The Bay

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How We Talk About Wildfires Aug 19, 2022

Show notes

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

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This episode first aired Aug. 20, 2021. It was hosted by Devin Katayama and produced by Alan Montecillo and Christopher Beale

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A Year Later, One Afghan Family’s Resettlement in the Bay Aug 17, 2022

Show notes

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

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'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.

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High School in the Shadows of Silicon Valley Aug 15, 2022

Show notes

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

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This episode was produced by Maria Esquinca and Alan Montecillo, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra.

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SFUSD Teachers (Still) Haven’t Been Fully Paid Aug 12, 2022

Show notes

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

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Project Roomkey is Closing Its Doors Aug 10, 2022

Show notes

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

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This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra.

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Remembering Joy: A Personal Story from ECG Aug 08, 2022

Show notes

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.

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Hella Asian: The Comeback

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A Standoff Over People’s Park in Berkeley Aug 05, 2022

Show notes

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.

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What's Going On with Monkeypox? Aug 03, 2022

Show notes

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.

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Why Cleaning Up Bayview-Hunters Point is an Issue of Reparations Aug 01, 2022

Show notes

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.

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A Message From The Bay: We’re Taking July Off! Jul 01, 2022

Show notes

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 thebay@kqed.org. We always love hearing from you.

Thank you for listening and enjoying the show.

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