Storied: San Francisco

Latest Episodes:

S2E24 Darnay McPherson on Growing Up in the Fillmore in the '60s May 14, 2019

Show notes

To help elevate the voices and stories of Black San Franciscans, we'll be rerunning those episodes over the next few weeks. We'll be back with new stories from your neighbors down the road a bit.

Darnay McPherson likes to stress that, when he was a kid growing up in San Francisco's Fillmore neighborhood in the 1960s, "no one locked their doors and police officers walked the beat." It was even more than that for the generation of Darnay's parents—a vibrant area full of black-owned businesses and some of the best jazz clubs in the country.

In this podcast, Darnay, who has lived his entire life in the Fillmore, talks about being a kid there, the community, the book Harlem of the West, musicians Bobby Webb, Roland Mitchell, Etta James, and Johnny Mathis, and more.

Film photography by Michelle Kilfeather

S2E23, Part 2: Stephanie Smith on Being a Woman Tattooer May 09, 2019

Show notes

Stephanie Smith is a tattoo artist. It's an industry that, even in the Bay Area, is fairly male-dominated.

In this podcast, Stephanie talks about a life and a career with its share of misogynistic experiences. Through them, she says, her sense of feminism was formed. She prides herself today on the quality of her art and her group of clients in and around San Francisco.

Film photography by Michelle Kilfeather

S2E23, Part 1: Stephanie Smith on Becoming a Tattoo Collector and Artist May 07, 2019

Show notes

Stephanie Smith grew up on the East Coast, but never felt like she fit in with the general mindset out there. When it came time for her to (reluctantly) go to college, she picked the University of San Francisco in large part because of where it is.

In this episode, Stephanie talks about moving to San Francisco, getting a degree in fine arts at USF, and then pursuing both getting her body covered in tattoos and becoming a tattoo artist.

Join us Thursday for Part 2, when Stephanie will go into detail about being a woman tattoo artist today.

Film photography by Michelle Kilfeather

BONUS! John Law on Sarah Davis's First Acid Trip May 04, 2019

Show notes

When we sat down to record with this week's podcast guest, John Law, he launched right into the research he did to get to know us better before meeting us. For the next seven minutes, we were delighted to hear John's telling of Ep. 15 storyteller and Mission Creek houseboat resident Sarah Davis's first LSD trip. Hold on tightly for this doozie of a meta-Storied podcast!

S2E22, Part 2: John Law on the Legacy of the Suicide Club and Urban Exploration May 02, 2019

Show notes

John Law grew up quite the mischievous kid. That naturally led him to the Suicide Club, which he talked about in Part 1.

In this podcast, John catches us up on what he's doing these days, which includes a lot of "urban exploration." The mindset he adopted with the Suicide Club informs a lot of his exploring these days, including to leave no trace at the sites you explore.

He ends the podcast reflecting on what it's like to live, work, and play in San Francisco today.

We recorded this podcast at Napper Tandy's in March 2019.

Film photography by Michelle Kilfeather

S2E22, Part 1: John Law on Growing Up, Getting Into Trouble, and Hitchhiking to the Bay Area Apr 30, 2019

Show notes

John Law hitchhiked his way to San Francisco.

His dad was a college professor, and so the family moved around quite a bit in John's youth. He started hanging out with the "fun kids," which meant breaking into houses and stealing cars. He ran away back to one of his previous hometowns, in Michigan, and then set out for the Bay Area with a friend.

In this episode, John (who, really, has done far too much to mention here, but, among other things, is one of the co-founders of Burning Man) talks about growing up and developing his sense of adventure. He tells the story of learning about Communiversity, and through it, becoming a member of the now-defunct Suicide Club.

Join us Thursday, when John will fast-forward to talk about what he's up to these days.

Film photography by Michelle Kilfeather

S2E21, Part 2: Liz Beeson-Evans on Starting Caring Cowgirl Apr 25, 2019

Show notes

As we learned in Part 1, Liz Beeson-Evans grew up around horses. After splitting her childhood between Northern California and Jalisco, Mexico, Liz moved around a bit before returning to San Francisco with her now-husband. Spending time with her cousin in LA who's a farrier inspired her to get back to horses.

In this episode, Liz talks about what being around horses can do for people. She founded a non-profit, Caring Cowgirl, that will offer therapeutic mini-equine visits to people in San Francisco.

To that end, Liz is raising money to buy a minivan (get it?) to transport the minis—Vanessa, the mini donkey, and Shakira, her dwarf mini horse. Please visit her website and donate.

Film photography by Michelle Kilfeather

S2E21, Part 1: Liz Beeson Evans on Growing Up with Horses Apr 23, 2019

Show notes

There are many ways to get to San Francisco. For Caring Cowgirl owner Liz Beeson-Evans, it went something like this:

She grew up between Northern California and Jalisco, Mexico, moving to the city in the late-2000s. After being far away from family a few years while living first in Brooklyn and then in Los Angeles, her fiancé-now-husband got a good job and they came back five years ago to a very different city.

In this episode, Liz goes into detail about how her childhood around horses and other farm animals steered her toward a career caring for animals. Join us Thursday for Part 2, when Liz will talk about starting her non-profit, Caring Cowgirl, which offers therapeutic mini-equine visits (one mini dwarf horse and one mini donkey) to people in San Francisco.

We recorded this podcast at Bay Area Ridge Riders Ranch in March 2019.

Film photography by Michelle Kilfeather

S2E20, Part 2: Sister Anni Coque l'Doo on the Future of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (Part of Our Sisters at 40 Series) Apr 18, 2019

Show notes

Forty years is a long time. That the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will celebrate that milestone this weekend speaks to the charity, creativity, and sense of community that the group brings to San Francisco.

In this podcast, Sister Anni Coque l'Doo will continue the story of her work with the Sisters. When she moved to Oakland, she joined the Ducal Council of Alameda, essentially establishing the Sisters in the East Bay. She ends the episode reflecting on what it means for the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence as they celebrate their 40th anniversary this Sunday in Dolores Park.

Special thanks to Heather Jacks, through whom we were able to meet with and record three lovely drag nuns (if you missed our episodes with Sister Roma and Sister Mary Media, please go back and listen). Heather's book on the group, Sister Stories, comes out soon, and it's something that should be on every coffee table in the city.

We recorded this podcast at the Twin Peaks Tavern in March 2019.

Film photography by Michelle Kilfeather

S2E20, Part 1: Sister Anni Coque l'Doo on Becoming an Activist Drag Nun (Part of Our Sisters at 40 Series) Apr 16, 2019

Show notes

Born and raised in San Mateo, the young man who is Sister Anni Coque l'Doo went to the March on Washington in 1993 and came back inspired to become an activist. In this podcast, the third and final in our Sisters at 40 series (go back and listen to Sister Roma and Sister Mary Media if you missed them), Anni talks about her evolution as an activist. It culminated with her joining the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence a decade and a half ago.

Check back Thursday, when Anni will tell us all about the Ducal Council. She'll end reflecting on 40 years of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

We recorded this podcast in March 2019 at Twin Peaks Tavern.

Film photography by Michelle Kilfeather

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