To help folks get a feel for that scene, KALW recently hosted a group of local comedians at our Live Events Space in downtown San Francisco. Elizabeth Truong is an intern with us. She was there and has this report on their conversation.

Immigration reporter Wendy Reyes brings us this story from 2025, about using comedy to empower and unite people in this moment. 

In the Summer of 1996, the very first show happened right here in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. 

Now, KALW is partnering with Rangzen and Adonde Media to bring you a six-part audio documentary about what it took to put together one of the largest concert series of the 90’s.

The series is called ‘Freedom needs a soundtrack’ and today we’re bringing you a taste here on the show. Their host Erin Potts was an activist teenager back in the '80s. And when she dreamed, she dreamed BIG. She became the driving force and co-founder of the concerts and now she tells us the story.

Last week, the federal prosecutors filed a trove of documents alleging Thao and others made bribes for political gain. And the FBI announced that they have identified a key informant- Fruitvale entrepreneur Mario Juarez, who has already given a guilty plea to one count of bribery.

Natalie Orenstein is a reporter for the Oaklandside, who has been covering recent events in the Thao case. She spoke with KALW's news editor Sunni Khalid.

Hana Baba talked to her for an episode of The Stoop podcast, hosted by her and Leila Day. 

Well, reporter Mary Catherine O'Connor looked for answers - at a Fixit Clinic at a library in San Mateo. 

And if you have a much loved item that’s in need of some TLC, you’re in luck! KALW is hosting a fix it clinic tonight! It’s happening at our live event space at 220 Montgomery in San Francisco. 

The move has resulted in "mega" immigration dockets, with dozens — and sometimes more than a hundred — cases to be decided per day. But that's only one of the problems that have resulted from the move. Clara-Sophia Daly is an immigration reporter with Mission Local. She’s recently reported on the situation in Concord. She spoke with KALW's news editor Sunni Khalid about what she’s found. 

We're so proud of KALW Immigration reporter Wendy Reyes and “Sights + Sounds” Producer Porfirio Rangel… BART’s first Prom queen and king!

BART prom is just one example of how the transit system is hosting fun events to increase ridership. Alicia Trost is BART Chief Communications Officer. She and 2026 BART King Porfirio sat down with KALW’s Jenee Darden for “The Sights + Sounds Show.” 

This action includes multilingual scam alerts, and financial counseling for people who’ve been defrauded as a result. KALW's NeEddra James reports on AI and while she’s seen an acceleration of these scams, she’s here to offer some helpful tips for how to protect yourself. 

In 2023, before Hana launched it, she was struggling with questions about folktale storytelling. So Ms. Diane invited Hana to come talk them out with her. And she did that, in an episode of The Stoop podcast that Hana cohosts with Leila Day. Today, we're brining you an excerpt of that conversation.

One of the researchers that has been changing this dynamic is Darby Saxbe, a clinical psychologist and professor of psychology at the University of Southern California. She has studied families and fathers for over two decades and just published a book, “Dad Brain: The New Science of Fatherhood and How It Shapes Men's Lives.”

So KALW invited her to our live event space to talk about what we’ve learned in the last decade about the transformative power of fatherhood. She spoke to KALW Executive Producer and proud father Ben Trefny. He begins by talking about what it was like to become a dad.

Without plentiful milkweed along their migration path, monarchs have nowhere to lay their eggs. Now, only thousands butterflies make it back to the coast every year. When one musician heard about the plight of the monarchs, he decided to take a radical step to help them along their journey by taking the trip with them. Reporter Lusen Mendel has the story, first reported in 2024.

Housing is a perpetual topic here in the Bay Area and for decades, cities have largely gotten to decide what could be built and where you could build . But over the last few years, California has passed a number of laws trying to shift those decisions to the state.

Today, a conversation about the laws that are now coming into effect this month. We hear from Sarah Dennis Phillips, SF Planning Director and David Garcia, Policy Director of the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley. They spoke with State of the Bay host Grace Won.

She’s on tour now with another music icon: Wynonna Judd. Their tour is called “The Raised on Radio Tour.” And they’ll be making a stop at The Mountain Winery in Saratoga tomorrow night.

KALW’s Jenee Darden caught up with Melissa Etheridge for “The Sights + Sounds Show.” 

For many unhoused people, access to services is only half the battle. The other half is trust. Like the disappointment of overpromised services that don’t deliver, inadequate shelter conditions, and just the accumulated trauma of life on the street. All that can leave people deeply skeptical of the outreach workers and programs meant to help them. 

So what does it actually take to build trust across that divide? One Oakland organization may have found a starting point: pets. KALW’s Homelessness reporter Alastair Boone went to learn more. 

More than eleven thousand San Franciscan’s are still living with HIV. And just earlier this year one of the largest and oldest HIV non-profits in the country, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation was fighting to prevent over a million dollars of annual city funding from being cut, right after the Trump administration cancelled a million dollars in federal funding. The good news is that funding cuts from the city have been partially averted after non-profits, residents and survivors fought and argued for the organization’s significance. 

And this AIDS Activism has a long history in SF, from the days of the AIDS crisis of the 1980s. That’s when activists, caregivers, survivors, and community members started the long fight to build queer solidarity. KALW’s Travis Raburn wanted to know what we can learn from those elder pioneers today. So he recently invited three of them to join him in conversation at KALW’s live event space in Downtown SF. Paul Aguilar, who we heard earlier, a long-term survivor community liaison at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. Patrick Batt, the owner of AutoErotica in the Castro, and Reverend Jim Mitulski, former pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church.

In this excerpt from their conversation, the three of them reflect on what it was like to live through the AIDS Crisis during their young adulthoods.

Next, a conversation with two of Alice’s colleagues and friends as they remember and honor her work and legacy. Sandy Ho is the Executive Director of the Disability & Philanthropy Forum and Steven Thrasher is a journalist, professor and writer who was suspended from teaching classes after speaking out on Palestine - as Wong also did.

They talked about Alice on the Laura Flanders and Friends podcast.

And one group that goes each year exists at the intersection of disability advocacy and the values that guide the gathering. The Burner community is guided by what they call “The 10 Principles.” One of those principles is radical inclusion. But what does that mean for people with disabilities? 

Next, we revisit a story from an episode of the podcast the Intersection that explores what disability advocacy looks like in the desert. 

Prominently featured in the film is John Janosko, one of the key organizers of the encampment’s residents. He lived at Wood Street for 10 years. The film’s creator is documentarian and award winning journalist, Caron Creighton. They both spoke with KALW’s Jenee Darden on “The Sights + Sounds Show.” 

You can see “Wood Street” at the Grand Lake Theatre in Oakland this Wednesday, July 15th. 

This piece was created by student producers in the Uncuffed audio storytelling training program, in partnership with journalists at KALW Public Media. Our work in prisons is supported by the California Arts Council, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, independent foundations, and donations from listeners like you. Content is approved by an information officer.

Follow @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram and Facebook 

Learn more, sign up for Uncuffed news, and support the program atwww.uncuffed.org

As a child she migrated to the US with her parents, and has spent her writing career capturing the raw reality of life across borders. Her newest memoir is “Migrant Heart.” It interrogates how living between two nations, two languages, and two identities has shaped the person she’s become. 

Recently, Reyna spoke to KALW’s Angie Coiro as part of Litquake, at our live event space in Downtown San Francisco. In this excerpt from their conversation, Reyna explains how her struggles to straddle two languages is linked to her relationship with her parents, children, and her own identity. 

This piece was created by student producers in the Uncuffed audio storytelling training program, in partnership with journalists at KALW Public Media. Our work in prisons is supported by the California Arts Council, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, independent foundations, and donations from listeners like you. Content is approved by an information officer.

Follow @WeAreUncuffed on Instagram and Facebook 

Learn more, sign up for Uncuffed news, and support the program atwww.uncuffed.org

He immerses readers in all these life adventures in his new memoir, “A Good Run.” KALW’s Jenee Darden spoke with Ben on the Sights and Sounds show. 

Critics argue that the reason standardized tests were discontinued was because they disadvantage students from underrepresented and lower income backgrounds, and that high school achievement tells colleges far more. Today we hear from both sides. Frank Worrell, is professor of psychology at UC Berkeley School of Education, who has signed the petition to bring back standardized testing. Jessie Ryan, the president of the nonprofit Campaign for College Opportunity, wants to keep the SAT’s out of the admission process. They both spoke with State of The Bay’s host Ethan Elkind. 

 

This movie is the latest feature by Oakland filmmaker Anthony Lucero. It’s inspired by his mother and disabled brother, and it's now out on streaming platforms. 

The host of KALW’s Sights and Sounds Show Jenee Darden, spoke with Lucero about his new movie. 

But while city efforts to reduce the number of RVs appears to be succeeding, the crackdown has left hundreds of former RV tenants without any shelter. Yesica Prado is an investigative reporter with El Tecolote. She also lives in an RV in the East Bay and has reported extensively about on vehicular homelessness. She spoke recently with KALW's news editor Sunni Khalid about her most recent reporting.

This was welcome news to everyone in the Oasis family, but especially Tito Soto, the club’s event producer and a headline performer.  KALW’s Stafford Hemmer went out to the club to meet the man who’s brought Oasis to life every Saturday night for the last six years. And who continues to invest much of his life into the club.

With the news that Oasis is going to reopen on July 17th, Stafford brought D’Arcy and Tito to KALW’s live event space in Downtown San Francisco. They talked about why Bay Area drag is different from the rest of the world, and how today’s artists navigate the line between performance and protest. 

Oasis has been closed for renovations for the past several months… but it’s about to reopen on July 17th! Find the details for their Grand Reopening here!

Leonard Nimoy once said he was so immersed in the character that sometimes he couldn’t turn it off at home. This led to friction in Mr. Nimoy’s and his son Adam’s relationship. Adam Nimoy reflects on this in his new memoir, “The Most Human: Reconciling with My Father, Leonard Nimoy.” He spoke with KALW’s Jenee Darden on “The Sights + Sounds Show.” Here’s an excerpt from their conversation. 

Whatever your feelings are, one thing is for sure: we’ll be hearing a LOT of the national anthem in the coming days. Especially as the country marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  

So - how do you relate to the Star Spangled Banner?

Well that’s a question Jeff Chang asked on his new KALW show, Notes From The Edge. His show explores the possibilities and perils of America as our country moves through increasingly uncertain times. In one episode, Jeff invited musicians to reimagine America's Anthem. 

In this clip, we’ll hear from Julian Brave NoiseCat, the Oscar-winning director of the documentary Sugar Cane, and the author of the memoir “We Survived the Night.” 

They recently hosted a night of clips and conversations at our live event space in Downtown San Francisco. It was called 'Creating Queer Third Spaces: Envisioning Places to Connect & Belong.' 

Whatever your feelings are, one thing is for sure: we’ll be hearing A LOT of the national anthem, especially as the country marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. So, how do you relate to the Star Spangled Banner?

Well that’s a question Jeff Chang asked on his new KALW show, Notes From The Edge. His show explores the possibilities and perils of America / as our country moves through increasingly uncertain times. In one episode, Jeff invited musicians to reimagine America's Anthem. In this clip, we’ll hear from one of them. Here’s La Doña.

The lounge includes screenings, interactive sessions, and panel discussions about the genre. Audrey T. Williams is a writer, and a co-curator of the AfroFuturism Lounge. She spoke to KALW’s Jenee Darden for “The Sights + Sounds Show,” about what guests will find when they step in.

Here’s an excerpt of their conversation.

This one is about the role schools play in supporting students, and shaping attitudes around the LGBTQ PLUS community. tbh reporter Amaya Dorman McKenzie graduated from Berkeley High School in 2024. She has two moms. And in this story, she shares her experience. 

Saturday is the 4th of July. And every time it comes around, folks consider their relationship with the day. Some celebrate it, some protest it, other people are just indifferent… Whatever your feelings, one thing is for sure- we’ll be hearing A LOT of the national anthem, especially as the country marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. 

So—how do you relate to the Star Spangled Banner?

That’s a question Jeff Chang asked on his new KALW show, Notes From The Edge.

His show explores the possibilities and perils of America as our country moves through increasingly uncertain times. In this segment, Jeff invited musicians to reimagine America's Anthem. We bring you one of those musicians- here’s Leyla McCalla 

But the harm reduction approach is at the heart of a conflict. On the one side are some San Francisco elected officials, business owners, and residents who associate it with open air drug use and crime. On the other side are nonprofit organizations that say harm reduction services save lives. KALW's Stafford Hemmer has the story. 

But what happens when an important community space has to shut down, even temporarily Ashley Smiley, who goes by her last name, is the program coordinator for the African American Art and Culture Complex. Smiley spoke with KALW’s Jenee Darden on the “The Sights + Sounds Show” about the center’s longtime impact and what this closure means. 

Here in the East Bay, one Afghan-American is working hard to preserve what he can. He’s digitizing tapes he’s sourced from back home and posting them in an online database he started calling the Afghan Cassette Archive. But getting those tapes out of Afghanistan is not as simple as an online order… It's an illegal, expensive, and dangerous odyssey.

Reporter Christopher Alam met up with Omid J, aka OMJVinyls, at his Oakland studio to check out his rare collection.

In the past year, the Trump Administration has worked quickly to dismantle the Department of Education. And one of the major programs they want to eliminate is called TRIO, a federally-funded initiative that helps low-income students and those who would be the first in their families to go to college. Thousands of those students in the Bay Area get support from TRIO programs to get into college and graduate. 

KALW reporter Anna Casalme visited two programs in San Francisco to understand what this political fight means for students. 

In this excerpt from the event, we begin with Jenee’s conversation with one of the book’s co-editors, Alie Jones. Then, we hear “A recipe for Exhale Cake” by Adrienne Danyelle Oliver. And, writer Ayodele Nzinga brings us an excerpt of her piece “a breath in three movements.” 

And though the concerts have been happening for nearly a century and half, the music is very eclectic. They’re a blend of all types of music from soul, to Disney songs, to Ukrainian music, and so much more. 

German Gonzalez is the current music director and conductor of the Band. He recently spoke with KALW’s Jenee Darden for the Sights and Sounds Show. In this excerpt from their conversation, German talks about his music journey and what he's looking forward to performing with his band.