Public Radio

Introduction to Public Radio Reporting, Fall 2007

Madeleine Anderson: Spoken word, a form of urban poetry, often explores racism, sex, love and violence. Earlier this fall, six nationally recognized spoken word artists delved into these issues at a performance called The Women and the Men. A local youth spoken word group, Youth Speaks, hosted the event which took place at The Black New World, a West Oakland African-centered performance space.

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Alex Bonin: There are about one million Roma—commonly known as Gypsies—in the United States of America today. But this is not a very visible ethnic minority—despite the fact that the Roma have been in the United States for well over a century. Why is this community so little known in America?

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Loke Davis: At the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul shelter in Oakland, a motley crew of homeless, drug addicts, former convicts, and "economically disadvantaged" men lead double lives as writers, directors and actors. They are the men of the Seldom Seen Acting Company, a performance troupe whose members draw on their personal hardships as inspiration for their theatrical works.

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Sandhya Dirks: Summer jobs are a rite of passage. Whether it’s babysitting or scooping ice cream, tearing ticket stubs or flipping burgers, for teens, getting a job during summer break is a way to earn extra cash, to feel grown up, to learn responsibility. But for many African-American youth in Oakland, it can be far more than that. For some of these kids, a job can be more than an escape from the long hot days of summer, it can even mean the difference between life and death. Sandhya Dirks reports on the link between unemployment and crime in the city, and what’s being done about it.

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Ashley Guillory: Oakland has recently been dubbed the fourth most dangerous city in America. With nearly 100 murders in Oakland this year and one hundred and forty-five last year, the deaths of so many people have taken their toll on the city's population, especially the urban youth. The Baker-Williams Mortuary on 8th Street has prepared more than their share of teenagers. Unwilling to just patch up the corpses, the mortuary tries to prevent these young people from winding up on the slab. Their plan of action: providing Oakland's teenagers with an up-close lesson in what happens when you die.

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Nicole Hudley: Since 1996 when California voters declared medical marijuana dispensaries legal, there has been some tension between those who need marijuana for legitimate medical reason and those who get a card so they can smoke weed without fear of prosecution. Nicole Hudley went to a pot shop in downtown Oakland to find out more.
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Aisha Johnson: Police misconduct is a persistent concern in many urban communities. In a attempt to address this problem Oakland's City Council created the Citizens' Police Review Board, also known as the CPRB. If someone has been mistreated by an officer of the Oakland Police Department, that person has the option to file a complaint with the CPRB for review. But many residents of Oakland's urban communities have limited knowledge about the Board and the procedures necessary to file a complaint. Aisha Johnson reports on the mechanics of Oakland's Citizens Police Review Board.

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Courtney Nuding: There's a lingering stigma associated with Exotic dance. A lot of people expect stripping to stay in smoky clubs—out of the public eye. But popular interest is growing among people of all walks of life. And in the Bay Area, women are buying time to workshop their stripper moves together, as Courtney Nuding reports.

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Lola Olson: Oakland has just been dubbed the fourth most dangerous city in America. You might have heard countless stories about the negatives events in Oakland and you might be hard pressed to find something about what's being done to change these events. Some reports say that more Oakland High School students drop out than get a degree. With those alarming statistics to combat, one local non-profit is taking a non-traditional approach to improving academics. The Jack London Aquatic Center is hosting water sports programs that help inner city youth improve their test scores and their lives. Lola Olson profiled the girls rowing team to get an inside view of how this program helps the youth.

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Daniella Pineda: Every two and a half minutes, someone in this nation is sexually assaulted, according to the Rape, Abuse, and incest National Network.
Many teens fall victim to sexual assault, leaving scars. Those who work with rape victims say the experience of a rape can kidnap one's identity. Yet people survive. As traumatic as it is, rape isn't permanent. Daniella Pineda has the story of one survivor who has found the ability not only to overcome this experience, but to thrive. She asked that we use only her first name in this story because she doesn't want her parents to know everything she says here.

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Sonya Rifkin: The federal Head Start program is widely regarded as one of the most successful programs to come out of the War on Poverty. It's become known for its innovative approach to early childhood education, and for a forty year legacy that continues to evolve as the needs of families nationwide, and right here in Oakland, change. As Sonya Rifkin reports, if you come to the Virginia Head Start for story time, you might learn a little more than you had expected.

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Jennifer Smith: Eating in class, digging in dirt, and playing with bugs are part of a movement in California's schools to replace the food pyramid with integrated lessons about eating healthy and staying active. This program targets low-income schools to cultivate healthy habits in the communities most at risk for obesity. Cherryland Elementary in Hayward, California is a pilot school for this program under the care of Gardening & Nutrition Specialist Becky Button.

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Paula Tejeda: Last February, at Rosa Parks school in Berkeley a second grade class got more than a textbook education. When a classmate's father got a deportation order, their friend, seven-year-old Gerardo Espinoza, was given the choice between going into foster care with strangers or moving to Mexico with his father. Gerardo left with his family.

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Pon Thoummavong: The City of Oakland has a unique strip search policy-it is the only police department in the nation that allows public strip searches if officers suspect concealed weapons or drugs. Now, a group of plaintiffs is suing-claiming that Oakland police officers performed invasive and illegal strip searches of them in public.

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Carolynn Webb: We live in a time of increasing social isolation. According to a study released last year Americans are less connected than we used to be. When Americans were asked how many people they confided in, many reported having no one to talk to. When asked the same question nine years earlier Americans most commonly reported having three people they could speak to about important matters. In a time where human connection has gone to the dogs, one group of animal lovers may have found a solution.

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