Podcasts about Tenderloin

Mayor Lurie's proposed city budget would result in big cuts to job training, homeless assistance, immigrant support and more

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. 

Ed. note: Please be advised that there's some very heavy subject matter discussed in this episode. In Part 2, we pick up where we left off in Part 1. Jenny left San Francisco for college, heading east to go to school at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Part of it was wanting a change of scenery. As she says, she "wanted to see snow." But all it took was a few winters before she realized how good the weather in SF is. She also wanted to return to help take care of her mom, who was getting older. This was around the time that Jenny went to China and came back determined to spread the untold histories of what happened in her homeland during WWII. The nonprofit learning curve was steep, and it was almost certainly going to mean shifting gears lifestyle-wise, due to not having as much income. During the first year of Pacific Atrocities Education's life, it was fiscally sponsored by Intersection for the Arts, an SF-based arts nonprofit. Jenny enrolled in and went to as many workshops as she could. She felt generally well-respected and taken care of. With her nascent nonprofit off and running, Jenny traveled to a part of China she had never been to before—Shanxi—to visit and talk with women who survived the war as so-called comfort women (think "sex slaves"). Jenny goes on a sidebar here to talk about some of the things the Japanese did to women during their occupation of China. It involved the Japanese not wanting their soldiers to pick up STDs while in a foreign country. If they could control the situation, i.e., enslave Chinese women to have sex with their soldiers, they could solve that "problem." So disgusting. Hearing these women's stories wasn't easy for Jenny. One story involved one of the women being pregnant after the war ended. She went back to live with her mother, who helped her along. When the baby was born, they abandoned it. Just horrible all around. We sidebar, a little, to talk about the ripple effect of wars and how it's not just tanks and bombs and guns and soldiers fighting other soldiers. There are untold numbers of innocent folks caught up in the destruction, folks whose lives are forever upended, if they even survive. Jenny says that the experience on that trip to China gave her perspective on her own childhood in the Tenderloin. She thought maybe it wasn't so bad after all. It wasn't only women in China. She went and spoke with women in California's Central Coast area about their own experiences as "comfort women." These were Filipinas who relocated to the US after the war. Most of their families didn't know their stories. And it wasn't until the Obama era that light started to be shone on them and what they'd been through. Obama's administration was the first to recognize them, but it was complicated, to say the least. Jenny talks about the delicacy of what she set out to do. Specifically, the difficulty of balancing the need to share these stories, but also to be respectful of the lives impacted by them. In addition to the research she was undertaking for Pacific Atrocities Education, Jenny was also writing a book on the topic. She was able to scan documents from the National Archives, documents the US has due to its occupation of Japan following World War II. One of the more alarming things she found in digging through archives was that the United States traded immunity with Japan's Unit 731 scientists, whose work involved developing biological weapons. Yikes. She goes on to describe other atrocious acts the Japanese undertook in China, stuff so horrible and inhumane I have trouble enumerating it here. I ask Jenny how she handles learning about such terrible stuff. She chalks it up to its being mission-driven work. We chat a little about how the people doing bad things never get held accountable, something true to this day. That immunity mentioned above was given to the Japanese scientists in exchange for the information contained in their research of biological weapons, naturally. You read that right: The US looked the other way while essentially poaching incredibly deadly weapons from its vanquished enemy. Please visit pacificatrocities.org to learn more and get involved. Their YouTube channel is called Pacific Front Untold. Follow them on Instagram @pacificatrocitiesedu. We recorded this episode at Fort Mason in April 2026. Photography by Jeff Hunt

Ed. note: We recorded this episode outside on a windy day near The Bay. Apologies for the wind gusts you'll hear throughout. Jenny Chan found Storied: San Francisco thanks to Toshio from Sad Francisco. Jenny and I kick off her episode talking about Toshio, in fact. Jenny was born in Hong Kong. Growing up, her dad's mom babysat her a lot. Young Jenny really loved anime and would turn it on at grandma's house. When she did this, her Chinese grandmother would get upset, and Jenny didn't know why. She thought maybe her grandma was senile. Later in Jenny's life, when her grandmother passed away and she helped clean and organize her home in China, she discovered items her grandma kept that pointed to a life spent under Japanese occupation before and during World War II. We mentioned anime, but when Jenny was a kid, she just loved Japanese culture all around. She indulged in manga whenever she could save up enough money. As with the anime, her grandma didn't take kindly to these Japanese things in her home. When she was 10, Jenny's parents split up. She and her older brother then joined their mom and moved to the US. When Jenny remarks that she's not sure how her mom did it, we go on a sidebar. Jenny shares that her mom grew up during the time of the US war in Vietnam, so she's a survivor. I add that, simply, women are amazing. In US schools, Jenny learned about the Holocaust. She also learned about Pearl Harbor, but like most school-age kids in this country, it was in the context of what got the US into WWII. Japanese colonialism and dominance in east Asia never really came up. Her family came straight from Hong Kong to San Francisco in 2000. Members of her mom's family had already been here, dating back to the Seventies and Eighties. Jenny and her mom and brother lived in the Tenderloin when they arrived. She saw the dirty streets in that hood and wondered why they traded Hong Kong skyscraper living for this. Her mom told her that for many reasons, including not having to buy school uniforms, life in SF was more affordable. Jenny's run of schools in The City—Lafayette, Presidio, Washington High. I ask her if she experienced culture shock moving halfway around the world. She says yes and points to knowing only people from Hong Kong when she lived there. Here, she quickly learned that there are folks from all over China and differences abound. She says also that Chinese people she met in San Francisco or The Bay were stuck in whatever era they moved here during, and that was sometimes startling. We go on a sidebar here after Jenny asks me about my own move here from Texas in 2000. Jenny spent a lot of time in the school library, including during lunches. She dedicated herself to learning from an early age. She recognized the hardships her family was going through and saw education as a way to climb out of that. She used her 45-minute Muni commutes from the Tenderloin to school in the Richmond to read and do homework. Her mom worked in restaurants here in The City. Jenny would go with her mom to places like the bank to do the translation. Jenny was learning about life in the US in real time and for practical reasons. At my prompting, Jenny and I rap about all the awesome food in the Little Saigon area of the Tenderloin. I share the story of coming home from my trip to Vietnam and eating at Turtle Tower right away because I missed the food of that incredible country. Jenny lived in the Tenderloin through all her public school days in San Francisco. When her paternal grandmother passed away, she went back to China to clean out her home, as we've mentioned. And that's when Jenny and other members of her family started finding items—military yen, rice-rationing coupons—that pointed to life spent under occupation. Back home, Jenny had found a decent job after college, but was feeling stuck. The revelation of her grandmother's lived experience was a light bulb. It was around this time that Jenny realized a massive hole in her US education. Why didn't she learn about the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, for example? Most of the emphasis was on the war in Europe, with Pearl Harbor and later the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki being the main subjects of the history of war in the Asian theater. In her own words, Jenny went "into a deep rabbit hole" to learn those untold stories. Her first stop was the library, where she discovered books like The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang and The Rising Sun by John Toland. The more she learned, the more she sought existing nonprofits she could join forces with to amplify the stories of the Japanese occupation of China. To her dismay, there weren't any. It was around 2012 or 2013, and Jenny figured that she already knew how to live without much income. And so, she decided to start her own company—a nonprofit dedicated to getting those stories out to the world. Pacific Atrocities Education was born. Check back Thursday for Part 2 with Jenny Chan. We recorded this episode at Fort Mason in April 2026. Photography by Jeff Hunt

The problem of homelessness in the United States has reached epic proportions.  But how can we understand such a complex issue affecting so many different kinds of people?  Writer Alison Owings decided to take on the challenge by exploring the memories of one man, Del Seymour.   Del's story is one of triumph and redemption.  He went from living on the streets of San Francisco to becoming known as Mayor of the Tenderloin, the city's neighborhood with the largest homeless population.  Del earned this title not just because of the jobs he created through the Tenderloin Walking Tours, but because of thousands he helped to build new lives through the work of Code Tenderloin.  Join me on June 2nd for a conversation with Alison Owings about her book Mayor of the Tenderloin: Del Seymour's Journey from Living on the Streets to Fighting Homelessness in San Francisco.  

“This really is so simple,” wrote Paula Deen of her recipe for “Soy-Rubbed Tenderloin” in her book, Christmas with Paula Deen, published in 2007. But you don't have to wait for the holidays to make this roast! It's perfect for a special family dinner or any celebration. Soy-Rubbed Tenderloin One 4- to 5-lb. beef tenderloin 1/2 c. soy sauce Freshly ground black pepper Allow the beef to stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the tenderloin in a 13x9-inch glass baking dish and rub all over with soy sauce. Rub meat all... Article Link

On today's show, activist Ericka Huggins talks about women's prominence in the Black Panther Party. Then, we meet Caroline McCaskey, the new music director of the San Francisco Scottish Fiddlers. And "The Compton's Cafeteria Riot" play transports audiences back to the 1966 uprising of transwomen and drag queens in the Tenderloin against police violence.

This week on the HowToBBQRight Podcast, we're kicking off a brand-new summer giveaway you won't want to miss (00:22). Malcom cooked up some incredible coppa cut pork chops this week, and they turned out amazing (05:00). Outlaw built a brand-new drum smoker, and it's a total game changer for backyard BBQ (13:28). Malcom also traveled back to Texas, where he prepared some mouthwatering dishes (23:28), including what might be the best bratwurst ever (32:46). Chef Michael Hunter showed Malcom a new favorite method for cooking wild turkey that you have to try (40:28). HEB stands out as one of the best grocery stores you can visit (48:00). If you ever have the chance to visit Cooper's BBQ, it's definitely worth the stop (49:54). Malcom made flavorful beans in the Ninja Foodi, and they turned out perfectly (53:00). Should you remove the membrane before marinating your ribs for better flavor (54:30)? When frying wings, what's the best time to season them for maximum taste (57:18)? Finally, learn how to make a smoked Black and Bleu tenderloin that rivals your favorite steakhouse ribeye (59:00).

Plus The craziest Lego themed crime blotter yet!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Plus The craziest lego themed crime blotter yet!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Deqah (host) as she sits down with guest, k. Kennedy Whiters– a preservationist, registered architect, business owner, educator, writer, and founder of interdisciplinary firms wrkSHäp kiloWATT,  Studio kW Architecture + Preservation for an IRL chat about architecture, preservation, reparative action, and the power of language in shaping historical narratives. In addition to managing wrkSHäp kiloWATT and Studio kW, kennedy has founded historic preservation initiatives Beyond Integrity in (X), (un)Redact the Facts, and Black in Historic Preservation. In this convo, Deqah and kennedy talk about their shared experience in a Columbia University studio co-taught by Whiters and Dr. Erica Avrami (and TA-ed by Deqah) about New York's Tenderloin district and dive into kennedy's “The Pledge to Unredact the Facts,” a framework that helps students and practitioners confront the ways grammar, narrative structure, and omission can obscure Black harm when writing about history. This is a conversation about more than buildings. It is about repair, truth-telling and care. Credits: Hosted and produced by Deqah Hussein-Wetzel. Edited and mixed by Skyler Ficklin.Urban Roots⁠ is brought to you by ⁠Urbanist Media⁠, a non-profit dedicated to preserving place through story. Please consider supporting us on ⁠Venmo⁠ or ⁠Paypal⁠. Sign up for our Newsletter: @urbanistmedia Other LinksYouTube: @urbanrootspodcast.IG: ⁠urbanrootsculture⁠ TikTok: @urbanistmedia Patreon: @urbanist_media 

Iowa Deputy Secretary of Ag Grant Menke brings some info on the new Nitrogen Soil Sampling Project. Tom Collins from the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance details the Conservation Compass on iowawater.ag for farmers to use. Kelsey Suter announces the kickoff of Iowa Pork's annual search for the Best Tenderloin in Iowa! And it's our first Wyffels Wednesday of theseason with Mike Witt!

One chilly January night in 1867, a Virginia City prostitute was strangled to death in her bed. The murderer was caught and hanged in front of a crowd of thousands, and the citizens of the Comstock considered the matter closed. More than 150 years later, the murder of Julia Bulette has become a local legend. The man accused, John Millain, was suspected of killing before, but there would be no justice for those victims. Reduced to vague mentions in newspaper articles, little was left to tie their unsolved murders to that of Julia's. Did John Millain leave a trail of tragedy that stretched from San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood to Julia's untimely end in Virginia City? Joining me is journalist Robin Flinchum, author of "The Redemption of Julia Bulette: Murder, Myth & the Hunt for a Serial Killer in Early Virginia City", who revisits the case, tells Julia's story, and explores whether her death may have been one of several connected killings. The author's website: https://rkflinchum.wixsite.com/robin-flinchum#dataItem-m2x14b5q1 On Arcadia Press: https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/collections/the-history-press/products/the-redemption-of-julia-bulette-9781467171748 Pre-Order on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Redemption-Julia-Bulette-Murder-Virginia/dp/1467171743 The author's FB page: https://www.facebook.com/RedLightChronicles Free shipping and 365-day returns with Quince! Refresh your wardrobe here: https://www.quince.com/notorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For Part 2, we pick up where we left off in Part 1. Soleil was working in restaurants in Minneapolis, both front-of-house and back, and also starting writing about food around this time. There was a new food publication in Minneapolis at the time called Heavy Table, and Soleil offered to intern for them. At first, it was a lot of looking around for events for the publication to cover. Eventually, there were opportunities to do some writing, and Soleil pounced. That led to other chances to write, and the proverbial ball was rolling. They were also on food stamps at the time, which doesn't surprise me too much. Rewinding a bit, Soleil talks about the food blog they had around 2007. It was mostly for recipes, but it was theirs and theirs alone. They looked up to the big food bloggers of the time, people who are still around and still writing about food. From Minneapolis, Soleil moved to Portland. After they, tried New Orleans with the idea of going to grad school there, but fell back to restaurant work. And then they went to Puerto Vallarta to help their mom open a restaurant there. After Soleil's sister went off to college, their mom had moved to Mexico City. She worked for a restaurant group for a while, then moved to PV to be with friends. Before Soleil arrived in Mexico to help their mom, their mom had opened a bar that later became a restaurant. During their time in Puerto Vallerta, Soleil was still writing about food, and they did a podcast with friends, too. Racist Sandwich had started in Portland, and Soleil kept it going from Mexico. The show was a reaction to blatant white supremacy in the food and restaurant worlds, a problem that, though it's eased some, is still with us today. Juggling the many responsibilities that came with being in their mom's restaurant in Mexico, along with podcasting when they could, it all eventually gave way to Soleil deciding to move back to the US to try being a full-time food writer. So they went back to Minneapolis and stayed for about six months. (Honey the dog chimed in here again, and you'll have to use your imagination to guess what she had to say.) It was 2018, and longtime SF Chronicle food writer Michael Bauer was retiring. Soleil picked up on that from Minnesota and it piqued their interest. The Washington Post was writing about the retirement, and asking folks out here in the Bay Area what they wanted the Chronicle do next. They published a slate of candidates to take over after Bauer, and it included Soleil. Shocked, they applied for the job. They got a phone call shortly after that, and here we are. Soleil's only prior visit to The Bay came in 2011, when they stayed at their friend's apartment in the Tenderloin for a while. They visited Western Addition a lot, went to Zuni (such a good restaurant, though it's mostly for special occasions for my family), and finally had good coffee at Phil's. I ask them whether San Francisco and the Bay Area stood out for them among the many, many places they've called home. They cite the history of the place as being quite the magnet. Then we get to the story of the approach Soleil wanted to bring to writing for the Chronicle, which, in their words, was to give more context to the art of food preparation. After writing on staff for a bit, Soleil got one note from their bosses: They were writing about too many Asian restaurants. We both agree, though: DUH. There are hella Asian restaurants here, and it's part of what a lot of us love about the place. Still, Soleil feels that the paper gave them enough freedom to write about what they wanted to write about. I share the context of my own life and the world around me back in 2018 when I first learned about Soleil, letting them know that I, among many others I'm sure, welcomed them after such a long tenure of their predecessor. We start talking about doing their work during the pandemic, and they mention that they feel they were predisposed to talking about labor and other social aspects of the restaurant business. Eventually, though, it was time to move on. One reason they cite for leaving the Chronicle is that they got tired of being so visible. A significant number of readers were hostile to Soleil, and it got to feel like a mismatch. The rightward political drift of the paper didn't sit well either. They left in 2025. That year, Soleil joined with some friends to launch COYOTE, a worker-owned media outlet. Those friends include: Nuala Bishari, Emma Silvers, Danny Lavery, Rahawa Haile, Estefany Gonzalez, and Cecilia Lei (visit the COYOTE Staff page to learn about a couple other folks who are involved). While still working at The Chronicle and in their off-time, they'd enroll in seminars on what cooperatives are and how to start and run them. They note that existing co-ops are very generous with their years and decades of knowledge, singling out Rainbow Grocery and Oakland's Sustainable Economies Law Center. COYOTE launched last September. Soleil says it's going well, six months in. Follow Soleil on IG @soleil_ho. Follow COYOTE Media Collective @coyotemediacollective. Photography by Jeff Hunt

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

Welcome to Art is Awesome, the show where we talk with an artist or art worker with a connection to the San Francisco Bay Area.  Host Emily Wilson sits down with Maria Jenson, executive director of SOMArts Cultural Center in San Francisco. Maria shares her journey from dancer and playwright to arts administrator, including stops at SFMOMA before finding her home at SOMArts. The conversation covers Cece Carpio's solo exhibition Tabi Tabi Po: Come Out with the Spirits, You Are Welcome Here, featuring found objects, poetry-infused wall text, and immersive altar installations that blend Bay Area and Filipino cultural traditions. Maria explains why SOMArts returned to solo shows after focusing on group exhibitions — to amplify community artists ready for bigger platforms. Maria also discusses the "Artists Live Here" cultural convening, which drew over 400 people in response to the announced closures of California College of the Arts and the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts. Designed as an "unconference" with no slides and no panels, the gathering channeled grief and anger into collective action and joyful community building. Other topics include SOMArts' annual Día de los Muertos exhibition, the Murphy and Cadogan Awards for Bay Area MFA students, and how Maria organized an art fair at the Tenderloin's Phoenix Hotel that brought together galleries, local artists, and civic partners. She credits advocate Ebony McKinney as a major influence and finds creative inspiration in the Bay Area's natural landscape. About Creative & Exective Director Maria Jensen: Maria Jenson is recognized as a leader in the arts for advancing innovative strategies to sustain creative communities in the midst of rapidly changing urban environments. As Creative and Executive Director of SOMArts, Jenson has deepened the organization's commitment to racial equity, creating clear pathways for Bay Area artists to cultivate new ideas and grow their careers. Through her leadership, Jenson has expanded SOMArts' public programs, advanced new public-private partnerships, and fostered groundbreaking exhibitions such as The Black Woman is God, The Third Muslim: Queer and Trans* Muslim Narratives of Resistance and Resilience, and many more. These projects represent SOMArts' commitment to incubating the growth and careers of Bay Area artists and curators. Prior to joining SOMArts, Maria was a key member of the SFMOMA External Relations team during the museum's expansion and was the Founding Director of ArtPadSF, an independent art fair launched in the Tenderloin at the Phoenix Hotel in 2010. A graduate of the 2018 Getty Foundation Executive Leadership Institute, she is a sought-after thought leader on the role of cultural institutions advocating for a more democratic and equitable society. Visit SOMArts Website: SOMArts.org Follow SOMArts on Instagram: @SOMArts For more about the Cece Carpio exhibit at SOMArts, CLICK HERE.  -- About Podcast Host Emily Wilson: Emily a writer in San Francisco, with work in outlets including Hyperallergic, Artforum, 48 Hills, the Daily Beast, California Magazine, Latino USA, and Women's Media Center. She often writes about the arts. For years, she taught adults getting their high school diplomas at City College of San Francisco. Follow Emily on Instagram: @PureEWil Follow Art Is Awesome on Instagram: @ArtIsAwesome_Podcast -- CREDITS: Art Is Awesome is Hosted, Created & Executive Produced by Emily Wilson.  Theme Music "Loopster" Courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License The Podcast is Co-Produced, Developed & Edited by Charlene Goto of @GoToProductions.  For more info, visit Go-ToProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A San Francisco judge has ordered the release of the man charged with assaulting Mayor Daniel Lurie's police bodyguard after viewing security footage and saying it appeared the man was, quote, "violently assaulted." The confrontation happened last week near the Tenderloin. For more, KCBS's Steve Scott spoke with KCBS Insider Phil Matier.

In this episode of RAW Recovery — a Trudging Together podcast, Dion sits down with Benjamin Lehner, a recovery creator who uses social media, music, and honest storytelling to talk about sobriety, growth, and rebuilding life. Benjamin shares a powerful story that begins long before his first drink — growing up uncomfortable in his own skin, chasing validation, and turning to substances as a way to escape himself and finally feel like he belonged. He opens up about alcoholism, opioids, the Tenderloin in San Francisco, repeated treatment attempts, and the moment when his solution stopped working. The conversation also explores autism, terminal uniqueness, survival, and what recovery can look like when someone begins running toward the truth instead of away from it. Benjamin talks about service, fatherhood, faith, recovery content online, and why he believes all paths to recovery should be loved and encouraged. This is an honest conversation about addiction, self-worth, spiritual energy, and the reality that recovery is not one-size-fits-all. It's about learning that the same pain, fear, and craving that once fueled addiction can also be turned toward healing, purpose, and a better life. If you've ever felt like you were too broken, too different, or too far gone, this episode is a reminder that you are not alone — and that recovery, however you walk it, is worth it. #BenjaminLehner #RecoveryInfluencer #RecoveryCommunity #SobrietyJourney #AllPathsToRecovery #HealingOutLoud

Plus an update on the squatter remover that uses a samurai swordSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Toby sits down with birthday girl Dani Miller! They chat about her new album Reality Star, Darren Aronofsky, growing up in Cali, young wild life, her parents, sports, performing as a kid, Pratt, the Tenderloin, Surfbort, Coachella, Gucci, UK, DJing, health, veganism, social media, current obsessions, Health Punx and more!  Please remember to rate, review and subscribe and visit us at https://www.youtube.com/tobymorseonelifeonechance Please visit our sponsors! The Field Dream- https://thefielddream.com/ Rockabilia- use code OLOC10 Rockabilia Athletic Greens https://athleticgreens.com/oloc Removery- code TOBYH2O https://removery.com  Liquid Death https://liquiddeath.com/toby Refine Recovery https://www.instagram.com/refinerecoverycenter/  

Plus an update on the squatter remover that uses a samurai swordSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mayor Lurie and his security team were allegedly attacked by two men in the Tenderloin. Though the mayor was left unharmed following the altercation, video of the incident went viral. For more, KCBS' Steve Scott spoke with former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown and KCBS Insider Phil Matier.

Listen without ads here: www.patreon.com/dopeypodcast Tickets for Dopeywood 2: https://www.showclix.com/event/dopeywood-2026 This week on Dopey's Greatest Hits! Brace Belden's first episode (Patreon poll winner). We share Ray Brown's "Home Sweet Heroin" parody origin (Nikki Sixx drama), Dopey music history (UltiScrub, Good So Bad, Fentanyl J, Damon), and teases the NEW Spotify page. Plays old voicemails: Matt Wiedemeier Carroll (Waiting for Tonight 5-year anniversary, 117 days sober) and Kimber King (ketamine freakout, 20 months sober). Reads Spotify comments on Fentanyl Jay ep (love/hate, prison update, negative "murderer" email). Eric Poppismurff responds (benzo info, resources).  Then the highlights of Brace: a raw, wide-ranging conversation with Brace (punk rocker, communist, podcaster of TrueAnon, heroin/meth addict in recovery). Brace opens up about his life: early punk obsession (Black Sabbath to Ramones/Misfits at 12), first drug use (salvia at 11–12, hill fire/arrest, weed soon after), mom's suicide at 6 (coke addict, depression), compartmentalization as coping mechanism. Teen years in continuation school (smoking allowed, flower shop credits), first opiates (Vicodin/Percocet at 17), OxyContin discovery after moving out, transition to heroin in Tenderloin ($10 high), Dr. Z dealer (SRO, pigeon shooting, jail), Jacques (MS heroin dealer), stealing from flower shops/girlfriend, arrest for $9 meth buy, rehab cycles, basement apartment gutter snipes/clonidine kick. Later Syrian resistance (2015–2016, 7 months fighting ISIS with Kurds, no opiates there, ketamine for wounds), return (lied to everyone), brewery job/union campaign, TrueAnon start (2019), ongoing sleep struggle (melatonin bullshit, trazodone dreams, Benadryl suggestion). All that and tons and tons more on a brand new episode of that good old dopey show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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Toshio Meronek's parents met at a bar. In this episode, meet and get to know Toshio. Today, they do Sad Francisco, a really fucking amazing project that reports on and holds truth to power around here. I first became aware of Sad Francisco a few years ago and right away, I was struck by the deep reporting on and understanding of the many complex relationships and goings on in San Francisco and The Bay. And so I sat down with my fellow podcaster to get to know the human behind those efforts. Toshio's story starts with their parents. That bar where they met was in Los Angeles. Shortly after meeting, the couple moved to Germany, where Toshio's dad had found work at a major German tech company. But after getting pregnant with Toshio, the young couple came back to Southern California—Orange County to be exact, where Toshio was born. Some of Toshio's earliest memories involve not really digging that infamous SoCal heat. We'll get into this more later in Part 1, but Toshio picked Portland for college in part because of its more temperate, albeit wetter, climate. Born in 1982, Toshio did most of their growing up in the Nineties. When I ask them what kinds of things they were into as a kid, they immediately say, "zines." Making zines, collecting zines, living and breathing zines. We hop on a short sidebar about Riot Grrrl, a Nineties feminist punk-adjacent movement that seeped into both our lives at different points—mine early in the decade, and Toshio's toward the end of the Nineties. Riot Grrrl arrived in the typically and generally conservative Orange County later than a lot of other parts of the country and the world. But arrive it did, and it had an outsize impact on Toshio's young life. Zines were huge in that subculture, too. To expound on their interests as a kid, Toshio was generally into media, curious about how others live, and also sci-fi and fantasy (think D&D). Toshio was around 13 or 14 when they started writing their own zines. Here we go on a sidebar about one of my favorite pet topics—Kinko's (RIP). IYKYK. Eventually, Toshio eschewed the ubiquitous copy+print shop and had their zines printed on newsprint paper. It was part of a deliberate attempt to appear legitimate, more like "the establishment," something I find fascinating. They wanted people to take them seriously, and that just makes a lot of damn sense. Music was very much a part of the Riot Grrrl movement Punk rock music to be specific. And Toshio's early publications covered that. In fact, topics ran the gamut from music and politics to culture and community. We turn to the topic of Toshio's surroundings when they were a teenager. Record stores, zine shops, cafes that also had live music. They dabbled in the SoCal rave scene as well. They settled into the Candy Kids rave subculture and talk a little about that. There's another short sidebar where we talk about how amazing youth activism is, and how much we always need it. As much as young Toshio was part of these communities and subcultures, they also describe this time in terms of being a loner. They also experienced a lack of self-confidence, lots of acne, therapy to work through their being Japanese and white, or hafu (another term for "hapa"), being gay. Though Toshio has grown past those struggles, they consider them powerfully formative. Then came time to relocate and go to college. Besides Portland having more desirable weather, Toshio chose it in part because of the Northwest's grunge legacy. College life started right around 9/11, and they started going to protests. Lots of protests. College lasted four years, and after that, Toshio stayed behind in Portland. They got work at a magazine covering ecology for K–12 kids. They were also in bands (they play guitar, ish, sing, and play tambourine). "It felt like everybody was in an alt-country band," they say. And then, in 2006, they left Portland for … San Francisco. An editing job brought Toshio here. The publication was a so-called "light-green living" outfit, targeted, as it said, to yoga moms who drive their hybrid SUVs to Whole Foods. I ask Toshio if the job was editing words, and then mention that it's been my profession for a long-ass time. And we go on a sidebar about how important the work is. I'll add that everyone (including editors!) needs an editor. Sorry (not sorry), AI. That leads to yet another sidebar (can you tell we're both podcasters?)—this one from Toshio about the nature of the "yoga mom" publication. They grew disillusioned with their work there, suffice to say. We end Part 1 with Toshio's early memories of visiting San Francisco, before they moved here. They involve the older men who used to be found daily playing chess off Powell and Market. Check back Thursday for Part 2 with Toshio Meronek. We recorded this episode at Toshio's home at the confluence of The Transgender District, Tenderloin, UN Plaza, and Civic Center in January 2026. Photography by Jeff Hunt

We mark the 50th anniversary of Mother Jones and the launch of The Tenderloin Voice, a new newsroom serving San Francisco's Tenderloin community.

In this Film Ireland Podcast, supported by Screen Ireland, we're delighted to be chatting once again with director, screenwriter and novelist John Butler.John is behind the popular feature films The Stag, Handsome Devil and Papi Chulo, and was a writer and second director on Stephen Merchant's The Outlaws for BBC One and Amazon Studios. His latest series, These Sacred Vows, is now airing on RTÉ, with the first two episodes available to watch on the RTÉ Player, and episode three airing at 9.30pm this Sunday on RTÉ One.This episode has been made possible with the support of the Screen Ireland Stakeholders Fund.Secrets of love, lies, and betrayal unravel at an Irish wedding in Tenerife after the body of a priest is found floating face-down in the swimming pool of the young guests' villa.John Butler BiographyJohn is a novelist and an RTS and IFTA award-winning director and writer for TV and film. He wrote on and directed Stephen Merchant's “The Outlaws” (BBC/Amazon), starring Christopher Walken, Darren Boyd and Eleanor Tomlinson In 2019, “Papi Chulo” (which John wrote and directed) premiered as special presentation at TIFF. Other premieres included DIFF19 (Dublin), TFF (Torino), Palm Springs, LFF (London), BFI Flare, Guadalajara, Glasgow, Prague and Sydney. Prior to that, John wrote and directed “Handsome Devil”, which sold to Netflix worldwide and picked up awards including the DIFF Critic's Circle Award, the Miami Film Festival audience award and best drama at the Celtic Film and TV Festival. In 2014, John directed and co-wrote “The Stag” which premiered at TIFF, TriBeCa, Turin and elsewhere. In 2012, John's debut novel “The Tenderloin” was published by Picador and shortlisted at the Irish Book Awards. John's other writing has appeared in Esquire magazine, The Irish Times, The Dublin Review, The San Francisco Chronicle, FilmMaker magazine, Shot List, and on NPR.z9i5d5gg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When a 400% increase in human excrement events in your mall elevators becomes a regular Tuesday, you know you've hit rock bottom. San Francisco's largest mall—1.5 million square feet of former retail glory—is now officially dead. Panda Express, the last restaurant standing, has closed its doors for good.This wasn't a slow decline; this was policy-induced collapse. Remember "15 days to flatten the curve"? Try two years of lockdowns that killed foot traffic, combined with open-air drug markets and the Tenderloin's finest using elevators as bathrooms. The mall went from millions of shoppers to zero bids at foreclosure auction. Not even at $134 million—less than 20% of peak value. Westfield literally handed the keys back to lenders and said "good luck."Meanwhile, city leaders proposed solutions like... a soccer stadium? Sure, because what San Francisco needs is more places nobody will visit. Is anyone surprised this happened? What did they expect when they turned a blind eye to street chaos for years?

After holiday blackouts, should San Francisco finally buy out PG&E? Is SF finding the right balance in embracing cutting edge tech? Del Seymour, "The Mayor of the Tenderloin."

San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood, often in the news for headlines associated with crime, homelessness and drug use, has the highest concentration of kids in all of San Francisco. So a reporter decided to give Tenderloin kids disposable cameras to see the neighborhood from their perspective.  This episode first aired on Sept. 24, 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jenna and Henry play a holiday edition of the game ‘Reel of Unreel,' where they try to guess whether the description of a holiday TV movie is real or made up. Also, Henry hits the streets of Manhattan to spread a little holiday cheer. Plus, Henry shares a story that's very close to his heart and how he's honoring his father's legacy. And, chef Jeff Mauro shares a delicious beef tenderloin and crispy onion recipe perfect for holiday celebrations. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this week's sermon, “One Way to Help,” Rev. Emily McGinley begins with a story of a walk through the Tenderloin with the San Francisco Night Ministry and a simple truth offered there: “People fall on hard times and it's not their fault. This is one way for me to help.” From that moment, we turn to John the Baptist—accidental spiritual icon—calling out crowds chasing spiritual highs instead of real transformation, yet still offering an invitation: there is time, it is not too late, and who you've been doesn't have to determine who you can become. We reflect on baptism as a ritual of beginning again when life feels heavy or directionless, and we return to the Tenderloin question: What's one way I can help?

San Francisco offered businesses a MILLION DOLLAR tax break to move into the Tenderloin area. Big shocker – absolutely nobody took the deal! Not a single company thought it was worth it, even with that massive incentive dangling in front of them.We're breaking down why 40% of San Francisco's office space sits empty, why even AI companies are avoiding these specific zip codes, and what it really means when businesses would rather pay full taxes elsewhere than take a million-dollar break in certain neighborhoods. The city won't talk about street conditions, but the results speak for themselves.Meanwhile, they're spinning rising vacancy rates as "stabilizing" because things are getting worse at a slower pace. Is anyone surprised that companies are saying "hard pass" to areas where lunch breaks come with hazard pay? What does it tell you when even desperate businesses won't bite on a seven-figure tax credit?

Alec Naman from @Naman's Catering called us this morning and said, "Let's fire up the grills this weekend and cook some steaks, maybe with a nice chimichurri sauce. Oh, Don't worry about the rain..."      

San Francisco's progressive policies have created a real estate apocalypse that's absolutely mind-blowing. A 15-story office building that sold for $62 million in 2016 just went for $6.5 million – that's a jaw-dropping 90% discount! We're diving into the House of Horrors that is SF's property tax crisis, where massive office vacancies, rampant homelessness in the Tenderloin, and work-from-home policies have created the perfect storm. The city is drowning in 7,500 property tax appeals (up from 2,800), and here's the kicker – if they can't process them within two years, they automatically lose and must accept whatever reduction taxpayers demand. Some are literally claiming zero value! With a potential $1 billion in refunds looming and major properties selling at fire-sale prices, this isn't just about one building – it's about the complete collapse of progressive urban planning. Is this what happens when ideology meets economic reality? Can any mayor dig out of this financial sinkhole? Hit subscribe and let's watch this trainwreck together – because somebody needs to document the death spiral of woke city economics!

Alison recounts the story of Del Seymour who recovered after a life of 18 years of homelessness and incarceration to go on to found Code Tenderloin which has reclaimed thousands of former drug addicts and homeless people from the streets of San Francisco. She also gives us a master class in journalistic interview technique drawing out her subject Del to discuss painful truths from his past life. For an unrelated project, she is looking to interview current and former ICE agents.

The Tenderloin in 1966: One of the earliest trans/queer actions (that we know of) against police and state violence happened at Compton's Cafeteria. Today, that space (111 Taylor Street) is occupied by Geo Group—otherwise known as the corporation that is America's number-one private prison and ICE profiteer. Zei Wilder is helping organize the local effort to get Geo Group out of San Francisco and turn the Compton's site into something that isn't evil. - Comptons x Coalition: comptonsxcoalition.net Demand Board of Supervisors Action Against Geo Group on November 6, 10 AM, SF City Hall Room 272: instagram.com/p/DPUQYewgdk4/ Episode with historian Susan Stryker, co-director of the Compton's documentary "Screaming Queens": patreon.com/posts/jail-at-comptons-79134233 - Sad Francisco is produced by Toshio Meronek and edited by Tyger Ligon. Support the show and get new episodes early on Patreon: patreon.com/sadfrancisco 

  The transgender community has struggled to receive recognition and equality.  In this episode, we explore the history of the transgender community over the last 100 years with Dr. Susan Stryker and the life of Dr. Alan L. Hart, a transgender medical doctor working on the forefront of an urgent public health crisis, tuberculosis, in Connecticut. Hart, Director of Connecticut's Office of TB Rehabilitation, is credited with saving countless lives. My guest is Dr. Susan Stryker, author of Transgender History, the Root of Today's Revolution, published in 2017. Transgender History, Third Edition: A Resource for Today's Struggle-and Tomorrow's will be published in Febuary, 2026. Dr. Susan Stryker holds a distinguished visiting appointment at Stanford's Michelle R. Clayman Institute for Gender Research at Stanford University, and is Professor Emerita of Gender, Women's and Sexuality Studies at the University of Arizona, where she directed the Institute for LGBT Studies for many years. She is the author or editor of numerous articles, books and anthologies. A collection of previously published short works, When Monsters Speak: A Susan Stryker Reader, was published by Duke University Press in 2024. She is also an Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker for Screaming Queens: The Riot at Compton's Cafeteria. In the documentary, you'll meet Dr. Stryker and some of the transgender women and drag queens who fought police harassment at Compton's Cafeteria in San Francisco's Tenderloin in 1966 three years before the famous riot at Stonewall Inn bar in New York City. You'll find the documentary on Amazon Prime. To contact Dr. Stryker, visit her website at www.susanstryker.net/about For more information on Dr. Alan L. Hart, go to these resources: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/trailblazing-transgender-doctor-saved-countless-lives/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12328259/ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272831386_Manifesting_Manhood_Dr_Alan_Hart's_Transformation_and_the_Embodiment_of_Sex_in_Early_Twentieth-Century_Sexology https://college.lclark.edu/live/news/43320-from-the-archives-dr-alan-hart   West Hartford Pride  West Hartford Pride supports, celebrates, and uplifts the LGBTQAI+ Community by providing resources, events, education, and social justice initiatives. Find out more about visiting their website at westhartfordpride.org   Preservatlon Connecticut LGBTQ+ Historic Sites Survey  Preservation Connecticut, in partnership with scholars and activists, has embarked on documenting Connecticut's LGBTQ+ sites. Interwoven through these places are stories of resilience, innovation, and the pursuit of equality that transcend the traditional boundaries of class, race, ethnicity, and religion. If you're interested in learning more or contributing to this survey project, please visit www.preservationct.org/lgbtq. Grating the Nutmeg Three-part LGBTQ+ Series 2025 Connecticut Explored magazine and our podcast, Grating the Nutmeg, have featured many of the heritage trails that mark the important histories and sites of Connecticut's people.  Preservation Connecticut has undertaken a survey of LGBTQ+ heritage sites across the state. Now, Grating the Nutmeg and Preservation Connecticut have teamed up to bring you a three-episode podcast series that pairs new research on LGBTQ+ identity and activism with accounts of the Connecticut places where history was made. The episodes include a thriving vegetarian cafe-bookstore run by lesbian feminists in a working-class former factory town, Episode 212, a transgender medical researcher working on an urgent public health issue in the center of Connecticut politics, Episode 219, and a gay, Jewish, best-selling children's book author in affluent Fairfield County, Episode 215. Connecticut Humanites The 2025 LGBTQ+ Three-part series received grant support from CT Humanities, connecting people to the humanities through grants, partnerships, and public programs. Visit our website to learn about our funding opportunities and capacity building grants. https://cthumanities.org/   ------------------------------------------ Like Grating the Nutmeg? Want to support it? Make a donation! 100% of the funds from your donation go directly to the production and promotion of the show. Go to ctexplored.org to send your donation now. secure.qgiv.com/for/gratingthenutmeg This episode of Grating the Nutmeg was produced by Mary Donohue and engineered by Patrick O'Sullivan at www.highwattagemedia.com/   Follow GTN on our socials-Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and BlueSky. Follow executive producer Mary Donohue on Facebook and Instagram at West Hartford Town Historian. Join us in two weeks for our next episode of Grating the Nutmeg, the podcast of Connecticut history. Thank you for listening!

Have you ever met someone whose story shifts your whole perspective?In the latest episode of Real Talk, I sit down with the electrifying DJ Ahmed, an Iraqi-born refugee who turned the chaos of war and displacement into an unstoppable force for joy, healing, and unity.

On today's show, a documentary about a musician who looks to Lucinda Williams for inspiration. Then, a singer honors the historical Compton's Cafeteria riots in the Tenderloin. Also, a documentary about hedge funds destroying local newspapers, and how journalists are fighting back. We close the show with a salute to trailblazing journalist Belva Davis.

San Francisco has solved its crime and homelessness crisis in the most brilliant way possible – they're just renaming the neighborhoods! The notorious Midmarket area, plagued by drug dealing, overdoses, and people chasing each other with swords for 178 years, is now magically being rebranded as "Lower Hayes Valley." Because nothing says urban renewal like creative geography, right?We dive deep into this absurd marketing makeover where real estate agents are stretching the truth harder than a yoga instructor. With a staggering 62.6% vacancy rate and businesses fleeing faster than tourists from the Tenderloin, city leaders have cracked the code: if you can't fix the problems, just change the name! Whole Foods couldn't survive here, Twitter escaped, and an entire district lost 80% of its value – but hey, slap a new label on it and watch the magic happen.Is this the future of urban planning – just rebranding failure until it sounds trendy? Will AI startups really fall for "Lower Hayes" when they're literally surrounded by the same chaos that drove everyone else away? Let me know what you think about this masterclass in municipal gaslighting.Hit that subscribe button and notification bell – because someone needs to document this circus as usual!

San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood has the highest concentration of children in the city. But stories about the Tenderloin often overlook this fact. Reporter Cami Dominguez worked with a local nonprofit to give kids in the neighborhood disposable cameras for a week. Today, we talk about what the photos show. Links: Photos Capture SF's Tenderloin Through the Eyes of Kids Who Live There Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tenderloin residents are sick of city money going to passing out needles and pipes to drug addictsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on the HowToBBQRight Podcast, we partnered up with Grilla Grills to giveaway a wood pellet pizza oven - here's how to win it (00:14)! Y'all be sure to catch us over at ‘Arktober Fest' on October 5th (04:30). Football season is right around the corner, and we couldn't be more excited (05:50). Malcom was a little wing hungry, so we whipped up some white sauce wings over a two-zone fire that were money (11:19)... Looking for a new grill to add to your arsenal? Primo Ceramic Grills has you covered (20:51)! PSMO cuts for beef tenderloins are always the way to go (21:35). Do THIS to make the buffalo chicken dip you've ever made in your life (26:24). Malcom wants to know if I had to give up either butter or mayo, which one am I choosing (32:18)? It's hard to beat a good oyster dish, but ‘Redneck Rockefeller' might be up next on our must try list (36:45)... Apparently Red Bull is the best griddle cleaner out there, and I want to try it (41:41)! Everyone's been asking me to be a guest pitmaster on HowToBBQRight, and I may finally be ready to get to it (45:22). Could you use butcher paper to wrap up a pork butt (48:07)? This has to be one of the unhealthiest fair foods I've ever heard of (50:01). Where is the best place to source wood chunks locally (53:56)? We've tried Crushed Red Pepper Flakes before, but Crushed Habanero Flakes take it to a whole nother level (57:07)...

Nearly half of San Francisco's seniors lack the money to meet their basic needs. At Saint Francis Living Room in the Tenderloin, seniors help each other.

Today is all about learning what our elders can teach us about caring for one another. First, a unique living room in the Tenderloin helps vulnerable seniors meet their daily needs. Then, how community choirs are providing more than just a fun time.

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Sam Rockwell (Bad Guys 2, The White Lotus, Moon) is an Academy Award-winning actor. Sam joins the Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in the Tenderloin of San Francisco, doing plays and improv with his mom at 10 years old, and the parallels between charm and fuel. Sam and Dax talk about stumbling into a Willy Wonka entrance doing his faker baker dancing, adopting delusions of grandeur that he moves like a stretch limo, and completing the two year Meisner program that changed his life. Sam explains getting recognized for the first time while bussing tables, how he builds characters with his acting teacher of 26 years, and the illusion of safety amid peaks and valleys of success.Follow Armchair Expert on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch new content on YouTube or listen to Armchair Expert early and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/armchair-expert-with-dax-shepard/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on the HowToBBQRight Podcast, Tyler is BACK from his trip down to Texas (00:14), and he went on a mini BBQ crawl through San Antonio and Austin (03:44)! After months and months of waiting, Malcom FINALLY fired up the grill and cooked that camel tenderloin (16:01). Looking for a new grill to add to your arsenal? Primo Ceramic Grills has you covered (25:56)! I finally got Malcom to wear maroon in Starkville for Mother's Day, and it looks like some of y'all caught us on camera (26:40). Malcom has been thinking about trying Hot Boiled Peanuts on his smoker (33:54). Shoutout to everyone who's competing in both Memphis in May and Smoke Slam, this weekend (39:18). The Palmer Home is hosting their annual Skeet Shootout, and we're catering the WHOLE THING (43:09). I want to know if Malcom would do his take on Trash Can Baked Beans (46:18). If you're looking to take your cracker sandwiches to the next level, try wrapping those bad boys in bacon and throwing them on the smoker (51:01)! When it comes to brisket, is trimming REALLY necessary (52:34)? Weber came out with a new USA style grill, and I'm ordering one right now (56:31)! If you've got a whole pork loin you need to whip up, here's Malcom's FAVORITE ways to cook em (59:01). We've all had Mississippi Pot Roast before, but what are some of the OTHER uses for a whole chuck roast (1:01:39)?