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.
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Sep 29, 2026 · 26:51
How teens can avoid falling for social media content that’s harmful. Then, we meet an Oakland artist turned farmer.
Sep 29, 2026 · 14:53
How teens can avoid falling for social media content that’s harmful.
Sep 29, 2026 · 10:15
We meet the Oakland artist who put down his guitar, and picked up a shovel.
Sep 28, 2026 · 26:50
Elections are approaching quickly and there is a lot to unpack. Plus, we are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.
Sep 28, 2026 · 12:50
Get the lowdown on your San Francisco ballot for the November 3rd election.
Sep 28, 2026 · 12:40
We're celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month and hearing how one mariachi ensemble is reframing tradition.
Sep 24, 2026 · 25:23
Valkyries All-Star Gabby Williams was born in Nevada, but the Bay has become her new home and she’s not sitting courtside.
Sep 23, 2026 · 26:50
Privacy concerns are growing in The Bay Area and around the nation, surrounding Flock cameras. Today, the debates and questions about how this technology is being used. Then, we…
Sep 23, 2026 · 12:55
We get lost and find our way on San Francisco’s Crosstown trail.
Sep 23, 2026 · 12:04
Privacy concerns are growing in The Bay Area and around the nation, surrounding Flock cameras. We hear the debates and questions about how this technology is being used.
Sep 22, 2026 · 24:50
Cities around the world are passing or considering laws that restrict social media. We’ll hear what teenagers think and how they are choosing to get involved. Plus, we hand the…
Sep 17, 2026 · 26:50
We hear about the new women’s tackle football team that’s touched down in Oakland. Plus, the latest from the world of women’s professional sports.
Sep 16, 2026 · 26:50
On today's episode of Uncuffed, we hear how Producers at San Quentin, Solano and the California Institution for Women, find family in unexpected places.
Sep 15, 2026 · 24:45
Public transportation is on the minds of teenagers as potential BART cuts loom and a campaign works to address harassment on transit.
Sep 15, 2026 · 12:46
BART currently faces a three hundred million dollar deficit. Tbh producer Lukas Smith talked with Bay Area teens to see how potential cuts would affect them.
Sep 15, 2026 · 8:07
A campaign in the South Bay works to address rider harassment on public transportation.
Sep 14, 2026 · 26:51
In Oakland, two musicians are inspired by the urban ecology of the Town. Then, we go to Mill Valley, where a play uses humor to discuss alcoholism.
Sep 14, 2026 · 13:18
In Oakland, the borders between the natural and human worlds offer a new way of making music.
Sep 14, 2026 · 12:50
A play that uses comedy and compassion to address alcoholism is coming to the Marin Theater.
Sep 10, 2026 · 26:51
The Federal Government is now forcing universities to limit the rights of their international students. Today, we hear a conversation about how this affects UC Berkeley. Then,…
Sep 10, 2026 · 7:55
Bay Area college students have been back in school for less than a month now. At UC Berkeley, immigration is coming up as part of the back to school experience for many. Last…
Sep 10, 2026 · 9:17
The stage show “Crushing” is all about love- and it’s returning to San Francisco at the A.C.T. Strand Theater. In the show, 10 artists step up to the mic and share their stories…
Sep 10, 2026 · 7:39
For the past few weeks, we’ve been bringing you episodes of BOUNCE, KALW’s sports podcast that’s following the rise of women’s professional sports in the Bay. The Golden State…
Sep 9, 2026 · 26:41
Humans have an innate attraction to water... But why? Today, we hear from Bay Area author, Bonnie Tsui, about 'Why We Swim. ' Then, how free swim lessons are connecting kids with…
Sep 8, 2026 · 26:51
tbh is KALW’s podcast that’s made by, for, and about teenagers and it’s back! In the first episode of the newest season we’re going underground to meet the people pushing a new…
Sep 3, 2026 · 26:50
The WNBA has a reputation for embracing LGBTQ+ players and fans… but that wasn’t always the case. Today, the history behind the WNBA’s “glass closet era.” But first, we hear a…
Sep 2, 2026 · 26:30
Companies are using your browsing history, and other information about you, to customize the prices you see online. Today, how companies use your data to decide what you pay… and…
Sep 2, 2026 · 17:01
If you've ever wondered why the same flight, hotel room, or grocery item seems to cost a different amount depending on who's buying it, you’re not imagining things. Companies are…
Sep 2, 2026 · 6:16
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. In San Francisco, at an undisclosed location, in a non-descript building, people have been saving lives with compassionate…
Sep 1, 2026 · 27:27
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union is a powerful organizing force in the Bay Area, and it all got its start more than 90 years ago. Today, the little known history…
Sep 1, 2026 · 17:23
Over the years, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, or ILWU, has thrown their weight behind many causes. Like in 2020, they shut down the ports entirely, to support…
Sep 1, 2026 · 11:31
San Francisco’s Municipal Transportation Agency, or SFMTA, is 100% unionized. The 6,000 public servants who work with the agency are represented by 18 different unions. SFMTA…
Aug 31, 2026 · 26:50
The Berkeley Rose Garden is a beautiful place, but did you know it was built during FDR’s “New Deal” in the ‘30s? The New Deal is still all around us today — if you know where to…
Aug 31, 2026 · 10:37
The federal corruption trial of former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, her former live-in partner, and a prominent local father-son team of businessmen, appears set to begin in…
Aug 31, 2026 · 14:12
The current administration has made it their goal to shrink the federal government. But many of the impacted agencies were actually created from a belief in a more expansive role…
Aug 27, 2026 · 26:50
Today, we're rolling it way back to meet the first professional women's basketball players in the Bay. It’s Bay Area women’s basketball history with the living legends of the San…
Aug 26, 2026 · 9:16
One of the Bay Area’s youngest journalism organizations is about to turn one. Coyote Media Collective launched last September 2025, in the midst of shrinking newsrooms and a…
Aug 26, 2026 · 10:25
Repair events, where handy volunteers fix things for free, are becoming popular in the Bay Area. Recently, KALW climate reporter Mary Catherine O’Connor hosted a repair clinic,…
Aug 26, 2026 · 8:23
The work of keeping things from ending up at the garbage dump involves repair, which in a lot of cases involves tools. But buying tools can be expensive — and figuring out where…
Aug 26, 2026 · 26:50
Coyote Media Collective launched last year as a news organization that wanted to switch up what journalism looked like. From their worker-owned model, to their fun vibe. Today,…
Aug 25, 2026 · 26:50
There’s a new teacher in San Francisco classrooms. And she’s an AI bot…but not everyone is on board. Today, we hear how this reading tool is working. And, the tunes of a small…
Aug 25, 2026 · 8:24
It’s back to school season in the Bay Area, and San Francisco’s public school system is also hoping for a fresh start on some old issues. Dr. Maria Su has led the San Francisco…
Aug 25, 2026 · 8:34
There’s a new instructor measuring how well San Francisco’s first and second graders can read. Her name is Amira and she’s an AI bot. Teachers today are grappling with if and how…
Aug 25, 2026 · 5:15
Long time listeners will know that KALW has a special relationship with the San Francisco Unified School District. Not only do they hold our broadcast license but for decades our…
Aug 24, 2026 · 24:51
In 1987, in an act of love, a man recorded fog horns from Lands End in San Francisco. Now, that recording has captured the hearts and imaginations of thousands of people online.…
Aug 24, 2026 · 16:22
There’s a world of sound that doesn’t really exist anymore, and there’s a recording made on the water’s edge in San Francisco over 40 years old that captures one corner of that…
Aug 24, 2026 · 6:53
At the western edge of the Marina District, there’s another sound unique to San Francisco. Stretched out on a point in the water, you’ll find the Wave Organ: a public place…
Aug 20, 2026 · 27:25
Today, we hear from three very different fans and athletes as they reflect on 30 years of the WNBA. Plus, the Valkyries are back in the playoffs!
Aug 19, 2026 · 26:50
There’s a lot of cultural expectations around dancing… Especially in prison. But on today’s newest episode of Uncuffed - we’ll hear stories about how dancing can be a bridge…
Aug 18, 2026 · 24:50
Some local businesses see the value in preserving trades that are still done by hand. Today, we hear about a hand-painted-sign renaissance in San Francisco. Then, a multimedia…
Aug 18, 2026 · 13:25
When you walk around San Francisco, you’re bound to notice the architecture, murals, and even graffiti… But some of the art surrounding you is not as obvious. Like a sign hanging…
Aug 18, 2026 · 9:00
One new exhibit wants to celebrate the history of power in San Francisco's LGBT+ communities. It’s called “Conjuring Power: Roots and Futures of Queer and Trans Movements. A…
Aug 17, 2026 · 27:29
One Christian rapper says music helped her survive addiction, abuse, and homelessness. Today, how music and faith became her path to recovery. Then, one musician shares how her…
Aug 17, 2026 · 7:59
Music was always part of Natia Woodfork's life. Growing up in San Jose, music became the language her family spoke. She started writing poetry as a kid and eventually pursued…
Aug 17, 2026 · 10:05
Music… it’s part of our celebrations, our devotions… our joy, and our hard times. Musician Valerie June knows all about that. She wrote the anthem “Working Woman Blues.” We meet…
Aug 17, 2026 · 7:54
We are halfway through August and that means San Jose is entering Low Rider season. From influential publications, and generational car clubs, the city is one of the historical…
Aug 13, 2026 · 26:51
The Bay Area is full of fans of women’s professional sports, and they have a lot of questions. Today, KALW’s sports podcast, BOUNCE, is here to answer them.
Aug 12, 2026 · 26:50
A new sound exhibit at Grace Cathedral lets visitors experience what the bells hear. Today, the Cathedral’s artist in residence talks about the fifty years he's spent creating…
Aug 12, 2026 · 9:39
When Bill Fontana sees a still object, he doesn’t just notice what it looks like, he wonders what it sounds like. He asks himself, “what does it hear?” Bill is a sound sculptor.…
Aug 12, 2026 · 8:52
Grace Cathedral is a place where people gather around sound. They host organ recitals, sound baths and of course choirs. And it's where Bay Area singer and songwriter Bobby…
Aug 12, 2026 · 13:41
Most days, the corner of Green Street and Van Ness Avenue, in San Francisco.. sounds like any other place in the city — Cars, joggers, the occasional barking dog. But if you’re…
Aug 11, 2026 · 26:50
Today, we go behind the scenes of the local comedy scene. Then, an improv theater celebrates 40 years of encouraging actors to do what comes naturally to them. And, we hear from…
Aug 11, 2026 · 6:52
The Bay Area comedy scene has given us many gifts: A robust improv ecosystem fostered sketch comedy for a national stage, and nurtured stand up comedians for generations, from…
Aug 11, 2026 · 8:58
Brian Lohmann, co-founded Bay Area Theater Sports or BATS. It’s the largest and longest-running improvised theater company in Northern California. And this year, they’re…
Aug 11, 2026 · 9:08
Humor can be a source of laughter and - a form of political resistance. It’s a scary time for many immigrants in this country right now and it may feel weird to be turning to…
Aug 10, 2026 · 26:50
Today, we’re gonna go back 30 years to a moment when major artists came together for nonviolence, freedom, and Tibet: The Tibetan Freedom Concerts. In the Summer of 1996, the…
Aug 6, 2026 · 26:50
Girls flag football is growing, and opening doors for players that didn’t exist just a few years ago. Today, we explore why coaches, athletes, and major brands believe girls flag…
Aug 5, 2026 · 26:50
Today, a new episode of Uncuffed that’s all sports, play, and the pleasure of competition. We’ve got stories from the track and the chess board. Plus, life lessons from a boxing…
Aug 4, 2026 · 26:51
Today, we meet the people who fix broken but beloved belongings. And, we get an update on the federal corruption trial of recalled former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. Plus, we hear…
Aug 4, 2026 · 10:57
This October, the trial of former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, her boyfriend, Andre Jones, and prominent local businessmen David and Andy Duong is set to begin. Last week, the…
Aug 4, 2026 · 10:52
August is National Minority Donor Awareness month. It's a month for raising awareness of organ donation and transplantation in communities of color. Studies show there aren’t…
Aug 4, 2026 · 9:34
Here’s a question for you- if you have something around your house that needs fixing- an appliance, a device… What do you do? Fix it or ditch it? If you do want to get something…
Aug 3, 2026 · 1:59
New Arrivals is KALW's pocket sized book tour of Bay Area Authors. Mike Huguenor lives in San Jose. His book, " Elvis is Dead, I’m Still Alive: The Story of Asian Man Records ,"…
Aug 3, 2026 · 26:51
The closure of San Francisco’s immigration courts has had big ramifications. Today, we get an update on how immigrants are navigating an increasingly difficult system. Then, we…
Aug 3, 2026 · 11:34
On May first, the Trump administration closed its main immigration court in San Francisco's Financial District. That follows months of clashes outside the building between ICE…
Aug 3, 2026 · 9:53
Recently BART held their first ever… prom! More than twelve hundred people attended (and danced at!) the sold-out Under the sea/’80s-themed party under the Rockridge Station…
Jul 30, 2026 · 26:50
It’s a brand new season of BOUNCE! Today, KALW's Anna Casalme is taking us out to the ball game, where every kid on the field is a girl. Plus, an update on how the Golden State…
Jul 29, 2026 · 24:51
AI scams are getting incredibly sophisticated. But protecting yourself doesn’t have to be. And, we honor the Oakland storytelling icon, Diane Ferlatte.
Jul 29, 2026 · 13:32
Online scams have proliferated and are even trickier to detect now… thanks to the use of new AI tools. These scams have become so widespread that this month, San Francisco became…
Jul 29, 2026 · 7:51
Earlier this month, we lost a Bay Area storytelling icon — Oakland’s Diane Ferlatte. She was an award winning, grammy nominated teller of African American stories. For…
Jul 28, 2026 · 26:50
The way we raise our children is once again changing. Today, the latest science and understanding behind fatherhood. Then, we tag along on the thousand mile journey one musician…
Jul 28, 2026 · 10:26
Lately, there has been a lot of talk about why it is so difficult to raise families in this country. And the question of starting families is one of the unique and few spaces…
Jul 28, 2026 · 14:36
Right now the butterflies are north of us and inland for the summer, but in a month, they’ll begin heading west to make it back to the California coast before winter. Millions of…
Jul 28, 2026 · 3:15
Last year, our podcast Bounce followed the first season of San Francisco’s newest WNBA team, the Valkyries. They did not disappoint, and gave the fans a historic run to the…
Jul 27, 2026 · 26:50
A legendary venue in Oakland reopens after two decades of closure. Then we go into KALW's live event venue to hear from the artists that transformed it into a living gallery.
Jul 27, 2026 · 10:46
A legendary venue in Oakland reopens after two decades of closure.
Jul 27, 2026 · 12:41
We hear from the artists that transformed KALW's live event space into a living gallery.
Jul 27, 2026 · 1:33
Today, Berkeley poet Beth Patote brings us back to the water with her poem.
Jul 23, 2026 · 26:50
Today, the deep and personal history of Queer media in the Bay Area with the pioneers who made their voices heard.
Jul 22, 2026 · 26:50
We're kicking off season five of Uncuffed by going back in time to the defining childhood experiences of Uncuffed producers inside three California Prisons.
Jul 21, 2026 · 26:50
Today, the transformative power of cold water and the people who jump right in. Then, we meet a club that has been swimming in frigid water for more than a century in the Bay.…
Jul 21, 2026 · 9:48
Chris Ballard is the author of “ The Plunge: Maverick Swimmers, An Unlikely Quest, and the Transformative Power of Cold Water.” Chris jumped into some frigid water himself to…
Jul 21, 2026 · 5:57
People that swim in cold waters often do it in community. And one crew of ocean swimmers has been carrying on a local legacy that began more than a century ago.
Jul 21, 2026 · 8:27
This August crowds will be gathering at Lindemar Beach in Pacifica to answer one question. Which dog is the greatest surfer in the world?
Jul 20, 2026 · 26:51
New laws meant to encourage the construction of new homes in San Francisco give a lot of power to the state. Today, we explore how and where the homes get built. Then, music…
Jul 20, 2026 · 11:01
Keeping up with your rent in San Francisco is not for the faint of heart. Online rental services were showing that the average monthly rent for a one bedroom home was more than…
Jul 20, 2026 · 13:13
Music legend Melissa Etheridge recently released her first new album in seven years. Her album “Rise” is inspired by some of the challenges she’s had to rise above in her life,…
Jul 16, 2026 · 24:50
Pets are often important companions for unhoused people. Today, we meet a grassroots organization that’s helping homeless folks take care of their animals. Plus, a new novel…
Jul 16, 2026 · 17:20
Homelessness ends with a home... Technically. But there’s much more to it, and the path to live indoors is most always complicated. For many unhoused people, access to services…
Jul 16, 2026 · 1:40
Now, it’s time for New Arrivals, our pocket sized book tour with Bay Area authors. Vanessa Hua lives in the East Bay. Her new novel, "Coyoteland," is set in a fictional Bay Area…
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