Hosted by KALW · EN
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.
There’s a new cohort of journalists learning how to make radio in California prisons. Today, we introduce you to this year’s Uncuffed class at the California Institution for Women - through their favorite songs.
Queer spaces are always evolving, but some things stay constant. Today, a conversation on the challenges and possibilities of creating community spaces. Then, if you could re-imagine the American anthem, what would it sound like?
It's the last day of June, so today we are going to send off this year's Pride Month by imagining what the future of Queer spaces could be. In this segment we hear from two of KALW's recent Audio Academy graduates: Jordan Karnes and Anna Casalme. 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.'
We are approaching the July 4th weekend, and now more than ever people are reflecting on what it means to be American with a complicated mix of emotions. Some celebrate the 4th of July, some protest it, other people are just indifferent. 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.
A long time Bay Area sci-fi convention is adding AfroFuturism to its programming. Then, we hear how the way schools embrace the LGBTQ+ community impacts how kids shape their attitudes and actions. It’s an episode of TBH, our series made by, about, and for teenagers. Plus, KALW's Notes from the Edge listens to artists about how they would reimagine our National Anthem.
The 4th of July holiday is this weekend. For some Bay Area nerds, their weekend will include not only fireworks and hot dogs… but space ships, and magic too! The sci-fi/fantasy convention BayCon is returning to the South Bay for its 42nd year this holiday weekend. And this year will feature a new AfroFuturism Lounge.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.
Today, the KALW high school summer podcasting institute is kicking off! Each cohort of students produces a show called tbh, short for to be honest. In honor of the program launch, and the wrapping up of Pride month, we’re bringing you one of our favorite tbh episodes from a previous cohort. 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.
Making your voice heard, and creating change, are fundamental to our democracy. But sometimes, when we see that democracy being threatened, it can make us ponder how we feel about this country as a whole.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
San Francisco’s Mayor Daniel Lurie has made changes to the city’s harm reduction policy. And not everyone supports them. Today, how the new policy is impacting the people who receive these services. Then, a Black culture space in the city is closing its doors for a few years.
For more than 25 years, the City of San Francisco has used an approach called “harm reduction” to help people struggling with substance abuse. It’s common in California. The key tenet of harm reduction is: meet people where they’re at, so that they can manage their substance use and stay alive. That can involve giving people clean supplies to consume drugs.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.