Podcasts about KALW

Late on a summer night in 1966, a cop put his hands on a customer at a popular gathering space for trans women and drag queens. Coffee was thrown in his face, and a riot erupted right there at Compton's Cafeteria in the Tenderloin. This moment was one of the first documented acts of LGBTQ+ resistance in the country. For the past year, an immersive play called The Compton's Cafeteria Riot has been bringing audiences into the historic event as diners inside the cafeteria. The play is produced by the Tenderloin Museum. One of its co-writers, Donna Persona, is a trans rights activist, and Mary Vice is an actor turned drag queen in the play. They spoke to KALW's Jeneé Darden, host of the Sights and Sounds show. Here's an excerpt from their conversation. 

This is our last episode airing during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, so today we bring you a conversation from our friends at the podcast “Worst Quality Crab.” Their show is a conversational version of an Asian American cookbook. It's hosted by Freesia and Samson Lee, and they talk to guests about food that is meaningful to them, family history, and the people that make their shared meals so memorable. Last week, they hosted a live taping of their podcast at KALW's event space in downtown San Francisco. And they invited Bonnie Tsui, the bestselling author of “American Chinatown,” which won the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. Bonnie had a lot to say about growing up with fortune cookies, but we want to start this excerpt from their conversation with her childhood memories of the different Chinatowns that became the inspiration for her book.

The Bay Area Book Festival returns to Downtown Berkeley this weekend. There will be many things to learn and experience for book literature lovers of all ages. J.K. Fowler is the executive director of the Festival. He sat down with KALW's Jenee Darden for “The Sights + Sounds Show.” They spoke about why Fowler sees this year's theme of “Writing the Future” to be important for these times.

Next Tuesday, June 2nd, is California's 2026 primary election. And there's a lot for voters to decide on. In San Francisco, two competing propositions have become a high-stakes referendum on how the city taxes its largest employers: Prop C and Prop D.KALW recently hosted a live conversation between proponents of both Props C and D. It was co-presented with the San Francisco Public Press, and moderated by their Executive Director, Lila LaHood. The YES on C side was represented by David Harrison, director of policy at the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. And on the YES on D side was represented by Kim Tabelloni, executive director at the San Francisco Labor Council.In this excerpt we'll hear them explain what they think big business owes to San Francisco, and the people who live here. We start by hearing Kim Tabelloni. 

William Shakespeare is possibly the most widely recognized writer in western literature… but did he actually write every single thing he gets credit for? It's a controversial question that many have explored over the years. Including playwright and Oakland native Ted Lange.His new play “Shakespeare Over My Shoulder” is a production of the San Francisco Based African-American Shakespeare Company. KALW's Jenee Darden spoke with Ted Lange for “The Sights + Sounds Show.” Here's an excerpt of their conversation.

Here's a question. When you talk about an issue you deeply care about, like climate change- what's the reaction from the people around you, in your life? Are they supportive, are they dismissive? Sometimes you're the lone voice at your workplace, or in your family, pushing others to recycle or compost properly… and that can be isolating.That was the topic of discussion at a recent event held here at our KALW event space in downtown San Francisco. We hosted a live recording of the climate-focused podcast Doom and Bloom, hosted by Marc O'Brien. His guest was Dr. Renee Lertzman - a psychologist, researcher, and strategist. In this excerpt, she talks about why some people struggle to act on climate change, despite caring deeply about it-  and how it feels to be that lone voice in the room… 

If you've seen some of the ads in the BART stations… or San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie's posts on Instagram… you may notice an emphasis on safety and security in the city. But if you go back in time, there's physical evidence that this rhetoric isn't new. You can find it in neighborhoods all over the Bay.Take the Sunset district, on San Francisco's westside, where almost every house has a heavy iron gate. KALW's Rae Kim went right up to the proverbial front door to find out how those gates got there—and what they might be keeping out.

The Oakland-based singer, Miko Marks, first came onto the music scene as a country artist. But Miko's powerful vocal range is wide, and so is her creativity. Now she identifies as an Americana and roots singer. She currently has a residency at Yoshi's in Oakland that's running now throughout the summer. Her next show is Thursday, May 21st. And her special guest is jazz legend Faye Carol. Miko sat down with KALW's Jenee Darden on “The Sights + Sounds Show.” They spoke about Miko's growth as an artist. Here's an excerpt of that interview.

Getting around the bay has never been… cheap. But if you've stopped to fill up your gas tank recently, you've definitely noticed that the price per gallon, even with a cash discount, is higher than ever.To understand what's influencing that rapid increase in gas prices, Crosscurrents host Hana Baba speaks with KALW's transportation reporter Zain Iqbal, for a segment of what we call “Getting Around the Bay.”

Illegal dumping in Oakland is not an issue you can deny, if you spend enough time in the city you will be met again and again by sprawling, incomprehensible mountains of trash. Last year, municipal crews in the city of Oakland collected over 7 million pounds of illegally dumped waste from city streets.And that's just what they cleared, the trash on the streets keeps piling up. KALW's Arlen Levy went to find out where it's all coming from, and what's being done to clean things up.

In celebration of AANHPI Heritage Month, we're collaborating with our public radio friends at KALW to put on a live recording this Thursday, 5/21 7pm. Joining us for this special event is Bonnie Tsui, journalist and author of On Muscle, Why We Swim, and American Chinatown. Bonnie will share stories of growing up in Long Island, her grandfather working in a fortune cookie factory, and how it led her to write American Chinatown. Plus how it led her to become a consultant on Netflix's “Interior Chinatown.' Come hang out, hear Bonnie's stories, and snack on fortune cookies and other yums with us! Totally free but register (and make a donation to KAWL if you're able to keep public media alive) so we know how many snacks to over order! This live event is the culmination of a week of Bay Made features! You can hear us Monday 5/18 through Thursday 5/21 on KAWL at 11:30am. Hear some really great past episodes with guests Chef Kathy Fang, Jeff Chang, Soleil Ho, and Chef Laurence Louie. Listen live (stream: KALW.org / radio: 91.7 FM in the Bay Area) if for nothing else than the novelty of it!

As part of a feature series with local bay area radio station KALW, Berkeley-based poet Rachel Richardson joins Sarah and Miranda for a LIVE recording of The Mother Of It All podcast. We talk about the state of the cultural conversation around motherhood in general, whether poetry about motherhood counts as serious poetry, and celebrate our 100th episode. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit motherofitall.substack.com/subscribe

Hrishikesh Hirway is best known as the host of the hit podcast Song Exploder - where he asks musicians to break down their creative process. Last spring, KALW's Music Director Tshego Letsoalo got the distinct privilege of creating a sort of offshoot to Hirway's podcast with Song Exploder Remix. Each week she stitches together a few episodes from the podcast around a common theme. And the only place you can hear it is on KALW!Now, Hirway has released an album of his own, called In the Last Hour of Light. He'll be performing here in the Bay this coming weekend. Tshego spoke with Hear-way to learn more about his relationship with music. Here's part of their conversation.

Last year, here at KALW, we rebooted our sports podcast, BOUNCE to follow the Valks progress through their first season in the Bay. And BOUNCE will be back following the second Valks season that just started. So recently we hosted a live event celebrating the launch: a tip off party. The event featured a panel discussing Valkyries, and explored the past, present and future of women's basketball in the Bay Area.

Football is the most popular sport in America. But, that love doesn't necessarily extend to athletes who aren't cisgender men. And old, out-dated attitudes about who can (and should) play football, aren't stopping athletes from making their mark on the sport. At Oakland's Laney College, there's a storm brewing… The Golden State Storm to be exact! It's the newest women's tackle football team in the Women's National Football Conference. Kris Grimes is the team's star running back. KALW's Jordan Karnes spoke to Grimes about their move to the Bay Area, and the effort to help the Storm build a competitive team.

Leading up to Mother's Day, KALW's show Bay Made, our series that features local audio storytellers, has been airing episodes of the podcast “The Mother Of It All.” The show dives into the different aspects about being a mother, with candid conversations about everything from pregnancy in the digital age, parenting trans children and even the cult of Dr. Becky. The hosts Sarah Wheeler and Miranda Rake capped off their week-long run of episodes on KALW by hosting a live taping of their podcast at our San Francisco live event space at 220 Montgomery. For their guest, they brought Rachel Richardson, the co-founder of Left Margin Lit, a literary arts community in Berkeley and the author of the poetry book “Smother.” In this excerpt, Richardson describes why she opens her book with a quote from J.D. McClatchy, the former editor of the Yale Review. McClatchy has written that he “automatically rejects any poem with the word mother in it."To wrap up the live taping Richardson read a piece she wrote about a tree-planting she took her kids too after the 2013 Rim Fire, here is her poem “After Fire.” Rachel Richardson will be speaking at the Bay Area Book Festival on May 30th. 

Life is going to get tougher for Oakland's homeless population. Last month, the city council approved a new law on encampment sweeps that gives new powers to conduct sweeps, no longer requiring the city to provide housing for those who are displaced.At the same time, Mayor Barbara Lee has established a new office on homeless affairs, pushing against this policy of removing encampments without offering temporary housing options. Natalie Orenstein is a senior reporter with The Oaklandside, who's been covering the story. She spoke to KALW's news editor Sunni Khalid to explore the tensions with two policies that seem at odds.

Right now, the state of California has a very litigious relationship with the federal government. Currently our state is actively working on 67 separate lawsuits against Trump's administration. The legal disputes range from tariffs, public housing funding, sanctuary city policies, ICE agents wearing masks and even birth right citizenship.And, something notable is that almost a quarter of all the lawsuits are related to protecting our environment. Staying on top of all the litigation is the job of our state's Attorney General Rob Bonta. A few weeks ago he visited our live event space in downtown San Francisco to talk with Ethan Elkind, the host of KALW's show Climate Break.Bonta spoke about one of the most crucial climate lawsuits that is in the court system right now, the fight for our state's Clean Air Act. Nearly half of our carbon emissions come from transportation, but last year the US Senate voted to block California's mandate to phase out gas-powered cars by 2035.  In this excerpt, Bonta gives an update on how the lawsuit to protect the Clean Air Act is progressing…

California is suing the federal government to save our Clean Air Act. Today, a conversation with our Attorney General Rob Bonta. Then, the lead singer of the band Electric Ex explains the process behind their new album Analog Therapy. Plus, authors read from their books about nature, and humanity.

For the past couple of years KALW has had a second home at the Mills Building on Montgomery Street in Downtown San Francisco. Besides making great radio here, and training new journalists, we host lots of live events for listeners… like you!Recently one of those events brought guests deeper into the building… to a curated installation inside the halls of the Mills Building: Earth, Air, Fire, Water. It's a multimedia exhibition featuring Bay Area artists that focus on climate change and elemental forces, and invites viewers to consider climate change as an ongoing condition embedded in everyday life.The evening was hosted by KALW's Ben Trefny in partnership with the Swig company. In this excerpt we hear from the curator of this exhibit, Carey Hurtado, and artists Tanya Geis and Andrew Owen. First, Ben asks Carey - what's the exhibit all about?

Artificial intelligence is not just changing how we get our information, but also in some cases, how we emotionally process a major life event, like death. When loved ones die we find ways to hold on  — through photos, stories, and keepsakes. Now, things like AI memorial platforms and companion chatbots offer digitized connection with the dead. But with these technologies becoming more common, what are the benefits, and costs, of grieving with a chatbot? KALW's Artificial Intelligence reporter NeEddra James brings us the story.  

Nowadays, there is a good chance you have heard - or been in conversations about- all the different ways that artificial intelligence is changing the landscape of work. And it's real.U.S. hospitals have doubled their adoption of AI in two years.Finance companies now execute 70% of equity trades through AI algorithms. And Amazon deployed over 1 million warehouse robots that have boosted productivity per worker by more than 20 times.But journalism is still figuring out what it means. In a recent survey of over 70 countries, nearly 80% of newsrooms had no formal AI policy. KALW is no exception, we are still having very active discussions about the ways AI can or cannot fit into our set of values. To better understand this rapidly changing tool, our live events team put together a panel of people working in different media organizations facing the same question. The panelists were, Katherine Ann Rowlands, who leads Bay City News Foundation, /Ernesto Aguilar of KQED, who oversees content innovation /and Griffin Gaffney, CEO and co-founder of The San Francisco Standard. They were in conversation with KALW's Executive Producer Ben Trefny.In this excerpt, we begin by hearing Gaffney explaining how The Standard is addressing AI in their newsroom. 

Unraveling the Threads of Change: From Photography to Global Environmental AdvocacyAcademy Award-winning director Louie Psihoyos returned to the Rising Tide Ocean Podcast for a conversation as wide-ranging and urgent as his films. Host David Helvarg sat down with Psihoyos before a live audience during SF Climate Week at the downtown San Francisco studios of KALW public radio — and the exchange didn't disappoint.Psihoyos traces his unlikely path to ocean advocacy: a kid from Iowa, drawn early to photography and the sea, who eventually landed at National Geographic — beginning, as origin stories often do, at the bottom, sifting through a garbage dig. From there he rose to become one of the most consequential documentary filmmakers working today, a man who doesn't just point a camera at environmental catastrophe but builds covert operations around it.He recounts the making of The Cove, his shattering exposé of the dolphin slaughter in Taiji, Japan — a film that required as much tradecraft as filmmaking — and discusses his latest work, Plastic Detox, now streaming on Netflix, which takes a hard look at microplastics and their alarming effects on human fertility.The two also range across a broader landscape: adventures, causes for concern, and — perhaps most valuably in these grinding times — reasons for optimism.It's a talk worth diving into.Additional ResourcesThe Plastic Detox — an eye-opening journey into the hidden dangers of plastic in our homes.When six couples embark on a plastic detox within their homes, it changes their families forever. This eye-opening documentary explains what microplastics and their chemicals are doing to our health and how we can take matters into our own hands.From hormone disruption that's fueling a worldwide fertility crisis, to growing rates of cancer, and early heart attack and stroke, this powerful documentary reveals the shocking science behind plastic's impact on human life.Blue Frontier / Substack — Building the solution-based citizen movement needed to protect our ocean, coasts and communities, both human and wild.Inland Ocean Coalition — Building land-to-sea stewardship - the inland voice for ocean protectionFluid Studios — Thinking radically different about the collective good, our planet, & the future.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit motherofitall.substack.comDid you hear?! We're recording our 100th episode LIVE in San Francisco on May 8th as part of a series with KALW (91.7 FM). Get tickets your here! We will be joined by Berkeley-based poet Rachel Richardson, and KALW will be airing excerpts from our show all week long leading up to the live event.In this episode for our lovely paid subscribers (thank you…

On today's show, two Filipino nurses who were wrongly convicted of lethal crimes in the 1970s inspire a dance production about generational trauma and racism in the justice system. Then, a local band brings their own special indie rock/electronica sound, and the lead singer is Host Jeneé Darden's KALW co-worker! Finally, a musical about travelers stranded in a special Canadian town following the tragedies 9/11, and the kindness of strangers.

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

April is National Poetry Month and to celebrate in proper style Bay Poets has been exploring the Poetry Center at San Francisco State's archives. Josiah Luis Alderete is the host of KALW's series, Bay Poets. And he has dug up audio of four San Francisco poets that have had a deep and lasting impact on the city's literary landscape. We will be presenting them to you throughout the month. Today's poet was is from the East Coast, but helped shape San Francisco's literary scene. Here's KALW News Editor, Sunni Khalid, speaking with Josiah about Q.R. Hand Junior. 

This is a big election year for California's District 11. Nancy Pelosi has held the seat in the US House of Representatives since 1987 and her retirement has created the first really competitive race to represent San Francisco in congress for nearly 40 years. KALW's State of the Bay has been inviting the candidates for California's 11th district to come on their show, and help voters get to know what they are running on and for. And we're going to be airing segments of those conversations here on Crosscurrents this month.Today, Saikat Chakrabarti. Chakrabarti started his career in tech here in San Francisco before turning to politics. He worked with Bernie Sanders presidential campaign and later served as campaign manager and chief of staff for Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in New York. He now leads a policy think tank devoted to issues like affordability and a green economy.Chakrabarti spoke to State of the Bay host Grace Won.

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

Last year, the musical “Co-Founders” combined hip hop, art and Bay Area culture in its technologically ground breaking show. “Co-Founders” is the story of two unlikely partners chasing impossible entrepreneurial dreams. And the show went on to sell out of tickets during their run in San Francisco, and now the creators are back — with a real life version of their musical! It's called The “All People Powered Concert & Pitch Competition.” And it's a mix of live music performances and aspiring tech entrepreneurs in a competition of ideas.  And it is happening this Saturday at the Henry J. Kaiser Center in Oakland. KALW's Jeneé Darden, of The Sights and Sounds show, spoke with Ryan and the other creator of the show "Co-Founders," Beau Lewis about their new pitch competition. Here's an excerpt of that interview.

KALW's State of the Bay has been inviting to their show the candidates that want to fill Nancy Pelosi's soon to be vacant Congressional seat. It's an effort to help voters get to know what they are running on and for. And we're going to be airing segments of those conversations here on Crosscurrents this month. Up first, San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan. Chan is a Chinese immigrant that moved to the Bay Area at the age of 13 with her family. She has held multiple positions in San Francisco city government and now represents San Francisco's District one, which includes much of the city's northwest region, which includes the Richmond District, Lone Mountain, parts of Golden Gate Park, Lincoln Park, the University of San Francisco area, Sea Cliff and Presidio Terrace. Here's Supervisor Chan speaking to state of the bay host Grace Won, about why she feels it's the right time for her to move from local to national politics…

April is National Poetry Month and to celebrate in proper style Bay Poets has been exploring the Poetry Center at San Francisco State's amazing archives. Josiah Luis Alderete is the host of KALW's series, Bay Poets. And he has dug up audio of four San Francisco poets/ that have had a deep and lasting impact on shaping this city's literary landscape. We will be presenting them to you throughout the month. Here's KALW News Editor, Sunni Khalid, speaking with Josiah about San Francisco poet, Al Robles.

In the new novel “Off the Books,” a young, Chinese-American woman works an underground job in The Town. She chauffeurs mysterious people to their destinations. No questions asked. But she has a lot of questions for her handsome new client. He needs a ride across the country to transport a huge, black suitcase. What's in the bag is a mystery. “Off the Books” is the debut novel by Soma Mei Sheng Frazier. Soma is the former San Francisco Library Laureate and she's now a creative writing professor at SUNY (State University of New York) at Oswego. KALW's Jenee Darden spoke with Soma about themes of family, grief and romance on “The Sights + Sounds Show.” Here's an excerpt of that interview. 

Food fights aren't new. But in every city, there's a different battleground. In Los Angeles, it's the raging debate over who makes the best French Dip sandwiches – Philippe's or Cole's? In South Philadelphia, it's Pat's versus Geno's for where to get the best cheesesteak. Or in Montreal, where can you get the better bagel – St-Viateur or Fairmount?And in San Francisco? Tensions run high about… Boba. Also known as bubble tea, boba's a hugely popular drink from Taiwan that is usually made of tea, milk, sweeteners, and chewy tapioca balls called “boba” that the drink is named for. For almost 20 years, the feud between two bubble tea shops, Teascape and Bobaland, has torn one San Francisco neighborhood apart. But as KALW's Anna Casalme found out, this heated rivalry… may be starting to cool.

Besides being National Poetry Month, April is also World Autism month, and today we're bringing you the words of Alameda poet Lucien Gonzalez. Lucian describes himself as a non-speaking autistic person. He loves watching NPR Tiny Desk concerts, traveling to new places, and writing poetry. Lucian worked with a KALW producer to create an audio essay weaving together two of his poems. They are voiced by Hussain Khan in this piece from 2024.

April is National Poetry Month, and to celebrate in proper style we're exploring the amazing archives at San Francisco State's Poetry Center. Josiah Luis Alderete is the host of KALW's series, Bay Poets. And he has dug up audio of San Francisco poets that have had a deep and lasting impact on shaping this city's literary landscape.  Here, KALW's Sunni Khalid speaks with Josiah about Alejandro Murgia - and the historical context that led to him becoming San Francisco's first Latino poet Laureate. 

Electricity prices have risen sharply over the past decade. A new, cheap solar power option could cut bills. But it's facing legal challenges. Crosscurrents host Hana Baba sat down with KALW's climate reporter, Mary Catherine O'Connor, to learn more.

If you've ridden Caltrain anywhere between San Francisco and San Jose recently, you might have noticed that those trains have  made the jump to being fully electric. Gone are the days of the loud, lurching—and often smelly—diesel locomotives. And electrifying the 51 miles of railway along the Peninsula was not cheap. It was a multi-billion dollar modernization project. It's also just a small part of a larger, statewide ambition: the California High Speed Rail system.Last year, KALW's transportation reporter, Zain Iqbal went on one of the new trains to see what's changed with electrification.

Last year, KALW's Jenee Darden launched a new show all about arts and culture around the Bay. Now, the Sights and Sounds Show is celebrating its first anniversary! I sat down with Jenee, to hear some highlights from their first year… and a look at what's to come.

The Common Wheel Gallery in Bolinas is asking big questions. About how communities around the world respond to a time of global uncertainty. The exhibit is called “Remembering Our Future,” and it brings together art, storytelling, and the work of fellows from the Omega Resilience Awards hosted by the longtime West Marin nonprofit Common Wheel. Mark Valentine is their chief Strategy Officer of the Omega Resilience Awards. He spoke to KALW's Ethan Elkind on a recent episode of State of the Bay.

Some works of fiction seem to have predetermined where we are now as a society... And where we might be headed. To dive into these questions, KALW recently hosted a live taping of the “Ways of Knowing” podcast. Panelists included two assistant professors from the University of Washington: Anna Price, from the English department and Golden m Owens, from the cinema and media studies department. In this excerpt from that event, KALW's Executive Producer Ben Trefney, who moderated the panel, asked Price and Owens to share a few of the stories that seemed to see into our present. First, Anna Price. 

Where are the women? That's a question a little girl named Maya had. She is the main character in the book "Maya's Big Question." In the story, Maya goes on a field trip to Washington, D.C. and notices that just about all of the monuments and statues pay tribute to men. “Maya's Big Question,” is the fifth book by New York Times bestselling Bay Area author Meena Harris.The main character is named after her mother and policy advocate Maya Harris. Meena's aunt is former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris.  KALW's Jenee Darden spoke with Meena Harris on “The Sights + Show.” Here's an excerpt from that conversation. 

This San Francisco Post Office Is the Only Address Some Residents Have In San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood, there's a unique post office. It's the U.S. Postal Service General Delivery Unit — a mail service where people who don't have a permanent address can pick up mail. For the past decade, it's been a lifeline in a district that's home to 2,000 unhoused residents, allowing them to receive items like ID cards and Social Security checks. We spend an afternoon at General Delivery with reporter Erin Bump.  Erika Oba On Weaving Asian American History Into Her Music  In the 1970s, Asian American jazz artists found inspiration in Black musicians who used music as a tool for social change. They experimented with different styles alongside those musicians. They introduced instruments from their cultures to the genre, like taiko drums and the koto. The result was a new kind of sound, and a reflection of Asian America's emerging political power. Today, the legacy continues. And as KALW's Cara Nguyen discovered, there's a new generation of Asian American jazz musicians like pianist Erika Oba, who are asking what it means to make music that honors this rich history, and speaks to the moment.  A Queer Climate Movement Takes Root Along the Russian River Sonoma County's Russian River has been a destination for queer folks for more than a century. But these days, as a new generation is seeing the impact of climate change on the area, they're doing more than vacationing. KQED climate reporter Ezra David Romero introduces us to a couple getting their hands dirty and creating a refuge for other LGBTQ folks.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cinequest film festival is happening now through March 22nd. One film showing at the fest is ‘Comedy Family Style'. Now, many people would be mortified by the idea of performing stand up with their parents, or their kids for that matter. "Comedy Family Style" is a documentary that tells the story of a San Francisco mother and son duo doing just that. Helen Chu and her 10 year-old son Evan Ho are both stand-up comedians. KALW's Jenee Darden spoke to Helen about her and Evan's act, and their new film, for The Sights and Sounds Show. 

“Andre is an Idiot” is a documentary film about André Ricciardi, a San Francisco man who's dying from colon cancer. It's also a comedy. After he was diagnosed with stage-four colon cancer, Andre asked his friend and director Tony Benna to document his wild end-of-life journey. “Andre is an Idiot” is Tony's first feature film, and it's also a Sundance-award winning film. KALW's Jenee Darden spoke with Tony Benna for “The Sights + Sounds Show.” Here's an excerpt from their conversation.

California Assembly Member Matt Haney represents the 17th district that encompasses much of the eastern side of San Francisco. He serves as Chair of the Committee on Housing and Community Development, the Legislative Renters' Caucus, and the Committee on Downtown Recovery.Recently, Assemblymember Haney joined KALW Executive Producer Ben Trefny at our live event space in Downtown San Francisco, for a wide-ranging discussion about the future. The event was part of KALW's ongoing Bay Agenda series, that connects residents directly with the leaders and changemakers shaping the Bay Area's future.In this excerpt from their conversation we hear Haney respond to a lightning round of Ben's questions — from housing and small business recovery to public safety, neighborhood identity, and the role of civic media in shaping local change.

Reading a Toni Morrison novel is an experience. Her words challenge readers intellectually and emotionally. Morrison died in 2019. Today her body of work is a national treasure and she is a writer students encounter and critically examine as part of their journey in understanding American identity.Harvard English Professor Namwali Serpell breaks down much of the late author's work in her book, “On Morrison.” It also explores Morrison's politics, thoughts on race, her experiences with the media. She spoke to Jenee Darden, host of KALW's sights and Sounds Show, about her book and why she avoided meeting Toni Morrison in person. Here's an excerpt from their conversation

You know that etiquette rule that says when you have company, it's impolite to talk about politics, religion- and money? Well to Sheila Schroeder, money is something we SHOULD be talking about. She is the Bay Area author of It's Time to Talk: A Woman's Guide to Navigating Money Conversations.Recently, KALW invited Shroeder to our live event space at 220 Montgomery. The evening was designed to bring finance down to earth, with practical advice and lived wisdom. KALW's Executive Producer Ben Trefny spoke with Schroeder and asked her about her decades of experience in finance. 

There's a new instructor measuring how well San Francisco's first and second graders can read. Her name is Amira and she's an AI bot.Teachers today are grappling with if and how to use AI in the classroom. When educators in the city went on strike last month, one of their demands was AI safety guards. But AI is already playing an important role in the classroom. KALW's Education reporter, Julia Haney, wanted to understand how Amira works, so she went to see the program in action.

Why is it so hard for people to move from homeless encampments to housing? California spends a lot of money trying to get people off the street — $27 billion since 2019. The state's Encampment Resolution Fund in particular has invested over $700 million into moving people from encampments, to shelter, to permanent housing. There are still thousands of people living on the streets across the state, and in the Bay Area, it can feel like there's little progress to show for it.KALW's homelessness reporter Alastair Boone takes us to Richmond, California to learn more about what it really takes to find permanent housing.