Civic

Civic

By San Francisco Public Press & KSFP, Mel BakerNewsGovernmentPolitics
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Civic episodes

  • Who Decides? Trans Youth, Federal Power and the Battle Over Care
    In this episode of Civic, reporter Sylvie Sturm examines how federal policy — through executive orders, funding threats and regulatory pressure — is reshaping access to gender-affirming care for transgender youth across the United States.
    The debate is unfolding even though no new federal law has passed and no final rules have taken effect. Yet hospitals, clinics and families are already making decisions in response to the possibility of federal penalties.
    Through the story of Eric, a 15-year-old high school student in Oakland, we follow how those policy battles land in real life.
    The episode also explores the broader policy fight:
    • Federal officials who argue the treatments are unsafe and should be restricted
    • Medical associations and clinicians who say the care can be life-saving when carefully managed
    • Lawyers challenging whether federal agencies even have the authority to impose such limits
    We hear from community health leaders, legal experts, and families navigating the uncertainty, including Dr. Tatyana Moaton Santiago of the San Francisco Community Health Center, who warns that policy threats alone can make providers afraid to offer care.
    Subscribe to Civic from the San Francisco Public Press for investigative reporting on the policies shaping life in San Francisco and beyond.
    30 min
  • Civic Special - Local experts illuminate candidate races and expected measures on city ballots in June and November

    What’s on the ballot this coming June and November? The San Francisco Public Press and The Frisc hosted a panel discussion to discuss the key issues. These included:

    • the “Overpaid CEO Act,” which would modify and boost the top executive pay tax
    • a major charter reform measure that would restructure city government
    • the family zoning plan, which encourages more housing
    • and the race to win the Congressional seat being vacated by Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi

    The panelists were Jason McDaniel, associate professor of political science at San Francisco State University; Jeremy Lee, president of the Rose Pak Asian American Club; and Sin Wang, vice president of the San Francisco Entertainment Commission and founding board member of the West Side Family Democratic Club. 

    59 min
  • Civic Special - San Francisco “Family Zoning” Housing Plan
    As part of an effort to meet state mandated housing requirements, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has introduced a "Family Zoning Plan" that would increase building height limitations along transit corridors. Supervisors have introduced amendments to the legislation which is being voted on December 2nd, 2025.
    SF Public Press Executive Director Lila LaHood and KALW Executive Producer Ben Trefny moderated a town hall conversation bringing together stakeholders with different ideas of how to move forward.
    Panelists include: Brianna Morales, the Community Organizer at the Housing Action Coalition (HAC), a member-supported advocacy organization dedicated to expanding housing opportunities for people of all income levels.
    Sharon Ng, a community planner representing REP-SF, the Race & Equity in All Planning Coalition.
    Jane Natoli, the San Francisco Organizing Director at Yimby Action.
    Fred Sherburn-Zimmer, an economic justice organizer. They are the Campaigns and Policy Director at Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco.
    The panel was recorded at KALW on 220 Montgomery Street in San Francisco.
    59 min
  • How Federal Cuts Threaten Research and Lives
    When federal science budgets are gutted, the fallout reaches far beyond labs. From Alzheimer’s trials at the University of California San Francisco to cancer studies at the Veterans Administration, critical research is stalling, science students are losing opportunities to train and launch careers, and veterans are left without lifesaving care. Hear how universities, courts, and Congress are scrambling to protect the future of science as we unpack the political fight behind the cuts — and what’s at stake for you. We also explore how veterans are pushing back. To learn more, go to commondefense.us.
    30 min
  • What Medicaid Cuts Mean for San Francisco

    President Trump calls it “One Big Beautiful Bill,” but critics say the latest federal budget will slash more than a trillion dollars from Medicaid over the next decade — cutting coverage for an estimated 12 million people. In San Francisco, more than 250,000 residents rely on Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program, along with tens of thousands of caregivers who support them. This episode of Civic from the San Francisco Public Press examines how the bill could affect local patients, long-term care workers, and the city’s healthcare safety net — with voices from those fighting to protect services that are essential to survival.

     

    35 min
  • Social Security Under Strain

    If you’ve experienced issues with Social Security — missed checks, delayed responses, or inaccessible services — you can file a complaint with the California Department of Justice at oag.ca.gov/socialsecurity.

    APPEARING IN THIS EPISODE:

    Kelly Dearman – Executive Director, San Francisco Department of Disability and Aging Services

    Paul Aguilar – Social Security disability beneficiary, long-term HIV survivor

    Dr. Monica Gandhi – Professor of Medicine, UCSF; HIV/AIDS specialist

    Joanna Parnes – Managing Attorney, Bay Area Legal Aid

    Laura Chiera – Director of Legal Services, Legal Assistance to the Elderly, San Francisco

    Jacqueline Hopkins – Claims Specialist, Social Security Administration, Richmond office; union representative

    Sylvia Norman – President, AFGE Local 3172, SSA workers union, Northern and Central California

    30 min

About Civic

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Civic is the flagship audio program from the San Francisco Public Press, a nonprofit news institution, covering important local issues and the unique experiences of living and working in San…

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