Podcasts about rightnowish

Who will win today's cage match?Welcome to The Smackdown! For the next several weeks Brittany is hosting debates in cities and regions across the United States to find out who and what are the most influential things from those places. This episode Brittany lands in San Francisco, California, the Bay Area, and debates with KQED reporters Pendarvis Harshaw, host of Rightnowish, and Olivia Allen-Price, host of Bay Curious. There will be winners. There will be losers. There will be surprises.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

On this final episode of the Rightnowish podcast, we end back where we started, but with some pretty significant updates. In the fall of 2019, renowned visual artist Timothy B. gave us the first full Rightnowish interview for an episode titled, 'From D-Boys to Dope Art.' During that interview Timothy B. was flanked by his mother Dana Bluitt and his father Timothy Bluitt Sr., as he shared with us his perspective on mural making, community building and his work in Oakland. Now, five years after our last conversation on tape, Timothy B. is a father too. Stepping into parenthood has changed his painting schedule and personal priorities. But still, he remains creative. This week we discuss how Timothy B. has grown and how Oakland has changed. And then Timothy B. gives us some advice on how to deal with major life transitions; advice I needed to hear as we close this Rightnowish podcast series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The dense green woods of Sonoma County's Forestville are home to a two-story music studio and residence that runs on solar energy. Known as The NEST, the terracotta colored building is made completely of wood, clay and cob; and it was created for the purpose of serving Native artists. Ras K'dee, a Pomo-African, hip-hop musician who grew up in the area, is the caretaker of the space but he didn't build it alone. He worked with over 350 people from youth groups to his own family and friends. This week on Rightnowish, we talk about the importance of working together to create spaces for artists to grow and the ins-and-outs of land reclamation in the North Bay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the past 5 years, KQED's Rightnowish podcast spotlighted artists and culture keepers from all over the Bay Area. In doing so, Host Pendarvis Harshaw and producer Marisol Medina-Cadena showed a love for the culture that is unmatched. On July 18, Rightnowish will air its last episode. Today, we sit down with Pen and Marisol to reflect on the rich archive of culture they've built. Episode Transcript This episode was produced by Ellie Prickett-Morgan and Alan Montecillo, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tomas Moniz's novel All Friends Are Necessary explores the profound depths of friendship and the unique ways in which love is expressed. The book is chock-full of remedies for grief, sweet moments between friends, observations about Mother Nature and shoutouts to some key Bay Area landmarks and cultural institutions — all of which we discuss on this week's episode of Rightnowish.  Tomas Moniz will read and sign copies of his new book at Doña (3770 Piedmont Ave., Oakland) on June 13, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. and at Green Apple Books (1231 9th Ave., San Francisco) on June 18, 2024 at 7 p.m. Also, Moniz is a big fan of exchanging letters. He can be reached at P.O. Box 3555, Berkeley, CA, 94703.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jazz and hip-hop are technically two different genres of music, but for bassist and composer Giulio Xavier Cetto, the connection between the two is indivisible. Both genres seamlessly compliment each other as they show up in the music Cetto listens to as, as well as the music he makes. On this week's Rightnowish, San Francisco's own Cetto discusses the story behind his Instagram handle, his favorite Bay Area music venues, and what it's like to lead Big Trippin, a band that features drummer Thomas Pridgen, saxophonist John Palowitch and pianist Javier Santiago.  This story was originally published June 30, 2023 as part of “Liner Notes” a five-part series, about jazz in Bay Area. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During his 12 years with The Golden State Warriors, DJ D Sharp has seen it all — from the team's lowest point to the championship rings. Raised in East Oakland, D Sharp talks Rightnowish host Pendarvis Harshaw about his journey, inspiration and a go-to Warriors song. This episode originally aired May 2, 2024 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Rightnowish we take a little dive into family history and explore the big concerns of the next generation with published poet, educator and youth advocate, Michelle "Mush" Lee.  Lee is the executive director of the well renowned poetry organization, Youth Speaks. The organization boasts a long list of alums who are playwrights and poets, actors and activists. Just two years after its founding in 1996, Youth Speaks launched the annual youth poetry slam, Brave New Voices. This year, the three-day conference that pulls young poets from all corners of the country will be in the nation's capital, Washington D.C., just months before the presidential election. As an organizer, Lee is looking ahead to this year's conference with a clear understanding of why young people's voices are so important right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We love having conversations about culture, identity and place with local change makers and hometown heroes. If you appreciate the work that we do on Rightnowish, please visit https://donate.kqed.org/podcasts to support us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we celebrate Mother's Day, we're taking some time to honor those who have strained relationships with their mothers, are missing their mothers or grew up without their mothers. We're also thinking about the mothers who are missing their children for one reason or another. More than just thinking about them, we're hearing from them. This week we're passing the mic to our friends over at "Ear Hustle", a podcast from PRX's Radiotopia. This special episode highlights the stories of elderly mothers who are incarcerated at California Institution for Women, a prison located in Chino, CA. Their tales of aging behind bars, while yearning for family are gut-wrenching but necessary, for we can't grow as a people unless we understand the plight of those on the margins of society. And when it comes to ensuring that we grow as a people, that's something that mothers know best. Happy Mother's Day from the Rightnowish family! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In her book White Supremacy Is All Around: Notes from a Black Disabled Woman in a White World, Dr. Akilah Cadet brings the reader into her life as a Black woman living with a disability who recognizes that oppressive forces are as constant as her chronic pain. Dr. Cadet talked with the Rightnowish team about racism, ableism and ways one can go about fixing a broken system. 

On this episode of Rightnowish, we're passing the mic to our friends at Immigrantly podcast. Host Saadia Khan and her guests examine traditional narratives Americans hold about immigrants and people of color. Through the process, they carefully unravel the nuance and depth of the immigrant experience. Immigrantly explores the everyday miraculousness of immigrant life, like love, food, faith, friendship and creativity through first-person accounts. Immigrantly's guest for this episode is Meklit Hadero. She is a vocalist, songwriter, composer and former refugee who is known for her innovative Ethio-Jazz vocals and lively stage presence. Her music blends together folk, jazz, Eastern African influences, and what Hadero calls "everyday sounds." She has performed worldwide, and just released a new EP called "Ethio Blue." Her album “When the People Move, the Music Moves Too,” was named among the best records of the year by Bandcamp and the Sunday Times UK. She is a National Geographic Explorer, a TED Senior Fellow, and a former Artist-in-Residence at Harvard University. Hadero is also the co-founder, co-producer, and host of Movement, a podcast, radio series and live show that celebrates songs and stories of immigrant musicians.

As you know, I am always looking for great stories that we can create in-house and share in this space. And when I heard this story, I knew I had to share it with all of you! This episode from the Rightnowish podcast delves into many familiar themes of belonging, assimilation, loss, and finding our whole selves in this society. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Next week, I will be back with Immigrantly's new episode.  This episode is part of the Rightnowish series Pen's Pals. Journalist Pendarvis (Pen) Harshaw spent five weeks talking to people he knows from different areas of his life, who've all spent formative years in the Bay Area but now live outside the United States. In each episode, Pen talks to a guest about what caused them to move, how their perspective has changed, and what they'd say if they could write a letter to folks back home. This episode strays from that format because this guest was born outside the United States and immigrated here. Immigrantly is a weekly podcast that celebrates the extraordinariness of immigrant life. We do this by providing our listeners with authentic, unvarnished insights into the immigrant identity in America. Immigrantly has garnered significant recognition and has been featured in renowned media outlets such as the Nieman Storyboard, The Guardian, The Slowdown, and CNN. Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more information at http://immigrantlypod.com Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!  You can connect with Saadia on Twitter @swkkhan Email: saadia@immigrantlypod.com

Last year I drove over 33,000 miles all around Northern California, constantly pursuing a deeper understanding of this region's culture. And then one day, while sitting in traffic, it hit me: you can tell a lot about our culture by simply looking at the freeways. This week, as we celebrate Rightnowish's 200th episode, I give you a glimpse into the things that I think about while I'm bending corners on Northern California's highways and byways.

Hyphy, the legendary youth culture movement from the Bay. Uptempo music, oversized airbrushed T-shirts, stunna shades and candy painted cars doing donuts in intersections. It was an unbridled, livewire, communal celebration. The people fueled the music, and the music moved the people. But beneath it all? That's where it gets real. Plus, a big story from a little boxer. STORIES Hyphy Kids Got Trauma from KQED This week on Snap, we have a special story to share from our friends at KQED's Rightnowish podcast– it's from host Pendarvis Harshaw's series, Hyphy Kids Got Trauma. In 2006, Pen was 18 going on 19, and he had a front row seat to one of the most notable times in Bay Area hip-hop history– a period often referred to as “the hyphy movement”. It was an era of uptempo-bass-heavy music, oversized airbrushed white t-shirts, candy painted cars and stunna shades. There was exuberant dancing, extravagant slang, and goofy party antics. While there was a lot of partying and celebration, there was also a lot of pain. That year Oakland saw its second highest annual homicide total ever. Pen experienced all the highs and lows back then, but feels like the full story of the culture didn't get told, until now when he brings us into the real meaning of “hyphy.” This story contains explicit language, mention of drug use, and violence. Sensitive listeners please be advised. BIG thanks to KQED and the whole Rightnowish team who shared this incredible story with us! Listen to the Hyphy Kids Got Trauma four part series on Rightnowish - wherever you get your podcasts! Hosted by Pendarvis Harshaw, produced by Maya Cueva, edited by Chris Hambrick, sound designed and mixed by Trackademics. With support from Eric Arnold, Jen Chien, Holly Kernan, Victoria Mauleon, Marisol Medina-Cadena, Gabe Meline, Xorje Olivares, Delency Parham, Cesar Saldaña, Sayre Quevedo, Katie Sprenger, Nastia Voynovskaya, and Ryce Stoughtenborough. The Little Boxer It's the 1950s in San Francisco. After getting beat one time too many, little Gus Lee decides to fight back. A big thanks to Gus Lee. This story comes from his novel, “China Boy,” based on his childhood. Lee is a courage-based leadership trainer and consultant. He's now completing his eighth book, "Courage Is a Verb." Produced by Liz Mak, original score by Renzo Gorrio Engineering by Pat Mesiti-Miller, illustration by Teo Ducot Season 15 - Episode 3

Today, we're sharing an episode from our colleagues at KQED's Rightnowish. Host Pendarvis Harshaw talks to Oakland filmmaker, organizer and MC, Boots Riley. They talk about his latest T.V show, I'm a Virgo, participating in the Writers Guild of America Strike, and the ways he believes the media has failed in its coverage of violence in Oakland.  This episode originally aired on Jan.4, 2024.

On August 11, 1973, hip-hop was born at a house party in the Bronx. 50 years later the genre has been reshaped in the image of cities and regions around the world. Brittany is joined by KQED's Pendarvis Harshaw to do a deep dive into one hip-hop scene from the Bay Area known as hyphy. They unpack how the loud, brash, hyperactive music helped a community grieve. To hear more of Pendarvis Harshaw's reporting on this Bay Area music scene, check out the Rightnowish series: Hyphy Kids Got Trauma.

As an anxious, homeschooled kid, Mychal Threets found a haven in his local public library. Now he's a librarian in Fairfield, and he's recently become famous for talking about his passion for books and libraries on TikTok. In this episode we're re-running from Rightnowish, host Pendarvis Harshaw and producer Marisol Medina-Cadena talk to Threets.

This week on Rightnowish, we talk to librarian Mychal Threets about what it's like to be a social media star and how the public library system is a place for all.

Two of the biggest songs to come out of the Bay Area's hip hop scene – Too Short's “Blow The Whistle” and E-40's “Tell Me When To Go” – dropped in 2006. That year turned out to be a pivotal one as hyphy captured audiences nationwide with its uptempo beats, flashy fashion and distinctive dance styles. But in its place of origin, the Bay Area, people were dealing with the turmoil of displacement, economic uncertainty and friends dying in the streets. KQED's Pendarvis Harshaw joins us to talk about the context, complexities and contradictions of the music and the era that he explored through a new Rightnowish podcast series called Hyphy Kids Got Trauma. Guests: Rich Iyala, Bay Area musician who coined the phrase, "Hyphy Kids Got Trauma" D-Ray, Oakland-based hip hop photographer Pendarvis "Pen" Harshaw, columnist, KQED Arts; host, KQED's "Rightnowish" podcast

Born and raised in Oakland, Helixir Jynder Byntwell did drag as a hobby until August 2022. That's when they quit their job, won the SF Drag King of the Year competition, and became a professional king, all in the span of a week. Since then, they've joined the Rebel Kings of Oakland, a performance troupe based at the White Horse Bar. They've also participated in several well-attended performances in New York and in the Bay Area, most recently at the Castro Street Fair. Byntwell's performances are always fun, always flamboyant, and more often than not, very emo. On this episode of Rightnowish, they describe their perception of queer joy, and how it feels to exist uninhibited.

Hyphy Kids Got Trauma is an exploration of a transformative year in Bay Area music history, 2006, through the eyes and ears of Pendarvis Harshaw. A college student and burgeoning journalist at the time, Pendarvis navigates the shifting tides of a culture in transition, all set to the seminal sounds of the Bay Area's “Hyphy Movement.” an era fueled by uptempo, bass-heavy songs with a free and fun-loving vibe. But 2006 also marked the second highest homicide total Oakland has ever seen. The violence was compounded by drugs, over-policing, the onset of gentrification, and the ongoing War On Terror. The wounds that occurred almost twenty years ago still impact the adults of the Bay Area today. Hyphy kids got trauma, and this is why. Listen to the whole series today on Rightnowish.

Rightnowish Presents 'Hyphy Kids Got Trauma' - A four part exploration of a transformative year in Bay Area music history, 2006, through the eyes and ears of Pendarvis Harshaw. As a college student and burgeoning journalist at the time, Pendarvis navigates the shifting tides of a culture in transition, all set to the seminal sounds of the Bay Area's “Hyphy Movement.” It was an era fueled by uptempo, bass-heavy songs with a free and fun-loving vibe. But 2006 also marked the second highest homicide total that the city of Oakland has ever seen. The violence was compounded by drugs, over-policing, the onset of gentrification, and the ongoing War On Terror. The wounds that occurred almost twenty years ago still impact the adults of the Bay Area today. Hyphy kids got trauma, and this is why.  The 1st episode airs September 21st!

Hey Rightnowish listeners, today we've got a special bonus episode to share with you. It's from our friends at Ritually, a new podcast, from Brazen Media hosted by London-based journalist Nelufar Hedayat. She's reported about all sorts of things — human trafficking, the war in Afghanistan (where she was born), the climate crisis and more. Now, she's looking inward, and trying to answer some big questions that came up for her during the early days of the pandemic. What does spirituality look like, when you think of yourself as a secular person? What role do rituals play in our fast-paced world? And how can we use them to help make our lives feel calmer, richer, and more balanced?  In her podcast, Nelufar tries out new spiritual or wellness rituals to find out if practicing them can actually make us feel better. In this episode, she digs into a ritual that's at the centre of her religion: the daily call to prayer. But as a progressive Muslim woman, she struggles with patriarchal interpretations of Islam, and the constraints of organized religion. So with the help of feminist spiritual practitioner, Nelufar tries following a new version of the call to prayer. And it's different — radical, actually! — because it's in a woman's voice. 

What began as a personal quest to get out of this rut (or flop era as the chronically online people say) that I was experiencing, quickly developed into my focal point for work. So, I enlisted the help of my podcast department colleagues to help me figure out how I would translate this self help journey for our Rightnowish podcast. I know this was my idea but still... I was lowkey nervous about stepping into the limelight as the host, airing out personal woes of not feeling my best self, feeling like a ghost of myself (if I'm being totally honest). Turns out, that the dedicated time to focus on this theme of adornment for work was a befitting experiment. It allowed me to bring my full self to work and not have to hide the truth that I was feeling so crummy about myself. With the goal of learning new tools to work myself out of this self loathing pit, I set out to interview Bay Area creatives/business owners who specialized in different forms of adornment: fragrance, flower arrangements, colorful clothing and custom jewelry. Learning to view these forms of decorations as rituals has been a game changer for me. I now realize getting ready doesn't have to be about centering opulence, it can be about taking care of myself and setting intentions for the day or for the experience I want to manifest. I hope this series has been enjoyable for you as much as it has for me. To celebrate the end of this series, we leave you with a conversation between producer Xorje Olivares and I about the journey of making 'Adorned'

Jewelry designer and brand creator of Wyphys, Chelsea Macalino-Calalay exudes fierceness, but also serenity. Rocking bleached brows that match her shag-mullet, a crystal blue gem on her canine tooth, delicate rings, and a thick gold chain, heart pendant choker, that was inherited from her auntie, Macalino-Calalay's style is all encompassing. If her style and brand aesthetic was personified in a doll, it'd be more akin to Bratz then Barbie, because her custom jewelry pieces are about making statements, not meant to take the backseat to the wardrobe.  Macalino-Calalay cites her strong sense of style to her fashion-forward family who migrated from the Philippines to San Francisco's SOMA neighborhood in the 1970s. Maintaining a relationship to the homeland is also a big part of Macalino-Calalay's craft and reflected in her Whyphys jewelry. Take her recent collection, Palengke, named after the wet markets in the Philippines. The beaded earrings and charm necklaces pay tribute to the ingredients and foods she'd see while visiting. One pair of dangly earrings is made up of peach quartz, a green glass bead, and dalmatian jasper to replicate the layered, multi-colored rice cake snack sapin-sapin.  Macalino-Calalay's gold plated Wyphys jewelry is colorful, spunky, and perfectly suited for all the occasions -- stunting at the workplace, hanging with the homies, even hittin' up the skateparks. Macalino-Calalay actually beta tests the durability of her bling by skating with it, because as she says, she makes accessories for the “sweaty girlies” and “active people” who don't sacrifice comfort for fashion. On this week's episode of Rightnowish, Chelsea Macalino-Calalay talks about adornment with bling, the historical significance of gold for Pinoy folks, and how her Wyphy creations are a celebration of friendship, queerness and the hyphy state of mind. 

The dahlia is San Francisco's official flower and it's also a favorite for the Excelsior raised floral designer, Jessica Alicia Cotrim. Her love for San Francisco and her neighborhood is on full display when you walk into her cozy shop, Beija Flor Flower Gallery. Between the hanging dried roses, there's Muni inspired artwork and pieces flaunting the 415 area code. The register table is adorned with hella stickers promoting local businesses and creatives.  Besides repping her San Francisco pride, Cotrim's store honors her Brazilian and Salvadoran roots. When the words “beija” and “flor” are paired together in Brazilian Portuguese, it translates to hummingbird. Cotrim says the symbolism of the hummingbird in Salvadoran and other Latino cultures represents the spirits of loved ones that have passed on. In this way, her business Beija Flor honors her family's lineage that shaped her craftsmanship and work ethic. When creating custom bouquets Cotrim seeks to match customers' energy and desires with flowers and she does that by tapping into her ancestral intuition to bring forth healing floral experiences.  On this episode of Rightnowish, Jessica Alicia Cotrim talks to me about the ways flowers can promote wellness and how we can cultivate our intuition with the help of our flower friends. 

When Sophia Mitty first started to sew, she was making it work from her bedroom. She'd place a wooden board on top of her bed as a makeshift table in order to cut out patterns. Nowadays, Mitty has her own work space to really spread out and create. Located in South San Francisco, her studio complete with heavy duty industrial sewing machines, affectionately dubbed “Sew City” (or “The Stu” for short) is a playground of color. In foggy frisco, where gray skies are plentiful, Mitty's colorful hand-dyed and painted garments pop. Her line of denim jackets and utility pants for femmes offer classic and clean silhouettes with a funky twist. They come in shades like tangerine, cherry red, kiwi green, even earthy pigments like rust. Marbled patterns are options too. “I use clothing as therapy, as a way to set the mood of the day. It's the easiest way to change your everyday life or make some kind of difference.” On this episode of Rightnowish, clothing maker Sophia Mitty talks about stitching her pride for the 415, how color therapy influences her wardrobe, and why leaning into goofiness can help us dress for joy.

The Bay Area is home to enchanting ecosystems. For starters, we have sand dunes, golden grassland hills, redwood forests, and the pacific coast. Whenever I get a waft of the marine fog or the cool Bay breeze, I feel cleansed. Now imagine being able to take in that smell whenever or wherever you are. That's precisely what the fragrance, Memoria, by Mauricio Garicia conjures.  The perfumer's fascination with fragrance began in his abuelita's garden. In foggy South San Francisco, her small backyard was an oasis of potted plants and greenery growing off trellises. “I remember crushing the rosemary with my fingers and the pericón, the grandmother mint, and the jasmine,” reflects Mauricio Garica. “My grandmother really loved flowers, especially fragrant ones. I certainly inherited that love from her.”  With this ancestral inheritance and a deep reverence for plants native to Mexico as well as ecology of the Bay Area, Garcia's boutique perfume line, Herbcraft Perfumery, honors the sacredness of the natural world. It's why he refers to his perfumes as eau d'esprit, or spirit waters.  These spirit waters are intended as offerings — to anoint ones wrist or neck as well as for filling the air in ones living space, especially around altars, mirrors and candles. In this way, Garcia believes his fragrances help facilitate connection with the spirit world and ancestors.   On this episode of Rightnowish, Mauricio Garcia poetically breaks down the science of why scent is tied to memory and how the ritual of adorning our bodies with fragrance can empower and enchant. 

On today's show we're passing the microphone to Dr. Felicia Gangloff- Bailey and Karega Bailey, hosts of the SOL Affirmations podcast. Karega and Felicia are both educators, and members of the R&B-soul-hip-hop band SOL Development. They're also a married couple who've navigated the harsh realities of losing loved ones to gun violence, as well as the unfortunate passing of their first child, who was just a newborn, as they've previously discussed on Rightnowish.  In this episode, Felicia and Karega talk about taking a recent trip with their two year-old, Kamali, and realizing how much their child has grown. With that growth, there is both beauty and struggle. Through reflecting on the experience, they share how it stands as an ever-important reminder to be present because no matter what you're going through-- good or bad-- this too shall pass.  

One of the biggest stories in hip-hop right now is set to play out in a courtroom later this year, when Atlanta rapper Young Thug goes on trial for gang-related activities. One of the key pieces of evidence cited in the indictment are his lyrics. The phenomenon of rap songs being played in court dates back to the early '90s, with an early example happening in the Bay Area during the trial of one of the region's most famous rappers, Vallejo's own Mac Dre. There's a lot of lore around Mac Dre's trial, so as part of That's My Word, KQED's yearlong project on Bay Area hip-hop history, reporter Jessica Kariisa set out to discover what really happened. Plus, there's all kinds of slang that comes out of hip hop, but that doesn't mean we're always using it the right way. Pendarvis Harshaw, host of the KQED podcast Rightnowish, has some opinions about how to use “slap.”

Dimming one's light in the face of haters is not something Lidia Rodriguez knows how to do. Whenever she gets comments from guys about her size or gender, the baritone player is quick to clap back with a joke and prove them wrong. "When I'm playing my bari sax, I feel huge. I feel powerful. I feel seven feet tall. I feel like no one could tell me s**t. Like I feel so good about myself. " Lidia Rodriguez is a musical force performing and recording across genre. She gets down playing cumbia with La Misa Negra, rocks stages with electronic group Madame Gandhi, and even goes dumb while performing with the Golden State Warriors brass band, the Bay Blue Notes. Growing up in Mudville a.k.a Stockton, and later attending San Jose State, Lidia says she is a product of public music education. Now, as an educator herself, teaching bilingual music lessons, Lidia is not only training the next generation of musicians but also nurturing students to be self compassionate and authentically themselves. On this week's Rightnowish, Lidia Rodriguez talks about the power of showing up as her full self (a queer and Latina saxophonist) in music spaces and her mission to spread the power of "peace, love and sax."

Welcome to the first episode of Liner Notes, the Rightnowish podcast series all about jazz in the Bay Area. We're starting this off with a conversation with someone who has a wealth of knowledge, especially when it comes to jazz, Greg Bridges. As a journalist and longtime radio host at Bay Area radio stations KCSM and KPFA, Greg is steeped in Bay Area jazz history. As a reoccurring host of events like the San Jose Jazz Festival, he also has his finger on the current pulse of the culture.

This episode originally aired on April 22, 2022 . Terisa Siagatonu's poetry navigates climate change and its impact on marginalized communities from the lens of someone who was proudly raised in San Francisco, by a family with deep Samoan roots. In our conversation, Terisa looks back at January 2022's underwater eruption that caused massive tsunamis in Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and other nations in Oceania. Initially, the disaster made headlines and relief efforts filled social media feeds, but Terisa questions what sustained care looks like for those impacted by a changing global climate. This week on Rightnowish, Terisa Siagatonu discusses climate justice and how she "languages" her experience.  

In Santa Clara County, the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band is fighting for one of their most sacred sites, known as Juristac. Beginning In the late 1700s, Spanish colonizers forcibly removed the tribe from Juristac, and currently, the land is owned by a private firm that has proposed a plan to develop a mine onsite.  For the last 7 years, the tribal band, with support from many residents and local officials, has organized to block the project. They want the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to deny the mining permit from being approved.  In this episode from Rightnowish's “From the Soil” series, producer Marisol Medina-Cadena, speaks to Valentin Lopez, Chairman of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band.  Episode transcript This episode originally aired on Feb. 9   

This piece was originally a part of Rightnowish's 2021 series, Roll With Us, all about the Bay Area's community and culture on wheels. Every Sunday San Francisco's Richard Humphrey teaches weekly roller dance classes in San Leandro; his students have the honor of learning from someone who has been on quad skates for five decades. From 1979 to 1988, Richard was a part of the Golden Rollers, a trio of skaters who regularly performed in Golden Gate Park. By now, Richard has taught thousands of people his signature skating style of "roller dance" (even Dr. Oz) through in-person classes and video tutorials. After noticing the rise of skating's popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, Richard wanted to make sure folks knew that skating has a deep-seated culture with a history that pre-dates the internet, and moves that sparkled on the rink long before most viral stars were born. This week on Rightnowish, we roll into Memorial Day weekend-- the unofficial start of summer-- with the legendary Richard Humphrey.

Imagine opening a letter from yourself as a high school student, addressed to the current version of you. 10, 15, or even 30 years ago, what did you care about? What were you curious about? Did you have fears about the world? goals of being a lawyer or a ball player? boy bands you wanted to see in concert? friendships that you hoped would last forever? Do you even remember the high school version of you? On this week's episode of Rightnowish, we combine forces with students from Oakland's Fremont High School, as they share letters to their future selves for KQED's annual Youth Takeover Week.

This week on Rightnowish we've got a special episode from our friends at KQED's The California Report Magazine. They've launched a new series called MIXED: Stories of Mixed Race Californians.  Over 7 episodes, the hosts Sasha Khokha and Marisa Lagos have honest conversations with other mixed race Californians about the challenges and joys of being multi racial. 

Northern California is this beautiful piece of land where high mountains, deep valleys, and cold beaches can bring about a sense of peace. At the same time, the people who live here are constantly debating the land itself. So over the past five weeks we decided to focus on stories broadly about life and land in Northern California, as a part of our From The Soil series. More specifically, we honed in on what people from communities directly impacted by climate change, polluted soil and the privatization of land are doing to right the wrongs of this piece of earth we call home. After racking up over 1,000 miles reporting these audio stories, for the final episode in this series, Rightnowish producer Marisol Medina-Cadena and Rightnowish host Pendarvis Harshaw take a minute to sit down and discuss the behind-the-scenes of making the series. From herds of elk grazing near the 101 south bypass to the prevalence of people walking on freeways, this land tells so many stories, so we figured we'd share a few more with you all.

Today we're getting a little outside the Bay Area because we're headed to Folsom, just east of Sacramento. There, you'll find a state park whose name caught the attention of Pendarvis Harshaw, host of KQED's Rightnowish podcast. On a stretch of shoreline, where the northern end of Lake Natoma meets the American River, is Black Miners Bar. Before June 2022 this spot was called by a different name: Negro Bar. This week on Bay Curious, we're featuring an episode of Rightnowish from their series on land in Northern California, 'From the Soil.' Additional Reading: From the Soil: Unfolding the Story of Black Miners Bar Read a transcript of this episode Sign up for our email newsletter This story originally aired on Rightnowish, whose team includes Pendarvis Harshaw, Marisol Medina-Cadena, Chris Hambrick, Ceil Muller and Ryce Stoughtenborough. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Brendan Willard and Katherine Monahan.

Originally from The Bronx, New York, Dave “Davey D” Cook was there when this thing we call hip-hop was in its nascent form, before it even had a name. When he arrived in the Bay Area in the early '80s, one of his missions as a UC Berkeley student was to lend some insight to this burgeoning culture. So he put on a few events, one of which was The Day in Hip-Hop on Oct. 24, 1984. Rightnowish host Pendarvis Harshaw looks back on that day with Davey D, and traces how far hip hop has come since — in the Bay Area and beyond.   This episode of Rightnowish first published on Feb. 1, 2023. It's part of That's My Word, KQED's year-long exploration of Bay Area hip-hop history, with new content dropping all throughout 2023.

If you're going to use Bay Area slang, use it right. "Slap" is a term used in this region since the early 2000s to describe the sound of music laden with hard-hitting 808 drum machine beats and heavy bass lines. It's not a word to describe a quality sandwich. While language, especially slang, is full of words with multiple meanings, many folks from the soil have been on a mission to set the record straight on how the lingo should be used. This week on Rightnowish, we're diving deep into the etymology of the term and clarifying how it's best applied. This piece was originally published as a written article in January 2022, you can find that by clicking here.

It seems like LarrenWong can do a little bit of everything. He's a former linebacker who played football at James Logan High School and Northwestern University, before signing a professional contract with the Seattle Seahawks. He's an avid reader, student of art history and a talented painter. He's a rising R&B star who sings, writes and plays the guitar; earlier this year he dropped a quality album titled, Songs That I Hate To Sing. Raised in Union City where he was exposed to different cultures, competitive athletes and creative individuals, Larren says his earliest musical influence came from inside of own his home. His grandfather, Mr. B (Butler Wong), was a former member of the New York Philharmonic and one of Larren's first musical instructors. Larren took those lessons and built on them. He learned to play the guitar and write music. After stepping away from his football career, Larren jumped full-time into music and he's been making waves ever since. His work is spreading. Earlier this year Larren was invited to perform the song "Mama" off his latest project for the web-based musical performance series, COLORS Studios. And this week Larren sits down with the Rightnowish team to discuss it all.

Filmmaker Maria Victoria Ponce was raised in Richmond, CA. She's mastered the art of telling stories that speak to her individual experience of coming up there, as well as the awkwardness that's universally found in the process of growing up– no matter where you're from. Recently, she invited Rightnowish host Pendarvis Harshaw and producer Marisol Medina-Cadena to stop by and see the family photos that inspire her coming of age films. They discussed the inspiration for her films and what it means to rep Richmond's Latino community. A 2022 Ranin Fellow, Maria says she now has the resources to tell more stories about Richmond, and plans to expand to other genres, including drama and horror.  Watch her film Ruda. Read the transcript

This week on Rightnowish, we're sharing an episode from our friends at KQED's Mindshift Podcast. It's all about new approaches to raising and educating children. I didn't have my first Black teacher until 7th grade, and only one after that until college. When I became a teacher, that's when it clicked: representation matters, as does exposure to a diverse set of life experiences. In this episode, Mindshift host Nimah Gobir, speaks to Micia Mosely, founder and director of the Black Teacher Project (BTP). They talk about the need for Black teachers in the classroom—not just for Black students—but for all of society. 

Today we're passing the mic to a group that's doing some substantive work, both in the community and in the media. The Hella Black Podcast, hosted by Delency Parham and Abbas Muntaqim, is a show focused on movements toward Black liberation. Right now the Hella Black Podcast is running a unique series called Tales Of The Town. It's produced by former Rightnowish guest and award winning filmmaker, Maya Cueva. Over the course of 12 weeks, Tales of The Town is looking back at historical movements for Black liberation in Oakland, and diving into current efforts as well. On top of that, they're making sure to note the arts and culture that has, and continues to fuel movements. So this week, we're featuring episode number four from the Tales of The Town series. This episode dives into the history of West Oakland's 7th Street, once a main thoroughfare for Black artists– home to jazz clubs and show venues where folks like Aretha Franklin would perform. That is, until eminent domain brought about BART train tracks and a freeway that ran right through the community, ultimately causing many businesses to close. A blow to the neighborhood that still lingers to this day. Abbas and Delency talk about that and more on this episode.

The roots of Día de los Muertos celebrations in San Francisco can be traced back to 1972, when a collective of Chicano artists formed the first day of the dead show not only in California but the entire West Coast. The collective opened up their own gallery; Galeria La Raza. Inspired by a film that showcased the massive day of the dead altars in Oaxaca, Mexico, Rene Yañez and Ralph Maradiaga set up their own altar outside Galeria la Raza, laying down the foundation for a much larger celebration that would include altars, exhibits, films. In 1981 Rene Yañez organized the first Day of the Dead procession.  Rio Yañez, the son of Rene Yañez, joins Rightnowish in conversation with Marisol Medina-Cadena. They talk about family legacy, tradition, and commemorating our loved ones.  Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts.

October 25, 2022 marks the third anniversary of the launch of the Rightnowish podcast! This week, we're revisiting an episode that's emblematic of this show's ethos. In July of 2021 we published an episode featuring Alameda's own producer and DJ, Trackademicks. Known as the “cool collar scholar” from the HNRL collective, Trackademicks is a music producer who makes original songs and has a knack for remixing popular tracks, and adding that Bay Area flavor. In the early 2000s, his "Tell Me When To Go" remix cemented his name in the Bay Area musical history books. When we talked last year, we discussed the history of Hyphy music and how he, as a Black and Filipino person, sees remixing as a part of his DNA. Since then, he's DJ'd at functions in LA, and he's produced more music including some forthcoming remix projects, like this mashup of Janet Jackson and Andre 3000. Check it out. Annnnndddddd…Trackademicks has recently gotten married! Congrats to him and his partner! Read the Transcript If you enjoy Rightnowish, consider donating to KQED podcasts for more great content!

There's a lot going on in the world. On top of the constant grind that capitalism demands, there's news of natural disasters, inflation, war and conflicts. And that's in addition to the interpersonal issues we all face. We could use a little more laughter in our lives. So last month, Rightnowish held an event called, Put Your Phone Down! A Rightnowish Comedy Night at KQED's headquarters in San Francisco. Hosted by Pendarvis Harshaw and Rightnowish producer Marisol Medina-Cadena, the evening consisted of a quick Q&A and an open mic segment where audience members came up and cracked some jokes. After the ice was broken and the punchlines were rollin ', three talented local comedians– Mike Evans Jr., Jackie Keliiaa, and Dara M. Wilson, stepped on the stage, one at a time, to headline the event. In this week's episode, we share a bit of that night. Read the transcript here. Check out a video of the full event here.

On Rightnowish, we feature a lot of stories about art that's here today, gone tomorrow—and we wanted to find art that lasts forever. So, we turned to tattoos. Permanent Behavior, our four-part series on tattooing in the Bay, kicks off this week. In these stories, we dive into the permanence of ink, as it resides on impermanent beings. We hear from the creators of the tattoos—the artists behind the needles—all of whom come from a unique mixture of crews, cultures and countries of origin. The artwork, as well as the stories behind the art, are unlike anything you'll see (or hear) anywhere else.    Help make Rightnowish better — take our survey!

The Rightnowish team is working on some new and exciting projects — but first, we want to hear from YOU. Do you listen to the show? What do you want to hear more of? What's missing? By filling out a quick survey, you can help shape the future of Rightnowish. Check it out: https://bit.ly/3C4MRzt

This week on Rightnowish, we're passing the microphone to the team at The Stoop podcast. In this episode, hosts Leila Day and Hana Baba introduce us to folks practicing healthy alternatives to monogamy, including author and educator Kevin Patterson, who describes his polyamory as "relationship anarchy." "Every person that I meet, our relationship just sort of forms naturally," he says. "I don't try to put anybody in one box or another if that's not what suits this person."   Writer Crystal Byrd Farmer identifies as being solo polyamorous.  "Solo poly means that I'm not entwined with another person, so I'm not living with them, I'm not sharing finances with somebody, I'm not doing child care responsibilities with somebody else. I'm kind of my own person. I still have romantic and sexual relationships with multiple people, but it's really like I'm in my own house and do my own thing," she says.  And Intro, Ambi and Ex — the triad from the podcast Bloc'd — share their perspectives on polyamory, sexual identity and impending parenthood. "I just had a feeling that if we got together, we would be able to figure out the rest," says Ex. What you're going to hear originally aired on The Stoop in 2021 but it's always a good time to talk about the many manifestations of love.

In Indigenous protocol, we're beginning this week's episode honoring the original stewards of this land that many of us in Frisco now occupy — the ancestral homeland of the Ramaytush Ohlone. Now, let's take a trip down Valencia Street to La Misión. The neighborhood is home to not one, but two rich cultural districts. Calle 24 Latino Cultural District was first established in 1999. More recently, in 2020, it was joined by the American Indian Cultural District — a home base for the Urban Native community. Its aim is to uplift the culture, history, and continuing contributions of American Indians in San Francisco and beyond. On this week's Rightnowish, we introduce you to some of the people behind this cultural district that's the first of its kind in the Golden State. Mary Travis-Allen (Mayagna, Chortega, Seneca) is the President of the District's Advisory Board and recalls memories of "Little Rez" along 16th Street. Debbie Santiago (Washoe, Osage) and her mother, Alberta Snyder (Washoe) share their memories about the SFUSD's Indian Education Program that ran out of the American Indian Cultural Center on Valencia Street in the 70s and 80s. Karen Waukazoo (Lakota) remembers her late mother and local hero, Helen Waukazoo, who co-founded Friendship House, the oldest social service organization in the United States run by and for American Indians. Last but not least, we venture to the waterfront at Fort Mason to talk with Sharaya Souza (Taos Pueblo, Ute, Kiowa), the Executive Director of the American Indian Cultural District about the legacy of the Alcatraz occupation.  There are so many Native stories alive in La Misión — we hope this is just the start to more of us hearing about them.

There's a dream of the Bay Area as a place of liberation: queer liberation, Black liberation, trans liberation, liberation for all. It's a reputation that has pulled young people to the Bay Area for decades. But when Corey Antonio Rose moved to San Francisco from Jacksonville Florida in 2021 and searched for places that would embrace a young, gay Black man like himself, he was disappointed. In a series for the KQED podcast RightNowish, he looked at the history of those spaces in the Bay Area and the role of anti-blackness in the Bay Area's queer community. We'll talk with Rose about whether the Bay Area fails to live up to its reputation as a queer haven and how to find spaces that foster community and belonging. Guests: Corey Antonio Rose, producer and host of "Searching for a Kiki," a three-part series on the KQED podcast Rightnowish, KQED. Victoria Kirby York, deputy executive director, National Black Justice Coalition - a civil rights organization dedicated to the empowerment of Black LGBTQ+ people and co-sponsor of the Lavender Book, a directory of safe spaces. Don Romesburg, professor, Sonoma State University - whose expertise includes sexuality and gender in U.S. history, childhood and adolescence, transgender studies, race and sexuality, and queer performance and popular culture.

Nenna Joiner owns Feelmore, a queer-friendly sex toy shop with locations in Berkeley and Oakland. Noticing the lack of Black queer spaces beyond the monthly “RnB nights” at many local clubs, they decided to open the Feelmore Social Club in Downtown Oakland, a bar slated to open in 2022. “This energy that they feel in Feelmore is akin to the energy that they're going to feel here,” Joiner assures, “We want to be open a long time.” Joiner speaks about re-imagining the Black queer space, and the role of the Black queer dollar in the community. This series was produced and reported by Corey Antonio Rose. For more information, visit Rightnowish.

The rich LGBT history of the Tenderloin goes back farther than any bricks thrown at Stonewall, and Transgender Cultural District President and Chief Strategist Aria Sa'id makes it her job to preserve that history. Her work in securing tenant protections, workforce development, arts and cultural heritage preservation, and cultural competency for the residents of the historic Tenderloin neighborhood has taken the idea of ‘safe space' beyond the bars and into our daily lives. Sa'id speaks with us about what makes a space ‘safe,' and the effect that empowering the most vulnerable within a community has on the rest of us. This series was produced and reported by Corey Antonio Rose. For more information, visit Rightnowish.

When Rodney Barnette first moved to San Francisco in 1969, he noticed that “it wasn't all rah rah gay capital of the world.” His experiences with racism in San Francisco's historic gay community led him to open the New Eagle Creek Saloon, the city's first Black-owned gay bar, in 1990. Over 30 years later, Barnette speaks about why Black-affirming queer spaces are still needed, and what he took away from his experience operating one. This series was produced and reported by Corey Antonio Rose. For more information, visit Rightnowish.

Friendships can be hard for anyone. As an adult you need to navigate staying in contact with old friends, getting past the awkward early stage of new friends, and deciding if certain friendships are healthy or unhealthy. This doesn't even touch on time constraints, and the difficulty of hangs since the beginning of the pandemic. But maybe we make friendships harder than they have to be? This week on Rightnowish, we're making new friends! This is a special crossover episode with YR Media's Adult ISH podcast. After spending a day riding around with Adult ISH host Nyge Turner's hometown of Richmond, we jump into a conversation about how some friendships are as old as our collection of basketball shorts, while new friendships are hidden behind different social barriers of adulthood. We hope you enjoy, friend.

In this special crossover episode of Adult ISH, the team is joining forces with KQED's “Rightnowish” podcast. Together, we're figuring out our collective ISH. Pendarvis Harshaw is the host of “Rightnowish,” an arts and culture columnist at KQED in Northern California, and a YR alum. He's also the author of “OG Told Me,” a memoir about his experiences growing up in Oakland and learning from community elders.  Before this episode, host Nyge Turner and Pendarvis had only met once. They never got a chance to truly connect. But it turns out the two have a lot in common. Something that's been on both of their minds lately is friendships, specifically their evolution over time. This week, tune in to their unscripted conversation on this subject for double the host power, and double the advice.  Adult ISH is produced by YR Media and brought to you by PRX's Radiotopia.

Babette Thomas is searching for artistic Black utopias. Thomas is the host of the latest season of SFMOMA's Raw Material podcast. In their series, "Visions of Black Futurity," they look at representation, identity and different historical through-lines in Black Art. Woven into the podcast is the story of curator Evangeline "EJ" Montgomery, a major player in the Black Arts scene. And EJ began her storied career in the 60s, right here in California, creating influential exhibits in the East Bay. This week on Rightnowish, we're featuring an episode that also dives into the stories of the famed Sci-Fi author Octavia Butler, landscape painter Richard Mayhew, and local visual artist Sydney Cain aka Sage Stargate (who has also been featured on Rightnowish). Throughout, Thomas hones in on the question, “Where will we host our Black art spaces of the future?” Listen to the full series on the "Raw Material" page.

It's been an intense few weeks. And we believe that all of us deserve to take a break and take care of ourselves. So in the spirit of that, we're going to play an episode to help keep us all going despite all that's happening in the world. In this episode of Rightnowish, host Pendarvis Harshaw speaks with AB Banks, in the first of a four-part series called Big Love. Banks works with the People's Programs in Oakland, serving unhoused people through clinics and food donations. Banks is also deep in the practice of meditation, and recently launched a series of meditative videos called Mad Chill. AB and Pendarvis talk about love as a communal act, confidence, and how self-love can be revolutionary. 

In Episode 4 of Visions of Black Futurity, Babette shares an update on their search for Evangeline. Plus, we hear two episodes of Rightnowish hosted by Pendarvis Harshaw, exploring what it looks like to build liberated Black spaces in the Bay Area. Featured: Deanna Van Buren, Pendarvis Harshaw, Tajai Massey, Evangeline Montgomery, and Babette Thomas. Cover art: Evangeline's Garden by Jeanna Penn @jinamae

As a cancer survivor, Caroline Chung tells me expressing herself through music has been healing. But it's not always smooth sailing. Chung says she's been overlooked for gigs simply because of her identity-- an Asian woman who plays the upright bass. "Hey, I'm a female jazz bassist," says Chung. "It's like nobody really cares, because it's the ‘boys club'."  Despite this, Chung has found collaborators in people poets and other jazz musicians. After releasing two(FC) projects last year, Chung is gearing up for another push in 2022-- starting with this weekend's show at SF Jazz. But before you see her in performance or check out her music, I invite you to get a little more of her story... Rightnowish.

Pendarvis Harshaw, host of the KQED Arts podcast Rightnowish, joins us to talk about some of his favorite episodes of the year. We'll also hear about his editorial philosophy and get his insider take on the history of the hyphy movement in hip hop.

This country is extremely divided, always has been. When you combine the issues of racism, sexism and other isms that have plagued us for ages and mix in the division that's risen over this drawn out pandemic, you could see why some people might feel comfortable and complacent in their silos. But let's do something about it. I'm asking you to get out of that comfort zone, reach out and connect with another person or group. It's a simple ask: build a bridge. This week, for the final Rightnowish episode of 2021, I'm encouraging you all to take a step toward building bridges by making some community connections. Take a listen and let's get into it.

Ericka took up roller skating during the pandemic, and a lot of other people have, too. Maybe you've seen it along Lake Merritt or in front of City Hall in San Jose. Skating also has a long history in the Bay Area, and for more than 50 years, Richard Humphrey has been at the forefront, especially at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Humphrey talked with Rightnowish host Pendarvis Harshaw on what it was like to skate in the Bay Area during the 70s, what it was like skating as a Black person back then, and how skating brings together art, style and swag.

This Thanksgiving-- Friendsgiving, Thankstaking, or whatever you call this holiday-- I'm turning the microphones on the Rightnowish team and asking the hard questions about food, friend and feelings. For this episode I'm joined by Rightnowish producer Marisol Medina-Cadena and editor Jessica Placzek. We dive into our holiday experiences, the music that we turn to as the weather gets cold, and we take some time to appreciate you-- the listeners. This episode was made for your listening pleasure, to be enjoyed while cooking, eating, or doing some exercise to shake off that meal you've just consumed. As I say at the end of the show, and will reiterate here: I hope you all eat well and nourish yourselves this holiday.  

Tajai Massey sees Hiero day as a physical manifestation of the Souls of Mischief's most famous song, "93 Til Infiinty", where he and the other emcees give listeners a taste of life in Oakland. These days, living in Oakland, it's hard to ignore the growing wealth disparities, the massive unsheltered population, and continued gentrification. "A lot of folks I see during Hiero Day, they've had to move away, to Stockton, Sac, L.A... anywhere that's cheaper than here. But we see them on Hiero Day, so it's like a big family reunion," says Tajai. Another unfortunate change in the Bay Area: fewer affordable art spaces. This week on Rightnowish, we talk to Tajai about the intersection of culture and the built environment, and the importance of having access to space in order to share, celebrate and create culture.  

Prentice Powell is an East Bay poet whose been working from home a lot lately. This has caused some confusion for his kids, "They were just like, 'So dad, do you have a job?'" Powell does have a job, and does big things: he's performed his poems on The Arsenio Hall Show, Verses and Flow, and in the upcoming Nick Cannon movie, She Ball. And just this week, Powell concluded a residency at The Kennedy Center in Washington DC with Fiveology, a poetry group of his longtime friends and collaborators. For Powell, poetry is his work, his passion, a way to express what he feels and work out what he thinks. And while he puts a lot of his life into his poems, he's decided there are certain topics to keep off the page and the stage, and certain poems he'd like to leave in the past. This week on Rightnowish, Prentice Powell talks about fatherhood and poetry: how sometimes they mix and sometimes they don't.

When it comes to cultural exports of the Bay Area, Hyphy is in a league of its own. The subgenre of hip hop has an up-tempo, hyperactive beat that makes you want to dance. In the early 2000s, artists like E-40 and Too $hort had audiences around the world loving this distinctly Bay Area sound. But where did that sound come from? And what was Hyphy culture like more broadly? Today we bring you an episode from KQED's Rightnowish, hosted by Pendarvis Harshaw. He speaks with music producer Trackademicks. Subscribe to Rightnowish for more on Bay Area arts and culture. Reported by Pendarvis Harshaw. Produced by Marisol Medina-Cadena. Edited by Jessica Placzek and Vanessa Rancano. Engineering by Ceil Muller and Brendan Willard. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Sebastian Miño-Bucheli. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

Californian's famously love their cars, but around the Bay Area a lot of people are more passionate about other ways to roll, like bikes, roller skates or skateboards. KQED's podcast, Rightnowish, is celebrating our love of wheels and the role they play in community and culture with a series called “Roll With Us”. We'll talk with host Pendarvis Harshaw about the San Franciscan who's been dancing on his roller skates for half a century, “chair skating” with the extreme wheelchair sports league, the South Bay's lowrider car culture and more. And we want to hear from you. Are you part of a community on wheels?

For his daughter's fourth birthday, Pen adopted an adorable gray and white kitten. His thinking? It'll teach his child about the responsibility of loving and caring for a living creature. Instead, Pen got the lesson. In this special Father's Day episode of Rightnowish, Pen brings you into the story of his daughter, Z, their cat, Skye, and his revelation about where responsibility ultimately resides when you're a parent.

In 2018 the Hasta Muerte coffee shop in East Oakland made national headlines when they asked Oakland police officers to leave their cafe. Matt Gereghty, part-owner of the cooperative cafe, was the first person to tell an officer the cafe's policy of asking cops to leave. He read from a collectively written script the staff had composed before opening the shop. Gereghty tells me it wasn't meant to be a major thing, just the cafe's attempts to ensure peace of mind for their customers by creating a space without cops. They serve a community where people have had traumatic experiences with police officers, or live in fear due to their documentation status. Keep in mind it was 2018, and President Donald Trump's pro-police and anti-immigration rhetoric was flooding media. When people found out about the policy, it led to pro-Trump, right wing protestors waving American flags with thin blue lines in front of the cafe. Hasta Muerte also received a letter from the president of the Oakland Police Association saying the policy was “a matter of concern for all Oakland Police Officers.” The story was covered locally and nationally; it grew to the point that they even mentioned it on The View. But Hasta Muerte hasn't officially talked to any publications about what happened until now. This week on Rightnowish, we discuss this East Oakland cafe's community-based approach to safety, cops and the media.