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KQED's Perspectives

KQED

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Our series of of daily listener commentaries since 1991.

KQED's Perspectives

Available episodes

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Damian Stout-Lehman: California

A hike to see one of California’s wonders inspired Damian Stout-Lehman to reflect on the nature of our state.

Victor Schachter: A 21st Century Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence is 247 years old today. Victor Schachter suggests it might benefit from a revision to reflect modern realities. This Perspective originally aired in July 2021.

Joanne Greene: How Getting Hit By a Car Saved My Life

Sometimes a horrible incident can bring unexpected positive change. Joanne Greene tells us her story.

Mark Morodomi: Peanut Duck

When a popular Chinese restaurant in Oakland closed last year, Mark Morodomi is left with warm memories of family and a dish rarely served anymore. This Perspective originally aired in January 2023.

Nina Thompson: Navigating News on Social Media

An increasing number of teens are turning to social media to get their news. But for YR Media’s Nina Thompson, navigating all that information requires some fact-checking.

Stewart Florsheim: On Becoming a German Citizen

If the country that persecuted your family offered you citizenship, what would you do? Stewart Florsheim has this Perspective.

Diego Moreno Espinoza: Life Through a Lens

As he prepares for a new chapter in his life, Diego Moreno Espinoza reflects on how his past experiences have led him to where he is today.

John Palmer: How I Was Wrong About Driverless Cars

Being able to admit when you’re wrong can bring about an openness to new ideas. John Palmer tells us about his changing attitude on driverless cars.

Tanieng Huang: Reach For The Stars

As an artist and immigrant, Tanieng Huang shares the story of how her art practice helped her grow and break through the barriers of language. This piece was produced as part of KQED Youth Takeover, and originally aired in April 2023.

Mike Blasenstein: Cashing In on Pride

It's Pride month, and as usual the parades will be marked by corporate floats and contingents sporting rainbow flags. Mike Blasenstein wonders if that level of support from business is enough.

Jim McTarnaghan: Protesting for Democracy

Witnessing a protest in Tel Aviv inspired Jim McTarnaghan to interrogate the role of the ‘dem’ in democracy.

Alex Argov: Success Is the Sum of Small Strokes

When high school student Alex Argov returned to in-person classes, he discovered a new motto that helped him readjust to the new social environment.

Ebony Haight: It's Your Turn

Ebony Haight is tired of pretty words and disavowals of racism not backed up by action. It is, she says, your turn to do something about it.

Evan Ho: Father's Day

With Father’s Day coming up, Evan Ho reflects on the joys of raising a child.

Lauren Vuong: Grief and the Ribbon of Life

A Buddhist ritual helps Lauren Vuong cope with the passing of her father.

Saahil Mishra: Logging into Loneliness

High schooler Saahil Mishra has a vision for a reformed social media... one that makes us more human.

Elham Gheytanchi: Star of Solidarity

Elham Gheytanchi’s father taught her that religion is a private matter. But in recent years she’s started questioning that idea. The following Perspective contains a mention of sexual assault.

Jesse Alejandro Cottrell: Larry, My Gouty Toe

After discovering he has the same health condition as his father, Jesse Alejandro Cottrell grapples with aging and other ways he's similar — or dissimilar — to his dad.

Munira Shamim: The Trail of Life

On her 22-mile runs, Munira Shamim encounters runners with varying athletic abilities and backgrounds. It's why she sees the trail as a great unifier and community.

Irena Smith: Success, Deconstructed

Irena Smith is keenly aware of the expectations weighing on teenagers and parents alike. And she's come to realize what metric of success really matters to her.

Simone Green: The Value of Queer Art

A poem in a volume pulled from a bookstore shelf, helps Simone Green navigate her journey of discovery.

Theresa Padden: Dawn Chorus

Birdsongs at sunrise provide Theresa Padden and her mother with a moment of shared beauty while an inevitable loss looms over them.

Richard Levitt: Over It

What happens when your favorite books and movies lose their luster? Richard Levitt shares how he’s trying to get his groove back.

Phoebe Lefebvre: Wood Street Commons: When Your Neighbors are Forced to Leave

YR Media's Phoebe Lefebvre grew up around the corner from Oakland's Wood Street homeless encampment. She shares her concerns about the lack of solutions the city has offered the residents who were evicted.

Salma Siddiqui: The Privilege of Fasting During Ramadan

For many Muslims, Ramadan is the most challenging part of the year. For Salma Siddiqui, it’s an opportunity to express gratitude for the right to struggle.

Pablo Quintanilla: The Ghosts of Home Ownership

Pablo Quintanilla says racial deed restrictions are the ghosts that haunt Bay Area home ownership to this day.

Helen Doyle: Enjoy the Nature Around You

Helen Doyle reflects on how California’s spring bloom is flourishing all around us.

Aurelia Santos: World Lindy Hop Day

May I have this dance? Aurelia Santos invites us to join the festivities.

Ellen Greenblatt: The Turkey and the Tesla: A Love Story

What can a Turkey and a Tesla teach us about ourselves? Well, apparently a whole lot.

Otto Danielson: Making Money as a Teenager

I did it my way; a young San Franciscan shares his thoughts on entrepreneurial success.

Mannya Sinha: Disparities in Boba or English?

How a part time job taught Mannya Sinha about the inherent imbalances of the food service industry.

Chloe Chan: Kelp Foraging

To most beachgoers, seaweed is just an underwater weed. But to Chloe Chan, it's an introduction to a community of kelp foragers.

Alex Giardino: My Year of Overwatering

When Alex Giardino's only son left for college, she found her empty nest rapidly filling up with plants.

Alice Wong: I Still Have a Voice

Alice Wong can no longer speak. But she still has a voice.

Bob Riley: Bike to Work Day

Tomorrow, May 18, is the annual Bike to Work Day. Bob Riley tells us why he participates.

Yvonne Baginski: The Red Cardinal

Processing grief takes many forms. For Yvonne Baginski, it comes in the form of a backyard bird community.

Richard Friedlander: Halliburton's Cats

You might think dogs have it made as man’s co-pilot. Richard Friedlander’s tale suggests otherwise.

Lana Moroz: To Be a Ukrainian Refugee

The refugee experience is rife with unthinkable hardship, and also glimmers of hope. Lana Moroz has this Perspective.

Oliver River Satalich : An Ode to Girlhood

Oliver River Satalich is not a girl, but their childhood as a girl taught them valuable lessons about life and self-discovery.

Tice Swackhamer: The Death of “Are”

Grammar enthusiast Tice Swackhamer has a theory on how society changes language, and a call to action to save the word “are.”

Miriam Warren: The Fun of Floundering

In a success driven world the fear of failure is a constant. But what if we’ve been looking at it the wrong way? Miriam Warren shares her thoughts on why it’s okay to be terrible at something.

Marilyn Englander: The Ecstasy Gap

We’ve all been there before - you’re telling your friend a story that had you in stitches, but all you get in return is a blank stare. Marilyn Englander reflects on those moments where "you just had to be there".

Nina Roehl: Starting Therapy

Six months ago, Nina Roehl didn’t think therapy was right for her. But after weighing all her options, she finally decided to finally try it out. Y-R Media brings her Perspective.

Isidra Mencos: The Sound of Silence

Isidra Mencos reflects on a period of forced silence that proved frustrating at first, but ultimately turned into a lifelong lesson on the serenity of listening.

Richard Swerdlow: Weather Words

Richard Swerdlow remembers the rainy days of his childhood. These days, he’s got to dissect the scientific weather jargon before stepping outside.

Brian Leonard: Grieving the Oakland A's

Grief has many stages. Brian Leonard is experiencing all of them after learning that the A’s will be building a new stadium in Las Vegas, not Oakland.

Tanieng Huang: Reach For The Stars

As an artist and immigrant, Tanieng Huang shares the story of how her art practice helped her grow and break through the barriers of language.

Jackson Miller: Spaces and Places

After the pandemic took high school online and into the home, Jackson Miller discovered his city in new ways through exploration and adventure and learned about community values along the way.

Ariana Navarro: Stories Like Mine

Realizing Hollywood portrays an unrealistic depiction of high school life, Ariana Navarro opens up about her thoughts on it and how she's making the most of being a teenager today.

Da'Von Griffin: Transit = Change x Autism

While others might not understand it, Da'Von Griffin shares how his special interest in Bay Area public transportation has helped him help others.

Christopher Setera: The Journey of Losing Your Home

When faced with impossible circumstances, Christopher Setera took his future into his own hands by facing one of life's hardest obstacles -- asking for help -- and tells the story of his journey.

Brian Smith: Time Capsule

Working in medicine forces Brian Smith to confront mortality, but advice from a patient helps him cope on darker days.

Susan Chang: Looking the Other Way

When Susan Chang witnessed a person in need, she learned the importance of being an active bystander.

Michael Wright: Uncelebrated Gratitude

A generous man bent the arc of Michael Wright’s life many years ago, so he looks to express his gratitude.

Bianca Datta: Becoming San Franciscan, Step By Step

Recent East Coast transplant Bianca Datta is learning to love San Francisco – literally one step at a time.

Paul Staley: The Four Elements

Paul Staley says maybe the ancients had it right about the four elements. But when they collide you get – modern California.

Mark Trautwein: Farewell

Today is a momentous day here at KQED. Mark Trautwein, editor of Perspectives for the past quarter-century, is retiring. So today, instead of working off the mic, Mark will give his Perspective.

Jonathan Slusher: The Pay Gap

Jonathan Slusher says the pay gap between his company’s executives and its workers is not only bad for employees, its bad for business.

Stewart Florsheim: Choosing the End-of-Life Option

Stewart Florsheim supports a man in his last days and witnesses first hand what California’s End of Life Option Act offers.

Mac Clayton: The Good Editor

Mark Trautwein is retiring as editor of Perspectives, and Mac Clayton looks back on what it was like to work together.

Debbie Duncan: The Singular They

Debbie Duncan says that in the swirl of changing pronouns, the singular they is here to stay.

Larry Lee: Learning the Language

Immigrant families commonly struggle with language issues and the cultural and personal connections they raise. Larry Lee has this Perspective on his own family.

Sydney Wanguhu: Former Extrovert

The pandemic changed the way a lot of us approach social situations, including Sydney Wanguhu. Y-R Media brings her Perspective.

Elizabeth Fishel: Live Oak Down

Trees that almost seemed like members of the family have been victims of our historic winter weather, and Elizabeth Fishel now contemplates the huge space where her live oak once stood.

Christine Schoefer: Farmer's Markets

Christine Schoefer says farmer’s markets are a feast for the senses and support local, independent agriculture.

Karina Moreno: No Mud, No Lutus.

These days, hiking involves trudging through a mess of mud. Life is a lot like that. Karina Moreno has this Perspective.

Erik Olvera: Honoring Cesar Chavez

Today honors Cesar Chavez, but to Erik Olvera, his family and friends, every day is a day to honor the farmworker hero.

Leslie Smith: The Story of Timo the Pitbull

The cute puppies are adoption favorites at animal shelters, but older dogs with ailments and a story deserve loving homes, too. Leslie Smith has this Perspective.

Laura Smith Borrman: Calm Mom Voice

Using the ‘calm mom voice’ is tough in stressful situations – like when a giant tree falls right in front of you and the kids. Laura Smith Borrman has this Perspective.

Si Yan: The Significance of Hard Work

Many hard-working families are just one illness or bad break away from poverty. When it happened to high schooler Si Yan, he stepped up and learned the value of selflessness along the way.

CJ Hirschfield: Dad's Typewriter

Objects are just objects, until they become part of a story, and then they’re not just an object anymore. CJ Hirschfield has this story about her father’s typewriter.

Kathrine Thompson: Flexing for Trans Youth

Katherine Thompson says that the Bay Area culture is providing the kind of uplifting empathy and support for trans youth that others do not.

Marilyn Englander: Seasons of Friendships

There is a season for everything, and Marilyn Englander says that includes friendships.

Andrew Lewis: Petty Crime In The Big City

San Francisco is a great city, but petty crime is tarnishing the quality of life here. Andrew Lewis has this Perspective.

Richard Swerdlow: No Shoes In The House

When your shoes follow you into the house, they bring more than you with them. Richard Swerdlow has this Perspective.

Peter Ferenbach: The Iraq War, 20 Years Later

Peter Ferenbach has this look at the costs of the Iraq war, in lives and treasure.

Tim Davern: Just Like That

A Grammy-winning song reminds Dr. Tim Davern of the life-and-death miracle of organ transplants.

Francisco Kilgore: Everyone's Got a Story

Francisco Kilgore collects people’s stories, and has learned how interesting and inspiring a story can be.

Jamie Comer: How My Life Was Saved

Jamie Comer wants to change the way we talk about cancer. Here’s her story.

Carol Denney: UC, Berkeley vs CEQA

UC, Berkeley’s plans for housing and amenities at People’s Park has run afoul of a core environmental law, but Carol Denney says the fault lies with UC, not the law.

Tristen Deacon: Theatre Kid

Seventh grader Tristen Deacon joins a theater group for fun and personal growth.

Jasmin Darznik: Celebrating Persian New Year

Persian New Year is celebrated this month, and Jasmin Darznik will mark the occasion by working magic with lentils, just like her grandmother did.

Jiya Gupta: Holi

Y-R Media’s Jiya Gupta] is one of millions of Hindus who celebrate Holi, the annual Festival of Colors, in March. This year’s celebration is extra special for her.

Paul Staley: The Past Isn't Past

William Faulkner famously said, “The past is never dead. It isn’t even past.” And Paul Staley heartily agrees.

Angelina Montgomery: The Hidden Outdoors

To many low-income families, the great outdoors is a rumor, experienced only by others. Angelina Montgomery has this Perspective.

Lubna Qureishi: Taking It Home

Lubna Qureishi looks for the missing ingredient when food and drink just taste better when prepared by the hands of loved ones.

Vicki Larson: A Room of One's Own

Vicki Larson says what some marriages need to succeed is some space.

Brian Smith: Shame Off You

Stanford medical student Brian Smith has seen the difference between guilt and shame in his patients and their families.

Sara Alexander: A Hummingbird's Tale

Just outside her window, Sara Alexander observes an avian tale of life and death unfold.

Alice Wong: I Still Have a Voice

Alice Wong can no longer speak. But she still has a voice.

Jamareion Adrow: Gun Violence

Reading about gun violence elsewhere is one thing. To live with the routine reality of gunshots in your own life is another. Jamareion Adrow has this Perspective.

Abe Marshall: Its Not Just Water

When Abe Marshall experienced hearing loss his worst fear was what others might think. It didn’t work out that way.

Evan Ho: Small town Life

The pictures on the restaurant walls offer a window into the continuity of small-town life. Evan Ho has this Perspective.

Callen Bronson: Keeping Wild Animals Wild

After his sister was attacked by a coyote, Callen Bronson looked into how to keep wild animals wild, and people safe.

Lucienne Noel: Maternity Leave

Lucienne Noel is coming off maternity leave and embracing the value of dependence that propelled her forward.

Sandhya Acharya: The Note

When Sandhya Acharya's pandemic bubble burst, it was her young son's note that healed her.

Ami Bailey: I Paint Myself Brown

Growing into your identity is a big part of growing up, but when you are part of a mixed-race family the process is more complicated. Ami Bailey has this Perspective.

Marilyn Englander: Asymetric Development

Hard work can overcome many shortcomings, and students that some give up on prove to be stellar learners. Marilyn Englander has this Perspective.

Susan Dix Lyons: Only. You.

Susan Dix Lyons' date night with her husband becomes a valentine.

Elaine Elinson: Diaries of War

When Elaine Elinson stumbled across her grandmother’s diaries, she discovered that she had much in common with today’s war-torn Ukrainians.

Richard Friedlander: Men and Women In Blue

Richard Friedlander has this Perspective on our changing attitudes about the men and women in blue.

Nina Thompson: Sleep Deprivation in High School

Some high school students keep up with schoolwork by cutting back on sleep. Y-R Media’s Nina Thompson says it’s a vicious cycle she can’t avoid if she wants to get into her dream school.

Tom Moriarty:The Chatbox Ate My Homework

AI chatbot ChatGPT’s ability to read and write like a person is disrupting the future of education. Some praise its potential to promote learning. Others see just another tool for cheating. Tom Moriarty has this satirical Perspective.

Sophie Bloch: Oh Wow

At some point, adults seem to lose their capacity to be joyful. For Sophie Bloch’s young daughter, that moment hasn’t arrived yet.

Paul Staley: The Marketplace of Ideas

Paul Staley says the marketplace of ideas isn't the emporium of free thought it's cracked up to be.

Richard Swerdlow: Saving For Retirement

Richard Swerdlow says a comfortable retirement is financially out-of-reach for most cash-strapped wage earners.

Kawser Amine: The Afghan Women Left Behind

Growing up in Afghanistan, Kawser Amine was able to dream of things previously unheard of in her country. When the Taliban took over, all that ended.

Lev Kushner: The City Talks To You

Lev Kushner says you can hear the city talking to you if you give it an ear.

Erika Trafton: Ginger Cookies

Ginger cookies have always been a favorite of Erika Trafton and they taste even better when her son makes them.

Mark Morodomi: Peanut Duck

When a popular Chinese restaurant in Oakland closed recently, Mark Morodomi is left with warm memories of family and a dish rarely served anymore.

Baldeep Singh: Vaccine Skepticism

Dr. Baldeep Singh says the health care community needs to do more to combat vaccine skepticism.

Christine Schoefer: Saying Yes to Life

Learning self-defense against a variety of threats can be stressful, but for Christine Schoefer and her students it was all about saying Yes to life.

Patricia Calfee Picache: Never Bet Against San Francisco

Patricia Calfee Picache says pronouncements of the death of San Francisco are premature.

Kayleigh Yee: Oneness

A facet of Buddhist thought connects high schooler Kayleigh Yee positively to the people and the world around her.

Alex Giardino: Circle of Hope

Alex Giardino returns to the site of the hardest days of her life, and discovers that hope, both given and received, is a circle.

Lauren Vuong: Grief and the Ribbon of Life

A Buddhist ritual helps Lauren Vuong cope with the passing of her father.

Vanessa Hua: Shedding Hair for the New Year

Vanessa Hua and her hair stylist face some decisions rooted in Lunar New Year tradition.

Luke Pease: Can You Help Me Out?

When Luke Pease found himself in a desperate situation and in need of help, he turned to those most in need of help themselves, the unhoused.

Sara Alexander: Oh Rain. Oh Beautiful Rain

The massive, relentless rains have been necessary and deadly and beautiful. Sara Alexander has this Perspective..

Tom Epstein: Bad Sports

Two local pro sports franchises are at odds with the communities that host them, and Tom Epstein says they both need to be better sports.

Larry Lee: A Different Lunar New Year

Larry Lee and his family are preparing to celebrate the Lunar New Year, but this year someone and something will be missing.

Hanna Clements-Hart: Enjoying the Sandwich

Hanna Clements-Hart is in the middle of the generational sandwich, and enjoying some unexpected gifts.

Les Bloch: Things Could Be Worse

It’s a cliché, but one well worth remembering. No matter how bad you think thing are, they could always be worse. Les Bloch has this Perspective.

Jim McClellan: E Pluribus Unum

Our unofficial national motto is e pluribus unum, but Jim Mcclellan finds neither pluribus nor unum in our political discourse.

Pablo Quintanilla: The Ghosts of Home Ownership

Pablo Quintanilla says racial deed restrictions are the ghosts that haunt Bay Area home ownership to this day.

Sandhya Acharya: My Skiing Affair

Sandhya Acharya warms up to skiing on snowy slopes.

Marilyn Englander: Personal Geography

Geography is often diminished to lines on maps and assorted place names. But Marilyn Englander has found that it's our own personal geography that sticks with us.

Charlie Stephens: Giving Back Indigenous Land

So much land was stolen from Indigenous peoples over much of American history that the debt can never be repaid. But Charlie Stephens decided he would do what he could to make amends.

Sara Alexander: Annoying Resolutions

It’s time for the annual resolutions, but Sara Alexander would prefer you kept yours to yourself.

Michael Ellis: Toyon

Michael Ellis looks at three local green bushes with bright red berries associated with Christmas.

Susan Dix Lyons: Grave Digging

Susan Dix Lyons observes the shame of homelessness in the city of dreams.

Richard Chow: Showing Up

Richard Chow considers the old adage that just showing up is the key to success.

Katie Lam: Feel My Skin

High schooler Katie Lam struggles to get comfortable in her own problematic skin.

Richard Swerdlow: Dressed-Up Pets

Richard Swerdlow says the holiday season has collided with the phenomenon of dressing up our pets.

Evan Ho: A Christmas Carol

Evan Ho finds a personal message in a timeless Christmas classic.

Stephen Lavezzo: Mama's Boy

Stephen Lavezzo gratefully remembers all his dying mother has taught him.

Pete Gavin: Mountain Lion

For Pete Gavin, an encounter with a mountain lion is a breathless moment with a magnificent animal.

Nirmy Kang: College Applications Conflicts

The college application process stresses everyone involved and Nirmy Kang is uncomfortable with what it says about education.

Simone Green: The Value of Queer Art

A poem in a volume pulled from a bookstore shelf, helps Simone Green navigate her journey of discovery.

Richard Friedlander: Shoot 'Em or Sue 'Em

America and Britain may have a lot in common, but when it comes to guns and lawsuits, Richard Friedlander says we couldn't be more different.

Nina Roehl: Entering the Workforce

With the news of major tech companies facing mass layoffs, Y-R Media’s Nina Roehl feels more anxious than ever as a recent grad currently job hunting.

Elizabeth Rynecki: Living With ADHD

Elizabeth Rynecki’s son has a disorder that is as misunderstood as it is common. She hopes to change that.

Jasmine Jaksic: More Than An Amenity

Open space is essential to our well-being, whether it’s a high country wilderness or a patch of urban green. Jasmine Jaksic learns that a park is more than an amenity.

Carol Kocivar: Banned Books For Christmas

Carol Kocivar is giving banned books to her grandchildren for Christmas.

Marilyn Englander: Planting Bulbs

Marilyn Englander says this is the time of the year to plant — and plan — for a future of flowers and better days.

Pablo Quintanilla: Closing the Divide

The World Cup of men’s soccer is in full swing, and Pablo Quintanilla says the game’s promise of bringing together people from all walks of life takes a little work.

Christine Schoefer: Kugeling

It’s the Christmas shopping season and while many opt for the convenience of shopping online, Christine Schoefer prefers a practice called ‘kugeling’.

Michael Ellis: Chipmunks

Michael Ellis says California is diversity central for the impossibly cute chipmunk.

Dan Goldes: A Thanksgiving Story

A Thanksgiving meal for the homeless is a holiday tradition, and Dan Goldes is there to do his part.

Jackson Vamos: Sacred Duty

Democracy itself has been under attack, but Jackson Vamos’ faith in the American way is bolstered by his grandfather’s unshakeable devotion to the fundamental democratic right – the right to vote.

Steven Buks: Touchdown

When his passion led him to try something new, Steven Buks learned anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

Andrew Lewis: Bearing Witness

Andrew Lewis says Ukrainians are showing the world what it means to defend democracy.

Les Bloch: Spinning Stories

Stories are basic to what we tell one another since we could put words together. But in this communications age, Les Bloch says it takes extra effort to know just what the story says.

Niles Goldstein: Antisemitism On The Rise

Rabbi Niles Goldstein discusses what Jewish communities and their allies can do about the recent surge in antisemitism.

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau: Food Waste and Animals

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau says the huge amounts of food waste generated by people can have dire consequences for animals.

Connie Chung: The Abused Voter

The explosion of the initiative process has nearly turned voters into alternative legislators and despite her efforts to cast informed votes Connie Chung worries about what she doesn’t know.

Jim McClellan: The More You Know

Jim McClellan used to be troubled by the gap between what he’s learned and what he doesn’t know, but now he knows better.

Susan Dix Lyons: Living My Mother's Dream

Susan Dix Lyons traces the dreams of her mother to her own dream of a life in California.

Tiya Birru: My Grades or My Life

Y-R Media's Tiya Birru weighs whether to take an important test amid the risk of a rumored school shooting that very day.

Marc Vogl: The Value of a Liberal Arts Degree

College students are turning away from liberal arts degrees. Marc Vogl says we are all the poorer for it

Richard Friedlander: A Bill of Responsibilities

Richard Friedlander says it time for an addition to the Bill of Rights — a Bill of Responsibilities.

Sara Alexander: Your Vote. Your Voice.

Determined to be an informed voter, Sara Alexander sat down with her ballot and dug in.

Yvonne Baginski: Mamusha, Mama

Yvonne Baginski experiences the horrors of war through the deeply scarred lives of her parents.

Jayce Basques: Setting the Scene

San Francisco was the setting for many a classic movie, and Jayce Basques says it was never upstaged.

Debbie Duncan: A New Day for Hearing Aids

Debbie Duncan says technologic and regulatory changes promise a new day for hearing aids.

Molly Phelps: Long COVID Took My Husband

Molly Phelps' husband has long COVID and the health system can't provide him the care he needs.

Jeanne Sole: A Hispanic Halloween

This Halloween, Jeanne Sole will go easy on the ghouls and gore and embrace a more Hispanic approach to the celebration.

Michael Ellis: Amazon Trouble

Michael Ellis returns from the Amazon both inspired and troubled.

Richard Swerdlow: Walk on By

Encounters with homeless people unconscious on the streets are common in San Francisco, and Richard Swerdlow ponders whether to intervene or walk on by.

Laura Smith Borrman: The Kids Are Alright

From math scores to friendships, remote learning has tested young students. But a typical carpool morning reassures Laura Smith Borrman that the kids are all right.

Giovanni Barron: It Starts With a Single Shot

Photography opens a whole new world to high school student Giovanni Barron.

Stewart Florsheim: Stolpersteine and the Holocaust

A German program to remember victims of the Holocaust has Stewart Florsheim conflicted.

Peggy Hansen: Twilight Zone

While human lives are upended, life is normal for the plants and creatures of Peggy Hansen's farm.

Arifeen Rahman: Hospital Dominoes

Arifeen Rahman says closures and cutbacks at local hospitals are harming patients who need help the most.

Keith Humphreys: A Hospice Volunteer

Keith Humhreys experiences the depth of the bonds between a hospice volunteer and patients near death.

Pablo Quintanilla: Words Matter

Pablo Quintanilla says words matter, especially when they threaten to undermine the relationships between marginalized communities.

Ellen Greenblatt: Early Reading

Want to change the world? Ellen Greenblatt says teach a child to read.

Jim McClellan: The Road to Respite

You are not crazy. The anxiety and fear you feel are worthy of the state of affairs. Jim McClellan finds some sense of calm and respite in an ancient Japanese tradition.

Audrey La Jeunesse: Unpacking Social Media Activism

Y-R Media's Audrey La Jeunesse doubts activist social media posts do much more than burnish a 'woke' reputation.

Richard Levitt: Baby Steps

Richard Levitt says big goals are a good thing to have, but its baby steps that get you there.

Joan Dentler: A Championship Ring for Recovery

A decade ago, the Giants won a World Series and Joan Dentler's son began his recovery from addiction.

Beth Touchette: Inspired By The Morning Star

An early-morning walk with her dog awakens Beth Touchette to the intense beauty of the pre-dawn world.

Mateo Berger: Meeting My Birth Mother

For adopted children, the chance to meet birth parents is filled with endless questions and a chance to open a new chapter in their life. Mateo Berger has this Perspective.

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau: Memorializing Our Pets

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau looks at how we remember the animals we have loved.

Joan Steinau Lester: SCOTUS and Same-Sex Marriage

Joan Steinau Lester worries that the Supreme Court is coming after her same-sex marriage.

Evan Ho: The Crow and the Pitcher

Evan Ho says an historic drought means Californians have to save a lot of water, a little bit at a time.

Michael Ellis: Vaux's Swifts

Michael Ellis has this perspective on a sociable and long flying bird.

Johanna Rauhala: A Salute to Richmond

Johanna Rauhala is a proud resident of Richmond, a city with a less-than-deserved reputation.

Gillian Reynolds: Exceptionally Unexceptional

Gillian Reynolds is exceptionally unexceptional at everything she tries. But she’s learned how exceptional that can be.

Anna Yang: I Can't Read

Anna Yang visits Beijing where her lack of language skills make it hard to connect to her family and culture.

Richard Friedlander: The Box of Forgotten Memory

While clearing a loft of junk to toss, Richard Friedlander encounters a box of forgotten memory.

Jeremy Friedlander: Deane and I

Jeremy Friedlander and a good friend disagree about most things, but not their friendship.

Susan Dix Lyons: Age

Susan Dix Lyons knows that age may be a number, but its not just a number.

Natalie Bivas: The Blood of Innocents

The war against Ukraine is personal for Natalie Krauss Bivas, and buried in soil soaked with the blood of innocents.

Yvonne Baginski: They Paved Paradise

Yvonne Baginski knows just what Joni Mitchell meant when she famously sang, "They paved paradise, put up a parking lot."

Angelina Montgomery: The Hidden Outdoors

Angelina Montgomery's grandmother has lived here for 60 years but she never knew there were redwoods in Oakland.

Richard Swerdlow: School's Out, For Good

Richard Swerdlow reflects on his 34 years as a teacher.

Nina Thompson: Navigating Politics as a Teen

Y-R Media's Nina Thompson struggles to connect to politics dominated by much older officeholders.

Alex Giardino: Circle of Hope

Alex Giardino returns to the neonatal intensive care unit after 18 years and learns that hope is a circle.

Holly Hubbard Preston: Chain of Good

In the lost and found of life, Holly Hubbard Preston learned that what you find isn’t necessarily what you were looking for.

Pablo Quintanilla: Climate Justice

Pablo Quintanilla asks what do we owe those most affected by climate change and least responsible for it.

Erin Poppler: Oakland's Resilience

Erin Poppler has her answer when asked why she stays in troubled Oakland. Resilience.

Christine Schoefer: Holding On To Too Much

Christine Schoefer watches as her 19-month old grandchild learns that its hard to move forward when hanging on to too much.

Shreya Anand: Underrepresented in STEM

High school senior Shreya Anand finds she's not the only student bearing the weight of being part of a STEM scarcity.

Janel Moses: Caring For Those Who Care For Us

Nannies are sometimes loved, often ill-treated by the families that employ them. Janel Moses has heard their stories.

Michael Ellis: Golden Gate Waterfall

Ever wonder what’s beneath the Golden Gate Bridge and what it might have looked like thousands of years ago? Michael Ellis says it may have been very spectacular.

Marilyn Englander: Earworms

Marilyn Englander suffers from those little snippets of music that get in your brain and won't leave.

Jessica O'Dwyer: I Am A Writer

Jessica O'Dwyer's journey as a writer started with personal journals, a practice she still keeps. This piece originally aired May 3rd, 2022

Sandhya Acharya: It's OK to Scream

Sandhya Acharya says that sometimes it's alright to let out a scream.

EK Bayer: The Poisoned Owls

Rat poison kills rodents, but chances are that’s not all it kills. EK Bayer has this Perspective on its innocent victims.

Raj Tawney: Think Different

Raj Tawney follows some advice from an unusual source to 'think different.'

Virginia Sturm: The Strength of Weak Ties

Dr. Virginia Sturm says that casual relationships can deliver benefits beyond those derived from strong ones.

Baldeep Singh: The True Costs of Pricey Insulin

Dr. Baldeep Singh sees the true costs for his patients of the high price of insulin.

Clara Chiu: Abortion Is My Right

Clara Chiu says that when the Supreme Court ended federal abortion rights it created a harsh new reality her younger generation has never known.

Mac Clayton: If I Had A Gun

Mac Clayton doesn't believe a gun makes him or anyone else safer.

Lili Beechinor: We're Not Alone

When Lily Beechinor’s family desperately needed help, they discovered that they weren’t alone.

Ivelisse Diaz: Fashion Trends

YR Media's Ivelisse Diaz learns that fashion is all about breaking trends, not following them.

Evan Ho: Pickleball Diplomacy

Chinese-American relations could use a positive boost and Evan Ho thinks America’s fastest growing sport may be the ticket.

Richard Swerdlow: Monkeypox

For Richard Swerdlow the monkeypox health emergency feels like déjà vu all over again.

Kira Halpern: Bay Therapy

For Kira Halpern, swimming in the Bay is a form of therapy.

Beth Touchette: A Walk in the Neighborhood

Beth Touchette finds the story of her Fairfax neighborhood in its trees.

Les Bloch: How Not to Raise a Jackass

Les Bloch shares his parenting secret for how not to raise a jackass.

Tom Epstein: Community Colleges

Thanks to generous new benefits, Tom Epstein says there has never been a better time to enroll in a community college.

Joan Steinau Lester: The Free State

Joan Steinau Lester says her faith in the electorate has been restored by Kansans' rejection of a ban on abortion rights.

Debbie Duncan: A Giant Tribute to Vin Scully

She may be a diehard Giants' fan, but Debbie Duncan pays tribute to long-time Dodger announcer Vin Scully.

Michael Ellis: Arctic Terns

Michael Ellis looks at seabirds who fly astounding distances.

Stephen Lavezzo: Mama's Boy

Stephen Lavezzo gratefully remembers all his dying mother has taught him.

Donovan Tong: Playing the Bassoon

When Donovan Tong took up the bassoon he had no idea the possibilities that would open up to him

Pablo Quintanilla: The Ghosts of Home Ownership

Pablo Quintanilla says the ghosts of racial deed restrictions haunt Bay Area home ownership to this day.

Kelsey Wu: Body Image and Social Media

Kelsey Wu says a state bill to protect young people like her from damaging social media content is a positive step.

Chloe Chan: Kelp Foraging

Chloe Chan finds fascination and community in the practice of kelp foraging.

Sandhya Acharya: The Note

Like many families, Sandyha Acharya's household has had lots of bubble time. Sometimes, though, that bubble bursts.

Karina Moreno: Broken, But Still Whole

Karina Moreno shares the pervasive despair and pain so many feel right now, but she takes comfort in a family saying that has gotten them through dark days before.

Jada Sanders: My Lesson Learned

When Jada Sanders fell out of favor with her softball coach, she used the tough moment as motivation to improve.

Gbama Mbayo: I'm Scared, Too

In the face of the death of a homeless man, and the impact on Black women of the loss of federal abortion rights, Gbama Mbayo feels hopeless and searching for answers

Symone Magsombol Yu: One Patient At A Time

Nurse Symone Magsombol Yu is devastated by the overturning of Roe, but is determined to respect and care for her patients.

Nina Thompson: Climate Gloom

YR Media's Nina Thompson worries that climate gloom spells climate doom.

Kawser Amine: The Afghan Women Left Behind

Growing up in Afghanistan, Kawser Amine was able to dream of things previously unheard of in her country. When the Taliban took over, all that ended.

Debbie Duncan: Summer in a Glass

Debbie Duncan discovers a concoction that brings back memories of childhood summers.

Keith Humphreys: Rough Beginnings

Keith Humphreys says adults pay a price of humiliation if they are a beginner at learning new things.

Richard Swerdlow: The Statistics of Hunger

Big numbers can make the eyes glaze over, but Richard Swerdlow says the statistics of world hunger are horrifying.

Stephanie Denman: Clear As Plastic

The world is drowning in plastic so Stephanie Denman tries to go plastic-free.

Jennifer Liss: Time Travel

A trip to the beach enables Jennifer Liss to go back in time.

Marilyn Englander: Golden Gate Park

Marilyn Englander discovers that a favorite San Francisco locale hasn’t changed much over the years and continues to provide a haven of calm.

Susan Dix Lyons: Pick Me Up

Susan Dix Lyons' children are growing up and moving on, so any excuse to spend time with them is a good one.

Michael Ellis: Menopause

Michael Ellis says that in certain species females who can no longer have babies become more important, not less, to their social units.

Evan Ho: A Mesmerizing Bar Mitzvah

Although not a member of the Jewish faith, Evan Ho was deeply moved by his first experience of a Bar Mitzvah.

Joan Cardellino: The Democracy Jigsaw Puzzle

Joan Cardellino wonders if we can put back together the many pieces of our democracy jigsaw puzzle.

Brian Smith: Pet The Dog

Sometimes, it's just you versus you. When that happens, Brian Smith has a way to dispense with the negativity.

Paul Staley: The Pursuit of Happiness

Paul Staley says the Declaration of Independence asserts the right to pursue happiness, not attain it.

Risa Nye: A Safe and Supportive Abortion

Risa Nye believes all women seeking an abortion deserve as safe and supportive experience as she had, many years ago.

Steven McMoyler: Winds of Change

A large water tower in the South Bay is not only the object of a fantastical tale handed down through generations of Steven McMoyler’s family; it’s a monument to the winds of change.

Holly Hubbard Preston: Seeing Grace

Every morning, Holly Hubbard Preston's newspapers are delivered by someone she's never met. She decided to change that.

Hanna Hart: A Sanctuary of Pots and Pans

Every church has and is a sanctuary. To Hanna Hart, it's the church kitchen.

Rana Barar: My Abortion Story

Rana Barar says her decision to have an abortion was not hard, not tragic and more common that you’d think.

Catherine Marshall-Smith: Schools, Firearms and Teachers

The onslaught of mass shootings in schools has forced teachers to learn and teach skills they never imagined. Catherine Marshall-Smith has this Perspective.

Audrey La Jeunesse: Sewing for the Future

Y-R Media’s Audrey La Jeunesse started sewing her own clothes and altering secondhand clothing years ago — learning more about overconsumption and developing her own style.

Steven Birenbaum: Joy in Warriorville

The Warriors have another championship and Steven Birenbaum has this tribute.

Jim McClellan: E Pluribus Unum

Our unofficial national motto is e pluribus unum, but Jim Mcclellan finds neither pluribus nor unum in our political discourse.

Vanessa Dueck: Swimming Episode

Vanessa Dueck struggles to keep up with shifting notions of good parenting brought on by a shifting pandemic.

Deidre Green: Remembering My Father

In observance of Father's Day, Deidre Green remembers her father.

Craig Isom: Asleep At The Wheel

Craig Isom is paying dearly for his decision to replace one gas guzzler with another.

Bryan Gillette: Putting a Bad Day in Perspective

When things aren't going as planned and the hassles mount, Bryan Gillette looks for a little perspective.

Peggy Hansen: Twilight Zone

While human lives are upended, life is normal for the plants and creatures of Peggy Hansen's farm.

Paul Staley: The Marketplace of Ideas

Paul Staley says the marketplace of ideas isn't the emporium of free thought it's cracked up to be.

Valerie Kirk: Protection

Valerie Kirk doubts a gun would have protected her from the intruder that dark night.

Richard Swerdlow: Pride and Prejudice

June is Pride month, and Richard Swerdlow celebrates unquestioned progress amid a wave of anti-LGBTQ laws and sentiment.

Michael Ellis: Butterflies of the Sea

Michael Ellis wades into tidepools and finds one of his favorite creatures.

Marilyn Englander: A Perfect Vacation

Marilyn Englander finds that travel to a wet environment is a perfect get-away for drought-stricken Californians.

Nirmy Kang: It Has Happened Again

Another schoolhouse shooting, and Nirmy Kang says a familiar and predictable debate follows.

Al Gilbert: A Job Interview Is An Audition

Al Gilbert says the secret to a successful job interview is to realize it's not an interview.

Winston Tharp: To Doug

It's Memorial Day and Winston Tharp has this tribute to a veteran whose promise was lost.

Christine Schoefer: Between the Pages

Christine Schoefer discovers that the secrets held in books are not always the work of authors.

Hiwa Greig: SPAM

For Maui-born Hiwa Greig spam has been a staple of their food and culture. But once they moved to Oakland, they realized folks hold a lot of preconceptions towards spam and those who eat it. This perspective was produced by YR Media.

Simone Green: The Value of Queer Art

A poem in a volume pulled from a bookstore shelf, helps Simone Green navigate her journey of discovery.

Conor Hagen: Tasteless

Taste and smell may be our senses most taken for granted, unless, that is, you’ve had COVID. Conor Hagen has this Perspective.

Vicki Larson: Women's 'Useful Life'

Vicki Larson wonders why old notions that women are little more than child bearers persist.

Margaret Stawowy: A Huge Hole in the Safety Net

Margaret Stawowy, like most, wanted to keep her mother in familiar surroundings when she began to decline. It was easier said than done.

Carol Arnold: Forest Bathing

Feeling stressed out? A nice warm bath might help. But if that’s not practical, Carol Arnold can suggest a different kind of bath to soothe the anxious mind.

Craig Isom: On The Shoulders of a Giant

Craig Isom says the recent black hole images developed by the Event Horizon Telescope are evidence of the profound genius of Albert Einstein.

Lane Parker: ASAP is a Four-Letter Word

The world is full of doers, all busy and buzzing about just doing things, while the rest—people like Lane Parker—take a more measured approach, calmly weighing just when to do most anything.

Andrew Lewis: The New Mandate

Andrew Lewis finds himself and many friends in the pandemic of the vaccinated.

Jasmine Jaksic: More Than An Amenity

Open space is essential to our well-being, whether it’s a high country wilderness or a patch of urban green. Jasmine Jaksic learns that a park is more than an amenity.

Paul Staley: Mutations

Paul Staley says there's a whole lot of mutating going on.

Paul C. Kelley Campos: Immigrant's Journey

Paul C. Kelley Campos is the first in his family to be born in the U.S. and to decide to move here permanently.

Michael Ellis: Cliff Swallows

Michael Ellis looks at a graceful, migrating bird long identified with a historic Orange County mission.

Kym Johnson: Child Care Providers

Kym Johnson says child care providers are essential workers, but lack the pay, support and respect they deserve.

Richard Swerdlow: Call Your Mother

Richard Swerdlow is among those whose mother is no longer here to receive a call on Mother's Day.

Jessica O'Dwyer: I Am A Writer

Jessica O'Dwyer's journey as a writer started with personal journals, a practice she still keeps.

Jolie Kanat: Fully Cooked

At age 70, Jolie Kanat says life is more answers than questions.

Emerald Yu: Singing My Heart Out

Youth Takeover week concludes with Emerald Yu literally finding her voice and changing her life.

Tiya Birru: Intersectional Feminism

YR Media's Tiya Birru uses the principles of intersectional feminism to deal with issues of racism and sexism.

Gijeong Gerdes: This Is My Family

Youth Takeover week continues, Gijeong Gerdes shares what family means to him.

Kailyn Holty: Perfect Imperfection

For Youth Takeover week, Kailyn Holty says a world of possibility open up when she abandoned the need to be perfect.

Kaitlyn Huang: Girl Boss Energy

Its Youth Takeover week at KQED and Kaitlyn Huang is practicing the art of girl boss energy to improve her self-confidence. A few weeks ago, I was walking with my friend when he pointed down to his shoes. “Oh!” I exclaimed. “Nice new shoes!” He was devastated, because he had actually been wearing them for weeks and I hadn’t noticed. It was weird that I hadn’t noticed. Then it hit me that I don’t look at people’s shoes anymore. I was dumbfounded. Back in middle school, I felt like there was an object constantly weighing my head down, making sneakers the lucky recipients of my gaze. It was my Gilded Age of Insecurity, when I looked my best, but felt the worst. I suffered the typical bouts of tween insecurities: You know, the ‘how does one survive among these geniuses’ or, ‘my face… ‘what a horror’. Being insecure felt exhausting. So, when I stepped onto high school as a freshman, I was determined not to repeat my middle school years. I envisioned a g…

Baldeep Singh: Missing Tests and Screenings

Dr. Baldeep Singh says that many patients are waving off non-COVID tests and screens during the pandemic.

Mac Clayton: A Failure to Thrive

Mac Clayton explores the nature of loneliness.

Evan Ho: A Piece of Salmon

Evan Ho's dinner at an upscale restaurant disappoints but the bigger picture is much more satisfying.

Andrew Lewis: Rupmaize

A special bread has special meaning to Andrew Lewis and his World War II-surviving family members.

Richard Friedlander: Who Writes History?

Richard Friedlander says history is written through the lens of social and political power, as well as personal experience.

Richard Friedlander: Who Writes History?

History is built on facts, but facts are interpreted through the lens of social and political power, as well as personal experience. Richard Friedlander has this Perspective.

Anika Ganesh: Debate Like a Girl

When sexism ruined what should have been a glorious moment, Anika Ganesh realized she needed to speak out.

Christine Schoefer: What About Me?

Sometimes, small acts of kindness are overwhelmed by a world in need. Christine Schoefer has this Perspective.

Ellen Greenblatt: Teachings of the Dung Beetle

Ellen Greenblatt watched transfixed as a humble dung beetle did his thing, and in the process gave her a lot to think about.

Lubna Qureishi: Ramadan

During Ramadan observant Muslims like Lubna Qureishi combine faith and modern life.

Michael Ellis: Strawberries

Michael Ellis charts the exotic journey of the common strawberry.

Sara Alexander: Expiration Date

Sara Alexander regrets the demise of some pandemic-inspired habits and behaviors.

Pam Tellew: Promoting Diversity

Many years ago, Pam Tellew was part of early efforts to promote diversity in a Berkeley graduate program.

Marilyn Englander: Anachronisms in the Lexicon

Marilyn Englander takes a look at words and phrases that haven't stood the test of time.

Richard Swerdlow: Another Matryoshka For Peace

Richard Swerdlow finds a metaphor for Russia's war on Ukraine in a traditional Russian nesting doll.

Les Bloch: Stories

Les Bloch says that these days it's extra work to unravel just what the stories we hear are trying to tell us.

Kyana Early: My Natural Hair

YR Media's Kyana Early struggles to come to terms with her natural hair.

Jessica Lin: I Think I Have Depression

Like other young people, Jessica Lin struggled with depression until she learned to ask for help.

Sarena Straughter: My Unique Identity

Sarena Straughter has been immersed in the full range of cultural and educational identity, but the college senior is now focused on her uniqueness.

Johanna Rauhala: A Salute to Richmond

Johanna Rauhala is a proud resident of Richmond, a city with a less-than-deserved reputation.

Shannon Rosa: Please Wear a Mask

For people like Shannon Rosa and her autistic son, the new phase of relaxed mask requirements is an ominous phase of the pandemic.

Debbie Duncan and Cyndi Chin-Lee: Daylight Savings vs Standard Time

Debbie Duncan and Cyndi Chin-Lee debate the merits and drawbacks of Daylight Savings vs. Standard Time.

Holly Hubbard Preston: MIA at the Library

Holly Hubbard Preston says a budget squeeze is depriving the St. Helena Library of its children's librarian.

Heather Lattimer: Teaching Tough Subjects

Education Dean Heather Lattimer explores how to teach tough subjects in public school classrooms.

Jim McClellan: The Road to Respite

You are not crazy. The anxiety and fear you feel are worthy of the state of affairs. Jim McClellan finds some sense of calm and respite in an ancient Japanese tradition.

Jippy Pang: A Deep Voice

Jippy Pang says that among the many obstacles some women face in the workplace that men do not is the quality of their voice.

Kaylan So: Pink Is The Color of Me

Her favorite color signals the growth of Kaylan So's independence and self-assurance.

Michael Ellis: Fear

Whether it's a ridiculous coconut or a very real war, Michael Ellis says how we deal with what we fear is what matters.

Steven Saum: Things We Carried

Steven Saum finds the weightiest things he and his son carried on their hike wasn't in their backpacks.

Natalie Bivas: The Blood of Innocents

The war against Ukraine is personal for Natalie Krauss Bivas, and buried in soil soaked with the blood of innocents.

Christine Schoefer: The Value of Food

Food banks are overwhelmed and people are hungry, yet we waste food shamelessly. A child of post-war Germany, Christine Schoefer vows to change her ways.

Ann Manheimer: Mirror Image

Ann Manheimer hopes the reception for masses of Ukrainians fleeing their war-torn country marks a change in the treatment of refugees.

Joan Cardellino: Defending Democracy

As Ukrainians fight to preserve their recent democracy, Joan Cardellino says Americans need to defend a democracy many take for granted.

Ivelisse Diaz: Changing Attitudes About Money

When YR Media's Ivelisse Diaz was younger her paycheck felt like freedom. Now, not so much.

Andrew Lewis: Bearing Witness

Andrew Lewis says Ukrainians are showing the world what it means to defend democracy.

Richard Swerdlow: Looking Back

Richard Swerdlow looks at old photos of himself and has his 'you don't know what you've got till its gone' moment.

Maya Hardin: A Negative Outlook

Eighth-grader Maya Hardin learns how to not be too hard on herself.

Gloria Saltzman: Everything Matters

Gloria Saltzman tries to console an old friend from Ukraine who feels angry and helpless in the face of the Russian onslaught.

Amelia Anglin: A Death in the Family

At a tender age, Amelia Anglin must learn how to cope with the death of a loved one.

Sandhya Acharya: The Note

When Sandhya Acharya's pandemic bubble burst, it was her young son's note that healed her.

Evan Sagerman: The Ice Storm

A funeral. A eulogy. An ice storm. Evan Sagerman puts his father to rest.

Paul Staley: The Seen and the Unseen

Paul Staley says we’re walking in a world of the seen and the unseen, of paradox and contradiction.

Paul Wolber: And You Will Be Grateful

When Paul Wolber thinks of vaccine hesitancy, he hears the voice of his mother, long ago, giving some instructions many would do well to heed today.

Stewart Florsheim: On Retirement

Stewart Florsheim struggled with whether to retire, but now he's taken the plunge.

Zachary Matsumoto: Family History

Zachary Matsumoto discovers that his family history is alive in him today.

Holly Hubbard Preston: Chain of Good

In the lost and found of life, Holly Hubbard Preston learned that what you find isn’t necessarily what you were looking for.

Lili Beechinor: I Do. I Do. I Do.

For Lili Beechinor the most profound love has nothing to do with candy and flowers.

Michael Ellis: Turkey Vultures

Michael Ellis takes a look at one of California's most dramatic birds.

Evan Ho: A Mesmerizing Bar Mitzvah

Although not Jewish, Evan Ho is mesmerized by his first experience of a Bar Mitzvah.

Andrew Lewis: Taxing the Sun

Owners of rooftop solar systems, like Andrew Lewis, are outraged by a PUC proposal to impose sharp new costs on them.

Sidrah Siddiqui: Obsession With Oppression

High school student Sidrah Siddiqui wears a hijab and the reactions are awkward and uncomfortable.

EK Bayer: The Poisoned Owls

Rat poison wipes out a family of owls that had delighted EK Bayer's neighborhood.

Marilyn Englander: A New Village Square

Marilyn Englander says the pandemic has given birth to a new kind of village square.

Nina Thompson: Schooling Choice in the Age of COVID

YR Media's Nina Thompson feels she must choose between protecting her health and a good education.

Jane Thomas-Tran: The Best Medicine

After all the tests, pills, and procedures, the best medicine is still something that can’t be prescribed. Jane Thomas-Tran has this Perspective. I’m a medical student, just a few months from being a doctor, and 100% of my clinical training has occurred in the COVID era. To me, hospital rooms filled with get-well-soon cards and eager visitors are a relic of the past. A beloved grandfather comes to mind. On the day of admission, he couldn’t open his eyes, just moaned a little. For three days, he didn’t speak. On the fourth day, he awoke to an empty room and asked, “Where am I?” On the sixth day, his soft voice told us: “I’ve lived a long life. A good life.” On the seventh day, his wife and daughter brought his dentures and hearing aid. They couldn’t come inside the building because of pandemic rules. I met them outside. “That’s his room, his window, right up there!” I pointed. “Wait here." Back in the hospital room, yelling so he could hear, “Your wife a…

Connie Champagne: The Year That Got Away

It's been a rough year for San Francisco's eclectic entertainment community, but Connie Champagne hopes better time aren't just somewhere over the rainbow.

Vanessa Dueck: Those Precious COVID Test Kits

At-home COVID test kits are in short supply, posing some tough choices for families like Vanessa Dueck's.

Jackie Tavernetti: Ask, Don’t Stare

A most unusual relationship is at the heart of young Jackie Tavernetti’s introduction to homelessness.

Richard Swerdlow: Show and Tell

As teachers, administrators, students, and parents wrestle with COVID restrictions, Richard Swerdlow sees a bright ray of hope. Schools from coast to coast are struggling to stay open as the pandemic rages. With so many teachers out sick, schools are deploying everyone, even superintendents, to cover classes. I was sent to teach first grade. Teachers may be essential workers, but classrooms feel like Russian roulette, all day in one room, sharing your air with dozens of others. Most essential workers in harm’s way have protection – health care workers are masked, gowned, and gloved; police wear protective vests; firefighters kitted out in fire-resistant gear. Teachers, in some districts, are not even issued masks. But my district does have safety protocols, providing teachers and students with PPE and testing. The teacher was out sick with COVID, but she left a lesson plan – after reading and math, it was “show and tell” time. One girl displayed a terra cotta pot and explaine…

Dr. Baldeep Singh: Coping with COVID

As the pandemic drags on, Dr. Baldeep Singh is seeing many patients who are not only having trouble physically but also mentally and emotionally. When Dennis came to see me, I could see something was wrong. He started telling me about fatigue, headaches, and trouble sleeping. After some probing, he shared that his marriage was tense, work was a struggle, and the stress of COVID on him and his family had become overwhelming. I decided to screen him for a mood disorder. During the pandemic, about four in 10 adults have reported symptoms of anxiety or depression, up from one in 10 prior to COVID. Many adults report difficulty sleeping or eating, increased alcohol consumption or substance use, and worsening chronic conditions, often due to worry and stress over life’s changes due to the coronavirus. As the pandemic wears on, continuing and necessary public health measures can foster isolation and loneliness, while at the same time, so many people have lost jobs or left unsafe ones, bot…

Anna Beuselinck: Was She Vaccinated?

A persistent question makes grieving the loss of her sister to COVID much harder for Anna Beuselinck.

Mateo Berger: Meeting My Birth Mother

At age 7, Mateo Berger traveled to Guatemala to meet his birth mother and explore endless questions.

Richard Friedlander: As We Age

A night long ago in a Balkan village highlights for Richard Friedlander the changed standards for how we treat the elderly.

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau: Of Meat and Men

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau carves up the notion that eating meat is manly.

Teiji Futamase: Little Brother

Putting the perception of others over our own values can often lead us down a slippery slope. At a young age, Teiji Futamase learned a valuable lesson in trusting your instincts and the importance of family. What would you do if your loved one needed your support — but you let peer pressure get the best of you? I remember a sunny warm day in second grade when I learned a lesson I’d never forget. Life was simple back then, just hanging out with friends and almost never having homework. As a kid, waiting for recess was my biggest worry. The ring that reminds every student that recess has just begun and it was time to play had rung. I smiled and ran as fast as I could out the door while holding my lunch bag and couldn’t wait until I was seated eating my snack. I played with my friends as usual, but when it ended I spotted something unusual. My friends and I were walking back to class when I spotted my little brother in kindergarten crying on a bench. I became astonished and immediat…

Joe Epstein: The Broken Supply Chain

Joe Epstein says 'near-sourcing' is one answer to the badly broken supply chain.

Li Miao Lovett: MLK’s Legacy of Diversity

Li Miao Lovett remembers how the Civil Rights Movement helped to diversify America.

Michael Ellis: Pomegranates

Michael Ellis celebrates pomegranates, a healthy fruit with a special place in ancient mythology.

Paige Miller: The Transit Activist’s Dilemma

When my parents generously offered to give me their 20-year- old Acura sedan, my first thought was: Me, a car-free, transit-riding, e-bike loving San Francisco resident, take possession of a fossil-fuel-burning, climate-change machine? But in an impulsive act of quarantine indulgence, I accepted their offer. I named the white car Casper, after the friendly ghost. And while I still prefer to travel by Muni, I must admit owning a car has its perks. I take Casper to visit my grandparents in Vacaville every month. My four-wheeled phantom was there to rush my sick dog to the emergency vet one night at 3 A.M. The car even served as a satellite office when my neighbors ran a jackhammer all day while I was trying to work from home. But the downsides soon became clear. Casper costs thousands of dollars to own and operate – so much more than my monthly transit pass. Meanwhile, sitting in traffic is stressful. I’d much rather be gliding down the street on my e-bike, groceries in tow, instead…

Sara Alexander: Annoying Resolutions

It is the beginning of a new year which means that friends, even my very best friends, who should know by now how much I distaste making resolutions, are sending me emails with titles like this: “Resolutions For a Life Worth Living: Attainable Aspirations Inspired by Great Humans of the Past (including Seneca, Baldwin, Whitman, Le Guin and more…).” Or this more benign email from my sister: “The Big Three for 2022”. Her list of resolutions at least was short. Only three items of proposed self-improvement, followed by the simple invitation: “Feel free to share your goals for the New Year if you are so inclined.” I have no such inclination. And then there was this one from a dear friend: “Resolution Time: A Poem My Neighbor Wrote.” This poem, by the way, included a line that I find quite disturbing: “No matter what happened Yesterday or last year Or in your childhood, Today is a new beginning…” Now that I am 74, despite decades of therapy, meditation, and being a t…

Paul Staley: The Marketplace of Ideas

Paul Staley says the marketplace of ideas isn't the emporium of free thought it's cracked up to be.

Christine Schoefer: Vegetable Mandalas

Christine Schoefer sees intricate beauty in the common vegetables on her kitchen counter.

Charles Feng: True American

Chinese Americans like Charles Feng must confront the the persistent questioning of their American-ness.

Shaylyn Martos: Finding Their Way

Engaging other journalists of color has helped YR Media's Shaylyn Martos find her career path, and much more.

Gillian Reynolds: Exceptionally Unexceptional

Gillian Reynolds has learned that being exceptionally unexceptional at everything she tries can be pretty exceptional.

Larry Lee: We Could Use Some Mr. Rogers

Harsh times have Larry Lee yearning for a strong dose of the humility and kindness of Mr. Rogers.

Pete Gavin: The Family of Things

Pete Gavin's new job delivering medications has him feeling connected to others.

Richard Swerdlow: Trashed Tannenbaums

Everywhere he looks, Richard Swerdlow sees ex-Christmas trees dumped on the sidewalk.

Lane Parker: ASAP is a Four-Letter Word

The world is full of busy, buzzing doers. But Lane Parker calmly weights when might be the right time to do most anything.

Lloyd Jones: Lloyd’s Story

When he was down and out, a friend helped him feed his kids, even though she didn’t have to. It was a kindness Lloyd Jones has never stopped repaying.

Ellen Greenblatt: Losing Your Person

Ellen Greenblatt considers the profound personal loss of the people behind the statistics.

Marcy Fraser: On the Frontlines

Marcy Fraser was an AIDS nurse throughout that plague. Now she reaches out to all nurses on the frontlines of a new scourge.

Heidi Swillinger: The Nutmeg Kit

On Christmas morning, millions of gifts will be unwrapped. But Heidi Swillinger has had her small but favorite gift for many years.

Sandhya Acharya: The Legend of Lake M

Sandhya Acharya says that when life gives you rain, its best to play in a lake, if you just know how.

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau: Memorializing Our Pets

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau looks at how we remember the animals we have loved.

Thomas Plante: Youth Mental Health

Thomas Plante says a recent surgeon general report is raising the alarm about the state of youth mental health.

Evan Ho: Respite

With cheerful moments in short supply, Evan Ho finds respite in a middle school concert.

Jaime Flores: A Place to Play

Growing up, Jaime Flores didn't have the places to play with his peers that others take for granted.

Ellie Lauter: The Sound of Music

High school senior Ellie Lauter discovers the key to reconnect with her declining grandmother—music.

Marilyn Englander: On The Mend

Middle school boys eagerly take to Marilyn Englander's lessons in the art of needle and thread.

Rachel Averbuck: Small, Local Retailers Need You

Rachel Averbuck's small shoe shop is battling the huge online retailers and need you this holiday season.

Agnes Torres Al-Shibibi: Habla Español?

Agnes Torres Al-Shibibi celebrates California's Spanish heritage as spoken in the names of the places we inhabit.

Ivelisse Diaz: Making Up For a Lost Christmas

Y-R Media's Ivelisse Diaz hopes this Christmas will bring the warmth and joy that was missing last year.

Nirmy Kang: College Applications Conflicts

Nirmy Kang's son is applying to college and she doesn't like what she sees.

Mike Von der Porten: Pearl Harbor Remembered

80 years after the attack on Pearl Harbor that marked the beginning of World War II for the U.S., Michael Von der Porten remembers three Sonoma County men who died that day.

Nathalie Jimenez: A Helping Hand

Nathalie Jimenez learns that even a small helping hand can be a big hand up.

Michael Ellis: Mistletoe

Michael Ellis says the origins of mistletoe as a seasonal rite are surprising.

Selina Kaing: Birthday Candles

Selina Kaing's family tradition of blending old ways with new American habits resides in a box of birthday candles.

Dorothy O’Donnell: Too Old For the Hiking Group

The email that told Dorothy O'Donnell she was too old for the hiking group surprised her. Then it made her angry.

Wilfredo Molina: Cool Kid

Wilfredo Molina learns that trying too hard to please your peers can lead to trouble.

Paul Staley: Holiday Ins and Outs

Paul Staley considers the ins and outs, literally, of the holiday season.

Dan Goldes: A Thanksgiving Story

Dan Goldes does his part to prepare and serve a Thanksgiving meal for the homeless.

Sara Alexander: A Seat at the Thanksgiving Table

Thanksgiving celebrates family, but for Sara Alexander the definition of both family and Thanksgiving has changed with age.

Richard Swerdlow: The Thanksgiving Question

Richard Swerdlow says "are you vaxed?" is the simple Thanksgiving question that's awkward to ask.

Sara Orem: Food Waste

A tremendous amount of food ends up as waste and Sara Orem is on a campaign to reduce her contribution.

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau: Thanksgiving Without the Turkey

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau says a vegetarian Thanksgiving can still be traditional and delicious.

Tom Moriarty: The Universe vs. the Metaverse

Tom Moriarty says everything offered by Facebook's promised Metaverse is already available in the real world.

Hanna Clements-Hart: Enjoying the Sandwich

Hanna Clements-Hart is in the middle of the generational sandwich, and enjoying some unexpected gifts.

Jonathan Slusher: Where I’ve Been

Jonathan Slusher explores his long and winding struggles with mental illness.

Deidre Silverman: Bird in Hand

Deidre Silverman's close encounter with a common house finch leaves her closer to the big picture.

Barbara Simmons: Sand

Barbara Simmons says everyday sand takes on magical qualities in the hands of a child, which is why it is now in the Toy Hall of Fame.

Zoe Harwood: Online Test Proctoring

YR Media's Zoe Harwood decries the practice of online test proctoring.

Marilyn Englander: Eulogies

Marilyn Englander is getting too much practice at giving eulogies.

Katie Wilkinson: Choosing to Vaccinate Your Child

Katie Wilkinson explains why she chose to vaccinate her young child against COVID.

Sophie Bloch: Oh Wow

Sophie Bloch's young daughter reminds her mother what a sense of wonder is all about.

Michael Ellis: A Bumper of Acorns

Michael Ellis explains why this year oak trees are virtually raining acorns.

Stewart Florsheim: Advancing Death with Dignity

Stewart Florsheim says that as attitudes about death with dignity change, so does the law.

Andrew Lewis: Uncommon Valor

Andrew Lewis says they didn't ask for be front-line workers in a global pandemic but they do it anyway, despite routine disrespect.

Karina Moreno: Yo Soy Mis Muertos

During Día de los Muertos, Karina Moreno honors the loved ones she embodies.

Larry Lee: A New Racist Trope

A recent local instance of anti-Asian stereotyping leaves Larry Lee fuming at never-ending racism.

Jeanne Sole: A Hispanic Halloween

Jeanne Sole goes light on the Halloween ghouls and gore in favor of more Hispanic traditions.

Debbie Duncan: Talking to Strangers

Debbie Duncan says that now that we can actually get out and meet strangers again, we should talk to them.

Sara Alexander: Wet, Wild and Wonderful

Sara Alexander asks which is better. . .the day of a big storm or the day after?

Meg Waite Clayton: Nasty

Political change doesn't come easily, but Meg Waite Clayton says it helps to have some nasty friends.

Bora Reed: A Season to Remember

The Giants season ended recently, but Bora Reed and a legion of fans cherish memories of a season like no other.

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau: Animals in Our Bones

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau looks at just some of the body parts whose names have their origin in the animal kingdom.

Ann Miller: A Forever War Homecoming

When Ann Miller's son is welcomed home from war she discovers more reasons to celebrate than she had expected.

Jim McClellan: The Pace of Change

Change can be frustratingly slow. But Jim McClellan says that sometimes it can happen with astonishing speed.

Karen Trippe Mannix: Napa Valley Wine

The Northern California wine industry faces many challenges from fire, drought, climate change and more, but Karen Trippe Mannix says its future is rooted in people and place. The winery where I work is suffused with the smell of fermenting grapes. Tall redwood doors are thrown open, cool morning air clearing out carbon dioxide that’s gathered overnight as yeasts ferment each ripe grape. Cream-colored bins brim with tight clusters of grapes waiting to journey from vine to bottle. The crush pad is abuzz with beeping forklifts, tangles of white hoses, sweaty faces, and purple-stained hands. No one is still, except the bees gorging on pools of sticky juice. A bacchanalia in miniature. It’s been a dry, hard year for them, too. Irrigation ponds are dried to a few inches of algae and green sludge. The mountains that hem in our valley still bear burn scars, and skeletal trees stand in dark relief. This multi-year drought weighs heavily on us, and the windy, warm days that usher in Fall se…

Richard Swerdlow: Teacher Pay

Richard Swerdlow looks at notoriously low teacher salaries and growing teacher shortages.

Nina Roehl: The Great Resignation

Young people are leading the charge to quit their jobs and Y-R Media's Nina Roehl is one of them.

Ray Pestrong: The Sound of Silence

The early morning garbage truck was loud and annoying. But Ray Pestrong found something beautiful in its wake.

Brian Walker: The Problem With Facebook

Brian Walker says Facebook needs to change to fend off its critics on the left and right.

Paul Staley: Supply Chains for Easter Bunnies

Paul Staley explains what supply chains and Easter Bunnies have in common.

Mark Clevenger: Your Child

Mark Clevenger's daughter is off to college and everything has changed, except what matters.

Mike Von der Porten: Changing Place Names

Mike Von der Porten suggests a process for determining whether old place names should stay or go.

Richard Levitt: The Sunday Paper

As newspapers struggle with declining revenues and shrinking pages, Richard Levitt clings fast to a tradition that defies the digital age.

Richard Friedlander: Old Reliable

Richard Friedlander says that death will always have something to teach us about life.

Marilyn Englander: Curious, Not Furious

When her initial response to everyday annoyances is anger, Marilyn Englander practices a better way.

Parvathy Nair: Bad Hair Days

Thanks to a rare condition, young Parvathy Nair faced an endless chain of bad hair days.

Christine Schoefer: The Value of Food

Food banks are overwhelmed and people are hungry, yet we waste food shamelessly. A child of post-war Germany, Christine Schoefer vows to change her ways.

Pete Gavin: Salute

It was a habit that survived for a very long time, but even ingrained habits can change. Pete Gavin has this Perspective. In 1966 my parents purchased eight acres just outside Mendocino. Their dream was to eventually leave Berkeley and retire on the land. In 1985 they achieved it. There’s a creek just north of Mendocino called Jack-Peter’s Creek. A bridge on 101 crosses the creek. My father, Jack, who served in the Navy, used to salute when we hit that bridge; if I was in the car, I too saluted, acknowledging our namesake connection. Last year my Mom died, a victim of Alzheimer’s. She was not bitter nor regretful — but rather, accepting; she had lived a long full life, and at some point, simply became tired. Now my father lives alone on the land, in the house we built with redwood milled from our forest, with cold water flowing from our spring, with markers in the garden for the many pets who once roamed the land. It’s the place Dad knows best, and he would feel lost anywhere…

Peggy Hansen: Gardens

Peggy Hansen finds lessons for humanity in the joy and hard work of tending a garden.

Larry Murphy: You Are Welcome, Immigrants

Larry Murphy is grateful for immigrants’ trust in our nation.

Richard Swerdlow: Masking in School

Richard Swerdlow says re-opened school feel pretty much like back-to-normal—with one big exception. It’s September and students are heading back to school. Unlike last year, when the pandemic forced schools to shutter and students to pivot to learning online, this fall schools are open for in-person instruction. Although COVID continues to disrupt life, with 100,000 Americans diagnosed and 1,000 deaths every day, school feels surprisingly normal. There a few indications of contagious illness—hand sanitizer, posters reminding kids to social distance—but schools feel pretty much the same as the “before times.” There is one obvious difference, though. Students are wearing face masks. For such a small piece of fabric, masks in schools have been a huge controversy—whether students should be required to wear masks has provoked shouting matches and protests at school board meetings from coast-to-coast. With some states mandating masks in schools and other states banning masks, t…

Stephanie Denman: Clear As Plastic

The world is drowning in plastic so Stephanie Denman tries to go plastic-free.

Margaret Stawowy: A Huge Hole in the Safety Net

Margaret Stawowy wanted to keep her declining mother in familiar surroundings. It was easier said than done.

Pranav Thurgam: Embracing My Name

For years, Y-R Media's Pranav Thurgam used the name 'Pat'. Not any more.

Katy Van Sant: COVID Zombie

Katy Van Sant struggles to cope with the COVID virus that has invaded her body.

John Levine: It’s No Joke

John Levine tries to teach humor to a classroom of masked students.

Conor Hagen: Tasteless

Conor Hagen discovers just how wonderful taste and smell are when COVID takes them away.

Michael Ellis: Yellow Jackets

There's one creature that Michael Ellis just can't abide.

Jack Green: The Cosmonaut

Ryan was mocked by his schoolmates, but Jack befriended him. And then, one day, Ryan was gone.

Steven Paradise: Do Something To Remember

Steven Paradise shares his thoughts on how to mark the anniversary of 9/11.

Linsay Bodenheimer: The Cabin at Echo Summit

When Linsay Bodenheimer's 100-year-old family cabin was destroyed by the Caldor fire, much more than a building was lost.

Richard Friedlander: Are We All In This Together?

Richard Friedlander wonders why, if we're all in this together, we don't act that way.

Griffin Ting: End of the School Daze

Griffin Ting is back to school, glad the isolation of last year's virtual classrooms is over.

Susan Dix Lyons: I’m Here

Parents provide tremendous gifts to their children throughout life. But when dementia has taken hold the greatest gift can be a simple one – recognition. Susan Dix Lyons has this Perspective.

Isabella Montano Ponce: Latino Teens and Mental Health

Isabella Montano Ponce struggled with depression but it was the inability to talk about it that slowed her recovery.

Peggy Hansen: Set Points

Peggy Hansen looks at what happens when old truths about ourselves aren't true anymore.

Grant Young: UFOs Are Back. Sort Of.

Grant Young says recent government imagery of strange moving objects has rekindled the interest in UFOs.

Joan Cardellino: Living Alone

Joan Cardellino finds herself alone in her home for the first time and on the cusp of a new life.

Tom Moriarty: Chipped

Tom Moriarty finds one vaccine conspiracy theory to be as ironic as it is far-fetched.

Alisa Peres: Together, We Persist

Teacher Alisa Peres says she gets through the stress of teaching in a pandemic with a lot of help from her colleagues.

Ivelisse Diaz: Who Fixes Broken Institutions?

YR Media's Ivelisse Diaz feels pressure to sacrifice her own interests to help fix a broken school culture.

Leslie Smith: Closing Time at the Animal Shelter

As the pandemic's surge in animal adoptions slackens, volunteer Leslie Smith advocates for those left behind.

Jonah Raskin: The Great Highway

Jonah Raskin joins a large crowd advocating continued closure of the Great Highway to motor vehicles.

Mental Health Test

Sara Alexander's elderly friend is not one to censor her answers to questions -- even on a mental health test

Richard Swerdlow: Friday the 13th

Richard Swerdlow says today is not a day the superstitions take lightly.

Michael Ellis: Antlions

Michael Ellis says a member of what's known as the Little Five is a clever but vicious insect.

Andrew Lewis: Town Meeting

At an old-fashioned Vermont town meeting, Andrew Lewis experiences the kind of politics where winning and losing isn’t the only thing that matters.

Sandhya Acharya: The Note

When Sandhya Acharya's pandemic bubble burst, it was her young son's note that healed her.

Paul Wolber: And You Will Be Grateful

When Paul Wolber thinks of vaccine hesitancy, he hears the voice of his mother, long ago, giving some instructions many would do well to heed today. I like to tell people younger than me that I’m old enough that I survived all those diseases no one catches anymore. That’s an exaggeration. I did get measles, mumps, chicken pox, scarlet fever and so many ear infections that I was deaf for a year. However, I never caught the scourge of my cohort: polio. But it was a close thing. For the first few years of my life, my mother kept close watch over me each summer, staying away from public swimming pools and other perceived sources of infection. I still remember being trundled off to Clara Barton Elementary School in northwest Detroit to receive the Salk vaccine. As we waited in line, my mother whispered none-too-softly in my ear, “You will take your shot without any crying or carrying on, and you will be grateful!” The vaccine worked, despite its crudeness and occasional safety issue…

Les Bloch: Imagine

Les Bloch says a better future can only be built if it can be imagined. Imagine. Just imagine. It’s something that envelopes and rewards us, something that has gotten us humans to the moon, something that stretches our brains like hamstrings in yoga class. It started with language 40,000 years ago. Before the written word, Homo sapiens carved statues from mammoth tusks and told stories of the hunt. Imagined details and embellishments were added to paint a more vivid picture in the mind’s eye. Our ancestors’ first frontier was this vision in their larger, more capable brains. Albert Einstein famously stated that “Imagination is more important than knowledge”. It makes sense that one of the most celebrated minds in history believed that those who could activate their imagination should be valued. Every human construct has relied on imagination—our forefathers imagined a government different than any other in the world. Imagined ideas become reality, from gover…

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau: Failed Cat Foster

Fostering an animal awaiting adoption is a great service but Colleen Patrick-Goudreau learned its not without its challenges. Several years ago, I was volunteering at an underfunded county animal shelter socializing cats, cleaning their cages, and providing some enrichment to their little lives. Adoption days were few and far between, and one day I impulsively decided to bring a cat home to give her some reprieve from the cage. That’s when I became a foster failure — not because I adopted her, but because my good intentions turned into a nightmare for my own two cats — and me — for all the stress it caused. Characteristically sensitive, both of my cats immediately fell ill and developed crystals in their bladder — preventing them from urinating. Fortunately, after much discomfort and many medical interventions, they recovered — and the little shelter cat was subsequently adopted. While I could have learned a better way to foster without causing stress to my entire househol…

Tracy Cote: Discussing Politics in the Workplace

Tracy Cote outlines the right way to discuss politics in the workplace.

Larry Murphy: Back Where We Began

Larry Murphy cherishes fishing trips in the back country as reminders of the common origin of all things.

Jim McClellan: Willie’s Bold Stroke

Sometimes, no one finds fault with choosing the easier road to success. But for Jim McClellan’s summer camp director that wasn’t going to happen. They say fortune favors the brave. I think there’s some truth to that, as I was reminded in a recent discussion about childhood memories. I spent a few summers at a great camp for boys in the Adirondack Mountains in New York. Willie, the camp’s director, was a larger‐than‐life figure. Like his love for the camp, Willie’s energy was boundless, and he made me feel like I was the most important kid in the world whenever he spoke to me. Everybody loved Willie. One summer in the mid 1970’s, the camp had beautiful new outdoor basketball courts put in. They had been roped off so Willie could open them in a special ceremony. On the ribbon‐ cutting day, all of us gathered several rows deep around the courts. There were a few hundred of us there, and the air was abuzz with excitement. Willie appeared and, as he was dribbling the ball…

Baldeep Singh: The Quarantine 15

Many people put on extra pounds during the pandemic and Dr. Baldeep Singh wishes there was more he could do for his vulnerable patients. When Javier came to see me, he had gained 10 pounds. It was a surprise but since staying at home during COVID, he had stopped exercising and had started eating more. The result was the “Quarantine 15”, the weight gained due to pandemic stressors, such as losing jobs, living in tighter quarters, and facing an unknown virus. More than 40% of Americans say they’ve gained weight during the past year. Prior to COVID, in the US, in 2018, over 40% of American adults met criteria for obesity, while more than 9% had severe obesity. As with many health indicators, obesity affects Black and Brown populations disproportionately compounding the impact of COVID where more “essential workers” support families and cope with understaffing at work due to illness and childcare issues. I do not wish to “fat shame” anyone. Social, economic, and cultural fact…

Simi Monheit: Passing Through

Simi Monheit's recent trip to the Sierra brings fond memories and dread for the future.

Richard Friedlander: I Screwed Up

Mediator Richard Friedlander says the words he hears the least are the words most likely to encourage conflict resolution.

Peggy Hansen: Twilight Zone

While human lives are upended, life is normal for the plants and creatures of Peggy Hansen's farm.

Life, Monetized

At every stage of life, someone wants a piece of Luke Pease's wallet.

Michael Ellis: Ancient Trees

Michael Ellis has this Perspective on a Bay Area tree with an ancient history. Millions of years ago a tropical forest flourished throughout California. Rainfall exceeded 80 inches per year and both temperature and humidity were high. Large broad-leaved evergreen trees dominated a landscape interspersed with conifers. Slowly the climate became drier and cooler and … Continue reading Michael Ellis: Ancient Trees →

It’s 3:30 in the morning, and I’m sitting in my favorite chair: a crinkled and worn, brown leather recliner. One of our cats has discovered I’m up, and he’s come to say hello. Miles, our 11 year-old springer spaniel, is curled up on his bed beside me, snoring. Otherwise, it’s quiet, except for the distant humming of an appliance, the wind outside and the creaking of the house. When I find myself unable to sleep through the night, I grab a blanket and stretch out in my chair in the living room, the light beside me casting a warm, yellow glow allowing me to read, pet the cat, or listen to the night sounds of the house. About 10 years ago I had my first real bout of insomnia. It was dreadful. For two weeks I couldn’t sleep a wink. Things had changed at work, and I just couldn’t let it go. As each day passed into night, I felt more pressure to arrest this new pattern and finally tumble into sleep. Deep, beautiful sleep. But the more I tried, the harder it became. I was caught…

Maxine Rose Schur: The Fog in My Head

When Maxine Rose Schur needs to clear her mind she heads straight for the foggiest part of San Francisco – the Sunset District.

Jim McClellan: Broken Places

Jim McClelland turns to an ancient Japanese art for hope that a broken country can be repaired, and better for it.

Marilyn Englander: Save Water. Go Backpacking

Marilyn Englander says backpacking will teach you the value of every drop of water.

Paul Staley: The Pursuit of Happiness

Paul Staley says the Declaration of Independence asserts the right to pursue happiness, not attain it.

Victor Schachter: A 21st Century Declaration of Independence

Victor Schachter suggests the Declaration of Independence could use an update to reflect modern realities.

Celeste DuBois: Pedro’s Gift

Celeste Dubois says that sometimes it's the teachers who learn from their students.

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau: Of Meat and Men

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau carves up the notion that eating meat is manly.

Debbie Duncan: Three Good Things

Debbie Duncan says acknowledging three good things a day keeps the blues away.

Marcelle Taylor Dougan: Protecting Black Children From Racism

Dr. Marcelle Taylor Dougan struggles to protect her children from racism.

Peggy Hansen: Why I Forage

It’s the time of year when highly informed lovers of forest fungi forage for their favorites, and Peggy Hansen is one of them.

Valeria Araujo: Rethinking Her Future at Mills

YR Media's Valeria Araujo is rethinking her future at Mills College in Oakland.

Pedro Hernandez-Ramos: The Global Pandemic is Still Global

Pedro Hernandez-Ramos reminds us that the global pandemic is still raging around the world.

Barbara Foltin: Pride

Rev. Barbara Foltin's church hands out Pride flags to LGBTQ+ people, their families and neighbors.

Nicolle Plescia: Doing Nothing

Like many, Nicolle Plescia and her family had a lot of free time during the pandemic lockdown. Did they waste it?

Steven Saum: Commissioner of Forests and Weeds

The life of Steven Saum's father is only slightly captured in a handful of small mementos.

Susan Dix Lyons: Senior Skip Day

Susan Dix Lyons shares a special day in the city with her daughter, and a lifetime of memories.

Thomas Plante: People Behaving Badly

Dr. Thomas Plante says a toxic mix of frustration and stress is making too many people behave very badly.

Michael Ellis: The Wonders of Home

Sheltering at home, Michael Ellis focuses his love for natural wonders on his own back yard.

Richard Swerdlow: The Party

Richard Swerdlow attends his first post-pandemic lockdown party.

Marilyn Englander: Curious, Not Furious

When her initial response to everyday annoyances is anger, Marilyn Englander practices a better way.

Carol Arnold: Lost and Found

When Carol Arnold needs to get away from it all she goes up and over the Sierras to the dramatic eastern side.

Joan Steinau Lester: Loving Day

Joan Steinau Lester celebrates two Supreme Court decisions, both delivered in June, that are milestones for biracial and same sex unions.

Mark Clevenger: Your Child

Mark Clevenger's daughter is off to college and everything has changed, except what matters.

Ellen Greenblatt: Early Reading

Want to change the world? Ellen Greenblatt says teach a child to read.

Evan Nichols: Gone to Carolina

Evan Nichols and his aging mother belt out a few songs while driving the open road.

Milton Chen: Allies

When any group is under attack it needs allies. Milton Chen says those allies have changed the lives of Asian Americans.

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau: Animals in Our Bones

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau looks at just some of the body parts whose names have their origin in the animal kingdom.

Steve McMoyler: Hell on Wheels

America, it is said, has a love affair with the automobile. That would not include Steve McMoyler.

Winston Tharp: To Doug

It's Memorial Day and Winston Tharp has this tribute to a veteran whose promise was lost.

Andrew Lewis: The Luxury of Choice

Andrew Lewis says an effective vaccine wipes from collective memory the very problem it was created to solve.

Pratham Dalal: Graduation

For YR Media's Pratham Dalal, COVID looms large over his graduation year.

Vanessa Dueck: Time Marches On

The pandemic distorts our sense of time, but Vanessa Dueck sees it marching on in small but meaningful ways.

Christine Schoefer: The Value of Food

Food banks are overwhelmed and people are hungry, yet we waste food shamelessly. A child of post-war Germany, Christine Schoefer vows to change her ways.

Larry Lee: Asian Americans Standing Up

Larry Lee says that in trying times Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are finding their voices in opposition to hate and discrimination.

Michael Ellis: Labyrinth

Michael Ellis discovers that a labyrinth is much more than an elaborate maze.

Sandhya Acharya: United By COVID

The pandemic varies greatly depending on the country you live in, but Sandhya Acharya says the world is united by COVID.

Tom Epstein: For the Safety of Cyclists

The tragic death of cycling icon Joe Shami reminds Tom Epstein that cyclists are vulnerable to distracted drivers.

Stephanie Denman: The Thank You Boomerang

Stephanie Denman says a simple thank you can help us all to feel appreciated.

Sarah Hoffman: Keeping Up With Gender Fluid Children

Gender fluid children pose certain challenges for Sarah Hoffman and other adults who support them.

Jose Castro: High Tech Learning is High Stress

High schooler Jose Castro says adults don't appreciate the stress of high tech classrooms.

Richard Swerdlow: Back to School

Richard Swerdlow says the return to school is testing – and exhilarating – teachers and students alike.

Debbie Duncan: Update Your Priors

Changing times mean it's time to change. Debbie Duncan says "update your priors."

Heather Lattimer: Double Pell

Dean Heather Lattimer looks at the high cost of college and what to do about it.

Marilyn Englander: Future Self

Marilyn Englander's procrastinating, last-minute self withered during the pandemic.

Connie Champagne: The Year That Got Away

It's been a rough year for San Francisco's eclectic entertainment community, but Connie Champagne hopes better time aren't just somewhere over the rainbow.

Leticia Monroy: There Is No Perfect Child

Leticia Monroy juggles work, school and her young child's early learning challenges.

Ali Shah: America, The Super League

Ali Shah says the failure of a proposed soccer super league is a rare defeat for American-style elitism.

Alice Chen: Other

Alice Chen says anti-Asian racism is all about excluding Asian Americans as "other."

Kevin Cool: More Than a Poker Game

The resumption of Kevin Cool's poker game is at hand. It's about time.

Olive Savoie: That’s So Gay

Olive Savoie stands up to her peers when they utter a bigoted phrase.

Luke Thomas: Turning Emotions Into Art

YR Media's Luke Thomas experienced the year of the pandemic through the lens of a camera.

Kimberly Higareda: Not Ready For Real Life

Teenager Kimberly Higareda feels pressured to take on responsibilities she may not be ready for.

Karen Chau: You Only Live Once

Teenager Karen Chau says the pandemic has taught her to treasure opportunities from the mundane to the exceptional.

Alina Jafri: Ms Marvel

Alina Jafri finds a role model in a comic book.

Michael Ellis: The Deserts of California

Michael Ellis tours the three types of desert in California.

Laura Weil: How We Die

Laura Weil says the pandemic has made us look at everything differently, including how we die.

Sandhya Acharya: End In Sight

Sandhya Acharya looks at the year of the pandemic and considers what she will miss and what she won't.

Paul Staley: The Un-Birthday

Paul Staley celebrates the day before his birthday as a reminder that he’ll spend far more time not in this world than in it.

Jaime Flores: Keeping Youth Out of Jail

Jaime Flores advocates for supportive programs to keep young people out of jail.

Dorothy O’Donnell: Too Old For the Hiking Group

The email that told Dorothy O'Donnell she was too old for the hiking group surprised her. Then it made her angry.

Charlotte Sivanich: Financial Literacy for Students

Charlotte Sivanich says too few students are taught financial literacy and many never learn.

Lane Parker: Listen To Your Plants

Can plants talk to us? Lane Parker says science fact is meeting science fiction.

Vanessa Dueck: Back to School

As schools cautiously begin to reopen, Vanessa Dueck and her young children are ready for a taste of normal.

Margie O’Driscoll: A Changing San Francisco

Margie O'Driscoll set out to observe how the pandemic has changed San Francisco.

Larry Jin Lee: Return to Angel Island

Angel Island graces San Francisco Bay, but its buildings house one of the darkest times in American immigration history, when Chinese, even Chinese American citizens, were subjected to harsh discrimination. Larry Jin Lee has this Perspective. I have not been on Angel Island since I was a teenager and a visit was long overdue. But I was not fully aware back then of the historical significance of Angel Island to my family. My great grandfather and grandfather were detained there several times even though they were U.S. citizens. Angel Island, unlike Ellis Island, was not built to welcome tired and poor huddled masses but to reject as many Chinese immigrants as possible. Many had long forced stays. There were hysterical fears of Chinese at the time, and, yes, the term invasion was often invoked, fomenting anger and scapegoating them for depressing wages. Thus, the first federal immigration law was also the first directed at a single racial group — the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. Chin…

Debbie Duncan: Every Shot Is a Story

More than three million Americans are getting vaccinated each day, and Debbie Duncan says each shot is a story.

Deidre Silverman: An Encounter With Bees

Deidre Silverman encounters a wondrous swarm of bees on a simple walk near her home.

Tracy Coté: Presence

Hiring managers say they’re looking for something called ‘presence’. Tracy Cote says it’s code for ‘just like me’.

Avery Grant: The Strength of Silence

Avery Grant says the quiet voices are often the ones most worth listening to.

Sarah Javier: Erased

Racism thrives on ignorance of the history that isn’t taught is history erased. Sarah Javier has this Perspective. Patriotism was plentiful in my childhood as a Filipino-American U.S. Navy brat. But despite how American I was, I often felt like a foreigner in my conservative Southern hometown. I thought things would change once I moved to the Bay, where I was finally surrounded by people who looked like me. I realized I was still an outsider. The United States has erased Asians from its past. History books gloss over the estimated 200,000 Filipinos killed during the Philippine-American War. The horror of Japanese internment camps was hastily covered in my high school American History class. I learned about the Chinese Exclusion Act from young adult fiction books. And although AAPI representation is improving in Hollywood, progress is slow. On a personal level, anti-Asian racism has led me to grieve the lack of knowledge I could have had growing up. I was never taught about the role t…

Lynn Bruno: Universal and Free

In the COVID vaccination program, Lynn Bruno sees elements of a health care system we can only dream about.

Ellen Greenblatt: A Walk Under a Full Moon

Ellen Greenblatt encounters herself during a walk under a full moon.

Richard Swerdlow: Putting on Pandemic Pounds

Richard Swerdlow says that pandemic inactivity has led to a spike in overweight children.

Michael Ellis: The Jay

Michael Ellis looks at the family of Bay Area jays and why they keep whacking into our windows.

Amber Ly: Protecting Asian Parents

Young Asian Americans are focused right now on making sure their parents are safe.

Molly Curley O’Brien: A Requiem For Mills College

She’s been on life support before, but now her survival is in serious jeopardy. Molly Curley O’Brien has this Perspective. We lost a Bay Area legend last week. Benicia born and Oakland raised, a critical thinker, a leader, a feminist, a social justice warrior, and committed to the pursuit of knowledge. Mills College, as we know it, died of COVID-19 related complications. She was 169 years old. Or did we? What is happening with Mills College is not unprecedented. Women’s colleges have suffered from declining enrollment in recent years, with several forced to close or start admitting men in order to survive. There are just 34 women’s colleges left in this country, down from 230 about 60 years ago. As an alumna of Mills, this is a shame. I sat next to classmates who were encouraged to bring their children to lecture with them when childcare fell through. I learned in a classroom racially and economically diverse. And I learned from the Oakland community, because the pedagogy of Mi…

Billy Zeng: Please Listen To Us

Asian Americans speak many languages, but in the midst of unprecedented attacks, they speak with one voice. Billy Zeng has this Perspective. 請聽聽我們 Please Listen to us We are frightened, upset and frustrated 請跟我們說話 Please talk to us In Hoisanwah, Thai, Mandarin, In Vietnamese, Khmer, Cantonese In Korean, Japanese, Hakka, In Tagalog, Cebuano, Teochew And in many languages we speak Which may or may not include English 請看看我們 Please look at us We are many in a loose category. We are your doctors, lawyers, nurses, engineers, We are your janitors, caretakers, grocery workers We are your therapist, acupuncturist, masseuse 請認識我們 Please know us We are not your model minorities. We are not your immigrant poster child We are not your tools used to diminish the suffering of others. 請幫幫我們 Please help us We are also your tired, your poor, and your huddled masses. 請聽聽我們 Please listen to us We are your friends We are yo…

Marilyn Englander: Embracing Life

As vaccinations climb and pandemic restrictions ease, many are contemplating how to make up for lost time and missed opportunities. Marilyn Englander has this Perspective. It’s been a year of fear, trimming expectations and hoping to control fate. Chastising my kids to be careful, scolding when someone forgets the mask, scowling at rule-breakers – it’s been exhausting. And pretty much fruitless: people will do what they will do. Now, two dear 80-something friends in Philadelphia, exhilarated by their vaccinations, announce they’re embarking on a 6000-mile road trip in a big rental RV. They’ll help their adult daughter and boyfriend move east from California. Never mind they haven’t driven anywhere in five years, let alone in a 32-footer. Overlook recent health crises and other frailties. Ignore the prospect of a crowded return trip with four adults, plus the couple’s four dogs and five rats —in one RV. They’re off— East Coast to West and back in three weeks. White l…

Hank Smith struggles to live up to the simple words from his autistic son.

Andrew Lewis: A Wing and a Prayer

Andrew Lewis seeks to protect the fragile, miraculous life of a wounded Monarch butterfly.

Jim McClellan: Broken Places

Jim McClelland turns to an ancient Japanese art for hope that a broken country can be repaired, and better for it.

Tom Moriarty: Chipped

Vaccines are ramping up and with them, of course, the conspiracy theories. Tom Moriarty finds one of them especially ironic. My favorite conspiracy theory about the coronavirus vaccine is that each shot contains a tiny microchip designed to track our every move. I admire this particular piece of nonsense because it overlooks the fact that most of us have already been tagged and can be tracked down by Bill Gates or the government pretty much at will. Big business and other nefarious actors can also use the device to read our minds and accurately predict which products we’ll buy and who we’ll most likely vote for. And to make matters worse, these masters of the dark arts of persuasion can even nudge us toward certain brands or candidates or ideas, and not only predict what we are going to do, but almost make us do it. All with just the push of a button. The microchip delivered via the vaccine is allegedly so small that it’s all but impossible to detect. The device I’m talking abo…

Alisa Peres: Together, We Persist

Teacher Alisa Peres says she gets through the stress of teaching in a pandemic with a lot of help from her colleagues.

Shantha Smith: Saving Your Life

Wearing a mask shouldn't be a big deal, but to some it apparently is, and that has Shantha Smith mystified.

Paul Staley: Mutations

Paul Staley says there's a whole lot of mutating going on.

Sara Alexander: The Hamantaschen Project

Sara Alexander discovers the perfect way to make better Hamantaschen — together with friends.

Mike Hall: Tell Them Now

Funerals are occasions to express thoughts never expressed to the dearly departed. Mike Hall says, "Why wait?"

Larry Jin Lee: The ‘Model Minority’

Larry Lee says the same racist pigeonholing that casts Asian Americans as the model minority makes them vulnerable to attack.

Lev Kushner: Indoor Camping

A long-neglected tent provides Lev Kushner and his boys with a strategy for coping with the prolonged bout of stay-at-home.

Richard Levitt: One Year Later

As the anniversary of the first stay-at-home order looms, Richard Levitt counts what he misses and doesn't miss.

Isabella Montano Ponce: Latino Teens and Mental Health

Isabella Montano Ponce struggled with depression but it was the inability to talk about it that slowed her recovery.

Bryan Gillette: Silver Linings

Academic learning may be taking a hit, but Bryan Gillette thinks his children are learning important skills in the pandemic.

Susie Meserve: Anxiety in the Pandemic

Susie Meserve has always been a worrier, but the pandemic has thrown anxiety into high gear.

Michael Ellis: Porcupines

Michael Ellis considers the seldom-seen, well-defended porcupine.

Tenzing Chosang: Losar

YR Media's Tenzing Chosang celebrates the new year, Tibetan-style.

Ellen Greenblatt: Losing Your Person

Ellen Greenblatt considers the profound personal loss of the people behind the statistics.

Connie Champagne: Mystery Tomatoes

As Connie Champagne contemplates leaving San Francisco, a mysterious, forgotten tomato bush steels her resolve.

Jolie Kanat: Becoming Real

Jolie Kanat, like other caregivers, has learned that in service to others she becomes real.

Tracy Cote: Discussing Politics in the Workplace

Tracy Cote outlines the right way to discuss politics in the workplace.

Claire McKechnie: Adapting to the Virtual Classroom

Claire McKechnie adapts to ensure that the learning is real in the virtual classroom.

Sandhya Acharya: Not Bad For An Adult

Sandhya Acharya's son creates a stuffed animal and a lesson in being kind to yourself.

Paul Staley: The Seen and the Unseen

Paul Staley says we’re walking in a world of the seen and the unseen, of paradox and contradiction.

Richard Swerdlow: Stress in Marriage

Richard Swerdlow looks at research into stress in same sex and straight marriages.

Marilyn Englander: Volunteering

Is a smile worth more than a paycheck? Marilyn Englander looks at being a volunteer.

David Bonowitz: Essential Earthquake Design

Engineer David Bonowitz looks at what's essential in earthquake design.

Hanna Clements-Hart: Finding Family

Hanna Clements-Hart misses her church community, hobbled by the pandemic.

Dan Noel: Voices of My Teachers

When law school student Dan Noel faces tough moments, he hears the voices of teachers who have been his guides.

Richard Levitt: The New 4 am

The psychological stress of the pandemic is producing a rash of insomniacs, even the formerly sound-sleeping Richard Levitt.

Larry Jin Lee: Lost Chinatown Businesses

Many Chinatown businesses have not survived the pandemic and with them many of Larry Jin Lee's family memories.

Dr Antonio Gomez: The First Shot

Dr. Antonio Gomez was the first in San Francisco to get a COVID vaccine shot, but he's focused now on getting the vaccine to undeserved communities.

Tamar Serna: Breaking the Corporate Mold

Tamar Serna defies every stereotype of the corporate accountant.

Richard Chow: Eat The Marshmallow

Conventional wisdom favors delaying gratification. Richard Chow isn't convinced.

Michael Ellis: California Slender Salamander

A native amphibian fascinates Michael Ellis.

Adan Barrera: Love in the Pandemic

YR Media's Adan Barrera rejects cultural stereotypes and goes the extra mile to treat his girlfriend right.

Joe Epstein: Corporate Departures

A wave of corporate departures has Joe Epstein worried about the future of Bay Area business.

Denise Lewis: A Shot of Hope

For Denise Lewis, the COVID vaccine she administers is a shot of hope to both her clients and herself.

Kelly Gleason: Whose Flag Is it?

His family's liberal credentials are impeccable, but Kelly Gleason is proud to fly his American flag.

Richard Friedlander: A Bill of Responsibilities

Richard Friedlander says it time for an addition to the Bill of Rights — a Bill of Responsibilities.

Sandhya Acharya: Raising a Good Loser

Sandhya Acharya contemplates being a good loser – on the playground and in politics. Some time back, I was witness to a kids’ plank showdown. Timers were set, poses struck, seconds counted. But when it came time to declare the winner, a chorus of voices, including my son’s, broke out into complaints. “My jacket slowed me down!” “He moved!” “I wasn’t ready!” I watched from the sidelines, cringing. A question troubled me. Are we raising good losers? On Jan 6, 2021, we saw the damage a bad loser could do. Trump lost the 2020 election. He didn’t like losing. He made many accusations, but they were all disproven with facts. Then he incited his supporters, who turned into an angry mob that desecrated the Capitol, a historic symbol of American democracy. Five people died. Ironically, at the same time, we also saw the culmination of what a good loser could do in the 2020 Georgia elections. In 2018, Stacey Abrams lost the gubernatorial election in Georgia. She didn’t lik…

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau: Inauguration

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau talks about what the word inauguration it has to do with our feathered friends.

Li Miao Lovett: MLK’s Legacy of Diversity

Li Miao Lovett remembers how the Civil Rights Movement helped to diversify America.

Elizabeth Scarboro: Hope

Elizabeth Scarboro knows it takes hope to power through a pandemic's many side effects.

Richard Swerdlow: Active Shooter Drill

Richard Swerdlow says school children and members of Congress now have something in common neither welcomes.

Angela Omulepu: As American as Apple Pie

While watching a mob storm the Capitol, Angela Omulepu bakes an apple pie.

Dan Lieberman: Das Ist Normal

Language, family and history weigh on Dan Lieberman as he mulls the prospects for a new year.

Marilyn Englander: Curious, Not Furious

When her initial response to everyday annoyances is anger, Marilyn Englander practices a better way.

Meg Waite Clayton: These Things Called Books

Meg Waite Clayton looks at the toxic stew of book banning and political intolerance.

Steven Saum: Things We Carried

Steven Saum finds the weightiest things he and his son carried on their hike wasn't in their backpacks.

Selina Kaing: Birthday Candles

Selina Kaing's family tradition of blending old ways with new American habits resides in a box of birthday candles.

Matthew Vernon: A Murmuration in Marin

Matthew Vernon didn't know what a murmuration is, but he's glad he went to see one.

Dr Baldeep Singh: The Shot

Dr. Baldeep Singh gets one of the early shots of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Nina Roehl: Mental Health

It’s New Year's Eve and 2020 is finally coming to an end. For YR Media’s Nina Roehl this challenging year has helped her learn more about her mental health and find ways to cope.

Nirmy Kang: Celebrations Past

For Nirmy Kang, Christmas Eve celebrations map an immigrant's personal and political history.

Paul Staley: Two Churches

Growing up in a religiously diverse family taught Paul Staley lessons not necessarily in the sacred texts.

Richard Levitt: The Hills Are Alive

The hills are alive, and Richard Levitt has a long-ago scoutmaster to thank for being able to experience it.

Lloyd Jones: Lloyd’s Story

When he was down and out, a friend helped him feed his kids, even though she didn’t have to. It was a kindness Lloyd Jones has never stopped repaying.

Michael Ellis: Mistletoe

Michael Ellis says the origins of mistletoe as a seasonal rite are surprising.

Anita Frank: Sinterklaas

77 years ago, in Nazi-occupied Holland, a Dutch Christmas tradition became a brush with disaster for then 6-year-old Anita Frank, whose memories haunt her to this day.

Heidi Swillinger: The Nutmeg Kit

On Christmas morning, millions of gifts will be unwrapped. But Heidi Swillinger has had her small but favorite gift for many years.

Pete Gavin: Hoping For Normal

Our personal and national lives have gone off the rails, and Pete Gavin says normal never looked so good.

Mac Clayton: The Downswing

Mac Clayton says the march to racial equality in America is characterized by upswings and downswings.

Richard Swerdlow: Thank a Science Teacher

Richard Swerdlow says the high-speed freeway to effective COVID vaccines was built in humble classrooms where science basics are taught.

Marilyn Englander: A Hike On A Rainy Day

When the season's first rainy day arrived, Marilyn Englander devoted it to a walk in the woods.

Larry Jin Lee: Stressed Out

Even psychotherapist Larry Jin Lee is having trouble coping with anxiety and depression during the pandemic.

Richard Friedlander: Time and the Virus

With time on his hands, Richard Friedlander takes a walk and discovers a world he’d largely ignored – his own neighborhood.

Debbie Duncan: COVID Vocabulary

Debbie Duncan looks at how COVID has changed our vocabulary.

Marcy Fraser: On the Frontlines

Marcy Fraser was an AIDS nurse throughout that plague. Now she reaches out to all nurses on the frontlines of a new scourge.

Dan Goldes: Artifacts

Things are just things, but they’re also artifacts that tell the story a life. Dan Goldes has this Perspective. My 90‐year‐old mother died recently, and my two brothers and I spent a few days cleaning out her house in Santa Rosa. As we sorted through the drawers, cabinets, and boxes, we spent time laughing, crying a little, and ribbing her in absentia for all the things she saved: receipts from long‐ago purchases, paintings my younger brother and I made in grade school, books she’d read decades before. Why, I thought, does someone save all this stuff? Then I realized that what we were looking at were artifacts. My mother was born into the Depression and was divorced with a young son by the early 1950s. She made her way to a new life in California, married again, had two more sons, divorced a second time, and spent the next 40 years discovering her path. That path wasn’t always easy for a 50‐something woman who had spent 20 years raising kids. As I looked at the boxes of s…

Linda Gebroe: The Electric Can Opener

Have you spent a crazy amount of time on things that barely crossed your mind before, just because you have to do something with all that time? Linda Gebroe has.

Liz Travis Allen: Getting In and Out of Quarantine

For most of us, extended self-isolation is a new challenge. For Liz Travis Allen, it's old hat.

Ellen Greenblatt: The Loudmouths Are Back

https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/perspectives/2020/12/PerspLoudmouthsEllenGreenblatt.mp3

Andrew Lewis: The Pandemic Response in China

A visitor from China provides Andrew Lewis a window into how the pandemic is being handled elsewhere. The difference is stark.

Gabrielle Selz: Puzzling

For Gabrielle Selz, working a jigsaw puzzle is about much more than idle entertainment.

Les Bloch: Write A Song

Les Bloch has a toe tapping suggestion for beating the COVID blues.

Jason Saleh: Fire Victims

Jason Saleh asks why the homes lost, deaths and displacement of wildlife aren't counted among the costs of wildfires.

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