We take a look back at 2019, a contentious and challenging year, where we brought a mix of local, national and international news plus discussions from the thinkers and leaders at the frontlines of social movements. From climate change, to impeachment, to white nationalist violence, we took risks with big, ambitious broadcasts and reporting projects with the goal to inform our listeners, ignite deeper discussions, and elevate those most impacted.
This is a list compiled from the most shared on social media, emails to us, and favorite amongst our team. Let us know what your favorite segments or shows have been in 2019, leave a comment or email [email protected].
Over 300 inmates protesting conditions at Alameda County’s Santa Rita Jail end hunger strike due to health concerns
November 4, 2019
Santa Rita Jail strike update: An estimated 300 inmates protesting inhumane treatment have ended the strike on Friday due to health concerns. We speak with Sergeant Ray Kelly is a spokesman with the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department. Yolanda Huang is a long time civil rights attorney and has represented many clients in fighting for justice for abuses committed by the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department, and joins us with an update. This coverage was part of special coverage of the jail, Santa Rita Stories, hosted by Cat Brooks. Listen here.
Billie Winner, Mother: Whistleblower Reality Winner is still jailed, while Mueller report verifies Russians hacked the election
April 24, 2019
Billie Winner Davis (@bjwinnerdavis) is the mother of Reality Winner, a 28 year old former intelligence specialist who was charged and convicted for leaking intelligence reports showing Russian interference in the 2016 elections. She’s currently serving 5 years and 3 months in Lincoln County Jail in Lincolnton, Georgia. Hosted by Cat Brooks. Listen here.
Live from the Climate Strike and UN General Assembly with Brian Edwards-Tiekert
September 23, 2019
Our host, Brian Edwards-Tiekert spent a week this summer in New York City reporting on the UN Climate Action Summit and climate action events, in what many saw as a sea change for climate action in 2019. Here Brian gives a live update from the United Nations in NY, where the UN Climate Summit is set to begin, starting with climate leader Greta Thunberg. He also covered Global Climate Strike, Friday Sep 20 and we hear voices from around the world at the strike in NYC.
Celebrating the life and legacy of Toni Morrison
August 7, 2019
On August 6, 2019 we lost an international treasure, Tony Morrison, the first African-American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize in Literature and author of more than eleven books. We host a roundtable to discuss her life and legacy, featuring Nikki Giovanni one of America’s foremost poets, Ayodele Nzinga (@wordslanger) a playwright, poet, and founding director of Lower Bottom Playaz in Oakland, Tyson Amir (@tysonamir) educator and author of Black Boy Poems, and the Black Boy Poems Curriculum, and Tongo Eisen-Martin (@tongoblackfire) a movement worker, educator and poet. His latest book is Heaven Is All Goodbyes.
The Community of Grace: Day to day life in a curbside community in Oakland
May 3, 2019
Homelessness is rising dramatically in the Bay Area, but usually communities are covered by the news only when there’s a crisis – only when there’s a fire, or an eviction – some kind of crisis that throws the people who live there into conflict with city officials. But there are a lot of people living their day to day lives in those tents and RVs. There are a lot of people trying to figure out how to get their needs met, under very trying circumstances. Our long-form reporter, Lucy Kang, spent more than two months visiting, recording interviews, and learning the rhythms of daily life at one place called the Community of Grace: the rules they live by, how it enforces them, how people wound up there, and where they hope to get to in the future.
In November 2019, Kang won 2019 Excellence in Journalism Award for Explanatory Journalism from the Society of Professional Journalists Northern CA Chapter. Listen or read her report here.
Labor Day Special: Updates from Oakland city workers, Kaiser healthcare workers, Kentucky coal miners and women on birth strike; plus Cesar Chavez from the Pacifica Radio Archives
September 2, 2019
This Labor Day, we feature several ongoing labor struggles across the Bay Area and the United States, including Oakland City workers, Kaiser healthcare workers, Kentucky coal miners, birth strikers, speeches from Cesar Chavez from the Pacifica Radio Archives, plus music on labor struggles from throughout the decades. Hosted by Cat Brooks. Listen here.
Kincade Fire: Voices from CA’s largest evacuation in history
October 30, 2019
The Kincade Fire displaced roughly 200,000 people from across Sonoma County since evacuation orders began last Thursday. There are over a dozen shelter locations, serving a total of over 2,000 people, and more in cars and RVs in parking lots. KPFA producers Corinne Smith (@Cocoluces) and Ariel Boone (@arielboone) went to the shelter at the Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial to bring you their stories. These are some of their voices. Listen and read here.
Impeachment Watch: Mitch Jeserich reports live from Congress as Democrats launch historic impeachment of President Trump
October 2019
Our own Mitch Jeserich, host of Letters & Politics and contributer to UpFront with Monday’s with Mitch, traveled to Washington DC to report on the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump. Listen here.
Special UpFront Series: Political Prisoners You Should Know
August 2019
For the month of August we’ll be highlighting specific political prisoners, featuring Leonard Peltier, one of the most infamous Native American civil rights leaders; Dr. Mutulu Shakur, organizer, activist, acupuncturist and stepfather of the late HipHop icon Tupac Shakur; Imam Jamil Al-Amin, formerly known as H. Rap Brown, a worship leader, public speaker, activist and author; and a look at several women political prisoners from Rev. Joy Powell to honorable mention of freedom fighter Assata Shakur. 
We speak with Larry Hildes, Civil Rights Lawyer with the National Guild and Lead Counsel for Leonard Peltier. We speak with Watani Tyhemba, Criminal Investigator and member of Mutulu Shakur’s Legal Team; Imam Jamil Al-Amin’s attorney and son, Kairi Al-Amin; and Efyia Nwangaza (won Gaza), human rights and prisoners advocate, founder and director of the Malcolm X Center for self determination on women political prisoners. Hosted by Jeannine Etter.
Second jury rules against Monsanto, liable for Roundup causing cancer
March 21, 2019
The second jury has come down in another landmark case against Monsanto, finding Roundup liable for a second man’s cancer. Now, there are thousands of cases to follow. We speak with Carey Gillam (@careygillam), investigative journalist and research Director for the non-profit, US Right to Know. She’s written extensively on chemical pollution, corruption, and Monsanto. Her latest book is Whitewash: The Story of Weed Killer, Cancer, and the Corruption of Science. Hosted by Brian Edwards-Tiekert. Listen here.
‘We’ve Been Too Patient:’ Empowering alternative mental health solutions and challenging the biomedical model
September 3, 2019
Kelechi Ubozoh is a Nigerian-American writer and mental health advocate; and L.D. Green (@lizdemigreen) is an artivist: a genderqueer writer, performer, college educator, and mental health advocate. Together they are editors of a new book, We’ve Been Too Patient: Voices of Radical Mental Health – Stories and Research Challenging the Biomedical Model. Hosted by Cat Brooks. Listen here.
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