Pride is held each year by LGBTQ+ communities the world over to celebrate accomplishments towards gaining civil rights and push for more rights until achieving equity. The first Central Coast Pride was organized in 1997, over the years, Central Coast Pride has grown from a few hundred attendees to one of San Luis Obispo's largest community events. Community volunteers spend months planning various events aimed to educate, entertain, and celebrate. In 2021, Central Coast Pride will be celebrating

American Indian Health & Services, Inc. (AIH&S) is one of 41 non-profit Urban Indian Health Organizations nationwide which seek to provide culturally competent care to meet the needs of the Urban Indian communities they serve. For over 20 years, AIH&S has been committed to promoting and providing quality services to improve the health and well-being of American Indians and Alaska Natives and all other community members of Santa Barbara. They envision a vibrant community where

Scientists around the world agree that pollution, habitat destruction, and over-exploitation of natural resources have created a climate emergency that threatens great harm to human health, wellbeing, and livelihoods. Here at home in California and on the Central Coast, we are experiencing those effects first hand. The U.S. drought monitor reports approximately more than half of California is already experiencing a severe drought, and that we are primed for a severe 2021 fire season . And while

The theme for Earth Day 2021 is Restore Our Earth , which focuses on natural processes, emerging green technologies, and innovative thinking that can restore the world’s ecosystems. Understanding the ocean’s role in climate change and how we approach business and conservation associated with the oceans are a critical part of the solution to the climate crisis. Join us in a celebration of Earth Day, as host Kris Kington-Barker speaks with Benjamin Ruttenberg , Associate Professor in the

In 2020 while navigating the COVID pandemic, El Camino Homeless Organization (ECHO) successfully expanded homeless services in Northern San Luis Obispo County where they had been much needed for years. In one year, the organization grew from 50 beds and a small handful of staff to more than 100 beds and three shelters, and almost two dozen staff members. How did this expansion come about? And how is it being managed? What other plans does the non-profit have to tackle the communities’ homeless

Voices of the Earth deals with the troubled relationship between humans and the natural world. Compiled by Charles Junkerman and Rush Rehm Voices of the Earth brings together some of the greatest environmental voices from across the centuries to celebrate the anniversary of Earth Day. With a cast of 90 different characters – poets, naturalists, scientists, politicos, deniers, and heroes, Voices of the Earth presents a kaleidoscope of views on the earth we inhabit, and the existential crisis we

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States and the 8th leading cause of death in San Luis Obispo County. This past week the County of San Luis Obispo, in partnership with the Suicide Prevention Council , made its draft Suicide Prevention Plan available for public review and comment. The Plan’s release comes at a critical time for promoting mental health and wellness after a year of COVID-19–associated stress. This Plan is the result of years of collaboration among community

Each year, National Equal Pay Day reflects how far into the current year women must work to match what men earned in the previous year. Due to a gender gap in pay, it takes women an extra three months of wages to make up the difference. On average, women working full time and year-round are paid 82 cents for every dollar paid to a man who works full time and year-round. The wage gap is even greater for most women of color.

What is fentanyl? It is powerful synthetic opioid, similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent. Fentanyl was originally used as an anesthetic. It is approved for treating severe pain, typically advanced cancer pain. The CDC reports that rates of overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, have increased substantially in the last few years and that most of these recent cases of fentanyl-related harm, including overdose, and death in the U.S. are linked to illegally made

Since 1970, the Community Environmental Council (CEC) has incubated and innovated real life environmental solutions that directly affect the California Central Coast. Their current work advances rapid and equitable solutions to the climate crisis – including ambitious zero carbon goals, drawdown of excess carbon, and protection against the impacts of climate change. At CEC, building community resilience is at the center of everything they do. Join Kris Kington Barker as she speaks with guests