Originally aired on KALW's "Crosscurrents," January 17, 2015.
Reporter: Leila Day

You can find the accompanying article at http://kalw.org/post/problem-sounding-white. 

The problem with "sounding white"

Here's the story of how one of the Bay Area’s brightest literary stars became the reigning “goddess” of Oakland’s first public library....

Back in the day, poetry was a lot like the hip hop industry is today—and I’m not just making that comparison because poets and rappers both kick rhymes. If you’re skeptical that the lives of California poets in the 1870s were just a wild as rap stars, listen to this episode about the life of the Bay Area’s first literary “It Girl.” 

Aleta George, the author of “Ina Coolbrith: The Bittersweet Song of California’s First Poet Laureate,” shares incredible stories of Ina’s connection with the early Mormon church, her rise to fame alongside the Bay Area’s first bohemians (including Mark Twain!), her impact on Oakland, and much, much more.

Oakland's first "celebrity" librarian

FSFSF is a co-production of KALW and Rooftop Comedy.

Comedy from Alice Wetterlund & Andy Peters

Comedy from Andy Haynes & Andy Kindler

Comedy from Guy Branum & Arden Myrin

Radio edited version of 99pi story. Check out the full episode here: http://99percentinvisible.org/episode/miss-manhattan/

99% Invisible: Miss Manhattan

Comedy from Nico Santos & Eliza Skinner

Hey Area is where we find answers to questions you ask. This one comes from New York staff writer Jelani Cobb. He asks, “How did there get to be an entirely separate city inside of Oakland?”

https://www.kalw.org/post/why-there-another-city-inside-oakland

Why Is There Another City Inside Of Oakland?

May is mental health awareness month. It's an issue for people of all ages, including teenagers. According to the CDC, suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth ages 15 to 24. And the rate is increasing. A Los Gatos teen who experienced challenges of her own started a podcast to give her peers struggling with mental health issues a voice.

Silicon Valley Teen’s Podcast Peeks Into The Minds Of Her Peers

KALW is local public radio from the San Francisco Bay Area. Tune into 91.7FM or find some of KALW's fine programming here, from shows like our nightly newsmagazine Crosscurrents. And check out the sounds from special projects like Audiograph, which is out to capture the sonic signature of the Bay Area. 

The problem with "sounding white"

KALW 91.7 FM Bay Area