The Bay

Studies show that arts and music education benefit students, reducing things like depression and truancy. However, when budgets are slashed, they’re the first programs to go. The problem is exacerbated in low-income schools, which already face under-staffed and low budgeted music and arts programs, argues former Los Angeles Unified School School District Superintendent, Austin Beutner, who launched Prop. 28. Prop. 28 would increase the amount of funding allocated for music and arts education in public schools. Currently, 40 percent of the state’s general fund goes to public schools. If approved, Prop. 28 would require at least one percent of that go towards music and arts education, an estimated $1 billion annually. Guest: Julia McEvoy, KQED senior editor Episode Transcript Links: The Sacramento Bee editorial board's interview with former L.A. Unified Superintendent Austin Beutner This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. 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

There’s a pair of dueling ballot measures in California that would affect whether we have legalized sports betting in the state, and what form it should take. It’s a super expensive campaign. Prop 27 is already the most expensive ballot measure in state history. And that’s because big money is on the line. On this episode of Prop Fest, Bay Curious host Olivia Allen-Price talks to KQED’s Guy Marzorati about Propositions 26 and 27. Episode Transcript Voting season is coming up. Check out KQED’s Voter Guide to help make your decision. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the next 2 weeks, we’re teaming up with our friends at Bay Curious to bring you Prop Fest, where we’ll break down the 7 statewide ballot propositions in the November election. First up: Proposition 1. It was added to the ballot by the state legislature after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Prop 1 would amend the state constitution to include reproductive freedom, which includes the right to an abortion and to accept or refuse contraception, as a fundamental right. Guest: April Dembosky, KQED health correspondent Episode Transcript 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 Not One More Girl campaign launched in 2020 after a survey of Bay Area youth found that women and girls feared for their safety when using public transportation. Spearheaded by youth, the campaign outlined ways to make BART safer. More than a year since we first aired this episode, the BART board amended its code of conduct to explicitly prohibit sexual harassment. Guests: Haleema Bharoocha, senior advocacy manager at Alliance for Girls and Santana Tapia, with the #NotOneMoreGirl campaign and co-founder of Fluid Coffee and Event This episode first aired on Aug. 6, 2021. 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

At its peak, an estimated 500 people lived in tents, vehicles, and camper vans at an encampment near San Jose’s airport. The city has tried to clear it for years, under pressure from the Federal Aviation Administration. Now, it's almost done. San Jose also promised to find housing and fix the vehicles of the people who were moved out of the encampment. But just a fraction have been moved into housing, and only 14 vehicles have been fixed. In the meantime, most people have had to salvage what belongings they could, and find a safe place somewhere else. Guest: Jana Kadah, reporter covering city hall for the San Jose Spotlight Read the transcript This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. 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

Communities of color in California are the most affected by violent crime. But historically, they haven't had a seat at the table when it comes to defining what survivors of violent crime want and need. Now that's starting to change. Advocacy groups, led by Black women, say that the state needs to reform and rethink the way victim support in California works. Guest: Marisa Lagos, politics and government correspondent for KQED and co-host of the Political Breakdown Podcast Read the transcript This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. 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

Maria Esquinca is the newest producer for The Bay, taking over after Ericka Cruz Guevarra left the position to become the host of the show. In this episode we get to know Maria a little bit more. We talk about her hometown of El Paso, Texas (a border town nestled next to Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico) burritos, poetry, and finding home in the Bay Area. KQED reporter Carlos Cabrera-Lomeli also takes us on a brief tour of the Mission, a neighborhood in the Bay Area that reminds Maria of home. Guests: Maria Esquinca, producer of The Bay, and Carlos Cabrera-Lomeli, community engagement reporter for KQED Read the transcript Links: Pocha Poem The Hispanic Invasion of Texas The US Mexico Border Replaces Itself Other poems by Maria This episode was produced by Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Maria Esquinca and Alan Montecillo, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Bay Area experienced record-setting heat last week, with temperatures reaching up to 115 degrees in some parts, threatening to overload the state’s power grid. It won’t be the last. Climate change makes it even more likely that these heat waves will be more frequent and severe. So today, we talk about takeaways from the historic heat wave, and how we just barely avoided rolling blackouts this time around. Guest: Dan Brekke, KQED editor and reporter Read the transcript Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts. 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 California, less than 1% of farmland is Black-owned, according to the 2017 Census of Agriculture. One such farm is in Sebastopol in Sonoma County. EARTHseed farm is Sonoma County’s first Afro-Indigenous permaculture farm. It’s a place for Black and brown people to reconnect with indigenous land stewardship and to build community, at a time when the effects of climate change are challenging us to change our relationship to the earth. Guest: Ariana Proehl, KQED culture reporter Links: An Example of 'Land Back' in Northern California 'Welcome Black to the Land': Inside Sonoma County's First Afro-Indigenous Permaculture Farm This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Read the transcript 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

Naatak is one of the largest Indian American theater companies in the country. Started in 1995 out of a dorm room at UC Berkeley, Naatak is staging its 100th production this month. In that time, an estimated 1,000 people have participated in Naatak’s productions — all volunteers, many of whom have day jobs in the tech industry. It’s become an important part of the Indian American community in Silicon Valley, by and for people who do this in their free time. Guest: Rachael Myrow, KQED Silicon Valley senior editor Read the Transcript Links: Naatak performs Ramayan at Cubberley Theatre in Palo Alto from September 4-25, 2022. South Bay's Naatak Debuts Its 100th Theater Production: The Epic 'Ramayan,' by Rachael Myrow Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts. 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

Sonoma County is trying to set a trend for other cities in banning the construction of new gas stations. In 2021, Petaluma became the first city in the whole country to do so. Now nearly half of the county has followed suit, including Santa Rosa. For the residents who’ve pushed this forward, these bans are a small but important step to fighting climate change, in a county that has experienced some of the worst wildfires in the state. Guest: Paulina Pineda, Santa Rosa Press Democrat city hall reporter Read the Transcript This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra, who also produced. Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to kqed.org/donate/podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You’ve probably seen pictures or even smelled them by now. This past week, thousands upon thousands of dead fish have washed up on shorelines all over the Bay Area. And there are way more beneath the surface. So, what's behind this? And is this a one-off, or a sign that we need to do something to prevent it from happening again? Guest: Jon Rosenfield, senior scientist with SF Baykeeper This episode was produced by Maria Esquinca and Ericka Cruz Guevarra, and hosted by Alan Montecillo. Links: Dead Fish Are Piling Up Across Shores of San Francisco Bay, Lake Merritt, As Algal Bloom Grows, Aug. 28, 2022. How you can help https://lakemerrittinstitute.org/how-you-can-help/ https://www.inaturalist.org/ Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to kqed.org/donate/podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have allowed a trial run of safe injection sites in San Francisco, Oakland, and Los Angeles. These sites, where people can use illicit drugs under supervision, would have been the first legal ones in the state. But the idea isn’t new. Safe injection sites have been used as a harm reduction tool for decades in Canada, Australia, and in parts of Europe. They exist in other parts of the United States — two have opened in New York City, and Rhode Island has approved them statewide. So, why don’t we have them in California yet? Guest: Lesley McClurg, KQED health correspondent This episode was produced by Maria Esquinca and hosted by Alan Montecillo, who also produced and edited. 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

More than 2 years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, most emergency housing protections have expired. This means millions of renters are facing eviction. Today, in an episode of The California Report Magazine, journalist Kori Suzuki tells the story of a group of tenants in Walnut Creek who tried to fight their evictions in court. 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

It’s official: by 2035, California will end the sale of new gas-powered vehicles. State air regulators approved the plan yesterday, but it started back in 2020 when Gov. Gavin Newsom first presented the idea through an executive order. So how big of a dent could this make in addressing the climate crisis? Guest: Kevin Stark, KQED climate editor Read the transcript This episode first aired on Sept. 25, 2020. Links: Electric day in California: State phases out sales of gas cars California Moves to Phase Out Sale of New Gas-Powered Cars and Light Trucks by 2035 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

Over the weekend, protesters tore down a fence that had been put up around the 24th Street Mission BART plaza at the request of San Francisco Supervisor Hilary Ronen. Proponents of the fence said it was necessary to curb the sale of stolen goods and improve safety. Opponents said it further marginalized people who were already struggling and who relied on the public space to make a living. The fence was supposed to be a temporary measure before the city finishes setting up a new street vending permitting system. But the fence — and whether or not it should have ever been there — has sparked a heated debate about what this public space should be. Guest: Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman, KQED reporter and editor This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra, who also produced. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Noncitizen voting isn’t a brand new idea. White, landowning, noncitizen men were once allowed to vote in 40 states. Today, a handful of cities have granted noncitizen residents the right to vote in various local elections. Until recently, San Francisco was one of them: in 2016, voters approved Proposition N, which granted the vote to noncitizen parents of SF Unified students in school board races. But late last month, a state Superior Court judge struck down San Francisco's law in a suit brought forward by conservative groups. The city has appealed the decision, and what happens next will have ripple effects across the Bay Area and the rest of the state. Guest: Annelise Finney, KQED reporter Correction: this episode states that noncitizens were once allowed to vote in 22 states. Research shows that the correct figure is 40 states. Our episode description has been updated accordingly. Read the transcript Links: San José Considers Expanding the Vote to Noncitizens, Jan 14, 2022 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A heat wave that swept through the Bay Area this week made way for fires again. That, plus a slew of other fires burning across California sent smoke hovering over areas of the state. So we thought it’d be a good time to re-evaluate how we talk about fires in the first place, so that we can better understand how to address them. Guest: Danielle Venton, Climate Reporter for KQED Read the transcript This episode first aired Aug. 20, 2021. It was hosted by Devin Katayama and produced by Alan Montecillo and Christopher Beale Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been one year since the Taliban took control of Kabul. Millions of Afghans have fled the country, in many cases becoming separated from their families in the process. Thousands of refugees have since come to northern California, thanks to the help of resettlement agencies and Afghan community organizations. But many are still in limbo, as they try to secure permanent legal status while also juggling daily life in the Bay Area and staying connected with people back with Afghanistan. Guest: Tyche Hendricks, KQED senior immigration editor Read the transcript Links: 'We Are All Very Devastated': Bay Area Afghans Scramble to Contact Family After Earthquake 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

At elite high schools in Silicon Valley, the pressure to succeed is intense. And according to Sophia Shao, a senior at Los Altos High School, her proximity to California’s tech capital is a big reason why. In this special collaboration with KQED’s Youth Takeover, a yearlong project to highlight compelling stories written and produced by local teens, Shao talks with us about growing up in a place where everyone is expected to succeed. Guest: Sophia Shao, senior at Los Altos High School Read the 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

School starts again at San Francisco Unified next week. But some teachers and staff still haven’t been fully paid what they’re owed for last year. Since at least January, SFUSD has had problems with its new payroll system, EmpowerSF. These problems still haven’t been fully resolved, and hundreds of teachers and staff say they’re still being shortchanged. District leaders, including the new superintendent, say fixing this is a top priority. But this problem has left educators feeling furious, and in some cases demoralized, as another school year begins. Guest: Ida Mojadad, reporter for the San Francisco Standard covering education and housing Read the transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Project Roomkey is coming to an end. Its goal was to temporarily house some of the state’s most vulnerable homeless people in hotel rooms during the COVID-19 pandemic. This would also hopefully serve as a stepping stone to permanent housing. So, how successful was Project Roomkey at getting people out of homelessness? Today, we look at how it worked in Alameda County. Guest: Vanessa Rancaño, KQED housing reporter Read episode transcript Links: Last Days at the Radisson: As State Shelter Program Shutters, Formerly Unhoused Residents in Oakland Brace for Next Steps Project Roomkey Was Meant to Provide Safe Shelter. In Vallejo, At Least 5 People Died in Their Rooms. 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

Ericka here, bringing you all something different for today’s episode. Every week, our job here at The Bay is to tell stories about this place and the people in it. But recently, I got the chance to tell a different kind of story: one about…me. Earlier this summer, the San Francisco chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association hosted a live storytelling event at KQED called Hella Asian. It was a gathering of local journalists and storytellers sharing reflections on how we come back as a community after the last two and a half years. I told a story about a camping trip I went on with my best friend during the pandemic. It’s a story about friendship and photography. It’s also a story about the mental impact of journalism and the news, especially on journalists of color like myself. The story shows how my work has affected me and my sense of safety after covering the pandemic and hate against the Asian community. And that’s the story we’re sharing with you today. Read the transcript Hella Asian: The Comeback Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1969, a group of protesters took over a plot of land owned by UC Berkeley and turned it into a green, public space now known as People’s Park. Since then, it’s become a place synonymous with Berkeley’s history of protest, resistance, and mutual aid. Over the last 2 years, it also became home to dozens of unhoused people, prompting reports of crime and complaints from some residents. Now, UC Berkeley is planning to replace the park with student housing. Supporters say it’s necessary to address a student housing crisis. Opponents say that development would destroy an important community space and displace unhoused people. Guest: Supriya Yelimeli, Berkeleyside housing and homelessness reporter A transcript of this episode is available. This episode was produced and edited by Alan Montecillo and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra, who also produced. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A state of emergency over monkeypox has been declared in San Francisco and in the state of California. More than 5,800 cases have been confirmed nationwide so far. Getting this virus can be a very painful experience. So far, a majority of confirmed cases are among queer men. And here in the Bay, people trying to keep each other safe while also pushing back on stigma. Guest: Carlos Cabrera-Lomeli, KQED community engagement reporter A transcript of this episode is available. Links: Monkeypox Resources and Explainers Where Can I Find a Monkeypox Vaccine Near Me? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you talk to longtime residents of San Francisco's Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood, you'll hear lots of stories about people getting sick from cancer or respiratory illnesses. Many people believe that the polluted areas in the neighborhood, like the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, are a big reason why. For decades, people in the Bayview have been surrounded by toxic chemicals coming from this Superfund site. Now, the community is facing a combination of this historic pollution and the future threat of sea level rise. And advocates say that the best way forward — to repair the harm that's been done and to help them adapt to climate change — is reparations. Guest: Ezra David Romero, climate reporter for KQED Episode transcript Ezra's digital piece: For These Black Bayview-Hunters Point Residents, Reparations Include Safeguarding Against Rising, Toxic Contamination 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

We work really hard to bring you three episodes a week. But we’ll admit: Sometimes, it's good to take a break from the news. The Bay is taking a 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 in the coming year. We will resume our regular schedule on August 2. You can still reach us on Twitter @TheBayKQED or via e-mail [email protected]. We always love hearing from you. Thank you for listening and enjoying the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've known for a minute that, if Roe v. Wade was overturned, California would play a big role in helping Americans access abortion services. Now, it's no longer hypothetical: the Supreme Court ended federal abortion rights on Friday, and reproductive justice groups like California-based ACCESS have gotten tons of calls from people both inside and outside the state. Guest: Sasha, healthline coordinator for ACCESS Reproductive Justice Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here in California, abortion is still legal. And an overwhelming majority of Bay Area residents support the right to have one. Which is why, over the weekend, many people marched in protest against the Supreme Court’s decision to end federal abortion rights. In today’s episode, KQED reporter Adhiti Bandlamudi takes us to one protest in San Francisco. Guest: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED reporter This episode was produced by Maria Esquinca and Alan Montecillo, who also edited. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before moving to the Bay Area from Jacksonville, Florida, friends told KQED Rightnowish production intern Corey Antonio Rose he was heading to ‘gay mecca.’ As the months went by, Corey Antonio said, as a Black queer man, he felt invisible in the Bay's queer spaces. That experience kicked off a 3-part series called ‘Searching for a Kiki,’ in which he sets out to understand whether the Bay Area actually is a safe place for Black queer people, and finds people who have created those spaces themselves. Guest: Corey Antonio Rose, production intern for KQED's Rightnowish podcast This episode was produced by Maria Esquinca, edited by Alan Montecillo, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra, who also produced. Links: Searching for a Kiki: SF's First Black-Owned Gay Bar Searching for a Kiki: The World's First Transgender Cultural District Searching for a Kiki: The Next Generation of Black and Queer Bars Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The National AIDS Memorial Grove in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park is the nation’s first and only federally designated memorial of those who have died of AIDS (though ironically, it doesn’t receive federal funding.) The folks behind it say its existence is not just about remembering those who’ve died, but also the activism of the queer community who stepped up when the government wouldn’t. This story is part of the Bay Curious series "A Very Curious Walking Tour of Golden Gate Park." It originally aired on June 3, 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In California, the death penalty is in limbo. On the one hand, the state hasn’t executed anyone since 2006. On the other, the death penalty in still legal. In practice, this means that hundreds of incarcerated people have been languishing on death for row years, even decades. Timothy James Young, who’s on death row at San Quentin State Prison, believes he was wrongfully convicted of murder and still hopes that someday he will be freed. And he has reason to hope: over the last few years, a garden project with UC Santa Cruz has snowballed into a full-blown campaign by students and faculty to exonerate him. Guest: Chloe Veltman, KQED arts and culture reporter This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Links: California Will Close Death Row at San Quentin. The Next Steps Are More Complicated How a Garden at UC Santa Cruz Led to an Exoneration Campaign for a Man on Death Row 'I Am More: The Story of Tim Young' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Golden State Warriors are one win away from another NBA championship, which would be their fourth since 2015. But as OG fans know, they haven’t always been this good. Writer and Bay Area native Alan Chazaro remembers those days, when tickets at Oracle Arena in East Oakland were affordable, attracting working class folks from across the Bay Area and street vendors selling hotdogs outside the stadium. Still, the Warriors have represented a kind of underdog mentality that the Bay Area has always identified with, even after their 2019 move to San Francisco and the new Chase Center. And for Alan, this championship just might be the most satisfying of them all. Guest: Alan Chazaro, adjunct professor for creative writing at the University of San Francisco and food writer for KQED. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode contains mentions of suicide. On a weekend in early June, hundreds of San Mateo County residents drove to a courthouse parking lot in South San Francisco to voluntarily give up their guns. The buyback was conducted by the county sheriff’s office and organized by Citizens for San Mateo Gun Buyback. The group formed in 2018 after the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida and then raised money from local city governments to pay for the program. There are other events like this happening in the Bay Area, too. It won’t solve our gun violence problem overnight. But it’s one example of communities moving the needle without waiting for the U.S. Senate to act. Guest: Annelise Finney, KQED reporter/producer A transcript of this episode is available. 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

San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin has been recalled. This race has gotten a ton of attention both inside and outside the Bay Area, which is uncommon for a local DA race. And shortly after election night, national outlets proclaimed that these results show an indictment of criminal justice reforms in California. But the truth is a lot more complicated. Today, we’ll dig into the many different reasons why Boudin was voted out of office. Guest: Marisa Lagos, KQED political correspondent and co-host of the Political Breakdown podcast 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 California, tens of thousands of workers aren’t getting paid what they’re owed by their employers. Many of these workers are low-wage earning immigrants in industries like construction, home care, and food service. The state actually has a system in place where people can file claims of wage theft. But the system currently has a huge backlog, leaving people waiting years before they can try and and recover their money. In some cases, workers claim their employers stole tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars from them. The result? Many low-wage Californians miss out on rent, food, and can even lose their homes. Guest: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED labor correspondent Related links: Most Fast-Food Workers Are Victims of Wage Theft, Survey Find Despite Record Budget Surplus, California Unlikely to Fix Massive Wage-Theft Claim Backlog Anytime Soon 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

California’s mental health care system is a mess. And at the same time, unsheltered homelessness is increasing and voters want their leaders to do something about it. Those are some of the reasons why Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled a proposal called the Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment Court — or CARE Court. The idea is to provide a coordinated mental health treatment plan for a patient, under the supervision of a judge. But there’s also a catch: if the patient refuses that treatment, that could also be used as grounds for conservatorship, where the judge appoints someone to manage a patient’s care and finances. That has created big concerns among civil liberties and mental health advocates, who worry that this new court system could cause even more problems in a system rife with racial disparities. Guest: Erin Baldassari, KQED housing affordability reporter This episode was edited and produced by Alan Montecillo and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra, who also produced. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are so many horrifying incidents of attacks on Asians that have gone viral. Many of them took place in San Francisco. There’s a lot of fear, anxiety, and anger among Asian communities in the city. And many people want justice for these attacks. Whether that is truly or happening or not is a huge sticking point in Tuesday’s recall election of District Attorney Chesa Boudin, who ran on a progressive platform and says incarcerating people should be a last resort. KQED and The San Francisco Standard reviewed 12 local, high-profile criminal cases involving Asian victims in 2020 and 2021. In this episode, we discuss what these cases show, and what the path forward might look like. Guests: Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, reporter and producer for KQED News and Han Li, reporter for the San Francisco Standard A transcript of this episode is available. This episode was edited by Alan Montecillo and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra, who also hosted. Links: KQED Voter Guide KQED Live: An Interview with Chesa Boudin Why High-Profile Attacks on SF's Asian Community Rarely Lead to Hate Crime Charges Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the first time since 2014, the race for mayor in San Jose has no incumbent running, since Mayor Sam Liccardo is term-limited. On June 7, San Jose voters will decide between 7 candidates, ranging from current elected officials to complete outsiders. If no candidate wins a majority of the votes in the June primary, the top 2 finishers face a November runoff. Today, we’ll hear from voters and from the candidates who think they should be mayor of the Bay Area’s largest city. Guests: Carlos Cabrera-Lomeli, community engagement reporter for KQED and Guy Marzorati, reporter and producer for KQED’s politics & government desk This episode was edited and produced by Alan Montecillo and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra, who also produced. Candidate audio comes from forums hosted by the San Jose Spotlight and SPUR. A transcript of this episode is available. Links: KQED 2022 voter guide Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Solano County, two high-profile police killings loom large over the race for District Attorney on June 7. That’s because the incumbent, Krishna Abrams, recused herself from investigating the deaths of Willie McCoy in 2019 and Sean Monterrosa in 2020, citing the public’s lack of confidence in her office.Now she’s running against her own chief deputy DA, Sharon Henry, who argues that the DA’s office hasn’t been independent enough to make tough, politically fraught decisions. Guest: Scott Morris, investigative reporter with the Vallejo Sun Related links: KQED’s 2022 Voter Guide Solano DA candidates Abrams, Henry debate equity, accountability in ACLU forum Incumbents lead fundraising in Solano Sheriff, DA’s race The Life and Death of Willie McCoy This episode was edited and produced by Maria Esquinca and Alan Montecillo, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Tuesday, an armed gunman killed at least 18 children and 3 adults at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. There’s still a lot of questions about what happened. But here’s what we do know: That Robb Elementary is 90% Hispanic. That the students’ last day of school was scheduled for Thursday. And that when the camera crews move on, and the national media leave, this community will be coping with this for the rest of their lives. Because we as a nation have done so little to stop gun violence, this kind of trauma is a reality for millions of surviving families and children. So today, instead of our usual coverage of local news, we’re sharing an episode by KQED’s Mindshift podcast from back in 2018. It’s set in Richmond, and it’s about how people in the community provide love and support to kids who’ve experienced trauma, especially from violence. This episode first aired on Oct. 23, 2018. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than 35,000 people are living unhoused across the Bay Area – up 9 percent in the last three years, according to an annual count of folks living on the streets. In light of the release of those most recent statistics, we wanted to re-up an episode of Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America that asks: what are your biggest ideas on how to solve the housing crisis? This episode first published on Apr 25, 2022 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just because COVID sick pay exists doesn't necessarily mean employees always feel comfortable using it. Between Americans’ unhealthy relationship with work and a sense that the world is opening back up again, employers have a lot to gain from the lack of widespread knowledge of COVID sick pay benefits in California. But if you work in California and get infected with COVID, you may be able to claim up to 80 hours of paid leave. And now that the Bay Area isin another COVID surge because of the omicron BA.2 variant, learning your rights about sick pay is more important than ever. Guest: Carly Severn, senior engagement editor for KQED Links: COVID Sick Pay in California: How to Claim This New Paid Leave Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The threat of domestic extremist violence is all over the country. Just last weekend, an 18-year old white man drove to a predominantly Black part of Buffalo, New York, and shot 13 people at a grocery store. 10 have died. The Bay Area is not immune to this threat. Last year, two men who worked at an auto shop in Napa were arrested and accused of plotting to blow up the California Democratic Party headquarters in Sacramento. Guests: Julie Small and Alex Hall, KQED reporters This episode was produced by Ericka Cruz Guevarra and Maria Esquinca, and hosted by Alan Montecillo, who also edited. Links: Plot to Blow Up Democratic Headquarters Exposed California Extremists Hiding in Plain Sight The California Republicans Who Helped Enable the January 6 Attack Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California’s new 8th Congressional district, which includes Vallejo, Fairfield, Richmond, Pittsburg, and part of Antioch, is the most diverse in the region. It’s the only district in the entire state with at least 15% white, Latino, Black, and Asian populations. That’s no coincidence. Grassroots activists in Contra Costa and Solano counties pushed for these communities to be included in the same district — and succeeded. Now, there’s an election coming. And in the race to represent this district in the U.S. House, the overwhelming frontrunner is Rep. John Garamendi, a white, 77-year old Democrat who doesn’t live in the district. So how did this happen, and how do people feel about it? Guest: Guy Marzorati, KQED politics and government reporter and producer Episode Transcript Links: KQED Voter Guide for the June 7 Primary Activists Helped Create the Bay Area's Most Diverse Congressional District. Now They're Probably Getting John Garamendi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lots of high-profile jobs in San Francisco have opened up lately — whether it’s because of a recall, a corruption scandal, or a simple job promotion. And as a result, Mayor London Breed has been able to appoint a lot of people. Most recently, Breed was tasked with filling the District 6 Board of Supervisors seat left vacant by the election of Matt Haney to the state Assembly. She picked Matt Dorsey, an openly gay, longtime political insider who most recently served as a spokesperson for the SFPD. Today, we talk about Dorsey’s appointment and what it could signal for the city's politics. Guest: Scott Shafer, KQED senior editor of politics and government and co-host of the Political Breakdown podcast This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Episode transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Currently, the Bay Area is California’s COVID hot spot. The good news? Fewer people are being hospitalized or dying from COVID, thanks to the vaccine and the increased availability of treatments. This wave might also be a window into what life will look like going forward, without the public health mandates we saw at the pandemic’s peak. Guest: Lesley McClurg, KQED health correspondent 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

It’s election season again. On June 7, Californians have some big decisions to make in elections both locally and statewide. In San Francisco, voters will decide whether or not District Attorney Chesa Boudin will keep his job. Boudin was a public defender who grew up with parents in prison. And when he was elected in 2019, he promised progressive reforms around prosecution and police accountability. Now, he faces a recall election. The people who want him out of office say he hasn’t been tough enough on crime, and that the city is less safe under his leadership as DA. So in this episode, we’re sharing an interview between Chesa Boudin and KQED’s Marisa Lagos and Scott Shafer. It was recorded in front of a live audience at our headquarters in San Francisco on May 3. Related links: 'We Are All More Than Our Worst Mistake': Five Takeaways From SF District Attorney Chesa Boudin's Appearance at KQED California Primary Election 2022 FAQ: From When to Vote to How to Fix a Ballot Mistake KQED Live Events Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At West County High School in Sebastopol, there are way fewer students of color compared with schools in many Bay Area cities. And the students there have been fighting racist bullying for years. In 2016, the federal government investigated the West Sonoma County Union High School District for how it handled racist bullying at its schools. Over the past month, this issue has gotten a ton of attention from the community again — and students of color say not much has changed. Guest: Julia McEvoy, KQED senior editor This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Episode Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A majority of the Supreme Court plans to strike down Roe v. Wade, according to leaked documents obtained by Politico. In California, most public officials have pledged to double down on our state’s protections for abortion rights. But that doesn’t mean getting access to an abortion is always easy. An estimated 40% of mostly rural counties in California — home to hundreds of thousands of people in the state — have no clinics that provide abortions. Guest: Katie Orr, former KQED politics and government reporter Episode Transcript This episode originally aired on Dec. 8, 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices