Roots Radio

Roots Radio is an interview series highlighting community members that make up the cultural, artistic, musical, and political Oakland landscape. In episode 21, host Richie Nuñez has a conversation with Boots Riley, a renowned director, producer, screenwriter, musician, and activist from Oakland.

In this episode, we delve into the life and career of Boots Riley, the creative force behind the film "Sorry to Bother You" and the TV series "I'm a Virgo," as well as his influential work with the hip-hop group The Coup.

Join us as we explore Boots’ deep connection to Oakland, from his early days growing up in The Town to his rise as a prominent figure in music and film. We discuss his creative process, the challenges he faced transitioning from music to filmmaking, and his commitment to social justice. Riley shares insights on gentrification, affordable housing for artists, and the importance of staying rooted in his community.

Roots Radio is an interview series highlighting community members that make up the cultural, artistic, musical, and political Oakland landscape. In episode 20, hosts Richie Nuñez and Lisa Bonta Sumii have a conversation with Jackson Stearns, the President of The Oakland Spiders.

In this episode, we delve into the life and career of Jackson Stearns, the visionary leader behind the Oakland Spiders, a professional ultimate disc team in the American Ultimate Disc League West Division.

Join us as we delve into his early days growing up in Oakland to his rise as a key figure in the Oakland Spiders organization. We explore his leadership philosophy, his views on mental health on and off the field, and his vision for the Spiders' future. Whether you're a die-hard Spiders fan or simply curious about the man leading this remarkable team, this episode offers a fascinating glimpse into the mind and mission of Jackson Stearns, one of the driving forces behind the Oakland Spiders' success.

Roots Radio is an interview series that highlights community members who contribute to the cultural, artistic, musical, and political landscape of Oakland. In episode 19, hosts Richie Nuñez and Lisa Bonta Sumii engage in a conversation with Fantastic Negrito.

When you listen to Fantastic Negrito, you're invited to experience the story of life after destruction. Each song represents a real story of a musician from Oakland who went through the highs of a million-dollar record deal, the lows of a near-fatal car accident that left him in a coma, and now finds himself in the midst of a rebirth that has taken him from the streets of Oakland to the world stage.

The narrative of this man is as crucial as the sound itself because the narrative is the sound. The songs are born from a challenging life, channeled through black roots music with elements of slide guitar, drums, and piano. The music is urgent, desperate, and edgy.

Negrito burst onto the national radar by winning the inaugural NPR Tiny Desk contest in 2015 and has since won Grammys for all three of his albums: The Last Days of Oakland (2017), Please Don't Be Dead (2019), and Have You Lost Your Mind Yet? (2021). The latter album features collaborations with fellow Tiny Desk winner Tank (Tank and the Bangas) and Bay Area legend E-40.

The past few years have been eventful for Negrito. His independent record label, Storefront Records in West Oakland, released his two most recent projects. White Jesus Black Problems (2022) and Grandfather Courage (2023) explore the forbidden love between his seventh-generation grandmother, a white Scottish indentured servant, and his seventh-generation grandfather, an enslaved African man on a Virginia tobacco plantation in the 1750s. White Jesus Black Problems is accompanied by a 45-minute video available to watch on YouTube.

Negrito has also launched The Storefront Market, an open-air community market at Storefront Records. The tenth market recently collaborated with Thrive City at The Chase Center, the home of The Golden State Warriors in San Francisco. This collaboration brought a variety of Bay Area artists and vendors to the city.

Roots Radio is an interview series highlighting community members that make up the cultural, artistic, musical, and political Oakland landscape. In episode 18, co-hosts Lisa Bonta Sumii and Richie Nuñez have a conversation with Mara Hruby, a jazz musician and soulful storyteller. 

In this episode, we dive deep into the life and music of this rising star from Oakland, CA. With influences ranging from Julie London and Patsy Cline to The Moonglows, Curtis Mayfield, and Brook Benton, Mara Hruby has crafted a unique sound that blends alternative jazz, soul, and R&B.

We start by exploring Mara's debut EP, "From Her Eyes," where soulfully covers classics originally performed by men, adding her own feminine touch to each song. We then dive into Mara's sophomore EP, "Archaic Rapture," which received critical acclaim and reached the coveted #1 spot on iTunes Jazz charts within the first week of its release. To end our conversation, we get a special sneak peek of her unreleased song “Offering You My Love,” which is the title track of her upcoming original album. Throughout the discussion, Mara shares with us the inspiration behind each song and the emotional journey that led her to create these masterpieces. Join us as we delve into the soulful sound of Mara Hruby and explore the creative power and sentimental care that she pours into her music.

Roots Radio is an interview series highlighting community members that make up the cultural, artistic, musical, and political Oakland landscape. In episode 17, host Richie Nuñez has a conversation with Lisa Bonta Sumii, LCSW, CSW, Mental Performance Coach at the Oakland Roots Sports Club. Lisa shares her expertise and perspective on the multidimensional elements of being a high performance athlete. Athletes endure unique challenges on and off the field and Lisa specializes in supporting athletes navigate these obstacles. She has been featured in Time Magazine, BBC News, Teen Vogue, Women’s Health Magazine, and was featured as a TedX Speaker. Lisa is the Founder & CEO of AthMindset®️ a company that supports the mental health of the elite athlete and the sport ecosystem, with clinical and mental performance practitioners. Her efforts have been widely recognized in the sports industry.

Lisa is a national and international speaker in her areas of expertise, bringing the knowledge of mental health and mental performance to many. Most recently, Lisa traveled to Jordan for a women in soccer exchange, as an expert speaker. Presenting to players, coaches, sports medicine professionals, staff, and leaders in the Jordan Football Association and Jordan Olympic Committee. Promoting gender equity, inclusion, and female representation in football at the youth grassroots level, was also a major component of her trip.

Below are three of Lisa’s favorite songs which are featured on this episode:

1. After Last Night — Silk Sonic featuring Thundercat & Bootsy Collins
2. Peaches — Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar & Giveon
3. Lose Yourself — Eminem

Roots Radio is an interview series highlighting community members that make up the cultural, artistic, musical, and political Oakland landscape. In episode 16, host Richie Nuñez has a conversation with Los Angeles native Janelle Grace, Executive Producer of the short film and comic “Love Conquers All.” Janelle speaks of her early childhood, growing up in Carson, CA and moving to Oakland to get out of her comfort zone and capture her inspirations of the Bay Area on film. Janelle’s latest project “Love Conquers All” focuses on the topic of mental health to help raise awareness of the traumas that are neglected in minority communities. The struggles of the human experience are reflected in her work and Janelle believes in order to heal you must be willing to face difficult truths. Richie and Janelle also discuss how soccer and sports influence creative work by instilling traits of discipline, hard work, integrity, and leadership.

Roots Radio is an interview series highlighting community members that make up the cultural, artistic, musical, and political Oakland landscape. In episode 15, host Richie Nuñez has a conversation with Rafael Casal, Executive Producer of the movie and television series Blindspotting. Rafael’s East Bay upbringing consisted of exploring all of his artistic interests and passions. Music, poetry, film and acting found their way into Rafael’s life and ultimately led him down a path where he was able to combine his love for theater and music. Now, he is an actor, writer, director, and Executive Producer for “Blindspotting” on the Starz Network which provides him an opportunity to share his unique perspective of the Bay Area. Rafael shares his story about the influence that the East Bay had on his life and explains how sports and community played a role in his upbringing.

Roots Radio is an interview series highlighting community members that make up the cultural, artistic, musical, and political Oakland landscape. In episode 14, host Richie Nuñez has a conversation with Oakland native Brianna Noble, Founder of Urban Cowgirl Ranch. Brianna's passion for farm life, community work, and working with horses began in her early teens and involved sacrifice and a willingness to take risks in order to achieve her dream and vision. When she participated in the Oakland protest of the murder of George Floyd, Brianna rode in on her horse and unbeknowingly, a picture of her went viral online creating a spotlight on her equestiran work and activism. Since then, her message and impact has been amplified and she has been able to raise awareness around her love for working with horses and motivating youth to pursue their passions in agriculture.

Roots Radio is an interview series highlighting community members that make up the cultural, artistic, musical, and political Oakland landscape. In episode 13, host Richie Nuñez has a conversation with Oakland native Ay’Anna Moody, Senior Director of Social Impact at the Golden State Warriors and Community Board Member at The Oakland Roots. Ay’Anna’s passion for social impact work began at young age when her aunt exposed her to the pro bono advocacy work she was committed to as a lawyer. Both of Ay’Anna’s parents are first-generation Oaklanders and she speaks to the impact that her hometown has had on her life and how the intersection of sports and community shaped her outlook and career.

Roots Radio is an interview series highlighting community members that make up the cultural, artistic, musical, and political Oakland landscape. Host Richie Nuñez has a conversation with Asaad Bruno, an Algerian-American interdisciplinary artist, designer, and consultant based in the Bay Area. Specialized in visual art, up-cycling & slow-fashion, his work embodies a transmutation of ideas, elements & materials towards the future, in tribute to past influences and heritage, aligned with present intentions on Earth. Through lines, shapes & colors, he articulates his evolving taste, beliefs, and understanding of human nature in depth & texture.