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.
Today, we explore a series that captures San Francisco at the height of the AIDS epidemic. It's a conversation with the host of “When We All Get To Heaven.” Then, we visit the Bay Area’s first women’s sports bar- Rikki’s. Plus, a poem about found family.
Pride Month is a time to celebrate accomplishments of LGBTQ+ individuals, and commemorate the ongoing fight for the whole community to gain equality and justice. It’s also a time to remember and honor those we’ve lost. That includes the millions of people that have died of AIDS-related illness.That’s the aim of the Peabody award winning documentary project, ‘When We All Get To Heaven.’ With archival tape it tells the story of one of the first gay-positive churches, the Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco during the height of the AIDS crisis in the 80s and 90s. The 10 episode series brings to life a community facing personal, social, and political trials, including the deaths of hundreds of its members. It premiered in October 2025. And KALWs Crosscurrents host Hana Baba spoke with the host and co-creator of the series Lynne Gerber.
In June 2025, San Francisco welcomed its first women's sports bar: Rikki’s! In honor of Rikki’s first anniversary, here’s the story of how it came to be, from the host of Bounce, KALW’s Erin Lim.
Now, a poem about becoming ourselves, with the help of our chosen family. This is San Jose Poet, Lorenz Mazon Dumuk reading his poem, “Everyday I become an Egg.”
Today, we take dancing to a deeper level with Afro-Cuban folklore. Experiencing dance as spiritual practice. And, we head over to Oakland's first Haitian restaurant for some hearty, braised goodness.
June is Caribbean Heritage Month. And The Bay Area is home to a vibrant Caribbean American community, including thousands of Haitians. Crosscurrents host, Hana Baba wanted to visit one Haitian American that’s been in the culinary news over the last few years - his restaurant was named one of the tastiest restaurants in the Bay Area by the SF Chronicle, among other accolades. He’s Chef Frantz Felix - the owner of Oakland’s first Haitian restaurant, T’Chaka.
You can experience Caribbean culture in the Bay Area though delicious food. And also through rhythm and dance. Next a dance form that’s deeply connected to the history and faith systems of one Caribbean culture - Afro-Cuban folkloric dance. Reporter Leila Day experienced this dance form on a visit to the Dance Mission Theater in San Francisco. And brings us this story
Here’s Nia Pearl reading her poem ‘Bones talk out of the side of their neck. You can hear more from local poets here.
It’s California’s primary election day. Today, we hear how first time voting can be daunting... and depending on where you are, a potentially baffling experience. Plus, we paddle out with the Queer Surf Collective.
Figuring out where and how to cast a ballot can be difficult to navigate, especially when we are leading busier lives and also investing time to make informed voting decisions. It gets even trickier when it is your very first time casting a vote, like many California teenagers that have just turned 18. So our first story today is from TBH, our podcast, by, about and for teenagers. But before we get to that we are excited to announce that after two years of being dormant, we have put together a new cohort to work on a brand new season. Stay tuned for that, but for the California Primaries we bring you a story from the last season, about how some teenagers feel underqualified or not educated enough to cast their first ballot.It was reported by TBH producer Charlotte King during the 2024 presidential election, she shares how she and her friends were thinking about voting for the first time, while they also go ready to leave for college.