Beyond The Fog Radio

Special live episode: Barbara Lee w/ Ben Trefny of KALW

Beyond The Fog Radio presents our most exciting episode yet: an interview with former U.S. representative and current Oakland mayoral candidate Barbara Lee, in partnership with KALW! KALW (91.7 FM) is the oldest public radio station in the Bay Area, and it hosts a program called "Bay Made" which spotlights local creators and businesses. Ben Trefny is KALW's Executive Producer, and he kindly invited us on Bay Made to record our interview with Congresswoman Lee at KALW's event space in downtown Sa...

An Introduction to the Willie Brown Middle School Podcast w/ Gregory Fischer

Happy New Year! Thank you for supporting Beyond The Fog Radio over the past four years. We're excited to announce our new project: the Willie L. Brown Jr. Middle School Podcast! Students from Willie L. Brown Jr. Middle School in Bayview-Hunters Point, San Francisco, will host their own podcast, produced by Beyond The Fog Radio. The content will reflect their school experiences, and students will design the logo, website, name, and even compose their own theme music. The first episode launches We...

2024 Holiday Special: Ryan Stagg of Bernal Bakery (w/ the students of Willie L. Brown, Jr. Middle School)

This year’s Holiday Special, we’re announcing our partnership with students at Willie L. Brown Jr. Middle School in San Francisco. This week, we teamed up with the 6th-grade boys from Mr. Matthews’ advisory class to co-host. Jae, Michaela, and the boys sat down with Ryan Stagg, co-owner of Bernal Bakery. During COVID, Ryan and his partner Danielle Banchero baked bread at home and used a pulley system to deliver it to customers in a basket. Four years later, their pandemic project is now a thrivi...

Doug Styles of Huckleberry House (with guest host Gregory Fischer)

Huckleberry Youth Programs began in 1967, as a means to protect and help troubled and runaway teenagers who would otherwise be arrested and jailed. The organization began out of Huckleberry House in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district, and more than fifty years later, it has expanded north into Marin County. To address the problems that these young people face, Huckleberry starts with the individuals — learning who they really are, rather than immediately trying to put them into categories. ...

Gayle Pirie & John Clark of Foreign Cinema

Foreign Cinema, a unique dining gem in San Francisco's Mission District, has delighted guests since 1999 with its California-Mediterranean cuisine and nightly outdoor film screenings. Renowned for its vibrant atmosphere, it also regularly hosts musicians, artists, and creatives. Co-owners and chefs Gayle Pirie and John Clark, celebrated figures in San Francisco's culinary scene, have earned multiple James Beard nominations. Their story is one of passion—for each other, San Francisco, and food. W...

Walter Littrell & Dr. David Smith of HealthRIGHT 360

In the late 1960s, as young people flocked to San Francisco, Dr. David Smith responded by opening Haight Ashbury Medical Clinics (HAMC)—the first free medical clinic in the U.S., built on the belief that health care should be a right, not a privilege. Two years later, Walter Littrell founded Walden House in the same neighborhood to support homeless youth facing substance use challenges. Today, Walden House provides mental health and addiction treatment across California, including programs withi...

Scott Lan, Executive Director of Donaldina Cameron House

In the latest episode of our World of Nonprofits Series, we welcome Scott Lan, CEO of Cameron House, an organization with 150 years of history serving San Francisco’s Chinese community. Originally a girls' home protecting young Asian immigrants from the Yellow Slave Trade, Cameron House now offers services like counseling, domestic violence intervention, youth programs, leadership development, and more. With 20 years of experience in education and workforce development, Scott plays a key role in...

Dr. Pegah Faed, CEO of Safe & Sound

This week we met Dr. Pegah Faed, the newest CEO of Safe & Sound, an SF-based non-profit organization that partners with communities and families to prevent and reduce the impact of childhood abuse, neglect, and trauma. Before joining, Pegah was Executive Director at First 5 Marin, leading efforts in policy, program development, and social change. She’s also helped shape strategies for First 5 Los Angeles. Pegah has a deep commitment to equity, having worked closely with Mayor London Breed on...

Exploring the Neighborhood: Pacific Heights w/ Beth Purcell & John Kohler

This week, we’re joined by fifth-generation San Franciscans Beth Purcell and John Kohler. Beth, influenced by SF’s hippie movement, left at 16 to live in a school bus in Oregon. She later studied midwifery and lived off-grid in Hawaii before settling in Santa Cruz. Now a well-known artist, Beth enjoys making art, cooking, gardening, and spending time with her children and grandchildren. John Kohler kept his roots closer to home. He’s spent 30 years in Bay Area education and is an active member o...

Emily Winston, founder of Boichik Bagels

Emily Winston grew up enjoying New York’s famous H&H Bagels. After moving to the Bay Area in 2010, she missed the bagels she loved and was devastated when H&H Bagels closed. Determined to recreate the bagels she longed for, Emily spent five years perfecting her recipe. Encouraged by friends and family, she eventually opened Boichik Bagels in November 2019. Since then, Emily’s bagel business has grown to six locations around the Bay Area, along with a factory, with more expansion planned....

2024 Election Special: Mayor Willie Brown with guest host Carolyn Tyler

This week, we invited former ABC News anchor Carolyn Tyler as a guest host to interview the Honorable Willie L. Brown, Jr. about the upcoming 2024 election and the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris. The Honorable Willie L. Brown, Jr. is the first Black and longest-serving Speaker of the California State Assembly, and the first Black Mayor of San Francisco. He made a significant impact both in the Assembly, where he authored groundbreaking bills, and in San Fran...

Leigh Crow, a.k.a. Elvis Herselvis

We close our History of the Bay Area LGBTQ Community Series with internationally famous Drag King, Leigh Crow. A gender-bending cabaret singer, Leigh gained notoriety as the world’s first female Elvis Impersonator, Elvis Herselvis. Her 30-year performance career includes Drag shows, independent films, stage musicals, rock bands, music videos, documentaries, and performance art of every kind. Today, Crow is fulfilling a lifelong fantasy starring as Captain Kirk in the drag-heavy “Star Trek Live” ...

Roberto Ordeñana of the GLBT Historical Society

Native San Franciscan Roberto Ordeñana has over 25 years of experience investing in LGBTQ communities. Previously, he was the Deputy Executive Director of the San Francisco LGBT Center, developed nationally-recognized HIV prevention initiatives with the STOP AIDS Project, and volunteered extensively on various San Francisco community boards and city commissions — including the San Francisco Arts Commission, where he served as President from 2019 to 2022. Roberto is now the Executive Director of ...

Wally Bee and Steve Smith of the Oakland Gay Men’s Chorus

Chef Tyler Florence (with San Francisco Magazine)

For over two decades, Chef Tyler Florence has shared his unique culinary vision around the globe. He's trained with top chefs in NYC, hosted popular shows on the Food Network, owned multiple restaurants, received multiple Michelin Stars, and published 17 cookbooks, including his newest publication, American Grill. Florence’s influence extended to the Bay Area in 2008 with his Mill Valley kitchen retail store, The Tyler Florence Shop. In 2009, he opened his first signature restaurant, The Empire ...

Juneteenth 2024 Special Re-Release: Rev. Amos C. Brown

In honor of Juneteenth, we’re excited to re-release our 2020 episode with Rev. Amos Brown, President of the NAACP San Francisco Chapter and Civil Rights Leader! Also a historian, Rev. Brown shared with us his extensive knowledge of African American history in the U.S. and San Francisco's Fillmore neighborhood. Tune in to hear our fascinating discussion! For more information about Rev. Brown, please visit: https://naacp.org/people/rev-amos-brown

Barbara Tannenbaum and the History of the Castro

Barbara Tannenbaum is an award-winning journalist and author who writes essays on arts and culture for top publications like the New York Times and the San Francisco Chronicle. She also creates content for museums such as the Oakland Museum of California and the California Academy of Sciences. Barbara once served as Vice President of the Castro District’s Rainbow Honor Walk, celebrating LGBTQ pioneer activists. An activist herself, she’s now a strategic advisor for the Friends of Harvey Milk Pla...

Sister Vish-Knew and the Sisters Of Perpetual Indulgence

Sister Vish-Knew is one of the founders of the Sisters Of Perpetual Indulgence, a nonprofit activist organization originally based in San Francisco. Hailing from Iowa, Sister Vish-Knew produced the first Midwest Gay Pride Conference back when the entire state of Iowa had only three gay organizations, three gay bars, and two student groups. Sister Vish-Knew also formed a traveling drag performance troupe in Iowa City called the "Sugar Plum Fairies." Shortly after, Sister Vish-Knew moved to San Fr...

THE FOG HORN: Marlene “Mo” Morris and her film “From Here/From There”

Introducing Fog Horn, a new segment on Beyond the Fog Radio! Here, we'll share exciting new places and spotlight cultural events in the San Francisco Bay Area. For our debut, we're joined by documentary filmmaker Marlene "Mo" Morris to discuss her film "From Here/From There" (De Aquí/De Allá), premiering May 3rd, 2024, at DocLands Film Festival in San Rafael. Mo is a former BAVC MediaMaker Fellow and CINE Golden Eagle Award recipient whose award-winning work has been broadcast on networks like P...

History of the Castro with Fred Rogers & Gerard Koskovich

This week, we feature Fred Rogers, former owner of the popular bar The Elephant Walk, along with guest host Gerard Koskovich, Historian at the GLBT Historical Society. The Elephant Walk, located in the Castro, was known for hosting disco star Sylvester in the 70’s and 80’s and serving daily brunch until 3:00 pm. It was a sanctuary as the rapidly transitioning neighborhood became a hub for the LGBTQ+ community. After Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone's assassination, The Elephant Walk became g...

Exploring The Neighborhood: Amelia Davis & Bonita Passarelli on photographer Jim Marshall

Renowned photographer Jim Marshall captured photos of the 20th Century’s most iconic musicians like Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash, and many more. From famous shots on stage at major events like Woodstock, to intimate moments with second-to-none access, Marshall’s work is held in private and public museum collections worldwide. He likewise shot over 500 album covers and was posthumously awarded a Grammy for his contribution to the music industry. Marshall met his untimely ...

Kevin Cline of The Front Porch

Kevin Cline originally moved to San Francisco with intentions of returning home to the South after saving money through bartending. However, he quickly fell in love with the city and decided to make it his permanent home. Despite opportunities at iconic establishments like Bix, Cline ultimately preferred a slower pace, leading him to found The Front Porch—a Southern-style restaurant in the Southern Mission neighborhood. The restaurant embodies its name, offering a welcoming and easy atmosphere w...

Local Heroes: Will & Debi Durst

Debi Durst is a versatile performer, director, and producer with extensive experience in improv, theater, and comedy. She’s best known for work in Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, and has acted with Marin Shakespeare Company, earning her the 2015 BATCC Award. As a proud SF native, Debi successfully renamed the location of Comedy Day in Golden Gate Park to Robin Williams Meadow in 2017. Debi is also a huge SF Giants fan. Will Durst's multifaceted career spans columns, books, radio, TV...

Special Episode: Sobia Shaikh (with San Francisco Magazine)

Sobia A. Shaikh is a San Francisco-based fashion, travel, and lifestyle Social Media Influencer and Digital Content Creator. She blends her advertising and fashion design background with a passion for cooking, food, and travel, and works with top clients like Valentino, Orlane Paris, and Nestlé. Sobia regularly collaborates with clients in New York and Paris, but stays rooted in her love for San Francisco, where she resides with her husband and two children. Sobia moved to San Francisco to work ...

Local Heroes: Everett Brandon

At over 90 years old, Everett Brandon is still an active force for change. After earning a Juris Doctor degree from UC Berkeley School of Law, Everett moved to San Francisco to participate in the Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs. This immersive program provided him with valuable internships with various San Francisco City departments and institutions. Soon, he embarked on a journey with the NAACP as a field Secretary for the West Coast Region. In the early 1960s, he founded PACT (Plan of Action...

Local Heroes: George Gund IV

George Frederick Gund IV is the President of Gund Real Estate Group and trustee of the George Gund Foundation, and a native San Franciscan. Beyond his professional roles, George finds solace and purpose as a nature photographer, using his lens to bridge people with the roots of real food. Hailing from the Gund Family's legacy in the food industry, George is deeply invested in cultivating this connection. In his trustee role for the family foundation, dedicated to enhancing human well-being and s...

Local Heroes: Lori Augustine of United Airlines

Lori Augustine is the Vice President of the San Francisco International Airport Hub for United Airlines — the first woman to hold this position. She is responsible for the safety and execution of all operations at United's premier international gateway to the Asia-Pacific region. Recently, Lori served as United’s Vice President of airport operations domestic line stations, in which she was responsible for overseeing all of United's non-hub domestic airports. Lori was recognized in 2023 by the Sa...

Special Episode: Adrian Burrell (with San Francisco Magazine)

Adrian Burrell is a rising media artist, storyteller, and writer. His upcoming book "Sugarcane and Lightning" is a visual story of his family’s journey from Louisiana to Oakland during the Great Migration. Using photography, film, installation, and experimental media, Burrell’s work delves into issues of race, class, and intergenerational dynamics through collective storytelling. A thoughtful, intelligent, and warm young man, Adrian’s work is receiving well-deserved attention from organizations ...

Beyond The Fog Radio 2023 Holiday Special

Local Heroes: Nina Serrano

Welcome to Season 8 of Beyond the Fog Radio! We start our first series, Local Heroes, with poet, writer, media producer, and activist Nina Serrano. Born during the Great Depression in New York City’s Latino and immigrant communities, Nina’s deep appreciation for these cultural connections profoundly shaped her life. Along with a background in theater, anthropology, and international peace activism, Nina's career is a profound blend of the arts and Latinx-American human rights activism. Nina has ...