window.__IS_SSR__=true
window.__INITIAL_STATE__={
"attachmentsReducer": {
"audio_0": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_0",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background0.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_1": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_1",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background1.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_2": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_2",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background2.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_3": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_3",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background3.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_4": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_4",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background4.jpg"
}
}
},
"placeholder": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "placeholder",
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"small": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xlarge": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 32,
"height": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 50,
"height": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 64,
"height": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 96,
"height": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 128,
"height": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
}
},
"arts_13993014": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13993014",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13993014",
"found": true
},
"title": "106-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000",
"publishDate": 1787203877,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 13992983,
"modified": 1787203993,
"caption": "Nengi Omuku in 'The Gathering' at the de Young.",
"credit": "Gary Sexton/Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco",
"altTag": "young Black woman stands in front of painting in museum gallery",
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/106-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/106-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/106-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-1536x1025.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1025,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/106-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/106-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/106-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/106-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/106-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1334
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13992925": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13992925",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13992925",
"found": true
},
"title": "ShockG.Book.crop",
"publishDate": 1787092349,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 13992917,
"modified": 1787092426,
"caption": "Detail of the cover to ‘Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground,’ chronicling the action-filled life of the late rapper. artist and musician.",
"credit": "Penguin Random House",
"altTag": "A close-up on a Black man's face, wearing a Groucho Marx style novelty mask with glasses and a big nose, his hands on his cheeks",
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShockG.Book_.crop_-2000x1173.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1173,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShockG.Book_.crop_-2000x1173.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1173,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShockG.Book_.crop_-160x94.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 94,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShockG.Book_.crop_-768x450.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 450,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShockG.Book_.crop_-1536x901.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 901,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"2048x2048": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShockG.Book_.crop_-2048x1201.jpg",
"width": 2048,
"height": 1201,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShockG.Book_.crop_-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShockG.Book_.crop_-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShockG.Book_.crop_-2000x1173.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1173,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShockG.Book_.crop_-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShockG.Book_.crop_-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShockG.Book_.crop_.jpg",
"width": 2483,
"height": 1456
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13992819": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13992819",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13992819",
"found": true
},
"title": "pirate boy",
"publishDate": 1786994299,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 13992815,
"modified": 1786994369,
"caption": "Got an aspiring pirate in the family? There’s a scavenger hunt for that now.",
"credit": "Getty Images/San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers",
"altTag": "A young boy dressed as a pirate glances around curiously.",
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-boy-160x106.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 106,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-boy-768x506.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 506,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-boy-1536x1013.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1013,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-boy-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-boy-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-boy-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-boy-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-boy.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1319
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13992775": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13992775",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13992775",
"found": true
},
"title": "AfterthoughtTopChefs",
"publishDate": 1786655600,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 13991893,
"modified": 1786655786,
"caption": "Afterthought (center) and the Top Chefs perform at Salesforce Park as part of Suds Francisco on Aug. 23. ",
"credit": "Heath Visuals",
"altTag": "big group of musicians stand and crouch, slightly smiling",
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AfterthoughtTopChefs-160x90.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 90,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AfterthoughtTopChefs-768x432.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 432,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AfterthoughtTopChefs-1536x864.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 864,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AfterthoughtTopChefs-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AfterthoughtTopChefs-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AfterthoughtTopChefs-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AfterthoughtTopChefs-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AfterthoughtTopChefs.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1125
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13989794": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13989794",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13989794",
"found": true
},
"title": "20260516-OAKLASH-JY-37-KQED",
"publishDate": 1779121876,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1779130921,
"caption": "Zachary Lipsett, 20, claps as drag quen Empress Astara does a flip during their performance at the Oaklash Block Party in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, May 16, 2026.",
"credit": "Juliana Yamada for KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-37-KQED-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-37-KQED-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-37-KQED-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-37-KQED-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-37-KQED-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-37-KQED-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-37-KQED-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-37-KQED.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13992691": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13992691",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13992691",
"found": true
},
"title": "2026-06-10_MiaWeiner_001_2000",
"publishDate": 1786485219,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 13992688,
"modified": 1786485599,
"caption": "Mia Weiner, 'lotus feed (Bhumi Devi),' 2026.",
"credit": "Casemore Gallery",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/2026-06-10_MiaWeiner_001_2000-160x114.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 114,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/2026-06-10_MiaWeiner_001_2000-768x549.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 549,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/2026-06-10_MiaWeiner_001_2000-1536x1097.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1097,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/2026-06-10_MiaWeiner_001_2000-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/2026-06-10_MiaWeiner_001_2000-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/2026-06-10_MiaWeiner_001_2000-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/2026-06-10_MiaWeiner_001_2000-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/2026-06-10_MiaWeiner_001_2000.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1429
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13992476": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13992476",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13992476",
"found": true
},
"title": "one night only - 1",
"publishDate": 1786041923,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 13992438,
"modified": 1786042050,
"caption": "Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner star in ‘One Night Only.’",
"credit": "Universal Pictures",
"altTag": "A woman leans over the counter, looking at a man making pizza.",
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/one-night-only-1-160x107.png",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/png"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/one-night-only-1-768x512.png",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/png"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/one-night-only-1-1536x1025.png",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1025,
"mimeType": "image/png"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/one-night-only-1-672x372.png",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/png"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/one-night-only-1-1038x576.png",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/png"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/one-night-only-1-1200x675.png",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/png"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/one-night-only-1-600x600.png",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/png"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/one-night-only-1.png",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1334
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13992450": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13992450",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13992450",
"found": true
},
"title": "Dalia 'La Pantera' Gomez",
"publishDate": 1786026552,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1786037991,
"caption": "Dalia 'La Pantera' Gomez (also known as Coach G) is the founder of Vertical Skillz Outreach, a boxing training program in East Oakland.",
"credit": "Pendarvis Harshaw",
"altTag": "A woman posing for a photo in front of a boxing ring.",
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/DSC01422-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/DSC01422-768x513.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 513,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/DSC01422-1536x1027.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1027,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/DSC01422-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/DSC01422-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/DSC01422-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/DSC01422-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/DSC01422.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1337
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13992351": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13992351",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13992351",
"found": true
},
"title": "Hollywood-Shuffle",
"publishDate": 1785774653,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 13992348,
"modified": 1785774820,
"caption": "(L–R) Jimmy Woodard and Robert Townsend portray Siskel-and-Ebert-like film critics during one of many satirical vignettes in Townsend’s 1987 film ‘Hollywood Shuffle.’",
"credit": "The Samuel Goldwyn Company",
"altTag": "Two young Black men sit in an otherwise empty movie theater, both showing a thumbs-down hand signal",
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Hollywood-Shuffle-30-years-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Hollywood-Shuffle-30-years-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Hollywood-Shuffle-30-years-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Hollywood-Shuffle-30-years-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Hollywood-Shuffle-30-years-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Hollywood-Shuffle-30-years-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Hollywood-Shuffle-30-years-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Hollywood-Shuffle-30-years.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13992060": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13992060",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13992060",
"found": true
},
"title": "americanpachuco_still_01",
"publishDate": 1785171849,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1785172849,
"caption": "Luis Valdez reads a script in a scene from the documentary ‘American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez.’ ",
"credit": "Elizabeth Sunflower / Retro Photo Archive",
"altTag": "A Latino man, seen from a low angle, holds a pen and goes through papers against a wall background with theatre advertisements and photographs.",
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_01-160x90.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 90,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_01-768x432.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 432,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_01-1536x864.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 864,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_01-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_01-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_01-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_01-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_01.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1125
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13992091": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13992091",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13992091",
"found": true
},
"title": "rootstock 1",
"publishDate": 1785187792,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 13991888,
"modified": 1785187878,
"caption": "Siddique Ahmed and Prasant Radhakrishnan (left to right) perform at the Centennial Coltrane Celebration at RootStock Arts in Oakland on May 31, 2026. ",
"credit": "Courtesy of Sameer Gupta",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-1-160x90.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 90,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-1-768x432.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 432,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-1-1536x864.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 864,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-1-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-1-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1125
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13992017": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13992017",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13992017",
"found": true
},
"title": "GalaxyBrooks.crop1",
"publishDate": 1784906718,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 13991858,
"modified": 1784906822,
"caption": "Quincy ‘Galaxy’ Brooks plays Darnell ‘Dolo’ Ferguson in ‘Splash City.’ Brooks, the son of San Francisco rapper San Quinn, drew on real-life experiences for the role.",
"credit": "Benny Blanco",
"altTag": "A young Black man in a light blue button-up shirt over a white tank top stands between two walls in the nighttime, looking downward and to the left",
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GalaxyBrooks.crop1_-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GalaxyBrooks.crop1_-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GalaxyBrooks.crop1_-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GalaxyBrooks.crop1_-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GalaxyBrooks.crop1_-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GalaxyBrooks.crop1_-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GalaxyBrooks.crop1_-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GalaxyBrooks.crop1_.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
}
},
"audioPlayerReducer": {
"postId": "stream_live",
"isPaused": true,
"isPlaying": false,
"pfsActive": false,
"pledgeModalIsOpen": true,
"playerDrawerIsOpen": false,
"liveAudioPlayStartedAt": 0,
"liveAudioPlayContext": ""
},
"authorsReducer": {
"byline_arts_13992688": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_arts_13992688",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_arts_13992688",
"name": "Cole Hersey",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_arts_13992438": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_arts_13992438",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_arts_13992438",
"name": "Jake Coyle, Associated Press",
"isLoading": false
},
"mfox": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "22",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "22",
"found": true
},
"name": "Michael Fox",
"firstName": "Michael",
"lastName": "Fox",
"slug": "mfox",
"email": "foxonfilm@yahoo.com",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": "Michael Fox has written about film for dozens of publications since 1987. He is a founding member of the San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d9849d6c659c41414795c471d907bb97b396e2a32b88e20e6ff66f65fbdd6dcd?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"Contributor",
"contributor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Michael Fox | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d9849d6c659c41414795c471d907bb97b396e2a32b88e20e6ff66f65fbdd6dcd?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d9849d6c659c41414795c471d907bb97b396e2a32b88e20e6ff66f65fbdd6dcd?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/mfox"
},
"agilbert": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "86",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "86",
"found": true
},
"name": "Andrew Gilbert",
"firstName": "Andrew",
"lastName": "Gilbert",
"slug": "agilbert",
"email": "jazzscribe@aol.com",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": "A Los Angeles native based in the Berkeley area since 1996, Andrew Gilbert covers jazz, international music and dance for KQED's \u003ci>California Report, \u003c/i>the\u003ci> Mercury News\u003c/i>, \u003ci>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/i>, \u003ci>Berkeleyside.com\u003c/i>, and other publications. He is available for weddings and bar and bat mitzvahs. #jazzscribe",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d7bcafdbefdd39e9a68f88724ca616eb4e7a5a6bff9cdfb62de652a1e1751471?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"Contributor",
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"author"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Andrew Gilbert | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d7bcafdbefdd39e9a68f88724ca616eb4e7a5a6bff9cdfb62de652a1e1751471?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d7bcafdbefdd39e9a68f88724ca616eb4e7a5a6bff9cdfb62de652a1e1751471?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/agilbert"
},
"gmeline": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "185",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "185",
"found": true
},
"name": "Gabe Meline",
"firstName": "Gabe",
"lastName": "Meline",
"slug": "gmeline",
"email": "gmeline@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"arts"
],
"title": "Senior Editor, KQED Arts & Culture",
"bio": "Gabe Meline entered journalism at age 15 making photocopied zines, and has since earned awards from the Edward R. Murrow Awards, the Society for Professional Journalists, the Online Journalism Awards, the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies and the California Newspaper Publishers Association. Prior to KQED, he was the editor of the \u003cem>North Bay Bohemian\u003c/em> and a touring musician. He lives with his wife and daughter in his hometown of Santa Rosa, CA.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5bebe57be0d8bc2dd318934feb47299e2d2d10cba28d09d8d7afb389a2ce2bdd?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "artschool",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "pop",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "bayareabites",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "food",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "hiphop",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Gabe Meline | KQED",
"description": "Senior Editor, KQED Arts & Culture",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5bebe57be0d8bc2dd318934feb47299e2d2d10cba28d09d8d7afb389a2ce2bdd?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5bebe57be0d8bc2dd318934feb47299e2d2d10cba28d09d8d7afb389a2ce2bdd?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/gmeline"
},
"ralexandra": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11242",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11242",
"found": true
},
"name": "Rae Alexandra",
"firstName": "Rae",
"lastName": "Alexandra",
"slug": "ralexandra",
"email": "ralexandra@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"arts"
],
"title": "Reporter/Producer",
"bio": "Rae Alexandra is a Reporter/Producer for KQED Arts & Culture, and the creator/author of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/program/rebel-girls-from-bay-area-history\">Rebel Girls From Bay Area History\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bizarrebayarea\">Bizarre Bay Area\u003c/a> series. Her debut book, \u003ca href=\"https://citylights.com/politics-current-events-history/unsung-heroines35-women-who-changed/\">Unsung Heroines: 35 Women Who Changed the Bay Area\u003c/a> was published by City Lights in March 2026. In 2023, Rae was awarded an SPJ Excellence in Journalism Award for Arts & Culture. Rae was born and raised in Wales and subsequently — even after two decades in Northern California — still uses phrases that regularly baffle her coworkers.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/edfee8176c80cc0a382b051190f5341997df378a934a5774dcb0977732dfd401?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "pop",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "bayareabites",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Rae Alexandra | KQED",
"description": "Reporter/Producer",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/edfee8176c80cc0a382b051190f5341997df378a934a5774dcb0977732dfd401?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/edfee8176c80cc0a382b051190f5341997df378a934a5774dcb0977732dfd401?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/ralexandra"
},
"nvoynovskaya": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11387",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11387",
"found": true
},
"name": "Nastia Voynovskaya",
"firstName": "Nastia",
"lastName": "Voynovskaya",
"slug": "nvoynovskaya",
"email": "nvoynovskaya@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [
"arts"
],
"title": "Editor and reporter",
"bio": "Nastia Voynovskaya is a reporter, editor and host at KQED Arts & Culture. She's been covering the arts in the Bay Area for over a decade, with a focus on music, queer culture, labor issues and grassroots organizing. She has edited KQED story series such as Trans Bay: A History of San Francisco's Gender-Diverse Community, and co-created KQED's Bay Area hip-hop history project, That's My Word. Nastia's work has been recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists and San Francisco Press Club. She regularly appears on podcasts and radio programs, including NPR's All Songs Considered, and hosts live events where music, culture and conversation meet.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5025ee460e5a85d69ca20ea6c6f2f80d7e17795c828f61ea3aecfcd924e9042e?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": "https://www.instagram.com/nananastia/",
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "pop",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "bayareabites",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "podcasts",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "hiphop",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Nastia Voynovskaya | KQED",
"description": "Editor and reporter",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5025ee460e5a85d69ca20ea6c6f2f80d7e17795c828f61ea3aecfcd924e9042e?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5025ee460e5a85d69ca20ea6c6f2f80d7e17795c828f61ea3aecfcd924e9042e?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/nvoynovskaya"
},
"ogpenn": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11491",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11491",
"found": true
},
"name": "Pendarvis Harshaw",
"firstName": "Pendarvis",
"lastName": "Harshaw",
"slug": "ogpenn",
"email": "ogpenn@gmail.com",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [
"arts"
],
"title": "Community Engagement Reporter",
"bio": "Pendarvis Harshaw is an educator, host and writer with KQED Arts.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/972b77ee8e3f346ae2b00622661187fbfabd059b5693bbdc1475ea7a722fd4cd?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": "ogpenn",
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "bayareabites",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "hiphop",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Pendarvis Harshaw | KQED",
"description": "Community Engagement Reporter",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/972b77ee8e3f346ae2b00622661187fbfabd059b5693bbdc1475ea7a722fd4cd?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/972b77ee8e3f346ae2b00622661187fbfabd059b5693bbdc1475ea7a722fd4cd?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/ogpenn"
},
"achazaro": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11748",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11748",
"found": true
},
"name": "Alan Chazaro",
"firstName": "Alan",
"lastName": "Chazaro",
"slug": "achazaro",
"email": "agchazaro@gmail.com",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "Food Writer and Reporter",
"bio": "Alan Chazaro is the author of \u003cem>This Is Not a Frank Ocean Cover Album\u003c/em> (Black Lawrence Press, 2019), \u003cem>Piñata Theory\u003c/em> (Black Lawrence Press, 2020), and \u003cem>Notes from the Eastern Span of the Bay Bridge\u003c/em> (Ghost City Press, 2021). He is a graduate of June Jordan’s Poetry for the People program at UC Berkeley and a former Lawrence Ferlinghetti Fellow at the University of San Francisco. He writes about sports, food, art, music, education, and culture while repping the Bay on \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/alan_chazaro\">Twitter\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/alan_chazaro/?hl=en\">Instagram\u003c/a> at @alan_chazaro.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ea8b6dd970fc5c29e7a188e7d5861df7?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "alan_chazaro",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"contributor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Alan Chazaro | KQED",
"description": "Food Writer and Reporter",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ea8b6dd970fc5c29e7a188e7d5861df7?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ea8b6dd970fc5c29e7a188e7d5861df7?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/achazaro"
},
"lchien": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11987",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11987",
"found": true
},
"name": "Letha Ch’ien",
"firstName": "Letha",
"lastName": "Ch’ien",
"slug": "lchien",
"email": "lethachien@proton.me",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": "Letha Ch'ien is the Samuel H. Kress senior fellow at Smarthistory: The Center for Public Art History. Before joining Smarthistory, Letha was an associate professor of art history at Sonoma State University. She writes art criticism for a variety of publications.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/507cde9403bbe1e0193a924218e5d8861471cbc65dc52574c74093fd65bba6d7?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": "https://www.linkedin.com/in/letha-ch-ien-4b603b229/",
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"contributor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Letha Ch’ien | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/507cde9403bbe1e0193a924218e5d8861471cbc65dc52574c74093fd65bba6d7?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/507cde9403bbe1e0193a924218e5d8861471cbc65dc52574c74093fd65bba6d7?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/lchien"
}
},
"pagesReducer": {
"arts_category_the-do-list": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22313",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22313",
"score": 13.105017
},
"name": "The Do List",
"slug": "the-do-list",
"taxonomy": "category",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "The Do List | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22325,
"isLoading": false,
"title": "The Do List",
"pageMeta": {
"site": "arts",
"WpPageTemplate": "page-topic-editorial",
"currentPage": 1
},
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "kqed/post-list",
"attrs": {
"layout": "cardArticle2",
"query": "posts/arts?category=the-do-list",
"seeMore": false,
"paginated": true,
"page": 1
}
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad"
}
]
}
},
"pfsSessionReducer": {},
"postsReducer": {
"stream_live": {
"type": "live",
"id": "stream_live",
"audioUrl": "https://streams.kqed.org/kqedradio",
"title": "Live Stream",
"excerpt": "Live Stream information currently unavailable.",
"link": "/radio",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "KQED Live",
"link": "/"
}
},
"stream_kqedNewscast": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stream_kqedNewscast",
"audioUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/RDnews/newscast.mp3?_=1",
"title": "KQED Newscast",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "88.5 FM",
"link": "/"
}
},
"arts_13992983": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13992983",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13992983",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1787238000000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "nengi-omuku-the-gathering-de-young-museum-review",
"title": "In Historic Objects, a Painter Sees the Origins of the World She Hopes to Create",
"publishDate": 1787238000,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "In Historic Objects, a Painter Sees the Origins of the World She Hopes to Create | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.famsf.org/exhibitions/nengi-omuku\">Nengi Omuku: The Gathering\u003c/a>\u003c/em> is the third contemporary art exhibition staged within the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/de-young-museum\">de Young Museum\u003c/a>’s permanent African collection, and it’s the best one yet.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Curator \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13889966/fine-arts-museums-of-sf-hire-natasha-becker-as-first-ever-curator-of-african-art\">Natasha Becker\u003c/a> has been presenting shows designed to spark dialogue between new and historical objects since 2022. \u003cem>The Gathering\u003c/em> — with its strong thematic elements and exhortation to join together — makes a compelling case for what remains an unusual concept in museums.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The show is Nigerian painter Omuku’s first solo exhibition in the United States and the first time she’s hung her works in a context like this (the de Young’s African art collection dates mainly to the 19th and 20th centuries). Juxtaposed, the old and new artworks illuminate persistent themes in African art — community, the natural world, and the ability of art to conjure worlds beyond our present one. The juxtaposition also demonstrates how widely Omuku casts her artistic net. Works in \u003cem>The Gathering\u003c/em> draw on West African art histories as well as Impressionism, and even the ambiguous delicacy of watercolor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Gathering” is central to both the content of Omuku’s work and the show’s premise. Omuku created four new paintings for the show, all of them dealing with groups of people in some way, depicting protest, collective care and shared dreams of a better future. That museum visitors also gather to see the show adds to the concept in a bit of poetic kismet. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Gathering-2020-oil-on-sanyan_2000.jpg\" alt=\"painting of a figure on a stretcher with figures surrounding\" class=\"wp-image-13993011\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Gathering-2020-oil-on-sanyan_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Gathering-2020-oil-on-sanyan_2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Gathering-2020-oil-on-sanyan_2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Gathering-2020-oil-on-sanyan_2000-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nengi Omuku, ‘The Gathering, 2020; Oil on sanyan. (Courtesy of the artist)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Gathering\u003c/em> is also the title of an arresting painting in the show. Made in 2020, it depicts a nude figure stretched out in the foreground, surrounded by a concerned crowd at least three figures deep. Omuku painted this scene after newspaper reports of a building collapse during the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the lack of government emergency services. Though people were not supposed to gather at the time, they came together to care for the victims.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Viewers can clearly see art historical similarities to \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piet%C3%A0\">Christian Pietà scenes\u003c/a> of the dead Christ and ancient Greek funerary kraters depicting mourning, but Omuku’s painting is also very specific to her own heritage. “I was thinking about collective experience, collective mourning,” she told KQED, “and viewing it through a Nigerian lens.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>New Haven\u003c/em>, inspired by Impressionism’s bold showcasing of nature, dwarfs the people scattered throughout the tall flowers. Each figure carries a bright yellow form that might be mistaken for foliage, but is actually a jerry can, carried by people queuing for fuel. These containers are a common sight in Nigeria, an oil-producing country that nevertheless experiences fuel shortages. In reality, people crowd tightly in lines such as these, but in Omuku’s painting, they space out like naturally occurring trees among the beautiful landscape.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1770\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Nengi-Omuku-New-Haven-2025-Oil-on-Sanyan-TS-H232cm-W245cm-PS-H210cm-W224cm_2000.jpg\" alt=\"painting of flowery field with clouds above, figures carry yellow containers\" class=\"wp-image-13993012\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Nengi-Omuku-New-Haven-2025-Oil-on-Sanyan-TS-H232cm-W245cm-PS-H210cm-W224cm_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Nengi-Omuku-New-Haven-2025-Oil-on-Sanyan-TS-H232cm-W245cm-PS-H210cm-W224cm_2000-160x142.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Nengi-Omuku-New-Haven-2025-Oil-on-Sanyan-TS-H232cm-W245cm-PS-H210cm-W224cm_2000-768x680.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Nengi-Omuku-New-Haven-2025-Oil-on-Sanyan-TS-H232cm-W245cm-PS-H210cm-W224cm_2000-1536x1359.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nengi Omuku, ‘New Haven,’ 2025; Oil on sanyan. (Courtesy of the artist; Photo by Anny Robert)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>No sanitizing of government failure is happening here; the problem is acknowledged, but Omuku proposes an alternative to the status quo. “When I was thinking about the bodies and protests, at first I didn’t see how it could sit with the landscape,” Omuku said. “And I realized that this is the world we’re protesting for.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Placing her work within the context of the de Young’s collection, she added, gave rise to even more realizations. “I thought it was a new world I was building in the paintings,” Omuku said, “and then [Becker] showed me this is a very ancient world, the world of your ancestors and forefathers.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The continuity of gathering is most powerfully embodied by the \u003cem>Paka Egungun, \u003c/em>a proper house of a ceremonial dance garment made of innumerable fabric flaps. The bright textile lappets twirl from the movements of the dancer who literally becomes an ancestor during the masquerade, a Yoruba religious festival during which masked figures provide a body for the deceased, who return to bless the community.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/447-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000.jpg\" alt=\"multicolored object in gallery display, painting hanging behind\" class=\"wp-image-13993013\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/447-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/447-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/447-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/447-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Installation view of ‘Nengi Omuku: The Gathering’ at the de Young, with ‘Paka Egungun,’ 1930–1970 at left. (Gary Sexton/Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A less obvious, but equally beautiful connection to Nigeria’s heritage is found in the very material of the paintings themselves. Born in Warri, Nigeria in 1987, Omuku studied painting in London at the Slade School of Fine Art, where she sometimes used canvas, a traditional European painting support. When she returned to Nigeria, she could not find the type of canvas she was used to painting on. Frustrated by the cost of importing it, Omuku instead began investigating traditional textiles.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A friend introduced the artist to sanyan, a robust western Nigerian fabric that predates colonialism. Woven from wild moth silk and cotton, sanyan is used for special-occasion clothing. Omuku now commissions her painting surfaces from a family of weavers who maintain the artisanal tradition in the face of competition from cheap fast fashion. The result is a textured, striped, slightly stiff fabric — interesting as an object within its own right. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/321-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000.jpg\" alt=\"people stand in museum gallery looking at backs and fronts of suspended paintings\" class=\"wp-image-13993015\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/321-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/321-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/321-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/321-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Installation view of ‘Nengi Omuku: The Gathering,’ at the de Young. (Gary Sexton/Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When I visited the de Young, I watched people circumambulate the paintings, hung away from the walls so the fabric can be fully appreciated. And happily, Becker, the curator, has supplied visitors with a sample to touch. Three of us gathered around it, fingering the sanyan’s fine threads before turning back to the paintings enlivening the museum’s second floor galleries.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thanks to its incorporation with the de Young’s historic collection, \u003cem>The Gathering \u003c/em>will tell you more about 2026’s place in history than an exhibition with only new art ever could. Plus, the paintings are beautiful. Why not go see for yourself (with a friend) and create a gathering of your own?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.famsf.org/exhibitions/nengi-omuku\">Nengi Omuku: The Gathering\u003c/a>’ is on view at the de Young Museum (50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr., San Francisco) through May 14, 2028.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.famsf.org/exhibitions/nengi-omuku\">Nengi Omuku: The Gathering\u003c/a>\u003c/em> is the third contemporary art exhibition staged within the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/de-young-museum\">de Young Museum\u003c/a>’s permanent African collection, and it’s the best one yet.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.famsf.org/exhibitions/nengi-omuku\">Nengi Omuku: The Gathering\u003c/a>\u003c/em> is the third contemporary art exhibition staged within the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/de-young-museum\">de Young Museum\u003c/a>’s permanent African collection, and it’s the best one yet.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed-v2/related-articles",
"attrs": {
"postIds": [
"arts_13991848"
],
"labelWasCleared": true,
"query": "",
"label": "",
"maxPosts": 3,
"showImages": true,
"heroImage": "",
"heroImageAlt": "",
"heroImageLink": "",
"labelLink": "",
"alignment": "right",
"target": "_self",
"manualLinks": [],
"posts": []
},
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": [],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Curator \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13889966/fine-arts-museums-of-sf-hire-natasha-becker-as-first-ever-curator-of-african-art\">Natasha Becker\u003c/a> has been presenting shows designed to spark dialogue between new and historical objects since 2022. \u003cem>The Gathering\u003c/em> — with its strong thematic elements and exhortation to join together — makes a compelling case for what remains an unusual concept in museums.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Curator \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13889966/fine-arts-museums-of-sf-hire-natasha-becker-as-first-ever-curator-of-african-art\">Natasha Becker\u003c/a> has been presenting shows designed to spark dialogue between new and historical objects since 2022. \u003cem>The Gathering\u003c/em> — with its strong thematic elements and exhortation to join together — makes a compelling case for what remains an unusual concept in museums.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The show is Nigerian painter Omuku’s first solo exhibition in the United States and the first time she’s hung her works in a context like this (the de Young’s African art collection dates mainly to the 19th and 20th centuries). Juxtaposed, the old and new artworks illuminate persistent themes in African art — community, the natural world, and the ability of art to conjure worlds beyond our present one. The juxtaposition also demonstrates how widely Omuku casts her artistic net. Works in \u003cem>The Gathering\u003c/em> draw on West African art histories as well as Impressionism, and even the ambiguous delicacy of watercolor. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The show is Nigerian painter Omuku’s first solo exhibition in the United States and the first time she’s hung her works in a context like this (the de Young’s African art collection dates mainly to the 19th and 20th centuries). Juxtaposed, the old and new artworks illuminate persistent themes in African art — community, the natural world, and the ability of art to conjure worlds beyond our present one. The juxtaposition also demonstrates how widely Omuku casts her artistic net. Works in \u003cem>The Gathering\u003c/em> draw on West African art histories as well as Impressionism, and even the ambiguous delicacy of watercolor. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Gathering” is central to both the content of Omuku’s work and the show’s premise. Omuku created four new paintings for the show, all of them dealing with groups of people in some way, depicting protest, collective care and shared dreams of a better future. That museum visitors also gather to see the show adds to the concept in a bit of poetic kismet. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Gathering” is central to both the content of Omuku’s work and the show’s premise. Omuku created four new paintings for the show, all of them dealing with groups of people in some way, depicting protest, collective care and shared dreams of a better future. That museum visitors also gather to see the show adds to the concept in a bit of poetic kismet. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13993011,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Courtesy of the artist",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Gathering-2020-oil-on-sanyan_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Gathering-2020-oil-on-sanyan_2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Gathering-2020-oil-on-sanyan_2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Gathering-2020-oil-on-sanyan_2000-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)",
"alt": ""
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Gathering-2020-oil-on-sanyan_2000.jpg\" alt=\"painting of a figure on a stretcher with figures surrounding\" class=\"wp-image-13993011\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Gathering-2020-oil-on-sanyan_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Gathering-2020-oil-on-sanyan_2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Gathering-2020-oil-on-sanyan_2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Gathering-2020-oil-on-sanyan_2000-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nengi Omuku, ‘The Gathering, 2020; Oil on sanyan.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Gathering-2020-oil-on-sanyan_2000.jpg\" alt=\"painting of a figure on a stretcher with figures surrounding\" class=\"wp-image-13993011\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nengi Omuku, ‘The Gathering, 2020; Oil on sanyan.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Gathering\u003c/em> is also the title of an arresting painting in the show. Made in 2020, it depicts a nude figure stretched out in the foreground, surrounded by a concerned crowd at least three figures deep. Omuku painted this scene after newspaper reports of a building collapse during the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the lack of government emergency services. Though people were not supposed to gather at the time, they came together to care for the victims.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Gathering\u003c/em> is also the title of an arresting painting in the show. Made in 2020, it depicts a nude figure stretched out in the foreground, surrounded by a concerned crowd at least three figures deep. Omuku painted this scene after newspaper reports of a building collapse during the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the lack of government emergency services. Though people were not supposed to gather at the time, they came together to care for the victims.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "fullwidth"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Viewers can clearly see art historical similarities to \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piet%C3%A0\">Christian Pietà scenes\u003c/a> of the dead Christ and ancient Greek funerary kraters depicting mourning, but Omuku’s painting is also very specific to her own heritage. “I was thinking about collective experience, collective mourning,” she told KQED, “and viewing it through a Nigerian lens.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Viewers can clearly see art historical similarities to \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piet%C3%A0\">Christian Pietà scenes\u003c/a> of the dead Christ and ancient Greek funerary kraters depicting mourning, but Omuku’s painting is also very specific to her own heritage. “I was thinking about collective experience, collective mourning,” she told KQED, “and viewing it through a Nigerian lens.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>New Haven\u003c/em>, inspired by Impressionism’s bold showcasing of nature, dwarfs the people scattered throughout the tall flowers. Each figure carries a bright yellow form that might be mistaken for foliage, but is actually a jerry can, carried by people queuing for fuel. These containers are a common sight in Nigeria, an oil-producing country that nevertheless experiences fuel shortages. In reality, people crowd tightly in lines such as these, but in Omuku’s painting, they space out like naturally occurring trees among the beautiful landscape.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>New Haven\u003c/em>, inspired by Impressionism’s bold showcasing of nature, dwarfs the people scattered throughout the tall flowers. Each figure carries a bright yellow form that might be mistaken for foliage, but is actually a jerry can, carried by people queuing for fuel. These containers are a common sight in Nigeria, an oil-producing country that nevertheless experiences fuel shortages. In reality, people crowd tightly in lines such as these, but in Omuku’s painting, they space out like naturally occurring trees among the beautiful landscape.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13993012,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Courtesy of the artist; Photo by Anny Robert",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Nengi-Omuku-New-Haven-2025-Oil-on-Sanyan-TS-H232cm-W245cm-PS-H210cm-W224cm_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Nengi-Omuku-New-Haven-2025-Oil-on-Sanyan-TS-H232cm-W245cm-PS-H210cm-W224cm_2000-160x142.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Nengi-Omuku-New-Haven-2025-Oil-on-Sanyan-TS-H232cm-W245cm-PS-H210cm-W224cm_2000-768x680.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Nengi-Omuku-New-Haven-2025-Oil-on-Sanyan-TS-H232cm-W245cm-PS-H210cm-W224cm_2000-1536x1359.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)",
"alt": ""
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Nengi-Omuku-New-Haven-2025-Oil-on-Sanyan-TS-H232cm-W245cm-PS-H210cm-W224cm_2000.jpg\" alt=\"painting of flowery field with clouds above, figures carry yellow containers\" class=\"wp-image-13993012\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Nengi-Omuku-New-Haven-2025-Oil-on-Sanyan-TS-H232cm-W245cm-PS-H210cm-W224cm_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Nengi-Omuku-New-Haven-2025-Oil-on-Sanyan-TS-H232cm-W245cm-PS-H210cm-W224cm_2000-160x142.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Nengi-Omuku-New-Haven-2025-Oil-on-Sanyan-TS-H232cm-W245cm-PS-H210cm-W224cm_2000-768x680.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Nengi-Omuku-New-Haven-2025-Oil-on-Sanyan-TS-H232cm-W245cm-PS-H210cm-W224cm_2000-1536x1359.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nengi Omuku, ‘New Haven,’ 2025; Oil on sanyan.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Nengi-Omuku-New-Haven-2025-Oil-on-Sanyan-TS-H232cm-W245cm-PS-H210cm-W224cm_2000.jpg\" alt=\"painting of flowery field with clouds above, figures carry yellow containers\" class=\"wp-image-13993012\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nengi Omuku, ‘New Haven,’ 2025; Oil on sanyan.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>No sanitizing of government failure is happening here; the problem is acknowledged, but Omuku proposes an alternative to the status quo. “When I was thinking about the bodies and protests, at first I didn’t see how it could sit with the landscape,” Omuku said. “And I realized that this is the world we’re protesting for.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>No sanitizing of government failure is happening here; the problem is acknowledged, but Omuku proposes an alternative to the status quo. “When I was thinking about the bodies and protests, at first I didn’t see how it could sit with the landscape,” Omuku said. “And I realized that this is the world we’re protesting for.” \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Placing her work within the context of the de Young’s collection, she added, gave rise to even more realizations. “I thought it was a new world I was building in the paintings,” Omuku said, “and then [Becker] showed me this is a very ancient world, the world of your ancestors and forefathers.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Placing her work within the context of the de Young’s collection, she added, gave rise to even more realizations. “I thought it was a new world I was building in the paintings,” Omuku said, “and then [Becker] showed me this is a very ancient world, the world of your ancestors and forefathers.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The continuity of gathering is most powerfully embodied by the \u003cem>Paka Egungun, \u003c/em>a proper house of a ceremonial dance garment made of innumerable fabric flaps. The bright textile lappets twirl from the movements of the dancer who literally becomes an ancestor during the masquerade, a Yoruba religious festival during which masked figures provide a body for the deceased, who return to bless the community.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The continuity of gathering is most powerfully embodied by the \u003cem>Paka Egungun, \u003c/em>a proper house of a ceremonial dance garment made of innumerable fabric flaps. The bright textile lappets twirl from the movements of the dancer who literally becomes an ancestor during the masquerade, a Yoruba religious festival during which masked figures provide a body for the deceased, who return to bless the community.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13993013,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Gary Sexton/Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/447-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/447-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/447-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/447-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-1536x1025.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)",
"alt": ""
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/447-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000.jpg\" alt=\"multicolored object in gallery display, painting hanging behind\" class=\"wp-image-13993013\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/447-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/447-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/447-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/447-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Installation view of ‘Nengi Omuku: The Gathering’ at the de Young, with ‘Paka Egungun,’ 1930–1970 at left.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/447-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000.jpg\" alt=\"multicolored object in gallery display, painting hanging behind\" class=\"wp-image-13993013\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Installation view of ‘Nengi Omuku: The Gathering’ at the de Young, with ‘Paka Egungun,’ 1930–1970 at left.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A less obvious, but equally beautiful connection to Nigeria’s heritage is found in the very material of the paintings themselves. Born in Warri, Nigeria in 1987, Omuku studied painting in London at the Slade School of Fine Art, where she sometimes used canvas, a traditional European painting support. When she returned to Nigeria, she could not find the type of canvas she was used to painting on. Frustrated by the cost of importing it, Omuku instead began investigating traditional textiles.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>A less obvious, but equally beautiful connection to Nigeria’s heritage is found in the very material of the paintings themselves. Born in Warri, Nigeria in 1987, Omuku studied painting in London at the Slade School of Fine Art, where she sometimes used canvas, a traditional European painting support. When she returned to Nigeria, she could not find the type of canvas she was used to painting on. Frustrated by the cost of importing it, Omuku instead began investigating traditional textiles.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A friend introduced the artist to sanyan, a robust western Nigerian fabric that predates colonialism. Woven from wild moth silk and cotton, sanyan is used for special-occasion clothing. Omuku now commissions her painting surfaces from a family of weavers who maintain the artisanal tradition in the face of competition from cheap fast fashion. The result is a textured, striped, slightly stiff fabric — interesting as an object within its own right. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>A friend introduced the artist to sanyan, a robust western Nigerian fabric that predates colonialism. Woven from wild moth silk and cotton, sanyan is used for special-occasion clothing. Omuku now commissions her painting surfaces from a family of weavers who maintain the artisanal tradition in the face of competition from cheap fast fashion. The result is a textured, striped, slightly stiff fabric — interesting as an object within its own right. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13993015,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Gary Sexton/Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/321-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/321-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/321-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/321-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-1536x1025.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)",
"alt": ""
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/321-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000.jpg\" alt=\"people stand in museum gallery looking at backs and fronts of suspended paintings\" class=\"wp-image-13993015\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/321-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/321-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/321-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/321-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Installation view of ‘Nengi Omuku: The Gathering,’ at the de Young.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/321-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000.jpg\" alt=\"people stand in museum gallery looking at backs and fronts of suspended paintings\" class=\"wp-image-13993015\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Installation view of ‘Nengi Omuku: The Gathering,’ at the de Young.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When I visited the de Young, I watched people circumambulate the paintings, hung away from the walls so the fabric can be fully appreciated. And happily, Becker, the curator, has supplied visitors with a sample to touch. Three of us gathered around it, fingering the sanyan’s fine threads before turning back to the paintings enlivening the museum’s second floor galleries.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>When I visited the de Young, I watched people circumambulate the paintings, hung away from the walls so the fabric can be fully appreciated. And happily, Becker, the curator, has supplied visitors with a sample to touch. Three of us gathered around it, fingering the sanyan’s fine threads before turning back to the paintings enlivening the museum’s second floor galleries.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thanks to its incorporation with the de Young’s historic collection, \u003cem>The Gathering \u003c/em>will tell you more about 2026’s place in history than an exhibition with only new art ever could. Plus, the paintings are beautiful. Why not go see for yourself (with a friend) and create a gathering of your own?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Thanks to its incorporation with the de Young’s historic collection, \u003cem>The Gathering \u003c/em>will tell you more about 2026’s place in history than an exhibition with only new art ever could. Plus, the paintings are beautiful. Why not go see for yourself (with a friend) and create a gathering of your own?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/separator",
"attrs": {
"opacity": "alpha-channel",
"tagName": "hr"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "floatright"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.famsf.org/exhibitions/nengi-omuku\">Nengi Omuku: The Gathering\u003c/a>’ is on view at the de Young Museum (50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr., San Francisco) through May 14, 2028.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.famsf.org/exhibitions/nengi-omuku\">Nengi Omuku: The Gathering\u003c/a>’ is on view at the de Young Museum (50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr., San Francisco) through May 14, 2028.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "Nengi Omuku’s de Young exhibition ‘The Gathering’ is staged within the museum’s African art collection.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1787242086,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 17,
"wordCount": 1044
},
"headData": {
"title": "‘Nengi Omuku: The Gathering’ Draws From Historic Objects | KQED",
"description": "Nengi Omuku’s de Young exhibition ‘The Gathering’ is staged within the museum’s African art collection.",
"ogTitle": "In Historic Objects, a Painter Sees the Origins of the World She Hopes to Create",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "In Historic Objects, a Painter Sees the Origins of the World She Hopes to Create",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"socialTitle": "‘Nengi Omuku: The Gathering’ Draws From Historic Objects %%page%% %%sep%% KQED",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "In Historic Objects, a Painter Sees the Origins of the World She Hopes to Create",
"datePublished": "2026-08-20T08:00:00-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-08-20T09:08:06-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 1,
"slug": "arts",
"name": "Arts"
},
"source": "The Do List",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13992983",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13992983/nengi-omuku-the-gathering-de-young-museum-review",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.famsf.org/exhibitions/nengi-omuku\">Nengi Omuku: The Gathering\u003c/a>\u003c/em> is the third contemporary art exhibition staged within the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/de-young-museum\">de Young Museum\u003c/a>’s permanent African collection, and it’s the best one yet.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Curator \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13889966/fine-arts-museums-of-sf-hire-natasha-becker-as-first-ever-curator-of-african-art\">Natasha Becker\u003c/a> has been presenting shows designed to spark dialogue between new and historical objects since 2022. \u003cem>The Gathering\u003c/em> — with its strong thematic elements and exhortation to join together — makes a compelling case for what remains an unusual concept in museums.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The show is Nigerian painter Omuku’s first solo exhibition in the United States and the first time she’s hung her works in a context like this (the de Young’s African art collection dates mainly to the 19th and 20th centuries). Juxtaposed, the old and new artworks illuminate persistent themes in African art — community, the natural world, and the ability of art to conjure worlds beyond our present one. The juxtaposition also demonstrates how widely Omuku casts her artistic net. Works in \u003cem>The Gathering\u003c/em> draw on West African art histories as well as Impressionism, and even the ambiguous delicacy of watercolor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Gathering” is central to both the content of Omuku’s work and the show’s premise. Omuku created four new paintings for the show, all of them dealing with groups of people in some way, depicting protest, collective care and shared dreams of a better future. That museum visitors also gather to see the show adds to the concept in a bit of poetic kismet. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Gathering-2020-oil-on-sanyan_2000.jpg\" alt=\"painting of a figure on a stretcher with figures surrounding\" class=\"wp-image-13993011\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Gathering-2020-oil-on-sanyan_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Gathering-2020-oil-on-sanyan_2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Gathering-2020-oil-on-sanyan_2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Gathering-2020-oil-on-sanyan_2000-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nengi Omuku, ‘The Gathering, 2020; Oil on sanyan. (Courtesy of the artist)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Gathering\u003c/em> is also the title of an arresting painting in the show. Made in 2020, it depicts a nude figure stretched out in the foreground, surrounded by a concerned crowd at least three figures deep. Omuku painted this scene after newspaper reports of a building collapse during the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the lack of government emergency services. Though people were not supposed to gather at the time, they came together to care for the victims.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Viewers can clearly see art historical similarities to \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piet%C3%A0\">Christian Pietà scenes\u003c/a> of the dead Christ and ancient Greek funerary kraters depicting mourning, but Omuku’s painting is also very specific to her own heritage. “I was thinking about collective experience, collective mourning,” she told KQED, “and viewing it through a Nigerian lens.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>New Haven\u003c/em>, inspired by Impressionism’s bold showcasing of nature, dwarfs the people scattered throughout the tall flowers. Each figure carries a bright yellow form that might be mistaken for foliage, but is actually a jerry can, carried by people queuing for fuel. These containers are a common sight in Nigeria, an oil-producing country that nevertheless experiences fuel shortages. In reality, people crowd tightly in lines such as these, but in Omuku’s painting, they space out like naturally occurring trees among the beautiful landscape.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1770\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Nengi-Omuku-New-Haven-2025-Oil-on-Sanyan-TS-H232cm-W245cm-PS-H210cm-W224cm_2000.jpg\" alt=\"painting of flowery field with clouds above, figures carry yellow containers\" class=\"wp-image-13993012\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Nengi-Omuku-New-Haven-2025-Oil-on-Sanyan-TS-H232cm-W245cm-PS-H210cm-W224cm_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Nengi-Omuku-New-Haven-2025-Oil-on-Sanyan-TS-H232cm-W245cm-PS-H210cm-W224cm_2000-160x142.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Nengi-Omuku-New-Haven-2025-Oil-on-Sanyan-TS-H232cm-W245cm-PS-H210cm-W224cm_2000-768x680.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Nengi-Omuku-New-Haven-2025-Oil-on-Sanyan-TS-H232cm-W245cm-PS-H210cm-W224cm_2000-1536x1359.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nengi Omuku, ‘New Haven,’ 2025; Oil on sanyan. (Courtesy of the artist; Photo by Anny Robert)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>No sanitizing of government failure is happening here; the problem is acknowledged, but Omuku proposes an alternative to the status quo. “When I was thinking about the bodies and protests, at first I didn’t see how it could sit with the landscape,” Omuku said. “And I realized that this is the world we’re protesting for.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Placing her work within the context of the de Young’s collection, she added, gave rise to even more realizations. “I thought it was a new world I was building in the paintings,” Omuku said, “and then [Becker] showed me this is a very ancient world, the world of your ancestors and forefathers.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The continuity of gathering is most powerfully embodied by the \u003cem>Paka Egungun, \u003c/em>a proper house of a ceremonial dance garment made of innumerable fabric flaps. The bright textile lappets twirl from the movements of the dancer who literally becomes an ancestor during the masquerade, a Yoruba religious festival during which masked figures provide a body for the deceased, who return to bless the community.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/447-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000.jpg\" alt=\"multicolored object in gallery display, painting hanging behind\" class=\"wp-image-13993013\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/447-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/447-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/447-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/447-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Installation view of ‘Nengi Omuku: The Gathering’ at the de Young, with ‘Paka Egungun,’ 1930–1970 at left. (Gary Sexton/Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A less obvious, but equally beautiful connection to Nigeria’s heritage is found in the very material of the paintings themselves. Born in Warri, Nigeria in 1987, Omuku studied painting in London at the Slade School of Fine Art, where she sometimes used canvas, a traditional European painting support. When she returned to Nigeria, she could not find the type of canvas she was used to painting on. Frustrated by the cost of importing it, Omuku instead began investigating traditional textiles.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A friend introduced the artist to sanyan, a robust western Nigerian fabric that predates colonialism. Woven from wild moth silk and cotton, sanyan is used for special-occasion clothing. Omuku now commissions her painting surfaces from a family of weavers who maintain the artisanal tradition in the face of competition from cheap fast fashion. The result is a textured, striped, slightly stiff fabric — interesting as an object within its own right. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/321-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000.jpg\" alt=\"people stand in museum gallery looking at backs and fronts of suspended paintings\" class=\"wp-image-13993015\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/321-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/321-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/321-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/321-deYoung-Omuku-2026-Sexton_2000-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Installation view of ‘Nengi Omuku: The Gathering,’ at the de Young. (Gary Sexton/Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When I visited the de Young, I watched people circumambulate the paintings, hung away from the walls so the fabric can be fully appreciated. And happily, Becker, the curator, has supplied visitors with a sample to touch. Three of us gathered around it, fingering the sanyan’s fine threads before turning back to the paintings enlivening the museum’s second floor galleries.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thanks to its incorporation with the de Young’s historic collection, \u003cem>The Gathering \u003c/em>will tell you more about 2026’s place in history than an exhibition with only new art ever could. Plus, the paintings are beautiful. Why not go see for yourself (with a friend) and create a gathering of your own?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.famsf.org/exhibitions/nengi-omuku\">Nengi Omuku: The Gathering\u003c/a>’ is on view at the de Young Museum (50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr., San Francisco) through May 14, 2028.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13992983/nengi-omuku-the-gathering-de-young-museum-review",
"authors": [
"11987"
],
"programs": [
"arts_140"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_22313",
"arts_70"
],
"tags": [
"arts_1210",
"arts_10278",
"arts_769",
"arts_1146",
"arts_585"
],
"featImg": "arts_13993014",
"label": "source_arts_13992983"
},
"arts_13992917": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13992917",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13992917",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1787092839000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "shock-g-digital-underground-book-memoir-autobiography-oakland-rap",
"title": "A New Memoir Captures Shock G’s Brilliance — In All Its Funkiest Forms",
"publishDate": 1787092839,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "A New Memoir Captures Shock G’s Brilliance — In All Its Funkiest Forms | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2067\" height=\"2560\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992877\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-scaled.jpg 2067w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-2000x2477.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-160x198.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-768x951.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-1240x1536.jpg 1240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-1654x2048.jpg 1654w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2067px) 100vw, 2067px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground,’ chronicles the incredible life of the late East Bay rapper, artist and musician. (Penguin Random House)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 1990, \u003cem>USA Today\u003c/em> formally contacted NASA to clarify rumors about their latest technology, apparently dubbed “sex packets.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Weeks prior, Oakland’s afrosurrealist rap collective Digital Underground (DU) had released their debut album, \u003cem>Sex Packets\u003c/em>, themed around a new drug for astronauts that could instantly gratify their sexual desires. As DU’s transgressive lyrics glorified the illicit substance, news of the invention leaked onto the Bay Area’s streets: pamphlets were distributed, and condoms were passed out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>NASA was forced to respond to the coital discourse: “NASA has not in the past, nor will they in the future, be working on such a pill … It would be impossible to satisfy the carnal urges of astronauts … To my knowledge, unbridled lust has never interfered with a space mission.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s the first and likely last instance of NASA being outmaneuvered by Oakland rappers. (It turned out DU had created the pamphlets and condoms as subversive promotional materials.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The elaborate prank was a piece of artistic genius orchestrated by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13929900/shock-g-revolutionized-hip-hop-and-created-a-secret-trove-of-funky-art\">Gregory Jacobs — the late MC, songwriter, illustrator, pianist and costume-wearing virtuoso\u003c/a> known as Shock G. The NASA incident is just one of the many shenanigans detailed in his posthumous memoir, \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground\u003c/em>, out Aug. 25 — Shock G’s birthday — from \u003ca href=\"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738825/keep-it-beautiful-by-alexis-wolfe-mbassa-and-gregory-e-jacobs/\">Penguin Random House\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1706\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992875\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-2000x1333.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Shock G and Alexis Wolfe Mbassa in Tampa, Fla., working on the memoir ‘Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground.’ (Alexis Wolfe Mbassa)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The book combines handwritten notes, interview transcripts, personal photos and rare sketches compiled by Jacobs’ longtime friend and photographer, Alexis Wolfe Mbassa, who tagged along with Jacobs in order to document his eccentric life for over a decade. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The association was intentional; in 2011, Jacobs personally recruited Wolfe Mbassa as a co-author for his autobiography. In 2021, just eight months after submitting the book to literary agents, Jacobs died from a drug overdose in Florida. He was 57.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was never about money or becoming successful for him; it was about having the freedom to create,” Wolfe Mbassa told KQED. “He put himself in wild situations just to hold on to that freedom.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A natural rebel\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wild situations form much of \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful\u003c/em>. It details Jacobs’ stints in pimping, homelessness and jail, while containing all of the exuberant, out-of-pocket abundance of a Shock G production. A conversation between Shock G and George Clinton of Parliament Funkadelic? Yup. An African gray parrot named Afro who lives in Shock G’s childhood home and imitates his stepmom, Sonya? That too. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One entire chapter is dedicated to his early friendship with a teenage Tupac Shakur, who joined DU as a member before going solo. (Apparently Pac had a “fucked” jump shot in basketball, and no one wanted him on their team).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992876\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-2000x1500.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-160x120.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Notes on a draft of the book, written by Shock G, show his involvement in the book’s phrasing and layout. Pictured together are Shock G and Tupac Shakur. (Alexis Wolfe Mbassa)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Largely stream-of-consciousness in homage to Jacobs’ creative process, the book is divided into sections based on the regions where he lived. Wolfe Mbassa traveled to each of them to conduct interviews: Topanga Canyon, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Oakland, New York City and Tampa.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jacobs recounts his first job as a 15-year-old, DJing at a local radio station in Tampa. He was fired for disobeying the radio’s directives and opting to spin the full 15-minute version of “(Not Just) Knee Deep” by Funkadelic instead of airing commercials.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It isn’t the only example in the book of his natural inclination to rebel. Jacobs extensively details how he evaded authorities, and circumvented court appearances, from age 17 to 22. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Music as a savior \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even for the most studious hip-hop heads, \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful\u003c/em> reveals overlooked wrinkles in Shock’s personality and biography. (Did you know that DU’s original band name was “Spice Regime”?) The book also includes a trove of never-before-seen drawings by Jacobs, showcasing a crude and whimsical style that would come to define his artistry, which sometimes reached ridiculous levels of raunch. (One sketch portrays an anthropomorphic anus forcing an “ASS-PIRIN” pill down its own hole.) \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1296\" height=\"996\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992879\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria.jpg 1296w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria-160x123.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria-768x590.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1296px) 100vw, 1296px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A young Shock G (left) with his grandmother Gloria. (Courtesy Alexis Wolfe Mbassa)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the main thrust of \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful \u003c/em>are the granular narratives that Jacobs discloses, like his memories of being jailed in San Diego for six months for grand theft auto, where he used art as a bartering tool. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In scattered, disconnected bursts, he and Wolfe Mbassa recount his side quests and failures (such as his brief time as a male “gigolo” in Pennsylvania) revealing the down-bad experiences that molded his worldview before his rap and art careers took off. Glimpses of that fast life can be heard in his lyrics, but the book shows in detail how Shock G actually did \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqJAnQTwmJs&list=RDYqJAnQTwmJs&start_radio=1\">get around\u003c/a> from coast to coast.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At its core, the collage of archival material shows how music and art became Jacobs’ salvation, therapy and refuge. Putting it all together was a joyous challenge for Wolfe Mbassa, personally tasked by Jacobs to retain the book’s silliness and humor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"2045\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992878\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--2000x1597.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--160x128.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--768x613.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--1536x1227.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--2048x1636.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Members of a later-era lineup of Digital Underground, pictured in Oakland, with Shock G second from left. (Alexis Wolfe Mbassa)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“One of the most difficult parts was trying to figure out how to pull all the pieces together. He always wanted it to be like a scrapbook,” she says. “He wanted it to feel like his personal journals did: stories, mixed with memorabilia and art.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In sitting with \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful\u003c/em>, its spiritual thesis is clear: Jacobs’ everlasting search for beauty, creativity and funky originality shone brightest during his darkest hours. It’s about keeping it beautiful, especially when beauty isn’t easily kept.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was so much fun,” Wolfe Mbassa confirms, “to live in his world.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground’ will be released on Aug. 25\u003c/em>. \u003cem>A free release party with Alexis Wolfe Mbassa and members of Digital Underground takes place Saturday, Aug. 22 at Drake’s Dealership (2325 Broadway, Oakland). \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbtkbvQSXrw/\">\u003cem>Event information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13992877,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Penguin Random House",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-scaled.jpg 2067w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-2000x2477.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-160x198.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-768x951.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-1240x1536.jpg 1240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-1654x2048.jpg 1654w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)",
"alt": ""
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992877\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-scaled.jpg 2067w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-2000x2477.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-160x198.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-768x951.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-1240x1536.jpg 1240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-1654x2048.jpg 1654w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground,’ chronicles the incredible life of the late East Bay rapper, artist and musician.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992877\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground,’ chronicles the incredible life of the late East Bay rapper, artist and musician.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In 1990, \u003cem>USA Today\u003c/em> formally contacted NASA to clarify rumors about their latest technology, apparently dubbed “sex packets.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In 1990, \u003cem>USA Today\u003c/em> formally contacted NASA to clarify rumors about their latest technology, apparently dubbed “sex packets.” \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Weeks prior, Oakland’s afrosurrealist rap collective Digital Underground (DU) had released their debut album, \u003cem>Sex Packets\u003c/em>, themed around a new drug for astronauts that could instantly gratify their sexual desires. As DU’s transgressive lyrics glorified the illicit substance, news of the invention leaked onto the Bay Area’s streets: pamphlets were distributed, and condoms were passed out.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Weeks prior, Oakland’s afrosurrealist rap collective Digital Underground (DU) had released their debut album, \u003cem>Sex Packets\u003c/em>, themed around a new drug for astronauts that could instantly gratify their sexual desires. As DU’s transgressive lyrics glorified the illicit substance, news of the invention leaked onto the Bay Area’s streets: pamphlets were distributed, and condoms were passed out.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>NASA was forced to respond to the coital discourse: “NASA has not in the past, nor will they in the future, be working on such a pill … It would be impossible to satisfy the carnal urges of astronauts … To my knowledge, unbridled lust has never interfered with a space mission.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>NASA was forced to respond to the coital discourse: “NASA has not in the past, nor will they in the future, be working on such a pill … It would be impossible to satisfy the carnal urges of astronauts … To my knowledge, unbridled lust has never interfered with a space mission.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s the first and likely last instance of NASA being outmaneuvered by Oakland rappers. (It turned out DU had created the pamphlets and condoms as subversive promotional materials.)\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>It’s the first and likely last instance of NASA being outmaneuvered by Oakland rappers. (It turned out DU had created the pamphlets and condoms as subversive promotional materials.)\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The elaborate prank was a piece of artistic genius orchestrated by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13929900/shock-g-revolutionized-hip-hop-and-created-a-secret-trove-of-funky-art\">Gregory Jacobs — the late MC, songwriter, illustrator, pianist and costume-wearing virtuoso\u003c/a> known as Shock G. The NASA incident is just one of the many shenanigans detailed in his posthumous memoir, \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground\u003c/em>, out Aug. 25 — Shock G’s birthday — from \u003ca href=\"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738825/keep-it-beautiful-by-alexis-wolfe-mbassa-and-gregory-e-jacobs/\">Penguin Random House\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The elaborate prank was a piece of artistic genius orchestrated by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13929900/shock-g-revolutionized-hip-hop-and-created-a-secret-trove-of-funky-art\">Gregory Jacobs — the late MC, songwriter, illustrator, pianist and costume-wearing virtuoso\u003c/a> known as Shock G. The NASA incident is just one of the many shenanigans detailed in his posthumous memoir, \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground\u003c/em>, out Aug. 25 — Shock G’s birthday — from \u003ca href=\"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738825/keep-it-beautiful-by-alexis-wolfe-mbassa-and-gregory-e-jacobs/\">Penguin Random House\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13992875,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Alexis Wolfe Mbassa",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-2000x1333.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-2048x1365.jpg 2048w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)",
"alt": ""
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992875\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-2000x1333.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Shock G and Alexis Wolfe Mbassa in Tampa, Fla., working on the memoir ‘Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992875\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Shock G and Alexis Wolfe Mbassa in Tampa, Fla., working on the memoir ‘Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The book combines handwritten notes, interview transcripts, personal photos and rare sketches compiled by Jacobs’ longtime friend and photographer, Alexis Wolfe Mbassa, who tagged along with Jacobs in order to document his eccentric life for over a decade. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The book combines handwritten notes, interview transcripts, personal photos and rare sketches compiled by Jacobs’ longtime friend and photographer, Alexis Wolfe Mbassa, who tagged along with Jacobs in order to document his eccentric life for over a decade. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "fullwidth"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The association was intentional; in 2011, Jacobs personally recruited Wolfe Mbassa as a co-author for his autobiography. In 2021, just eight months after submitting the book to literary agents, Jacobs died from a drug overdose in Florida. He was 57.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The association was intentional; in 2011, Jacobs personally recruited Wolfe Mbassa as a co-author for his autobiography. In 2021, just eight months after submitting the book to literary agents, Jacobs died from a drug overdose in Florida. He was 57.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It was never about money or becoming successful for him; it was about having the freedom to create,” Wolfe Mbassa told KQED. “He put himself in wild situations just to hold on to that freedom.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“It was never about money or becoming successful for him; it was about having the freedom to create,” Wolfe Mbassa told KQED. “He put himself in wild situations just to hold on to that freedom.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "A natural rebel",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A natural rebel\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A natural rebel\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Wild situations form much of \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful\u003c/em>. It details Jacobs’ stints in pimping, homelessness and jail, while containing all of the exuberant, out-of-pocket abundance of a Shock G production. A conversation between Shock G and George Clinton of Parliament Funkadelic? Yup. An African gray parrot named Afro who lives in Shock G’s childhood home and imitates his stepmom, Sonya? That too. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Wild situations form much of \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful\u003c/em>. It details Jacobs’ stints in pimping, homelessness and jail, while containing all of the exuberant, out-of-pocket abundance of a Shock G production. A conversation between Shock G and George Clinton of Parliament Funkadelic? Yup. An African gray parrot named Afro who lives in Shock G’s childhood home and imitates his stepmom, Sonya? That too. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One entire chapter is dedicated to his early friendship with a teenage Tupac Shakur, who joined DU as a member before going solo. (Apparently Pac had a “fucked” jump shot in basketball, and no one wanted him on their team).\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>One entire chapter is dedicated to his early friendship with a teenage Tupac Shakur, who joined DU as a member before going solo. (Apparently Pac had a “fucked” jump shot in basketball, and no one wanted him on their team).\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13992876,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Alexis Wolfe Mbassa",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-2000x1500.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-160x120.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)",
"alt": ""
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992876\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-2000x1500.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-160x120.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Notes on a draft of the book, written by Shock G, show his involvement in the book’s phrasing and layout. Pictured together are Shock G and Tupac Shakur.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992876\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Notes on a draft of the book, written by Shock G, show his involvement in the book’s phrasing and layout. Pictured together are Shock G and Tupac Shakur.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Largely stream-of-consciousness in homage to Jacobs’ creative process, the book is divided into sections based on the regions where he lived. Wolfe Mbassa traveled to each of them to conduct interviews: Topanga Canyon, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Oakland, New York City and Tampa.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Largely stream-of-consciousness in homage to Jacobs’ creative process, the book is divided into sections based on the regions where he lived. Wolfe Mbassa traveled to each of them to conduct interviews: Topanga Canyon, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Oakland, New York City and Tampa.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jacobs recounts his first job as a 15-year-old, DJing at a local radio station in Tampa. He was fired for disobeying the radio’s directives and opting to spin the full 15-minute version of “(Not Just) Knee Deep” by Funkadelic instead of airing commercials.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Jacobs recounts his first job as a 15-year-old, DJing at a local radio station in Tampa. He was fired for disobeying the radio’s directives and opting to spin the full 15-minute version of “(Not Just) Knee Deep” by Funkadelic instead of airing commercials.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It isn’t the only example in the book of his natural inclination to rebel. Jacobs extensively details how he evaded authorities, and circumvented court appearances, from age 17 to 22. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>It isn’t the only example in the book of his natural inclination to rebel. Jacobs extensively details how he evaded authorities, and circumvented court appearances, from age 17 to 22. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Music as a savior ",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Music as a savior \u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Music as a savior \u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Even for the most studious hip-hop heads, \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful\u003c/em> reveals overlooked wrinkles in Shock’s personality and biography. (Did you know that DU’s original band name was “Spice Regime”?) The book also includes a trove of never-before-seen drawings by Jacobs, showcasing a crude and whimsical style that would come to define his artistry, which sometimes reached ridiculous levels of raunch. (One sketch portrays an anthropomorphic anus forcing an “ASS-PIRIN” pill down its own hole.) \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Even for the most studious hip-hop heads, \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful\u003c/em> reveals overlooked wrinkles in Shock’s personality and biography. (Did you know that DU’s original band name was “Spice Regime”?) The book also includes a trove of never-before-seen drawings by Jacobs, showcasing a crude and whimsical style that would come to define his artistry, which sometimes reached ridiculous levels of raunch. (One sketch portrays an anthropomorphic anus forcing an “ASS-PIRIN” pill down its own hole.) \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13992879,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Courtesy Alexis Wolfe Mbassa",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria.jpg 1296w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria-160x123.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria-768x590.jpg 768w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)",
"alt": ""
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992879\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria.jpg 1296w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria-160x123.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria-768x590.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A young Shock G (left) with his grandmother Gloria. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992879\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A young Shock G (left) with his grandmother Gloria. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the main thrust of \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful \u003c/em>are the granular narratives that Jacobs discloses, like his memories of being jailed in San Diego for six months for grand theft auto, where he used art as a bartering tool. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But the main thrust of \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful \u003c/em>are the granular narratives that Jacobs discloses, like his memories of being jailed in San Diego for six months for grand theft auto, where he used art as a bartering tool. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In scattered, disconnected bursts, he and Wolfe Mbassa recount his side quests and failures (such as his brief time as a male “gigolo” in Pennsylvania) revealing the down-bad experiences that molded his worldview before his rap and art careers took off. Glimpses of that fast life can be heard in his lyrics, but the book shows in detail how Shock G actually did \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqJAnQTwmJs&list=RDYqJAnQTwmJs&start_radio=1\">get around\u003c/a> from coast to coast.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In scattered, disconnected bursts, he and Wolfe Mbassa recount his side quests and failures (such as his brief time as a male “gigolo” in Pennsylvania) revealing the down-bad experiences that molded his worldview before his rap and art careers took off. Glimpses of that fast life can be heard in his lyrics, but the book shows in detail how Shock G actually did \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqJAnQTwmJs&list=RDYqJAnQTwmJs&start_radio=1\">get around\u003c/a> from coast to coast.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At its core, the collage of archival material shows how music and art became Jacobs’ salvation, therapy and refuge. Putting it all together was a joyous challenge for Wolfe Mbassa, personally tasked by Jacobs to retain the book’s silliness and humor.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>At its core, the collage of archival material shows how music and art became Jacobs’ salvation, therapy and refuge. Putting it all together was a joyous challenge for Wolfe Mbassa, personally tasked by Jacobs to retain the book’s silliness and humor.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13992878,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Alexis Wolfe Mbassa",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--2000x1597.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--160x128.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--768x613.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--1536x1227.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--2048x1636.jpg 2048w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)",
"alt": ""
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992878\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--2000x1597.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--160x128.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--768x613.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--1536x1227.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--2048x1636.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Members of a later-era lineup of Digital Underground, pictured in Oakland, with Shock G second from left. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992878\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Members of a later-era lineup of Digital Underground, pictured in Oakland, with Shock G second from left. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“One of the most difficult parts was trying to figure out how to pull all the pieces together. He always wanted it to be like a scrapbook,” she says. “He wanted it to feel like his personal journals did: stories, mixed with memorabilia and art.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“One of the most difficult parts was trying to figure out how to pull all the pieces together. He always wanted it to be like a scrapbook,” she says. “He wanted it to feel like his personal journals did: stories, mixed with memorabilia and art.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In sitting with \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful\u003c/em>, its spiritual thesis is clear: Jacobs’ everlasting search for beauty, creativity and funky originality shone brightest during his darkest hours. It’s about keeping it beautiful, especially when beauty isn’t easily kept.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In sitting with \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful\u003c/em>, its spiritual thesis is clear: Jacobs’ everlasting search for beauty, creativity and funky originality shone brightest during his darkest hours. It’s about keeping it beautiful, especially when beauty isn’t easily kept.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It was so much fun,” Wolfe Mbassa confirms, “to live in his world.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“It was so much fun,” Wolfe Mbassa confirms, “to live in his world.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/separator",
"attrs": {
"opacity": "alpha-channel",
"tagName": "hr"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "floatright"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground’ will be released on Aug. 25\u003c/em>. \u003cem>A free release party with Alexis Wolfe Mbassa and members of Digital Underground takes place Saturday, Aug. 22 at Drake’s Dealership (2325 Broadway, Oakland). \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbtkbvQSXrw/\">\u003cem>Event information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground’ will be released on Aug. 25\u003c/em>. \u003cem>A free release party with Alexis Wolfe Mbassa and members of Digital Underground takes place Saturday, Aug. 22 at Drake’s Dealership (2325 Broadway, Oakland). \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbtkbvQSXrw/\">\u003cem>Event information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "‘Keep It Beautiful’ is an inside look at the Digital Underground frontman’s artistry and complexities.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1787092849,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 23,
"wordCount": 1134
},
"headData": {
"title": "A New Memoir Captures Shock G’s Brilliance — In All Its Funkiest Forms | KQED",
"description": "‘Keep It Beautiful’ is an inside look at the Digital Underground frontman’s artistry and complexities.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "A New Memoir Captures Shock G’s Brilliance — In All Its Funkiest Forms",
"datePublished": "2026-08-18T15:40:39-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-08-18T15:40:49-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 1,
"slug": "arts",
"name": "Arts"
},
"source": "The Do List",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13992917",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "none",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13992917/shock-g-digital-underground-book-memoir-autobiography-oakland-rap",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2067\" height=\"2560\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992877\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-scaled.jpg 2067w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-2000x2477.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-160x198.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-768x951.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-1240x1536.jpg 1240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-1654x2048.jpg 1654w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2067px) 100vw, 2067px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground,’ chronicles the incredible life of the late East Bay rapper, artist and musician. (Penguin Random House)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 1990, \u003cem>USA Today\u003c/em> formally contacted NASA to clarify rumors about their latest technology, apparently dubbed “sex packets.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Weeks prior, Oakland’s afrosurrealist rap collective Digital Underground (DU) had released their debut album, \u003cem>Sex Packets\u003c/em>, themed around a new drug for astronauts that could instantly gratify their sexual desires. As DU’s transgressive lyrics glorified the illicit substance, news of the invention leaked onto the Bay Area’s streets: pamphlets were distributed, and condoms were passed out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>NASA was forced to respond to the coital discourse: “NASA has not in the past, nor will they in the future, be working on such a pill … It would be impossible to satisfy the carnal urges of astronauts … To my knowledge, unbridled lust has never interfered with a space mission.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s the first and likely last instance of NASA being outmaneuvered by Oakland rappers. (It turned out DU had created the pamphlets and condoms as subversive promotional materials.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The elaborate prank was a piece of artistic genius orchestrated by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13929900/shock-g-revolutionized-hip-hop-and-created-a-secret-trove-of-funky-art\">Gregory Jacobs — the late MC, songwriter, illustrator, pianist and costume-wearing virtuoso\u003c/a> known as Shock G. The NASA incident is just one of the many shenanigans detailed in his posthumous memoir, \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground\u003c/em>, out Aug. 25 — Shock G’s birthday — from \u003ca href=\"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738825/keep-it-beautiful-by-alexis-wolfe-mbassa-and-gregory-e-jacobs/\">Penguin Random House\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1706\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992875\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-2000x1333.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Shock G and Alexis Wolfe Mbassa in Tampa, Fla., working on the memoir ‘Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground.’ (Alexis Wolfe Mbassa)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The book combines handwritten notes, interview transcripts, personal photos and rare sketches compiled by Jacobs’ longtime friend and photographer, Alexis Wolfe Mbassa, who tagged along with Jacobs in order to document his eccentric life for over a decade. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The association was intentional; in 2011, Jacobs personally recruited Wolfe Mbassa as a co-author for his autobiography. In 2021, just eight months after submitting the book to literary agents, Jacobs died from a drug overdose in Florida. He was 57.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was never about money or becoming successful for him; it was about having the freedom to create,” Wolfe Mbassa told KQED. “He put himself in wild situations just to hold on to that freedom.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A natural rebel\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wild situations form much of \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful\u003c/em>. It details Jacobs’ stints in pimping, homelessness and jail, while containing all of the exuberant, out-of-pocket abundance of a Shock G production. A conversation between Shock G and George Clinton of Parliament Funkadelic? Yup. An African gray parrot named Afro who lives in Shock G’s childhood home and imitates his stepmom, Sonya? That too. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One entire chapter is dedicated to his early friendship with a teenage Tupac Shakur, who joined DU as a member before going solo. (Apparently Pac had a “fucked” jump shot in basketball, and no one wanted him on their team).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992876\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-2000x1500.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-160x120.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Notes on a draft of the book, written by Shock G, show his involvement in the book’s phrasing and layout. Pictured together are Shock G and Tupac Shakur. (Alexis Wolfe Mbassa)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Largely stream-of-consciousness in homage to Jacobs’ creative process, the book is divided into sections based on the regions where he lived. Wolfe Mbassa traveled to each of them to conduct interviews: Topanga Canyon, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Oakland, New York City and Tampa.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jacobs recounts his first job as a 15-year-old, DJing at a local radio station in Tampa. He was fired for disobeying the radio’s directives and opting to spin the full 15-minute version of “(Not Just) Knee Deep” by Funkadelic instead of airing commercials.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It isn’t the only example in the book of his natural inclination to rebel. Jacobs extensively details how he evaded authorities, and circumvented court appearances, from age 17 to 22. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Music as a savior \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even for the most studious hip-hop heads, \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful\u003c/em> reveals overlooked wrinkles in Shock’s personality and biography. (Did you know that DU’s original band name was “Spice Regime”?) The book also includes a trove of never-before-seen drawings by Jacobs, showcasing a crude and whimsical style that would come to define his artistry, which sometimes reached ridiculous levels of raunch. (One sketch portrays an anthropomorphic anus forcing an “ASS-PIRIN” pill down its own hole.) \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1296\" height=\"996\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992879\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria.jpg 1296w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria-160x123.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria-768x590.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1296px) 100vw, 1296px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A young Shock G (left) with his grandmother Gloria. (Courtesy Alexis Wolfe Mbassa)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the main thrust of \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful \u003c/em>are the granular narratives that Jacobs discloses, like his memories of being jailed in San Diego for six months for grand theft auto, where he used art as a bartering tool. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In scattered, disconnected bursts, he and Wolfe Mbassa recount his side quests and failures (such as his brief time as a male “gigolo” in Pennsylvania) revealing the down-bad experiences that molded his worldview before his rap and art careers took off. Glimpses of that fast life can be heard in his lyrics, but the book shows in detail how Shock G actually did \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqJAnQTwmJs&list=RDYqJAnQTwmJs&start_radio=1\">get around\u003c/a> from coast to coast.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At its core, the collage of archival material shows how music and art became Jacobs’ salvation, therapy and refuge. Putting it all together was a joyous challenge for Wolfe Mbassa, personally tasked by Jacobs to retain the book’s silliness and humor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"2045\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992878\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--2000x1597.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--160x128.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--768x613.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--1536x1227.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--2048x1636.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Members of a later-era lineup of Digital Underground, pictured in Oakland, with Shock G second from left. (Alexis Wolfe Mbassa)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“One of the most difficult parts was trying to figure out how to pull all the pieces together. He always wanted it to be like a scrapbook,” she says. “He wanted it to feel like his personal journals did: stories, mixed with memorabilia and art.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In sitting with \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful\u003c/em>, its spiritual thesis is clear: Jacobs’ everlasting search for beauty, creativity and funky originality shone brightest during his darkest hours. It’s about keeping it beautiful, especially when beauty isn’t easily kept.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was so much fun,” Wolfe Mbassa confirms, “to live in his world.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground’ will be released on Aug. 25\u003c/em>. \u003cem>A free release party with Alexis Wolfe Mbassa and members of Digital Underground takes place Saturday, Aug. 22 at Drake’s Dealership (2325 Broadway, Oakland). \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbtkbvQSXrw/\">\u003cem>Event information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13992917/shock-g-digital-underground-book-memoir-autobiography-oakland-rap",
"authors": [
"11748"
],
"programs": [
"arts_140"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_69",
"arts_22313"
],
"tags": [
"arts_14230",
"arts_10278",
"arts_22664",
"arts_1143",
"arts_22382",
"arts_19347"
],
"featImg": "arts_13992925",
"label": "source_arts_13992917"
},
"arts_13992815": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13992815",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13992815",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1787073595000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "826-valencia-pirate-free-scavenger-hunt-map-san-francisco",
"title": "Ahoy Mateys! There’s a New Pirate-Themed Scavenger Hunt in the Bay",
"publishDate": 1787073595,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Ahoy Mateys! There’s a New Pirate-Themed Scavenger Hunt in the Bay | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>Do you say “Yarg!” when you’re frustrated? Gaze at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11185731/where-did-the-wild-parrots-of-san-francisco-come-from\">parrots\u003c/a> longingly? Maybe you keep a collection of jaunty eyepatches for no discernible reason? If so, you might be in desperate need of joining the Freebooter Secret Pirate Society — a mysterious organization that’s said to operate on the saltier fringes of San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Helpfully, local author Shannon Mulholland has just come up with a new way to join the society that doesn’t involve making anyone walk the plank. It’s a scavenger hunt, it’s free and it journeys around some of the oldest, most fascinating corners of the Bay. (And also Treasure Island, because, duh.) All aspiring pirates need to do is collect codes from five locations on Mulholland’s map, send them on a postcard to a P.O. box in Sonoma, then wait to receive membership details and a cypher, in the mail.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To get started, Mulholland’s map and instructions are available now from Green Apple Books (506 Clement St.), but can also be \u003ca href=\"https://findingsealegs.com/scavenger-hunt-map/\">downloaded online\u003c/a>. There are 15 stops in all, eight in San Francisco and seven others scattered around the Bay. Highlights on the hunt include the Brigantine Galilee, a ship built in 1891 whose stern now resides in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fort-mason\">Fort Mason\u003c/a>; the Filbert Street Steps, where a semaphore station operated during the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gold-rush\">Gold Rush\u003c/a>; and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13931837/heinholds-first-last-chance-saloon-oaklands-oldest-bar-jack-london-square\">Heinold’s First & Last Chance Saloon\u003c/a>, Oakland’s oldest bar, established in 1884.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1291\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-map.png\" alt=\"A yellowed map of San Francisco marked by a series of numbers, mostly around the coastline.\" class=\"wp-image-13992946\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-map.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-map-160x103.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-map-768x496.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-map-1536x991.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A taste of Shannon Mulholland’s Pirate’s Guide to San Francisco. (findingsealegs.com)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mulholland came up with the idea for the scavenger hunt after completing her new book for middle graders, \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://findingsealegs.com/\">Finding Sea Legs\u003c/a>\u003c/em>. The hero of the story is a 13-year-old girl who discovers a lost pirate colony hidden in the waters beyond San Francisco. She soon realizes that pirates are not the villains depicted in old stories and becomes immersed in their misunderstood way of life. \u003cem>Finding Sea Legs\u003c/em> is set for release on Sept. 19, 2026, which conveniently happens to be \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Talk_Like_a_Pirate_Day\">International Talk Like a Pirate Day\u003c/a>. Because, yes, that is in fact a real thing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Though pirate-appreciation is encouraged on the scavenger hunt, you definitely don’t need a peg leg to participate. The Pirate’s Guide to San Francisco is also just a really fun way to explore the storied history of the Bay Area, from Gold Rush times up to the 1939 World’s Fair (for which Treasure Island was built). Happy hunting, mateys.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Do you say “Yarg!” when you’re frustrated? Gaze at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11185731/where-did-the-wild-parrots-of-san-francisco-come-from\">parrots\u003c/a> longingly? Maybe you keep a collection of jaunty eyepatches for no discernible reason? If so, you might be in desperate need of joining the Freebooter Secret Pirate Society — a mysterious organization that’s said to operate on the saltier fringes of San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Do you say “Yarg!” when you’re frustrated? Gaze at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11185731/where-did-the-wild-parrots-of-san-francisco-come-from\">parrots\u003c/a> longingly? Maybe you keep a collection of jaunty eyepatches for no discernible reason? If so, you might be in desperate need of joining the Freebooter Secret Pirate Society — a mysterious organization that’s said to operate on the saltier fringes of San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed-v2/related-articles",
"attrs": {
"postIds": [
"arts_13917340",
"arts_13931837",
"arts_13952258"
],
"label": "Related articles",
"query": "",
"labelWasCleared": false,
"maxPosts": 3,
"showImages": true,
"heroImage": "",
"heroImageAlt": "",
"heroImageLink": "",
"labelLink": "",
"alignment": "right",
"target": "_self",
"manualLinks": [],
"posts": []
},
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": [],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Helpfully, local author Shannon Mulholland has just come up with a new way to join the society that doesn’t involve making anyone walk the plank. It’s a scavenger hunt, it’s free and it journeys around some of the oldest, most fascinating corners of the Bay. (And also Treasure Island, because, duh.) All aspiring pirates need to do is collect codes from five locations on Mulholland’s map, send them on a postcard to a P.O. box in Sonoma, then wait to receive membership details and a cypher, in the mail.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Helpfully, local author Shannon Mulholland has just come up with a new way to join the society that doesn’t involve making anyone walk the plank. It’s a scavenger hunt, it’s free and it journeys around some of the oldest, most fascinating corners of the Bay. (And also Treasure Island, because, duh.) All aspiring pirates need to do is collect codes from five locations on Mulholland’s map, send them on a postcard to a P.O. box in Sonoma, then wait to receive membership details and a cypher, in the mail.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>To get started, Mulholland’s map and instructions are available now from Green Apple Books (506 Clement St.), but can also be \u003ca href=\"https://findingsealegs.com/scavenger-hunt-map/\">downloaded online\u003c/a>. There are 15 stops in all, eight in San Francisco and seven others scattered around the Bay. Highlights on the hunt include the Brigantine Galilee, a ship built in 1891 whose stern now resides in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fort-mason\">Fort Mason\u003c/a>; the Filbert Street Steps, where a semaphore station operated during the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gold-rush\">Gold Rush\u003c/a>; and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13931837/heinholds-first-last-chance-saloon-oaklands-oldest-bar-jack-london-square\">Heinold’s First & Last Chance Saloon\u003c/a>, Oakland’s oldest bar, established in 1884.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>To get started, Mulholland’s map and instructions are available now from Green Apple Books (506 Clement St.), but can also be \u003ca href=\"https://findingsealegs.com/scavenger-hunt-map/\">downloaded online\u003c/a>. There are 15 stops in all, eight in San Francisco and seven others scattered around the Bay. Highlights on the hunt include the Brigantine Galilee, a ship built in 1891 whose stern now resides in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fort-mason\">Fort Mason\u003c/a>; the Filbert Street Steps, where a semaphore station operated during the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gold-rush\">Gold Rush\u003c/a>; and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13931837/heinholds-first-last-chance-saloon-oaklands-oldest-bar-jack-london-square\">Heinold’s First & Last Chance Saloon\u003c/a>, Oakland’s oldest bar, established in 1884.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13992946,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "findingsealegs.com",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-map.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-map-160x103.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-map-768x496.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-map-1536x991.png 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)",
"alt": ""
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-map.png\" alt=\"A yellowed map of San Francisco marked by a series of numbers, mostly around the coastline.\" class=\"wp-image-13992946\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-map.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-map-160x103.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-map-768x496.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-map-1536x991.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A taste of Shannon Mulholland’s Pirate’s Guide to San Francisco. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-map.png\" alt=\"A yellowed map of San Francisco marked by a series of numbers, mostly around the coastline.\" class=\"wp-image-13992946\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A taste of Shannon Mulholland’s Pirate’s Guide to San Francisco. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mulholland came up with the idea for the scavenger hunt after completing her new book for middle graders, \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://findingsealegs.com/\">Finding Sea Legs\u003c/a>\u003c/em>. The hero of the story is a 13-year-old girl who discovers a lost pirate colony hidden in the waters beyond San Francisco. She soon realizes that pirates are not the villains depicted in old stories and becomes immersed in their misunderstood way of life. \u003cem>Finding Sea Legs\u003c/em> is set for release on Sept. 19, 2026, which conveniently happens to be \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Talk_Like_a_Pirate_Day\">International Talk Like a Pirate Day\u003c/a>. Because, yes, that is in fact a real thing.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Mulholland came up with the idea for the scavenger hunt after completing her new book for middle graders, \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://findingsealegs.com/\">Finding Sea Legs\u003c/a>\u003c/em>. The hero of the story is a 13-year-old girl who discovers a lost pirate colony hidden in the waters beyond San Francisco. She soon realizes that pirates are not the villains depicted in old stories and becomes immersed in their misunderstood way of life. \u003cem>Finding Sea Legs\u003c/em> is set for release on Sept. 19, 2026, which conveniently happens to be \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Talk_Like_a_Pirate_Day\">International Talk Like a Pirate Day\u003c/a>. Because, yes, that is in fact a real thing.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Though pirate-appreciation is encouraged on the scavenger hunt, you definitely don’t need a peg leg to participate. The Pirate’s Guide to San Francisco is also just a really fun way to explore the storied history of the Bay Area, from Gold Rush times up to the 1939 World’s Fair (for which Treasure Island was built). Happy hunting, mateys.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Though pirate-appreciation is encouraged on the scavenger hunt, you definitely don’t need a peg leg to participate. The Pirate’s Guide to San Francisco is also just a really fun way to explore the storied history of the Bay Area, from Gold Rush times up to the 1939 World’s Fair (for which Treasure Island was built). Happy hunting, mateys.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "fullwidth"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
}
],
"excerpt": "Free instructions are available online and from Green Apple Books. No plank-walking required.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1787104329,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 7,
"wordCount": 430
},
"headData": {
"title": "A Free Pirate-Loving Scavenger Hunt Just Launched in SF | KQED",
"description": "Free instructions are available online and from Green Apple Books. No plank-walking required.",
"ogTitle": "Ahoy Mateys! There’s a New Pirate-Themed Scavenger Hunt in the Bay",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "Ahoy Mateys! There’s a New Pirate-Themed Scavenger Hunt in the Bay",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"socialTitle": "A Free Pirate-Loving Scavenger Hunt Just Launched in SF %%page%% %%sep%% KQED",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Ahoy Mateys! There’s a New Pirate-Themed Scavenger Hunt in the Bay",
"datePublished": "2026-08-18T10:19:55-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-08-18T18:52:09-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 22313,
"slug": "the-do-list",
"name": "The Do List"
},
"source": "The Do List",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13992815",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13992815/826-valencia-pirate-free-scavenger-hunt-map-san-francisco",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Do you say “Yarg!” when you’re frustrated? Gaze at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11185731/where-did-the-wild-parrots-of-san-francisco-come-from\">parrots\u003c/a> longingly? Maybe you keep a collection of jaunty eyepatches for no discernible reason? If so, you might be in desperate need of joining the Freebooter Secret Pirate Society — a mysterious organization that’s said to operate on the saltier fringes of San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Helpfully, local author Shannon Mulholland has just come up with a new way to join the society that doesn’t involve making anyone walk the plank. It’s a scavenger hunt, it’s free and it journeys around some of the oldest, most fascinating corners of the Bay. (And also Treasure Island, because, duh.) All aspiring pirates need to do is collect codes from five locations on Mulholland’s map, send them on a postcard to a P.O. box in Sonoma, then wait to receive membership details and a cypher, in the mail.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To get started, Mulholland’s map and instructions are available now from Green Apple Books (506 Clement St.), but can also be \u003ca href=\"https://findingsealegs.com/scavenger-hunt-map/\">downloaded online\u003c/a>. There are 15 stops in all, eight in San Francisco and seven others scattered around the Bay. Highlights on the hunt include the Brigantine Galilee, a ship built in 1891 whose stern now resides in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fort-mason\">Fort Mason\u003c/a>; the Filbert Street Steps, where a semaphore station operated during the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gold-rush\">Gold Rush\u003c/a>; and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13931837/heinholds-first-last-chance-saloon-oaklands-oldest-bar-jack-london-square\">Heinold’s First & Last Chance Saloon\u003c/a>, Oakland’s oldest bar, established in 1884.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1291\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-map.png\" alt=\"A yellowed map of San Francisco marked by a series of numbers, mostly around the coastline.\" class=\"wp-image-13992946\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-map.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-map-160x103.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-map-768x496.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/pirate-map-1536x991.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A taste of Shannon Mulholland’s Pirate’s Guide to San Francisco. (findingsealegs.com)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mulholland came up with the idea for the scavenger hunt after completing her new book for middle graders, \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://findingsealegs.com/\">Finding Sea Legs\u003c/a>\u003c/em>. The hero of the story is a 13-year-old girl who discovers a lost pirate colony hidden in the waters beyond San Francisco. She soon realizes that pirates are not the villains depicted in old stories and becomes immersed in their misunderstood way of life. \u003cem>Finding Sea Legs\u003c/em> is set for release on Sept. 19, 2026, which conveniently happens to be \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Talk_Like_a_Pirate_Day\">International Talk Like a Pirate Day\u003c/a>. Because, yes, that is in fact a real thing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Though pirate-appreciation is encouraged on the scavenger hunt, you definitely don’t need a peg leg to participate. The Pirate’s Guide to San Francisco is also just a really fun way to explore the storied history of the Bay Area, from Gold Rush times up to the 1939 World’s Fair (for which Treasure Island was built). Happy hunting, mateys.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13992815/826-valencia-pirate-free-scavenger-hunt-map-san-francisco",
"authors": [
"11242"
],
"programs": [
"arts_140"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_7862",
"arts_22313"
],
"tags": [
"arts_22613",
"arts_10278",
"arts_2272",
"arts_22340",
"arts_2640",
"arts_585"
],
"featImg": "arts_13992819",
"label": "source_arts_13992815"
},
"arts_13991893": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13991893",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13991893",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1786719600000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "suds-francisco-funk-fermentation-festival-salesforce-park-afterthought-katdelic",
"title": "Suds Francisco Fest Will Combine Funk, Fantastic Views and ... Fermentation?",
"publishDate": 1786719600,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Suds Francisco Fest Will Combine Funk, Fantastic Views and … Fermentation? | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>To the uninitiated, “funk and fermentation” might sound more like a stinky hospital ward full of weird infections than it does like a party. But in fact, \u003ca href=\"https://www.tixr.com/groups/rooftoprhythms/events/rooftop-rhythms-sunday-199285\">Suds Francisco 2026: A Funk & Fermentation Festival\u003c/a> is a real-life Aug. 23 event where people brewin’ and people groovin’ collide. (Hopefully in a non-sticky way?)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On the groovin’ side is San Francisco rapper-producer \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958102/afterthought-love-letters-to-my-body\">Afterthought\u003c/a>, who’s set to perform with his big, eclectic backing band, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/topchefsband/?hl=en\">Top Chefs\u003c/a>. Expect a hearty dose of positive mental attitude, heartwarming vulnerability, and a blend of hip-hop, jazz, R&B and (yes) funk, that’ll leave you with the warm and tinglies before you’ve even tried any spicy kimchi.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Also on the bill is Katdelic, the latest project by former \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13839952/its-that-naughty-feeling-george-clinton-on-funks-enduring-appeal\">Parliament Funkadelic\u003c/a> member, RonKat Spearman. (The soulful and multitalented San Francisco resident is also playing the \u003ca href=\"https://boomboomroom.com/events/\">Boom Boom Room\u003c/a> the night before Suds Francisco, for those of you who prefer your funk in small, dark rooms.) Katdelic as a quintet prides itself on producing genre-bending party music, so get ready to move.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This rooftop party at Salesforce Park is hosted by the \u003ca href=\"https://drinkbay.beer/\">Bay Area Brewing Guild\u003c/a>, Bernal Heights’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.barebottle.com/\">Barebottle Brewing Company\u003c/a> and 26 other reputable independent breweries. As such, Suds Francisco will likely be this summer’s hottest party for Bay Area beer breweries, wineries, cideries, sake- and kombucha-makers, and the fans who love them. The fermentation foodies will be happy too, with a selection of artisanal pickles, kimchi, sourdough, sauerkraut and more to snack on.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Entrance is free, but tickets (starting at $85) are available for anyone wanting to indulge in unlimited tastings. Ticket proceeds benefit the Bay Area Brewing Guild, a nonprofit trade association that unites, showcases and supports independent craft breweries around the region.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Is funk and fermentation kind of a weird theme to build a festival around? Probably. But \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fermentation\">fermentation\u003c/a> is undoubtedly having a moment right now, a natural end-point for the multitude of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13879390/everything-you-need-to-know-about-sourdough-starters-but-were-afraid-to-ask\">sourdough obsessions\u003c/a> that started during the COVID pandemic. And yes, as Parliament noted all the way back in 1975, we’ve still gotta have that funk.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.tixr.com/groups/rooftoprhythms/events/rooftop-rhythms-sunday-199285\">Suds Francisco 2026: A Funk & Fermentation Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/em> \u003cem>takes place \u003cem>Aug. 23, 2–6 p.m\u003c/em>. at Salesforce Park (425 Mission St., San Francisco).\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>To the uninitiated, “funk and fermentation” might sound more like a stinky hospital ward full of weird infections than it does like a party. But in fact, \u003ca href=\"https://www.tixr.com/groups/rooftoprhythms/events/rooftop-rhythms-sunday-199285\">Suds Francisco 2026: A Funk & Fermentation Festival\u003c/a> is a real-life Aug. 23 event where people brewin’ and people groovin’ collide. (Hopefully in a non-sticky way?)\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>To the uninitiated, “funk and fermentation” might sound more like a stinky hospital ward full of weird infections than it does like a party. But in fact, \u003ca href=\"https://www.tixr.com/groups/rooftoprhythms/events/rooftop-rhythms-sunday-199285\">Suds Francisco 2026: A Funk & Fermentation Festival\u003c/a> is a real-life Aug. 23 event where people brewin’ and people groovin’ collide. (Hopefully in a non-sticky way?)\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On the groovin’ side is San Francisco rapper-producer \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958102/afterthought-love-letters-to-my-body\">Afterthought\u003c/a>, who’s set to perform with his big, eclectic backing band, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/topchefsband/?hl=en\">Top Chefs\u003c/a>. Expect a hearty dose of positive mental attitude, heartwarming vulnerability, and a blend of hip-hop, jazz, R&B and (yes) funk, that’ll leave you with the warm and tinglies before you’ve even tried any spicy kimchi.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>On the groovin’ side is San Francisco rapper-producer \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958102/afterthought-love-letters-to-my-body\">Afterthought\u003c/a>, who’s set to perform with his big, eclectic backing band, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/topchefsband/?hl=en\">Top Chefs\u003c/a>. Expect a hearty dose of positive mental attitude, heartwarming vulnerability, and a blend of hip-hop, jazz, R&B and (yes) funk, that’ll leave you with the warm and tinglies before you’ve even tried any spicy kimchi.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed-v2/related-articles",
"attrs": {
"postIds": [
"arts_13992728",
"arts_13992518",
"arts_13992274"
],
"labelWasCleared": true
},
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": [],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Also on the bill is Katdelic, the latest project by former \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13839952/its-that-naughty-feeling-george-clinton-on-funks-enduring-appeal\">Parliament Funkadelic\u003c/a> member, RonKat Spearman. (The soulful and multitalented San Francisco resident is also playing the \u003ca href=\"https://boomboomroom.com/events/\">Boom Boom Room\u003c/a> the night before Suds Francisco, for those of you who prefer your funk in small, dark rooms.) Katdelic as a quintet prides itself on producing genre-bending party music, so get ready to move.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Also on the bill is Katdelic, the latest project by former \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13839952/its-that-naughty-feeling-george-clinton-on-funks-enduring-appeal\">Parliament Funkadelic\u003c/a> member, RonKat Spearman. (The soulful and multitalented San Francisco resident is also playing the \u003ca href=\"https://boomboomroom.com/events/\">Boom Boom Room\u003c/a> the night before Suds Francisco, for those of you who prefer your funk in small, dark rooms.) Katdelic as a quintet prides itself on producing genre-bending party music, so get ready to move.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This rooftop party at Salesforce Park is hosted by the \u003ca href=\"https://drinkbay.beer/\">Bay Area Brewing Guild\u003c/a>, Bernal Heights’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.barebottle.com/\">Barebottle Brewing Company\u003c/a> and 26 other reputable independent breweries. As such, Suds Francisco will likely be this summer’s hottest party for Bay Area beer breweries, wineries, cideries, sake- and kombucha-makers, and the fans who love them. The fermentation foodies will be happy too, with a selection of artisanal pickles, kimchi, sourdough, sauerkraut and more to snack on.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>This rooftop party at Salesforce Park is hosted by the \u003ca href=\"https://drinkbay.beer/\">Bay Area Brewing Guild\u003c/a>, Bernal Heights’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.barebottle.com/\">Barebottle Brewing Company\u003c/a> and 26 other reputable independent breweries. As such, Suds Francisco will likely be this summer’s hottest party for Bay Area beer breweries, wineries, cideries, sake- and kombucha-makers, and the fans who love them. The fermentation foodies will be happy too, with a selection of artisanal pickles, kimchi, sourdough, sauerkraut and more to snack on.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Entrance is free, but tickets (starting at $85) are available for anyone wanting to indulge in unlimited tastings. Ticket proceeds benefit the Bay Area Brewing Guild, a nonprofit trade association that unites, showcases and supports independent craft breweries around the region.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Entrance is free, but tickets (starting at $85) are available for anyone wanting to indulge in unlimited tastings. Ticket proceeds benefit the Bay Area Brewing Guild, a nonprofit trade association that unites, showcases and supports independent craft breweries around the region.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "fullwidth"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Is funk and fermentation kind of a weird theme to build a festival around? Probably. But \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fermentation\">fermentation\u003c/a> is undoubtedly having a moment right now, a natural end-point for the multitude of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13879390/everything-you-need-to-know-about-sourdough-starters-but-were-afraid-to-ask\">sourdough obsessions\u003c/a> that started during the COVID pandemic. And yes, as Parliament noted all the way back in 1975, we’ve still gotta have that funk.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Is funk and fermentation kind of a weird theme to build a festival around? Probably. But \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fermentation\">fermentation\u003c/a> is undoubtedly having a moment right now, a natural end-point for the multitude of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13879390/everything-you-need-to-know-about-sourdough-starters-but-were-afraid-to-ask\">sourdough obsessions\u003c/a> that started during the COVID pandemic. And yes, as Parliament noted all the way back in 1975, we’ve still gotta have that funk.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/separator",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" />\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" />\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.tixr.com/groups/rooftoprhythms/events/rooftop-rhythms-sunday-199285\">Suds Francisco 2026: A Funk & Fermentation Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/em> \u003cem>takes place \u003cem>Aug. 23, 2–6 p.m\u003c/em>. at Salesforce Park (425 Mission St., San Francisco).\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.tixr.com/groups/rooftoprhythms/events/rooftop-rhythms-sunday-199285\">Suds Francisco 2026: A Funk & Fermentation Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/em> \u003cem>takes place \u003cem>Aug. 23, 2–6 p.m\u003c/em>. at Salesforce Park (425 Mission St., San Francisco).\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "This is a weird concept for a festival, sure, but Afterthought is playing, so we'll see you there!",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1786661842,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 9,
"wordCount": 395
},
"headData": {
"title": "A Funk and Fermentation Party Is Happening in SF | KQED",
"description": "This is a weird concept for a festival, sure, but Afterthought is playing, so we'll see you there!",
"ogTitle": "Suds Francisco Fest Will Combine Funk, Fantastic Views and ... Fermentation?",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "Suds Francisco Fest Will Combine Funk, Fantastic Views and ... Fermentation?",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"socialTitle": "A Funk and Fermentation Party Is Happening in SF %%page%% %%sep%% KQED",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Suds Francisco Fest Will Combine Funk, Fantastic Views and ... Fermentation?",
"datePublished": "2026-08-14T08:00:00-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-08-13T15:57:22-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 22313,
"slug": "the-do-list",
"name": "The Do List"
},
"source": "The Do List",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"sticky": false,
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13991893/suds-francisco-funk-fermentation-festival-salesforce-park-afterthought-katdelic",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>To the uninitiated, “funk and fermentation” might sound more like a stinky hospital ward full of weird infections than it does like a party. But in fact, \u003ca href=\"https://www.tixr.com/groups/rooftoprhythms/events/rooftop-rhythms-sunday-199285\">Suds Francisco 2026: A Funk & Fermentation Festival\u003c/a> is a real-life Aug. 23 event where people brewin’ and people groovin’ collide. (Hopefully in a non-sticky way?)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On the groovin’ side is San Francisco rapper-producer \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958102/afterthought-love-letters-to-my-body\">Afterthought\u003c/a>, who’s set to perform with his big, eclectic backing band, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/topchefsband/?hl=en\">Top Chefs\u003c/a>. Expect a hearty dose of positive mental attitude, heartwarming vulnerability, and a blend of hip-hop, jazz, R&B and (yes) funk, that’ll leave you with the warm and tinglies before you’ve even tried any spicy kimchi.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Also on the bill is Katdelic, the latest project by former \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13839952/its-that-naughty-feeling-george-clinton-on-funks-enduring-appeal\">Parliament Funkadelic\u003c/a> member, RonKat Spearman. (The soulful and multitalented San Francisco resident is also playing the \u003ca href=\"https://boomboomroom.com/events/\">Boom Boom Room\u003c/a> the night before Suds Francisco, for those of you who prefer your funk in small, dark rooms.) Katdelic as a quintet prides itself on producing genre-bending party music, so get ready to move.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This rooftop party at Salesforce Park is hosted by the \u003ca href=\"https://drinkbay.beer/\">Bay Area Brewing Guild\u003c/a>, Bernal Heights’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.barebottle.com/\">Barebottle Brewing Company\u003c/a> and 26 other reputable independent breweries. As such, Suds Francisco will likely be this summer’s hottest party for Bay Area beer breweries, wineries, cideries, sake- and kombucha-makers, and the fans who love them. The fermentation foodies will be happy too, with a selection of artisanal pickles, kimchi, sourdough, sauerkraut and more to snack on.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Entrance is free, but tickets (starting at $85) are available for anyone wanting to indulge in unlimited tastings. Ticket proceeds benefit the Bay Area Brewing Guild, a nonprofit trade association that unites, showcases and supports independent craft breweries around the region.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Is funk and fermentation kind of a weird theme to build a festival around? Probably. But \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fermentation\">fermentation\u003c/a> is undoubtedly having a moment right now, a natural end-point for the multitude of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13879390/everything-you-need-to-know-about-sourdough-starters-but-were-afraid-to-ask\">sourdough obsessions\u003c/a> that started during the COVID pandemic. And yes, as Parliament noted all the way back in 1975, we’ve still gotta have that funk.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.tixr.com/groups/rooftoprhythms/events/rooftop-rhythms-sunday-199285\">Suds Francisco 2026: A Funk & Fermentation Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/em> \u003cem>takes place \u003cem>Aug. 23, 2–6 p.m\u003c/em>. at Salesforce Park (425 Mission St., San Francisco).\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13991893/suds-francisco-funk-fermentation-festival-salesforce-park-afterthought-katdelic",
"authors": [
"11242"
],
"programs": [
"arts_140"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_12276",
"arts_69",
"arts_22313"
],
"tags": [
"arts_10278",
"arts_20052",
"arts_22068",
"arts_22402",
"arts_22664",
"arts_585"
],
"featImg": "arts_13992775",
"label": "source_arts_13991893"
},
"arts_13992728": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13992728",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13992728",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1786633200000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "7-parties-not-to-miss-during-oakland-pride-weekend",
"title": "7 Parties Not to Miss During Oakland Pride Weekend",
"publishDate": 1786633200,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "7 Parties Not to Miss During Oakland Pride Weekend | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>San Francisco might go all out for Pride in June, but Oakland keeps the party going. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This year’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandprideofficial.org/\">Oakland Pride\u003c/a> parade and festival takes over downtown Oakland on Aug. 16, with a headlining performance by “1 Thing” hitmaker Amerie on the main stage. Organized by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandlgbtqcenter.org/\">Oakland LGBTQ Community Center\u003c/a>, the festival features a Latin stage, a Mighty Real stage dedicated to dance music and a Sexy Town stage with adult entertainment for the 18+ crowd. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The extensive lineup reflects the many vibrant cultures and identities under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. Performers include Mexican hitmaker Fey; electronic singer-producer Star Amerasu, who’ll perform with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13978071/voguing-ballroom-bayview-opera-house-san-francisco-oakland-to-all\">ballroom\u003c/a> collective Oakland to All; and singer Lady Alma, whose virtuosic vocals elevate house music into the spiritual realm. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>True to the Oakland LGBTQ Cultural Center’s mission to help the queer community thrive, Oakland Pride includes activities for youth and elders, plus health and wellness services, including STI testing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As Oakland gears up for its big Pride celebration, the Town’s promoters, DJs and drag artists will be hard at work this weekend, lighting up Oakland’s bars and clubs with top-tier queer entertainment. These are the seven parties you shouldn’t miss. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13989802\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Luismi Munster poses for a portrait during the Oaklash Block Party in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, May 16, 2026. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://shotgun.live/en/festivals/oaklash-pride-block-party-2026\">Oaklash Oakland Pride Block Party\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Friday, Aug. 14, 5–10 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Calabash, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oaklash is synonymous with drag in Oakland. Its Oakland Pride block party celebrates drag performers of all genders and genres, and encourages artists to bring out their most eye-popping reveals, tallest wigs and most athletic dance moves. Hosted by Luismi Monstruo Rude, a performer whose special-effects makeup lends itself to some truly freaky transformations, Oaklash’s Oakland Pride Block Party will feature numbers from Anna Tuesday, Princess Capri, Rosie Petals, Yayah the Artist and St. Germain. DJs Dalikamata, Zaalimaa, Ka’lonji and Ledao will be behind the decks, pumping club beats through the speakers all evening long. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbhC2D6GPb6/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Maligrosa\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Saturday, Aug. 15\u003c/em>, \u003cem>9 p.m.–2 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Tallboy, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Queers who love to sweat it out on the dance floor should look no further than Maligrosa at Oakland martini bar Tallboy. DJs Lobottomy, Estrella and Boyprincess will spin Latincore and uptempo global club beats while go-go dancers Nala and Kisa keep the vibes sexy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13980949\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">DJ Shellheart plays a set for the Golden State Valkyries during a game at Chase Center in San Francisco on Aug. 19, 2025. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Db8Brscmx4G/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Thee Queer Dance Party\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Saturday, Aug. 15, 9 p.m.–2 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Golden Ratio, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>DJ Shellheart keeps the crowd hyped at Golden State Valkyries games, and during Oakland Pride weekend she’ll be in the mix at Golden Ratio, the bar co-owned by fellow Valkyries DJ Lady Ryan. Keezy, the producer of the popular Klituation party for women, will join Shellheart for a fiery set of back-to-back twerk anthems, 2000s rap throwbacks and maybe even a line-dancing moment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.queeraunties.com/event/aunties--oak-dayparty\">Queer Aunties\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16, 4–10 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Hella Bees, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Queer Aunties is for the grown and sexy — a safe space for queer Black and brown women in their 30s, 40s and beyond to get down. The traveling party originated in L.A. but has spent the year roving to Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C. before touching back down in Oakland, where it has a devoted following. The Queer Aunties day party at the sunlit, spacious venue Hella Bees features DJ sets by Micahtron, DJ Ignacia and DJ Bill. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992544\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nicki Jizz host Reparations during the Oasis takeover of the Dolores’ stage at Outside Lands on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026. (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.tickettailor.com/events/soulovely/2323644\">Soulovely Prom\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16 3:30–8:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>7th West, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For 15 years, Soulovely’s day parties have provided a thoughtful space that centers Oakland’s Black and brown queer community, with feel-good music on a sunshine-filled patio. Soulovely Prom invites attendees to wear their most futuristic finery. Fela Kutchii, the Oakland Soul Soccer Club’s official DJ, will spin alongside Zuri Alexa and Koma Tee, with drag performances by Mojo Carter, Miss Bea Haven and Bobby. San Francisco drag star Nicki Jizz will host.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbqgdo3TVdW/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Oakland Pride Sunday at Town Bar\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16, 12 p.m.–1 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Town Bar, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Located on the Oakland Pride parade route, swanky cocktail lounge Town Bar will stay open all day and all night, with genre-bending DJ sets by React, John Lau and Rus Slumbeautiful to heat up the dance floor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.quericonightclub.com/\">Pride After Dark \u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16, 5 p.m.–2 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Que Rico Nightclub, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Que Rico is curating Oakland Pride’s Latin stage, and after the festival the bar will host a block party, with drag, DJs and cute gogos — exact lineup to be announced.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San Francisco might go all out for Pride in June, but Oakland keeps the party going. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>San Francisco might go all out for Pride in June, but Oakland keeps the party going. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This year’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandprideofficial.org/\">Oakland Pride\u003c/a> parade and festival takes over downtown Oakland on Aug. 16, with a headlining performance by “1 Thing” hitmaker Amerie on the main stage. Organized by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandlgbtqcenter.org/\">Oakland LGBTQ Community Center\u003c/a>, the festival features a Latin stage, a Mighty Real stage dedicated to dance music and a Sexy Town stage with adult entertainment for the 18+ crowd. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>This year’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandprideofficial.org/\">Oakland Pride\u003c/a> parade and festival takes over downtown Oakland on Aug. 16, with a headlining performance by “1 Thing” hitmaker Amerie on the main stage. Organized by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandlgbtqcenter.org/\">Oakland LGBTQ Community Center\u003c/a>, the festival features a Latin stage, a Mighty Real stage dedicated to dance music and a Sexy Town stage with adult entertainment for the 18+ crowd. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The extensive lineup reflects the many vibrant cultures and identities under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. Performers include Mexican hitmaker Fey; electronic singer-producer Star Amerasu, who’ll perform with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13978071/voguing-ballroom-bayview-opera-house-san-francisco-oakland-to-all\">ballroom\u003c/a> collective Oakland to All; and singer Lady Alma, whose virtuosic vocals elevate house music into the spiritual realm. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The extensive lineup reflects the many vibrant cultures and identities under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. Performers include Mexican hitmaker Fey; electronic singer-producer Star Amerasu, who’ll perform with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13978071/voguing-ballroom-bayview-opera-house-san-francisco-oakland-to-all\">ballroom\u003c/a> collective Oakland to All; and singer Lady Alma, whose virtuosic vocals elevate house music into the spiritual realm. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>True to the Oakland LGBTQ Cultural Center’s mission to help the queer community thrive, Oakland Pride includes activities for youth and elders, plus health and wellness services, including STI testing. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>True to the Oakland LGBTQ Cultural Center’s mission to help the queer community thrive, Oakland Pride includes activities for youth and elders, plus health and wellness services, including STI testing. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As Oakland gears up for its big Pride celebration, the Town’s promoters, DJs and drag artists will be hard at work this weekend, lighting up Oakland’s bars and clubs with top-tier queer entertainment. These are the seven parties you shouldn’t miss. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>As Oakland gears up for its big Pride celebration, the Town’s promoters, DJs and drag artists will be hard at work this weekend, lighting up Oakland’s bars and clubs with top-tier queer entertainment. These are the seven parties you shouldn’t miss. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13989802,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"align": "center",
"imageCredit": "Juliana Yamada for KQED",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13989802\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Luismi Munster poses for a portrait during the Oaklash Block Party in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, May 16, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13989802\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Luismi Munster poses for a portrait during the Oaklash Block Party in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, May 16, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Oaklash Oakland Pride Block Party",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://shotgun.live/en/festivals/oaklash-pride-block-party-2026\">Oaklash Oakland Pride Block Party\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://shotgun.live/en/festivals/oaklash-pride-block-party-2026\">Oaklash Oakland Pride Block Party\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Friday, Aug. 14, 5–10 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Calabash, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Friday, Aug. 14, 5–10 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Calabash, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "fullwidth"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Oaklash is synonymous with drag in Oakland. Its Oakland Pride block party celebrates drag performers of all genders and genres, and encourages artists to bring out their most eye-popping reveals, tallest wigs and most athletic dance moves. Hosted by Luismi Monstruo Rude, a performer whose special-effects makeup lends itself to some truly freaky transformations, Oaklash’s Oakland Pride Block Party will feature numbers from Anna Tuesday, Princess Capri, Rosie Petals, Yayah the Artist and St. Germain. DJs Dalikamata, Zaalimaa, Ka’lonji and Ledao will be behind the decks, pumping club beats through the speakers all evening long. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Oaklash is synonymous with drag in Oakland. Its Oakland Pride block party celebrates drag performers of all genders and genres, and encourages artists to bring out their most eye-popping reveals, tallest wigs and most athletic dance moves. Hosted by Luismi Monstruo Rude, a performer whose special-effects makeup lends itself to some truly freaky transformations, Oaklash’s Oakland Pride Block Party will feature numbers from Anna Tuesday, Princess Capri, Rosie Petals, Yayah the Artist and St. Germain. DJs Dalikamata, Zaalimaa, Ka’lonji and Ledao will be behind the decks, pumping club beats through the speakers all evening long. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Maligrosa",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbhC2D6GPb6/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Maligrosa\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbhC2D6GPb6/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Maligrosa\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Saturday, Aug. 15\u003c/em>, \u003cem>9 p.m.–2 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Tallboy, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Saturday, Aug. 15\u003c/em>, \u003cem>9 p.m.–2 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Tallboy, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Queers who love to sweat it out on the dance floor should look no further than Maligrosa at Oakland martini bar Tallboy. DJs Lobottomy, Estrella and Boyprincess will spin Latincore and uptempo global club beats while go-go dancers Nala and Kisa keep the vibes sexy. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Queers who love to sweat it out on the dance floor should look no further than Maligrosa at Oakland martini bar Tallboy. DJs Lobottomy, Estrella and Boyprincess will spin Latincore and uptempo global club beats while go-go dancers Nala and Kisa keep the vibes sexy. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13980949,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"align": "center",
"imageCredit": "Tâm Vũ/KQED",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13980949\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">DJ Shellheart plays a set for the Golden State Valkyries during a game at Chase Center in San Francisco on Aug. 19, 2025.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13980949\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">DJ Shellheart plays a set for the Golden State Valkyries during a game at Chase Center in San Francisco on Aug. 19, 2025.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Thee Queer Dance Party",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Db8Brscmx4G/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Thee Queer Dance Party\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Db8Brscmx4G/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Thee Queer Dance Party\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Saturday, Aug. 15, 9 p.m.–2 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Golden Ratio, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Saturday, Aug. 15, 9 p.m.–2 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Golden Ratio, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>DJ Shellheart keeps the crowd hyped at Golden State Valkyries games, and during Oakland Pride weekend she’ll be in the mix at Golden Ratio, the bar co-owned by fellow Valkyries DJ Lady Ryan. Keezy, the producer of the popular Klituation party for women, will join Shellheart for a fiery set of back-to-back twerk anthems, 2000s rap throwbacks and maybe even a line-dancing moment.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>DJ Shellheart keeps the crowd hyped at Golden State Valkyries games, and during Oakland Pride weekend she’ll be in the mix at Golden Ratio, the bar co-owned by fellow Valkyries DJ Lady Ryan. Keezy, the producer of the popular Klituation party for women, will join Shellheart for a fiery set of back-to-back twerk anthems, 2000s rap throwbacks and maybe even a line-dancing moment.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Queer Aunties",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.queeraunties.com/event/aunties--oak-dayparty\">Queer Aunties\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.queeraunties.com/event/aunties--oak-dayparty\">Queer Aunties\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16, 4–10 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Hella Bees, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16, 4–10 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Hella Bees, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Queer Aunties is for the grown and sexy — a safe space for queer Black and brown women in their 30s, 40s and beyond to get down. The traveling party originated in L.A. but has spent the year roving to Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C. before touching back down in Oakland, where it has a devoted following. The Queer Aunties day party at the sunlit, spacious venue Hella Bees features DJ sets by Micahtron, DJ Ignacia and DJ Bill. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Queer Aunties is for the grown and sexy — a safe space for queer Black and brown women in their 30s, 40s and beyond to get down. The traveling party originated in L.A. but has spent the year roving to Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C. before touching back down in Oakland, where it has a devoted following. The Queer Aunties day party at the sunlit, spacious venue Hella Bees features DJ sets by Micahtron, DJ Ignacia and DJ Bill. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13992544,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"align": "center",
"imageCredit": "Estefany Gonzalez for KQED",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992544\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nicki Jizz host Reparations during the Oasis takeover of the Dolores’ stage at Outside Lands on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992544\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nicki Jizz host Reparations during the Oasis takeover of the Dolores’ stage at Outside Lands on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Soulovely Prom",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.tickettailor.com/events/soulovely/2323644\">Soulovely Prom\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.tickettailor.com/events/soulovely/2323644\">Soulovely Prom\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16 3:30–8:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>7th West, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16 3:30–8:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>7th West, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For 15 years, Soulovely’s day parties have provided a thoughtful space that centers Oakland’s Black and brown queer community, with feel-good music on a sunshine-filled patio. Soulovely Prom invites attendees to wear their most futuristic finery. Fela Kutchii, the Oakland Soul Soccer Club’s official DJ, will spin alongside Zuri Alexa and Koma Tee, with drag performances by Mojo Carter, Miss Bea Haven and Bobby. San Francisco drag star Nicki Jizz will host.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>For 15 years, Soulovely’s day parties have provided a thoughtful space that centers Oakland’s Black and brown queer community, with feel-good music on a sunshine-filled patio. Soulovely Prom invites attendees to wear their most futuristic finery. Fela Kutchii, the Oakland Soul Soccer Club’s official DJ, will spin alongside Zuri Alexa and Koma Tee, with drag performances by Mojo Carter, Miss Bea Haven and Bobby. San Francisco drag star Nicki Jizz will host.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed-v2/related-articles",
"attrs": {
"postIds": [
"arts_13992579",
"arts_13992671",
"arts_13988572"
],
"label": "More Arts Coverage"
},
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": [],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Oakland Pride Sunday at Town Bar",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbqgdo3TVdW/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Oakland Pride Sunday at Town Bar\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbqgdo3TVdW/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Oakland Pride Sunday at Town Bar\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16, 12 p.m.–1 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Town Bar, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16, 12 p.m.–1 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Town Bar, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Located on the Oakland Pride parade route, swanky cocktail lounge Town Bar will stay open all day and all night, with genre-bending DJ sets by React, John Lau and Rus Slumbeautiful to heat up the dance floor. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Located on the Oakland Pride parade route, swanky cocktail lounge Town Bar will stay open all day and all night, with genre-bending DJ sets by React, John Lau and Rus Slumbeautiful to heat up the dance floor. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Pride After Dark ",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.quericonightclub.com/\">Pride After Dark \u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.quericonightclub.com/\">Pride After Dark \u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16, 5 p.m.–2 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Que Rico Nightclub, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16, 5 p.m.–2 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Que Rico Nightclub, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "floatright"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Que Rico is curating Oakland Pride’s Latin stage, and after the festival the bar will host a block party, with drag, DJs and cute gogos — exact lineup to be announced.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Que Rico is curating Oakland Pride’s Latin stage, and after the festival the bar will host a block party, with drag, DJs and cute gogos — exact lineup to be announced.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "Bars and clubs across the Town will celebrate LGBTQ+ culture and identity Aug. 14–16.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1786581798,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 21,
"wordCount": 855
},
"headData": {
"title": "7 Parties Not to Miss During Oakland Pride Weekend | KQED",
"description": "Bars and clubs across the Town will celebrate LGBTQ+ culture and identity Aug. 14–16.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"socialDescription": "Bars and clubs across the Town will celebrate LGBTQ+ culture and identity Aug. 14–16.",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "7 Parties Not to Miss During Oakland Pride Weekend",
"datePublished": "2026-08-13T08:00:00-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-08-12T17:43:18-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 1,
"slug": "arts",
"name": "Arts"
},
"source": "The Do List",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"sticky": false,
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13992728/7-parties-not-to-miss-during-oakland-pride-weekend",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>San Francisco might go all out for Pride in June, but Oakland keeps the party going. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This year’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandprideofficial.org/\">Oakland Pride\u003c/a> parade and festival takes over downtown Oakland on Aug. 16, with a headlining performance by “1 Thing” hitmaker Amerie on the main stage. Organized by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandlgbtqcenter.org/\">Oakland LGBTQ Community Center\u003c/a>, the festival features a Latin stage, a Mighty Real stage dedicated to dance music and a Sexy Town stage with adult entertainment for the 18+ crowd. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The extensive lineup reflects the many vibrant cultures and identities under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. Performers include Mexican hitmaker Fey; electronic singer-producer Star Amerasu, who’ll perform with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13978071/voguing-ballroom-bayview-opera-house-san-francisco-oakland-to-all\">ballroom\u003c/a> collective Oakland to All; and singer Lady Alma, whose virtuosic vocals elevate house music into the spiritual realm. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>True to the Oakland LGBTQ Cultural Center’s mission to help the queer community thrive, Oakland Pride includes activities for youth and elders, plus health and wellness services, including STI testing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As Oakland gears up for its big Pride celebration, the Town’s promoters, DJs and drag artists will be hard at work this weekend, lighting up Oakland’s bars and clubs with top-tier queer entertainment. These are the seven parties you shouldn’t miss. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13989802\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Luismi Munster poses for a portrait during the Oaklash Block Party in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, May 16, 2026. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://shotgun.live/en/festivals/oaklash-pride-block-party-2026\">Oaklash Oakland Pride Block Party\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Friday, Aug. 14, 5–10 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Calabash, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oaklash is synonymous with drag in Oakland. Its Oakland Pride block party celebrates drag performers of all genders and genres, and encourages artists to bring out their most eye-popping reveals, tallest wigs and most athletic dance moves. Hosted by Luismi Monstruo Rude, a performer whose special-effects makeup lends itself to some truly freaky transformations, Oaklash’s Oakland Pride Block Party will feature numbers from Anna Tuesday, Princess Capri, Rosie Petals, Yayah the Artist and St. Germain. DJs Dalikamata, Zaalimaa, Ka’lonji and Ledao will be behind the decks, pumping club beats through the speakers all evening long. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbhC2D6GPb6/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Maligrosa\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Saturday, Aug. 15\u003c/em>, \u003cem>9 p.m.–2 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Tallboy, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Queers who love to sweat it out on the dance floor should look no further than Maligrosa at Oakland martini bar Tallboy. DJs Lobottomy, Estrella and Boyprincess will spin Latincore and uptempo global club beats while go-go dancers Nala and Kisa keep the vibes sexy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13980949\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">DJ Shellheart plays a set for the Golden State Valkyries during a game at Chase Center in San Francisco on Aug. 19, 2025. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Db8Brscmx4G/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Thee Queer Dance Party\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Saturday, Aug. 15, 9 p.m.–2 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Golden Ratio, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>DJ Shellheart keeps the crowd hyped at Golden State Valkyries games, and during Oakland Pride weekend she’ll be in the mix at Golden Ratio, the bar co-owned by fellow Valkyries DJ Lady Ryan. Keezy, the producer of the popular Klituation party for women, will join Shellheart for a fiery set of back-to-back twerk anthems, 2000s rap throwbacks and maybe even a line-dancing moment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.queeraunties.com/event/aunties--oak-dayparty\">Queer Aunties\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16, 4–10 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Hella Bees, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Queer Aunties is for the grown and sexy — a safe space for queer Black and brown women in their 30s, 40s and beyond to get down. The traveling party originated in L.A. but has spent the year roving to Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C. before touching back down in Oakland, where it has a devoted following. The Queer Aunties day party at the sunlit, spacious venue Hella Bees features DJ sets by Micahtron, DJ Ignacia and DJ Bill. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992544\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nicki Jizz host Reparations during the Oasis takeover of the Dolores’ stage at Outside Lands on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026. (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.tickettailor.com/events/soulovely/2323644\">Soulovely Prom\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16 3:30–8:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>7th West, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For 15 years, Soulovely’s day parties have provided a thoughtful space that centers Oakland’s Black and brown queer community, with feel-good music on a sunshine-filled patio. Soulovely Prom invites attendees to wear their most futuristic finery. Fela Kutchii, the Oakland Soul Soccer Club’s official DJ, will spin alongside Zuri Alexa and Koma Tee, with drag performances by Mojo Carter, Miss Bea Haven and Bobby. San Francisco drag star Nicki Jizz will host.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbqgdo3TVdW/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Oakland Pride Sunday at Town Bar\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16, 12 p.m.–1 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Town Bar, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Located on the Oakland Pride parade route, swanky cocktail lounge Town Bar will stay open all day and all night, with genre-bending DJ sets by React, John Lau and Rus Slumbeautiful to heat up the dance floor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.quericonightclub.com/\">Pride After Dark \u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16, 5 p.m.–2 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Que Rico Nightclub, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Que Rico is curating Oakland Pride’s Latin stage, and after the festival the bar will host a block party, with drag, DJs and cute gogos — exact lineup to be announced.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13992728/7-parties-not-to-miss-during-oakland-pride-weekend",
"authors": [
"11387"
],
"programs": [
"arts_140"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_69",
"arts_22313"
],
"tags": [
"arts_10278",
"arts_22677",
"arts_3226",
"arts_1143"
],
"featImg": "arts_13989794",
"label": "source_arts_13992728"
},
"arts_13992688": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13992688",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13992688",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1786489015000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "automata-sigils-casemore-gallery-review",
"title": "Artists Craft Sacred Objects in a Tech-Driven World",
"publishDate": 1786489015,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Artists Craft Sacred Objects in a Tech-Driven World | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>Sometimes, exhibitions with a curatorial conceit of juxtaposition — AI vs. human, art vs. technology \u003cem>—\u003c/em> can fall flat, not because the artwork itself is bad, but because the juxtaposition trades nuance for shock value. Thankfully, Casemore Gallery’s \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://casemoregallery.com/exhibitions/69-automata-sigils-billie-ocean-kelley-oleary-sonya-rapoport-ariella-robinson/installation_shots/\">Automata Sigils\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, on view through Aug. 29, escapes this trap. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The group show, co-curated by Janie Perez-Radler, presents six women artists who explore contrasts between machines and organic, embodied or sacred material. These works, though provocative, leave room for uncertainty and exploration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The standout piece in the show, \u003cem>Journey\u003c/em> (1976), by Sonya Rapoport, is also the linchpin of the exhibition. Over nearly 15 feet of computer printouts, Rapoport drew crosses and circles (her own opaque language) atop the hard-to-parse computing language. She was at once bothered and intrigued by the specialized language of science, parodying its rigidity while also collaborating with scientists and academics in the creation of her work. This somewhat absurd but generative pushback against convention repeats across the work throughout the show.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000b.jpg\" alt=\"gallery view with mobile, wide framed work on paper and small sculptures on narrow pedestals\" class=\"wp-image-13992693\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000b.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000b-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000b-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000b-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Installation view of ‘Automata Sigils’ with work by (L to R) Carmen Winant, Sonya Rapoport and Kelley O’Leary. (Casemore Gallery)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In one corner of the gallery, a comically large cardboard box, over six feet tall, stands on a crate. Phrases are written on its sides, their meaning lying between practical and incantatory. “Have you spotted your 2 butterfliers?” one marker scrawl says. Another reads, “Heavy.” Get closer and a noise can be heard from the package. This is \u003cem>BUBBLE WRAP ME AND HANDLE WITH CARE\u003c/em> (2026) by Billie Ocean. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Inside the box, a missing back side reveals a blue bubble-wrapped room and a flatscreen, where a video announces that you are commencing a journey into the future. The narrator warns that it’s not so easy to time travel, later asking if you have ever bubble wrapped your heart. Overall, the experience is playful, and yet that playfulness is exactly where the darker, or heavier, bits of Ocean’s work thrive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000.jpg\" alt=\"gallery view with textile work and overly large carboard box\" class=\"wp-image-13992692\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Installation view of ‘Automata Sigils’ at Casemore Gallery with Ariella Robinson’s work at left, Billie Ocean’s ‘BUBBLEWRAP ME AND HANDLE WITH CARE,’ 2026 at right. (Casemore Gallery)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A similar kind of uncertainty and tension exists in Ariella Robinson’s pink-hued textile work \u003cem>Aphorism and Seashell VII (Something)\u003c/em> (2026). Depicting a bouquet of red flowers, the entire work is covered in stitches, like a lavish blanket. Upon closer inspection, some of the stitching resolves into words: a recollection of a moment when a partner was too timid to pee in front of the narrator, even though they had just slept together. Reading the text creates a sense of imbalance — between an explicit, awkward love scene and an inviting, quilt-like textile. Bringing viewers into cozy proximity, Robinson wields power dynamics like another material in her arsenal.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sharing a visual vibrancy with Robinson’s work are Mia Weiner’s handwoven Jacquard tapestries, based on photographs that depict the entangled, bare legs of bodies at ease. Up close, the images lose their form and become abstracted; the weavings distort, withholding clarity the closer we get to them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"2000\" data-id=\"13992704\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/OLeary_2000.jpg\" alt=\"clear pyramid with embedded black fragment of SpaceX debris\" class=\"wp-image-13992704\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/OLeary_2000.jpg 1500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/OLeary_2000-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/OLeary_2000-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/OLeary_2000-1152x1536.jpg 1152w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kelley O’Leary, ‘Starship Sigil II,’ 2025. (Casemore Gallery)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"2000\" data-id=\"13992690\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/CW002_I-am-an-Instrument-in-the-shape-of-woman_2021_72.jpg\" alt=\"mobile of hanging shaped metal with images printed on them\" class=\"wp-image-13992690\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/CW002_I-am-an-Instrument-in-the-shape-of-woman_2021_72.jpg 1500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/CW002_I-am-an-Instrument-in-the-shape-of-woman_2021_72-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/CW002_I-am-an-Instrument-in-the-shape-of-woman_2021_72-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/CW002_I-am-an-Instrument-in-the-shape-of-woman_2021_72-1152x1536.jpg 1152w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Carmen Winant, ‘I Am an Instrument in the Shape of a Woman Trying to Translate Pulsations into Images for the Relief of the Body and the Reconstruction of the Mind,’ 2021. (Casemore Gallery)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, Kelley O’Leary’s resin works are meant to flummox from any distance. Each resin piece contains either ulexite (according to the show press release a “mineral whose optical properties resemble those of fiber-optic transmission”) or fallen bits of a Space X test rocket. Preserved like rare or precious gems, the sculptures resemble objects from some futuristic, techno-romantic world. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The final works in the show, Carmen Winant’s large steel mobiles, look back rather than forward, sourcing images from 1970s instruction manuals. Images replace each other as the mobiles slowly turn, creating a moving archive of crafts made largely by women. Winant’s materials are important here: images that were once as ephemeral as the crafts they were designed to teach are now fixed to steel, giving the practices (and people pictured) permanence.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Today we use technology as a distraction, allowing its allure and usefulness to separate us from our bodily experience. The smartphone, especially, is an isolating kind of tool, however useful it may be. But at Casemore Gallery, until the end of the month, \u003cem>Automata Sigils\u003c/em> offers a reminder that sacred objects and our impermanent bodies still very much exist, even in our tech-driven world.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘\u003ca href=\"https://casemoregallery.com/exhibitions/69-automata-sigils-billie-ocean-kelley-oleary-sonya-rapoport-ariella-robinson/installation_shots/\">Automata Sigils\u003c/a>’ is on view at Casemore Gallery (1275 Minnesota St., San Francisco) through Aug. 29, 2026.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sometimes, exhibitions with a curatorial conceit of juxtaposition — AI vs. human, art vs. technology \u003cem>—\u003c/em> can fall flat, not because the artwork itself is bad, but because the juxtaposition trades nuance for shock value. Thankfully, Casemore Gallery’s \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://casemoregallery.com/exhibitions/69-automata-sigils-billie-ocean-kelley-oleary-sonya-rapoport-ariella-robinson/installation_shots/\">Automata Sigils\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, on view through Aug. 29, escapes this trap. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Sometimes, exhibitions with a curatorial conceit of juxtaposition — AI vs. human, art vs. technology \u003cem>—\u003c/em> can fall flat, not because the artwork itself is bad, but because the juxtaposition trades nuance for shock value. Thankfully, Casemore Gallery’s \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://casemoregallery.com/exhibitions/69-automata-sigils-billie-ocean-kelley-oleary-sonya-rapoport-ariella-robinson/installation_shots/\">Automata Sigils\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, on view through Aug. 29, escapes this trap. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The group show, co-curated by Janie Perez-Radler, presents six women artists who explore contrasts between machines and organic, embodied or sacred material. These works, though provocative, leave room for uncertainty and exploration.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The group show, co-curated by Janie Perez-Radler, presents six women artists who explore contrasts between machines and organic, embodied or sacred material. These works, though provocative, leave room for uncertainty and exploration.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The standout piece in the show, \u003cem>Journey\u003c/em> (1976), by Sonya Rapoport, is also the linchpin of the exhibition. Over nearly 15 feet of computer printouts, Rapoport drew crosses and circles (her own opaque language) atop the hard-to-parse computing language. She was at once bothered and intrigued by the specialized language of science, parodying its rigidity while also collaborating with scientists and academics in the creation of her work. This somewhat absurd but generative pushback against convention repeats across the work throughout the show.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The standout piece in the show, \u003cem>Journey\u003c/em> (1976), by Sonya Rapoport, is also the linchpin of the exhibition. Over nearly 15 feet of computer printouts, Rapoport drew crosses and circles (her own opaque language) atop the hard-to-parse computing language. She was at once bothered and intrigued by the specialized language of science, parodying its rigidity while also collaborating with scientists and academics in the creation of her work. This somewhat absurd but generative pushback against convention repeats across the work throughout the show.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13992693,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Casemore Gallery",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000b.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000b-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000b-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000b-1536x1152.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000b.jpg\" alt=\"gallery view with mobile, wide framed work on paper and small sculptures on narrow pedestals\" class=\"wp-image-13992693\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000b.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000b-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000b-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000b-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Installation view of ‘Automata Sigils’ with work by (L to R) Carmen Winant, Sonya Rapoport and Kelley O’Leary.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000b.jpg\" alt=\"gallery view with mobile, wide framed work on paper and small sculptures on narrow pedestals\" class=\"wp-image-13992693\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Installation view of ‘Automata Sigils’ with work by (L to R) Carmen Winant, Sonya Rapoport and Kelley O’Leary.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In one corner of the gallery, a comically large cardboard box, over six feet tall, stands on a crate. Phrases are written on its sides, their meaning lying between practical and incantatory. “Have you spotted your 2 butterfliers?” one marker scrawl says. Another reads, “Heavy.” Get closer and a noise can be heard from the package. This is \u003cem>BUBBLE WRAP ME AND HANDLE WITH CARE\u003c/em> (2026) by Billie Ocean. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In one corner of the gallery, a comically large cardboard box, over six feet tall, stands on a crate. Phrases are written on its sides, their meaning lying between practical and incantatory. “Have you spotted your 2 butterfliers?” one marker scrawl says. Another reads, “Heavy.” Get closer and a noise can be heard from the package. This is \u003cem>BUBBLE WRAP ME AND HANDLE WITH CARE\u003c/em> (2026) by Billie Ocean. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Inside the box, a missing back side reveals a blue bubble-wrapped room and a flatscreen, where a video announces that you are commencing a journey into the future. The narrator warns that it’s not so easy to time travel, later asking if you have ever bubble wrapped your heart. Overall, the experience is playful, and yet that playfulness is exactly where the darker, or heavier, bits of Ocean’s work thrive. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Inside the box, a missing back side reveals a blue bubble-wrapped room and a flatscreen, where a video announces that you are commencing a journey into the future. The narrator warns that it’s not so easy to time travel, later asking if you have ever bubble wrapped your heart. Overall, the experience is playful, and yet that playfulness is exactly where the darker, or heavier, bits of Ocean’s work thrive. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13992692,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Casemore Gallery",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000-1536x1152.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000.jpg\" alt=\"gallery view with textile work and overly large carboard box\" class=\"wp-image-13992692\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Installation view of ‘Automata Sigils’ at Casemore Gallery with Ariella Robinson’s work at left, Billie Ocean’s ‘BUBBLEWRAP ME AND HANDLE WITH CARE,’ 2026 at right.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000.jpg\" alt=\"gallery view with textile work and overly large carboard box\" class=\"wp-image-13992692\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Installation view of ‘Automata Sigils’ at Casemore Gallery with Ariella Robinson’s work at left, Billie Ocean’s ‘BUBBLEWRAP ME AND HANDLE WITH CARE,’ 2026 at right.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A similar kind of uncertainty and tension exists in Ariella Robinson’s pink-hued textile work \u003cem>Aphorism and Seashell VII (Something)\u003c/em> (2026). Depicting a bouquet of red flowers, the entire work is covered in stitches, like a lavish blanket. Upon closer inspection, some of the stitching resolves into words: a recollection of a moment when a partner was too timid to pee in front of the narrator, even though they had just slept together. Reading the text creates a sense of imbalance — between an explicit, awkward love scene and an inviting, quilt-like textile. Bringing viewers into cozy proximity, Robinson wields power dynamics like another material in her arsenal.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>A similar kind of uncertainty and tension exists in Ariella Robinson’s pink-hued textile work \u003cem>Aphorism and Seashell VII (Something)\u003c/em> (2026). Depicting a bouquet of red flowers, the entire work is covered in stitches, like a lavish blanket. Upon closer inspection, some of the stitching resolves into words: a recollection of a moment when a partner was too timid to pee in front of the narrator, even though they had just slept together. Reading the text creates a sense of imbalance — between an explicit, awkward love scene and an inviting, quilt-like textile. Bringing viewers into cozy proximity, Robinson wields power dynamics like another material in her arsenal.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "fullwidth"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sharing a visual vibrancy with Robinson’s work are Mia Weiner’s handwoven Jacquard tapestries, based on photographs that depict the entangled, bare legs of bodies at ease. Up close, the images lose their form and become abstracted; the weavings distort, withholding clarity the closer we get to them.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Sharing a visual vibrancy with Robinson’s work are Mia Weiner’s handwoven Jacquard tapestries, based on photographs that depict the entangled, bare legs of bodies at ease. Up close, the images lose their form and become abstracted; the weavings distort, withholding clarity the closer we get to them.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/gallery",
"attrs": {
"linkTo": "none",
"layout": {
"type": "flex",
"flexWrap": null
}
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped\">\n\n\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped\">",
null,
"\n\n",
null,
"\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13992704,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/OLeary_2000.jpg\" alt=\"clear pyramid with embedded black fragment of SpaceX debris\" class=\"wp-image-13992704\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kelley O’Leary, ‘Starship Sigil II,’ 2025.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/OLeary_2000.jpg\" alt=\"clear pyramid with embedded black fragment of SpaceX debris\" class=\"wp-image-13992704\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kelley O’Leary, ‘Starship Sigil II,’ 2025.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13992690,
"sizeSlug": "large",
"linkDestination": "none"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/CW002_I-am-an-Instrument-in-the-shape-of-woman_2021_72.jpg\" alt=\"mobile of hanging shaped metal with images printed on them\" class=\"wp-image-13992690\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Carmen Winant, ‘I Am an Instrument in the Shape of a Woman Trying to Translate Pulsations into Images for the Relief of the Body and the Reconstruction of the Mind,’ 2021.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/CW002_I-am-an-Instrument-in-the-shape-of-woman_2021_72.jpg\" alt=\"mobile of hanging shaped metal with images printed on them\" class=\"wp-image-13992690\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Carmen Winant, ‘I Am an Instrument in the Shape of a Woman Trying to Translate Pulsations into Images for the Relief of the Body and the Reconstruction of the Mind,’ 2021.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
]
}
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, Kelley O’Leary’s resin works are meant to flummox from any distance. Each resin piece contains either ulexite (according to the show press release a “mineral whose optical properties resemble those of fiber-optic transmission”) or fallen bits of a Space X test rocket. Preserved like rare or precious gems, the sculptures resemble objects from some futuristic, techno-romantic world. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, Kelley O’Leary’s resin works are meant to flummox from any distance. Each resin piece contains either ulexite (according to the show press release a “mineral whose optical properties resemble those of fiber-optic transmission”) or fallen bits of a Space X test rocket. Preserved like rare or precious gems, the sculptures resemble objects from some futuristic, techno-romantic world. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The final works in the show, Carmen Winant’s large steel mobiles, look back rather than forward, sourcing images from 1970s instruction manuals. Images replace each other as the mobiles slowly turn, creating a moving archive of crafts made largely by women. Winant’s materials are important here: images that were once as ephemeral as the crafts they were designed to teach are now fixed to steel, giving the practices (and people pictured) permanence.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The final works in the show, Carmen Winant’s large steel mobiles, look back rather than forward, sourcing images from 1970s instruction manuals. Images replace each other as the mobiles slowly turn, creating a moving archive of crafts made largely by women. Winant’s materials are important here: images that were once as ephemeral as the crafts they were designed to teach are now fixed to steel, giving the practices (and people pictured) permanence.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Today we use technology as a distraction, allowing its allure and usefulness to separate us from our bodily experience. The smartphone, especially, is an isolating kind of tool, however useful it may be. But at Casemore Gallery, until the end of the month, \u003cem>Automata Sigils\u003c/em> offers a reminder that sacred objects and our impermanent bodies still very much exist, even in our tech-driven world.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Today we use technology as a distraction, allowing its allure and usefulness to separate us from our bodily experience. The smartphone, especially, is an isolating kind of tool, however useful it may be. But at Casemore Gallery, until the end of the month, \u003cem>Automata Sigils\u003c/em> offers a reminder that sacred objects and our impermanent bodies still very much exist, even in our tech-driven world.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/separator",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "floatright"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘\u003ca href=\"https://casemoregallery.com/exhibitions/69-automata-sigils-billie-ocean-kelley-oleary-sonya-rapoport-ariella-robinson/installation_shots/\">Automata Sigils\u003c/a>’ is on view at Casemore Gallery (1275 Minnesota St., San Francisco) through Aug. 29, 2026.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘\u003ca href=\"https://casemoregallery.com/exhibitions/69-automata-sigils-billie-ocean-kelley-oleary-sonya-rapoport-ariella-robinson/installation_shots/\">Automata Sigils\u003c/a>’ is on view at Casemore Gallery (1275 Minnesota St., San Francisco) through Aug. 29, 2026.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "‘Automata Sigils’ at Casemore Gallery presents six artists who push back against an isolating future.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1786489026,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 13,
"wordCount": 816
},
"headData": {
"title": "‘Automata Sigils’ at Casemore: Sacred Objects Amid Technology | KQED",
"description": "‘Automata Sigils’ at Casemore Gallery presents six artists who push back against an isolating future.",
"ogTitle": "Artists Craft Sacred Objects in a Tech-Driven World",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "Artists Craft Sacred Objects in a Tech-Driven World",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"socialTitle": "‘Automata Sigils’ at Casemore: Sacred Objects Amid Technology %%page%% %%sep%% KQED",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Artists Craft Sacred Objects in a Tech-Driven World",
"datePublished": "2026-08-11T15:56:55-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-08-11T15:57:06-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 1,
"slug": "arts",
"name": "Arts"
},
"source": "The Do List",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Cole Hersey",
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13992688",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13992688/automata-sigils-casemore-gallery-review",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Sometimes, exhibitions with a curatorial conceit of juxtaposition — AI vs. human, art vs. technology \u003cem>—\u003c/em> can fall flat, not because the artwork itself is bad, but because the juxtaposition trades nuance for shock value. Thankfully, Casemore Gallery’s \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://casemoregallery.com/exhibitions/69-automata-sigils-billie-ocean-kelley-oleary-sonya-rapoport-ariella-robinson/installation_shots/\">Automata Sigils\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, on view through Aug. 29, escapes this trap. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The group show, co-curated by Janie Perez-Radler, presents six women artists who explore contrasts between machines and organic, embodied or sacred material. These works, though provocative, leave room for uncertainty and exploration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The standout piece in the show, \u003cem>Journey\u003c/em> (1976), by Sonya Rapoport, is also the linchpin of the exhibition. Over nearly 15 feet of computer printouts, Rapoport drew crosses and circles (her own opaque language) atop the hard-to-parse computing language. She was at once bothered and intrigued by the specialized language of science, parodying its rigidity while also collaborating with scientists and academics in the creation of her work. This somewhat absurd but generative pushback against convention repeats across the work throughout the show.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000b.jpg\" alt=\"gallery view with mobile, wide framed work on paper and small sculptures on narrow pedestals\" class=\"wp-image-13992693\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000b.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000b-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000b-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000b-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Installation view of ‘Automata Sigils’ with work by (L to R) Carmen Winant, Sonya Rapoport and Kelley O’Leary. (Casemore Gallery)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In one corner of the gallery, a comically large cardboard box, over six feet tall, stands on a crate. Phrases are written on its sides, their meaning lying between practical and incantatory. “Have you spotted your 2 butterfliers?” one marker scrawl says. Another reads, “Heavy.” Get closer and a noise can be heard from the package. This is \u003cem>BUBBLE WRAP ME AND HANDLE WITH CARE\u003c/em> (2026) by Billie Ocean. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Inside the box, a missing back side reveals a blue bubble-wrapped room and a flatscreen, where a video announces that you are commencing a journey into the future. The narrator warns that it’s not so easy to time travel, later asking if you have ever bubble wrapped your heart. Overall, the experience is playful, and yet that playfulness is exactly where the darker, or heavier, bits of Ocean’s work thrive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000.jpg\" alt=\"gallery view with textile work and overly large carboard box\" class=\"wp-image-13992692\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/AutomataS_2000-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Installation view of ‘Automata Sigils’ at Casemore Gallery with Ariella Robinson’s work at left, Billie Ocean’s ‘BUBBLEWRAP ME AND HANDLE WITH CARE,’ 2026 at right. (Casemore Gallery)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A similar kind of uncertainty and tension exists in Ariella Robinson’s pink-hued textile work \u003cem>Aphorism and Seashell VII (Something)\u003c/em> (2026). Depicting a bouquet of red flowers, the entire work is covered in stitches, like a lavish blanket. Upon closer inspection, some of the stitching resolves into words: a recollection of a moment when a partner was too timid to pee in front of the narrator, even though they had just slept together. Reading the text creates a sense of imbalance — between an explicit, awkward love scene and an inviting, quilt-like textile. Bringing viewers into cozy proximity, Robinson wields power dynamics like another material in her arsenal.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sharing a visual vibrancy with Robinson’s work are Mia Weiner’s handwoven Jacquard tapestries, based on photographs that depict the entangled, bare legs of bodies at ease. Up close, the images lose their form and become abstracted; the weavings distort, withholding clarity the closer we get to them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"2000\" data-id=\"13992704\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/OLeary_2000.jpg\" alt=\"clear pyramid with embedded black fragment of SpaceX debris\" class=\"wp-image-13992704\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/OLeary_2000.jpg 1500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/OLeary_2000-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/OLeary_2000-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/OLeary_2000-1152x1536.jpg 1152w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kelley O’Leary, ‘Starship Sigil II,’ 2025. (Casemore Gallery)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"2000\" data-id=\"13992690\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/CW002_I-am-an-Instrument-in-the-shape-of-woman_2021_72.jpg\" alt=\"mobile of hanging shaped metal with images printed on them\" class=\"wp-image-13992690\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/CW002_I-am-an-Instrument-in-the-shape-of-woman_2021_72.jpg 1500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/CW002_I-am-an-Instrument-in-the-shape-of-woman_2021_72-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/CW002_I-am-an-Instrument-in-the-shape-of-woman_2021_72-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/CW002_I-am-an-Instrument-in-the-shape-of-woman_2021_72-1152x1536.jpg 1152w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Carmen Winant, ‘I Am an Instrument in the Shape of a Woman Trying to Translate Pulsations into Images for the Relief of the Body and the Reconstruction of the Mind,’ 2021. (Casemore Gallery)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, Kelley O’Leary’s resin works are meant to flummox from any distance. Each resin piece contains either ulexite (according to the show press release a “mineral whose optical properties resemble those of fiber-optic transmission”) or fallen bits of a Space X test rocket. Preserved like rare or precious gems, the sculptures resemble objects from some futuristic, techno-romantic world. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The final works in the show, Carmen Winant’s large steel mobiles, look back rather than forward, sourcing images from 1970s instruction manuals. Images replace each other as the mobiles slowly turn, creating a moving archive of crafts made largely by women. Winant’s materials are important here: images that were once as ephemeral as the crafts they were designed to teach are now fixed to steel, giving the practices (and people pictured) permanence.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Today we use technology as a distraction, allowing its allure and usefulness to separate us from our bodily experience. The smartphone, especially, is an isolating kind of tool, however useful it may be. But at Casemore Gallery, until the end of the month, \u003cem>Automata Sigils\u003c/em> offers a reminder that sacred objects and our impermanent bodies still very much exist, even in our tech-driven world.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘\u003ca href=\"https://casemoregallery.com/exhibitions/69-automata-sigils-billie-ocean-kelley-oleary-sonya-rapoport-ariella-robinson/installation_shots/\">Automata Sigils\u003c/a>’ is on view at Casemore Gallery (1275 Minnesota St., San Francisco) through Aug. 29, 2026.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13992688/automata-sigils-casemore-gallery-review",
"authors": [
"byline_arts_13992688"
],
"programs": [
"arts_140"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_22313",
"arts_70"
],
"tags": [
"arts_10278",
"arts_22219",
"arts_769",
"arts_1146",
"arts_585"
],
"featImg": "arts_13992691",
"label": "source_arts_13992688"
},
"arts_13992438": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13992438",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13992438",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1786050000000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "one-night-only-movie-review-callum-turner-monica-barbaro",
"title": "‘One Night Only’ Is a Tease, But Its Stars Score",
"publishDate": 1786050000,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "‘One Night Only’ Is a Tease, But Its Stars Score | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>The Purge\u003c/em> for sex is the best way to describe the premise of \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> unless you prefer Shirley Jackson’s \u003cem>The Lottery\u003c/em> for one-night stands.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the movie announces right away: The U.S. government has passed a mandate that premarital sex is illegal except for one night a year. For the past three years, sex out of wedlock has been off limits except for an annual 12-hour reprieve. “It’s been a lot,” reads the opening title cards.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Such a concept, naturally, spawns a lot of questions. How could such a policy be policed? Where, exactly, are the lines drawn? And why hasn’t everyone moved to Canada?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvKoSR3O4NQ\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em>, directed by Will Gluck (\u003cem>Easy A\u003c/em>, \u003cem>Anyone But You\u003c/em>), is less interested in extrapolating the potentially very bizarre ramifications of its dystopian concept than it is selling a surprisingly tame romantic tale. \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> may be dressed up as a raunchy sex comedy, but it’s a rom-com at heart, and a chaste one at that.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That makes \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> a disappointingly denuded comedy without the gumption to interrogate its satirical gimmick. And yet its charming leads, Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner, do enough to keep \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> pleasantly watchable.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The health of the rom-com is perpetually debated, but one of the genre’s most abiding benefits is in giving young stars an uncluttered big-screen stage to shine on. Turner, the Bond-rumored British actor, has already appeared in one (also monogamy-friendly) rom-com in last year’s \u003cem>Eternity\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/f07f72ce-e46c-400a-8fb1-b31d3151532d-2000x1333.png\" alt=\"A man holds a large pizza box on the sidewalk.\" class=\"wp-image-13992481\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/f07f72ce-e46c-400a-8fb1-b31d3151532d-2000x1333.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/f07f72ce-e46c-400a-8fb1-b31d3151532d-160x107.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/f07f72ce-e46c-400a-8fb1-b31d3151532d-768x512.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/f07f72ce-e46c-400a-8fb1-b31d3151532d-1536x1024.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/f07f72ce-e46c-400a-8fb1-b31d3151532d-2048x1365.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Callum Turner in ‘One Night Only.’ (Universal Pictures)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> is an especially welcome showcase for Barbaro, who has thus far stood out largely in male-dominated ensembles (\u003cem>Top Gun: Maverick\u003c/em>, \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13969721/a-complete-unknown-movie-review-timothee-chalamet\">A Complete Unknown\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13986802/crime-101-movie-review-mark-ruffalo-chris-hemsworth-heist-thriller\">Crime 101\u003c/a>\u003c/em>). So, while \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> is unlikely to be a standout in her filmography, it’s the one that most proves her lead-actor incandescence.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of the biggest stretches in a movie full of them is that these two — neither of whom are exactly hard on the eyes — are among the only ones striking out on a night dedicated to scoring. Owen (Turner), who runs a Manhattan pizzeria, has his engagement plans thwarted when his longtime girlfriend (Maya Hawke) says she plans to sleep with someone else. Allie (Barbaro), meanwhile, is a single singer (she gets paid to belt out pharmaceutical jingles) who has to be coaxed by her friends into even going out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both are romantics on a night for flings. After bumping into each other and meeting on the street, they spend the night traversing New York, separately but often together, through nightclub escapades and condom shortages.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/8a404eeb-5865-4c76-a6ed-759732bf49a4-2000x1334.png\" alt=\"A woman in a sparkly dress pictured in green neon lights.\" class=\"wp-image-13992482\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/8a404eeb-5865-4c76-a6ed-759732bf49a4-2000x1334.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/8a404eeb-5865-4c76-a6ed-759732bf49a4-160x107.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/8a404eeb-5865-4c76-a6ed-759732bf49a4-768x512.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/8a404eeb-5865-4c76-a6ed-759732bf49a4-1536x1024.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/8a404eeb-5865-4c76-a6ed-759732bf49a4-2048x1366.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Monica Barbaro in ‘One Night Only.’ (Universal Pictures)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In Travis Braun’s high-concept script, the cleverest parody isn’t of conservative political intervention in private sex lives. It’s of a swipe-right sex culture, where old-fashioned romance is hard to find. But \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> — populated in product placement ads from Durex to K-Y — has little about it that suggests something particularly sincere.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> constantly feels like it’s narrowing its many possibilities. Early on, one character notes the night belongs to the straights because gay people long ago learned to circumvent repressive restrictions. Instead of widening its satire into contemporary sex life, Gluck’s film turns throwback, even leading to a climax atop a New York landmark.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> isn’t bawdy or trenchant enough for its concept or quite sweet enough for its romance. It’s more successful as a meta comedy about a pair of charismatic Hollywood stars reckoning with their onscreen sex appeal. Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell and Pete Davidson all make a kind of cameo. And on that score, neither Barbaro nor Turner have much to worry about.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hopefully, though, there are more \u003cem>Purge\u003c/em> riffs to come. One night only for … backgammon? Just imagine the chaos.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘One Night Only’ is released nationwide on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Purge\u003c/em> for sex is the best way to describe the premise of \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> unless you prefer Shirley Jackson’s \u003cem>The Lottery\u003c/em> for one-night stands.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Purge\u003c/em> for sex is the best way to describe the premise of \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> unless you prefer Shirley Jackson’s \u003cem>The Lottery\u003c/em> for one-night stands.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As the movie announces right away: The U.S. government has passed a mandate that premarital sex is illegal except for one night a year. For the past three years, sex out of wedlock has been off limits except for an annual 12-hour reprieve. “It’s been a lot,” reads the opening title cards.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>As the movie announces right away: The U.S. government has passed a mandate that premarital sex is illegal except for one night a year. For the past three years, sex out of wedlock has been off limits except for an annual 12-hour reprieve. “It’s been a lot,” reads the opening title cards.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Such a concept, naturally, spawns a lot of questions. How could such a policy be policed? Where, exactly, are the lines drawn? And why hasn’t everyone moved to Canada?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Such a concept, naturally, spawns a lot of questions. How could such a policy be policed? Where, exactly, are the lines drawn? And why hasn’t everyone moved to Canada?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/embed",
"attrs": {
"url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvKoSR3O4NQ",
"type": "video",
"providerNameSlug": "youtube",
"responsive": true,
"className": "wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvKoSR3O4NQ\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvKoSR3O4NQ\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em>, directed by Will Gluck (\u003cem>Easy A\u003c/em>, \u003cem>Anyone But You\u003c/em>), is less interested in extrapolating the potentially very bizarre ramifications of its dystopian concept than it is selling a surprisingly tame romantic tale. \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> may be dressed up as a raunchy sex comedy, but it’s a rom-com at heart, and a chaste one at that.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em>, directed by Will Gluck (\u003cem>Easy A\u003c/em>, \u003cem>Anyone But You\u003c/em>), is less interested in extrapolating the potentially very bizarre ramifications of its dystopian concept than it is selling a surprisingly tame romantic tale. \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> may be dressed up as a raunchy sex comedy, but it’s a rom-com at heart, and a chaste one at that.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That makes \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> a disappointingly denuded comedy without the gumption to interrogate its satirical gimmick. And yet its charming leads, Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner, do enough to keep \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> pleasantly watchable.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>That makes \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> a disappointingly denuded comedy without the gumption to interrogate its satirical gimmick. And yet its charming leads, Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner, do enough to keep \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> pleasantly watchable.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "fullwidth"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The health of the rom-com is perpetually debated, but one of the genre’s most abiding benefits is in giving young stars an uncluttered big-screen stage to shine on. Turner, the Bond-rumored British actor, has already appeared in one (also monogamy-friendly) rom-com in last year’s \u003cem>Eternity\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The health of the rom-com is perpetually debated, but one of the genre’s most abiding benefits is in giving young stars an uncluttered big-screen stage to shine on. Turner, the Bond-rumored British actor, has already appeared in one (also monogamy-friendly) rom-com in last year’s \u003cem>Eternity\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13992481,
"sizeSlug": "large",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Universal Pictures",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/f07f72ce-e46c-400a-8fb1-b31d3151532d-2000x1333.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/f07f72ce-e46c-400a-8fb1-b31d3151532d-160x107.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/f07f72ce-e46c-400a-8fb1-b31d3151532d-768x512.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/f07f72ce-e46c-400a-8fb1-b31d3151532d-1536x1024.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/f07f72ce-e46c-400a-8fb1-b31d3151532d-2048x1365.png 2048w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/f07f72ce-e46c-400a-8fb1-b31d3151532d-2000x1333.png\" alt=\"A man holds a large pizza box on the sidewalk.\" class=\"wp-image-13992481\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/f07f72ce-e46c-400a-8fb1-b31d3151532d-2000x1333.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/f07f72ce-e46c-400a-8fb1-b31d3151532d-160x107.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/f07f72ce-e46c-400a-8fb1-b31d3151532d-768x512.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/f07f72ce-e46c-400a-8fb1-b31d3151532d-1536x1024.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/f07f72ce-e46c-400a-8fb1-b31d3151532d-2048x1365.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Callum Turner in ‘One Night Only.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/f07f72ce-e46c-400a-8fb1-b31d3151532d-2000x1333.png\" alt=\"A man holds a large pizza box on the sidewalk.\" class=\"wp-image-13992481\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Callum Turner in ‘One Night Only.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> is an especially welcome showcase for Barbaro, who has thus far stood out largely in male-dominated ensembles (\u003cem>Top Gun: Maverick\u003c/em>, \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13969721/a-complete-unknown-movie-review-timothee-chalamet\">A Complete Unknown\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13986802/crime-101-movie-review-mark-ruffalo-chris-hemsworth-heist-thriller\">Crime 101\u003c/a>\u003c/em>). So, while \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> is unlikely to be a standout in her filmography, it’s the one that most proves her lead-actor incandescence.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> is an especially welcome showcase for Barbaro, who has thus far stood out largely in male-dominated ensembles (\u003cem>Top Gun: Maverick\u003c/em>, \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13969721/a-complete-unknown-movie-review-timothee-chalamet\">A Complete Unknown\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13986802/crime-101-movie-review-mark-ruffalo-chris-hemsworth-heist-thriller\">Crime 101\u003c/a>\u003c/em>). So, while \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> is unlikely to be a standout in her filmography, it’s the one that most proves her lead-actor incandescence.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One of the biggest stretches in a movie full of them is that these two — neither of whom are exactly hard on the eyes — are among the only ones striking out on a night dedicated to scoring. Owen (Turner), who runs a Manhattan pizzeria, has his engagement plans thwarted when his longtime girlfriend (Maya Hawke) says she plans to sleep with someone else. Allie (Barbaro), meanwhile, is a single singer (she gets paid to belt out pharmaceutical jingles) who has to be coaxed by her friends into even going out.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>One of the biggest stretches in a movie full of them is that these two — neither of whom are exactly hard on the eyes — are among the only ones striking out on a night dedicated to scoring. Owen (Turner), who runs a Manhattan pizzeria, has his engagement plans thwarted when his longtime girlfriend (Maya Hawke) says she plans to sleep with someone else. Allie (Barbaro), meanwhile, is a single singer (she gets paid to belt out pharmaceutical jingles) who has to be coaxed by her friends into even going out.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Both are romantics on a night for flings. After bumping into each other and meeting on the street, they spend the night traversing New York, separately but often together, through nightclub escapades and condom shortages.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Both are romantics on a night for flings. After bumping into each other and meeting on the street, they spend the night traversing New York, separately but often together, through nightclub escapades and condom shortages.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13992482,
"sizeSlug": "large",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Universal Pictures",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/8a404eeb-5865-4c76-a6ed-759732bf49a4-2000x1334.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/8a404eeb-5865-4c76-a6ed-759732bf49a4-160x107.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/8a404eeb-5865-4c76-a6ed-759732bf49a4-768x512.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/8a404eeb-5865-4c76-a6ed-759732bf49a4-1536x1024.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/8a404eeb-5865-4c76-a6ed-759732bf49a4-2048x1366.png 2048w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/8a404eeb-5865-4c76-a6ed-759732bf49a4-2000x1334.png\" alt=\"A woman in a sparkly dress pictured in green neon lights.\" class=\"wp-image-13992482\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/8a404eeb-5865-4c76-a6ed-759732bf49a4-2000x1334.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/8a404eeb-5865-4c76-a6ed-759732bf49a4-160x107.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/8a404eeb-5865-4c76-a6ed-759732bf49a4-768x512.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/8a404eeb-5865-4c76-a6ed-759732bf49a4-1536x1024.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/8a404eeb-5865-4c76-a6ed-759732bf49a4-2048x1366.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Monica Barbaro in ‘One Night Only.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/8a404eeb-5865-4c76-a6ed-759732bf49a4-2000x1334.png\" alt=\"A woman in a sparkly dress pictured in green neon lights.\" class=\"wp-image-13992482\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Monica Barbaro in ‘One Night Only.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In Travis Braun’s high-concept script, the cleverest parody isn’t of conservative political intervention in private sex lives. It’s of a swipe-right sex culture, where old-fashioned romance is hard to find. But \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> — populated in product placement ads from Durex to K-Y — has little about it that suggests something particularly sincere.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In Travis Braun’s high-concept script, the cleverest parody isn’t of conservative political intervention in private sex lives. It’s of a swipe-right sex culture, where old-fashioned romance is hard to find. But \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> — populated in product placement ads from Durex to K-Y — has little about it that suggests something particularly sincere.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed-v2/related-articles",
"attrs": {
"postIds": [
"arts_13989211"
],
"labelWasCleared": true
},
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": [],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Instead, \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> constantly feels like it’s narrowing its many possibilities. Early on, one character notes the night belongs to the straights because gay people long ago learned to circumvent repressive restrictions. Instead of widening its satire into contemporary sex life, Gluck’s film turns throwback, even leading to a climax atop a New York landmark.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Instead, \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> constantly feels like it’s narrowing its many possibilities. Early on, one character notes the night belongs to the straights because gay people long ago learned to circumvent repressive restrictions. Instead of widening its satire into contemporary sex life, Gluck’s film turns throwback, even leading to a climax atop a New York landmark.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>So \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> isn’t bawdy or trenchant enough for its concept or quite sweet enough for its romance. It’s more successful as a meta comedy about a pair of charismatic Hollywood stars reckoning with their onscreen sex appeal. Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell and Pete Davidson all make a kind of cameo. And on that score, neither Barbaro nor Turner have much to worry about.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>So \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> isn’t bawdy or trenchant enough for its concept or quite sweet enough for its romance. It’s more successful as a meta comedy about a pair of charismatic Hollywood stars reckoning with their onscreen sex appeal. Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell and Pete Davidson all make a kind of cameo. And on that score, neither Barbaro nor Turner have much to worry about.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Hopefully, though, there are more \u003cem>Purge\u003c/em> riffs to come. One night only for … backgammon? Just imagine the chaos.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Hopefully, though, there are more \u003cem>Purge\u003c/em> riffs to come. One night only for … backgammon? Just imagine the chaos.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/separator",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "floatright"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘One Night Only’ is released nationwide on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘One Night Only’ is released nationwide on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner co-lead a new rom-com that can only be described as ‘The Purge’ for sex.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1786050289,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 16,
"wordCount": 708
},
"headData": {
"title": "‘One Night Only’ Review: The Movie Teases, Its Stars Score | KQED",
"description": "Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner star — and score — in a new rom-com that can only be described as ‘The Purge’ for sex.",
"ogTitle": "‘One Night Only’ Is a Tease, But Its Stars Score",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "‘One Night Only’ Is a Tease, But Its Stars Score",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"socialTitle": "‘One Night Only’ Review: The Movie Teases, Its Stars Score %%page%% %%sep%% KQED",
"socialDescription": "Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner star — and score — in a new rom-com that can only be described as ‘The Purge’ for sex.",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "‘One Night Only’ Is a Tease, But Its Stars Score",
"datePublished": "2026-08-06T14:00:00-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-08-06T14:04:49-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 74,
"slug": "movies",
"name": "Movies"
},
"source": "The Do List",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Jake Coyle, Associated Press",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13992438/one-night-only-movie-review-callum-turner-monica-barbaro",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>The Purge\u003c/em> for sex is the best way to describe the premise of \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> unless you prefer Shirley Jackson’s \u003cem>The Lottery\u003c/em> for one-night stands.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the movie announces right away: The U.S. government has passed a mandate that premarital sex is illegal except for one night a year. For the past three years, sex out of wedlock has been off limits except for an annual 12-hour reprieve. “It’s been a lot,” reads the opening title cards.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Such a concept, naturally, spawns a lot of questions. How could such a policy be policed? Where, exactly, are the lines drawn? And why hasn’t everyone moved to Canada?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/AvKoSR3O4NQ'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/AvKoSR3O4NQ'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em>, directed by Will Gluck (\u003cem>Easy A\u003c/em>, \u003cem>Anyone But You\u003c/em>), is less interested in extrapolating the potentially very bizarre ramifications of its dystopian concept than it is selling a surprisingly tame romantic tale. \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> may be dressed up as a raunchy sex comedy, but it’s a rom-com at heart, and a chaste one at that.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That makes \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> a disappointingly denuded comedy without the gumption to interrogate its satirical gimmick. And yet its charming leads, Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner, do enough to keep \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> pleasantly watchable.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The health of the rom-com is perpetually debated, but one of the genre’s most abiding benefits is in giving young stars an uncluttered big-screen stage to shine on. Turner, the Bond-rumored British actor, has already appeared in one (also monogamy-friendly) rom-com in last year’s \u003cem>Eternity\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/f07f72ce-e46c-400a-8fb1-b31d3151532d-2000x1333.png\" alt=\"A man holds a large pizza box on the sidewalk.\" class=\"wp-image-13992481\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/f07f72ce-e46c-400a-8fb1-b31d3151532d-2000x1333.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/f07f72ce-e46c-400a-8fb1-b31d3151532d-160x107.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/f07f72ce-e46c-400a-8fb1-b31d3151532d-768x512.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/f07f72ce-e46c-400a-8fb1-b31d3151532d-1536x1024.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/f07f72ce-e46c-400a-8fb1-b31d3151532d-2048x1365.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Callum Turner in ‘One Night Only.’ (Universal Pictures)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> is an especially welcome showcase for Barbaro, who has thus far stood out largely in male-dominated ensembles (\u003cem>Top Gun: Maverick\u003c/em>, \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13969721/a-complete-unknown-movie-review-timothee-chalamet\">A Complete Unknown\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13986802/crime-101-movie-review-mark-ruffalo-chris-hemsworth-heist-thriller\">Crime 101\u003c/a>\u003c/em>). So, while \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> is unlikely to be a standout in her filmography, it’s the one that most proves her lead-actor incandescence.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of the biggest stretches in a movie full of them is that these two — neither of whom are exactly hard on the eyes — are among the only ones striking out on a night dedicated to scoring. Owen (Turner), who runs a Manhattan pizzeria, has his engagement plans thwarted when his longtime girlfriend (Maya Hawke) says she plans to sleep with someone else. Allie (Barbaro), meanwhile, is a single singer (she gets paid to belt out pharmaceutical jingles) who has to be coaxed by her friends into even going out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both are romantics on a night for flings. After bumping into each other and meeting on the street, they spend the night traversing New York, separately but often together, through nightclub escapades and condom shortages.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/8a404eeb-5865-4c76-a6ed-759732bf49a4-2000x1334.png\" alt=\"A woman in a sparkly dress pictured in green neon lights.\" class=\"wp-image-13992482\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/8a404eeb-5865-4c76-a6ed-759732bf49a4-2000x1334.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/8a404eeb-5865-4c76-a6ed-759732bf49a4-160x107.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/8a404eeb-5865-4c76-a6ed-759732bf49a4-768x512.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/8a404eeb-5865-4c76-a6ed-759732bf49a4-1536x1024.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/8a404eeb-5865-4c76-a6ed-759732bf49a4-2048x1366.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Monica Barbaro in ‘One Night Only.’ (Universal Pictures)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In Travis Braun’s high-concept script, the cleverest parody isn’t of conservative political intervention in private sex lives. It’s of a swipe-right sex culture, where old-fashioned romance is hard to find. But \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> — populated in product placement ads from Durex to K-Y — has little about it that suggests something particularly sincere.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> constantly feels like it’s narrowing its many possibilities. Early on, one character notes the night belongs to the straights because gay people long ago learned to circumvent repressive restrictions. Instead of widening its satire into contemporary sex life, Gluck’s film turns throwback, even leading to a climax atop a New York landmark.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So \u003cem>One Night Only\u003c/em> isn’t bawdy or trenchant enough for its concept or quite sweet enough for its romance. It’s more successful as a meta comedy about a pair of charismatic Hollywood stars reckoning with their onscreen sex appeal. Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell and Pete Davidson all make a kind of cameo. And on that score, neither Barbaro nor Turner have much to worry about.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hopefully, though, there are more \u003cem>Purge\u003c/em> riffs to come. One night only for … backgammon? Just imagine the chaos.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘One Night Only’ is released nationwide on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13992438/one-night-only-movie-review-callum-turner-monica-barbaro",
"authors": [
"byline_arts_13992438"
],
"programs": [
"arts_140"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_74",
"arts_22313"
],
"tags": [
"arts_977",
"arts_22631",
"arts_3930",
"arts_585"
],
"featImg": "arts_13992476",
"label": "source_arts_13992438"
},
"arts_13992422": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13992422",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13992422",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1786042207000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "youth-boxing-coach-g-vertical-skillz-outreach-east-oakland-san-antonio-park",
"title": "A Big Youth Boxing Event Is Coming to East Oakland",
"publishDate": 1786042207,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "A Big Youth Boxing Event Is Coming to East Oakland | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>On Saturday afternoon, Aug. 8, more than 40 young fighters will meet a boxing ring in East Oakland’s San Antonio Park, taking turns throwing jabs and ducking hooks as they participate in the inaugural \u003ca href=\"https://luma.com/ne0hegvn?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn6QdsT63_bN0NoumtDEZu27mprGnD8olQ-r0zgdF5c2omXfDNKAM6Q_fREP0_aem_yFVzKsXvz2yfLyE8VGQ0HA&utm_content=link_in_bio&utm_id=97760_v0_s00_e0_tv3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ig\">Fights & Function Fundraiser\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Each fight is scheduled to go three rounds and will count toward the competitors’ official amateur boxing record; the winner of each bout will receive a replica World Boxing Association belt.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The OG, old-school coach in me believes that you don’t get belts until a tournament or a world title as a pro,” says \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/dalialapantera/\">Dalia “La Pantera” Gomez\u003c/a> (also known as Coach G), founder of \u003ca href=\"https://www.verticalskillz.org/\">Vertical Skillz Outreach\u003c/a>, the organization behind the event.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“But the fact is,” she tells me during a recent call, “kids love belts, you know?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f.jpg\" alt=\"A photo of three boxing championship belts.\" class=\"wp-image-13992452\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Title belts will be awarded to the winner of each bout at the ‘Fights & Function’ event this Saturday at San Antonio Park in East Oakland. (Courtesy of Dalia 'La Pantera' Gomez)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And that’s the motivation behind this weekend’s event, as well as Coach G’s daily boxing training programs: making sure her fighters, specifically the younger ones, are happy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re just trying to make these kids feel regal,” Coach G says, “because that’s what they are —warriors, kings and queens of this earth, let alone Oakland.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The title belts, adorned with the names of local sponsors and decorated with imitation gem stones, are also a bit of a tribute to Coach G’s family roots.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The belt’s “rubies” are an homage to her late grandmother. “She loved the color red, specifically red roses,” she says. With her grandmother’s love for flowers in mind, Coach G reflects on what Vertical Skillz Outreach has created at the park. “Here we are,” she says, pulling from Tupac’s classic poem about defying the odds, “trying to be that rose that grows through concrete.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905.jpg\" alt=\"A large group of boxers pose for a photo at a boxing ring in East Oakland.\" class=\"wp-image-13992453\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fighters flex their muscles at a recent Vertical Skillz Outreach boxing class at San Antonio Park in East Oakland. (Pendarvis Harshaw)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Coach G has pulled weeds from the park’s cracked pavement and twisted her ankle on the uneven grounds; it’s all a part of the sweat equity that has gone into the park since 2020. Back then, she says, “Nobody said anything when I was doing it on the on the playground, that’s because there was a gigantic homeless encampment on the playground.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She worked with occupants of the encampment, and got folks to make room for her to hang punching bags from the jungle gym. But once the space was cleared Coach G realized more kids were playing on the structure. “I felt like I was in the way,” she reflects, “because I’m hanging the bags on the monkey bars and all of the kids would \u003cem>monkey\u003c/em> around it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Realizing “more kids in the park is always great,” she moved her boxing training program to the tennis courts. But with that expansion, and the later construction of a full boxing ring, came more eyes. Coach G met with \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2021/01/07/a-youth-fitness-camp-pops-up-in-an-east-oakland-park/\">former council member Nikki Fortunada Bass\u003c/a>, who was transparent: she couldn’t give Coach G official permission to use the park, but they wouldn’t stop her either. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Oakland had so many things going on, they just had to kind of turn a blind eye,” Coach G explains.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With a background in childhood development and a job as an OUSD teacher, Coach G’s résumé eased the process. “They didn’t feel that it was a threat,” she says, “especially because none of my kids would get any trouble.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992451\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘When we had no lights, we still would train,’ says Dalia ‘La Pantera’ Gomez, founder of Vertical Skillz Outreach. (Courtesy of Dalia 'La Pantera' Gomez)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Originally from Oxnard (which, because of the amount of fighters who’ve come from there, is also referred to as “\u003ca href=\"https://www.boxinginsider.com/headlines/best-boxers-from-oxnard/\">Boxnard\u003c/a>“), Coach G was a college hooper before finding her way to the ring. A Golden Gloves Champion in 2015, she turned pro in 2017 and fought her last bout in 2019 — a fundraising venture in Tijuana.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Before offering classes at San Antonio Park, Coach G would train fighters by Lake Merritt. While her main focus is using boxing as a tool to holistically mentor younger kids from the community, she’s also worked with titans like famed Black Panther Party leader \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareabites/tag/elaine-brown\">Elaine Brown\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Coach G says that Brown once told her, “You know, Pantera, ain’t nobody down to fight no more.” People weren’t willing to fight for a righteous cause, Coach G remembers Brown saying, “Everybody’s afraid to lose what they got.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That pushed Coach G to consider how deeply people have been indoctrinated to think about themselves only. Boxing, like the revolutionary work of the Black Panther Party and the Brown Berets, isn’t about concentrated power. “Technique comes way before power,” Coach G professes, “you don’t ever lead with power.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, she says, a successful fighter and a impactful community activist should live by the same equation: “technique plus speed equals power.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So this Saturday at San Antonio Park, the site of the historic \u003ca href=\"https://localwiki.org/oakland/Oakland_Chicano_Moratorium\">Chicano Moratorium\u003c/a> protest and the longstanding \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13981396/eastside-arts-alliance-greg-morozumi-elena-serrano-susanne-takehara-oakland\">Malcolm X Jazz Festival\u003c/a>, her \u003cem>technique\u003c/em> for creating change is to do it big for the community.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In addition to two dozen boxing matches there’ll be water balloons and a dunk tank, free breakfast served in the morning and old-school cars pulling up all afternoon. Marketing Kings’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tyrannyallengallery/?hl=en\">Tyranny Allen\u003c/a> will be the ringside announcer, and musicians including \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/stunnaman02\">Stunnaman02\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/ian-kelly\">Ian Kelly\u003c/a> are set to walk boxers out to the ring. “I just want to do everything I can,” says Coach G.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The soil is very rich,” she says, referring to the Town as a whole and going back to the analogy of a rose growing through concrete. “I don’t care what type of flower, weed, plant or fruit, it takes its time to grow — and we’re constantly fighting through that.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The \u003ca href=\"https://luma.com/ne0hegvn?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn6QdsT63_bN0NoumtDEZu27mprGnD8olQ-r0zgdF5c2omXfDNKAM6Q_fREP0_aem_yFVzKsXvz2yfLyE8VGQ0HA&utm_content=link_in_bio&utm_id=97760_v0_s00_e0_tv3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ig\">Fights & Function Fundraiser\u003c/a> takes place Saturday, Aug. 8, 12:30–6 p.m. at San Antonio Park (1701 E 19th St., Oakland). For tickets and information, \u003ca href=\"https://luma.com/ne0hegvn?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn6QdsT63_bN0NoumtDEZu27mprGnD8olQ-r0zgdF5c2omXfDNKAM6Q_fREP0_aem_yFVzKsXvz2yfLyE8VGQ0HA&utm_content=link_in_bio&utm_id=97760_v0_s00_e0_tv3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ig\">click here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Saturday afternoon, Aug. 8, more than 40 young fighters will meet a boxing ring in East Oakland’s San Antonio Park, taking turns throwing jabs and ducking hooks as they participate in the inaugural \u003ca href=\"https://luma.com/ne0hegvn?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn6QdsT63_bN0NoumtDEZu27mprGnD8olQ-r0zgdF5c2omXfDNKAM6Q_fREP0_aem_yFVzKsXvz2yfLyE8VGQ0HA&utm_content=link_in_bio&utm_id=97760_v0_s00_e0_tv3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ig\">Fights & Function Fundraiser\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>On Saturday afternoon, Aug. 8, more than 40 young fighters will meet a boxing ring in East Oakland’s San Antonio Park, taking turns throwing jabs and ducking hooks as they participate in the inaugural \u003ca href=\"https://luma.com/ne0hegvn?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn6QdsT63_bN0NoumtDEZu27mprGnD8olQ-r0zgdF5c2omXfDNKAM6Q_fREP0_aem_yFVzKsXvz2yfLyE8VGQ0HA&utm_content=link_in_bio&utm_id=97760_v0_s00_e0_tv3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ig\">Fights & Function Fundraiser\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Each fight is scheduled to go three rounds and will count toward the competitors’ official amateur boxing record; the winner of each bout will receive a replica World Boxing Association belt.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Each fight is scheduled to go three rounds and will count toward the competitors’ official amateur boxing record; the winner of each bout will receive a replica World Boxing Association belt.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The OG, old-school coach in me believes that you don’t get belts until a tournament or a world title as a pro,” says \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/dalialapantera/\">Dalia “La Pantera” Gomez\u003c/a> (also known as Coach G), founder of \u003ca href=\"https://www.verticalskillz.org/\">Vertical Skillz Outreach\u003c/a>, the organization behind the event.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“The OG, old-school coach in me believes that you don’t get belts until a tournament or a world title as a pro,” says \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/dalialapantera/\">Dalia “La Pantera” Gomez\u003c/a> (also known as Coach G), founder of \u003ca href=\"https://www.verticalskillz.org/\">Vertical Skillz Outreach\u003c/a>, the organization behind the event.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“But the fact is,” she tells me during a recent call, “kids love belts, you know?”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“But the fact is,” she tells me during a recent call, “kids love belts, you know?”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13992452,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Courtesy of Dalia 'La Pantera' Gomez",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f-1536x1152.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f.jpg\" alt=\"A photo of three boxing championship belts.\" class=\"wp-image-13992452\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Title belts will be awarded to the winner of each bout at the ‘Fights & Function’ event this Saturday at San Antonio Park in East Oakland.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f.jpg\" alt=\"A photo of three boxing championship belts.\" class=\"wp-image-13992452\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Title belts will be awarded to the winner of each bout at the ‘Fights & Function’ event this Saturday at San Antonio Park in East Oakland.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And that’s the motivation behind this weekend’s event, as well as Coach G’s daily boxing training programs: making sure her fighters, specifically the younger ones, are happy.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>And that’s the motivation behind this weekend’s event, as well as Coach G’s daily boxing training programs: making sure her fighters, specifically the younger ones, are happy.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "fullwidth"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re just trying to make these kids feel regal,” Coach G says, “because that’s what they are —warriors, kings and queens of this earth, let alone Oakland.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We’re just trying to make these kids feel regal,” Coach G says, “because that’s what they are —warriors, kings and queens of this earth, let alone Oakland.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The title belts, adorned with the names of local sponsors and decorated with imitation gem stones, are also a bit of a tribute to Coach G’s family roots.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The title belts, adorned with the names of local sponsors and decorated with imitation gem stones, are also a bit of a tribute to Coach G’s family roots.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The belt’s “rubies” are an homage to her late grandmother. “She loved the color red, specifically red roses,” she says. With her grandmother’s love for flowers in mind, Coach G reflects on what Vertical Skillz Outreach has created at the park. “Here we are,” she says, pulling from Tupac’s classic poem about defying the odds, “trying to be that rose that grows through concrete.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The belt’s “rubies” are an homage to her late grandmother. “She loved the color red, specifically red roses,” she says. With her grandmother’s love for flowers in mind, Coach G reflects on what Vertical Skillz Outreach has created at the park. “Here we are,” she says, pulling from Tupac’s classic poem about defying the odds, “trying to be that rose that grows through concrete.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13992453,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Pendarvis Harshaw",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905-1536x1152.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905.jpg\" alt=\"A large group of boxers pose for a photo at a boxing ring in East Oakland.\" class=\"wp-image-13992453\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fighters flex their muscles at a recent Vertical Skillz Outreach boxing class at San Antonio Park in East Oakland.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905.jpg\" alt=\"A large group of boxers pose for a photo at a boxing ring in East Oakland.\" class=\"wp-image-13992453\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fighters flex their muscles at a recent Vertical Skillz Outreach boxing class at San Antonio Park in East Oakland.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Coach G has pulled weeds from the park’s cracked pavement and twisted her ankle on the uneven grounds; it’s all a part of the sweat equity that has gone into the park since 2020. Back then, she says, “Nobody said anything when I was doing it on the on the playground, that’s because there was a gigantic homeless encampment on the playground.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Coach G has pulled weeds from the park’s cracked pavement and twisted her ankle on the uneven grounds; it’s all a part of the sweat equity that has gone into the park since 2020. Back then, she says, “Nobody said anything when I was doing it on the on the playground, that’s because there was a gigantic homeless encampment on the playground.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She worked with occupants of the encampment, and got folks to make room for her to hang punching bags from the jungle gym. But once the space was cleared Coach G realized more kids were playing on the structure. “I felt like I was in the way,” she reflects, “because I’m hanging the bags on the monkey bars and all of the kids would \u003cem>monkey\u003c/em> around it.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>She worked with occupants of the encampment, and got folks to make room for her to hang punching bags from the jungle gym. But once the space was cleared Coach G realized more kids were playing on the structure. “I felt like I was in the way,” she reflects, “because I’m hanging the bags on the monkey bars and all of the kids would \u003cem>monkey\u003c/em> around it.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Realizing “more kids in the park is always great,” she moved her boxing training program to the tennis courts. But with that expansion, and the later construction of a full boxing ring, came more eyes. Coach G met with \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2021/01/07/a-youth-fitness-camp-pops-up-in-an-east-oakland-park/\">former council member Nikki Fortunada Bass\u003c/a>, who was transparent: she couldn’t give Coach G official permission to use the park, but they wouldn’t stop her either. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Realizing “more kids in the park is always great,” she moved her boxing training program to the tennis courts. But with that expansion, and the later construction of a full boxing ring, came more eyes. Coach G met with \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2021/01/07/a-youth-fitness-camp-pops-up-in-an-east-oakland-park/\">former council member Nikki Fortunada Bass\u003c/a>, who was transparent: she couldn’t give Coach G official permission to use the park, but they wouldn’t stop her either. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Oakland had so many things going on, they just had to kind of turn a blind eye,” Coach G explains.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Oakland had so many things going on, they just had to kind of turn a blind eye,” Coach G explains.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>With a background in childhood development and a job as an OUSD teacher, Coach G’s résumé eased the process. “They didn’t feel that it was a threat,” she says, “especially because none of my kids would get any trouble.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>With a background in childhood development and a job as an OUSD teacher, Coach G’s résumé eased the process. “They didn’t feel that it was a threat,” she says, “especially because none of my kids would get any trouble.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13992451,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Courtesy of Dalia 'La Pantera' Gomez",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992451\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘When we had no lights, we still would train,’ says Dalia ‘La Pantera’ Gomez, founder of Vertical Skillz Outreach.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992451\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘When we had no lights, we still would train,’ says Dalia ‘La Pantera’ Gomez, founder of Vertical Skillz Outreach.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Originally from Oxnard (which, because of the amount of fighters who’ve come from there, is also referred to as “\u003ca href=\"https://www.boxinginsider.com/headlines/best-boxers-from-oxnard/\">Boxnard\u003c/a>“), Coach G was a college hooper before finding her way to the ring. A Golden Gloves Champion in 2015, she turned pro in 2017 and fought her last bout in 2019 — a fundraising venture in Tijuana.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Originally from Oxnard (which, because of the amount of fighters who’ve come from there, is also referred to as “\u003ca href=\"https://www.boxinginsider.com/headlines/best-boxers-from-oxnard/\">Boxnard\u003c/a>“), Coach G was a college hooper before finding her way to the ring. A Golden Gloves Champion in 2015, she turned pro in 2017 and fought her last bout in 2019 — a fundraising venture in Tijuana.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Before offering classes at San Antonio Park, Coach G would train fighters by Lake Merritt. While her main focus is using boxing as a tool to holistically mentor younger kids from the community, she’s also worked with titans like famed Black Panther Party leader \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareabites/tag/elaine-brown\">Elaine Brown\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Before offering classes at San Antonio Park, Coach G would train fighters by Lake Merritt. While her main focus is using boxing as a tool to holistically mentor younger kids from the community, she’s also worked with titans like famed Black Panther Party leader \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareabites/tag/elaine-brown\">Elaine Brown\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Coach G says that Brown once told her, “You know, Pantera, ain’t nobody down to fight no more.” People weren’t willing to fight for a righteous cause, Coach G remembers Brown saying, “Everybody’s afraid to lose what they got.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Coach G says that Brown once told her, “You know, Pantera, ain’t nobody down to fight no more.” People weren’t willing to fight for a righteous cause, Coach G remembers Brown saying, “Everybody’s afraid to lose what they got.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That pushed Coach G to consider how deeply people have been indoctrinated to think about themselves only. Boxing, like the revolutionary work of the Black Panther Party and the Brown Berets, isn’t about concentrated power. “Technique comes way before power,” Coach G professes, “you don’t ever lead with power.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>That pushed Coach G to consider how deeply people have been indoctrinated to think about themselves only. Boxing, like the revolutionary work of the Black Panther Party and the Brown Berets, isn’t about concentrated power. “Technique comes way before power,” Coach G professes, “you don’t ever lead with power.” \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Instead, she says, a successful fighter and a impactful community activist should live by the same equation: “technique plus speed equals power.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Instead, she says, a successful fighter and a impactful community activist should live by the same equation: “technique plus speed equals power.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>So this Saturday at San Antonio Park, the site of the historic \u003ca href=\"https://localwiki.org/oakland/Oakland_Chicano_Moratorium\">Chicano Moratorium\u003c/a> protest and the longstanding \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13981396/eastside-arts-alliance-greg-morozumi-elena-serrano-susanne-takehara-oakland\">Malcolm X Jazz Festival\u003c/a>, her \u003cem>technique\u003c/em> for creating change is to do it big for the community.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>So this Saturday at San Antonio Park, the site of the historic \u003ca href=\"https://localwiki.org/oakland/Oakland_Chicano_Moratorium\">Chicano Moratorium\u003c/a> protest and the longstanding \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13981396/eastside-arts-alliance-greg-morozumi-elena-serrano-susanne-takehara-oakland\">Malcolm X Jazz Festival\u003c/a>, her \u003cem>technique\u003c/em> for creating change is to do it big for the community.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In addition to two dozen boxing matches there’ll be water balloons and a dunk tank, free breakfast served in the morning and old-school cars pulling up all afternoon. Marketing Kings’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tyrannyallengallery/?hl=en\">Tyranny Allen\u003c/a> will be the ringside announcer, and musicians including \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/stunnaman02\">Stunnaman02\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/ian-kelly\">Ian Kelly\u003c/a> are set to walk boxers out to the ring. “I just want to do everything I can,” says Coach G.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In addition to two dozen boxing matches there’ll be water balloons and a dunk tank, free breakfast served in the morning and old-school cars pulling up all afternoon. Marketing Kings’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tyrannyallengallery/?hl=en\">Tyranny Allen\u003c/a> will be the ringside announcer, and musicians including \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/stunnaman02\">Stunnaman02\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/ian-kelly\">Ian Kelly\u003c/a> are set to walk boxers out to the ring. “I just want to do everything I can,” says Coach G.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The soil is very rich,” she says, referring to the Town as a whole and going back to the analogy of a rose growing through concrete. “I don’t care what type of flower, weed, plant or fruit, it takes its time to grow — and we’re constantly fighting through that.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“The soil is very rich,” she says, referring to the Town as a whole and going back to the analogy of a rose growing through concrete. “I don’t care what type of flower, weed, plant or fruit, it takes its time to grow — and we’re constantly fighting through that.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/separator",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "floatright"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The \u003ca href=\"https://luma.com/ne0hegvn?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn6QdsT63_bN0NoumtDEZu27mprGnD8olQ-r0zgdF5c2omXfDNKAM6Q_fREP0_aem_yFVzKsXvz2yfLyE8VGQ0HA&utm_content=link_in_bio&utm_id=97760_v0_s00_e0_tv3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ig\">Fights & Function Fundraiser\u003c/a> takes place Saturday, Aug. 8, 12:30–6 p.m. at San Antonio Park (1701 E 19th St., Oakland). For tickets and information, \u003ca href=\"https://luma.com/ne0hegvn?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn6QdsT63_bN0NoumtDEZu27mprGnD8olQ-r0zgdF5c2omXfDNKAM6Q_fREP0_aem_yFVzKsXvz2yfLyE8VGQ0HA&utm_content=link_in_bio&utm_id=97760_v0_s00_e0_tv3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ig\">click here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The \u003ca href=\"https://luma.com/ne0hegvn?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn6QdsT63_bN0NoumtDEZu27mprGnD8olQ-r0zgdF5c2omXfDNKAM6Q_fREP0_aem_yFVzKsXvz2yfLyE8VGQ0HA&utm_content=link_in_bio&utm_id=97760_v0_s00_e0_tv3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ig\">Fights & Function Fundraiser\u003c/a> takes place Saturday, Aug. 8, 12:30–6 p.m. at San Antonio Park (1701 E 19th St., Oakland). For tickets and information, \u003ca href=\"https://luma.com/ne0hegvn?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn6QdsT63_bN0NoumtDEZu27mprGnD8olQ-r0zgdF5c2omXfDNKAM6Q_fREP0_aem_yFVzKsXvz2yfLyE8VGQ0HA&utm_content=link_in_bio&utm_id=97760_v0_s00_e0_tv3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ig\">click here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "Coach G’s fighters from Vertical Skillz Outreach will square off in San Antonio Park for an inaugural tournament.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1786056044,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 24,
"wordCount": 1125
},
"headData": {
"title": "A Big Youth Boxing Event Is Coming to East Oakland | KQED",
"description": "Coach G’s fighters from Vertical Skillz Outreach will square off in San Antonio Park for an inaugural tournament.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "A Big Youth Boxing Event Is Coming to East Oakland",
"datePublished": "2026-08-06T11:50:07-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-08-06T15:40:44-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 1,
"slug": "arts",
"name": "Arts"
},
"source": "The Do List",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13992422",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13992422/youth-boxing-coach-g-vertical-skillz-outreach-east-oakland-san-antonio-park",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>On Saturday afternoon, Aug. 8, more than 40 young fighters will meet a boxing ring in East Oakland’s San Antonio Park, taking turns throwing jabs and ducking hooks as they participate in the inaugural \u003ca href=\"https://luma.com/ne0hegvn?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn6QdsT63_bN0NoumtDEZu27mprGnD8olQ-r0zgdF5c2omXfDNKAM6Q_fREP0_aem_yFVzKsXvz2yfLyE8VGQ0HA&utm_content=link_in_bio&utm_id=97760_v0_s00_e0_tv3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ig\">Fights & Function Fundraiser\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Each fight is scheduled to go three rounds and will count toward the competitors’ official amateur boxing record; the winner of each bout will receive a replica World Boxing Association belt.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The OG, old-school coach in me believes that you don’t get belts until a tournament or a world title as a pro,” says \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/dalialapantera/\">Dalia “La Pantera” Gomez\u003c/a> (also known as Coach G), founder of \u003ca href=\"https://www.verticalskillz.org/\">Vertical Skillz Outreach\u003c/a>, the organization behind the event.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“But the fact is,” she tells me during a recent call, “kids love belts, you know?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f.jpg\" alt=\"A photo of three boxing championship belts.\" class=\"wp-image-13992452\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Title belts will be awarded to the winner of each bout at the ‘Fights & Function’ event this Saturday at San Antonio Park in East Oakland. (Courtesy of Dalia 'La Pantera' Gomez)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And that’s the motivation behind this weekend’s event, as well as Coach G’s daily boxing training programs: making sure her fighters, specifically the younger ones, are happy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re just trying to make these kids feel regal,” Coach G says, “because that’s what they are —warriors, kings and queens of this earth, let alone Oakland.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The title belts, adorned with the names of local sponsors and decorated with imitation gem stones, are also a bit of a tribute to Coach G’s family roots.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The belt’s “rubies” are an homage to her late grandmother. “She loved the color red, specifically red roses,” she says. With her grandmother’s love for flowers in mind, Coach G reflects on what Vertical Skillz Outreach has created at the park. “Here we are,” she says, pulling from Tupac’s classic poem about defying the odds, “trying to be that rose that grows through concrete.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905.jpg\" alt=\"A large group of boxers pose for a photo at a boxing ring in East Oakland.\" class=\"wp-image-13992453\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fighters flex their muscles at a recent Vertical Skillz Outreach boxing class at San Antonio Park in East Oakland. (Pendarvis Harshaw)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Coach G has pulled weeds from the park’s cracked pavement and twisted her ankle on the uneven grounds; it’s all a part of the sweat equity that has gone into the park since 2020. Back then, she says, “Nobody said anything when I was doing it on the on the playground, that’s because there was a gigantic homeless encampment on the playground.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She worked with occupants of the encampment, and got folks to make room for her to hang punching bags from the jungle gym. But once the space was cleared Coach G realized more kids were playing on the structure. “I felt like I was in the way,” she reflects, “because I’m hanging the bags on the monkey bars and all of the kids would \u003cem>monkey\u003c/em> around it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Realizing “more kids in the park is always great,” she moved her boxing training program to the tennis courts. But with that expansion, and the later construction of a full boxing ring, came more eyes. Coach G met with \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2021/01/07/a-youth-fitness-camp-pops-up-in-an-east-oakland-park/\">former council member Nikki Fortunada Bass\u003c/a>, who was transparent: she couldn’t give Coach G official permission to use the park, but they wouldn’t stop her either. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Oakland had so many things going on, they just had to kind of turn a blind eye,” Coach G explains.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With a background in childhood development and a job as an OUSD teacher, Coach G’s résumé eased the process. “They didn’t feel that it was a threat,” she says, “especially because none of my kids would get any trouble.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992451\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘When we had no lights, we still would train,’ says Dalia ‘La Pantera’ Gomez, founder of Vertical Skillz Outreach. (Courtesy of Dalia 'La Pantera' Gomez)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Originally from Oxnard (which, because of the amount of fighters who’ve come from there, is also referred to as “\u003ca href=\"https://www.boxinginsider.com/headlines/best-boxers-from-oxnard/\">Boxnard\u003c/a>“), Coach G was a college hooper before finding her way to the ring. A Golden Gloves Champion in 2015, she turned pro in 2017 and fought her last bout in 2019 — a fundraising venture in Tijuana.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Before offering classes at San Antonio Park, Coach G would train fighters by Lake Merritt. While her main focus is using boxing as a tool to holistically mentor younger kids from the community, she’s also worked with titans like famed Black Panther Party leader \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareabites/tag/elaine-brown\">Elaine Brown\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Coach G says that Brown once told her, “You know, Pantera, ain’t nobody down to fight no more.” People weren’t willing to fight for a righteous cause, Coach G remembers Brown saying, “Everybody’s afraid to lose what they got.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That pushed Coach G to consider how deeply people have been indoctrinated to think about themselves only. Boxing, like the revolutionary work of the Black Panther Party and the Brown Berets, isn’t about concentrated power. “Technique comes way before power,” Coach G professes, “you don’t ever lead with power.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, she says, a successful fighter and a impactful community activist should live by the same equation: “technique plus speed equals power.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So this Saturday at San Antonio Park, the site of the historic \u003ca href=\"https://localwiki.org/oakland/Oakland_Chicano_Moratorium\">Chicano Moratorium\u003c/a> protest and the longstanding \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13981396/eastside-arts-alliance-greg-morozumi-elena-serrano-susanne-takehara-oakland\">Malcolm X Jazz Festival\u003c/a>, her \u003cem>technique\u003c/em> for creating change is to do it big for the community.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In addition to two dozen boxing matches there’ll be water balloons and a dunk tank, free breakfast served in the morning and old-school cars pulling up all afternoon. Marketing Kings’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tyrannyallengallery/?hl=en\">Tyranny Allen\u003c/a> will be the ringside announcer, and musicians including \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/stunnaman02\">Stunnaman02\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/ian-kelly\">Ian Kelly\u003c/a> are set to walk boxers out to the ring. “I just want to do everything I can,” says Coach G.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The soil is very rich,” she says, referring to the Town as a whole and going back to the analogy of a rose growing through concrete. “I don’t care what type of flower, weed, plant or fruit, it takes its time to grow — and we’re constantly fighting through that.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The \u003ca href=\"https://luma.com/ne0hegvn?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn6QdsT63_bN0NoumtDEZu27mprGnD8olQ-r0zgdF5c2omXfDNKAM6Q_fREP0_aem_yFVzKsXvz2yfLyE8VGQ0HA&utm_content=link_in_bio&utm_id=97760_v0_s00_e0_tv3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ig\">Fights & Function Fundraiser\u003c/a> takes place Saturday, Aug. 8, 12:30–6 p.m. at San Antonio Park (1701 E 19th St., Oakland). For tickets and information, \u003ca href=\"https://luma.com/ne0hegvn?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn6QdsT63_bN0NoumtDEZu27mprGnD8olQ-r0zgdF5c2omXfDNKAM6Q_fREP0_aem_yFVzKsXvz2yfLyE8VGQ0HA&utm_content=link_in_bio&utm_id=97760_v0_s00_e0_tv3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ig\">click here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13992422/youth-boxing-coach-g-vertical-skillz-outreach-east-oakland-san-antonio-park",
"authors": [
"11491"
],
"programs": [
"arts_140"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_13238",
"arts_22313"
],
"tags": [
"arts_22248",
"arts_5016",
"arts_10278",
"arts_10422",
"arts_1143",
"arts_4506",
"arts_585"
],
"featImg": "arts_13992450",
"label": "source_arts_13992422"
},
"arts_13992348": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13992348",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13992348",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1785777816000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "robert-townsend-balboa-4-star-artist-in-residence-film-series",
"title": "A Groundbreaking Black Filmmaker Kicks Off New Artist-in-Residence Screenings",
"publishDate": 1785777816,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "A Groundbreaking Black Filmmaker Kicks Off New Artist-in-Residence Screenings | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>A hot dog stand isn’t where one typically finds a lesson in Black film history. Recent visitors to Oakland’s Temescal neighborhood, however, have taken note of the business that’s replaced the long-empty Kasper’s hot dog shack on 46th and Telegraph: \u003ca href=\"https://winkydinkydogs.com/\">Winky Dinky Dogs\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To the uninitiated, the curious name might make little sense. But if you’ve seen Robert Townsend’s 1987 satire \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/calendar-of-events/hollywood-shuffle-august-5\">Hollywood Shuffle\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, which screens Aug. 5 at the Balboa Theater, you’ll recognize it as a reference to one of the most original and biting critiques of Hollywood’s racist machinations and depictions of Black stories on screen. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Townsend will present \u003cem>Hollywood Shuffle\u003c/em>, in person, to kick off the Balboa and 4-Star Theaters’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/robert-townsend-2026\">first-ever artist in residence series\u003c/a>. Encompassing nine films, four directed by and starring the filmmaker, the run includes Townsend’s introductions and post-screening Q&As with actors and directors like Boots Riley, Carl Franklin and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Ms1lNyWEaWF3WHcM9M2I13uO7qA3Uk_original.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992352\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Ms1lNyWEaWF3WHcM9M2I13uO7qA3Uk_original.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Ms1lNyWEaWF3WHcM9M2I13uO7qA3Uk_original-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Ms1lNyWEaWF3WHcM9M2I13uO7qA3Uk_original-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Ms1lNyWEaWF3WHcM9M2I13uO7qA3Uk_original-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Ms1lNyWEaWF3WHcM9M2I13uO7qA3Uk_original-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">James Earl Jones, Diahann Carroll and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs star in ‘Claudine’ (1974), which provided an alternative to the Blaxploitation wave of the 1970s. (20th Century Fox)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jim Crow meets the Civil Rights era in the Aug. 6 pairing of \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/calendar-of-events/the-great-white-hope-august-6\">The Great White Hope\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (1970), about boxer Jack Johnson, with \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/calendar-of-events/in-the-heat-of-the-night-august-6\">In the Heat of the Night\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (1967), about a Mississippi murder investigation. Blaxploitation — in both the music industry and in film — are addressed directly and indirectly on Aug. 8, with \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/the-five-heartbeats-sat\">The Five Heartbeats\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (1991) and \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/claudine-sat\">Claudine\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (1974). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And for a primer on how a major global power can be convinced to elect a reality TV star with no political experience as its president, Aug. 7 brings a timely twosome on media manipulation with \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/a-face-in-the-crowd-fri\">A Face in the Crowd\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (1957) and \u003cem>Network\u003c/em> (1976). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Closing with Townsend’s own 1990s films \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/baps-sun\">B*A*P*S*\u003c/a>\u003c/em> and \u003cem>The Meteor Man\u003c/em>, the series is the first in what theater owners plan as an ongoing program, with future filmmakers curating and hosting. If a recent one-off screening with director Carl Franklin of \u003cem>Devil in a Blue Dress\u003c/em> is any indication, they’re also sure to be well-attended; getting there early is advised. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Robert Townsend hosts special screenings of his own films, plus his curated picks, Aug. 5–9 at the Balboa and 4-Star Theaters in San Francisco. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/robert-townsend-2026\">\u003cem>Program details and screening times here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A hot dog stand isn’t where one typically finds a lesson in Black film history. Recent visitors to Oakland’s Temescal neighborhood, however, have taken note of the business that’s replaced the long-empty Kasper’s hot dog shack on 46th and Telegraph: \u003ca href=\"https://winkydinkydogs.com/\">Winky Dinky Dogs\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>A hot dog stand isn’t where one typically finds a lesson in Black film history. Recent visitors to Oakland’s Temescal neighborhood, however, have taken note of the business that’s replaced the long-empty Kasper’s hot dog shack on 46th and Telegraph: \u003ca href=\"https://winkydinkydogs.com/\">Winky Dinky Dogs\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>To the uninitiated, the curious name might make little sense. But if you’ve seen Robert Townsend’s 1987 satire \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/calendar-of-events/hollywood-shuffle-august-5\">Hollywood Shuffle\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, which screens Aug. 5 at the Balboa Theater, you’ll recognize it as a reference to one of the most original and biting critiques of Hollywood’s racist machinations and depictions of Black stories on screen. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>To the uninitiated, the curious name might make little sense. But if you’ve seen Robert Townsend’s 1987 satire \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/calendar-of-events/hollywood-shuffle-august-5\">Hollywood Shuffle\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, which screens Aug. 5 at the Balboa Theater, you’ll recognize it as a reference to one of the most original and biting critiques of Hollywood’s racist machinations and depictions of Black stories on screen. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Townsend will present \u003cem>Hollywood Shuffle\u003c/em>, in person, to kick off the Balboa and 4-Star Theaters’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/robert-townsend-2026\">first-ever artist in residence series\u003c/a>. Encompassing nine films, four directed by and starring the filmmaker, the run includes Townsend’s introductions and post-screening Q&As with actors and directors like Boots Riley, Carl Franklin and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Townsend will present \u003cem>Hollywood Shuffle\u003c/em>, in person, to kick off the Balboa and 4-Star Theaters’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/robert-townsend-2026\">first-ever artist in residence series\u003c/a>. Encompassing nine films, four directed by and starring the filmmaker, the run includes Townsend’s introductions and post-screening Q&As with actors and directors like Boots Riley, Carl Franklin and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13992352,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "20th Century Fox",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Ms1lNyWEaWF3WHcM9M2I13uO7qA3Uk_original.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Ms1lNyWEaWF3WHcM9M2I13uO7qA3Uk_original-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Ms1lNyWEaWF3WHcM9M2I13uO7qA3Uk_original-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Ms1lNyWEaWF3WHcM9M2I13uO7qA3Uk_original-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Ms1lNyWEaWF3WHcM9M2I13uO7qA3Uk_original-1200x675.jpg 1200w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Ms1lNyWEaWF3WHcM9M2I13uO7qA3Uk_original.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992352\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Ms1lNyWEaWF3WHcM9M2I13uO7qA3Uk_original.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Ms1lNyWEaWF3WHcM9M2I13uO7qA3Uk_original-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Ms1lNyWEaWF3WHcM9M2I13uO7qA3Uk_original-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Ms1lNyWEaWF3WHcM9M2I13uO7qA3Uk_original-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Ms1lNyWEaWF3WHcM9M2I13uO7qA3Uk_original-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">James Earl Jones, Diahann Carroll and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs star in ‘Claudine’ (1974), which provided an alternative to the Blaxploitation wave of the 1970s. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Ms1lNyWEaWF3WHcM9M2I13uO7qA3Uk_original.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992352\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">James Earl Jones, Diahann Carroll and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs star in ‘Claudine’ (1974), which provided an alternative to the Blaxploitation wave of the 1970s. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jim Crow meets the Civil Rights era in the Aug. 6 pairing of \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/calendar-of-events/the-great-white-hope-august-6\">The Great White Hope\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (1970), about boxer Jack Johnson, with \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/calendar-of-events/in-the-heat-of-the-night-august-6\">In the Heat of the Night\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (1967), about a Mississippi murder investigation. Blaxploitation — in both the music industry and in film — are addressed directly and indirectly on Aug. 8, with \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/the-five-heartbeats-sat\">The Five Heartbeats\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (1991) and \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/claudine-sat\">Claudine\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (1974). \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Jim Crow meets the Civil Rights era in the Aug. 6 pairing of \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/calendar-of-events/the-great-white-hope-august-6\">The Great White Hope\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (1970), about boxer Jack Johnson, with \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/calendar-of-events/in-the-heat-of-the-night-august-6\">In the Heat of the Night\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (1967), about a Mississippi murder investigation. Blaxploitation — in both the music industry and in film — are addressed directly and indirectly on Aug. 8, with \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/the-five-heartbeats-sat\">The Five Heartbeats\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (1991) and \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/claudine-sat\">Claudine\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (1974). \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And for a primer on how a major global power can be convinced to elect a reality TV star with no political experience as its president, Aug. 7 brings a timely twosome on media manipulation with \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/a-face-in-the-crowd-fri\">A Face in the Crowd\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (1957) and \u003cem>Network\u003c/em> (1976). \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>And for a primer on how a major global power can be convinced to elect a reality TV star with no political experience as its president, Aug. 7 brings a timely twosome on media manipulation with \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/a-face-in-the-crowd-fri\">A Face in the Crowd\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (1957) and \u003cem>Network\u003c/em> (1976). \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "fullwidth"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Closing with Townsend’s own 1990s films \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/baps-sun\">B*A*P*S*\u003c/a>\u003c/em> and \u003cem>The Meteor Man\u003c/em>, the series is the first in what theater owners plan as an ongoing program, with future filmmakers curating and hosting. If a recent one-off screening with director Carl Franklin of \u003cem>Devil in a Blue Dress\u003c/em> is any indication, they’re also sure to be well-attended; getting there early is advised. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Closing with Townsend’s own 1990s films \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/baps-sun\">B*A*P*S*\u003c/a>\u003c/em> and \u003cem>The Meteor Man\u003c/em>, the series is the first in what theater owners plan as an ongoing program, with future filmmakers curating and hosting. If a recent one-off screening with director Carl Franklin of \u003cem>Devil in a Blue Dress\u003c/em> is any indication, they’re also sure to be well-attended; getting there early is advised. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/separator",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Robert Townsend hosts special screenings of his own films, plus his curated picks, Aug. 5–9 at the Balboa and 4-Star Theaters in San Francisco. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/robert-townsend-2026\">\u003cem>Program details and screening times here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Robert Townsend hosts special screenings of his own films, plus his curated picks, Aug. 5–9 at the Balboa and 4-Star Theaters in San Francisco. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/robert-townsend-2026\">\u003cem>Program details and screening times here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "Robert Townsend hosts nine screenings in San Francisco, including his bold satire ‘Hollywood Shuffle.’",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1785788843,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 9,
"wordCount": 419
},
"headData": {
"title": "A Groundbreaking Black Filmmaker Kicks Off New Artist-in-Residence Screenings | KQED",
"description": "Robert Townsend hosts nine screenings in San Francisco, including his bold satire ‘Hollywood Shuffle.’",
"ogTitle": "A Groundbreaking Black Filmmaker Kicks Off New Artist-in-Residence Screenings",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "A Groundbreaking Black Filmmaker Kicks Off New Artist-in-Residence Screenings",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "A Groundbreaking Black Filmmaker Kicks Off New Artist-in-Residence Screenings",
"datePublished": "2026-08-03T10:23:36-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-08-03T13:27:23-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 1,
"slug": "arts",
"name": "Arts"
},
"source": "The Do List",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13992348",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13992348/robert-townsend-balboa-4-star-artist-in-residence-film-series",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A hot dog stand isn’t where one typically finds a lesson in Black film history. Recent visitors to Oakland’s Temescal neighborhood, however, have taken note of the business that’s replaced the long-empty Kasper’s hot dog shack on 46th and Telegraph: \u003ca href=\"https://winkydinkydogs.com/\">Winky Dinky Dogs\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To the uninitiated, the curious name might make little sense. But if you’ve seen Robert Townsend’s 1987 satire \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/calendar-of-events/hollywood-shuffle-august-5\">Hollywood Shuffle\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, which screens Aug. 5 at the Balboa Theater, you’ll recognize it as a reference to one of the most original and biting critiques of Hollywood’s racist machinations and depictions of Black stories on screen. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Townsend will present \u003cem>Hollywood Shuffle\u003c/em>, in person, to kick off the Balboa and 4-Star Theaters’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/robert-townsend-2026\">first-ever artist in residence series\u003c/a>. Encompassing nine films, four directed by and starring the filmmaker, the run includes Townsend’s introductions and post-screening Q&As with actors and directors like Boots Riley, Carl Franklin and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Ms1lNyWEaWF3WHcM9M2I13uO7qA3Uk_original.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992352\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Ms1lNyWEaWF3WHcM9M2I13uO7qA3Uk_original.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Ms1lNyWEaWF3WHcM9M2I13uO7qA3Uk_original-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Ms1lNyWEaWF3WHcM9M2I13uO7qA3Uk_original-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Ms1lNyWEaWF3WHcM9M2I13uO7qA3Uk_original-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Ms1lNyWEaWF3WHcM9M2I13uO7qA3Uk_original-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">James Earl Jones, Diahann Carroll and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs star in ‘Claudine’ (1974), which provided an alternative to the Blaxploitation wave of the 1970s. (20th Century Fox)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jim Crow meets the Civil Rights era in the Aug. 6 pairing of \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/calendar-of-events/the-great-white-hope-august-6\">The Great White Hope\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (1970), about boxer Jack Johnson, with \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/calendar-of-events/in-the-heat-of-the-night-august-6\">In the Heat of the Night\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (1967), about a Mississippi murder investigation. Blaxploitation — in both the music industry and in film — are addressed directly and indirectly on Aug. 8, with \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/the-five-heartbeats-sat\">The Five Heartbeats\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (1991) and \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/claudine-sat\">Claudine\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (1974). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And for a primer on how a major global power can be convinced to elect a reality TV star with no political experience as its president, Aug. 7 brings a timely twosome on media manipulation with \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/a-face-in-the-crowd-fri\">A Face in the Crowd\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (1957) and \u003cem>Network\u003c/em> (1976). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Closing with Townsend’s own 1990s films \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/baps-sun\">B*A*P*S*\u003c/a>\u003c/em> and \u003cem>The Meteor Man\u003c/em>, the series is the first in what theater owners plan as an ongoing program, with future filmmakers curating and hosting. If a recent one-off screening with director Carl Franklin of \u003cem>Devil in a Blue Dress\u003c/em> is any indication, they’re also sure to be well-attended; getting there early is advised. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Robert Townsend hosts special screenings of his own films, plus his curated picks, Aug. 5–9 at the Balboa and 4-Star Theaters in San Francisco. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/robert-townsend-2026\">\u003cem>Program details and screening times here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13992348/robert-townsend-balboa-4-star-artist-in-residence-film-series",
"authors": [
"185"
],
"programs": [
"arts_140"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_74",
"arts_22313"
],
"tags": [
"arts_4097",
"arts_10422",
"arts_977",
"arts_1201",
"arts_1146",
"arts_585"
],
"featImg": "arts_13992351",
"label": "source_arts_13992348"
},
"arts_13992108": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13992108",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13992108",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1785342352000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "luis-valdez-claims-the-spotlight-in-american-pachuco",
"title": "Luis Valdez Claims the Spotlight in ‘American Pachuco’",
"publishDate": 1785342352,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Luis Valdez Claims the Spotlight in ‘American Pachuco’ | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>Luis Valdez was just a young boy when he landed his first theatrical role. Before he could join his classmates on stage, however, his family was evicted on short notice, and forced to move.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>All these years later, Valdez, one of 10 children of California migrant farmworkers, still remembers the pain. He could have slipped down the hole of disappointment. Instead, he says, “It became the hungry mouth of my creativity.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In David Alvarado’s crisply entertaining documentary \u003cem>American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez\u003c/em>, ample justice is given to a gifted artist who transcended his circumstances and carved new trails. The film, which earlier this year won an Audience Award at Sundance, opens Friday, July 31 at the Roxie Theater with director David Alvarado and Valdez himself on hand.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Delano, California-born Valdez wrote and directed plays for El Teatro Campesino (The Farm Workers Theatre), which he founded in his early 20s and led for decades. His major works include \u003cem>Zoot Suit\u003c/em> (the first Chicano play on Broadway, later adapted into a film) and \u003cem>Corridos! Tales of Passion and Revolution\u003c/em>, a hit at San Francisco’s Marines Memorial Theater in the early ’80s (and which Valdez adapted a few years later for PBS).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Valdez’s most widely seen work, however, is \u003cem>La Bamba\u003c/em>, the 1987 biopic of Chicano rock ‘n’ roller Richie Valens that Valdez researched, wrote and directed. (Among its other lasting merits, the film also yielded Los Lobos’ hit cover of the title track.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_02.jpg\" alt=\"Four men, outdoors and seen from below, act out a scene dressed in simple clothes and wearing signs around their neck to indicate which group they belong to.\" class=\"wp-image-13992059\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_02.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_02-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_02-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_02-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_02-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Luis Valdez (center) performing with El Teatro Campensino with Felipe Cantu (left) and Danny Valdez (right) in a scene from the documentary ‘American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez.’ (Courtesy of the Tom & Ethel Bradley Center at California State University, Northridge)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez\u003c/em> employs two narrators. Valdez, sharp and jovial in his mid-80s, recalls his youthful stint with the San Francisco Mime Troupe before getting involved in the nascent National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) founded by Cesar Chavez in 1962. The Mime Troupe’s influence colors Valdez’s early plays like \u003cem>The Shrunken Head of Pancho Villa\u003c/em>, which used absurdist comedy to depict the economic and social situation of Mexican and Mexican-American laborers and their families.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the catalytic NFWA march to Sacramento in the spring of 1966, El Teatro Campesino performed in many places along the route, attracting new participants to the cause. Chavez, meanwhile, decided he needed organizers and activists for NFWA’s expanding national campaign more than he needed actors, and Valdez and his cohorts set off on their own, making San Juan Bautista their base.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>David Alvarado illustrates this splendid oral history with acres of compelling archival footage — the young Valdez, sporting an omnipresent Che Guevara-esque cigar, is charming and charismatic. Alvarado bolsters this through interviews with NFWA luminary Dolores Huerta, as well as Valdez’s brother and wife, who performed with El Teatro Campesino.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Alvarado also makes an unexpected and rather risky choice. He invites a second narrator, a streetwise commentator, to this genially mannered affair: a pachuco, similar to the swaggering L.A. protagonist of \u003cem>Zoot Suit\u003c/em>, a 1940s “street cat with style.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For that play, Valdez drew on grim, forgotten events in Southern California history, namely the Sleepy Lagoon murder that preceded the Zoot Suit Riots of 1943. The riots consisted of servicemen and sailors attacking Mexican-American youths and ripping off their clothes – their justification being that zoot suits used an excessive and “unpatriotic” amount of fabric during wartime rationing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It was blatant racism, of course. The zoot suit, in the ’40s and in Valdez’s play, was an expression of identity and style. It was adopted by guys whose parents worked menial jobs to make a better life for their kids. (Like the fieldwork of the ’60s and the stockyard labor of today, the jobs were essential, arduous and largely performed by immigrants.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This is the quintessential American phenomenon — children of immigrants navigating racist treatment on the slow path to assimilation. The zoot suiters of the ’40s, just like the newly minted Chicanos of the ’60s, were simply trying to make their way.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_03.jpg\" alt=\"An older latino man in a Black jacket and glasses sits inside a high-ceiling church-like building, with chandeliers and wooden features\" class=\"wp-image-13992061\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_03.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_03-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_03-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_03-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_03-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Luis Valdez being interviewed in a scene from the documentary ‘American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez.’ \u003cbr> (Frasier Bradshaw)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A recurring thread of \u003cem>American Pachuco\u003c/em> is the divergent path of Luis Valdez’s older brother Frank, a science whiz who became an Air Force engineer. Frank believed that achieving the American dream was his ticket to burying and denying his roots as a child of farmworkers. No matter what he accomplished, though, the racism he encountered reminded him that many people saw him as Mexican, not American.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of the functions of the documentary’s pachuco commentator (voiced by \u003cem>Zoot Suit\u003c/em> star Edward James Olmos) is to mirror Valdez’s affection for knocking down the fourth wall separating the audience from the performers. His early plays included improvisation and audience participation. The protagonist of \u003cem>Zoot Suit\u003c/em> famously addresses and confronts the audience directly.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>By including the pachuco, I think Alvarado is nodding to Valdez’s sophistication as a writer and director. He was not only well-versed in the dynamics of agitprop and commedia del’arte, but in the theory and philosophy of theater. This intellectual component of Valdez’s practice — alluded to when the visionary director Peter Brook visits El Teatro Campesino — is downplayed in the documentary, as if it might distract us from the hard lessons of the fields and the streets. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The second half of \u003cem>American Pachuco\u003c/em> walks us backstage for Valdez’s greatest hits, \u003cem>Zoot Suit\u003c/em> and \u003cem>La Bamba\u003c/em>. The L.A. triumph of \u003cem>Zoot Suit\u003c/em> is the film’s highpoint, a moment of public celebration of Chicanos as well as of Valdez, while the New York reviewers’ failure to connect with the culture and language led to them criticizing what they couldn’t understand.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the wake of the \u003cem>pachucos\u003c/em>, Richie Valens emerged in the ’50s with, as one interviewee notes, “Different threads. Different beats. But he had the same swagger.” It’s fair to say that Luis Valdez got past his devastating childhood letdown the same way: through talent and swagger.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez’ opens Friday, July 31, at the \u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/american-pachuco-the-legend-of-luis-valdez/\">Roxie Theater\u003c/a> (3116 16th St., San Francisco). Following the 6:10 p.m. screening, Roberto Hernandez moderates a Q&A with Luis Valdez and filmmakers David Alvarado, Everett Katigbak and Lauren DeFilippo.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Further Q&As with Alvarado take place on Saturday, Aug. 1 at the \u003ca href=\"https://rafaelfilm.cafilm.org/american-pachuco/\">Smith Rafael Film Center\u003c/a> in San Rafael; Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 1 and 2, at \u003ca href=\"https://rialtocinemas.com/now-playing-elm/american-pachuco-elm/\">Rialto Cinemas Elmwood\u003c/a> in Berkeley; and Sunday, Aug. 2, again at the Roxie\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Luis Valdez was just a young boy when he landed his first theatrical role. Before he could join his classmates on stage, however, his family was evicted on short notice, and forced to move.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Luis Valdez was just a young boy when he landed his first theatrical role. Before he could join his classmates on stage, however, his family was evicted on short notice, and forced to move.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>All these years later, Valdez, one of 10 children of California migrant farmworkers, still remembers the pain. He could have slipped down the hole of disappointment. Instead, he says, “It became the hungry mouth of my creativity.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>All these years later, Valdez, one of 10 children of California migrant farmworkers, still remembers the pain. He could have slipped down the hole of disappointment. Instead, he says, “It became the hungry mouth of my creativity.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In David Alvarado’s crisply entertaining documentary \u003cem>American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez\u003c/em>, ample justice is given to a gifted artist who transcended his circumstances and carved new trails. The film, which earlier this year won an Audience Award at Sundance, opens Friday, July 31 at the Roxie Theater with director David Alvarado and Valdez himself on hand.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In David Alvarado’s crisply entertaining documentary \u003cem>American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez\u003c/em>, ample justice is given to a gifted artist who transcended his circumstances and carved new trails. The film, which earlier this year won an Audience Award at Sundance, opens Friday, July 31 at the Roxie Theater with director David Alvarado and Valdez himself on hand.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Delano, California-born Valdez wrote and directed plays for El Teatro Campesino (The Farm Workers Theatre), which he founded in his early 20s and led for decades. His major works include \u003cem>Zoot Suit\u003c/em> (the first Chicano play on Broadway, later adapted into a film) and \u003cem>Corridos! Tales of Passion and Revolution\u003c/em>, a hit at San Francisco’s Marines Memorial Theater in the early ’80s (and which Valdez adapted a few years later for PBS).\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The Delano, California-born Valdez wrote and directed plays for El Teatro Campesino (The Farm Workers Theatre), which he founded in his early 20s and led for decades. His major works include \u003cem>Zoot Suit\u003c/em> (the first Chicano play on Broadway, later adapted into a film) and \u003cem>Corridos! Tales of Passion and Revolution\u003c/em>, a hit at San Francisco’s Marines Memorial Theater in the early ’80s (and which Valdez adapted a few years later for PBS).\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Valdez’s most widely seen work, however, is \u003cem>La Bamba\u003c/em>, the 1987 biopic of Chicano rock ‘n’ roller Richie Valens that Valdez researched, wrote and directed. (Among its other lasting merits, the film also yielded Los Lobos’ hit cover of the title track.)\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Valdez’s most widely seen work, however, is \u003cem>La Bamba\u003c/em>, the 1987 biopic of Chicano rock ‘n’ roller Richie Valens that Valdez researched, wrote and directed. (Among its other lasting merits, the film also yielded Los Lobos’ hit cover of the title track.)\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13992059,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Courtesy of the Tom & Ethel Bradley Center at California State University, Northridge",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_02.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_02-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_02-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_02-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_02-1200x675.jpg 1200w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_02.jpg\" alt=\"Four men, outdoors and seen from below, act out a scene dressed in simple clothes and wearing signs around their neck to indicate which group they belong to.\" class=\"wp-image-13992059\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_02.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_02-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_02-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_02-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_02-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Luis Valdez (center) performing with El Teatro Campensino with Felipe Cantu (left) and Danny Valdez (right) in a scene from the documentary ‘American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez.’ \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_02.jpg\" alt=\"Four men, outdoors and seen from below, act out a scene dressed in simple clothes and wearing signs around their neck to indicate which group they belong to.\" class=\"wp-image-13992059\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Luis Valdez (center) performing with El Teatro Campensino with Felipe Cantu (left) and Danny Valdez (right) in a scene from the documentary ‘American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez.’ \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez\u003c/em> employs two narrators. Valdez, sharp and jovial in his mid-80s, recalls his youthful stint with the San Francisco Mime Troupe before getting involved in the nascent National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) founded by Cesar Chavez in 1962. The Mime Troupe’s influence colors Valdez’s early plays like \u003cem>The Shrunken Head of Pancho Villa\u003c/em>, which used absurdist comedy to depict the economic and social situation of Mexican and Mexican-American laborers and their families.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez\u003c/em> employs two narrators. Valdez, sharp and jovial in his mid-80s, recalls his youthful stint with the San Francisco Mime Troupe before getting involved in the nascent National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) founded by Cesar Chavez in 1962. The Mime Troupe’s influence colors Valdez’s early plays like \u003cem>The Shrunken Head of Pancho Villa\u003c/em>, which used absurdist comedy to depict the economic and social situation of Mexican and Mexican-American laborers and their families.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "fullwidth"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>During the catalytic NFWA march to Sacramento in the spring of 1966, El Teatro Campesino performed in many places along the route, attracting new participants to the cause. Chavez, meanwhile, decided he needed organizers and activists for NFWA’s expanding national campaign more than he needed actors, and Valdez and his cohorts set off on their own, making San Juan Bautista their base.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>During the catalytic NFWA march to Sacramento in the spring of 1966, El Teatro Campesino performed in many places along the route, attracting new participants to the cause. Chavez, meanwhile, decided he needed organizers and activists for NFWA’s expanding national campaign more than he needed actors, and Valdez and his cohorts set off on their own, making San Juan Bautista their base.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>David Alvarado illustrates this splendid oral history with acres of compelling archival footage — the young Valdez, sporting an omnipresent Che Guevara-esque cigar, is charming and charismatic. Alvarado bolsters this through interviews with NFWA luminary Dolores Huerta, as well as Valdez’s brother and wife, who performed with El Teatro Campesino.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>David Alvarado illustrates this splendid oral history with acres of compelling archival footage — the young Valdez, sporting an omnipresent Che Guevara-esque cigar, is charming and charismatic. Alvarado bolsters this through interviews with NFWA luminary Dolores Huerta, as well as Valdez’s brother and wife, who performed with El Teatro Campesino.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Alvarado also makes an unexpected and rather risky choice. He invites a second narrator, a streetwise commentator, to this genially mannered affair: a pachuco, similar to the swaggering L.A. protagonist of \u003cem>Zoot Suit\u003c/em>, a 1940s “street cat with style.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Alvarado also makes an unexpected and rather risky choice. He invites a second narrator, a streetwise commentator, to this genially mannered affair: a pachuco, similar to the swaggering L.A. protagonist of \u003cem>Zoot Suit\u003c/em>, a 1940s “street cat with style.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For that play, Valdez drew on grim, forgotten events in Southern California history, namely the Sleepy Lagoon murder that preceded the Zoot Suit Riots of 1943. The riots consisted of servicemen and sailors attacking Mexican-American youths and ripping off their clothes – their justification being that zoot suits used an excessive and “unpatriotic” amount of fabric during wartime rationing.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>For that play, Valdez drew on grim, forgotten events in Southern California history, namely the Sleepy Lagoon murder that preceded the Zoot Suit Riots of 1943. The riots consisted of servicemen and sailors attacking Mexican-American youths and ripping off their clothes – their justification being that zoot suits used an excessive and “unpatriotic” amount of fabric during wartime rationing.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It was blatant racism, of course. The zoot suit, in the ’40s and in Valdez’s play, was an expression of identity and style. It was adopted by guys whose parents worked menial jobs to make a better life for their kids. (Like the fieldwork of the ’60s and the stockyard labor of today, the jobs were essential, arduous and largely performed by immigrants.)\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>It was blatant racism, of course. The zoot suit, in the ’40s and in Valdez’s play, was an expression of identity and style. It was adopted by guys whose parents worked menial jobs to make a better life for their kids. (Like the fieldwork of the ’60s and the stockyard labor of today, the jobs were essential, arduous and largely performed by immigrants.)\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This is the quintessential American phenomenon — children of immigrants navigating racist treatment on the slow path to assimilation. The zoot suiters of the ’40s, just like the newly minted Chicanos of the ’60s, were simply trying to make their way.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>This is the quintessential American phenomenon — children of immigrants navigating racist treatment on the slow path to assimilation. The zoot suiters of the ’40s, just like the newly minted Chicanos of the ’60s, were simply trying to make their way.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13992061,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Frasier Bradshaw",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_03.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_03-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_03-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_03-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_03-1200x675.jpg 1200w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_03.jpg\" alt=\"An older latino man in a Black jacket and glasses sits inside a high-ceiling church-like building, with chandeliers and wooden features\" class=\"wp-image-13992061\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_03.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_03-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_03-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_03-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_03-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Luis Valdez being interviewed in a scene from the documentary ‘American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez.’ \u003cbr>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_03.jpg\" alt=\"An older latino man in a Black jacket and glasses sits inside a high-ceiling church-like building, with chandeliers and wooden features\" class=\"wp-image-13992061\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Luis Valdez being interviewed in a scene from the documentary ‘American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez.’ \u003cbr>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A recurring thread of \u003cem>American Pachuco\u003c/em> is the divergent path of Luis Valdez’s older brother Frank, a science whiz who became an Air Force engineer. Frank believed that achieving the American dream was his ticket to burying and denying his roots as a child of farmworkers. No matter what he accomplished, though, the racism he encountered reminded him that many people saw him as Mexican, not American.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>A recurring thread of \u003cem>American Pachuco\u003c/em> is the divergent path of Luis Valdez’s older brother Frank, a science whiz who became an Air Force engineer. Frank believed that achieving the American dream was his ticket to burying and denying his roots as a child of farmworkers. No matter what he accomplished, though, the racism he encountered reminded him that many people saw him as Mexican, not American.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One of the functions of the documentary’s pachuco commentator (voiced by \u003cem>Zoot Suit\u003c/em> star Edward James Olmos) is to mirror Valdez’s affection for knocking down the fourth wall separating the audience from the performers. His early plays included improvisation and audience participation. The protagonist of \u003cem>Zoot Suit\u003c/em> famously addresses and confronts the audience directly.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>One of the functions of the documentary’s pachuco commentator (voiced by \u003cem>Zoot Suit\u003c/em> star Edward James Olmos) is to mirror Valdez’s affection for knocking down the fourth wall separating the audience from the performers. His early plays included improvisation and audience participation. The protagonist of \u003cem>Zoot Suit\u003c/em> famously addresses and confronts the audience directly.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>By including the pachuco, I think Alvarado is nodding to Valdez’s sophistication as a writer and director. He was not only well-versed in the dynamics of agitprop and commedia del’arte, but in the theory and philosophy of theater. This intellectual component of Valdez’s practice — alluded to when the visionary director Peter Brook visits El Teatro Campesino — is downplayed in the documentary, as if it might distract us from the hard lessons of the fields and the streets. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>By including the pachuco, I think Alvarado is nodding to Valdez’s sophistication as a writer and director. He was not only well-versed in the dynamics of agitprop and commedia del’arte, but in the theory and philosophy of theater. This intellectual component of Valdez’s practice — alluded to when the visionary director Peter Brook visits El Teatro Campesino — is downplayed in the documentary, as if it might distract us from the hard lessons of the fields and the streets. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The second half of \u003cem>American Pachuco\u003c/em> walks us backstage for Valdez’s greatest hits, \u003cem>Zoot Suit\u003c/em> and \u003cem>La Bamba\u003c/em>. The L.A. triumph of \u003cem>Zoot Suit\u003c/em> is the film’s highpoint, a moment of public celebration of Chicanos as well as of Valdez, while the New York reviewers’ failure to connect with the culture and language led to them criticizing what they couldn’t understand.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The second half of \u003cem>American Pachuco\u003c/em> walks us backstage for Valdez’s greatest hits, \u003cem>Zoot Suit\u003c/em> and \u003cem>La Bamba\u003c/em>. The L.A. triumph of \u003cem>Zoot Suit\u003c/em> is the film’s highpoint, a moment of public celebration of Chicanos as well as of Valdez, while the New York reviewers’ failure to connect with the culture and language led to them criticizing what they couldn’t understand.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the wake of the \u003cem>pachucos\u003c/em>, Richie Valens emerged in the ’50s with, as one interviewee notes, “Different threads. Different beats. But he had the same swagger.” It’s fair to say that Luis Valdez got past his devastating childhood letdown the same way: through talent and swagger.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In the wake of the \u003cem>pachucos\u003c/em>, Richie Valens emerged in the ’50s with, as one interviewee notes, “Different threads. Different beats. But he had the same swagger.” It’s fair to say that Luis Valdez got past his devastating childhood letdown the same way: through talent and swagger.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/separator",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez’ opens Friday, July 31, at the \u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/american-pachuco-the-legend-of-luis-valdez/\">Roxie Theater\u003c/a> (3116 16th St., San Francisco). Following the 6:10 p.m. screening, Roberto Hernandez moderates a Q&A with Luis Valdez and filmmakers David Alvarado, Everett Katigbak and Lauren DeFilippo.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez’ opens Friday, July 31, at the \u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/american-pachuco-the-legend-of-luis-valdez/\">Roxie Theater\u003c/a> (3116 16th St., San Francisco). Following the 6:10 p.m. screening, Roberto Hernandez moderates a Q&A with Luis Valdez and filmmakers David Alvarado, Everett Katigbak and Lauren DeFilippo.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "floatright"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Further Q&As with Alvarado take place on Saturday, Aug. 1 at the \u003ca href=\"https://rafaelfilm.cafilm.org/american-pachuco/\">Smith Rafael Film Center\u003c/a> in San Rafael; Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 1 and 2, at \u003ca href=\"https://rialtocinemas.com/now-playing-elm/american-pachuco-elm/\">Rialto Cinemas Elmwood\u003c/a> in Berkeley; and Sunday, Aug. 2, again at the Roxie\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Further Q&As with Alvarado take place on Saturday, Aug. 1 at the \u003ca href=\"https://rafaelfilm.cafilm.org/american-pachuco/\">Smith Rafael Film Center\u003c/a> in San Rafael; Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 1 and 2, at \u003ca href=\"https://rialtocinemas.com/now-playing-elm/american-pachuco-elm/\">Rialto Cinemas Elmwood\u003c/a> in Berkeley; and Sunday, Aug. 2, again at the Roxie\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "The writer-director of ‘La Bamba’ and ‘Zoot Suit’ was also the first Chicano playwright on Broadway.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1785882229,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 21,
"wordCount": 1166
},
"headData": {
"title": "Luis Valdez Claims the Spotlight in ‘American Pachuco’ | KQED",
"description": "The writer-director of ‘La Bamba’ and ‘Zoot Suit’ was also the first Chicano playwright on Broadway.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Luis Valdez Claims the Spotlight in ‘American Pachuco’",
"datePublished": "2026-07-29T09:25:52-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-08-04T15:23:49-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 1,
"slug": "arts",
"name": "Arts"
},
"source": "The Do List",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"audioUrl": "https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-41c5-bcaf-aaef00f5a073/0017bb39-8533-4359-9180-b49c01301089/audio.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13992108",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13992108/luis-valdez-claims-the-spotlight-in-american-pachuco",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Luis Valdez was just a young boy when he landed his first theatrical role. Before he could join his classmates on stage, however, his family was evicted on short notice, and forced to move.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>All these years later, Valdez, one of 10 children of California migrant farmworkers, still remembers the pain. He could have slipped down the hole of disappointment. Instead, he says, “It became the hungry mouth of my creativity.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In David Alvarado’s crisply entertaining documentary \u003cem>American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez\u003c/em>, ample justice is given to a gifted artist who transcended his circumstances and carved new trails. The film, which earlier this year won an Audience Award at Sundance, opens Friday, July 31 at the Roxie Theater with director David Alvarado and Valdez himself on hand.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Delano, California-born Valdez wrote and directed plays for El Teatro Campesino (The Farm Workers Theatre), which he founded in his early 20s and led for decades. His major works include \u003cem>Zoot Suit\u003c/em> (the first Chicano play on Broadway, later adapted into a film) and \u003cem>Corridos! Tales of Passion and Revolution\u003c/em>, a hit at San Francisco’s Marines Memorial Theater in the early ’80s (and which Valdez adapted a few years later for PBS).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Valdez’s most widely seen work, however, is \u003cem>La Bamba\u003c/em>, the 1987 biopic of Chicano rock ‘n’ roller Richie Valens that Valdez researched, wrote and directed. (Among its other lasting merits, the film also yielded Los Lobos’ hit cover of the title track.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_02.jpg\" alt=\"Four men, outdoors and seen from below, act out a scene dressed in simple clothes and wearing signs around their neck to indicate which group they belong to.\" class=\"wp-image-13992059\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_02.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_02-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_02-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_02-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_02-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Luis Valdez (center) performing with El Teatro Campensino with Felipe Cantu (left) and Danny Valdez (right) in a scene from the documentary ‘American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez.’ (Courtesy of the Tom & Ethel Bradley Center at California State University, Northridge)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez\u003c/em> employs two narrators. Valdez, sharp and jovial in his mid-80s, recalls his youthful stint with the San Francisco Mime Troupe before getting involved in the nascent National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) founded by Cesar Chavez in 1962. The Mime Troupe’s influence colors Valdez’s early plays like \u003cem>The Shrunken Head of Pancho Villa\u003c/em>, which used absurdist comedy to depict the economic and social situation of Mexican and Mexican-American laborers and their families.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the catalytic NFWA march to Sacramento in the spring of 1966, El Teatro Campesino performed in many places along the route, attracting new participants to the cause. Chavez, meanwhile, decided he needed organizers and activists for NFWA’s expanding national campaign more than he needed actors, and Valdez and his cohorts set off on their own, making San Juan Bautista their base.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>David Alvarado illustrates this splendid oral history with acres of compelling archival footage — the young Valdez, sporting an omnipresent Che Guevara-esque cigar, is charming and charismatic. Alvarado bolsters this through interviews with NFWA luminary Dolores Huerta, as well as Valdez’s brother and wife, who performed with El Teatro Campesino.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Alvarado also makes an unexpected and rather risky choice. He invites a second narrator, a streetwise commentator, to this genially mannered affair: a pachuco, similar to the swaggering L.A. protagonist of \u003cem>Zoot Suit\u003c/em>, a 1940s “street cat with style.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For that play, Valdez drew on grim, forgotten events in Southern California history, namely the Sleepy Lagoon murder that preceded the Zoot Suit Riots of 1943. The riots consisted of servicemen and sailors attacking Mexican-American youths and ripping off their clothes – their justification being that zoot suits used an excessive and “unpatriotic” amount of fabric during wartime rationing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It was blatant racism, of course. The zoot suit, in the ’40s and in Valdez’s play, was an expression of identity and style. It was adopted by guys whose parents worked menial jobs to make a better life for their kids. (Like the fieldwork of the ’60s and the stockyard labor of today, the jobs were essential, arduous and largely performed by immigrants.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This is the quintessential American phenomenon — children of immigrants navigating racist treatment on the slow path to assimilation. The zoot suiters of the ’40s, just like the newly minted Chicanos of the ’60s, were simply trying to make their way.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_03.jpg\" alt=\"An older latino man in a Black jacket and glasses sits inside a high-ceiling church-like building, with chandeliers and wooden features\" class=\"wp-image-13992061\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_03.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_03-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_03-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_03-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/americanpachuco_still_03-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Luis Valdez being interviewed in a scene from the documentary ‘American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez.’ \u003cbr> (Frasier Bradshaw)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A recurring thread of \u003cem>American Pachuco\u003c/em> is the divergent path of Luis Valdez’s older brother Frank, a science whiz who became an Air Force engineer. Frank believed that achieving the American dream was his ticket to burying and denying his roots as a child of farmworkers. No matter what he accomplished, though, the racism he encountered reminded him that many people saw him as Mexican, not American.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of the functions of the documentary’s pachuco commentator (voiced by \u003cem>Zoot Suit\u003c/em> star Edward James Olmos) is to mirror Valdez’s affection for knocking down the fourth wall separating the audience from the performers. His early plays included improvisation and audience participation. The protagonist of \u003cem>Zoot Suit\u003c/em> famously addresses and confronts the audience directly.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>By including the pachuco, I think Alvarado is nodding to Valdez’s sophistication as a writer and director. He was not only well-versed in the dynamics of agitprop and commedia del’arte, but in the theory and philosophy of theater. This intellectual component of Valdez’s practice — alluded to when the visionary director Peter Brook visits El Teatro Campesino — is downplayed in the documentary, as if it might distract us from the hard lessons of the fields and the streets. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The second half of \u003cem>American Pachuco\u003c/em> walks us backstage for Valdez’s greatest hits, \u003cem>Zoot Suit\u003c/em> and \u003cem>La Bamba\u003c/em>. The L.A. triumph of \u003cem>Zoot Suit\u003c/em> is the film’s highpoint, a moment of public celebration of Chicanos as well as of Valdez, while the New York reviewers’ failure to connect with the culture and language led to them criticizing what they couldn’t understand.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the wake of the \u003cem>pachucos\u003c/em>, Richie Valens emerged in the ’50s with, as one interviewee notes, “Different threads. Different beats. But he had the same swagger.” It’s fair to say that Luis Valdez got past his devastating childhood letdown the same way: through talent and swagger.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez’ opens Friday, July 31, at the \u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/american-pachuco-the-legend-of-luis-valdez/\">Roxie Theater\u003c/a> (3116 16th St., San Francisco). Following the 6:10 p.m. screening, Roberto Hernandez moderates a Q&A with Luis Valdez and filmmakers David Alvarado, Everett Katigbak and Lauren DeFilippo.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Further Q&As with Alvarado take place on Saturday, Aug. 1 at the \u003ca href=\"https://rafaelfilm.cafilm.org/american-pachuco/\">Smith Rafael Film Center\u003c/a> in San Rafael; Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 1 and 2, at \u003ca href=\"https://rialtocinemas.com/now-playing-elm/american-pachuco-elm/\">Rialto Cinemas Elmwood\u003c/a> in Berkeley; and Sunday, Aug. 2, again at the Roxie\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13992108/luis-valdez-claims-the-spotlight-in-american-pachuco",
"authors": [
"22"
],
"programs": [
"arts_140"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_74",
"arts_22313"
],
"tags": [
"arts_3419",
"arts_13672",
"arts_22453",
"arts_10278",
"arts_1256",
"arts_3163",
"arts_585"
],
"featImg": "arts_13992060",
"label": "source_arts_13992108"
},
"arts_13991888": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13991888",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13991888",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1785189004000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "rootstock-arts-indian-classical-music-jazz-oakland",
"title": "RootStock Arts Creates a Hub for Indian Music and Jazz in Oakland",
"publishDate": 1785189004,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "RootStock Arts Creates a Hub for Indian Music and Jazz in Oakland | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>Sameer Gupta has his hands full with \u003ca href=\"https://rootstockarts.com/\">RootStock Arts\u003c/a>, his new North Oakland cultural center that began hosting music events in May. But that doesn’t mean he’s content to only focus on his own backyard.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Fremont-raised jazz drummer has a long track record of building grassroots cultural networks, most importantly Brooklyn Raga Massive, a collective that turbo-charged New York City’s classical South Asian music scene over the past two decades. It was through BRM that he started collaborating with the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, producing a series of ambitious events in San Francisco, including 2018’s huge, raga-inflected rendition of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13838939/sameer-gupta-brings-his-brooklyn-meets-bollywood-jazz-to-the-bay-area\">Terry Riley’s “In C”\u003c/a> with Classical Revolution and 2022’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13914557/alice-coltrane-reggie-workman\">Alice Coltrane tribute\u003c/a> with legendary jazz bassist Reggie Workman.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1020\" height=\"574\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-1020x574.jpg\" alt=\"Percussionist Sameer Gupta forged his fusion of jazz and Indian classical music from his extensive collaborations with an eclectic cast of master musicians.\" class=\"wp-image-13839304\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-1180x664.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-960x540.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-240x135.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-375x211.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-520x293.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1020px) 100vw, 1020px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Percussionist Sameer Gupta forged his fusion of jazz and Indian classical music from his extensive collaborations with an eclectic cast of master musicians. (Rebecca Meek)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since moving to Oakland two years ago, Gupta has trained the same indefatigable energy and scene-building spirit on the Bay Area, bringing classical Indian music to intimate settings outside of South Asian communities. Before opening RootStock Arts on Telegraph Avenue and 58th Street, he started producing monthly shows at Medicine For Nightmares in San Francisco’s Mission District and weekly recitals at Wyldflowr Arts in West Oakland. And he’s still collaborating with Yerba Buena Gardens Festival: On Aug. 2, RootStock Arts will co-present \u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/event/color-your-mind-2026/\">Color Your Mind\u003c/a>, a free, day-long event in San Francisco’s SoMa that will feature visual art, textiles, crafts and three sets by a disparate roster of South Asian musicians.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The program includes Carnatic violinist and vocalist Sruti Sarathy, who has infused her South Indian repertoire with North Indian raga. Multi-instrumentalist Siddique Ahmed, a founding member of Afghanistan’s first rock band, Kabul Dreams, presents a set of original material on the lute-like rubab, the national instrument of Afghanistan. And Suhail Yusuf Khan, the scion of a musical dynasty, performs on vocals and sarangi, a bowed three-string instrument.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Surveying the landscape that he’s in the midst of refashioning, Gupta sounds pleased with the view. “Wyldflowr is growing fantastically,” he said. “We’re responsible for about half of their programming. The partnership with Yerba Buena Gardens Festival is great and we got funding from the Zellerbach Foundation for Color Your Mind. The Jazzschool [in Berkeley] continues to show us so much love. The fact that RootStock Arts is spreading out and undefined gives it depth.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1506\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992088\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-3-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-3-768x578.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-3-1536x1157.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Musicians Hank Dutt, George Brooks, Molly Holm, Joel Davel and Sameer Gupta (left to right) at a panel discussion about composer Terry Riley at RootStock Arts on May 14, 2026. (Courtesy of Sameer Gupta)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Jazzschool connection speaks to a larger generational shift that’s taking place in the Bay Area, as a cohort of independent artists in their 40s and 50s take over arts institutions or found new ones. On Aug. 5, Gupta holds forth in Berkeley at the Freight as part of the \u003ca href=\"https://concerts.jazzschool.org/free-brown-bag-jazz-hangs-the-freight-sameer-gupta-on-jazz-raga/\">Brown Bag Jazz Hangs\u003c/a> series, created by recently appointed Jazzschool director Lisa Mezzacappa. It’s an informal program that gives artists a chance to discuss topics they’re passionate about. Gupta will be talking about the intersection of jazz and raga.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re about the same age and we’ve both decided to take on administrative jobs running these big community-building projects,” said Mezzacappa, a bassist, composer and bandleader who has infused the Jazzschool with the same more-is-more sensibility that has made her a major creative force powering the Bay Area’s improvised music scene. “I feel so much kinship with Sameer. He’s a force of nature, and we’re so lucky he decided to move back to the Bay Area.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gupta has been looking to provide resources and services to artists since he got back. RootStock Arts occupies a long-shuttered real estate office on Telegraph that he and a team of collaborators have built into a multi-use facility. His concept is to work with artists to provide essential infrastructure, whether that means using the building for concerts, classes, instrument repair, office space or rehearsals. He’s designing it as a membership organization and will be announcing rates at Color Your Mind.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If I was trying to rent out each room that would be an easier and much more lucrative model, instead of a co-working space,” Gupta said. “We’re putting in for a lot of grants. I’ve started getting a team in place and moving it in a cooperative direction, and I’m very open to how it evolves.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2656\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-2000x2656.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992090\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-2000x2656.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-768x1020.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-1157x1536.jpg 1157w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-1542x2048.jpg 1542w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-scaled.jpg 1928w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Visiting artists Abhishek Lahiri and Subrata Bhattacharya teach an Indian classical music workshop at RootStock Arts on May 24, 2026. (Courtesy of Sameer Gupta)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The building has already changed the neighborhood vibe. What was previously a nondescript office space unworthy of a second glance is now festooned with murals by Yasushi Matsui, who’ll be doing live mural work during Color Your Mind. In many ways, the RootStock Arts building is the culmination of an ambition that took root during Gupta’s formative work with Brooklyn Raga Massive.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Carnatic violinist Arun Ramamurthy, who co-founded BRM with Gupta, played one of the early concerts at RootStock Arts while he was in town performing in the hit Berkeley Rep production \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13991117/the-lunchbox-review-berkeley-rep-kuhoo-verma\">The Lunchbox\u003c/a>\u003c/em>. Much of the production’s cast turned out to RootStock Arts on a Monday night to see Ramamurthy’s Natural Elements duo with his wife, violinist Trina Basu. The exquisite performance served as a full-circle benediction.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While BMR forged extended relationships with various venues, “the reality is partnerships like that can only last so long,” Ramamurthy said. “Things may end. The venue goes under. There are so many challenges. Having a space is something that Sameer was always hoping for, and he’s really put his heart and soul into it, transforming a real estate office into a sanctuary for musical experiment and community.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.viewcy.com/event/color_your_mind_festi\">Color Your Mind Festival\u003c/a>, co-presented by RootStock Arts, takes place at the Yerba Buena Gardens (760 Howard Street, San Francisco) on Aug. 2.\u003c/em> \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://rootstockarts.com/home\">RootStock Arts’ full event calendar can be found here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sameer Gupta has his hands full with \u003ca href=\"https://rootstockarts.com/\">RootStock Arts\u003c/a>, his new North Oakland cultural center that began hosting music events in May. But that doesn’t mean he’s content to only focus on his own backyard.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Sameer Gupta has his hands full with \u003ca href=\"https://rootstockarts.com/\">RootStock Arts\u003c/a>, his new North Oakland cultural center that began hosting music events in May. But that doesn’t mean he’s content to only focus on his own backyard.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Fremont-raised jazz drummer has a long track record of building grassroots cultural networks, most importantly Brooklyn Raga Massive, a collective that turbo-charged New York City’s classical South Asian music scene over the past two decades. It was through BRM that he started collaborating with the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, producing a series of ambitious events in San Francisco, including 2018’s huge, raga-inflected rendition of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13838939/sameer-gupta-brings-his-brooklyn-meets-bollywood-jazz-to-the-bay-area\">Terry Riley’s “In C”\u003c/a> with Classical Revolution and 2022’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13914557/alice-coltrane-reggie-workman\">Alice Coltrane tribute\u003c/a> with legendary jazz bassist Reggie Workman.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The Fremont-raised jazz drummer has a long track record of building grassroots cultural networks, most importantly Brooklyn Raga Massive, a collective that turbo-charged New York City’s classical South Asian music scene over the past two decades. It was through BRM that he started collaborating with the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, producing a series of ambitious events in San Francisco, including 2018’s huge, raga-inflected rendition of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13838939/sameer-gupta-brings-his-brooklyn-meets-bollywood-jazz-to-the-bay-area\">Terry Riley’s “In C”\u003c/a> with Classical Revolution and 2022’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13914557/alice-coltrane-reggie-workman\">Alice Coltrane tribute\u003c/a> with legendary jazz bassist Reggie Workman.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13839304,
"sizeSlug": "large",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Rebecca Meek",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-1180x664.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-960x540.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-240x135.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-375x211.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-520x293.jpg 520w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-1020x574.jpg\" alt=\"Percussionist Sameer Gupta forged his fusion of jazz and Indian classical music from his extensive collaborations with an eclectic cast of master musicians.\" class=\"wp-image-13839304\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-1180x664.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-960x540.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-240x135.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-375x211.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-520x293.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Percussionist Sameer Gupta forged his fusion of jazz and Indian classical music from his extensive collaborations with an eclectic cast of master musicians. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-1020x574.jpg\" alt=\"Percussionist Sameer Gupta forged his fusion of jazz and Indian classical music from his extensive collaborations with an eclectic cast of master musicians.\" class=\"wp-image-13839304\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Percussionist Sameer Gupta forged his fusion of jazz and Indian classical music from his extensive collaborations with an eclectic cast of master musicians. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Since moving to Oakland two years ago, Gupta has trained the same indefatigable energy and scene-building spirit on the Bay Area, bringing classical Indian music to intimate settings outside of South Asian communities. Before opening RootStock Arts on Telegraph Avenue and 58th Street, he started producing monthly shows at Medicine For Nightmares in San Francisco’s Mission District and weekly recitals at Wyldflowr Arts in West Oakland. And he’s still collaborating with Yerba Buena Gardens Festival: On Aug. 2, RootStock Arts will co-present \u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/event/color-your-mind-2026/\">Color Your Mind\u003c/a>, a free, day-long event in San Francisco’s SoMa that will feature visual art, textiles, crafts and three sets by a disparate roster of South Asian musicians.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Since moving to Oakland two years ago, Gupta has trained the same indefatigable energy and scene-building spirit on the Bay Area, bringing classical Indian music to intimate settings outside of South Asian communities. Before opening RootStock Arts on Telegraph Avenue and 58th Street, he started producing monthly shows at Medicine For Nightmares in San Francisco’s Mission District and weekly recitals at Wyldflowr Arts in West Oakland. And he’s still collaborating with Yerba Buena Gardens Festival: On Aug. 2, RootStock Arts will co-present \u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/event/color-your-mind-2026/\">Color Your Mind\u003c/a>, a free, day-long event in San Francisco’s SoMa that will feature visual art, textiles, crafts and three sets by a disparate roster of South Asian musicians.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The program includes Carnatic violinist and vocalist Sruti Sarathy, who has infused her South Indian repertoire with North Indian raga. Multi-instrumentalist Siddique Ahmed, a founding member of Afghanistan’s first rock band, Kabul Dreams, presents a set of original material on the lute-like rubab, the national instrument of Afghanistan. And Suhail Yusuf Khan, the scion of a musical dynasty, performs on vocals and sarangi, a bowed three-string instrument.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The program includes Carnatic violinist and vocalist Sruti Sarathy, who has infused her South Indian repertoire with North Indian raga. Multi-instrumentalist Siddique Ahmed, a founding member of Afghanistan’s first rock band, Kabul Dreams, presents a set of original material on the lute-like rubab, the national instrument of Afghanistan. And Suhail Yusuf Khan, the scion of a musical dynasty, performs on vocals and sarangi, a bowed three-string instrument.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Surveying the landscape that he’s in the midst of refashioning, Gupta sounds pleased with the view. “Wyldflowr is growing fantastically,” he said. “We’re responsible for about half of their programming. The partnership with Yerba Buena Gardens Festival is great and we got funding from the Zellerbach Foundation for Color Your Mind. The Jazzschool [in Berkeley] continues to show us so much love. The fact that RootStock Arts is spreading out and undefined gives it depth.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Surveying the landscape that he’s in the midst of refashioning, Gupta sounds pleased with the view. “Wyldflowr is growing fantastically,” he said. “We’re responsible for about half of their programming. The partnership with Yerba Buena Gardens Festival is great and we got funding from the Zellerbach Foundation for Color Your Mind. The Jazzschool [in Berkeley] continues to show us so much love. The fact that RootStock Arts is spreading out and undefined gives it depth.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13992088,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Courtesy of Sameer Gupta",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-3-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-3-768x578.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-3-1536x1157.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992088\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-3-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-3-768x578.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-3-1536x1157.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Musicians Hank Dutt, George Brooks, Molly Holm, Joel Davel and Sameer Gupta (left to right) at a panel discussion about composer Terry Riley at RootStock Arts on May 14, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992088\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Musicians Hank Dutt, George Brooks, Molly Holm, Joel Davel and Sameer Gupta (left to right) at a panel discussion about composer Terry Riley at RootStock Arts on May 14, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Jazzschool connection speaks to a larger generational shift that’s taking place in the Bay Area, as a cohort of independent artists in their 40s and 50s take over arts institutions or found new ones. On Aug. 5, Gupta holds forth in Berkeley at the Freight as part of the \u003ca href=\"https://concerts.jazzschool.org/free-brown-bag-jazz-hangs-the-freight-sameer-gupta-on-jazz-raga/\">Brown Bag Jazz Hangs\u003c/a> series, created by recently appointed Jazzschool director Lisa Mezzacappa. It’s an informal program that gives artists a chance to discuss topics they’re passionate about. Gupta will be talking about the intersection of jazz and raga.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The Jazzschool connection speaks to a larger generational shift that’s taking place in the Bay Area, as a cohort of independent artists in their 40s and 50s take over arts institutions or found new ones. On Aug. 5, Gupta holds forth in Berkeley at the Freight as part of the \u003ca href=\"https://concerts.jazzschool.org/free-brown-bag-jazz-hangs-the-freight-sameer-gupta-on-jazz-raga/\">Brown Bag Jazz Hangs\u003c/a> series, created by recently appointed Jazzschool director Lisa Mezzacappa. It’s an informal program that gives artists a chance to discuss topics they’re passionate about. Gupta will be talking about the intersection of jazz and raga.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "fullwidth"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re about the same age and we’ve both decided to take on administrative jobs running these big community-building projects,” said Mezzacappa, a bassist, composer and bandleader who has infused the Jazzschool with the same more-is-more sensibility that has made her a major creative force powering the Bay Area’s improvised music scene. “I feel so much kinship with Sameer. He’s a force of nature, and we’re so lucky he decided to move back to the Bay Area.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We’re about the same age and we’ve both decided to take on administrative jobs running these big community-building projects,” said Mezzacappa, a bassist, composer and bandleader who has infused the Jazzschool with the same more-is-more sensibility that has made her a major creative force powering the Bay Area’s improvised music scene. “I feel so much kinship with Sameer. He’s a force of nature, and we’re so lucky he decided to move back to the Bay Area.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed-v2/related-articles",
"attrs": {
"postIds": [
"arts_13992045",
"arts_13991969",
"arts_13991973"
],
"labelWasCleared": true
},
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": [],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gupta has been looking to provide resources and services to artists since he got back. RootStock Arts occupies a long-shuttered real estate office on Telegraph that he and a team of collaborators have built into a multi-use facility. His concept is to work with artists to provide essential infrastructure, whether that means using the building for concerts, classes, instrument repair, office space or rehearsals. He’s designing it as a membership organization and will be announcing rates at Color Your Mind.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Gupta has been looking to provide resources and services to artists since he got back. RootStock Arts occupies a long-shuttered real estate office on Telegraph that he and a team of collaborators have built into a multi-use facility. His concept is to work with artists to provide essential infrastructure, whether that means using the building for concerts, classes, instrument repair, office space or rehearsals. He’s designing it as a membership organization and will be announcing rates at Color Your Mind.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If I was trying to rent out each room that would be an easier and much more lucrative model, instead of a co-working space,” Gupta said. “We’re putting in for a lot of grants. I’ve started getting a team in place and moving it in a cooperative direction, and I’m very open to how it evolves.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“If I was trying to rent out each room that would be an easier and much more lucrative model, instead of a co-working space,” Gupta said. “We’re putting in for a lot of grants. I’ve started getting a team in place and moving it in a cooperative direction, and I’m very open to how it evolves.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13992090,
"sizeSlug": "large",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Courtesy of Sameer Gupta",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-2000x2656.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-768x1020.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-1157x1536.jpg 1157w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-1542x2048.jpg 1542w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-scaled.jpg 1928w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-2000x2656.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992090\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-2000x2656.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-768x1020.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-1157x1536.jpg 1157w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-1542x2048.jpg 1542w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-scaled.jpg 1928w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Visiting artists Abhishek Lahiri and Subrata Bhattacharya teach an Indian classical music workshop at RootStock Arts on May 24, 2026. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-2000x2656.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992090\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Visiting artists Abhishek Lahiri and Subrata Bhattacharya teach an Indian classical music workshop at RootStock Arts on May 24, 2026. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The building has already changed the neighborhood vibe. What was previously a nondescript office space unworthy of a second glance is now festooned with murals by Yasushi Matsui, who’ll be doing live mural work during Color Your Mind. In many ways, the RootStock Arts building is the culmination of an ambition that took root during Gupta’s formative work with Brooklyn Raga Massive.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The building has already changed the neighborhood vibe. What was previously a nondescript office space unworthy of a second glance is now festooned with murals by Yasushi Matsui, who’ll be doing live mural work during Color Your Mind. In many ways, the RootStock Arts building is the culmination of an ambition that took root during Gupta’s formative work with Brooklyn Raga Massive.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Carnatic violinist Arun Ramamurthy, who co-founded BRM with Gupta, played one of the early concerts at RootStock Arts while he was in town performing in the hit Berkeley Rep production \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13991117/the-lunchbox-review-berkeley-rep-kuhoo-verma\">The Lunchbox\u003c/a>\u003c/em>. Much of the production’s cast turned out to RootStock Arts on a Monday night to see Ramamurthy’s Natural Elements duo with his wife, violinist Trina Basu. The exquisite performance served as a full-circle benediction.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Carnatic violinist Arun Ramamurthy, who co-founded BRM with Gupta, played one of the early concerts at RootStock Arts while he was in town performing in the hit Berkeley Rep production \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13991117/the-lunchbox-review-berkeley-rep-kuhoo-verma\">The Lunchbox\u003c/a>\u003c/em>. Much of the production’s cast turned out to RootStock Arts on a Monday night to see Ramamurthy’s Natural Elements duo with his wife, violinist Trina Basu. The exquisite performance served as a full-circle benediction.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While BMR forged extended relationships with various venues, “the reality is partnerships like that can only last so long,” Ramamurthy said. “Things may end. The venue goes under. There are so many challenges. Having a space is something that Sameer was always hoping for, and he’s really put his heart and soul into it, transforming a real estate office into a sanctuary for musical experiment and community.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>While BMR forged extended relationships with various venues, “the reality is partnerships like that can only last so long,” Ramamurthy said. “Things may end. The venue goes under. There are so many challenges. Having a space is something that Sameer was always hoping for, and he’s really put his heart and soul into it, transforming a real estate office into a sanctuary for musical experiment and community.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/separator",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" />\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" />\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "floatright"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.viewcy.com/event/color_your_mind_festi\">Color Your Mind Festival\u003c/a>, co-presented by RootStock Arts, takes place at the Yerba Buena Gardens (760 Howard Street, San Francisco) on Aug. 2.\u003c/em> \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://rootstockarts.com/home\">RootStock Arts’ full event calendar can be found here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.viewcy.com/event/color_your_mind_festi\">Color Your Mind Festival\u003c/a>, co-presented by RootStock Arts, takes place at the Yerba Buena Gardens (760 Howard Street, San Francisco) on Aug. 2.\u003c/em> \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://rootstockarts.com/home\">RootStock Arts’ full event calendar can be found here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "Drummer Sameer Gupta turned a nondescript office building into a vibrant venue and community center. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1785189013,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 15,
"wordCount": 1081
},
"headData": {
"title": "RootStock Arts Creates a Hub for Indian Music and Jazz in Oakland | KQED",
"description": "Drummer Sameer Gupta turned a nondescript office building into a vibrant venue and community center. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "RootStock Arts Creates a Hub for Indian Music and Jazz in Oakland",
"datePublished": "2026-07-27T14:50:04-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-07-27T14:50:13-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 1,
"slug": "arts",
"name": "Arts"
},
"source": "The Do List",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13991888",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13991888/rootstock-arts-indian-classical-music-jazz-oakland",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Sameer Gupta has his hands full with \u003ca href=\"https://rootstockarts.com/\">RootStock Arts\u003c/a>, his new North Oakland cultural center that began hosting music events in May. But that doesn’t mean he’s content to only focus on his own backyard.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Fremont-raised jazz drummer has a long track record of building grassroots cultural networks, most importantly Brooklyn Raga Massive, a collective that turbo-charged New York City’s classical South Asian music scene over the past two decades. It was through BRM that he started collaborating with the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, producing a series of ambitious events in San Francisco, including 2018’s huge, raga-inflected rendition of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13838939/sameer-gupta-brings-his-brooklyn-meets-bollywood-jazz-to-the-bay-area\">Terry Riley’s “In C”\u003c/a> with Classical Revolution and 2022’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13914557/alice-coltrane-reggie-workman\">Alice Coltrane tribute\u003c/a> with legendary jazz bassist Reggie Workman.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1020\" height=\"574\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-1020x574.jpg\" alt=\"Percussionist Sameer Gupta forged his fusion of jazz and Indian classical music from his extensive collaborations with an eclectic cast of master musicians.\" class=\"wp-image-13839304\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-1180x664.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-960x540.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-240x135.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-375x211.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Gupta-1-520x293.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1020px) 100vw, 1020px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Percussionist Sameer Gupta forged his fusion of jazz and Indian classical music from his extensive collaborations with an eclectic cast of master musicians. (Rebecca Meek)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since moving to Oakland two years ago, Gupta has trained the same indefatigable energy and scene-building spirit on the Bay Area, bringing classical Indian music to intimate settings outside of South Asian communities. Before opening RootStock Arts on Telegraph Avenue and 58th Street, he started producing monthly shows at Medicine For Nightmares in San Francisco’s Mission District and weekly recitals at Wyldflowr Arts in West Oakland. And he’s still collaborating with Yerba Buena Gardens Festival: On Aug. 2, RootStock Arts will co-present \u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/event/color-your-mind-2026/\">Color Your Mind\u003c/a>, a free, day-long event in San Francisco’s SoMa that will feature visual art, textiles, crafts and three sets by a disparate roster of South Asian musicians.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The program includes Carnatic violinist and vocalist Sruti Sarathy, who has infused her South Indian repertoire with North Indian raga. Multi-instrumentalist Siddique Ahmed, a founding member of Afghanistan’s first rock band, Kabul Dreams, presents a set of original material on the lute-like rubab, the national instrument of Afghanistan. And Suhail Yusuf Khan, the scion of a musical dynasty, performs on vocals and sarangi, a bowed three-string instrument.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Surveying the landscape that he’s in the midst of refashioning, Gupta sounds pleased with the view. “Wyldflowr is growing fantastically,” he said. “We’re responsible for about half of their programming. The partnership with Yerba Buena Gardens Festival is great and we got funding from the Zellerbach Foundation for Color Your Mind. The Jazzschool [in Berkeley] continues to show us so much love. The fact that RootStock Arts is spreading out and undefined gives it depth.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1506\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992088\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-3-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-3-768x578.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/rootstock-3-1536x1157.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Musicians Hank Dutt, George Brooks, Molly Holm, Joel Davel and Sameer Gupta (left to right) at a panel discussion about composer Terry Riley at RootStock Arts on May 14, 2026. (Courtesy of Sameer Gupta)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Jazzschool connection speaks to a larger generational shift that’s taking place in the Bay Area, as a cohort of independent artists in their 40s and 50s take over arts institutions or found new ones. On Aug. 5, Gupta holds forth in Berkeley at the Freight as part of the \u003ca href=\"https://concerts.jazzschool.org/free-brown-bag-jazz-hangs-the-freight-sameer-gupta-on-jazz-raga/\">Brown Bag Jazz Hangs\u003c/a> series, created by recently appointed Jazzschool director Lisa Mezzacappa. It’s an informal program that gives artists a chance to discuss topics they’re passionate about. Gupta will be talking about the intersection of jazz and raga.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re about the same age and we’ve both decided to take on administrative jobs running these big community-building projects,” said Mezzacappa, a bassist, composer and bandleader who has infused the Jazzschool with the same more-is-more sensibility that has made her a major creative force powering the Bay Area’s improvised music scene. “I feel so much kinship with Sameer. He’s a force of nature, and we’re so lucky he decided to move back to the Bay Area.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gupta has been looking to provide resources and services to artists since he got back. RootStock Arts occupies a long-shuttered real estate office on Telegraph that he and a team of collaborators have built into a multi-use facility. His concept is to work with artists to provide essential infrastructure, whether that means using the building for concerts, classes, instrument repair, office space or rehearsals. He’s designing it as a membership organization and will be announcing rates at Color Your Mind.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If I was trying to rent out each room that would be an easier and much more lucrative model, instead of a co-working space,” Gupta said. “We’re putting in for a lot of grants. I’ve started getting a team in place and moving it in a cooperative direction, and I’m very open to how it evolves.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2656\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-2000x2656.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992090\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-2000x2656.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-768x1020.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-1157x1536.jpg 1157w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-1542x2048.jpg 1542w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/PXL_20260525_010017372-scaled.jpg 1928w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Visiting artists Abhishek Lahiri and Subrata Bhattacharya teach an Indian classical music workshop at RootStock Arts on May 24, 2026. (Courtesy of Sameer Gupta)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The building has already changed the neighborhood vibe. What was previously a nondescript office space unworthy of a second glance is now festooned with murals by Yasushi Matsui, who’ll be doing live mural work during Color Your Mind. In many ways, the RootStock Arts building is the culmination of an ambition that took root during Gupta’s formative work with Brooklyn Raga Massive.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Carnatic violinist Arun Ramamurthy, who co-founded BRM with Gupta, played one of the early concerts at RootStock Arts while he was in town performing in the hit Berkeley Rep production \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13991117/the-lunchbox-review-berkeley-rep-kuhoo-verma\">The Lunchbox\u003c/a>\u003c/em>. Much of the production’s cast turned out to RootStock Arts on a Monday night to see Ramamurthy’s Natural Elements duo with his wife, violinist Trina Basu. The exquisite performance served as a full-circle benediction.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While BMR forged extended relationships with various venues, “the reality is partnerships like that can only last so long,” Ramamurthy said. “Things may end. The venue goes under. There are so many challenges. Having a space is something that Sameer was always hoping for, and he’s really put his heart and soul into it, transforming a real estate office into a sanctuary for musical experiment and community.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.viewcy.com/event/color_your_mind_festi\">Color Your Mind Festival\u003c/a>, co-presented by RootStock Arts, takes place at the Yerba Buena Gardens (760 Howard Street, San Francisco) on Aug. 2.\u003c/em> \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://rootstockarts.com/home\">RootStock Arts’ full event calendar can be found here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13991888/rootstock-arts-indian-classical-music-jazz-oakland",
"authors": [
"86"
],
"programs": [
"arts_140"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_69",
"arts_22313"
],
"tags": [
"arts_10278",
"arts_4670",
"arts_16154",
"arts_1420",
"arts_1143"
],
"featImg": "arts_13992091",
"label": "source_arts_13991888"
},
"arts_13991858": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13991858",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13991858",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1784907856000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "splash-city-movie-galaxy-brooks-berner-bipping-san-francisco",
"title": "In ‘Splash City,’ Actor Galaxy Brooks Brings Firsthand Knowledge of the Streets",
"publishDate": 1784907856,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "In ‘Splash City,’ Actor Galaxy Brooks Brings Firsthand Knowledge of the Streets | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>The crime drama \u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27666105/\">\u003cem>Splash City\u003c/em>\u003c/a> is a feature film with local star power, glossy cinematography and a dark storyline about an issue that has long plagued the Bay Area: \u003ca href=\"https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/let-me-show-you-how-to-bip-tracing-the-origins-of-hip-hop-favorite-new-word/\">bippin\u003c/a>‘.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Car windows are shattered. Backpacks are snatched. Underbuckets bend corners through busy San Francisco streets. There’s guns, sex, big money and high stakes. \u003cem>Splash City\u003c/em>, written and directed by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/berner415/?hl=en\">Berner\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6484571/?ref_=tt_ov_1_2\">Alex Ferrufino\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7229790/?ref_=tt_ov_2_2\">David Mansanalez\u003c/a> (and distributed by Lionsgate), also features an affecting performance by Oakland lyricist \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/babygas/\">Baby Gas\u003c/a>, a cameo from Pinole-raised producer \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13971354/p-lo-for-the-soil-warriors-golden-state-entertainment-nba-all-star-weekend\">P-Lo\u003c/a> and a brief appearance by Fillmore rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mobetta__mochedda/?hl=en\">Ronski Mayfield\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But it’s the film’s antagonist who embodies an archetype often seen in hood films. Through him, \u003cem>Splash City\u003c/em> brings into focus real-life issues caused by wealth inequality in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"834\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01166R.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991926\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01166R.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01166R-160x67.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01166R-768x320.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01166R-1536x641.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reed Shannon as Julian ‘Juju’ Johnson and Quincy ‘Galaxy’ Brooks as Darnell ‘Dolo’ Ferguson in ‘Splash City.’ (Courtesy of Lionsgate)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was a time in my life where I was waking up and bippin’ all day,” says \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbBmf7ovBO6/\">Quincy “Galaxy” Brooks\u003c/a> today. “That’s how I was getting my money to eat.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brooks, a 27 year-old rapper and son of San Francisco hip-hop legend \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-quinn\">San Quinn\u003c/a>, plays the menacing role of Darnell “Dolo” Ferguson in the film. As the ultimate bad guy, his character is a wolf in high-end clothing, tattoos and shiny jewels.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To prepare for the role, Brooks relied on his own lived experiences, and his mother’s mentality from a time when she, too, was forced to navigate all the streets entail. Lastly, Brooks says, he was heavily influenced by the iconic role Tupac played in 1992 film \u003cem>Juice\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I was like ‘I want make that new millennium 2026 Bishop,’” says Brooks, adding that he watched \u003cem>Juice\u003c/em> over a dozen times before taking the role of Dolo. In doing so, he saw beyond the ruthless character on the screen and identified with Tupac the person, a young rapper and actor influenced by the Bay’s culture. Tupac brought a certain “ummph” with him to the set of the film, says Brooks, and “that’s the same thing I wanted to do for Dolo.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"834\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00886R.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991933\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00886R.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00886R-160x67.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00886R-768x320.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00886R-1536x641.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reed Shannon as Julian ‘Juju’ Johnson in ‘Splash City. ’ (Lionsgate)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In \u003cem>Splash City\u003c/em>, Dolo is a headstrong character who holds a boss-like influence in the community. He pays for a couple younger homies’ jewelry when their stolen credit card is declined. He also does scandalous stuff to the younger ring of thieves, cutting them short on loads of cash because he runs the operation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the film’s story unfolds, a chain of events pits Dolo against a childhood friend and rising hoop star, Elijah “Slim” Johnson (\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7094722/?ref_=tt_cst_t_8\">Zach Sowers\u003c/a>). Eventually, Slim’s brother and the main protagonist of the film, Julian “Juju” Johnson (\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5476739/?ref_=tt_cst_t_2\">Reed Shannon\u003c/a>), steps up to bring Dolo to justice — but not before Dolo and his hot temper wreak havoc on the community.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the outspoken live wire of the crew, Dolo is an archetype that we’ve seen before. Similar to Bishop in \u003cem>Juice\u003c/em>, O-Dog in \u003cem>Menace II Society\u003c/em> or Bundy in \u003cem>Belly\u003c/em>, he’s a Black man who’s both charismatic and a crashout. Full of ego and rage, he overly flexes his power to get revenge on those who once made him feel powerless.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"834\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01655R.jpg\" alt=\"A young Black man in a beanie has a terrified look as a pistol is aimed at his face in a darkly-lit room\" class=\"wp-image-13991927\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01655R.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01655R-160x67.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01655R-768x320.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01655R-1536x641.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Quincy ‘Galaxy’ Brooks as Darnell ‘Dolo’ Ferguson in ‘Splash City.’ Brooks, the son of San Francisco rapper San Quinn, drew on real-life experiences for the role. (Lionsgate)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thanks to Brooks’ performance, even as Dolo goes off the deep end, his character retains a relatable humanity.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“\u003cem>I know that dude\u003c/em>,” Brooks says, explaining his familiarity with the role, which he landed in a circuitous way. Initially in contact with \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/berner415/?hl=en\">Berner\u003c/a> (founder of the Cookies cannabis brand and San Francisco hip-hop artist) to play the role of Preach in the film, he heard Dolo described as “a young street dude from the city — the wild one.” Brooks said to himself: “I feel like I do that real good.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He and his younger brother Zakee “\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/h2othawave/\">H20\u003c/a>” Brooks, who raps with Brooks in a group called \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JnWE3QX96U\">THA SOULJAS\u003c/a>, each auditioned multiple times before being awarded roles in the film. “I wasn’t \u003cem>that\u003c/em> deeply involved in the streets,” the older Brooks says, contrasting his life with Dolo’s.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In order to really tap into that cutthroat mentality, he looked to his mother, Cheryl-T.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“My mom was ruthless out here on the streets,” says Brooks, adding that she’s done it all, from robberies to theft, all as a means of survival.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://youtu.be/Vrze2vx3avI?si=O3TLrzX2trGkEztl\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As a child, Brooks’ mom moved from New Orleans to the West Point housing projects in Bayview-Hunters Point. She later lived in the notorious Harbor Road projects before being kicked out of the house at age 13. She became a parent while still young, mothering two children before Brooks, plus his younger brother soon after.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As a mom, Brooks says, Cheryl-T stole school clothes to ensure the kids had fresh fits in the classroom. She took football pads from the store to make sure Brooks had the gear he needed when he stepped on the gridiron.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“My mom made everything happen, by any means necessary,” says Brooks. Even as she settled down and found legal employment, Brooks saw her adapt that same hard-won “I’m gonna do what I have to do to make sure my kids get by” mentality in the corporate world.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“And Dolo was that same type of dude,” Brooks says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He’s a dude of logic,” explains Brooks, adding that he’s also “a little bit of a dictator.” Despite Dolo’s immoral actions throughout the film, Brooks says, there’s a certain rationale to his logic, based upon the circumstances from which he comes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ultimately, Brooks says, Dolo’s downfall is that he wants it all. “He didn’t know how to be a team player,” Brooks tells me. “There \u003cem>was\u003c/em> an ‘I’ in ‘team’ for Dolo.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"834\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00165R.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991932\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00165R.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00165R-160x67.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00165R-768x320.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00165R-1536x641.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reed Shannon as Julian ‘Juju’ Johnson and Zach Sowers as Elijah ‘Slim’ Johnson in ‘Splash City.’ (Lionsgate)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even with Dolo’s snake-like mentality, many viewers may find themselves siding with him at times, much like Bundy in \u003cem>Belly\u003c/em> or Bishop in \u003cem>Juice\u003c/em>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think we all have a little Bishop or O-Dog or Dolo in us,” says Brooks. A lot of folks have experienced the feeling of being pushed to the limit. “Especially as Black people, just because all the scrutiny and hardships. Dolo is just a young dude who’s been through hardships and isn’t turning down no more.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What’s more human than navigating an oppressive system by taking vengeance out on those in close proximity? In the Bay Area, where the chasm between the haves and have nots is wider than the Salesforce Tower laying on its side, it’s no wonder that people wielding a spark plug are preying on the parked vehicles of others.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bippin’ has been around for years. At this point, if you haven’t had your car window busted, it means you ride a bike to get around. People readily live in worry that they might be the next victim. It’s nearly impossible to get audiences to feel empathy for the head of a crime syndicate focused on burglarizing vehicles.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Dolo is a foul snake. But somehow, in \u003cem>Splash City\u003c/em>, you can \u003cem>lightweight\u003c/em> understand where he’s coming from.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think the reason he’s got that likability,” Brooks says, reflecting on his role, “is because I was able to add a little bit of myself in there.” Brooks credits the directors for allowing him to bring his full self to his first acting role, and for pushing him to “humanize” Dolo.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I didn’t want him to be a ruthless murderer,” says Brooks. “He has a conscience too.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>‘\u003cem>Splash City’ is currently showing at select theaters nationwide, with upcoming screenings on \u003ca href=\"https://www.amctheatres.com/showtimes/145059063/seats\">Friday, July 31\u003c/a> in San José and \u003ca href=\"https://www.amctheatres.com/showtimes/145059056/seats\">Saturday, Aug. 1\u003c/a> in San Francisco. \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/splashcitythemovie/\">Screening times and more information here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The crime drama \u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27666105/\">\u003cem>Splash City\u003c/em>\u003c/a> is a feature film with local star power, glossy cinematography and a dark storyline about an issue that has long plagued the Bay Area: \u003ca href=\"https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/let-me-show-you-how-to-bip-tracing-the-origins-of-hip-hop-favorite-new-word/\">bippin\u003c/a>‘.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The crime drama \u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27666105/\">\u003cem>Splash City\u003c/em>\u003c/a> is a feature film with local star power, glossy cinematography and a dark storyline about an issue that has long plagued the Bay Area: \u003ca href=\"https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/let-me-show-you-how-to-bip-tracing-the-origins-of-hip-hop-favorite-new-word/\">bippin\u003c/a>‘.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Car windows are shattered. Backpacks are snatched. Underbuckets bend corners through busy San Francisco streets. There’s guns, sex, big money and high stakes. \u003cem>Splash City\u003c/em>, written and directed by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/berner415/?hl=en\">Berner\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6484571/?ref_=tt_ov_1_2\">Alex Ferrufino\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7229790/?ref_=tt_ov_2_2\">David Mansanalez\u003c/a> (and distributed by Lionsgate), also features an affecting performance by Oakland lyricist \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/babygas/\">Baby Gas\u003c/a>, a cameo from Pinole-raised producer \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13971354/p-lo-for-the-soil-warriors-golden-state-entertainment-nba-all-star-weekend\">P-Lo\u003c/a> and a brief appearance by Fillmore rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mobetta__mochedda/?hl=en\">Ronski Mayfield\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Car windows are shattered. Backpacks are snatched. Underbuckets bend corners through busy San Francisco streets. There’s guns, sex, big money and high stakes. \u003cem>Splash City\u003c/em>, written and directed by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/berner415/?hl=en\">Berner\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6484571/?ref_=tt_ov_1_2\">Alex Ferrufino\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7229790/?ref_=tt_ov_2_2\">David Mansanalez\u003c/a> (and distributed by Lionsgate), also features an affecting performance by Oakland lyricist \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/babygas/\">Baby Gas\u003c/a>, a cameo from Pinole-raised producer \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13971354/p-lo-for-the-soil-warriors-golden-state-entertainment-nba-all-star-weekend\">P-Lo\u003c/a> and a brief appearance by Fillmore rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mobetta__mochedda/?hl=en\">Ronski Mayfield\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But it’s the film’s antagonist who embodies an archetype often seen in hood films. Through him, \u003cem>Splash City\u003c/em> brings into focus real-life issues caused by wealth inequality in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But it’s the film’s antagonist who embodies an archetype often seen in hood films. Through him, \u003cem>Splash City\u003c/em> brings into focus real-life issues caused by wealth inequality in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13991926,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Courtesy of Lionsgate",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01166R.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01166R-160x67.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01166R-768x320.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01166R-1536x641.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01166R.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991926\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01166R.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01166R-160x67.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01166R-768x320.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01166R-1536x641.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reed Shannon as Julian ‘Juju’ Johnson and Quincy ‘Galaxy’ Brooks as Darnell ‘Dolo’ Ferguson in ‘Splash City.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01166R.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991926\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reed Shannon as Julian ‘Juju’ Johnson and Quincy ‘Galaxy’ Brooks as Darnell ‘Dolo’ Ferguson in ‘Splash City.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It was a time in my life where I was waking up and bippin’ all day,” says \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbBmf7ovBO6/\">Quincy “Galaxy” Brooks\u003c/a> today. “That’s how I was getting my money to eat.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“It was a time in my life where I was waking up and bippin’ all day,” says \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbBmf7ovBO6/\">Quincy “Galaxy” Brooks\u003c/a> today. “That’s how I was getting my money to eat.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Brooks, a 27 year-old rapper and son of San Francisco hip-hop legend \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-quinn\">San Quinn\u003c/a>, plays the menacing role of Darnell “Dolo” Ferguson in the film. As the ultimate bad guy, his character is a wolf in high-end clothing, tattoos and shiny jewels.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Brooks, a 27 year-old rapper and son of San Francisco hip-hop legend \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-quinn\">San Quinn\u003c/a>, plays the menacing role of Darnell “Dolo” Ferguson in the film. As the ultimate bad guy, his character is a wolf in high-end clothing, tattoos and shiny jewels.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "fullwidth"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>To prepare for the role, Brooks relied on his own lived experiences, and his mother’s mentality from a time when she, too, was forced to navigate all the streets entail. Lastly, Brooks says, he was heavily influenced by the iconic role Tupac played in 1992 film \u003cem>Juice\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>To prepare for the role, Brooks relied on his own lived experiences, and his mother’s mentality from a time when she, too, was forced to navigate all the streets entail. Lastly, Brooks says, he was heavily influenced by the iconic role Tupac played in 1992 film \u003cem>Juice\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I was like ‘I want make that new millennium 2026 Bishop,’” says Brooks, adding that he watched \u003cem>Juice\u003c/em> over a dozen times before taking the role of Dolo. In doing so, he saw beyond the ruthless character on the screen and identified with Tupac the person, a young rapper and actor influenced by the Bay’s culture. Tupac brought a certain “ummph” with him to the set of the film, says Brooks, and “that’s the same thing I wanted to do for Dolo.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“I was like ‘I want make that new millennium 2026 Bishop,’” says Brooks, adding that he watched \u003cem>Juice\u003c/em> over a dozen times before taking the role of Dolo. In doing so, he saw beyond the ruthless character on the screen and identified with Tupac the person, a young rapper and actor influenced by the Bay’s culture. Tupac brought a certain “ummph” with him to the set of the film, says Brooks, and “that’s the same thing I wanted to do for Dolo.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13991933,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Lionsgate",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00886R.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00886R-160x67.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00886R-768x320.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00886R-1536x641.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00886R.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991933\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00886R.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00886R-160x67.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00886R-768x320.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00886R-1536x641.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reed Shannon as Julian ‘Juju’ Johnson in ‘Splash City. ’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00886R.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991933\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reed Shannon as Julian ‘Juju’ Johnson in ‘Splash City. ’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In \u003cem>Splash City\u003c/em>, Dolo is a headstrong character who holds a boss-like influence in the community. He pays for a couple younger homies’ jewelry when their stolen credit card is declined. He also does scandalous stuff to the younger ring of thieves, cutting them short on loads of cash because he runs the operation.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In \u003cem>Splash City\u003c/em>, Dolo is a headstrong character who holds a boss-like influence in the community. He pays for a couple younger homies’ jewelry when their stolen credit card is declined. He also does scandalous stuff to the younger ring of thieves, cutting them short on loads of cash because he runs the operation.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As the film’s story unfolds, a chain of events pits Dolo against a childhood friend and rising hoop star, Elijah “Slim” Johnson (\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7094722/?ref_=tt_cst_t_8\">Zach Sowers\u003c/a>). Eventually, Slim’s brother and the main protagonist of the film, Julian “Juju” Johnson (\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5476739/?ref_=tt_cst_t_2\">Reed Shannon\u003c/a>), steps up to bring Dolo to justice — but not before Dolo and his hot temper wreak havoc on the community.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>As the film’s story unfolds, a chain of events pits Dolo against a childhood friend and rising hoop star, Elijah “Slim” Johnson (\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7094722/?ref_=tt_cst_t_8\">Zach Sowers\u003c/a>). Eventually, Slim’s brother and the main protagonist of the film, Julian “Juju” Johnson (\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5476739/?ref_=tt_cst_t_2\">Reed Shannon\u003c/a>), steps up to bring Dolo to justice — but not before Dolo and his hot temper wreak havoc on the community.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As the outspoken live wire of the crew, Dolo is an archetype that we’ve seen before. Similar to Bishop in \u003cem>Juice\u003c/em>, O-Dog in \u003cem>Menace II Society\u003c/em> or Bundy in \u003cem>Belly\u003c/em>, he’s a Black man who’s both charismatic and a crashout. Full of ego and rage, he overly flexes his power to get revenge on those who once made him feel powerless.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>As the outspoken live wire of the crew, Dolo is an archetype that we’ve seen before. Similar to Bishop in \u003cem>Juice\u003c/em>, O-Dog in \u003cem>Menace II Society\u003c/em> or Bundy in \u003cem>Belly\u003c/em>, he’s a Black man who’s both charismatic and a crashout. Full of ego and rage, he overly flexes his power to get revenge on those who once made him feel powerless.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13991927,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Lionsgate",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01655R.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01655R-160x67.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01655R-768x320.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01655R-1536x641.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01655R.jpg\" alt=\"A young Black man in a beanie has a terrified look as a pistol is aimed at his face in a darkly-lit room\" class=\"wp-image-13991927\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01655R.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01655R-160x67.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01655R-768x320.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01655R-1536x641.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Quincy ‘Galaxy’ Brooks as Darnell ‘Dolo’ Ferguson in ‘Splash City.’ Brooks, the son of San Francisco rapper San Quinn, drew on real-life experiences for the role.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01655R.jpg\" alt=\"A young Black man in a beanie has a terrified look as a pistol is aimed at his face in a darkly-lit room\" class=\"wp-image-13991927\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Quincy ‘Galaxy’ Brooks as Darnell ‘Dolo’ Ferguson in ‘Splash City.’ Brooks, the son of San Francisco rapper San Quinn, drew on real-life experiences for the role.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thanks to Brooks’ performance, even as Dolo goes off the deep end, his character retains a relatable humanity.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Thanks to Brooks’ performance, even as Dolo goes off the deep end, his character retains a relatable humanity.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“\u003cem>I know that dude\u003c/em>,” Brooks says, explaining his familiarity with the role, which he landed in a circuitous way. Initially in contact with \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/berner415/?hl=en\">Berner\u003c/a> (founder of the Cookies cannabis brand and San Francisco hip-hop artist) to play the role of Preach in the film, he heard Dolo described as “a young street dude from the city — the wild one.” Brooks said to himself: “I feel like I do that real good.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“\u003cem>I know that dude\u003c/em>,” Brooks says, explaining his familiarity with the role, which he landed in a circuitous way. Initially in contact with \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/berner415/?hl=en\">Berner\u003c/a> (founder of the Cookies cannabis brand and San Francisco hip-hop artist) to play the role of Preach in the film, he heard Dolo described as “a young street dude from the city — the wild one.” Brooks said to himself: “I feel like I do that real good.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He and his younger brother Zakee “\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/h2othawave/\">H20\u003c/a>” Brooks, who raps with Brooks in a group called \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JnWE3QX96U\">THA SOULJAS\u003c/a>, each auditioned multiple times before being awarded roles in the film. “I wasn’t \u003cem>that\u003c/em> deeply involved in the streets,” the older Brooks says, contrasting his life with Dolo’s.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>He and his younger brother Zakee “\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/h2othawave/\">H20\u003c/a>” Brooks, who raps with Brooks in a group called \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JnWE3QX96U\">THA SOULJAS\u003c/a>, each auditioned multiple times before being awarded roles in the film. “I wasn’t \u003cem>that\u003c/em> deeply involved in the streets,” the older Brooks says, contrasting his life with Dolo’s.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In order to really tap into that cutthroat mentality, he looked to his mother, Cheryl-T.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In order to really tap into that cutthroat mentality, he looked to his mother, Cheryl-T.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“My mom was ruthless out here on the streets,” says Brooks, adding that she’s done it all, from robberies to theft, all as a means of survival.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“My mom was ruthless out here on the streets,” says Brooks, adding that she’s done it all, from robberies to theft, all as a means of survival.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/embed",
"attrs": {
"url": "https://youtu.be/Vrze2vx3avI?si=O3TLrzX2trGkEztl",
"type": "video",
"providerNameSlug": "youtube",
"responsive": true,
"className": "wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://youtu.be/Vrze2vx3avI?si=O3TLrzX2trGkEztl\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://youtu.be/Vrze2vx3avI?si=O3TLrzX2trGkEztl\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As a child, Brooks’ mom moved from New Orleans to the West Point housing projects in Bayview-Hunters Point. She later lived in the notorious Harbor Road projects before being kicked out of the house at age 13. She became a parent while still young, mothering two children before Brooks, plus his younger brother soon after.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>As a child, Brooks’ mom moved from New Orleans to the West Point housing projects in Bayview-Hunters Point. She later lived in the notorious Harbor Road projects before being kicked out of the house at age 13. She became a parent while still young, mothering two children before Brooks, plus his younger brother soon after.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As a mom, Brooks says, Cheryl-T stole school clothes to ensure the kids had fresh fits in the classroom. She took football pads from the store to make sure Brooks had the gear he needed when he stepped on the gridiron.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>As a mom, Brooks says, Cheryl-T stole school clothes to ensure the kids had fresh fits in the classroom. She took football pads from the store to make sure Brooks had the gear he needed when he stepped on the gridiron.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed-v2/related-articles",
"attrs": {
"labelWasCleared": true,
"maxPosts": 1,
"manualLinks": [
{
"url": "https://www.kqed.org/arts/13989273/oakland-boxing-thomas-mcelroy-lightnings-gym-documentary",
"title": "A Young Oakland Boxer Carries on The Town's Deep Legacy"
}
]
},
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": [],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“My mom made everything happen, by any means necessary,” says Brooks. Even as she settled down and found legal employment, Brooks saw her adapt that same hard-won “I’m gonna do what I have to do to make sure my kids get by” mentality in the corporate world.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“My mom made everything happen, by any means necessary,” says Brooks. Even as she settled down and found legal employment, Brooks saw her adapt that same hard-won “I’m gonna do what I have to do to make sure my kids get by” mentality in the corporate world.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“And Dolo was that same type of dude,” Brooks says.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“And Dolo was that same type of dude,” Brooks says.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“He’s a dude of logic,” explains Brooks, adding that he’s also “a little bit of a dictator.” Despite Dolo’s immoral actions throughout the film, Brooks says, there’s a certain rationale to his logic, based upon the circumstances from which he comes.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“He’s a dude of logic,” explains Brooks, adding that he’s also “a little bit of a dictator.” Despite Dolo’s immoral actions throughout the film, Brooks says, there’s a certain rationale to his logic, based upon the circumstances from which he comes.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ultimately, Brooks says, Dolo’s downfall is that he wants it all. “He didn’t know how to be a team player,” Brooks tells me. “There \u003cem>was\u003c/em> an ‘I’ in ‘team’ for Dolo.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Ultimately, Brooks says, Dolo’s downfall is that he wants it all. “He didn’t know how to be a team player,” Brooks tells me. “There \u003cem>was\u003c/em> an ‘I’ in ‘team’ for Dolo.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13991932,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Lionsgate",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00165R.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00165R-160x67.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00165R-768x320.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00165R-1536x641.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00165R.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991932\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00165R.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00165R-160x67.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00165R-768x320.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00165R-1536x641.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reed Shannon as Julian ‘Juju’ Johnson and Zach Sowers as Elijah ‘Slim’ Johnson in ‘Splash City.’ \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00165R.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991932\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reed Shannon as Julian ‘Juju’ Johnson and Zach Sowers as Elijah ‘Slim’ Johnson in ‘Splash City.’ \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Even with Dolo’s snake-like mentality, many viewers may find themselves siding with him at times, much like Bundy in \u003cem>Belly\u003c/em> or Bishop in \u003cem>Juice\u003c/em>. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Even with Dolo’s snake-like mentality, many viewers may find themselves siding with him at times, much like Bundy in \u003cem>Belly\u003c/em> or Bishop in \u003cem>Juice\u003c/em>. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I think we all have a little Bishop or O-Dog or Dolo in us,” says Brooks. A lot of folks have experienced the feeling of being pushed to the limit. “Especially as Black people, just because all the scrutiny and hardships. Dolo is just a young dude who’s been through hardships and isn’t turning down no more.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“I think we all have a little Bishop or O-Dog or Dolo in us,” says Brooks. A lot of folks have experienced the feeling of being pushed to the limit. “Especially as Black people, just because all the scrutiny and hardships. Dolo is just a young dude who’s been through hardships and isn’t turning down no more.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>What’s more human than navigating an oppressive system by taking vengeance out on those in close proximity? In the Bay Area, where the chasm between the haves and have nots is wider than the Salesforce Tower laying on its side, it’s no wonder that people wielding a spark plug are preying on the parked vehicles of others.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>What’s more human than navigating an oppressive system by taking vengeance out on those in close proximity? In the Bay Area, where the chasm between the haves and have nots is wider than the Salesforce Tower laying on its side, it’s no wonder that people wielding a spark plug are preying on the parked vehicles of others.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed-v2/related-articles",
"attrs": {
"labelWasCleared": true,
"maxPosts": 1,
"manualLinks": [
{
"url": "https://www.kqed.org/arts/13991183/the-mekanix-oakland-rap-hip-hop-production-bay-area",
"title": "20 Years On, The Mekanix Thrive on Willpower and Alignment"
}
]
},
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": [],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bippin’ has been around for years. At this point, if you haven’t had your car window busted, it means you ride a bike to get around. People readily live in worry that they might be the next victim. It’s nearly impossible to get audiences to feel empathy for the head of a crime syndicate focused on burglarizing vehicles.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Bippin’ has been around for years. At this point, if you haven’t had your car window busted, it means you ride a bike to get around. People readily live in worry that they might be the next victim. It’s nearly impossible to get audiences to feel empathy for the head of a crime syndicate focused on burglarizing vehicles.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Dolo is a foul snake. But somehow, in \u003cem>Splash City\u003c/em>, you can \u003cem>lightweight\u003c/em> understand where he’s coming from.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Dolo is a foul snake. But somehow, in \u003cem>Splash City\u003c/em>, you can \u003cem>lightweight\u003c/em> understand where he’s coming from.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I think the reason he’s got that likability,” Brooks says, reflecting on his role, “is because I was able to add a little bit of myself in there.” Brooks credits the directors for allowing him to bring his full self to his first acting role, and for pushing him to “humanize” Dolo.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“I think the reason he’s got that likability,” Brooks says, reflecting on his role, “is because I was able to add a little bit of myself in there.” Brooks credits the directors for allowing him to bring his full self to his first acting role, and for pushing him to “humanize” Dolo.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I didn’t want him to be a ruthless murderer,” says Brooks. “He has a conscience too.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“I didn’t want him to be a ruthless murderer,” says Brooks. “He has a conscience too.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/separator",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "floatright"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>‘\u003cem>Splash City’ is currently showing at select theaters nationwide, with upcoming screenings on \u003ca href=\"https://www.amctheatres.com/showtimes/145059063/seats\">Friday, July 31\u003c/a> in San José and \u003ca href=\"https://www.amctheatres.com/showtimes/145059056/seats\">Saturday, Aug. 1\u003c/a> in San Francisco. \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/splashcitythemovie/\">Screening times and more information here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>‘\u003cem>Splash City’ is currently showing at select theaters nationwide, with upcoming screenings on \u003ca href=\"https://www.amctheatres.com/showtimes/145059063/seats\">Friday, July 31\u003c/a> in San José and \u003ca href=\"https://www.amctheatres.com/showtimes/145059056/seats\">Saturday, Aug. 1\u003c/a> in San Francisco. \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/splashcitythemovie/\">Screening times and more information here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "The rapper’s empathetic performance helps drive a new crime drama about the life of bippers in SF.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1785521970,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 31,
"wordCount": 1479
},
"headData": {
"title": "In ‘Splash City,’ Actor Galaxy Brooks Brings Firsthand Knowledge of the Streets | KQED",
"description": "The rapper’s empathetic performance helps drive a new crime drama about the life of bippers in SF.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "In ‘Splash City,’ Actor Galaxy Brooks Brings Firsthand Knowledge of the Streets",
"datePublished": "2026-07-24T08:44:16-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-07-31T11:19:30-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 1,
"slug": "arts",
"name": "Arts"
},
"source": "The Do List",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"audioUrl": "https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-41c5-bcaf-aaef00f5a073/4879405a-f1b6-4ada-906d-b4980126ddcc/audio.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13991858",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13991858/splash-city-movie-galaxy-brooks-berner-bipping-san-francisco",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The crime drama \u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27666105/\">\u003cem>Splash City\u003c/em>\u003c/a> is a feature film with local star power, glossy cinematography and a dark storyline about an issue that has long plagued the Bay Area: \u003ca href=\"https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/let-me-show-you-how-to-bip-tracing-the-origins-of-hip-hop-favorite-new-word/\">bippin\u003c/a>‘.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Car windows are shattered. Backpacks are snatched. Underbuckets bend corners through busy San Francisco streets. There’s guns, sex, big money and high stakes. \u003cem>Splash City\u003c/em>, written and directed by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/berner415/?hl=en\">Berner\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6484571/?ref_=tt_ov_1_2\">Alex Ferrufino\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7229790/?ref_=tt_ov_2_2\">David Mansanalez\u003c/a> (and distributed by Lionsgate), also features an affecting performance by Oakland lyricist \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/babygas/\">Baby Gas\u003c/a>, a cameo from Pinole-raised producer \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13971354/p-lo-for-the-soil-warriors-golden-state-entertainment-nba-all-star-weekend\">P-Lo\u003c/a> and a brief appearance by Fillmore rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mobetta__mochedda/?hl=en\">Ronski Mayfield\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But it’s the film’s antagonist who embodies an archetype often seen in hood films. Through him, \u003cem>Splash City\u003c/em> brings into focus real-life issues caused by wealth inequality in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"834\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01166R.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991926\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01166R.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01166R-160x67.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01166R-768x320.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01166R-1536x641.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reed Shannon as Julian ‘Juju’ Johnson and Quincy ‘Galaxy’ Brooks as Darnell ‘Dolo’ Ferguson in ‘Splash City.’ (Courtesy of Lionsgate)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was a time in my life where I was waking up and bippin’ all day,” says \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbBmf7ovBO6/\">Quincy “Galaxy” Brooks\u003c/a> today. “That’s how I was getting my money to eat.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brooks, a 27 year-old rapper and son of San Francisco hip-hop legend \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-quinn\">San Quinn\u003c/a>, plays the menacing role of Darnell “Dolo” Ferguson in the film. As the ultimate bad guy, his character is a wolf in high-end clothing, tattoos and shiny jewels.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To prepare for the role, Brooks relied on his own lived experiences, and his mother’s mentality from a time when she, too, was forced to navigate all the streets entail. Lastly, Brooks says, he was heavily influenced by the iconic role Tupac played in 1992 film \u003cem>Juice\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I was like ‘I want make that new millennium 2026 Bishop,’” says Brooks, adding that he watched \u003cem>Juice\u003c/em> over a dozen times before taking the role of Dolo. In doing so, he saw beyond the ruthless character on the screen and identified with Tupac the person, a young rapper and actor influenced by the Bay’s culture. Tupac brought a certain “ummph” with him to the set of the film, says Brooks, and “that’s the same thing I wanted to do for Dolo.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"834\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00886R.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991933\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00886R.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00886R-160x67.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00886R-768x320.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00886R-1536x641.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reed Shannon as Julian ‘Juju’ Johnson in ‘Splash City. ’ (Lionsgate)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In \u003cem>Splash City\u003c/em>, Dolo is a headstrong character who holds a boss-like influence in the community. He pays for a couple younger homies’ jewelry when their stolen credit card is declined. He also does scandalous stuff to the younger ring of thieves, cutting them short on loads of cash because he runs the operation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the film’s story unfolds, a chain of events pits Dolo against a childhood friend and rising hoop star, Elijah “Slim” Johnson (\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7094722/?ref_=tt_cst_t_8\">Zach Sowers\u003c/a>). Eventually, Slim’s brother and the main protagonist of the film, Julian “Juju” Johnson (\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5476739/?ref_=tt_cst_t_2\">Reed Shannon\u003c/a>), steps up to bring Dolo to justice — but not before Dolo and his hot temper wreak havoc on the community.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the outspoken live wire of the crew, Dolo is an archetype that we’ve seen before. Similar to Bishop in \u003cem>Juice\u003c/em>, O-Dog in \u003cem>Menace II Society\u003c/em> or Bundy in \u003cem>Belly\u003c/em>, he’s a Black man who’s both charismatic and a crashout. Full of ego and rage, he overly flexes his power to get revenge on those who once made him feel powerless.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"834\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01655R.jpg\" alt=\"A young Black man in a beanie has a terrified look as a pistol is aimed at his face in a darkly-lit room\" class=\"wp-image-13991927\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01655R.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01655R-160x67.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01655R-768x320.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_01655R-1536x641.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Quincy ‘Galaxy’ Brooks as Darnell ‘Dolo’ Ferguson in ‘Splash City.’ Brooks, the son of San Francisco rapper San Quinn, drew on real-life experiences for the role. (Lionsgate)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thanks to Brooks’ performance, even as Dolo goes off the deep end, his character retains a relatable humanity.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“\u003cem>I know that dude\u003c/em>,” Brooks says, explaining his familiarity with the role, which he landed in a circuitous way. Initially in contact with \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/berner415/?hl=en\">Berner\u003c/a> (founder of the Cookies cannabis brand and San Francisco hip-hop artist) to play the role of Preach in the film, he heard Dolo described as “a young street dude from the city — the wild one.” Brooks said to himself: “I feel like I do that real good.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He and his younger brother Zakee “\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/h2othawave/\">H20\u003c/a>” Brooks, who raps with Brooks in a group called \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JnWE3QX96U\">THA SOULJAS\u003c/a>, each auditioned multiple times before being awarded roles in the film. “I wasn’t \u003cem>that\u003c/em> deeply involved in the streets,” the older Brooks says, contrasting his life with Dolo’s.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In order to really tap into that cutthroat mentality, he looked to his mother, Cheryl-T.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“My mom was ruthless out here on the streets,” says Brooks, adding that she’s done it all, from robberies to theft, all as a means of survival.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/Vrze2vx3avI'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/Vrze2vx3avI'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As a child, Brooks’ mom moved from New Orleans to the West Point housing projects in Bayview-Hunters Point. She later lived in the notorious Harbor Road projects before being kicked out of the house at age 13. She became a parent while still young, mothering two children before Brooks, plus his younger brother soon after.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As a mom, Brooks says, Cheryl-T stole school clothes to ensure the kids had fresh fits in the classroom. She took football pads from the store to make sure Brooks had the gear he needed when he stepped on the gridiron.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“My mom made everything happen, by any means necessary,” says Brooks. Even as she settled down and found legal employment, Brooks saw her adapt that same hard-won “I’m gonna do what I have to do to make sure my kids get by” mentality in the corporate world.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“And Dolo was that same type of dude,” Brooks says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He’s a dude of logic,” explains Brooks, adding that he’s also “a little bit of a dictator.” Despite Dolo’s immoral actions throughout the film, Brooks says, there’s a certain rationale to his logic, based upon the circumstances from which he comes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ultimately, Brooks says, Dolo’s downfall is that he wants it all. “He didn’t know how to be a team player,” Brooks tells me. “There \u003cem>was\u003c/em> an ‘I’ in ‘team’ for Dolo.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"834\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00165R.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991932\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00165R.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00165R-160x67.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00165R-768x320.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/SPLASHCITY_SG_00165R-1536x641.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reed Shannon as Julian ‘Juju’ Johnson and Zach Sowers as Elijah ‘Slim’ Johnson in ‘Splash City.’ (Lionsgate)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even with Dolo’s snake-like mentality, many viewers may find themselves siding with him at times, much like Bundy in \u003cem>Belly\u003c/em> or Bishop in \u003cem>Juice\u003c/em>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think we all have a little Bishop or O-Dog or Dolo in us,” says Brooks. A lot of folks have experienced the feeling of being pushed to the limit. “Especially as Black people, just because all the scrutiny and hardships. Dolo is just a young dude who’s been through hardships and isn’t turning down no more.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What’s more human than navigating an oppressive system by taking vengeance out on those in close proximity? In the Bay Area, where the chasm between the haves and have nots is wider than the Salesforce Tower laying on its side, it’s no wonder that people wielding a spark plug are preying on the parked vehicles of others.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bippin’ has been around for years. At this point, if you haven’t had your car window busted, it means you ride a bike to get around. People readily live in worry that they might be the next victim. It’s nearly impossible to get audiences to feel empathy for the head of a crime syndicate focused on burglarizing vehicles.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Dolo is a foul snake. But somehow, in \u003cem>Splash City\u003c/em>, you can \u003cem>lightweight\u003c/em> understand where he’s coming from.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think the reason he’s got that likability,” Brooks says, reflecting on his role, “is because I was able to add a little bit of myself in there.” Brooks credits the directors for allowing him to bring his full self to his first acting role, and for pushing him to “humanize” Dolo.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I didn’t want him to be a ruthless murderer,” says Brooks. “He has a conscience too.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>‘\u003cem>Splash City’ is currently showing at select theaters nationwide, with upcoming screenings on \u003ca href=\"https://www.amctheatres.com/showtimes/145059063/seats\">Friday, July 31\u003c/a> in San José and \u003ca href=\"https://www.amctheatres.com/showtimes/145059056/seats\">Saturday, Aug. 1\u003c/a> in San Francisco. \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/splashcitythemovie/\">Screening times and more information here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13991858/splash-city-movie-galaxy-brooks-berner-bipping-san-francisco",
"authors": [
"11491"
],
"programs": [
"arts_140"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_74",
"arts_69",
"arts_235",
"arts_22313"
],
"tags": [
"arts_10278",
"arts_1806",
"arts_22664",
"arts_769",
"arts_14114"
],
"featImg": "arts_13992017",
"label": "source_arts_13991858"
}
},
"podcastsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"podcasts": {}
},
"radioProgramsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"radioPrograms": {}
},
"radioSearchSegmentsReducer": {},
"programsReducer": {
"all-things-considered": {
"id": "all-things-considered",
"title": "All Things Considered",
"info": "Every weekday, \u003cem>All Things Considered\u003c/em> hosts Robert Siegel, Audie Cornish, Ari Shapiro, and Kelly McEvers present the program's trademark mix of news, interviews, commentaries, reviews, and offbeat features. Michel Martin hosts on the weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 1pm-2pm, 4:30pm-6:30pm\u003cbr />SAT-SUN 5pm-6pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/All-Things-Considered-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/all-things-considered/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/all-things-considered"
},
"american-suburb-podcast": {
"id": "american-suburb-podcast",
"title": "American Suburb: The Podcast",
"tagline": "The flip side of gentrification, told through one town",
"info": "Gentrification is changing cities across America, forcing people from neighborhoods they have long called home. Call them the displaced. Now those priced out of the Bay Area are looking for a better life in an unlikely place. American Suburb follows this migration to one California town along the Delta, 45 miles from San Francisco. But is this once sleepy suburb ready for them?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/American-Suburb-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 19
},
"link": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/RBrW",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=1287748328",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/American-Suburb-p1086805/",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/feed/podcast",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMzMDExODgxNjA5"
}
},
"baycurious": {
"id": "baycurious",
"title": "Bay Curious",
"tagline": "Exploring the Bay Area, one question at a time",
"info": "KQED’s new podcast, Bay Curious, gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bay-Curious-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Bay Curious",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/baycurious",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 3
},
"link": "/podcasts/baycurious",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bay-curious/id1172473406",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/500557090/bay-curious",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/category/bay-curious-podcast/feed/podcast",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9a90d476-aa04-455d-9a4c-0871ed6216d4/bay-curious",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/bay-curious",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6O76IdmhixfijmhTZLIJ8k"
}
},
"bbc-world-service": {
"id": "bbc-world-service",
"title": "BBC World Service",
"info": "The day's top stories from BBC News compiled twice daily in the week, once at weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9pm-10pm, TUE-FRI 1am-2am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BBC-World-Service-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_world_service",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "BBC World Service"
},
"link": "/radio/program/bbc-world-service",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/global-news-podcast/id135067274?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/BBC-World-Service-p455581/",
"rss": "https://podcasts.files.bbci.co.uk/p02nq0gn.rss"
}
},
"californiareport": {
"id": "californiareport",
"title": "The California Report",
"tagline": "California, day by day",
"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareport",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 8
},
"link": "/californiareport",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-the-california-report/id79681292",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/26099305-72af-4542-9dde-ac1807fe36d5/kqed-s-the-california-report",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432285393/the-california-report",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-the-california-report-podcast-8838",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcram/feed/podcast"
}
},
"californiareportmagazine": {
"id": "californiareportmagazine",
"title": "The California Report Magazine",
"tagline": "Your state, your stories",
"info": "Every week, The California Report Magazine takes you on a road trip for the ears: to visit the places and meet the people who make California unique. The in-depth storytelling podcast from the California Report.",
"airtime": "FRI 4:30pm-5pm, 6:30pm-7pm, 11pm-11:30pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Magazine-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report Magazine",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareportmagazine",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 10
},
"link": "/californiareportmagazine",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-california-report-magazine/id1314750545",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM3NjkwNjk1OTAz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/564733126/the-california-report-magazine",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-california-report-magazine",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrmag/feed/podcast"
}
},
"city-arts": {
"id": "city-arts",
"title": "City Arts & Lectures",
"info": "A one-hour radio program to hear celebrated writers, artists and thinkers address contemporary ideas and values, often discussing the creative process. Please note: tapes or transcripts are not available",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/cityartsandlecture-300x300.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.cityarts.net/",
"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
"subscribe": {
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/City-Arts-and-Lectures-p692/",
"rss": "https://www.cityarts.net/feed/"
}
},
"closealltabs": {
"id": "closealltabs",
"title": "Close All Tabs",
"tagline": "Your irreverent guide to the trends redefining our world",
"info": "Close All Tabs breaks down how digital culture shapes our world through thoughtful insights and irreverent humor.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/CAT_2_Tile-scaled.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Close All Tabs",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 1
},
"link": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/close-all-tabs/id214663465",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC6993880386",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/92d9d4ac-67a3-4eed-b10a-fb45d45b1ef2/close-all-tabs",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6LAJFHnGK1pYXYzv6SIol6?si=deb0cae19813417c"
}
},
"code-switch-life-kit": {
"id": "code-switch-life-kit",
"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
"airtime": "SUN 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Code-Switch-Life-Kit-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/code-switch-life-kit",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/1112190608?mt=2&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnByLm9yZy9yc3MvcG9kY2FzdC5waHA_aWQ9NTEwMzEy",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3bExJ9JQpkwNhoHvaIIuyV",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510312/podcast.xml"
}
},
"commonwealth-club": {
"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
"airtime": "THU 10pm, FRI 1am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.commonwealthclub.org/podcasts",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/commonwealth-club-of-california-podcast/id976334034?mt=2",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Commonwealth-Club-of-California-p1060/"
}
},
"forum": {
"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/forum",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 9
},
"link": "/forum",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-forum/id73329719",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432307980/forum",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-forum-podcast",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9557381633"
}
},
"freakonomics-radio": {
"id": "freakonomics-radio",
"title": "Freakonomics Radio",
"info": "Freakonomics Radio is a one-hour award-winning podcast and public-radio project hosted by Stephen Dubner, with co-author Steve Levitt as a regular guest. It is produced in partnership with WNYC.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/freakonomicsRadio.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/freakonomicsradio"
}
},
"fresh-air": {
"id": "fresh-air",
"title": "Fresh Air",
"info": "Hosted by Terry Gross, \u003cem>Fresh Air from WHYY\u003c/em> is the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues. One of public radio's most popular programs, Fresh Air features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Fresh-Air-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/fresh-air",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Fresh-Air-p17/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/381444908/podcast.xml"
}
},
"here-and-now": {
"id": "here-and-now",
"title": "Here & Now",
"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
"airtime": "MON-THU 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Here-And-Now-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/here-and-now",
"subsdcribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=426698661",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Here--Now-p211/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hidden-brain": {
"id": "hidden-brain",
"title": "Hidden Brain",
"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/hiddenbrain.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain",
"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-brain/id1028908750?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Science-Podcasts/Hidden-Brain-p787503/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510308/podcast.xml"
}
},
"how-i-built-this": {
"id": "how-i-built-this",
"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/howIBuiltThis.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this",
"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/3zxy",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/How-I-Built-This-p910896/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510313/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
"imageAlt": "KQED Hyphenación",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 15
},
"link": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hyphenaci%C3%B3n/id1191591838",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/2p3Fifq96nw9BPcmFdIq0o?si=39209f7b25774f38",
"youtube": "https://www.youtube.com/c/kqedarts",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6c3dd23c-93fb-4aab-97ba-1725fa6315f1/hyphenaci%C3%B3n",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC2275451163"
}
},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/790253322/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1492194549",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/jerrybrown/feed/podcast/",
"tuneIn": "http://tun.in/pjGcK",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/54C1dmuyFyKMFttY6X2j6r?si=K8SgRCoISNK6ZbjpXrX5-w",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/44420f75-3b0e-4301-ab3b-16da6b09e543/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown"
}
},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/xtTd",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Latino-USA-p621/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201853034&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/APM-Marketplace-p88/",
"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
}
},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Masters-of-Scale-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "http://mastersofscale.app.link/",
"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mindshift-podcast/id1078765985",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/464615685/mind-shift-podcast",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/stories-teachers-share",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0MxSpNYZKNprFLCl7eEtyx"
}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1567098962",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/onourwatch",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0OLWoyizopu6tY1XiuX70x",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-Our-Watch-p1436229/",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/show/on-our-watch",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510360/podcast.xml"
}
},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "pbs"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
"title": "Perspectives",
"tagline": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991",
"info": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Perspectives_Tile_Final.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Perspectives",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/perspectives/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 14
},
"link": "/perspectives",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id73801135",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432309616/perspectives",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/perspectives/category/perspectives/feed/",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93dzIua3FlZC5vcmcvcGVyc3BlY3RpdmVzL2NhdGVnb3J5L3BlcnNwZWN0aXZlcy9mZWVkLw"
}
},
"planet-money": {
"id": "planet-money",
"title": "Planet Money",
"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/sections/money/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/M4f5",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/planet-money/id290783428?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Business--Economics-Podcasts/Planet-Money-p164680/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510289/podcast.xml"
}
},
"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Political-Breakdown-2024-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Political Breakdown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 5
},
"link": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/political-breakdown/id1327641087",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0c2d153-ad36-4c8d-901d-f1da6a724824/political-breakdown",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/572155894/political-breakdown",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/political-breakdown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/07RVyIjIdk2WDuVehvBMoN",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/political-breakdown/feed/podcast"
}
},
"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Possible"
},
"link": "/radio/program/possible",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/possible/id1677184070",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/730YpdUSNlMyPQwNnyjp4k"
}
},
"pri-the-world": {
"id": "pri-the-world",
"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pri.org/programs/the-world",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "PRI"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pri-the-world",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pris-the-world-latest-edition/id278196007?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/PRIs-The-World-p24/",
"rss": "http://feeds.feedburner.com/pri/theworld"
}
},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
"airtime": "SUN 12am-1am, SAT 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/radiolab1400.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/radiolab/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/radiolab",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/radiolab/id152249110?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/RadioLab-p68032/",
"rss": "https://feeds.wnyc.org/radiolab"
}
},
"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
"airtime": "SAT 4pm-5pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/reveal300px.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/reveal",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/reveal/id886009669",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Reveal-p679597/",
"rss": "http://feeds.revealradio.org/revealpodcast"
}
},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rightnowish-Podcast-Tile-500x500-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Rightnowish with Pendarvis Harshaw",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 16
},
"link": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/721590300/rightnowish",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/programs/rightnowish/feed/podcast",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rightnowish/id1482187648",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/rightnowish",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMxMjU5MTY3NDc4",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/7kEJuafTzTVan7B78ttz1I"
}
},
"science-friday": {
"id": "science-friday",
"title": "Science Friday",
"info": "Science Friday is a weekly science talk show, broadcast live over public radio stations nationwide. Each week, the show focuses on science topics that are in the news and tries to bring an educated, balanced discussion to bear on the scientific issues at hand. Panels of expert guests join host Ira Flatow, a veteran science journalist, to discuss science and to take questions from listeners during the call-in portion of the program.",
"airtime": "FRI 11am-1pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Science-Friday-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/science-friday",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/science-friday",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=73329284&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Science-Friday-p394/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/science-friday"
}
},
"snap-judgment": {
"id": "snap-judgment",
"title": "Snap Judgment",
"tagline": "Real stories with killer beats",
"info": "The Snap Judgment radio show and podcast mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, dramatic radio. Snap's musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another. This is storytelling... with a BEAT!! Snap first aired on public radio stations nationwide in July 2010. Today, Snap Judgment airs on over 450 public radio stations and is brought to the airwaves by KQED & PRX.",
"airtime": "SAT 1pm-2pm, 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Snap-Judgment-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Snap Judgment",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 4
},
"link": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/snap-judgment/id283657561",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/449018144/snap-judgment",
"stitcher": "https://www.pandora.com/podcast/snap-judgment/PC:241?source=stitcher-sunset",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3Cct7ZWmxHNAtLgBTqjC5v",
"rss": "https://snap.feed.snapjudgment.org/"
}
},
"soldout": {
"id": "soldout",
"title": "SOLD OUT: Rethinking Housing in America",
"tagline": "A new future for housing",
"info": "Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Sold-Out-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/soldout",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 13
},
"link": "/podcasts/soldout",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/911586047/s-o-l-d-o-u-t-a-new-future-for-housing",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/introducing-sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america/id1531354937",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/soldout",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/38dTBSk2ISFoPiyYNoKn1X",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america",
"tunein": "https://tunein.com/radio/SOLD-OUT-Rethinking-Housing-in-America-p1365871/"
}
},
"spooked": {
"id": "spooked",
"title": "Spooked",
"tagline": "True-life supernatural stories",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Spooked-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Spooked",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 7
},
"link": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spooked/id1279361017",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/549547848/snap-judgment-presents-spooked",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/76571Rfl3m7PLJQZKQIGCT",
"rss": "https://feeds.simplecast.com/TBotaapn"
}
},
"tech-nation": {
"id": "tech-nation",
"title": "Tech Nation Radio Podcast",
"info": "Tech Nation is a weekly public radio program, hosted by Dr. Moira Gunn. Founded in 1993, it has grown from a simple interview show to a multi-faceted production, featuring conversations with noted technology and science leaders, and a weekly science and technology-related commentary.",
"airtime": "FRI 10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Tech-Nation-Radio-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://technation.podomatic.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "Tech Nation Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tech-nation",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://technation.podomatic.com/rss2.xml"
}
},
"ted-radio-hour": {
"id": "ted-radio-hour",
"title": "TED Radio Hour",
"info": "The TED Radio Hour is a journey through fascinating ideas, astonishing inventions, fresh approaches to old problems, and new ways to think and create.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm, SAT 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/tedRadioHour.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/?showDate=2018-06-22",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/ted-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/8vsS",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=523121474&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/TED-Radio-Hour-p418021/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510298/podcast.xml"
}
},
"thebay": {
"id": "thebay",
"title": "The Bay",
"tagline": "Local news to keep you rooted",
"info": "Host Devin Katayama walks you through the biggest story of the day with reporters and newsmakers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Bay-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Bay",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/thebay",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 2
},
"link": "/podcasts/thebay",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bay/id1350043452",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d800ea4c-7a2c-42f2-b861-edaf78a5db0b/the-bay",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/586725995/the-bay",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-bay",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/4BIKBKIujizLHlIlBNaAqQ",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC8259786327"
}
},
"thelatest": {
"id": "thelatest",
"title": "The Latest",
"tagline": "Trusted local news in real time",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/The-Latest-2025-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Latest",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/thelatest",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 6
},
"link": "/thelatest",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-latest-from-kqed/id1197721799",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1257949365/the-latest-from-k-q-e-d",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/5KIIXMgM9GTi5AepwOYvIZ?si=bd3053fec7244dba",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9137121918"
}
},
"theleap": {
"id": "theleap",
"title": "The Leap",
"tagline": "What if you closed your eyes, and jumped?",
"info": "Stories about people making dramatic, risky changes, told by award-winning public radio reporter Judy Campbell.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Leap-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Leap",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/theleap",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 17
},
"link": "/podcasts/theleap",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leap/id1046668171",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/447248267/the-leap",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-leap",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3sSlVHHzU0ytLwuGs1SD1U",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/programs/the-leap/feed/podcast"
}
},
"the-moth-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-moth-radio-hour",
"title": "The Moth Radio Hour",
"info": "Since its launch in 1997, The Moth has presented thousands of true stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide. Moth storytellers stand alone, under a spotlight, with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers. The storyteller and the audience embark on a high-wire act of shared experience which is both terrifying and exhilarating. Since 2008, The Moth podcast has featured many of our favorite stories told live on Moth stages around the country. For information on all of our programs and live events, visit themoth.org.",
"airtime": "SAT 8pm-9pm and SUN 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/theMoth.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://themoth.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "prx"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-moth-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-moth-podcast/id275699983?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/The-Moth-p273888/",
"rss": "http://feeds.themoth.org/themothpodcast"
}
},
"the-new-yorker-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"title": "The New Yorker Radio Hour",
"info": "The New Yorker Radio Hour is a weekly program presented by the magazine's editor, David Remnick, and produced by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker. Each episode features a diverse mix of interviews, profiles, storytelling, and an occasional burst of humor inspired by the magazine, and shaped by its writers, artists, and editors. This isn't a radio version of a magazine, but something all its own, reflecting the rich possibilities of audio storytelling and conversation. Theme music for the show was composed and performed by Merrill Garbus of tUnE-YArDs.",
"airtime": "SAT 10am-11am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-New-Yorker-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/tnyradiohour",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1050430296",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/New-Yorker-Radio-Hour-p803804/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/newyorkerradiohour"
}
},
"the-sam-sanders-show": {
"id": "the-sam-sanders-show",
"title": "The Sam Sanders Show",
"info": "One of public radio's most dynamic voices, Sam Sanders helped launch The NPR Politics Podcast and hosted NPR's hit show It's Been A Minute. Now, the award-winning host returns with something brand new, The Sam Sanders Show. Every week, Sam Sanders and friends dig into the culture that shapes our lives: what's driving the biggest trends, how artists really think, and even the memes you can't stop scrolling past. Sam is beloved for his way of unpacking the world and bringing you up close to fresh currents and engaging conversations. The Sam Sanders Show is smart, funny and always a good time.",
"airtime": "FRI 12-1pm AND SAT 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/The-Sam-Sanders-Show-Podcast-Tile-400x400-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "KCRW"
},
"link": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feed.cdnstream1.com/zjb/feed/download/ac/28/59/ac28594c-e1d0-4231-8728-61865cdc80e8.xml"
}
},
"the-splendid-table": {
"id": "the-splendid-table",
"title": "The Splendid Table",
"info": "\u003cem>The Splendid Table\u003c/em> hosts our nation's conversations about cooking, sustainability and food culture.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Splendid-Table-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.splendidtable.org/",
"airtime": "SUN 10-11 pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-splendid-table"
},
"this-american-life": {
"id": "this-american-life",
"title": "This American Life",
"info": "This American Life is a weekly public radio show, heard by 2.2 million people on more than 500 stations. Another 2.5 million people download the weekly podcast. It is hosted by Ira Glass, produced in collaboration with Chicago Public Media, delivered to stations by PRX The Public Radio Exchange, and has won all of the major broadcasting awards.",
"airtime": "SAT 12pm-1pm, 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/thisAmericanLife.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wbez"
},
"link": "/radio/program/this-american-life",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201671138&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"rss": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/podcast/rss.xml"
}
},
"tinydeskradio": {
"id": "tinydeskradio",
"title": "Tiny Desk Radio",
"info": "We're bringing the best of Tiny Desk to the airwaves, only on public radio.",
"airtime": "SUN 8pm and SAT 9pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/300x300-For-Member-Station-Logo-Tiny-Desk-Radio-@2x.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/g-s1-52030/tiny-desk-radio",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tinydeskradio",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/g-s1-52030/rss.xml"
}
},
"wait-wait-dont-tell-me": {
"id": "wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"title": "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!",
"info": "Peter Sagal and Bill Kurtis host the weekly NPR News quiz show alongside some of the best and brightest news and entertainment personalities.",
"airtime": "SUN 10am-11am, SAT 11am-12pm, SAT 6pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Wait-Wait-Podcast-Tile-300x300-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/Xogv",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=121493804&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Wait-Wait-Dont-Tell-Me-p46/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/344098539/podcast.xml"
}
},
"weekend-edition-saturday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-saturday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Saturday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Saturday wraps up the week's news and offers a mix of analysis and features on a wide range of topics, including arts, sports, entertainment, and human interest stories. The two-hour program is hosted by NPR's Peabody Award-winning Scott Simon.",
"airtime": "SAT 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-saturday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-saturday"
},
"weekend-edition-sunday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-sunday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Sunday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Sunday features interviews with newsmakers, artists, scientists, politicians, musicians, writers, theologians and historians. The program has covered news events from Nelson Mandela's 1990 release from a South African prison to the capture of Saddam Hussein.",
"airtime": "SUN 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-sunday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-sunday"
}
},
"racesReducer": {},
"racesGenElectionReducer": {},
"racesGenElection2026Reducer": {},
"radioSchedulesReducer": {},
"listsReducer": {
"posts/arts?category=the-do-list": {
"isFetching": false,
"latestQuery": {
"from": 0,
"size": 12
},
"vitalsOnly": false,
"totalRequested": 12,
"isLoading": false,
"isLoadingMore": true,
"total": {
"value": 695,
"relation": "eq"
},
"items": [
"arts_13992983",
"arts_13992917",
"arts_13992815",
"arts_13991893",
"arts_13992728",
"arts_13992688",
"arts_13992438",
"arts_13992422",
"arts_13992348",
"arts_13992108",
"arts_13991888",
"arts_13991858"
],
"complete": true
}
},
"recallGuideReducer": {
"intros": {},
"policy": {},
"candidates": {}
},
"savedArticleReducer": {
"articles": [],
"status": {}
},
"newslettersReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"newsletters": {},
"isSubscribing": false,
"isUnsubscribing": false,
"subscribedNewsletters": {}
},
"termsReducer": {
"about": {
"name": "About",
"type": "terms",
"id": "about",
"slug": "about",
"link": "/about",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"arts": {
"name": "Arts & Culture",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"description": "KQED Arts provides daily in-depth coverage of the Bay Area's music, art, film, performing arts, literature and arts news, as well as cultural commentary and criticism.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts",
"slug": "arts",
"link": "/arts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"artschool": {
"name": "Art School",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "artschool",
"slug": "artschool",
"link": "/artschool",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareabites": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareabites",
"slug": "bayareabites",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareahiphop": {
"name": "Bay Area Hiphop",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareahiphop",
"slug": "bayareahiphop",
"link": "/bayareahiphop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"campaign21": {
"name": "Campaign 21",
"type": "terms",
"id": "campaign21",
"slug": "campaign21",
"link": "/campaign21",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"careers": {
"name": "Careers",
"type": "terms",
"id": "careers",
"slug": "careers",
"link": "/careers",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"checkplease": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "checkplease",
"slug": "checkplease",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"education": {
"name": "Education",
"grouping": [
"education"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "education",
"slug": "education",
"link": "/education",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"elections": {
"name": "Elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "elections",
"slug": "elections",
"link": "/elections",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"events": {
"name": "Events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "events",
"slug": "events",
"link": "/events",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"event": {
"name": "Event",
"alias": "events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "event",
"slug": "event",
"link": "/event",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"filmschoolshorts": {
"name": "Film School Shorts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "filmschoolshorts",
"slug": "filmschoolshorts",
"link": "/filmschoolshorts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"food": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "food",
"slug": "food",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"forum": {
"name": "Forum",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/forum?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "forum",
"slug": "forum",
"link": "/forum",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"futureofyou": {
"name": "Future of You",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "futureofyou",
"slug": "futureofyou",
"link": "/futureofyou",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"jpepinheart": {
"name": "KQED food",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/food,bayareabites,checkplease",
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "jpepinheart",
"slug": "jpepinheart",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"liveblog": {
"name": "Live Blog",
"type": "terms",
"id": "liveblog",
"slug": "liveblog",
"link": "/liveblog",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"livetv": {
"name": "Live TV",
"parent": "tv",
"type": "terms",
"id": "livetv",
"slug": "livetv",
"link": "/livetv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"lowdown": {
"name": "The Lowdown",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/lowdown?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "lowdown",
"slug": "lowdown",
"link": "/lowdown",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"mindshift": {
"name": "Mindshift",
"parent": "news",
"description": "MindShift explores the future of education by highlighting the innovative – and sometimes counterintuitive – ways educators and parents are helping all children succeed.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift",
"slug": "mindshift",
"link": "/mindshift",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"news": {
"name": "News",
"grouping": [
"news",
"forum"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "news",
"slug": "news",
"link": "/news",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"newsletters": {
"name": "newsletters",
"type": "terms",
"id": "newsletters",
"slug": "newsletters",
"link": "/newsletters",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"perspectives": {
"name": "Perspectives",
"parent": "radio",
"type": "terms",
"id": "perspectives",
"slug": "perspectives",
"link": "/perspectives",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"podcasts": {
"name": "Podcasts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "podcasts",
"slug": "podcasts",
"link": "/podcasts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pop": {
"name": "Pop",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop",
"slug": "pop",
"link": "/pop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pressroom": {
"name": "Pressroom",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pressroom",
"slug": "pressroom",
"link": "/pressroom",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"quest": {
"name": "Quest",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "quest",
"slug": "quest",
"link": "/quest",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"radio": {
"name": "Radio",
"grouping": [
"forum",
"perspectives"
],
"description": "Listen to KQED Public Radio – home of Forum and The California Report – on 88.5 FM in San Francisco, 89.3 FM in Sacramento, 88.3 FM in Santa Rosa and 88.1 FM in Martinez.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "radio",
"slug": "radio",
"link": "/radio",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"root": {
"name": "KQED",
"image": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"imageWidth": 1200,
"imageHeight": 630,
"headData": {
"title": "KQED | News, Radio, Podcasts, TV | Public Media for Northern California",
"description": "KQED provides public radio, television, and independent reporting on issues that matter to the Bay Area. We’re the NPR and PBS member station for Northern California."
},
"type": "terms",
"id": "root",
"slug": "root",
"link": "/root",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"science": {
"name": "Science",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"description": "KQED Science brings you award-winning science and environment coverage from the Bay Area and beyond.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "science",
"slug": "science",
"link": "/science",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"stateofhealth": {
"name": "State of Health",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth",
"slug": "stateofhealth",
"link": "/stateofhealth",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"support": {
"name": "Support",
"type": "terms",
"id": "support",
"slug": "support",
"link": "/support",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"thedolist": {
"name": "The Do List",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "thedolist",
"slug": "thedolist",
"link": "/thedolist",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"trulyca": {
"name": "Truly CA",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "trulyca",
"slug": "trulyca",
"link": "/trulyca",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"tv": {
"name": "TV",
"type": "terms",
"id": "tv",
"slug": "tv",
"link": "/tv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"voterguide": {
"name": "Voter Guide",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "voterguide",
"slug": "voterguide",
"link": "/voterguide",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"guiaelectoral": {
"name": "Guia Electoral",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "guiaelectoral",
"slug": "guiaelectoral",
"link": "/guiaelectoral",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"arts_category_the-do-list": {
"isLoading": true
},
"arts_22313": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22313",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22313",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "The Do List",
"slug": "the-do-list",
"taxonomy": "category",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "The Do List | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22325,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/category/the-do-list"
},
"source_arts_13992983": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_arts_13992983",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The Do List",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_arts_13992917": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_arts_13992917",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The Do List",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_arts_13992815": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_arts_13992815",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The Do List",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_arts_13991893": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_arts_13991893",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The Do List",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_arts_13992728": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_arts_13992728",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The Do List",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_arts_13992688": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_arts_13992688",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The Do List",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_arts_13992438": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_arts_13992438",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The Do List",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_arts_13992422": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_arts_13992422",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The Do List",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_arts_13992348": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_arts_13992348",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The Do List",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_arts_13992108": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_arts_13992108",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The Do List",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_arts_13991888": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_arts_13991888",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The Do List",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_arts_13991858": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_arts_13991858",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The Do List",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"isLoading": false
},
"arts_140": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_140",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "140",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "The Do List",
"slug": "the-do-list",
"taxonomy": "program",
"description": null,
"featImg": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/11/The-Do-LIst-logo-2014-horizontal-015.png",
"headData": {
"title": "The Do List Archives | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 141,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/program/the-do-list"
},
"arts_1": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Arts",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Arts Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1,
"slug": "arts",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/category/arts"
},
"arts_70": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_70",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "70",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Visual Arts",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Visual Arts Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 71,
"slug": "visualarts",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/category/visualarts"
},
"arts_1210": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1210",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1210",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "de Young Museum",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "de Young Museum Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1222,
"slug": "de-young-museum",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/de-young-museum"
},
"arts_10278": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_10278",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "10278",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "featured-arts",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "featured-arts Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 10290,
"slug": "featured-arts",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/featured-arts"
},
"arts_769": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_769",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "769",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "review",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "review Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 787,
"slug": "review",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/review"
},
"arts_1146": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1146",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1146",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "San Francisco",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "San Francisco Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 701,
"slug": "san-francisco",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/san-francisco"
},
"arts_585": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_585",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "585",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "thedolist",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "thedolist Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 590,
"slug": "thedolist",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/thedolist"
},
"arts_21866": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21866",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21866",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Arts and Culture",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Arts and Culture Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21878,
"slug": "arts-and-culture",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/arts-and-culture"
},
"arts_21879": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21879",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21879",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Entertainment",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Entertainment Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21891,
"slug": "entertainment",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/entertainment"
},
"arts_21859": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21859",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21859",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "San Francisco",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "San Francisco Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21871,
"slug": "san-francisco",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/san-francisco"
},
"arts_69": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_69",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "69",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Music",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Music Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 70,
"slug": "music",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/category/music"
},
"arts_14230": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_14230",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "14230",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "digital underground",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "digital underground Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 14242,
"slug": "digital-underground",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/digital-underground"
},
"arts_22664": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22664",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22664",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "hip-hop",
"slug": "hip-hop-2",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "hip-hop | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22676,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/hip-hop-2"
},
"arts_1143": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1143",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1143",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Oakland",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Oakland Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 692,
"slug": "oakland",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/oakland"
},
"arts_22382": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22382",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22382",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "rap music",
"slug": "rap-music",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "rap music | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22394,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/rap-music"
},
"arts_19347": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_19347",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "19347",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "tmw-latest",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "tmw-latest Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 19359,
"slug": "tmw-latest",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/tmw-latest"
},
"arts_22662": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22662",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22662",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Music",
"slug": "music",
"taxonomy": "interest",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Music | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22674,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/music"
},
"arts_21860": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21860",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21860",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Oakland",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Oakland Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21872,
"slug": "oakland",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/oakland"
},
"arts_7862": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_7862",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "7862",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "History",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "History Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 7874,
"slug": "history",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/category/history"
},
"arts_22613": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22613",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22613",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "826 valencia",
"slug": "826-valencia",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "826 valencia | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22625,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/826-valencia"
},
"arts_2272": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_2272",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "2272",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "gold rush",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "gold rush Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2284,
"slug": "gold-rush",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/gold-rush"
},
"arts_22340": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22340",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22340",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "green apple books",
"slug": "green-apple-books",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "green apple books | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22352,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/green-apple-books"
},
"arts_2640": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_2640",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "2640",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "history",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "history Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2652,
"slug": "history",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/history"
},
"arts_21871": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21871",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21871",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "East Bay",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "East Bay Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21883,
"slug": "east-bay",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/east-bay"
},
"arts_21873": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21873",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21873",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "North Bay",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "North Bay Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21885,
"slug": "north-bay",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/north-bay"
},
"arts_12276": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_12276",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "12276",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Food",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "Explore the Bay Area culinary scene through KQED's food stories, recipes, dining experiences, and stories from the diverse tastemakers that define the Bay's cuisines.",
"title": "Bay Area Food Archives, Articles, News, and Reviews | KQED",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 12288,
"slug": "food",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/category/food"
},
"arts_20052": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_20052",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "20052",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "fermentation",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "fermentation Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20064,
"slug": "fermentation",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/fermentation"
},
"arts_22068": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22068",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22068",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "festivals",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "festivals Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 22080,
"slug": "festivals",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/festivals"
},
"arts_22402": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22402",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22402",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "funk music",
"slug": "funk-music",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "funk music | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22414,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/funk-music"
},
"arts_22677": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22677",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22677",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "lgbtq",
"slug": "lgbtq-2",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "lgbtq | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22689,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/lgbtq-2"
},
"arts_3226": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_3226",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "3226",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "LGBTQ+",
"slug": "lgbtq",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "LGBTQ+ | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 3238,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/lgbtq"
},
"arts_21870": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21870",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21870",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Events",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Events Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21882,
"slug": "events",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/events"
},
"arts_22219": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22219",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22219",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Minnesota Street Project",
"slug": "minnesota-street-project",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Minnesota Street Project | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22231,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/minnesota-street-project"
},
"arts_74": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_74",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "74",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Movies",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Movies Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 75,
"slug": "movies",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/category/movies"
},
"arts_977": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_977",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "977",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Film",
"slug": "film",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Film Archives | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 995,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/film"
},
"arts_22631": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22631",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22631",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "movie review",
"slug": "movie-review",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "movie review | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22643,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/movie-review"
},
"arts_3930": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_3930",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "3930",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "romance",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "romance Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3942,
"slug": "romance",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/romance"
},
"arts_13238": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_13238",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13238",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Sports",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Sports Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 13250,
"slug": "sports",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/category/sports"
},
"arts_22248": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22248",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22248",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "boxing",
"slug": "boxing",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "boxing Archives | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22260,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/boxing"
},
"arts_5016": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_5016",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "5016",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "east oakland",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "east oakland Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5028,
"slug": "east-oakland",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/east-oakland"
},
"arts_10422": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_10422",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "10422",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "featured-news",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "featured-news Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 10434,
"slug": "featured-news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/featured-news"
},
"arts_4506": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_4506",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "4506",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Sports",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Sports Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4518,
"slug": "sports",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/sports"
},
"arts_4097": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_4097",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "4097",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "black history",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "black history Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4109,
"slug": "black-history",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/black-history"
},
"arts_1201": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1201",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1201",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "film festivals",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "film festivals Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1213,
"slug": "film-festivals",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/film-festivals"
},
"arts_3419": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_3419",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "3419",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Chicano",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Chicano Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3431,
"slug": "chicano",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/chicano"
},
"arts_13672": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_13672",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13672",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Documentaries",
"slug": "documentaries",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Documentaries | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 13684,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/documentaries"
},
"arts_22453": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22453",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22453",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "farmworkers",
"slug": "farmworkers",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "farmworkers | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22465,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/farmworkers"
},
"arts_1256": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1256",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1256",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Latino",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Latino Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1268,
"slug": "latino",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/latino"
},
"arts_3163": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_3163",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "3163",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Roxie Theater",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Roxie Theater Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3175,
"slug": "roxie-theater",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/roxie-theater"
},
"arts_4670": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_4670",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "4670",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Indian",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Indian Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4682,
"slug": "indian",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/indian"
},
"arts_16154": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_16154",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "16154",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Indian diaspora",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Indian diaspora Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 16166,
"slug": "indian-diaspora",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/indian-diaspora"
},
"arts_1420": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1420",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1420",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "jazz",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "jazz Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1432,
"slug": "jazz",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/jazz"
},
"arts_235": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_235",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "235",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "News",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "News Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 236,
"slug": "news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/category/news"
},
"arts_1806": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1806",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1806",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "fillmore",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "fillmore Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1818,
"slug": "fillmore",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/fillmore"
},
"arts_14114": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_14114",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "14114",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "san quinn",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "san quinn Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 14126,
"slug": "san-quinn",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/san-quinn"
},
"arts_21863": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21863",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21863",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "News",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "News Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21875,
"slug": "news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/news"
}
},
"userPermissionsReducer": {
"wpLoggedIn": false
},
"eventsReducer": {},
"fssReducer": {},
"tvDailyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvWeeklyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvPrimetimeScheduleReducer": {},
"tvMonthlyScheduleReducer": {},
"userAccountReducer": {
"user": {
"email": null,
"emailStatus": "EMAIL_UNVALIDATED",
"loggedStatus": "LOGGED_OUT",
"loggingChecked": false,
"articles": [],
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"phoneNumber": null,
"fetchingMembership": false,
"membershipError": false,
"memberships": [
{
"id": null,
"startDate": null,
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"familyNumber": null,
"memberNumber": null,
"memberSince": null,
"expirationDate": null,
"pfsEligible": false,
"isSustaining": false,
"membershipLevel": "Prospect",
"membershipStatus": "Non Member",
"lastGiftDate": null,
"renewalDate": null,
"lastDonationAmount": null
}
]
},
"authModal": {
"isOpen": false,
"view": "LANDING_VIEW"
},
"error": null
},
"youthMediaReducer": {},
"checkPleaseReducer": {
"filterData": {
"region": {
"key": "Restaurant Region",
"filters": [
"Any Region"
]
},
"cuisine": {
"key": "Restaurant Cuisine",
"filters": [
"Any Cuisine"
]
}
},
"restaurantDataById": {},
"restaurantIdsSorted": [],
"error": null
},
"userAgentReducer": {
"userAgent": "Mozilla/4.5 (compatible; HTTrack 3.0x; Windows 98)",
"isBot": true
}
}
