Crosscurrents
News & Politics
About
Crosscurrents is KALW Public Radio's award-winning news magazine, broadcasting in the Bay Area Mondays through Thursdays on 91.7 FM. We make joyful, informative stories that engage people across the economic, social, and cultural divides in our community.
Episodes
- Earth, Air, Fire, Water... and Bay FC on Treasure Island
This episode looks at how a new women's professional soccer facility on Treasure Island is impacting the area's development. Also featured is an interview with artists behind a climate-themed exhibition in Downtown San Francisco.
- Reshaping Treasure Island — with Bay FC and more
This episode of Crosscurrents reports on the ongoing redevelopment of Treasure Island in San Francisco. Reporter Grace McCarty explores the construction of new housing and parks, alongside the development of a training facility for the pro…
- Earth, Air, Fire, Water: A climate week art exhibition at the Mills Building
KALW host Ben Trefny explores the Earth, Air, Fire, Water exhibition at the Mills Building in San Francisco. The episode features insights from curator Carey Hurtado and artists Tanya Geis and Andrew Owen regarding their climate-focused mu…
- Real Ways Artificial Intelligence is Changing Our World
This episode explores the impact of AI on journalism. It also discusses how people are utilizing AI chatbots for grief support.
- The Bay Agenda: AI and Journalism
This episode features a discussion on the impact of AI on journalism. Panelists from various media organizations explore how artificial intelligence is changing newsrooms and how they are addressing its implementation.
- The business of never letting go
This episode of Crosscurrents discusses how artificial intelligence is changing the emotional processing of major life events, such as death. It explores AI memorial platforms and companion chatbots that offer digitized connection with the…
- SHOW: Raising their voices
This episode of Crosscurrents focuses on the music of Mariachi Femenil and the musical "Come From Away."
- Mariachi Femenil Orgullo Mexicano raise their voices and sing “Llegaron Las Mujeres”
Mariachi Femenil Orgullo Mexicano is working to change the narrative of traditional mariachi music, which often features songs from men's perspectives and machismo messages. This episode explores their efforts to introduce new perspectives…
- The Sights and Sounds Show: 'Come From Away' play
This episode of Crosscurrents discusses 'Come From Away', a Broadway musical. The musical was inspired by 7,000 airline passengers who were stranded in a small Canadian town.
- SHOW: The long road from homelessness to housing
This episode covers the closure of a transitional housing program in Oakland and explores how poetry can connect people.
- SHOW: The Brass Liberation Orchestra
This episode of Crosscurrents features the Brass Liberation Orchestra. The group is composed of musicians who provide a soundtrack for Bay Area protests.
- SHOW: Standing with people and protecting places
This episode explores homelessness, featuring an artist who welcomes the unhoused community. It also discusses a new novel inspired by the legacy of environmental racism.
- Berkeley’s Warming Hut offers a safe space
This episode of Crosscurrents discusses a Berkeley encampment. A resident is helping the encampment create a safe space.
- The Sights and Sounds Show: Carolina Ixta's 'Few Blue Skies'
Carolina Ixta's novel 'Few Blue Skies' is explored, highlighting its inspiration from the legacy of environmental racism. The episode examines the Oakland writer's work.
- Bay Poets: San Francisco's Poet Laureate speaks for the people
This episode of Crosscurrents, part of the Bay Poets series, concludes National Poetry Month by focusing on San Francisco's current Poet Laureate, Genny Lim. The series has been exploring the Poetry Center at SF State’s archives.
- SHOW: Speaking to the moment
This episode of Crosscurrents features a conversation with San Francisco's first Latino Poet Laureate. The discussion focuses on how poetry contributes to social movements.
- SHOW: Arab American Heritage
This episode explores Arab American heritage through a Palestinian folk dance group and poetry from a first-generation immigrant from the Palestinian and Lebanese diaspora. It also covers a dance production in San Francisco inspired by the…
- Palestinian folk dance troupe amplifies their struggle for freedom through dabke
This episode of Crosscurrents features a Palestinian folk dance troupe in Oakland. They are using the traditional dabke dance to tell the story of their people's struggle for freedom and will perform on April 26th.
- Bay Poets: 'A Silent Poem, بروح' by Camellia Boutros
Camellia Boutros reads an excerpt from her poem, 'A Silent Poem, بروح,' on this episode of Crosscurrents. The episode features Boutros, a musician and poet.
- Sights and Sounds: 'Burden of Proof' dance production
This episode explores 'Burden of Proof,' a dance production in San Francisco inspired by the wrongful conviction of two Filipino-immigrant nurses.
- SHOW: Taking a different perspective
This episode of Crosscurrents discusses diverse perspectives on the ocean, a play that brings basketball to the stage, and a poem that explores photobombing.
- How queer communities are seeing themselves reflected in tide pools
This episode of Crosscurrents explores how queer communities are engaging with tide pools. KALW Reporter Anna investigates queer tidepooling events in the Bay Area and the significance of these coastal explorations for queer individuals.
- Sights and Sounds: 'Flex' basketball play
The play "Flex" is set in 1998, immediately after the WNBA launched. It focuses on a high school girls basketball team in rural Arkansas as they try to win a state championship.
- Bay Poets: 'Photos I Appear in by Chance'
In this episode, Berkeley poet Zack Rogow explores the phenomenon of photobombing for poetry month. He considers how this simple act continues to have a life of its own.
- Our Changing Climate
This episode of Crosscurrents discusses the conflict between housing needs and natural resource protection. It also examines how Pescadero residents have been affected by flooding over several decades.
- When housing needs clashes with protecting our natural resources
Bay Area cities are facing a conflict between restoring wetlands for flood mitigation and climate change, and using the same land to build housing due to skyrocketing prices. This episode discusses the challenges cities like Newark face in…
- Sea Level Rise — Growing community from a flood plain
This episode of Crosscurrents discusses how residents of Pescadero, a farming town in San Mateo County, have been managing flooding for decades. The community has a long history of dealing with the impacts of sea level rise.
- SHOW: Our Collective and Personal Histories
This episode examines over a century of Muni photography. It also features a show set in a San Francisco home that survived the 1906 earthquake, and a dad learning empathy during a prison visit.
- The history of San Francisco through the lens of Muni photographers
This episode explores a photographic exhibit at City Hall that highlights San Francisco’s history. The exhibit features images from a hidden archive, focusing on the city's Muni photographers.
- Sights and Sounds: 'EARTHQUAKE! Shaken, But Standing Strong'
This episode features 'EARTHQUAKE! Shaken, But Standing Strong,' a historical show and tour of the Haas-Lilienthal House. The event will take place on April 17 and 18.
- Baseball, a broken window, and an empathy lesson
In this episode of Crosscurrents, Uncuffed producer Michael Callahan shares a story about his experience parenting from prison.
- 'What Remains Eternal' by poet James Cagney
In this episode, poet James Cagney presents his piece 'What Remains Eternal.' It is an ode to the home where he grew up.
- SHOW: Politics and Poetry
This episode features a conversation with Congressional candidate Marie Hurabiell, the return of the East Bay literary festival Beast Crawl, and a tribute to poet Bob Kaufman.
- State Of The Bay: Marie Hurabiell's Congressional Bid
This episode of Crosscurrents features Marie Hurabiell, a candidate for California's 11th district. It is part of the "State of the Bay" series, which has been airing conversations with candidates for the 11th district.
- Sights and Sounds: Beast Crawl 2026
This Crosscurrents episode highlights the Beast Crawl 2026, Oakland's longest-running literary festival, showcasing Bay Area poets. The event takes place in Downtown Oakland during National Poetry Month.
- Bay Poets: "Suicide" a Bob Kaufman poem read by Josiah Luis Alderete
In this episode of Bay Poets, host Josiah Luis Alderete reads Bob Kaufman's poem "Suicide." This reading celebrates National Poetry Month and Bob Kaufman's birthday month. The poem is from Kaufman's book "Golden Sardine," published in 1967…
- SHOW: Finding acceptance and ourselves
This episode of Crosscurrents features a local voice actor and kids podcaster discussing his experience with autism. It also highlights a new play about Berkeley teenagers at music school and includes a segment with a local poet.
- Jonathan Cormur raises autism awareness through his kids podcast
Jonathan Cormur, an award-winning Bay Area creator and host of Dorktales Storytime, shares how being neurodivergent has contributed to his success. He discusses raising autism awareness through his work.
- Eisa Davis' new A.C.T. play about teen musicians
Eisa Davis' new play, "Girls, Girls, Chance, Chance, Music, Music," follows four teenage musicians attending a prestigious summer program in Berkeley. The play delves into their experiences with friendship, self-discovery, and the role of…
- 'A Meditation Movement' by poet A.A. Vincent
In this episode, poet A.A. Vincent reads "A Meditation Movement." The poem discusses the perpetual need to rearrange personal comfort throughout our lives.
- SHOW: National Poetry Month Continues!
This episode of Crosscurrents features a conversation with Congressional candidate Saikat Chakrabarti. Also, a special song from the UnCuffed team is discussed, and the program explores a poet's role in San Francisco's literary history.
- State of the Bay: Saikat Chakrabarti's Congressional Bid
Saikat Chakrabarti, a former Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez campaign staffer, discusses his bid for California's District 11. He talks with State of the Bay host Grace Won about his background in tech and his policy work.
- Uncuffed My Mixtape: Scared Love
This episode of Crosscurrents features Rahim Bradshaw interviewing Michael “Luqman” Russell Jr. They discuss a song that evokes the challenges of maintaining a relationship while incarcerated.
- The jazzy musical poetry of Q.R. Hand Jr.
This episode of Crosscurrents explores the jazzy musical poetry of Q.R. Hand Jr., a poet who helped shape San Francisco’s literary scene. Host Josiah Luis Alderete and Sunni Khalid discuss Q.R. Hand Jr. as part of Bay Poets' National Poetr…
- SHOW: Celebrating NBA Dreams, and SWANA Cultures
This episode of Crosscurrents features a young man from Vallejo pursuing his NBA dreams, highlighting his mother's role in supporting him. It also visits a pioneer who introduced henna art to the Bay Area 30 years ago.
- Chasing the NBA dream from Vallejo
This episode of Crosscurrents follows Vallejo native Chance McMillian as he chases his NBA dream. After completing his first season with the Santa Cruz Warriors, he is closer to achieving his goal.
- Celebrating SWANA heritage with henna
Crosscurrents celebrates SWANA Heritage Month. Host Hana Baba visits San Francisco henna artist Renda Dabit for a henna workshop and conversation.
- SHOW: A Tale of Two Bars
This episode explores the financial struggles of queer bars as important community spaces, focusing on two establishments in Oakland. It also features State Senator Scott Weiner discussing his intentions to join the US House of Representat…
- What does it take for a queer bar to survive in the Bay Area?
This episode discusses the survival of queer bars in the Bay Area, prompted by the closure of Friends and Family in Oakland. It explores their importance to the community and factors contributing to their endurance.
- State of the Bay: Scott Wiener's Congressional Bid
California State Senator Scott Wiener is interviewed on State of the Bay, discussing his congressional bid for District 11. The conversation covers his views on potential federal preemption of sanctuary city policies. This interview is par…