And they're returning faster than most buyers realize.

On December 21st, 2025, the Bay Area lost one of its oldest and most distinguished residents: The legendary Betty Reid Soskin passed away at the age of 104. To pay tribute to her extraordinary life and to celebrate her legacy, I'm re-releasing this interview that was originally published back in 2019. Even though she's gone, her story is just as powerful, and inspirational as ever. In this episode, Soskin shares stories of growing up in Oakland during the 1920s “when the hills used to burn every year.” She traces her journey from working in a segregated union hall during World War II to co-founding one of the East Bay's first Black record stores to becoming “America's oldest National Park ranger” at the age of 85. And she explains how living for roughly a century has allowed her to see patterns in history that give her hope for the future. To see photos and links related to this episode, visit: https://eastbayyesterday.com/episodes/eby-qa-5/ Don't forget to follow the East Bay Yesterday Substack for updates on events, boat tours, exhibits, and other local history news: https://substack.com/@eastbayyesterday Donate to keep this show alive: https://www.patreon.com/c/eastbayyesterday

Amy Miller cozies up in The Wayback as we take a trip to 1990's Northern California, from El Sobrante to Redding.  (Check out her stand up dates at https://www.amymillercomedy.com). Amy reminisces about her childhood growing up in the East Bay, from playing in her father's broken down boat, to attending school at a "fire and brimstone" Baptist church under a nefarious youth pastor.  She then gets nostalgic about church summer camp, where she was "crushing it" at bible drills, enjoying the pleasures of the top bunk, and trying to "save" all the cute bad boys. Set your reminder for our Best of 2025 Lowlights with Tom Segura, where I'll be live in the comments with y'all! https://youtu.be/WijD5Ft734w Check out my new standup special “Live and Alive” streaming on my YouTube now! https://youtu.be/PMGWVyM2NJo?si=SrhXjgzR1pe6CyYE SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE and watch full episodes of The Dew every toozdee! https://youtube.com/@rsickler SUBSCRIBE TO MY PATREON - The HoneyDew with Y'all, where I Highlight the Lowlights with Y'all! Get audio and video of The HoneyDew a day early, ad-free at no additional cost! It's only $5/month! AND we just added a second tier. For a total of $8/month, you get everything from the first tier, PLUS The Wayback a day early, ad-free AND censor free AND extra bonus content you won't see anywhere else! http://patreon.com/RyanSickler What's your story?? Submit at honeydewpodcast@gmail.com Get Your HoneyDew Gear Today! https://www.bonfire.com/store/ryansickler/  Ringtones Are Available Now! https://www.apple.com/itunes/ http://ryansickler.com/ https://thehoneydewpodcast.com/ SUBSCRIBE TO THE CRABFEAST PODCAST https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-crabfeast-with-ryan-sickler-and-jay-larson/id1452403187

This week we are honoring the life of Betty Reid Soskin, who was the nation's oldest national park ranger and a civil rights icon. She passed away on December 21st at 104 years old. To honor her, we are rebroadcasting an episode from 2021, about how a California school district came to rename a school after her. Guests: Anaya Zenad, Student, West Contra Costa Unified Ali Tadayon, Reporter, EdSource Read more EdSource stories on this topic: East Bay middle school renamed to honor local 100-year-old park ranger and activist How a California middle school's history project led to name change Education Beat is a weekly podcast hosted by EdSource's Zaidee Stavely and produced by Coby McDonald. Subscribe: Apple, Spotify, SoundCloud, YouTube

This holiday week, we're bringing you two joyful stories from 2025.  Reena Esmail's childhood in Los Angeles had two soundtracks: the Western classical music her parents loved, and the old, scratchy Bollywood tapes her paternal grandparents would play over and over. Those multicultural influences shaped what would become the driving question of her work: how do you invite people from different cultures onto the same stage to build a relationship and create music together? Composing is how Esmail has made her mark — by putting Western classical musicians in conversation with Indian artists, building bridges between violinists and sitar players, tabla drummers and western singers. She has also composed with unhoused singers from Skid Row, and her music has been performed by major orchestras and choirs all over the world. In May, as part of our series on California composers, host Sasha Khokha brought us this profile of Esmail. Artists are often the people in our communities who bring people together in ways that are creative, spontaneous, and surprising. That's true in the East Bay neighborhood of Point Richmond, where a local artist has created dozens of miniature fairy houses brimming with the personality of their imaginary inhabitants. In this story from April, Pauline Bartolone set out to explore these hidden treasures, and meet the person who created them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andriana Mendez, Certified Senior Advisor and co-founder of Custom Moving Solutions shares her entrepreneurial journey from corporate marketing and grocery retail into building a family-owned moving and senior move-management company founded in 2017. The business evolved from residential moving into a specialized focus on seniors and adult children navigating downsizing, relocations, and crisis-driven transitions, emphasizing compassionate, highly personalized service and real human connection.She explains how Custom Moving Solutions provides end-to-end move management - planning, packing, moving, downsizing, item dispersal, donations, estate coordination, and unpacking, while prioritizing stress reduction during time-sensitive and emotionally charged situations. Andriana also highlights her community initiative, Sensational Seniors, which offers free, in-person educational workshops and events across the East Bay. These programs help seniors and their families understand care options, plan proactively, and connect with trusted local professionals, while also fostering collaboration and business growth within the senior services ecosystem.The discussion underscores key lessons for business owners: the importance of relationships, consistency, community involvement, and staying grounded in one's “why.” Andriana emphasizes proactive planning, dignity in aging, and building a supportive village for seniors and caregivers alike, positioning both her business and community work as mission-driven efforts rooted in service and trust.

Dan Mendoza is back, along with Steve Tavares and Trishala Vinnakota, and the timing couldn't be better. —We analyze the year in East Bay politics: President Trump's impact on the county and its cities; a look back at Oakland's special election; and the FBI investigations involving the Bryan Azevedo and Sheng Thao cases—and what to expect in 2026.

East Bay Insiders Podcast 3rd Annual Insidey Awards honoring the highs and lows in East Bay politics in 2025. Follow along with the list of this year's nominees: —Best performance by a public official Ken Houston, Oakland Kevin Jenkins, Oakland Jack Balch, Pleasanton Nikki Fortunato Bas, Alameda County Igor Tregub, Alameda County Democratic Party chair —Worst performance by a public official(s) Bryan Azevedo, San Leandro councilmember Hayward City Council Fred Simon, San Leandro councilmember Victor Aguilar, Jr., San Leandro councilmember —Best quote Ken Houston, Oakland: "We had our straps, but we weren't shooting no guns." Julie Testa, Pleasanton councilmember: "You don't have the right to control me, mayor." Mark Salinas, Hayward mayor: "I feel like I failed. I really do, as a mayor." Nate Miley, Alameda County supervisor: "I'm just letting you know. I'm letting you know. Respectfully, letting you know if you start jumping into the unincorporated area and not respecting the supervisor, or supervisors that represent the unincorporated area, there could be ramifications." Ken Houston: "There's going to be some order in this court." —Best Hair Rob Bonta, California attorney general David Haubert, Alameda County supervisor Pamela Price, former Alameda County DA —Best performance by a public speaker Al Mendall, Hayward Gene Hazard, Oakland Tod Hickman, Alameda —Best Fight East Bay MUD Board vs. Board Director April Chan Oakland Councilmember Ken Houston vs. Oakland Public Works Director Josh Rowan Pleasanton Mayor Jack Balch vs. Councilmember Julie Testa

“Conflict is the spirit of the relationship asking itself to deepen” --Sobonfu Somé Facilitator and writer Shilpa Jain deeply understands the nature of being human. She is well known in her East Bay community for hosting more than 250 “Yes Jams!” over the last decade, encouraging laughter and play as she facilitates groups through conflict. Working with change makers—activists, artists, healers, executives, and young people—she helps them navigate conflict from a place of freedom and joy. Join Host Serena Bian in conversation with Shilpa, exploring how conflict can bring us into greater clarity, purpose, and alignment. We'll look at conflict through a trauma healing lens, to learn how to love ourselves and one another better. We will explore conflict transformation and healing, leadership as friendship, alchemizing fear, how we “get free” together, and how to move beyond “cancel culture” with an open-heart. Bring your lunch, and join us after the conversation to walk and sit on the Commonweal land. Shilpa Jain For the last 11+ years, Shilpa has served as the Executive Director of YES!. YES! works with social changemakers at the meeting point of internal, interpersonal and systemic change, and aims to co-create a thriving, just and balanced world for all. Shilpa has researched and written numerous books and articles, and facilitated workshops and gatherings on topics including globalization, creative expressions, ecology, democratic living, innovative learning and unlearning. She has facilitated dozens of transformative leadership gatherings in India, Jordan, Senegal, Lebanon, Egypt, Thailand, Canada, Peru, and the US, working with hundreds of young leaders from more than 50 countries. She was founding coordinator of the Global Youth Leadership Collaborative, a network of 15 Jam facilitators from 14 countries that has collectively produced dozens of international gatherings for young changemakers, and distributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to small-scale grassroots social change innovations worldwide. Find more of her writing at shilpajain.substack.com

East Bay Insiders welcomes Carla Marinucci back to the pod. We dive into reports that Attorney General Rob Bonta is eyeing a run for governor. What does it mean for Rep. Eric Swalwell's own ambitions? Did Swalwell miss a window to run for AG, and could a Bonta–Swalwell rivalry be shaping up? We break down the early race to replace Swalwell in Congress, featuring State Sen. Aisha Wahab and BART Director Melissa Hernandez, and revisit how shifting district lines once helped Swalwell rise. On the local front, we talk Costco coming to Oakland, led by Councilmember "Kirkland" Carroll Fife, why landing a Costco can be a fiscal game-changer for cities—and how Oakland might mess it up. We also cover Pamela Price's comeback bid for Alameda County district attorney and what the dismissal of charges against former San Leandro officer Jason Fletcher means for the 2026 primary. Plus, a remembrance of San Leandro Mayor Stephen Cassidy, reflecting on his leadership and lasting impact on the East Bay. Don't miss Episode 122, featuring the 3rd Annual Insidey Awards.

Go to Finishing Move When Someone Wrongs You on the Road: Today we're sharing our favorite harmless “finishing moves” when someone wrongs us on the road. Think small-scale pettiness, big emotional payoff.   Sports Mom Dilemma:Today we hear from a sports mom who's drowning in schedules, gear, and back-to-back games. We talk through her challenges and share tips, tricks, and sanity-saving strategies for any parent trying to keep up.  What's Trending: Today we're covering it all: the East Bay teachers on strike, the fluffiest Furry Friday yet, and when Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are actually headed for a wedding. And if you're planning to catch the FIFA World Cup, we've got the inside scoop on the best watch parties around.  Second Date Update: Their connection started on one of “the apps,” though Connor can't even remember which one anymore. What he does remember is Valerie, gorgeous, quick-witted, and steady in a way that pulled him in. They talked food, terrible twenties roommates, and their mutual love for true crime. Everything flowed and then… silence. Connor wants answers.   Australia Social Media Ban: A global first: Australia is banning kids under 16 from having any social media accounts, forcing Meta to remove young users by the hundreds of thousands. We break down what the ban means and why it's happening.  Good News: When Liberty, Missouri was buried in snow, one man stepped up. We dive into the story of Phillip Grace, the stranger who cleared driveways for families in need — and gave one woman in a wheelchair hope she'd make it to her medical appointment.

Throughout the Talking Trees podcast, we've asked Davey employees questions like "How did you become an arborist?" and "Why is this job right for you?" In this special episode, we've compiled eight arborists' inspiring answers that share the journeys that brought our team to where they are today. In this episode we cover the stories of: Brad McBride, district manager of Davey's West Cleveland office (0:46)Chelsi Abbott, plant pathologist with the Davey Institute (2:04)Aaron Hoot, district manager of Davey's Dallas office (3:47)Jason Parker, district manager of Davey's Warminster office (6:49)Kevin Sproule, assistant district manager of Davey's Edmonton office (7:54)Taylor Judd, sales arborist at Davey's East Denver office (9:02)Joe Berg, district manager of Davey's East Bay office (11:05)Natascha Batchelor, sales arborist at Hartney Greymont, a Davey company, in Cape Cod (12:31)To learn more about careers at Davey, visit www.Davey.com/Careers.To find your local Davey office, check out our find a local office page to search by zip code.Connect with Davey Tree on social media:Twitter: @DaveyTreeFacebook: @DaveyTreeInstagram: @daveytreeYouTube: The Davey Tree Expert CompanyLinkedIn: The Davey Tree Expert Company Connect with Doug Oster at www.dougoster.com. Have topics you'd like us to cover on the podcast? Email us at podcasts@davey.com. We want to hear from you!Click here to send Talking Trees Fan Mail!

Andy’s Brave New World: Part 3 The group leaves Yosemite, encounters Crystal. Based on a post by the hospital. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. They were halfway through clearing the third floor's residential wing when the smell hit them, that too-familiar sweet-sour scent they'd encountered far too many times in the past week. They found him in one of the bedrooms, a middle-aged man in diplomatic attire, Juyeon John Chu, collapsed across his bed as if he'd simply laid down for a moment's rest. "I'll take care of it," Andy said quietly, already moving toward the body. "We can't bury him here, we might need the soil for growing food later. I'll take him to the sea tomorrow morning." No one argued. They'd all seen too many bodies to be truly shocked anymore, but finding one in what was meant to be their sanctuary cast a pall. "Let's get the water system running," Andy suggested after they'd wrapped the body and moved it to the yard. "But hold off on the generator for now. No sense advertising our presence with lights until we're more settled." They chose their rooms quickly. Daniela picked a corner room with good sightlines to the street. Sarah chose one near the bathroom, while Crystal selected a smaller room. Andy took the room nearest the stairs, positioning himself between potential threats and the others. The work of unloading their supplies took the rest of the daylight hours, their movements becoming more efficient as they learned the building's layout. They gathered on the roof as the sun began to set, their camp stoves and rehydrated meals spread out on a foldable plastic table scavenged from the kitchen. The view was breathtaking, the Golden Gate Bridge silhouetted against the darkening sky, the bay waters reflecting the last orange rays of sunlight. Despite everything, despite the silence that had fallen over the city and the scattered signs of candlelight appearing in distant windows, the vista remained stubbornly, achingly beautiful. "It's so pretty here," Crystal offered softly. "And it has everything we need. Good choice." She smiled at Andy. "Yeah, I'm glad this place has a gym," Sarah said, picking at her camping meal. "If I could just order my Korean skincare products, I'd be set." She sighed. "God, my skin is going to be a disaster without my routine." Andy chuckled, leaning back against the low wall. "For me, it's Netflix and H B O, I'll miss most. And streaming new music." He shrugged at their surprised looks. "I know, I know, I'm a park ranger, I should be all about nature. And I am! But there's nothing like unwinding with a good show or a new album after a long day." "Ice cream," Daniela said suddenly, her voice softer than usual. "I really miss ice cream. It's probably all melted now. And YouTube. Dad and I used to;" she paused. "Watch together all the time. I learned so much from tutorial videos. How to fix things, how to make stuff." She stared at her bowl. Crystal set down her bowl and touched Daniela softly on the arm. "For me, a proper hot shower," she said wistfully. "And getting my hair done at the salon. Just the whole experience of it, someone washing your hair, the massage;" "Oh god, yes," Sarah groaned. "My colorist in L A, she was an artist. These highlights?" She tugged at a strand of her expertly highlighted hair. "They're going to grow out and look awful." "Who did you go to?" Crystal asked, perking up slightly. "In L A, I mean?" "Sadie at Salon Santa Monica," Sarah replied. "Once I could afford it." Crystal's eyes lit up with recognition. "Oh! I knew some girls who went there. The agency had me going to Maurice at Atelier." She named one of the most exclusive salons in Los Angeles. "I mean, I couldn't afford it myself, it was part of the modeling contract." "Maurice?" Sarah's eyes widened. "I dream about getting an appointment there. Their balayage technique is incredible." They spent the next few minutes trading stories about L A salons and beauty treatments, their voices growing more animated as they compared experiences. Andy and Daniela exchanged bored glances, letting them have their moment of nostalgia. Finally, the conversation lulled naturally. Andy cleared his throat, his expression growing more serious. "For tonight, we'll get the Starlink array set up, then everyone can get some rest. Maybe have a shower." He gave Crystal a small smile. "Though it'll be cold for now, the water heater runs on natural gas, so that's going to take some time to sort out." He set his empty bowl aside. "Tomorrow morning, we should head to the Presidio, see what kind of organization is forming there. But before that, we need to think about security. Daniela, those anti-personnel mines you brought; think you can set up a perimeter?" Daniela nodded. "I also want to do a more thorough sweep of the building," he continued. "Check every desk, every shelf. Might find keys, documents, anything useful." The setting sun cast long shadows across the roof as he laid out his thoughts. "This place makes sense as a long-term base. The off-grid water and power should last us months, hopefully long enough to find renewable sources. If we can track down someone who knows electrical work, maybe get some solar panels up here on the roof with a battery bank, we'll be set." Sarah nodded, her expression open. "So we're staying?" A series of quick nods around the group confirmed their agreement. "In that case," Andy continued, "we should start doing serious scavenging runs. Stock up on preserved food, drinks, medical supplies, anything useful we can find. Crystal, can you look up all the grocery stores and restaurants, anywhere we might find food, and put them on a map? I saw a framed map of SF downstairs, we can use that for now." "Of course, glad to. I found a janitorial closet earlier too," Crystal said, her voice careful but eager to contribute. "But most of the cleaning equipment is electric. If we could get some manual supplies I could help maintain the place properly." "Good thinking," Andy acknowledged. "Add that to the list." He paused, considering. "You know, looking at our group, we've got, survival skills, combat expertise, " he nodded toward Daniela, "and you two are both eager and resourceful. But we're missing a lot. No medical knowledge beyond basic first aid. No electrical or mechanical experience. Nobody who knows construction or farming." He looked around the circle. "If we find people with those skills, we should consider inviting them to join us. This place is big enough." "What about the water situation long-term? We'll go through it faster if more join." Daniela asked. "Once our storage runs out, going down to the bay to refill with our trucks and purify would be inefficient. Maybe dangerous too." Andy nodded approvingly at her foresight. "You're right. But that's a problem we share with other survivors, so we can keep an eye out for solutions, maybe try to organize something collectively. A well, maybe? Or a water truck, get someone who knows how to swap its engine for a Tesla electric one." He paused and rubbed his chin. "Solar panels and batteries can last 25-30 years with minimal maintenance. Medium-term, we should look to electrify everything we can. Long-term;" he shrugged. "Hopefully society gets organized enough to restart battery and solar panel production or something." He sat up straighter. "Actually, that should be our top priority, medium term, reducing fuel dependency. All our fuel will degrade within a year anyway." He started counting off on his fingers. "Find an electrician. Scavenge solar panels and batteries. Track down some electric vehicles." A pause. "Everything else we need, food, medicine, weapons, we can stockpile, but fuel? That's our biggest vulnerability right now." "Makes sense," Sarah said, rising from her spot on the roof. "I'm going to set up the array and then hit the gym before bed." She glanced at Andy, her voice taking on a playful tone. "Want to join? I could use a spotter." Andy met her gaze, a slight smile playing at his lips. "Sure. Could use a workout after all that driving." Day 7, Evening The gym felt different in the dim glow of their camping lantern, shadows playing across the equipment. Sarah had changed into a matching set of compression shorts and sports bra in deep purple, the material clinging to every curve as she began her warm-up stretches. Why she felt the need to change from athleisure to athleisure was beyond Andy's comprehension, but he appreciated seeing her in yet another fitness-influencer outfit. She positioned herself where Andy could clearly see her, making each movement deliberately graceful, arching her back slightly more than necessary. "I usually focus on targeted exercises," she said, moving to the cable machine for some standing rows that emphasized her toned back and shoulders. She adjusted her stance, making sure he had a perfect view of her form. "You know, for the gains. But I guess those days are done." Andy let his gaze linger appreciatively on her athletic figure, toned legs, and firm ass. "Those isolation exercises clearly worked for you," he said, moving closer ostensibly to watch her form. "But with everything we're dealing with now, functional strength might be more important." Sarah adjusted her position, deliberately brushing against him as she moved. "Oh? What would you suggest?" "Compound lifts," Andy said, pointing to the power rack. "Deadlifts, squats, bench press. Works multiple muscle groups at once, builds practical strength." He walked over and demonstrated the deadlift form with an empty bar, aware of her eyes on him. Sarah approached the rack, copying his stance but imperfect. "Like this?" she asked, looking back at him over her shoulder. Andy stepped behind her to adjust her position, his hands firm but gentle as they guided her shoulders and hips into proper alignment. He stayed close, his breath warm on her neck. "Keep your back straight," he said, his voice low and intimate. "Engage your core." She completed the lift, then turned to face him, still holding the bar, their bodies inches apart. "That definitely feels different," she said, looking up at him. "More; intense." "It's better for overall fitness," Andy said, making no move to step back. "Not just for show." Sarah set the bar down carefully, letting her hand brush his arm as she straightened. "Well, I trust your expertise. As long as I don't get too bulky." She moved toward the bench press, adding an extra sway to her hips. Looking back at him, she smiled. "Though I have to admit, I don't think I'll be able to stop caring about aesthetic results too." "It really is impressive," Andy said sincerely, his eyes meeting hers. "You'd still be hot if you got bulky though. Amazonian." He said with a flex. She laughed. They worked out a few more minutes, then Sarah approached him, dabbing at her neck with a towel. After a moment's hesitation, she started. "Andy; can we talk serious for a sec?" He nodded, giving her his full attention. "Look, I'm just going to be honest," she said. "I'm attracted to you. How could I not be? You've kept us safe, led us through this nightmare;" She gave a small laugh. "Plus, you know, the whole ranger thing really works for you." Andy smiled, and let her continue, anticipating a "but". "But, well, we only met a few days ago, even if it does feel like it's been weeks. And with everything that's happened," She motioned vaguely at the world outside. "I'm not ready to jump into bed yet. I don't even know what a relationship would look like now. I hope you understand." "Of course," Andy said gently. "I'm attracted to you too, Sarah. Very much. But you're right, we're all still processing everything that's happened. There's no rush." Sarah stepped closer, a playful glint returning to her pretty almond eyes. "That said; maybe we could explore things gradually?" She glanced toward the gym shower. "For instance, I'm gonna shower right now. I need someone to wash my back." She gave him a flirtatious smile before biting her lip. "Though I can't promise you won't end up a little; frustrated." Andy's smile widened. "I think I can handle that risk." "Yeah?" Sarah asked, already backing toward the shower, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Yeah," Andy replied, following her lead. They walked together to the shower area, exchanging eager smiles. "Me first," Sarah said playfully, turning her back to him. She slowly peeled off her sports bra, exaggerating her movements and swaying her hips. The compression shorts followed, sliding down her toned legs with deliberate sensuality, revealing a plump and juicy ass. When she turned back, she had one arm draped across her tits and the other hand covering herself below. The lantern light played across her athletic figure; toned, gently muscled stomach, curved hips tapering to strong thighs, and a natural tan line from her usual workout attire. Her skin glowed golden in the dim light, a light sheen of sweat from their workout making her practically shimmer. Seeing Andy's appreciative gaze, she giggled and dropped her arm from her chest. Her cute B-cup tits were perfectly perky, defying gravity even uncovered, with small rosy nipples standing at attention. "Your turn," she said coyly, still covering herself below. Andy laughed and simply pulled off his tank top. "Aww, I give you a show and you just do it like that? No; ceremony?" Grinning, Andy turned and mimicked her earlier performance, slowly working his shorts down with exaggerated movements. When he turned back, he had one hand strategically placed over his junk. They both laughed at the playful awkwardness of the moment before simultaneously revealing themselves fully. "Oh," Sarah said appreciatively, her eyes widening slightly. "Nice; proportions." "Thanks, you too." He said, eyeing her up and down. Sarah laughed and led him into the shower by his arm, both of them very aware of his erect hardness brushing against her waist. She reached for the tap, and sighed luxuriously as the cold stream hit her. "Ahh, that's nice. I always shower cold. It's better for skin and post-workout inflammation." "What about this inflammation?" Andy quipped, making her giggle. They swapped places and as the ice-cold water hit him, Andy tensed slightly, trying not to show it. Sarah noticed anyway. "What kind of ranger isn't used to cold showers?" she teased, reaching for the soap. "Actually, I have the Korean no-B O gene," Andy admitted. "So I usually just skipped showers if there was no hot water." "Gross" Sarah said, as she began soaping herself. "Could you get my back?" she asked innocently, turning around. Andy's hands moved across her shoulders and down her spine. She turned back to face him. "Oh, and I think I missed a spot in front too;" Andy's breath caught as his hands cupped her tits. They were perfectly sized for his palms, simultaneously firm yet yielding, with hard nipples pressing against his fingers as he explored them. Sarah giggled at his expression of sacred reverence. "Are they that nice?" she asked playfully, mewling gently at his touch. "Yes, they are," he breathed. She took the soap and returned the favor, working her way down his back and across his stomach. When she reached his waist, she paused, looking up at him questioningly, her hazel eyes wide and innocent despite her intentions. At his smile, she wrapped her delicate fingers around his shaft, exploring every inch with careful attention. Andy watched as she traced the length with feather-light touches, circled the sensitive head with her thumb, stroked the tender underside, and gently cupped his balls. Her eyes never left his face, studying his reactions to each touch, noting every subtle change in his expression to learn what pleased him most. Turning off the water, she pressed closer, her wet skin sliding against his. "Think you can finish like this?" Her voice was soft but confident. "Yes," Andy managed, already breathing harder from her exploratory touches. She gripped him with both hands now, quickly establishing a rhythm. The soap acted as a perfect lubricant, letting her fingers and palms glide smoothly up and down his shaft. Her technique was precise, one hand working his base while the other focused on his sensitive head, occasionally twisting slightly in a way that made his knees weak. Her gaze was intense as she worked him harder and faster, her eager face showing clear enjoyment of the power she held over him. Water droplets ran down her face and neck, across her perfect tits, making her skin glisten in the dim light. She varied her pressure and speed expertly, reading his reactions and adjusting accordingly. When his hips began to thrust involuntarily, she matched his rhythm, her small hands providing the perfect amount of friction and pressure. Just as he felt his orgasm build, she shifted her approach, her left hand maintaining a steady stroke while her right hand moved lower to gently massage his balls. The change in sensation made him gasp, bringing him back from the edge while introducing a new kind of pleasure. She grinned at his reaction as she rolled and squeezed him gently. "Please, I was getting close" Andy breathed. With a mischievous wink, she resumed jacking him with both hands, drawing another sigh from Andy as he enjoyed the feeling of her soft fingers rubbing his shaft. Andy's breathing grew increasingly ragged as the pressure built. His hands gripped the shower wall for support as Sarah worked him relentlessly toward his peak. She seemed to sense when he was close, her movements becoming more focused and deliberate. Her eyes locked onto his face, eager to watch his expression as he came. When he finally reached his climax, it was intense, thick ropes of warm white cum erupting from his cock, splashing across her toned stomach and thighs. His whole body shuddered with each pulse as she continued to stroke him through his orgasm, maintaining perfect pressure to draw out every last wave of pleasure. She watched in fascination as his seed painted her skin, her expression one of satisfaction and pride at bringing him such intense release. "Wow, that's so hot." Sarah said, looking at the impressive volume. "Someone's been storing that up, huh?" Andy closed his eyes and smiled deeply. "Yeah." he breathed. "Been a while. Thanks." He ran a hand down her shoulder, savoring the feeling of her soft, cold skin, the post-nut clarity heightening his awareness. She examined her cum-covered hands and smirked. "Hey loves!" she chirped in her best content-creator voice. "Today, I'm so excited to share this amazing new product with you!" She winked at Andy. "Make sure to swipe up for the full review!" She delicately touched her finger to her tongue, then assumed a thoughtful expression. "Hmm, nice thick consistency, slightly sweet with just a hint of salt. Ten out of ten would recommend!" She sucked on her finger erotically, then dissolved into giggles at Andy's amused expression. "Don't forget to like and follow for more cum content!" She turned the water back on, laughing as Andy visibly flinched at the cold. "Really, some ranger you are!" The water washed away the evidence of their activities, and they stepped out to dry off. Andy felt wonderfully relaxed, tension draining from his shoulders. "What about you?" he asked softly. "Don't worry about me," Sarah smiled, toweling her hair. "I don't think I could anyway. Too much tension, and;" she paused, "I'd need to feel more emotionally connected." Andy looked puzzled. "Wait, so you're comfortable showering together, giving me a handjob, and even tasting my cum, and we haven't even held hands? Or kissed? Actually," he realized, "we haven't even hugged." Sarah giggled. "Those things are about love and emotional connection," she explained. "And for me, so is sex. This?" she giggled again, mimicking a handjob in the air. "This was just making sure my fearless protector," she emphasized those words with a sultry voice "is thinking with his brain and not his cock!" She gave him a playful grin. "And; tasting a new Korean sauce. If you're really good to me, maybe I'll be trying a new Korean skincare next time." They both laughed. She paused, letting the towel drop. "Although; I wouldn't mind a hug now, if you want." Andy opened his arms and she stepped into them. They held each other, feeling the warmth of skin on skin, this simple embrace feeling somehow far more intimate than what they'd just done. Day 7, Late Night Andy lay in bed, his phone's glow illuminating his face as he scrolled through Beacon. A soft, barely audible knock at his door caught his attention. He opened it to find Crystal standing in the dark hallway. Even in the dim light cast by his phone, her stunning figure was unmistakable. She wore a delicate black lace bra that cupped and lifted her full tits, creating an enticing cleavage. A matching garter belt hugged her narrow waist, leading to sheer stockings that emphasized her long, toned legs. High-cut lace panties completed the ensemble, leaving little to the imagination. The scent of her expensive perfume, a light, floral fragrance, wafted towards him, adding to the intoxicating effect of her presence. "May I come in?" Crystal whispered, her voice barely audible. Andy nodded, stepping aside to let her enter. As she passed, he couldn't help but notice how the lace hugged the curve of her perfect, heart-shaped ass. Crystal closed the door behind her, hesitated for a brief moment, then turned to face him. "I thought I might; fulfill my end of the bargain," she said softly, her posture shifting to emphasize her curves. She took a step closer, her blue eyes locked on his. "I'm here to show my appreciation, in whatever way you'd like." Andy smiled ruefully, taking in her body but thinking about his encounter with Sarah only a few minutes ago. He knew he almost certainly wouldn't be able to get hard so soon. Not wanting to reveal this, he decided to try to play it off, raising a hand to stop her. "Hey, relax, we just got here. You don't have to worry about that right now." He forced his eyes away from her perky tits and up to her eyes. Crystal's demeanor deflated slightly, a mix of surprise, relief and disappointment crossing her face. "Are you sure?" she asked, her voice small. "I; I wanted to be useful to you. I even put on this outfit, just for you, sir." She raised her arms above her head and twirled slowly like a ballerina, showing off her body from all angles. As she rotated, Andy's eyes were drawn to her long, shapely legs. The sheer stockings accentuated every curve, from her delicate ankles to her toned calves and up to her perfectly proportioned thighs. The high-cut panties drew attention to the junction where her legs met her torso, emphasizing the enticing curve of her hips. Her backside was a work of art, two rounded globes, neither too large nor too small, but ideally suited to her frame. The lace of her panties clung to the curves, outlining the heart shape of her ass and hinting at the soft valley between. Unable to help himself, Andy reached out, giving her ass an affectionate squeeze. His hand was met with an enticing balance of firmness and give, soft enough to be incredibly inviting, yet firm enough to maintain its shape, smooth and warm to the touch. Crystal jumped slightly at the contact but quickly tried to play it off, her body instinctively pressing back into his hand for a brief moment before she caught herself. "I appreciate it, truly," Andy said. "But there's no hurry. I'm sure there will be plenty of time for that later." He paused. "If you want to be useful, maybe you could start by making us all coffee in the morning." "I see," Crystal said, turning to face him again. She took a moment to regain her composure, a small smile playing on her lips. "Well, I promise it will be the best coffee you've ever had. The most mind-blowing, hot, tight, wet coffee ever." She winked. Leaning in close, she whispered in his ear, her breath hot against his skin. "If you ever change your mind, you know where to find me." With that, she turned and left the room, the soft click of the door the only sound in the quiet night. Andy sat on the edge of the bed, running a hand through his hair as he processed what had just happened. The image of Crystal in that lingerie was seared into his mind, and he knew it would be a long time before he could forget it. Day 8, Morning The early morning silence in the consulate was profound. Andy woke to sunlight filtering through the curtains, casting long shadows across his room. The building's stillness felt almost reverential, as if the world itself was holding its breath. He rose and headed to the bathroom, splashing cold water on his face and quickly freshening up. The morning routine felt almost normal, a small piece of civilization preserved in their diplomatic sanctuary. Through the window, he could see fog rolling in from the bay, wreathing the silent city in gray. The building's old pipes groaned softly as he washed, the sound echoing through the empty corridors. Andy made his way downstairs to the break room adjacent the kitchen, settling into one of the chairs. Moments later, Crystal appeared carrying a tray with coffee and sugar. She wore loose-fitting silk pajamas that somehow managed to look both casual and elegant, the fabric draping softly over her curves. The absence of a bra was subtle but noticeable, with her perky tits shaking beautifully, and her hard nipples sticking up proudly. "I wasn't sure how you liked your coffee, sir. Unfortunately we don't have milk," she said, putting a soft emphasis on the word "sir" that sent a shiver down his spine. "This is fine, I like it black, thank you," Andy replied, reaching for the cup. "You're going to work on the map of scavenging sites in the area today, right?" "Yes sir. I'll get started on it after my yoga this morning," Crystal responded with a small smile before turning to leave. She paused at the doorway. "Enjoy your coffee, I'll be in my room if you need me." Andy sipped his coffee, appreciating its rich flavor, momentarily distracted by thoughts of Crystal, before returning to scrolling through Beacon on his phone. The posts about San Francisco painted a slowly emerging picture: survivors were gradually congregating at the Presidio, though organization remained loose. Someone had started cataloging available medical supplies across the city's hospitals. Another person was working on getting a solar array functioning at the city hall. A post from the Presidio account caught his attention, they'd designated Land's End as a mass grave site, with plans to begin proper burials soon. Several volunteers with construction equipment were already clearing space. Andy made a mental note, it would be a better option than his original plan of taking the diplomat's body to the sea. He composed a quick message to Mike: "Made it to SF. Secured shelter @ Korean consulate. How's drive north? Your mom?" A few more posts mentioned growing communities forming in Marin and the East Bay, but nothing substantial yet. Most survivors seemed to be following the same instinct, head toward major population centers, look for others, try to rebuild. The Presidio's natural defensive position and former military infrastructure made it an obvious rallying point. Andy finished his coffee, letting the now familiar routine of morning research ground him in this strange new world. The sound of footsteps on the stairs drew his attention. Sarah and Daniela appeared, both looking refreshed despite their slightly sleepy expressions. The consulate's secure walls had clearly provided them their first proper rest in days. "Morning," Sarah said, stifling a yawn. She wore her usual athletic wear, while Daniela was already dressed in camo pants and a t-shirt. "Crystal made coffee, there's some in the kitchen if you want some," Andy offered, gesturing with his empty cup. "Oh god, yes please," Sarah replied, heading for the kitchen. She paused, noticing Daniela's hesitation. "Have you never had coffee?" Daniela shook her head. "Dad said I was too young." "Well, you're basically living adult life now," Sarah said gently. "Might as well try it. Here, I'll make you one." They returned moments later, Sarah handling her cup with ease while Daniela examined hers with suspicion. She took a careful sip and grimaced. "It's; intense," she said diplomatically. Sarah laughed. "Try adding some sugar. Most people don't start with it black." Daniela followed the suggestion, her expression softening as she tasted it again. "Better," she admitted. "I can see why you like it." "Have either of you checked Beacon this morning?" Andy asked. Both shook their heads, so Andy summarized what he'd learned. They listened intently. He watched as a dark expression cast over them both when he brought up the Land's End grave. "Yeah, speaking of which," he added, his tone growing more serious, "we should probably deal with the, ah, body outside. Wrap it properly until we can take it to Land's End." "I'll help," Sarah offered, squaring her shoulders slightly. "I need to get better at handling this kind of thing. Can't be squeamish anymore." Daniela set down her coffee. "I know where the large garbage bags are. They're heavy-duty, should work until we can get something better." Day 8, Midmorning "You sure you don't want to wear something more; practical?" Andy asked, watching Sarah adjust her deep blue Lululemon set in the hallway mirror. "This is practical," she insisted, giving him a little view. The tight sports bra and leggings left little to the imagination, showing off her gentle abs and toned curves. She then covered herself in the North Face jacket he'd selected for her from their scavenged supplies. "Besides, first impressions matter. We want to seem approachable." Andy checked his holstered Glock, making sure it was secure but not too visible under his jacket. "Fine, but at least wear your boots instead of those running shoes." They'd packed their backpacks thoughtfully, bottles of antibiotics carefully wrapped in cloth, and several dozen apples from the fruit stand. "The medicine is what they really need," Andy explained as they prepared to leave, "but I think fresh fruit will mean more to them emotionally. A lot of it in the city will have spoiled by now." "Makes sense," Sarah nodded, shouldering her pack. "A little taste of normal." Andy turned to Daniela, who was studying a building layout. "You good here? Remember, no answering the door-" "Unless it's you guys, I know," she cut him off with a hint of teenage exasperation. "I'll figure out the best spots for the mines and come up with a defense plan." She pointed at a few spots she had already marked on the layout. "I've already found a few spots here." Crystal looked up from where she was marking locations on a large map of San Francisco. "I've marked three promising grocery stores within walking distance," she offered, her braless chest hanging downward as she bent over the map. "I'll have a full scavenging map ready by the evening." "Perfect," Andy said. "We shouldn't be more than a few hours. Mainly just want to get a sense of what's happening at the Presidio, make some connections." He glanced at Sarah. "Ready?" Sarah nodded, and they headed out into the quiet streets of their new city. The morning fog had mostly burned off, revealing a neighborhood frozen in time. Expensive cars sat in driveways, morning newspapers still sat on pristine lawns, and recycling bins waited patiently for a pickup that would never come. The silence was absolute except for the occasional bird call and the whisper of wind through untended gardens. "Look," Sarah pointed, "A Tesla, Model Y. And it's plugged in." Andy marked the location on his phone. "Good catch. That'll be useful later when we're looking for vehicles that don't need gas." They turned onto Jackson Street, where a dark blue Rivian R1T sat parked beneath a row of cherry trees. Andy added its coordinates to their growing list of resources. The houses stood as silent witnesses to the abrupt end of normalcy, gardens still meticulously maintained, windows spotlessly clean, patio furniture arranged for evening cocktails that would never be served. Just eight days ago, this had been one of San Francisco's most exclusive neighborhoods. Now it was a museum piece, preserved in perfect, haunting detail. "It's so weird," Sarah said softly, eyes scanning the immaculate homes around them. "Everything looks exactly like it did before. Like any minute now, people will start coming out to get their mail or walk their dogs." As they walked past another row of silent houses, Sarah glanced at Andy with a playful smile. "Sleep well?" Andy caught her eye and winked. "Very well. Mind's quite clear and focused today, thank you." "Good," she said softly, reaching for his hand and giving it a quick squeeze. "Maybe we can go for round two later today." Their fingers lingered together for a moment before separating, both of them smiling as they continued their walk through the quiet neighborhood. Movement ahead caught their attention, another woman walking alone toward the Presidio. She was in her early thirties, wearing expensive yoga pants and a Patagonia fleece that had seen better days. Her brown hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, and she kept glancing around nervously as she walked. "Hey," Andy called out softly, not wanting to startle her. She jumped slightly anyway, then relaxed a bit when she saw Sarah. "Oh! Hi," she replied, maintaining a careful distance. Her wedding ring glinted in the morning light, though she was obviously alone. "Would you like an apple?" Andy offered, already reaching into his pack. "We just picked them yesterday." Her eyes lit up. "Really? Fresh fruit?" She stepped closer, accepting the apple with trembling hands. "Thank you. I've been living on protein bars and coconut water from my pantry." She took a bite immediately, closing her eyes briefly at the taste. "I'm Rachel, by the way." "I'm Andy, this is Sarah," Andy replied. "Heading to the Presidio?" Rachel nodded, wiping juice from her chin. "Yeah. I've been holed up in my apartment, but;" She gestured vaguely. "I figured I should see what's happening, maybe find other people. It's getting a little scary being alone. Are you two staying nearby?" "Yeah, we just got into the city," Andy said carefully. "We're a small group, set up at the Korean consulate." He made a mental note, another survivor with no immediately obvious useful skills for their core group. "Oh," Rachel said, seemingly hoping for an invitation that didn't come. "Well, I'm at 2740 Jackson if you; if anyone needs anything. Though I don't have much to offer." "Thanks." said Andy. "Let us know if you need anything as well." "Well, to be honest I could use some food. That's mostly why I'm going to the Presidio." "We don't have a ton to spare right now, but we are planning to go on some scavenging runs soon. We have a truck. If you wanted to join us, we could offer you a split of what we recover." "Oh, that would be great." said Rachel. "Let me get your Beacon handle, let me know when you decide to go." They walked together in silence for a few moments before Rachel spoke again. "Did either of you lose much family?" she asked quietly. "My husband was in New York for meetings when, you know." She twisted her ring absently. "We all lost people," Sarah said gently but firmly, cutting off that line of conversation. Rachel nodded, understanding the boundary. The walk continued in silence. They emerged from the tree line, and the main parade ground of the Presidio opened up before them. What had once been a pristine lawn had transformed into a makeshift settlement of perhaps four or five hundred survivors. Colorful camping tents dotted the grass in loose clusters, many bearing high-end outdoor brand names, testament to San Francisco's wealthy outdoor enthusiast population. Larger military-style tents had been erected at strategic points, including a prominent medical station marked by a red cross fashioned from spray paint. Two nurses in scrubs moved between cots visible through the open flaps. A row of folding tables had been set up near the old barracks, forming an impromptu marketplace. Someone had already established a basic trading post, advertising "batteries, solar chargers, and medicine." Next to it, a woman stood behind a table of sorted electrical equipment, carefully logging exchanges in a notebook. Hand-painted signs stuck in the ground advertised various needs and corresponding Beacon handles: "Needed: Electricians for solar project" "Volunteers wanted, water purification" "Medical Skills? Report to Tent 4" "Engineers needed, power grid planning" The gender disparity was immediately apparent, women outnumbered men significantly, matching the pattern they'd seen elsewhere. A few men in partial military or police uniforms walked the perimeter, rifles slung across their backs. One carried himself with particular authority, speaking into a handheld radio as he made his rounds. A group of women was setting up what looked like a communal kitchen, sorting through boxes of supplies. Nearby, someone had rigged a solar panel to charge phones and laptops, with a small crowd gathered around it. The air smelled of campfire smoke and cooking food, punctuated by the distinctive scent of unwashed bodies and physical labor. "Oh my god," Rachel breathed, taking in the scope of the settlement. "I had no idea there were this many," she noted, eyes wide. Andy studied the scene carefully, noting the mix of organization and chaos. While some basic systems were clearly being established, there was no real sense of central authority yet. Just people with useful skills trying to help where they could, while others waited for direction. A woman with a clipboard approached them, her manner friendly but professional. "Welcome to the Presidio Settlement. Are you here to join us or just checking in?" "The two of us are just checking in," Andy said, gesturing to Sarah. As another volunteer stepped forward to speak with Rachel, he continued, "We arrived in San Francisco yesterday, we've set up in the Korean consulate building. We brought antibiotics and some apples we snagged on the way here, wanted to offer them as a donation." He offered her one of the apples. "Donations are greatly appreciated," the clipboard woman said warmly, accepting the apple. "I'm Alice, by the way." "Are you a volunteer here?" Andy asked. "Yep, been here three days now. We're trying to make a directory of people in the area, if you're okay with me taking down your information?" Sarah glanced at Andy, who nodded. "Sure." "Okay, great." Alice flipped to a fresh page. "Name and age?" "Andy Rhee, 28." She nodded, writing. "We're cataloging useful skills. I'll read through the list, just let me know which apply: Medical training? Engineering? Electrical? Plumbing? Construction? Military experience? Hunting? Navigation? Survival skills? Agriculture? Animal husbandry? Radio operations? Vehicle maintenance? Water treatment? Solar installation?" "I was a park ranger before all this," Andy replied. "So yes to navigation, survival skills, and hunting. Basic first aid training. I'm good with radios too, amateur operator license." Alice made several check marks, nodding appreciatively. "That's actually really useful, we don't have many people with real wilderness experience. A lot of the survivors here worked in tech, myself included." She gestured at the camp. "Lots of programmers, not many who can track game or build shelters." "I'm sure," Andy said dryly. Alice turned to Sarah. "And you?" "I was;" Sarah hesitated, "just a biology student. UCLA, second year. Nothing really useful like Andy." "Hey, don't sell yourself short," Alice said kindly. "Most people here were also doing jobs that don't matter anymore. We're planning to set up training groups, teaching practical skills. Biology could be helpful with agriculture, medicine, lots of things." Sarah simply nodded, looking slightly relieved. "We have two others in our group," Andy added. "Daniela's fourteen, but she has extensive survival, hunting, and military training from her father, he was a Marine, and a; ah; prepper. She can do some vehicle maintenance too I think. And Crystal;" he paused, realizing he didn't know her age. "Well, she'd also need to reskill." Alice's eyebrows rose as she made notes. "A teenager with military training? Interesting." She flipped through her papers. "You should talk to Guillermo Herrera; he was in the Army. He's been trying to organize some basic defense planning for the Presidio. And Diana Wells has been looking for people with hunting experience, trying to put together expeditions to supplement our food supplies." She made a final note. "Do you have a Beacon handle? We're trying to keep a communication network going." Andy gave her his handle, which she copied down carefully. "Well, welcome to the Presidio," Alice said warmly. "We're glad to have people with real survival skills join the community. Even if they're not living here directly," she added with a smile. "Thanks. Oh also, you said 'We're trying to make a directory' earlier. Who is we? Some kind of leadership?" "Nothing formal yet, but there's a group. Mostly people with different types of expertise. I don't know all of them, but Megan Lunn is the one coordinating us. She's great, I trust her a lot." "Great, thanks." As they walked deeper into the settlement, Sarah moved closer to Andy, lowering her voice. "Are you sure it was smart to tell them so much? About where we're staying, our skills, Daniela's training?" Andy considered her question thoughtfully. "Well, here's what I'm thinking. The Presidio is almost certainly going to become the, or at least one of, the centers of power in San Francisco. It's inevitable. The location, the infrastructure, the natural defenses, and it's already starting to get established before anywhere else. If we ever get to a point where we regret having told them our information," He shrugged. "Well, by then we'd already be pretty screwed. We'd probably need to leave the city entirely anyway." "So little downside to being open?" Sarah asked, watching a group of women organizing supplies nearby. "Exactly. I think I'm going to try to talk to Megan and get myself involved early, try to shape how things develop." Andy kept his voice low but confident. "Being cooperative and open now gives us more influence later. If we tried to stay completely separate or, like, secretive, we'd just look suspicious. Then we'd be outsiders trying to affect things from the margins instead of a respected part of the community." Sarah nodded slowly, processing his logic. "If the Presidio is going to be the power here, might as well join it and be a leader within it. I get it." "Yeah. Don't worry," Andy assured her. To be continued. Based on a post by the hospital, for Literotica.

Our inclination in “making our lives count” is often to “make our names great.” With all your life goals before you, you need to decide whose name you want to make great. We're diving into Genesis 11:1-9 this Sunday to learn well from the Tower of Babel – and it will be great to see you again at East Bay.

Welcome to another episode of Las Platicas, a show hosted by Comadres y Comics, where we meet with creators and friends to talk about upcoming projects, events and all-around awesome news in the Latinx comic community. Today we have the pleasure of speaking with Abby Rocha. Abby Rocha is a creator from the too-sunny lands of San Diego and has settled in the foggy coastal embrace of the East Bay. They write/illustrate from the intersection of their latinidad, the multifaceted subject of death and the world around them. They've self published and been nationally published, and their art has been shown in galleries and museums. They are currently working on their debut graphic novel, “Two Hearts in Mictlan.” You can often find them dressed in black and communing with cats in the neighborhood with their partner and child. Welcome Abby!@chica_artista_illustrationabbyrocha.com

It's official: East Bay Congressman Eric Swalwell is entering the race to become next governor of California. For more on his campaign, KCBS's Steve Scott spoke with KCBS Insider Phil Matier.

A “tree army” from the 1930s helped build today's Tilden and other East Bay regional parks. The program's impact can still be felt today. Then, a story about how a friend can help you see, and change, yourself. It's a new story from California Institution for Women. Plus, a poem!

In this third episode of The Public Works series, reporter Sheryl Kaskowitz makes some surprising discoveries about the history of the East Bay Regional Park District. In the 1930s, the federal government's Civilian Conservation Corps left its mark on the landscape, and their work continues in a different form today.

 What a delight talking with Rosy Nolan! We discussed her new album “Main Attraction” AVAILABLE NOW! We also talked about how music hasalways been consistent in her life, her favortie song on the album, and we happened to catch her the night before her move to Nashville!    Los Angeles country artist Rosy Nolan's upcoming LP Main Attraction (out Oct. 17) is steeped in Americana roots, Western swing, honky tonk, and old-time country, paying homage to the great American records of the 1920s–1940s. The album is drenched in heartache and longing—core themes that have defined Nolan's songwriting throughout her career.  Nolan is a California girl through and through. Born and raised in the East Bay—first in San Francisco, then Berkeley and Oakland for middle and high school. “I've lived in California most of my life. It's in me, and it comes through in my music,” she says.Her songs draw richly from the state's varied landscapes, weaving metaphors ofhighways, desert, ocean, and redwoods. Raised by Bay Area activists, with a poet mother and a father who fought injustice, Nolan's upbringing shaped her fierce commitment to advocacy. “Activism remains a constant for me,” she says. “I use my voice to fight for women's rights, have lobbied bills with the ACLU, and recently, I've been protesting the I.C.E. raids in Los Angeles.”  In the early 2000s, New York pulsed with the techno-infused retro synth-pop and cool-kid fury of electroclash. Nolan found herself swept up in this vibrant club scene, but the nonstop partying and drinking eventually took their toll. Hitting rock bottom, she embraced sobriety through atwelve-step program and began focusing inward.Seeking something more organic, Nolan honed her craft as a singer-songwriter, forging a sound rooted in traditional folk. She immersed herself in the records of Steve Earle and Lucinda Williams, as a new wave of alt-country artists helped spark a fresh scene.    Be sure to check Rosy out here:  Website: Rosynolan.com  Bandcamp: Rosy Nolan  Facebook: Rosy Nolan  IG: Rosynolanmusic  Youttube: rosynolan1202  

DJ Jesse Luscious debuts a new track from his Blatz bandmate Joey's Terrible Cake, spins some of the edgiest new bands [from Nottingham: Every Face Becomes A Skull and from the East Bay: The 1981 & Hex Pest], along with new tracks from Loud Graves, Shakti, Dead Bob (ex-Nomeansno), CTMF (aka Mr & Mrs Billy Childish), Twat Union, Moms With Bangs, Beauty In Chaos, Balboas, This Will Destroy Your Ears, Loose Articles And Nadir, and Boum Patat, classic punk from The Damned, Bratmobile, M(h)aol, The Members, Screamers, Joe Strummer And The Mescaleros, Circle Jerks, Jimmy Cliff, Naked Raygun, Green Jelly, God Bullies, The Clash, CIV, and The Buzzcocks, & the Luscious Listener's Choice! Loud Graves- Boxcutter Members- Sally Shakti- Atyachar Charcha Moms With Bangs- Madhouse Hex Pest- Storming Paradise 1981- Count On Me Terrible Cake- Ribs Screamers- Peer Pressure Beauty In Chaos- Get Down Moses Joe Strummer And The Mescaleros- Harder They Come (Live 28 July 2001 Ameoba Records, San Francisco CA) Clash- Know Your Rights (Rat Patrol from Fort Bragg) Jimmy Cliff- Ruby Soho Bratmobile- Bitch Theme Balboas- Der Kommisar Twat Union- Tiny Shorts This Will Destroy Your Ears- Gorgeous Eve Holds A Banger Hammer Loose Articles And Nadir- Marseilles, Manchester (In The Area) Damned- Melody Lee Every Face Becomes A Skull- Be Of Good Cheer Naked Raygun- Gear CTMF- Untitled Buzzcocks- Autonomy Circle Jerks- Dude CIV- Choices Made Dead Bob- We Are The Humans God Bullies- King Of Sling Green Jelly- The Bear Song Boum Patat- Electro Frustration M(h)aol- Period Sex (Luscious Edit)

As BART navigates a financial crisis, some East Bay residents are pushing for a new station in East Oakland by the Nimitz freeway. The agency doesn't have the funds to make it happen. For more, KCBS News Anchor Steve Scott spoke with KCBS Insider Phil Matier.

The Northern California chapter of Society of Professional Journalists recently announced their 2025 award winners… KALW took home four awards! So next we're bringing you an episode from Sidewalk Stories, which won a Public Service award.  The series Sidewalk Stories, is a collaboration between Crosscurrents and the East Bay's Street Spirit newspaper/ where we hear from unhoused people about how they survive and build a life outside. And in this piece, we hear about “street names."

"AI can help us get to a destination faster... but it's not without some kind of oversight." - Catherine Holt Cat Holt is a marketing strategist, entrepreneur, and brand builder who has shaped some of the most iconic campaigns in modern advertising, including Progressive Insurance's Dr. Rick campaign. She is the Founder and Chief Brand Officer of Coologee, Inc., where she leads a one-team approach that blends agency expertise with client-side insight to drive measurable business impact. Cat also co-founded Lion + Owl, a kids' apparel brand that combines innovative design with a mission to promote kindness and inclusion. Previously, she held senior leadership roles at Falls & Co., Progressive Insurance, and several top agencies, helping brands evolve, grow, and connect with audiences in meaningful ways. Website: https://coologee.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catkolodij Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coologee/# Substack: https://catholtcoologee.substack.com/   Michael Orkin is a professor, consultant, researcher, and author.  His most recent book is "The Story of Chance – Beyond the Margin of Error" (Innovative Ink, 2025).  He has appeared on numerous podcasts and TV shows and has been an invited speaker at many conferences.  Dr. Orkin has a B.A. in Mathematics and a Ph.D. in Statistics from the University of California at Berkeley.  He is currently a mathematics professor at Berkeley City College and Professor of Statistics Emeritus at California State University, East Bay.orm) Website: https://drmikeorkin.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dr-mike-orkin-5600584 Substack: https://drmikeorkin.substack.com/   In this episode, we explore how data, strategy, and creativity intersect to drive smarter decisions, stronger brands, and meaningful impact. Dr. Orkin and Cat Holt share insights from their respective worlds of statistics and marketing, showing how analysis and storytelling work together to shape success.   Apply to join our marketing mastermind group: https://notypicalmoments.typeform.com/to/hWLDNgjz Follow No Typical Moments at: Website: https://notypicalmoments.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/no-typical-moments-llc/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4G7csw9j7zpjdASvpMzqUA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notypicalmoments Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NTMoments

A Bryan Azevedo–packed episode. From the rise to the downfall — we unpack how the Duong family built influence in San Leandro politics and trace Azevedo's wild ride: from the infamous "community freezer locker" idea, an inability to speak a human language, to the federal charges that brought everything crashing down. What does this scandal mean for San Leandro's future? Who might fill his vacant council seat? Plus, we dive into the aftermath of Prop. 50, ask whether there's a Zohran Mamdani emerging in the East Bay, and track the buzz around Eric Swalwell's rumored run for governor.

"AI can help us get to a destination faster... but it's not without some kind of oversight." - Catherine Holt Cat Holt is a marketing strategist, entrepreneur, and brand builder who has shaped some of the most iconic campaigns in modern advertising, including Progressive Insurance's Dr. Rick campaign. She is the Founder and Chief Brand Officer of Coologee, Inc., where she leads a one-team approach that blends agency expertise with client-side insight to drive measurable business impact. Cat also co-founded Lion + Owl, a kids' apparel brand that combines innovative design with a mission to promote kindness and inclusion. Previously, she held senior leadership roles at Falls & Co., Progressive Insurance, and several top agencies, helping brands evolve, grow, and connect with audiences in meaningful ways. Website: https://coologee.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catkolodij Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coologee/# Substack: https://catholtcoologee.substack.com/   Michael Orkin is a professor, consultant, researcher, and author.  His most recent book is "The Story of Chance – Beyond the Margin of Error" (Innovative Ink, 2025).  He has appeared on numerous podcasts and TV shows and has been an invited speaker at many conferences.  Dr. Orkin has a B.A. in Mathematics and a Ph.D. in Statistics from the University of California at Berkeley.  He is currently a mathematics professor at Berkeley City College and Professor of Statistics Emeritus at California State University, East Bay.orm) Website: https://drmikeorkin.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dr-mike-orkin-5600584 Substack: https://drmikeorkin.substack.com/   In this episode, we explore how data, strategy, and creativity intersect to drive smarter decisions, stronger brands, and meaningful impact. Dr. Orkin and Cat Holt share insights from their respective worlds of statistics and marketing, showing how analysis and storytelling work together to shape success.   Apply to join our marketing mastermind group: https://notypicalmoments.typeform.com/to/hWLDNgjz Follow No Typical Moments at: Website: https://notypicalmoments.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/no-typical-moments-llc/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4G7csw9j7zpjdASvpMzqUA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notypicalmoments Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NTMoments

(Karuna Buddhist Vihara)

(Karuna Buddhist Vihara)

(Karuna Buddhist Vihara)

(Karuna Buddhist Vihara)

Mary Had a Little Lamb by Adrian M Hurtado https://www.amazon.com/Mary-Little-Lamb-Adrian-Hurtado/dp/1647498600 The celebration of Christmas has nothing to do with a fictional character in a red suit, or flying reindeer. It is about the birth and life of Jesus Christ. He is the true reason for the season. Now you can read about His life in an illustrated and poetic form that touches on many of the important aspects of His life. Parents will want to share this story with their children and with their friends.About the author Adrian M. Hurtado was born in Berkeley, CA and raised in the East Bay area. He is a former teacher and principal, having served more than 25 years in schools in Orange County, Los Angeles County, and Santa Barbara County, California. He always enjoyed working with students and in finding ways to make learning interesting and fun. Now he seeks to carry on that delight through books that students can enjoy and their parents can enjoy reading to them and with them. Adrian also served in the Marine Corps and Air Force Reserve, retiring at the rank of Major. He and his wife, Jean, a former kindergarten teacher and his biggest encourager, have retired to the little beach town of Cayucos, CA where he is actively involved in community service.

Joe is CEO of East Bay Tire, a California-based tire distributor and service provider, serving anyone from trucking companies to ports to quarries. With thousands of customers and applications, Joe is taking the company in a more service and data-driven direction, aiming to educate customers and provide greater value than the traditional tire model. And while not sexy, the whole world moves on tires! Follow Joe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joepehanick/ Learn more about East Bay Tire: https://eastbaytire.com/ Listen to the Around the Bead Podcast: https://www.aroundthebead.com/ Questions or feedback? Email us at dirttalk@buildwitt.com!

Do you consider yourself lucky? Or do you consider yourself have earned it by working hard? Or, is it both? Our guest today is Dr. Michael Orkin, is a statistics expert and he shares with us some surprising insights.TODAY'S WIN-WIN:In order to increase your chances, you need to put yourself in positions where opportunities can occur and create more chance.LINKS FROM THE EPISODE:Schedule your free franchise consultation with Big Sky Franchise Team: https://bigskyfranchiseteam.com/. You can visit our guest's website at: https://drmikeorkin.com/Attend our Franchise Sales Training Workshop:  https://bigskyfranchiseteam.com/franchisesalestraining/Connect with our guest on social:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-mike-orkin-5600584/recent-activity/all/ABOUT OUR GUEST:DR. MICHAEL ORKIN is a distinguished professor, consultant, researcher, and author with a wealth of experience that offers unique insights into the concepts of chance and luck. He holds a BA in Mathematics and a PhD in Statistics from the University of California, Berkeley. Throughout his career, Dr. Orkin has made significant contributions to the field of statistics, particularly in the gaming industry, where he frequently serves as a consultant. His extensive research has been published in numerous academic papers, and he has delivered invited talks on these topics, including a notable presentation at Google Tech Talks. Dr. Orkin is a Professor Emeritus of Statistics at California State University, East Bay, and he currently serves on the mathematics faculty at Berkeley City College. His expertise and experience make him a leading authority on the statistical principles underlying games, chance, and the role of luck in various aspects of life.    ABOUT BIG SKY FRANCHISE TEAM:This episode is powered by Big Sky Franchise Team. If you are ready to talk about franchising your business you can schedule your free, no-obligation, franchise consultation online at: https://bigskyfranchiseteam.com/.The information provided in this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered financial, legal, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified professional before making any business decisions. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, Big Sky Franchise Team, or our affiliates. Additionally, this podcast may feature sponsors or advertisers, but any mention of products or services does not constitute an endorsement. Please do your own research before making any purchasing or business decisions.

The Pentagon announced Friday that the military is sending an aircraft carrier to South America. It's the latest in the escalating show of force against Venezuela, including strikes on ten boats that the Trump administration says were involved in drug smuggling, which killed 43 people. We talk about the legality of the actions and what the administration hopes to achieve. Then, we turn to the mighty California condor. Once nearly extinct — with only 23 birds remaining in 1982 — the largest bird in North America is making a remarkable comeback. Biologists have recently tracked 30 condors soaring over Alameda and Contra Costa counties, areas where they haven't been seen in a century. We'll explore what's driving their return and the threats they still face in the wild. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

State and local political strategist Jason Overman joins us to unpack his time working alongside Sheng Thao and Andre Jones in Oakland politics — and why their recent corruption indictments left him feeling “deeply betrayed.” Later, we break down gubernatiorial candidate Katie Porter's rough week on the campaign trail, Oakland's search for a new police chief, Ken Houston's clash with homeless advocates, and the upcoming No Kings rallies in the East Bay.

On today's 10.16.25 show we talked about teens being shy, fears as adults, pets behaving badly, Britney Spears slams Kevin Federline's claims about being a bad mother, Kim Kardashian went on a podcast and talked about Kanye and other rumors, a home in the East Bay is going viral for their Halloween decorations, updates on Marrylisa.com, new Halloween trend alert, people are calling Taylor Swift ‘the queen of petty' and more!

Lisa Davidson is an ironworker with Local 377 San Francisco. Her team currently does ironwork on the Golden Gate Bridge. But we'll get to that. In this episode, S8 E3, meet and get to know Lisa. I first did that back in May at our Keep It Local art show at Babylon Burning (thanks, Mike and Judy!). Someone at the party that night approached me to let me know that there was a person there who works on the best bridge in the world (fact) and that I should meet them. I love when people really get me. Right away, I was drawn in by Lisa's warmth, charm, and sense of humor. And so we sat down outside in Fort Mason in early August and Lisa shared her life story. She was raised feeling like she had complete freedom. It was something Lisa didn't realize at the time, but looking back, it became clear to her. She was raised in Framingham, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston, in a liberal household. Her grandparents lived in Boston itself, and she loved visiting them when she was a kid. Her grandfather ran a tchotchke store in town called House of Hurwitz, and Lisa says that the place had a big influence on her outlook. It was located on the edge of what they call, to this day, the “Combat Zone” (think: red-light district). Her “wheelin' and dealin'” grandpa sold mylar balloons to the Boston Gardens for events held there. He told young Lisa that she could blow up balloons and that that could be her future. Lisa has a brother four years younger than she is. Her dad was an electrician. One of his clients was a lithograph press in Boston. He'd sometimes get paged for a job and have to leave his family, although Lisa now wonders whether he just wanted to get away from time to time. When she was a senior in high school, her parents divorced, despite being a very loving couple up to that point. She says her mom was “crazy in an I Love Lucy way. She was raised in the Fifties the way many young women at that time were, in a way that did its best to stifle any creativity. Suffice to say that her mom had fun decorating the house Lisa grew up in. Despite her and her family's Jewishness, Lisa revolted and wanted to go to Catholic school or just become a preppy L.L. Bean-type kid. She of course regrets rejecting the norms of her family nowadays. It was what it was. The family was more culturally Jewish than religious, though, something Lisa says was a huge influence on who she's become as an adult. She graduated high school and went to college at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. It wasn't Ivy League, but it was (and is) something of a preppy school. Where Lisa grew up, there was an expectation that kids would go to college, and so she went. It wasn't super far from home, but it wasn't close either. Her parents did suggest that Lisa maybe go to art school. But in her family, it was the kid dismissing that idea. “That's a not real school,” young Lisa told them. She liked sports. At Amherst, she joined the crew team. She liked the competition and how good of shape it got you in. She liked it, but it was a lot of pressure. She graduated, took a year off working odd jobs, then dove into art school. So next up was Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). She was surprised she got in, and even navigated a bit of impostor syndrome. Surprised by the school's acceptance of her and feeling somewhat intimidated by other artist students, Lisa ended up doing printmaking. Rather than aiming for a master's degree, she sought a second bachelor's. Her studies had her spending a lot of time in the school's foundry, where she discovered welding. She loved it. During her time back in Amherst, she'd heard of a guy who was going to Alaska. (Lisa and I go off-topic into our shared distaste for camping at this point in the conversation.) Back to the Alaska story, her mom was fully supportive and even took her shopping at an Army Navy store. She went there and worked in canneries through the summer between her junior and senior years at Amherst. While she was up north, doing jobs all over the state, she met folks from California. From the stories they told her, it became a place she wanted to go. But first, RISD. In Rhode Island, she met a guy from Danville in the East Bay. When his family learned of her interest in our state, they invited Lisa to spend a summer with them, which she did. And she and her friend came to The City as often as they could. After those few months, she knew that California—and specifically, The Bay—was for her. She needed to go back and finish that second round of college in Rhode Island, and she did. After that, Lisa “beelined it” back to Oakland. She found work in a prop shop making sculptures out of foam with a chainsaw. Check back this Thursday for Part 2 with Lisa Davidson. We recorded this podcast at Equator Coffee in Fort Mason in August 2025. Photography by Jeff Hunt

"Futility" It's true--the last time I saw Sandy Smallens was in the spring of 1989 when his band Too Much Joy came to the campus radio station to play on my weekly show. The band were incredibly cool and I've never forgotten that they took the time to traipse into the East Bay hills to get to my school and how nice they were. They even played an unrehearsed acoustic version of Clowns at my request, which was awesome. I'd play it for you now, but guess what? After the band left, I took out the tape and found that I hadn't hit record. It's bothered me for years. At any rate, Too Much Joy and Wonderlick which is Tim and Jay from TMJ, have a lot of news coming out their camp, so they do come up a bit in this chat, but really, the focus here is on Sandy's other band Surface Wound. Informed by the undulating jagged basslines of bands like Gang Of Four and Wire, Surface Wound's new album Futility is a riveting blast of post-punk magic. The Scarsdale-raised, Yale-educated Smallens played football in high school and as a result his bass playing has a real athleticism to it and not only that, but his voice has never sounded better. Filled with prowling basslines and muscular hooks, Futility is filled with fight songs for desperate times. Sandy Smallens is a busy guy--he's in a bunch of bands, he hosts the Four Strings And The Truth podcast and as the guy who launched Spotify's original content department, he now runs the podcast company Audiation. Not only that, but he's a massive supporter of the arts . And, he's one of the nicest guys around. www.surfacewound.bandcamp.com Sandy Smallens' podcast: Four Chords And The Truth Podcast: https://pod.link/1733284004 www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com www.alexgreenbooks.com BLUESKY + IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

The WPBA is a pro developmental league in the East Bay with big ambitions and real impact. It's recognized by FIBA — rare for a U.S. women's league outside the WNBA — and it's becoming a place where players continue their careers, get seen by scouts, and find community.

Today we are joined by Aaron Miller, Lecturer in Kinesiology at California State University, East Bay and the author of Basketball in Japan: Shooting for the Stars (Routledge, 2025.) In our conversation, we discussed the beginnings of basketball in Japan, the ongoing legacy of Samurai culture in Japanese sport, and what Japanese basketball's success might look like in the future. In Basketball in Japan, Miller uses anthropological and ethnographic research approaches to ask why basketball in Japan is so popular with young people but less so with adults. Through a long series of conversation and observations, he leads readers to better understand the ways that sports shed light on shifts in Japanese identity. He also raises questions about to what extent Japanese coaches and players think about basketball in a specifically Japanese way. Building on a decade of research into Japanese sport and a year of field work inside of several Japanese sporting organizations, Miller's compelling and readable account of Japanese basketball's growing cultural status does not move chronologically. Instead, he uses his conversations with his interlocutors to address thematic questions that help him to explore the interplay between basketball and ideas of Japanese identity, gender, and race. His first chapter, “Be-longing” looks at the anonymized MU basketball club, a university sporting organization in Tokyo, as a total institution that thrived thanks to the commitment and discipline of an intergenerational group of administrators, coaches, players, and supporters. Their engagement was not without consequence – some of the players even likened basketball to a lover that took up all their time. In his second chapter, “Thinking Basketball”, Miller examines the tension between coaches who trained players based on the best practices of sports science, and the “commander ball” coach that drew on older notions of Japanese masculinity linked to notions of Bushido. Miller's work teases out the conflicts: in practice, many players felt more comfortable with the more authoritarian styles of the coaches similar to those they had in youth basketball. Miller also found that no coach was a practitioner of purely “thinking” or “commander” ball – there was a fine gradient between the two styles. Many of the chapters address Japanese identity and the links between a Japanese way of playing sports and masculinity. In his chapter, “DNA”, Miller explores the inclusion of non-ethnically Japanese players into the Japanese game. He notes that the introduction of players from other countries has helped Japanese teams (from the high school to professional level) to improve competitively but it has also provoked considerable conversation about what it means to be Japanese and about whether people from overseas can meaningfully represent a school, a university, or the nation. In both “Boys, Be Ambitious” and “Waiting for a Male Hardwood Hero”, Miller points to the ways that sports in Japan have been coded as male. He notes that sexism in Japanese basketball means administrators have missed the opportunity to promote the successes of Japanese women in the WNBA and the Olympic Games. Miller's deeply researched insider account into Japanese basketball from the late 19th century until today opens new avenues for considering physical culture beyond baseball and martial arts. Basketball in Japan will be of broad interest to scholars interested in Japanese culture and society, basketball buffs, and to readers with a general interest in sport. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Today we are joined by Aaron Miller, Lecturer in Kinesiology at California State University, East Bay and the author of Basketball in Japan: Shooting for the Stars (Routledge, 2025.) In our conversation, we discussed the beginnings of basketball in Japan, the ongoing legacy of Samurai culture in Japanese sport, and what Japanese basketball's success might look like in the future. In Basketball in Japan, Miller uses anthropological and ethnographic research approaches to ask why basketball in Japan is so popular with young people but less so with adults. Through a long series of conversation and observations, he leads readers to better understand the ways that sports shed light on shifts in Japanese identity. He also raises questions about to what extent Japanese coaches and players think about basketball in a specifically Japanese way. Building on a decade of research into Japanese sport and a year of field work inside of several Japanese sporting organizations, Miller's compelling and readable account of Japanese basketball's growing cultural status does not move chronologically. Instead, he uses his conversations with his interlocutors to address thematic questions that help him to explore the interplay between basketball and ideas of Japanese identity, gender, and race. His first chapter, “Be-longing” looks at the anonymized MU basketball club, a university sporting organization in Tokyo, as a total institution that thrived thanks to the commitment and discipline of an intergenerational group of administrators, coaches, players, and supporters. Their engagement was not without consequence – some of the players even likened basketball to a lover that took up all their time. In his second chapter, “Thinking Basketball”, Miller examines the tension between coaches who trained players based on the best practices of sports science, and the “commander ball” coach that drew on older notions of Japanese masculinity linked to notions of Bushido. Miller's work teases out the conflicts: in practice, many players felt more comfortable with the more authoritarian styles of the coaches similar to those they had in youth basketball. Miller also found that no coach was a practitioner of purely “thinking” or “commander” ball – there was a fine gradient between the two styles. Many of the chapters address Japanese identity and the links between a Japanese way of playing sports and masculinity. In his chapter, “DNA”, Miller explores the inclusion of non-ethnically Japanese players into the Japanese game. He notes that the introduction of players from other countries has helped Japanese teams (from the high school to professional level) to improve competitively but it has also provoked considerable conversation about what it means to be Japanese and about whether people from overseas can meaningfully represent a school, a university, or the nation. In both “Boys, Be Ambitious” and “Waiting for a Male Hardwood Hero”, Miller points to the ways that sports in Japan have been coded as male. He notes that sexism in Japanese basketball means administrators have missed the opportunity to promote the successes of Japanese women in the WNBA and the Olympic Games. Miller's deeply researched insider account into Japanese basketball from the late 19th century until today opens new avenues for considering physical culture beyond baseball and martial arts. Basketball in Japan will be of broad interest to scholars interested in Japanese culture and society, basketball buffs, and to readers with a general interest in sport. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/gender-studies

Today we are joined by Aaron Miller, Lecturer in Kinesiology at California State University, East Bay and the author of Basketball in Japan: Shooting for the Stars (Routledge, 2025.) In our conversation, we discussed the beginnings of basketball in Japan, the ongoing legacy of Samurai culture in Japanese sport, and what Japanese basketball's success might look like in the future. In Basketball in Japan, Miller uses anthropological and ethnographic research approaches to ask why basketball in Japan is so popular with young people but less so with adults. Through a long series of conversation and observations, he leads readers to better understand the ways that sports shed light on shifts in Japanese identity. He also raises questions about to what extent Japanese coaches and players think about basketball in a specifically Japanese way. Building on a decade of research into Japanese sport and a year of field work inside of several Japanese sporting organizations, Miller's compelling and readable account of Japanese basketball's growing cultural status does not move chronologically. Instead, he uses his conversations with his interlocutors to address thematic questions that help him to explore the interplay between basketball and ideas of Japanese identity, gender, and race. His first chapter, “Be-longing” looks at the anonymized MU basketball club, a university sporting organization in Tokyo, as a total institution that thrived thanks to the commitment and discipline of an intergenerational group of administrators, coaches, players, and supporters. Their engagement was not without consequence – some of the players even likened basketball to a lover that took up all their time. In his second chapter, “Thinking Basketball”, Miller examines the tension between coaches who trained players based on the best practices of sports science, and the “commander ball” coach that drew on older notions of Japanese masculinity linked to notions of Bushido. Miller's work teases out the conflicts: in practice, many players felt more comfortable with the more authoritarian styles of the coaches similar to those they had in youth basketball. Miller also found that no coach was a practitioner of purely “thinking” or “commander” ball – there was a fine gradient between the two styles. Many of the chapters address Japanese identity and the links between a Japanese way of playing sports and masculinity. In his chapter, “DNA”, Miller explores the inclusion of non-ethnically Japanese players into the Japanese game. He notes that the introduction of players from other countries has helped Japanese teams (from the high school to professional level) to improve competitively but it has also provoked considerable conversation about what it means to be Japanese and about whether people from overseas can meaningfully represent a school, a university, or the nation. In both “Boys, Be Ambitious” and “Waiting for a Male Hardwood Hero”, Miller points to the ways that sports in Japan have been coded as male. He notes that sexism in Japanese basketball means administrators have missed the opportunity to promote the successes of Japanese women in the WNBA and the Olympic Games. Miller's deeply researched insider account into Japanese basketball from the late 19th century until today opens new avenues for considering physical culture beyond baseball and martial arts. Basketball in Japan will be of broad interest to scholars interested in Japanese culture and society, basketball buffs, and to readers with a general interest in sport. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sports

It's a far-out game, AND the only Satanic Panic anti-D&D scare movie starring the East Bay's own Tom Hanks. I mean, it has to be, right?

                                  Listen in as Erin and Andrea discuss: Why authenticity is Andrea's most powerful business strategy. The unique path from theater to real estate — and how it made her unstoppable. The mindset that helped Andrea thrive through market downturns. How “vacation energy” and passion projects attract ideal clients. Why giving back creates surprising opportunities in business. About As a Realtor®, Andrea serves the Oakland, Berkeley and surrounding East Bay communities as well as San Francisco and Brisbane. Since 1998 her top priority has been providing individualized attention and flexibility to each and every one of her clients. She believes that no two people are alike so each individual needs and deserves to be treated with special care. She serves her clients tirelessly, and they count on her for results. Andrea has been a top producer since 1998. After 26 years of being a Realtor®, she can truly say it is really a great profession, and she is proud to participate in one of the most important parts of people's financial lives. Being a Realtor® has taught Andrea so much about life and people. She is always surprised by the kindness, generosity and great intelligence she meets along the way. Andrea loves what she does. How to Connect With Andrea LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreagordonrealestate Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndreaGordonRealEstate/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreagordonrealestate/

After decades spent representing the East Bay in Congress, Barbara Lee was inaugurated as Oakland's new mayor three months ago. She's now at the helm of a city with a lot of local pride and boasting rights, but also with brutal financial challenges, a politics battered by scandal and recall, and a citizenry eager for progress on crime, homelessness and other urban woes. Barbara Lee joins us to talk about what she's been learning in her first months in office and how it's shaping her plans for the city. And we hear from you: What do you want to ask your new mayor, and what do you want her to know about your Oakland? Guests: Barbara Lee, mayor of Oakland Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We get an update on the weather and lines at Burning Man, not everyone who signs on with Marvel makes it big, and Will Smith using AI to hype up his hype video. We get a man on the scene report of an East Bay water main break from Matty and is it wrong to send a text telling someone to not get married on their wedding day?

Over the past 40 years, Afghans have steadily immigrated to the East Bay town of Fremont, hoping to start new lives close to others who share their language and culture. We trace four waves of immigration and check in with Afghans who've chosen to settle in Fremont. Additional Resources: How Did Fremont Become Known As 'Little Kabul'? Read the transcript for this episode Sign up for our newsletter Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest Got a question you want answered? Ask! Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Asal Ehsanipour. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Gabriela Glueck and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Olivia Allen-Price, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsay and everyone on Team KQED.