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UpFront delivers a mix of local, state, and international coverage through challenging interviews, civil debates, breaking updates, and in-depth discussions with authors. UpFront PM is the afternoon edition of UpFront. Pitch us at upfront@kpfa.org.
Theme Music: Turn It Up by Digital Primitives, licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License.
On today’s show, we cover the preparation that’s taking place in anticipation of the so-called Freedom Rally, organized by the right-wing group Patriot Prayer. The rally (which has a National Parks Service permit), is scheduled to take place at Crissy Field in San Francisco this Saturday. We speak with the San Francisco Police Department about how … Continued
On today’s show, Philip Maldari moderates a debate on The California Values Act SB 54, a bill that would make California a sanctuary state. Arguing for the bill is immigration attorney Saira Hussain and arguing against it is California State Sheriffs’ Association representative Cory Salzillo. Then, Brian Edwards-Tiekert breaks down the controversy surrounding the pro-Trump … Continued
On today’s show, host Brian Edwards-Tiekert and sociologist Peter Simi talk about white extremist groups and their relationship to law enforcement. They discuss the history of white supremacists joining police and military organizations and explain the extent to which that trend persists today. Later, host Cat Brooks speaks with Claude Marks and Hank Jones, two former … Continued
On today’s show, civil rights attorney Dan Siegel joins Brian Edwards-Tiekert to discuss the difference between hate speech and free speech. They also explore how city governments can respond when alt-right demonstrators come to town. Then, Fred Glass speaks to Brian Edwards-Tiekert about the labor history of California. Together they examine the history of the Golden State from the … Continued
On today’s show, Salima Hamirani explores the solar eclipse passing over the continental US on Monday. We’ll hear from a composer turning it into live music, an eclipse chaser about why it’s so spectacular, and a scientist about what an eclipse even is and how to watch it safely. Before that, Salima talks to Rohini Ramkrishnan … Continued
The month of August is a time where thousands of black people inside and outside of prison commemorate Black August to honor fallen freedom fighters in the black liberation movement. Today, we explore the history and significance of Black August and the continued incarceration of black bodies inside prison. Host Cat Brooks interviews Mama Ayanna … Continued
On today’s show, Brian Edwards-Tiekert and Cat Brooks discuss the extremist demonstrations that are imminent in the Bay Area, how we should strategize to combat them, and Trump’s response to the protest in Charlottesville. Then, Cat Brooks interviews Daria Roithmayr about her book Reproducing Racism, which explores the ways in which our institutions and personal relationships automatically … Continued
On today’s show, we talk to Representative John Garamendi, recently back from a trip to South Korea, and he wants to take Donald Trump’s finger off the nuclear trigger button, by ending the president’s authority to order a first strike. We’ll have him off to take your call. But first, David Neiwert joins us to go … Continued
On today’s show, we hear an eye-witness account of this weekends white nationalist demonstration in Charlottesville, VA. Reverend Traci Blackmon, was a counter-protester throughout the weekend, and she serves as the Executive Minister of Justice and Witness at The United Church of Christ. Next, we discuss the Medicare buy-in bill with Congressmember Jared Huffman (representative of … Continued
On today’s show, Salima Hamirani talks to André Spicer about a new trend where companies microchip their employees, putting a small radio device under their skin. Then, David George Haskell joins us to talk about his new book The Song of Trees, in which he uses music of the forest to investigate the intimate networks … Continued
