Shows / Crosscurrents
Crosscurrents
Crosscurrents is KALW Public Radio's award-winning news magazine, broadcasting in the Bay Area Mondays through Thursdays on 91.7 FM. We make joyful, informative stories that engage people across the economic, social, and cultural divides in our community.
Episodes
- Crosscurrents
Covering Sports at San Quentin / James 'Sticknasty' Small / The Zohar
Today, we meet the man who reports on the athletes at San Quentin prison who play everything from basketball to pickleball. Then, Fantastic Negrito's drummer…
- Crosscurrents
Confronting Caste / New Arrivals / Grant Avenue Follies
Today, we talk to reporter Sonia Paul about a first-in-the-nation measure to add caste to state anti-discrimination laws. And we hear from three Bay Area…
- Crosscurrents
Oakland Coal Trains / Center Of Sexy Times / Bay Poets
Today, we meet researchers using a special night vision camera to track the movement of trains and pollution. We hear how open air coal trains are impacting…
- Crosscurrents
Meet San Francisco's Fire Chief / The Future of Small Presses
Today, we meet the first openly LGBTQ fire chief in the country in a new story from our series "At Work." Then, a conversation about the future of small…
- Crosscurrents
La Maison Bleue / Who Is The Most Influential Latino In The Bay Area?
In today's episode, we go to a blue house in San Francisco that attracts crowds of French people. It's a new story in our series Culture Keepers, celebrating…
- Crosscurrents
DIY Punk Culture / Pacific Athletic Conference Collapse
In this episode, we rock out with a Bay Area band who takes public performance and the idea of moving to music to a whole new level. Today, we’re checking out…
- Crosscurrents
Keeping History Alive and Ringing / Actor Wayne Harris's 'Train Stories'
Today, we climb into the bell tower at Holy Trinity Cathedral to meet a bell ringer who's been cultivating his craft since childhood and is passing it on to…
- Crosscurrents
Uncuffed: To My Children / The Future Of Anchor Steam
Today, two formerly incarcerated mothers reflect on how their children keep them strong. Then, we hear how becoming a teacher led one person to finally feel…
- Crosscurrents
Oakland's Snail Bar / The Stud / Imprisoned Pianist
In this episode, we meet an East Bay chef who goes beyond shopping at the farmer’s market. We hear how he works to connect food, urban diners and nature. Then…
- Crosscurrents
The Stoop: Reclaiming Blackness / 40 Years Of Creativity Explored
In this episode, we travel thousands of miles to hear how Bay Area movements like the Black Panthers influenced activists in Australia. It's an award-winning…
- Crosscurrents
San Quentin Film Maker / The Stoop: Within These Walls
Today, we begin with a new story from Uncuffed. We'll meet an incarcerated media-maker who shares how a program at San Quentin rekindled his creative spark…
- Crosscurrents
Poet Sarah Fathima Mohammed / The Stoop: Pious And Pleasured / New Arrivals
In this episode we speak with nationally recognized poet, Sarah Fathima Mohammed. She shares how the women in her life inspire her work and how she found her…
- Crosscurrents
KALW Day: 82 Years on the Air
Tomorrow our station turns 82 years old — happy birthday KALW! We’re one of the oldest FM stations in the country and the very first one west of the…
- Crosscurrents
Disability System Accountability / Investigative Journalism / Disco Tour
In this episode, we hear how a new state bill can bring more accountability to California’s developmental disability system. Then, one of San Quentin’s…
- Crosscurrents
Former disability group home admin accuses parent company of abuse, mismanagement
Our investigation deepens when an administrator at Katrina’s group home comes forward. She discloses disturbing details about resident mistreatment, and…
- Crosscurrents
Investigation Uncovers Abuse of Nonverbal Autistic Woman in 'Enhanced' California Group Home
Recently, KALW’s series “Without a Voice” won the Northern California Society of Professional Journalists award for Investigative Reporting in audio. It looks…
- Crosscurrents
tbh: Activating Teen Voters / New Arrivals: Anita Gail Jones
Gen Z is known for being one of the most politically active generations, but their turnout at the polls still lags behind previous generations. What’s behind…
- Crosscurrents
tbh: Climate Apocalypse Fatigue / New Arrivals: Jane Kuo
Climate change is scary and it's even scarier for teenagers who feel like it’s up to their generation to fix it. In an episode from the KALW original podcast…
- Crosscurrents
tbh: Losing A Classmate To Fentanyl / Activism From Grief
In this episode, we hear how students honored the life of a classmate who died from a fentanyl overdose. A story of student journalism making an impact in the…
- Crosscurrents
tbh: Wellness Centers / How Texas Is Approaching Homelessness
Today, we meet recent Independence High School graduate, Jamareion Adrow. He was guided through high school with the help of his school's wellness center. Now…
- Crosscurrents
tbh: AI, Art, & Jobs
In the second episode of tbh, we explore the effect of AI on creative fields. In the wake of new technologies, how are visual artists feeling about how AI can…
- Crosscurrents
tbh: Is ChatGPT A Toy? A Tool? A Threat? Or Something Else?
In the first episode of tbh's new season, we hear from Berkeley High school junior, Miriam Reichenberg. She is thinking a lot about how students are engaging…
- Crosscurrents
Reckoning With Our Past / A Journey To Live Freely
In this episode, we hear from people who have returned home from prison. It’s three stories from our Uncuffed re-entry class about how reckoning with the past…
- Crosscurrents
Repair and Dispossession / San Francisco's Reparations Roadmap
In the conversation around reparations for African Americans, housing is a key element. In this episode, we hear about a new state proposal to address housing…
- Crosscurrents
The Stoop: The Glamorous Life
In recent years, U.S. TV studios that make reality shows have started making them in Africa. Shows like "The Real Housewives" of Lagos, Durban, and Nairobi…
- Crosscurrents
San Francisco's Windmills / Albion Castle / Claudia Hagadus Long
Today, we hear the story of San Francisco’s twin windmills from our podcst, The Golden Gate Parkcast. Then, we learn about a former cop who bought a castle in…
- Crosscurrents
Love on the Outside / Author Cecilia Rabess / Bison Paddock
Today, in two stories from Uncuffed, we hear how getting back into the dating world after incarceration can be challenging. Then, San Francisco author Cecelia…
- Crosscurrents
Professionalism at San Quentin / Mindfulness for Kids / Golden Gate Parkcast
First up, we hear how a San Quentin Prison media maker learned to become a leader in a new story from Uncuffed. Then, we meet a former actor who brings…
- Crosscurrents
In Harm's Way Pt. 4 / San Francisco's Songs / Casting Pools
Today, we hear how students preparing for careers in addiction support also learn how to take care of themselves. Then, we discover the surprising history…
- Crosscurrents
Shakespeare Garden / Rose Garden / Spreckels Lake
Today, we take a tour on our Golden Gate Parkcast. We begin by exploring a place of quiet, relaxation, and literature. Then, we head on over to one of the…
- Crosscurrents
A Mother's Hustle / Golden Gate Park Band / High School Band Practice
In today's show, two men share how they grew up watching their mother’s hustle. We’ll hear about their childhoods and what they want for their own kids in this…
- Crosscurrents
Field Of Dreams / Music Without Borders / Lindy In The Park
In today's show, we hear a new story from the Uncuffed team. It's about how reconnecting with a sport changed a person's life. Then, we have a conversation…
- Crosscurrents
In Harm's Way Pt. 3 / Nairobi Williese Barnes / Tunnel Jazz
Today, we hear how providers fighting the high rate of drug overdoses in San Francisco are facing staffing shortages. It’s the third installment of the new…
- Crosscurrents
Asian Underworlds / Conservatory Of Flowers / New Arrivals
Today, we hear about a San Francisco exhibit that explores how hell is perceived and represented in Asian cultures. It's a conversation on the art of Asian…
- Crosscurrents
SFMTA's Future / San Quentin Marathon / Every Road In San Jose
San Francisco’s public transit is still recovering, but a better future might be just a few stops down the line. Today, a conversation with the director of the…
- Crosscurrents
Untrammeled: How a plan to replant giant sequoias unearths questions about the meaning of wilderness
In Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, park managers are considering replanting sequoias in wilderness to restore the groves after severe fires they say…
- Crosscurrents
In Harm's Way Pt. 2 / Unfaithful (Re)creations / New Arrivals
Today, we meet a group of punks bring life saving supplies to the community, even as funding comes and goes. We bring you part two in our new series, "In…
- Crosscurrents
Hill Bomb Crackdown / Tommy Guerrero / New Arrivals: Nina Schulyer
Recently, more than a hundred people were arrested at San Francisco’s unsanctioned skate exhibit, the Dolores Park Hill Bomb. Today, we follow that story with…
- Crosscurrents
Refugee Eyes / The Great Animal Orchestra / New Arrivals
Today, we meet a Palestinian photographer who uses her art to help change the narrative about her home, and why it matters to see the world through the eyes of…
- Crosscurrents
The Hood Cobbler / The Empathy Circuit / New Arrivals
In today's show, learn about the art and science of clean kicks. We meet Oakland resident Austin Brown, who's found his true passion as the Hood Cobbler. Then…
- Crosscurrents
In Harm's Way / Streets & Sanitation / New Arrivals: Christy Warren
On today's episode, a new series premieres. ‘In Harm’s Way: Workers Battle the Overdose Crisis’ reports on how the closure of San Francisco's Tenderloin…
- Crosscurrents
Manny's Disco Cleanup / Trash to Art / The Dirt on Dolores Park
In today's show, we join a Sunday ritual focused on clean streets and good beats. Get down... and a little dirty at Manny's Disco Cleanup. Then, a story about…
- Crosscurrents
Refusing Refuse / Cultivating Quesada Street / New Arrivals
Today, we meet marketer-turned-civic-activist Vincent Yuen. He's on a mission to make San Francisco more beautiful... and to stop people from littering its…
- Crosscurrents
Using Drones To Tackle Trash / No Coal In Oakland / New Arrivals
In today's episode, we learn about how drones can provide a new perspective on the things we see everyday. Meet the San Francisco residents using these…
- Crosscurrents
Groundwater Rise / Planning Non-Traditional Weddings / New Arrivals
In today's episode, we learn about an underground threat to Bay Area cities and beyond. A new study warning about groundwater rise and why our current…
- Crosscurrents
Madison McFerrin / Lester and Dylan Chambers / New Arrivals
Today, we hear singer-songwriter Madison McFerrin talk about her San Francisco roots, musical influences, and journey. Then, we hear from another musical…
- Crosscurrents
Standout / Antioch Police Scandal / Restorative Justice
Today, we hear a new story from Uncuffed about a born athlete who was destined for football greatness... until a serious injury changed his path. Then, an…
- Crosscurrents
Home Baked: How pot brownies brought relief during the AIDS epidemic
For Pride month KALW has been airing stories that explore and celebrate the Bay Area’s queer culture. But today, we’re going back a few decades to a more…
- Crosscurrents
Teatro Jornalero / Uncuffed: Hole in the Heart
In today's episode, we explore the healing art of storytelling. First, we take a trip to the theater to learn about how Oakland day laborers are taking their…
- Crosscurrents
tbh: The Dirty Truth About The 'Clean Girl' Aesthetic / New Arrivals
Last week KALW took home three awards from the Public Media Journalists Association. Today we’re re-airing one of those stories — a winner in the Student…
- Crosscurrents
Parker Community School / Oakland Couple Saves Star Trek / New Arrivals
Today, we meet the Oakland parents who fought to keep their neighborhood school from closing last year — the story behind the Parker Community School. Then, we…
- Crosscurrents
Drag Queen Story Hour / Queer Superheroes / The Parade After Pride
Today, we hear about how San Francisco’s Drag Queens are taking their show to a different kind of stage — local libraries. We take you behind the scenes of…
- Crosscurrents
SF Gay Men's Chorus / Radically Fit / Queer Wrestling
Today, we explore the story behind a sound that serves as a national symbol for LGBTQ+ resistance. Dive into the history of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus…
- Crosscurrents
Uncuffed Playlist
The Uncuffed Playlist is the newest prison training program from KALW. It is the first music radio show in the state to be hosted by incarcerated people and…
- Crosscurrents
Mother's Of The Movement / Bayview's New Farmer's Market
Today, we hear from Black women whose children were killed — often because of failures in our law-enforcement system. We bring you powerful conversations from…
- Crosscurrents
California Foodways: Farming With Ghosts / New Arrivals: Reyna Grande
Today, we are taking you Masumoto’s Family Farm is well known — their produce stocks the shelves of popular Bay Area grocers, like San Francisco’s Bi Rite…
- Crosscurrents
Cannabis Equity / The Cost Of Selling Marijuana
Today, we hear how the nation’s first cannabis equity program has failed some East Bay businesses, and we learn how the City of Oakland might be able to help…
- Crosscurrents
Urban Creeks / Dropping Audubon / New Arrivals
Today, we take a trip to East Bay's Codornices Creek. We learn about the different reasons why people are drawn to it and what it takes to restore and maintain…
- Crosscurrents
Trans Aerialist / Sunday Skool / Dance Like The World is Ending
Today's show is about finding ourselves and our people. First, we speak with a trans-aerialist who explains how his art allows him to connect to his body. It's…
- Crosscurrents
Developing Young Filmmakers / Hip Hop Hope / San Francisco Reparations
In Oakland, there's one group that's helping young people of color tell diverse stories. Today, we hear how some teens are getting hands-on experience making…
