Episodes

  • How a 1956 Raid Became a Flashpoint for Queer Civil Rights; The Volunteers Helping at Immigration Court

    How a 1956 Raid Became a Flashpoint for Queer Civil Rights; The Volunteers Helping at Immigration Court
    Jun 26 2026
    How a Pacifica Bar Became a Flashpoint for Queer Civil Rights The San Francisco Bay Area is known as one of the most LGBTQ+ friendly areas in the country but it wasn’t always this way. Back in 1956, the beachside city of Pacifica was the scene of a police raid at a local bar, known to be friendly to the queer community. Hazel’s Inn’s owner, Hazel Nikola had her liquor license revoked and was arrested along with 90 of her patrons. As Ana De Almeida Amaral reports for the podcast Bay Curious, the raid would be a blueprint for law enforcement over the next 15 years. ‘Like an Angel’: Meet the Helpers Working at Bay Area Immigration Court For decades, San Francisco was home to was Northern California’s principal immigration court. Over time, advocates built around it one of the most extensive immigrant-defense networks in the U.S. a web of nonprofit legal organizations, volunteer court companions, rapid-response groups and pro bono attorneys who help immigrants find their way through a system where they’re not guaranteed legal representation. But the Trump Administration has closed the court and by the end of this year, thousands of cases are expected to be transferred to Concord, about 30 miles to the northeast, where the immigration court is only a couple of years old and the support infrastructure around it is still developing. Sergio Jaime Lopez knows the importance of building up that network. He once stood in front of an immigration judge himself and is now one of many local advocates who are helping immigrants navigate the changing U.S. immigration system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    31 mins
  • Celebrating Father's Day, From a Boxing Gym to a Prison Prom

    Celebrating Father's Day, From a Boxing Gym to a Prison Prom
    Jun 19 2026
    Connecting With My Father, and My Heritage, in Mandarin Many children of immigrants grow up hearing a language at home that they never fully learn to speak. For second generation kids in the US, the top three heritage languages are Spanish, Chinese and Tagalog. Mandarin Chinese is the native language of reporter Anna Zou. But up until a few months ago, she could barely speak it. Central Valley Father and Daughter Train Together For National Boxing Championship In the rural Central Valley of Avenal, Shavana Trejo is getting national attention for her amateur boxing. It’s a sport she learned from her father, a single dad of eight children, who’s also her coach. As Alice Daniel reports, boxing has helped both father and daughter navigate tough times outside the ring. Dancing With My Daughter at the Prison Parenting Prom Derrell “Sadiq” Davis doesn’t get to see his daughter that often. He’s incarcerated at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center,where visits and phone calls are monitored and brief. But last year, the prison held a prom for fathers and their daughters, and Sadiq got to spend a day with his daughter, Anaya. As part of the podcast Uncuffed, made by radio producers who are incarcerated, Sadiq wrote a letter to Anaya reflecting on that special day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    31 mins
  • Celebrating Pride with 'Love You for You'

    Celebrating Pride with 'Love You for You'
    Jun 5 2026
    June is Pride Month, and for this week’s show we’re featuring excerpts from our Love You for You series, which recently won a regional Murrow award from the Radio Television Digital News Association. Gender-expansive youth are often talked about in the news but we rarely hear from them, in their own words, especially about how they can thrive with loving support from their families and communities. So we’re featuring three conversations between these youth and the people in their lives who love, support, and mentor them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    30 mins
  • The History Behind Some of California's Hidden Gems

    The History Behind Some of California's Hidden Gems
    May 29 2026
    Uncovering Women Miners’ Forgotten Legacy in the ‘Swiss Alps’ of Sequoia National Park Mineral King is located in the southern part of Sequoia National Park but its remote location means it gets fewer visitors than other parts of the park. So the campers and backpackers that make the trek are rewarded with a spectacular mountain range with rushing waterfalls. There are only a handful of buildings here, including some historic wooden cabins that belong to a few families who’ve been here long before this was a national park. One of those cabins belongs to Laile Di Silvestro’s family. Her connection to Mineral King goes back to the 1870s. Today, she’s an archeologist, and she’s looking for the stories she didn’t hear growing up. In 2024, as part of our Hidden Gems series, host Sasha Khokha hiked Mineral King with Di Silvestro to learn about some surprising trail blazers in the California Gold Rush, and the discrimination some people faced during those boom times. The World’s Largest Bishop Pine Forest Is in Point Reyes California is home to a lot of iconic trees, including giant sequoias, windswept Monterey cypresses, and Joshua trees. The bishop pine doesn’t have that kind of celebrity status. But if you live on the Point Reyes Peninsula in west Marin County you’re all too familiar with it. These indigenous trees are so well-suited to growing here, that to locals they’re notorious pests, not because of how easily they grow, but because of how they die. In 2024, reporter Lusen Mendel took us to Tomales Bay State Park to meet someone who’s made it his mission to deal with the pesky and strangely loveable pines. Welcome to Rough and Ready, the Tiny Town That Used to Be a Republic We head to the Nevada County town of Rough and Ready, about 5 miles west of Grass Valley. In 1850, it seceded from the nation and temporarily became its own republic. In 2017, KQED’s Bianca Taylor spoke to a proud resident of Rough and Ready to learn more about the town’s history, and how it got its name. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    30 mins
  • Creative Ways To Hike California Trails

    Creative Ways To Hike California Trails
    May 22 2026
    Going for a Hike in a California Park? Don’t Forget Your Sewing Supplies Hiking clubs are nothing new. But a group in Los Angeles is now trying to stretch their creative muscles while making new community. Los Angeles’ Hike and Sew members gather every other week in Los Angeles to get into nature with their needle and thread. Reporter Clare Wiley joined the group as part of our Community Connections series, highlighting Californians who are bringing joy to their neighbors in big and small ways. Motorized Wheelchairs Making Back Country Hiking More Accessible California is home to more than 18,000 miles of hiking trails. But many of them are out of reach for people with physical disabilities. In Southern California, the city of Burbank is trying to change that. A new program lets people borrow motorized, off-road wheelchairs to explore rugged trails that were once inaccessible. Susan Valot reports that advocates are hoping to open up this option to thousands more people in the state. How to Explore Muir Woods After Dark Marin County is home to Muir Woods – known for its historic redwood trees. It’s one of the most visited national parks sites in the country, even though you can’t camp there. But as KQED’s outdoors reporter Sarah Wright tells us, once a month, park-goers who nab a ticket can experience the wonders of the park at night. How an Altadena Monster Sparked Community Tensions After the Eaton Fire burned through Altadena a year and half ago, an unusual sight reappeared amid the ashes and debris: a giant werewolf wearing a t-shirt with a big rainbow-colored heart that said “I Love Altadena”. The mysterious lycanthrope became a source of inspiration and resilience as the community continued to recover and rebuild. And then, as with any good werewolf story, the full moon appeared, a transformation happened and the pitchforks came out. But in the end, peace prevailed. Reporter Steven Cuevas has the story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    30 mins
  • Who's the Bear on California's Flag?; A Garden Growing Community in West Sacramento

    Who's the Bear on California's Flag?; A Garden Growing Community in West Sacramento
    May 15 2026
    The Story Behind the Bear on the California Flag is Bigger Than One Legend The grizzly bear on California’s state flag makes it distinctive and recognizable. Many people believe the bear is Monarch, one of the last California grizzlies. Captured in the mountains in 1889, he was held in captivity and displayed to the public for the last 22 years of his life. The KQED podcast Bay Curious wanted to find out if it really was Monarch on the flag, and to sort through some of the other legends around the bear. They sent reporter Katherine Monahan to find out. At Three Sisters Gardens, the Community Creates a New Food System In West Sacramento, Three Sisters Gardens is a place where neighbors grow food and community. Founded by Alfred Melbourne, the garden is rooted in Indigenous growing practices and the idea that people, plants, and land thrive through cooperation. Local youth play a central role, learning how to plant, harvest, and distribute food while working alongside adults and elders. In a city long shaped by food deserts, the space has become both a source of fresh produce and a place for hands-on learning and mentorship. The California Report's intern Srishti Prabha takes us there. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    30 mins
  • The California Governor’s Race; Providing Care in a Rural Maternity Desert

    The California Governor’s Race; Providing Care in a Rural Maternity Desert
    May 8 2026
    California's Governor’s Race Remains Wide Open. Here’s What to Know Before the Primary From controversies to campaign promises, California’s governor’s race is national news. And with ballots landing in mailboxes already, the race is still a toss-up — with eight candidates vying for the state’s top job. We sit down with KQED political correspondents Guy Marzorati and Marisa Lagos to hear more about the candidates and what we should look for in the final weeks before Election Day. In Northern California’s Maternity Desert, a Humboldt Midwife Offers Intimate Births Despite being the nation’s most populous state, there’s increasingly fewer places to give birth. In rural areas, giving birth can be difficult and dangerous as local hospitals shut down maternity wards. In Humboldt County, some women now travel hours in labor to reach the nearest delivery room. One small birth center in Eureka is trying to fill that gap with a different approach to care. There, midwives spend more time with patients and offer a calmer, more personal setting for births. It’s a model that could help address the state’s growing maternity care crisis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    30 mins