The Bay

This episode contains explicit language. Hip-hop turns 50 years old today, and it’s no secret that the Bay Area gets overlooked. Today, Eric Arnold and Nastia Voynovskaya join us to talk about KQED’s yearlong series exploring the history of Bay Area hip-hop — and how our region has shaped hip-hop through the years. Links: That’s My Word The Bay Area Was Hip-Hop Before There Was Hip-Hop Hip-Hop's 50th Anniversary: Where to Celebrate in the Bay Area That’s My Word, Spotify Playlists celebrating 50 years of Bay Area Hip Hop It's Time to Unpack Pimp Culture in Bay Area Hip-Hop Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Next Tuesday, nearly 4,500 San Jose city workers are planning to walk off the job for 3 days. Garbage, fire, and police won’t be affected, but many critical services like the airport, libraries, and housing construction will be. If the strike goes forward, it would be San Jose's largest since 1981. KQED’s Guy Marzorati explains how we got here, and what could happen next. This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the morning after Thanksgiving last year, Martinez residents woke up and found a strange, white powder coating their neighborhoods. It came from the nearby refinery. Will McCarthy from the Mercury News tells us what happened next, and how this incident spurred angry neighbors into action for the first time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the first time since 2009, there is no salmon fishing season in California. This decision has hit fishers, coastal towns, and Native communities hard. But it wasn’t inevitable. KQED climate and science reporter Danielle Venton explains how the state’s choices around water management played a major role. Episode transcript This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A committee called Save Alameda For Everyone (SAFE) has filed documents for a recall campaign against progressive Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price. KQED’s Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez explains why this is happening — and whether DA Price could face the same fate as Chesa Boudin did in San Francisco. Episode transcript This episode was produced by Maria Esquinca and Alan Montecillo and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. A previous version of this episode incorrectly stated the number of Alameda County voter signatures required for the recall to qualify for the ballot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We hope you’re having a lovely Summer, Bay listeners. We’re spending this month gaming out the next year of our show, and we need your help! It’s important to us to hear from you and what you want to hear more (or less) of on The Bay. Just fill out our listener survey. The deadline is Friday July 21. Just go to kqed.org/thebaysurvey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Breaking news from the Bay Team: we are taking our annual break from making new episodes for the month of July. We’re using this time to reset, rest, do some team bonding, and brainstorm what we want to make for you. We will be back with new episodes starting Wednesday, August 2. You can still reach us on Twitter @TheBayKQED or via e-mail [email protected]. We always love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California’s Reparations Task Force, the first of its kind in the nation, wrapped up 2 years of work studying reparations for Black Californians on Thursday. The task force, made up of scholars, community members and politicians, held days-long meetings studying what reparations could look like. The proposal is now in the hands of state legislators, who will decide whether to turn their recommendations into actual policy. So what’s in the plan? Episode transcript Guest: Annelise Finney, KQED reporter Links: How California's Reparations Task Force Reached Its Final Proposal The Bay Survey This episode was produced by Jehlen Herdman and Maria Esquinca, edited by Alan Montecillo, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the longest running pride celebrations in the country, SF pride has brought generations of queer communities together to march, celebrate, grieve, and organize. For this episode we hear from Gwenn Craig, a queer elder. She moved to San Francisco in 1975 as a young woman eager to explore her lesbian identity. She got involved in politics and was a close collaborator of Harvey Milk. She talks about her political organizing, what pride has meant to her over the years, and what she hopes for its future. Episode transcript This interview was conducted by Annelise Finney. This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Jehlen Herdman with production assistance from Maria Esquinca. Ericka Cruz Guevarra is the host. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A generation of young people has been traumatized by gun violence. Mass shootings year after year, especially at schools, draw international headlines. But students, and even young children, are also being exposed to everyday gun violence hat an alarming rate. In the city of Richmond — which is seen as a national model for gun violence prevention efforts — 40% of shootings over the past 10 years have happened near a K-12 campus, and out of those shootings, around 80% happened within a half mile of an elementary school, according to police data. Today, reporter Abené Clayton with The Guardian’s Guns and Lies in America project joins us to talk about her hometown, how kids are being affected by violence, and why Richmond isn’t an outlier. Episode transcript This episode was produced by Jehlen Herdman, Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You’ve probably seen and heard the stories about downtown San Francisco. Fears about crime and safety, as well as low foot traffic because of the move to remote work, have left many buildings and businesses hollowed out. Downtown is in trouble, and the stakes (and dollar figures) are high. So what’s being done to save it from this so-called urban ‘doom loop’? Episode transcript Guest: Kevin Truong, business and economics reporter for The SF Standard This episode was produced by Jehlen Herdman and Alan Montecillo, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fear of crime and blight in some of California’s biggest cities is increasing pressure on mayors to reduce visible street homelessness fast — even if it means not putting everyone into permanent affordable housing. To do this, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and San Francisco’s London Breed have pushed for more funding for shelters and temporary housing in their city budgets. But homeless advocates worry that more funding for temporary solutions means less funding for permanent housing. Episode transcript Guests: Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, political reporter for KQED and Guy Marzorati, correspondent for KQED’s Politics & Government desk and producer of the Political Breakdown podcast This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo, Maria Esquinca and Jehlen Herdman, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you have ever driven down Sacramento Street in South Berkeley, you have probably seen the statue of William Byron Rumford Sr that is prominently displayed on the median just off of Ashby Ave. Rumford was a civil rights advocate. He became the Bay Area’s first African American elected to the California Legislature in 1948. He also owned the pharmacy across the street from the site of the statue. Both are stops on the South Berkeley Legacy Project’s Black History walking tour. The tour is led by local historian and lifelong South Berkeley resident, Tina Jones Williams. The tour highlights cultural pillars in Berkeley’s Black community in effort to preserve their legacy. Episode transcript Guest: Corey Antonio Rose, producer Its Been a Minute and Bria Suggs, a journalist at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism. Links: Walk Through History in the Heart of Berkeley’s Black Community South Berkeley Legacy Project Facebook Page This episode was produced by Maria Esquinca and Jehlen Herdman, our intern, with production assistance from Alexander Gonzalez. Ericka Cruz Guevarra is the host. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A spate of deadly shootings across the Bay are highlighting an ongoing surge in gun violence in the region, especially since the pandemic, which in part interrupted some of the work that had been trying to prevent gun violence. In Oakland, community groups and the city’s Department of Violence Prevention (DVP) say it's going to take creative thinking to solve this problem — and that includes investing in arts and culture. Starting Friday and through July, DVP is bringing back Town Nights, a series of arts and culture events around Oakland that provide resources and positive social outlets. So why do some of the city’s leading gun violence prevention groups say this programming is effective at stopping gun violence? The Bay revisits this question in an episode featuring Nastia Voynovskaya, KQED associate editor of arts and culture. Episode transcript Links: Town Nights events for Summer 2023 This episode first published October 10, 2022. It was produced by Maria Esquinca, Alan Montecillo, Alexander Gonzalez and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The recent killing of Banko Brown by an armed Walgreens security guard has put a focus on the work of these employees. While they often take on similar roles to cops, armed security guards are not public employees but often low-paid civilians with few protections when they kill someone on the job, and they don’t get proper training on things like use of force or de-escalation either. That’s all supposed to change after the 2019 killing of a man by a security officer in Sacramento, which led to a bill meant to increase the state training standards for security guards. Episode transcript Guest: Marisa Lagos, a politics correspondent for KQED and co-host of the political breakdown podcast. Links: ‘A Tragedy of San Francisco’s Marking’: The Killing of Banko Brown They Carry Weapons. So Why Don’t Security Guards Have to get Use-of-Force Training? This episode was produced by Alexander Gonzales, Jehlen Herdman, Maria Esquinca, and Ericka Cruz Guevarra, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Designated “the fastest-growing sport in America” by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association in the last three years, pickleball is blowing up here in the Bay Area, too. Local enthusiasts say the sport has helped them stay active during the pandemic and find community. Today on the Bay: a field trip to Bushrod Park, the heart of Oakland’s pickleball scene, to see what all the hype is about. Episode transcript Guest: Alix Wall, Freelance writer, Darlene Vendegna, Oakland’s USA Pickleball Association Ambassador Links: A look inside Oakland’s booming pickleball scene This episode was produced by Maria Esquinca and Jehlen Herdman. Molly Solomon guest edited. Ericka Cruz Guevarra is the host. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So much of life is online these days, but barriers to internet access remain, especially for folks who are unhoused. Resources at public libraries, like free Wi-Fi, are aiming to fill that gap. A 2022 study by the American Library Association found that 93 percent of libraries provide or plan to provide Wi-Fi 24 hours a day because of the high demand for internet. But San Francisco’s Eureka Valley/Harvey Milk Memorial Branch Library has moved in the opposite direction after neighbors raised concerns about homelessness, crime, and open air drug use outside of the library. Mounting public pressure prompted the Harvey Milk Library to shut off Wi-Fi after hours to try and deter homelessness in the area. So is it working? Guest: Sydney Johnson, digital reporter for KQED Episode transcript Links: What Happens When Libraries Stop Sharing Wi-Fi? This episode was produced by Jehlen Herdman, Maria Esquinca, Molly Solomon, and Ericka Cruz Guevarra, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood has been at the forefront of the opioid epidemic, amassing a reputation as a place of open air drug dealing, crime, and homelessness. Viral images and videos of open-air drug use have been seen around the world. Some argue publishing pictures and videos of people experiencing addiction is dehumanizing and has long-term effects that follow them for the rest of their lives. Others argue the images raise awareness and showcase the reality of San Francisco’s overdose epidemic. Episode transcript This episode originally aired on Dec. 9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Caste is a hierarchical system, based on birth, that affects South Asians on the subcontinent and around the world. Many hesitate to discuss it out in the open. But over the years, people from marginalized caste backgrounds have been speaking up — including in Silicon Valley, home to thousands of workers of South Asian descent, where allegations of caste discrimination have hung over some of the area’s largest tech companies. Now, a bill has been introduced to ban caste discrimination in California. And it has sparked heated arguments within South Asian communities. Episode transcript Guest: Sonia Paul, freelance journalist Links: LISTEN: The hidden caste codes of Silicon Valley READ: Trapped in Silicon Valley’s Hidden Caste System The audio used in this episode with Professor Anupama Rao originally aired in The Agenda With Steve Paikin. This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca. Jehlen Herdman is our intern. Ericka Cruz Guevarra is the host. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco is re-upping a program to make catalytic converters more traceable, in hopes of slowing down the theft of the highly sought-out car part containing highly valuable metals. The program comes months after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two statewide laws hoping to address the problem, which has caused big headaches for car owners. When people lose their catalytic converters, they sometimes have to go months without a car, and are often on the hook for thousands of dollars in costs. Episode transcript Guest: Jose Fermoso, road safety reporter for The Oaklandside This episode first published Oct. 22, 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gov. Gavin Newsom has been talking a big game about CARE (Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment) Court, the state’s new plan for treating people with severe mental illness. CARE Court, which every county in California will have to implement by next year, focuses on steering people suffering from severe psychosis, such as schizophrenia, and addiction into treatment. It will allow first responders, family members, clinicians and others to ask a judge to order treatment plans for unhoused people with severe psychotic disorders. San Francisco is gearing up to launch this program by Oct. 1. So can CARE Court actually deliver what the governor promises? Episode transcript Guest: Scott Shafer, senior editor of KQED’s Politics and Government Desk This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca. Ericka Cruz Guevarra is the host. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Santa Clara County, the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band is fighting for one of their most sacred sites, known as Juristac. Beginning In the late 1700s, Spanish colonizers forcibly removed the tribe from Juristac, and currently, the land is owned by a private firm that has proposed a plan to develop a mine onsite. For the last 7 years, the tribal band, with support from many residents and local officials, has organized to block the project. They want the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to deny the mining permit from being approved. In this episode from Rightnowish’s “From the Soil” series, producer Marisol Medina-Cadena, speaks to Valentin Lopez, Chairman of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. Episode transcript This episode originally aired on Feb. 9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s a bad time to be an Oakland Athletics fan. First off, they're just having an awful season. But the A's are also the latest pro sports team to announce plans to leave Oakland. And earlier this week, the A’s made a significant step towards a future in Las Vegas, as Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo announced a tentative agreement with the A's over public funding for a new A’s ballpark on the Las Vegas strip. These days, the Oakland Coliseum feels pretty empty, save for some of the die-hard fans who want the team owner to know one thing: that the A’s are nothing without Oakland. Today, we speak with KQED producer and A’s superfan and drummer Nina Thorsen about the latest news, and the heartbreak of being an A’s fan right now. Episode transcript Links: The Bay Survey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two 17-year old girls working at a Popeye’s in East Oakland have filed labor complaints, alleging harassment and potential violations of child labor law. They say they’ve witnessed violence at work and experienced harassment, and that one 13-year old employee was working longer than the legal limit for minors. At least one state agency is now investigating the complaints. For labor advocates and fast food employees, this story is just another example of why changes are needed in how the state holds fast food companies accountable for poor working conditions. Guest: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED labor correspondent. Episode transcript This episode was hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra, and produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca. Links: The Bay Survey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the end of a pandemic-era immigration policy known as Title 42, Bay Area cities and nonprofits in Santa Clara County have been preparing for the arrival of asylum seekers who’ve been waiting months, if not years, to find refuge in places like the South Bay. Title 42 left thousands of asylum-seekers on the other side of the U.S. border or back to the countries they fled. Since the Biden administration lifted the order earlier this month, Amigos de Guadalupe in East San Jose has helped several new families find food and shelter in a community that has long welcomed immigrants. Guest: Maritza Maldonado, founder and executive director of Amigos de Guadalupe in East San Jose Episode transcript Links: A Firsthand Look at the Border After Title 42 Ended This episode was produced by Maria Esquinca and Alan Montecillo, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cleo Moore has been waiting for justice for years. On Jan. 6, 2017, SFPD Officer Kenneth Cha shot her son, Sean Moore, outside of his home after responding to a noise complaint. Moore died in 2020 from complications related to the shooting. Moore's family saw a glimmer of hope in 2021, when then-District Attorney Chesa Boudin charged Cha with manslaughter and assault, marking the second time the city has ever filed homicide charges against an officer for an on-duty incident. But since Boudin’s recall, the fate of Sean Moore’s case has been in the hands of Brooke Jenkins, and Cleo and other family members are pessimistic that she will move forward with the case. Episode transcript Links: The Bay Survey 'I Need to Be Able to Go on With My Life': Sean Moore's Mother Is Still Awaiting Justice, Years After Her Son Was Killed by SFPD This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Ericka Cruz Guevarra, with support from Maria Esquinca. Ericka Cruz Guevarra is the host. Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Oakland teacher’s strike ended on Monday, when the teachers union reached a tentative agreement with the district. Classes were canceled for tens of thousands of students for seven days. The deal not only includes pay raises for teachers and other school staff, but also so-called “common good” proposals that address broader community needs, like support for unhoused families and improvements to transportation access and infrastructure. Episode transcript This interview was produced by Natalia Navarro and Juan Carlos Lara. This episode was produced by Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Maria Esquinca, Jehlen Herdman and Alan Montecillo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Child care is too expensive and inaccessible for kids and families. That’s why in 2018, San Francisco voters approved Baby Prop. C, a tax on commercial landlords that would be used to expand access to child care, particularly for lower-and middle-income families, and to help pay early educators a living wage. After being held up in court battles spearheaded by taxpayer and business groups, money from the tax finally began trickling down to families and providers last year. And while there are still challenges to making child care accessible , this investment appears to be paying off. Guest: Daisy Nguyen, reporter covering early childhood education and care for KQED Episode transcript This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In late April, a 24-year old transgender Black man named Banko Brown was shot and killed by an armed Walgreens security guard on San Francisco’s Market Street for allegedly shoplifting. The guard was held for a few days but has since been released. And now, community members and the Board of Supervisors are pressuring District Attorney Brooke Jenkins to release the video footage of the shooting. Jenkins has declined to file charges. Despite San Francisco’s bold commitments to support the trans community and reduce trans homelessness, Brown struggled to find safe and stable housing, even as he was an active organizer who helped others find resources. All of this adds up to what the San Francisco Chronicle’s Nuala Bishari describes as “a tragedy of San Francisco’s making.” Guest: Nuala Bishari, opinion columnist and editorial writer for the S.F. Chronicle Episode transcript Links: Why couldn’t San Francisco house Banko Brown before he was killed outside Walgreens?' Killed over ‘$14 of candy’: Banko Brown’s death is a tragedy of San Francisco’s making Banko Brown's Trans Life Mattered This episode was produced by Maria Esquinca and Alan Montecillo, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the last 100 years, the Hetch Hetchy reservoir in Yosemite has supplied millions of Bay Area residents with some of the cleanest water in the country. A feat of human engineering, Hetch Hetchy has both an impressive and tainted history; its construction came at both an environmental and human cost to the indigenous people of the area. Now, climate change is making it harder to manage the reservoir, and scientists say something has to change to adapt Hetch Hetchy to the future. Guest: Ezra David Romero, KQED climate reporter Episode transcript This episode was produced by Jehlen Herdman and Maria Esquinca, edited by Alan Montecillo, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Links: Celebration and Concern: Hetch Hetchy Reservoir Turns 100, But Climate Change Complicates its Future The Bay Survey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The federal COVID emergency will officially end on Thursday. But for those living with long COVID, the end of the pandemic couldn’t feel farther from reality. Dubbed by some as a “mass disabling event,” long COVID has left millions of Americans unable to work and stuck navigating the system of disability benefits in order to survive. Doctors and researchers have yet to pin down the exact cause of long COVID. Meanwhile, patients feel that not enough has been done to help find an effective treatment. Guest: Keith Mizuguchi, producer for KQED’s The California Report Episode transcript This episode was produced by Maria Esquinca and Alan Montecillo, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Thursday morning, nearly 3,000 educators and staff at the Oakland Unified School District went on strike in a push for higher wages and better resources. The union and the district have not had an active contract since the last one expired in October. This marks the third walkout this year and the second official strike since 2019. Guest: Erin Baldassari, KQED reporter Episode transcript This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Links: 'Justice for Our Students': Oakland Teachers Go on Strike Amid Deadlock With District The Bay Survey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San José Mayor Matt Mahan has been pushing to build more emergency interim housing as a cost-effective approach to get unhoused residents off the streets more quickly. It’s intended to be a temporary step toward more permanent housing. But one big roadblock to building it? Local housed residents, who say they want to see solutions to homelessness...just not in their own backyards. Guest: Guy Marzorati, politics and government correspondent for KQED Episode transcript Links: The Bay Survey Emergency Calls, Complaints Are Down Near San José's Temporary Housing Sites. So Why Are They Still So Politically Risky? This episode was produced by Maria Esquinca and Jehlen Herdman, edited by Alan Montecillo, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BART Board Director Lateefah Simon is running to replace East Bay Rep. Barbara Lee in Congress, who herself is running to replace Sen. Dianne Feinstein. On KQED’S Political Breakdown podcast, Simon talks with Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos about growing up with a single mom in San Francisco’s Western Addition, her early work with Kamala Harris, facing threats in office, and her run for Congress. Episode transcript This conversation first aired April 13, 2023. Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alameda County’s eviction moratorium helped keep hundreds, potentially thousands of people housed during the pandemic. But after increased pressure from local landlords who face hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid rent, as well as the deaths of two tenant-friendly members of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, the county has decided to officially end the eviction moratorium at midnight April 29. Some cities, like Oakland, Berkeley, and San Leandro, are phasing out their moratoriums more slowly. But the end of Alameda County’s moratorium marks the end of one of the strongest in the Bay Area, and thousands of residents will be affected. Guest: Vanessa Rancaño, housing reporter for KQED Episode transcript Links: As Bay Area Eviction Moratoriums Expire, Local Lawmakers Scramble This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca. Jehlen Herdman is our intern. Ericka Cruz Guevarra is the host. Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eastwind Books, one of the nation’s first Asian American bookstores, has closed its doors after more than four decades in business. The store has been run by Harvey and Beatrice Dong, two activists who were part of civil rights movements in the Bay Area in the 1960s, including the fights over ethnic studies and evictions at the International Hotel in San Francisco. Now in their seventies, Harvey and Beatrice say higher rents and maintenance bills have prompted them to close up shop. Guest: Iris Kwok, Berkeleyside reporter Episode transcript This episode was produced by Jehlen Herdman and Holly J. McDede, edited by Alan Montecillo, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Links: The Bay Survey In Berkeley, an Asian American Institution Plans to Close Its Doors Eastward Books of Berkeley is Closing After 41 Years Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There were more than 2,700 incidents of antisemitic harassment, vandalism, and assault in 2021, the highest count since the Anti-Defamation League’s Center for Extremism began tracking these incidents four decades ago. In October, a group called the Goyim Defense League hung a banner off I-405 in Los Angeles that read “Kanye Was Right About the Jews.” Although this happened in southern California, this group was actually founded right here, in the Bay Area. Guests: Julie Small, KQED reporter and Jill Castellano, inewsource investigative reporter Episode transcript This episode was edited and produced by Alan Montecillo and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra, who also produced. This story was produced in partnership with inewsource, a nonprofit news organization in San Diego. It is part of an ongoing project with inewsource and other NPR stations to chronicle the extent of extremism in California. Links: The Bay Area Roots of a Neo-Nazi Propaganda Group How an Antisemitic Extremist in San Diego Evaded Hate Crime Prosecution Report an Anti-Semitic, Bias or Discriminatory Incident to the Anti-Defamation League Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To commemorate National Poetry Month, producer Maria Esquinca talks to Bay Area-based poet Antmen Pimentel Mendoza about his Chapbook collection, “My Boyfriend Apocalypse.” He talks about surviving the apocalypse, queer love, and finding play in poetry. You can listen to Antmen Pimentel Mendoza read live on Tuesday, April 25, at 7 p.m. at Fabulosa Books in San Francisco. You can find him on Twitter and instagram @antmenismagic. Episode transcript This episode was hosted and produced by Maria Esquinca, and edited by Alan Montecillo. Links: Antmen Pimantel Mendoza's website READ: 'Eau D'Bedroom Dancing (I Learn From You)' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Wednesday night, the Oakland A's announced that they have signed an agreement to buy land for a stadium in Las Vegas. This news doesn't mean the move is complete, but it does make it even more likely that yet another major pro sports team will leave the city of Oakland. We want to know what you're thinking about this. How are you feeling about the team's likely move to Las Vegas? How has it felt to be a fan of the A's? What's going through your mind? Leave us a voicemail at 415-710-9223. Please leave your first name and city, and you may hear your message in a future episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An estimated 1.1 million undocumented immigrants work in California, with large numbers laboring in low-wage jobs like agriculture, construction, and food service. But none of those workers are eligible for unemployment insurance, even though their wages contribute to the system. That’s why workers and advocates have been pushing the state to step in. Senate Bill 227 would use state funds to extend unemployment benefits to undocumented workers: provide unemployed workers $300 per week for 20 weeks. The state legislature passed a similar bill last year, but Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed it, citing concerns over cost. Will that it happen again? Guest: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED labor correspondent Episode transcript This episode was produced by Holly J. McDede and Jehlen Herdman, and guest hosted by Alan Montecillo, who edited. Spanish language support was provided by Maria Esquinca. Links: The Bay Survey ‘I’ve Been Contributing’: Undocumented Workers Are Key to California’s Economy. A New Bill Would Give Them Unemployment Benefits Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode contains explicit, racist and offensive language, as well as descriptions of violence. For years, police officers in the city of Antioch used racist and homophobic slurs with their colleagues in text messages, and openly bragged about targeting people of color with violence. These messages were released to the public in a Contra Costa County District Attorney report last week. These racist texts were released as the department is already being investigated by federal authorities, and as a grand jury considers charging officers with fraud, assault under color of authority, bribery, and other charges. Nearly 1 in 5 police officers in Antioch are currently suspended. For longtime advocates of police reform in Antioch, these messages are a painful reminder of how deeply racism is embedded in the culture of their local police department. Guest: Nate Gartrell, East Bay Times courts reporter Episode transcript Links: Exclusive: Inside the Antioch police department’s secret racist texting group New text messages show Antioch gang unit boasted about injuring suspects, kicking heads like a ‘field goal’ District Attorney Investigative Reports Detail Alleged Antioch Police Racist Texts This episode was produced by Holly J. McDede and Maria Esquinca, and guest hosted by Alan Montecillo, who also edited. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The last time the Sacramento Kings made the NBA playoffs, the iPhone hadn't been invented yet. For 17 years, Sacramento-area sports fans have endured losing season after losing season. But not this year. The Kings turned things around with a young, fast, high-scoring team, securing a spot in the playoffs. Standing in their way are the defending champions, the Golden State Warriors, who are looking to win their 5th title in 9 years. This is the first time in the history of American pro sports that 2 teams from Sacramento and the Bay Area have faced off in a playoff series. It’s a battle of youth vs. experience, Sacramento vs. The Bay, and between two fan bases that are deeply intertwined. Guests: Alan Chazaro, KQED food writer (Warriors fan) Bianca Taylor, KQED producer of segment audio and host of Consider This (Kings fan) Episode transcript Links: The Bay Survey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode contains descriptions of drug addiction and attempted suicide. The national crisis and suicide hotline is 988. In 2021, about 1 in 5 deaths among people ages 15-24 were from fentanyl overdoses in California. As this crisis worsens, doctors are seeing more and more demand for life-saving addiction treatment. One crucial piece of the puzzle is a medication called Suboxone, or buprenorphine. It helps block withdrawal symptoms and can allow people to go to school, work, and maintain relationships while recovering. But patients under the age of 18 can't access Suboxone without parental consent. Assemblymember Matt Haney thinks that should change, and has filed a bill that would lower the age to 16. Guest: Lesley McClurg, KQED health correspondent Episode transcript This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra, who also produced. Links: The Bay Survey New Bill Could Ease Teenagers' Access to Opioid Treatment Amid Ongoing Fentanyl Epidemic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From extra unemployment assistance to free COVID testing and eviction moratoriums, pandemic-era assistance is fading away. The latest to fall are extra payments for recipients of CalFresh, the state’s version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps. Over 3 million households around California use CalFresh, ranging from families to seniors and students. Data shows these extra payments lifted 1 million people out of poverty. So why are the extra payments going away? And can anything be done about it? Guest: Carly Severn, senior editor of audience news for KQED. Episode transcript CalFresh Info Line: 1-877-847-3663 LINKS: The Bay Survey Your CalFresh Benefits Will Drop in April. Here’s What You Can Do This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca. Jehlen Herdman is our intern. Ericka Cruz Guevarra is the host. Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nearly 320,000 Cambodians live in the US, with about a third living in California. Many are survivors or descendants of those who fled the country during the Cambodian genocide. An estimated 2 million people died under the communist Khmer Rouge, leaving survivors with emotional, physical and psychological trauma. Barriers such as language access or cultural stigma often prevent survivors from accessing mental healthcare to address the trauma. But one program in Alameda County has spent the last 20 years providing culturally sensitive mental health care to the Cambodian community, letting survivors lead the way — and participants say it works. Guest: Soreath Hok, reporter for KVPR Episode transcript Links: A program built by Cambodian refugees offers PTSD support. Participants say it works Cambodian refugees cope with war trauma by reinforcing culture and community From Cambodia to California: Survivors of the Khmer Rouge genocide need access to mental healthcare This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The city of Oakland plans to evict the 60 remaining residents of the Wood Street encampment on Monday, April 10. This comes after months of ramping up sweeps in order to move forward with plans to build 171 affordable housing units. At its height, Wood Street was a self-sustaining community of about 300 people and spanned several city blocks. The remaining residents, some of whom have lived there for more than a decade, are feeling an immense sense of loss and uncertainty about whether they can rebuild their community. Guest: Erin Baldassari, housing affordability correspondent for KQED Episode transcript This episode was produced by Maria Esquinca and Jehlen Herdman, edited by Alan Montecillo, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra, who also produced. Links: End of an Era: Last Remaining Unhoused Residents at Oakland's Wood Street Commons Getting Evicted The Bay Survey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve delayed action on climate change for so long that scientists say eliminating greenhouse gas emissions isn’t enough anymore — we also need to explore ways of removing carbon from the atmosphere. One potential method is carbon removal, which is exactly what it sounds like. Forests and wetlands can naturally do this, and engineered approaches are starting to take shape as well. And some of these new climate technology companies have been formed here in the Bay Area. How to do it fast, and safely, is a big question. But some lawmakers are hopeful that carbon removal can not only help fight climate change, but create an economic boom at the same time. Guest: Laura Klivans, climate reporter and host of Deep Look Episode transcript This episode was produced by Maria Esquinca and Alan Montecillo, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The iconic Castro Theatre faces an uncertain future. Historically operated as a movie palace, the building’s new managers want to renovate the space for more events — like concerts, performances and weddings. The plans have not been received well by everyone. Some point to the theater’s historical significance in San Francisco’s gay community as a reason to restore the space rather than renovate it, and this tension has resulted in a fight for the theater’s future. This episode of Bay Curious first published March 9, 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anti-trans hate is on the rise. Republicans have introduced more than 400 anti-trans bills in state legislatures around the country. 1 in California would force educators to out trans kids who may not be ready to come out to their parents. Last year, California became the first sanctuary state in the country for trans youth. But a transgender therapist in the Bay Area says the anti-trans hate is still having a real effect on her trans clients. Guest: Veronica Esposito, a writer, transgender advocate and associate marriage and family therapist in the Bay Area This episode was produced by Jehlen Herdman, Maria Esquinca, and Alan Montecillo, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Links: Read Veronica’s Piece: As a Therapist, I See the Damage of Anti-Trans Hate Firsthand Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode contains mentions of suicide. Too often, psychosis isn’t treated until it’s too late. But studies from early psychosis clinics show that patients see a greater reduction of symptoms, like voices or delusions, and a greater improvement in functioning at school, at work and in their social lives, compared to people who get treatment as usual. But too often, private insurers don’t cover these treatments, leaving many families to navigate the byzantine system of insurance on their own. This episode of The California Report Magazine first aired on March 1, 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices