The Trump Administration’s immigration crackdown has left few safe spaces for immigrants. But in the East Bay, local soccer leagues have provided a rare sense of psychological safety for immigrant newcomers.

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Since Donald Trump’s first term in office, a UC Berkeley student group called Central Americans for Empowerment (CAFE) has been pushing for a Central American Studies department. For them, it would help raise visibility of Central Americans whose specific stories often get lost in broader conversations about Latinos and immigration in the U.S.

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Fairfax is a small, predominantly white town of about 7,500 people, nestled up against the Mt. Tam watershed in Marin. Wellness and a distrust of authority have long been part of the town’s culture. But since the pandemic, it also became a place where supporters of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s anti-vaccine message grew louder and louder.

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The Marin Town Where RFK Jr.’s Message Took Root

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This episode contains explicit language.

Next week, San Jose City Council will vote on a controversial plan that would threaten unhoused people with arrest if they refuse multiple offers of shelter. Mayor Matt Mahan says this approach could help open paths to treatment and increase support for more shelter construction. But Santa Clara County officials are skeptical.

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An independent investigation into a massive fire at the Martinez PBF Energy refinery found that human error, worker inexperience and lack of supervision were at the heart of the February fire that prompted shelter in place orders. Today, we revisit an episode about this initial fire that alarmed local residents.

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Massive Martinez Refinery Fire in February Caused by Human Error, Investigation Finds

This episode first aired Feb. 7, 2025.

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In the 1900s, San Francisco eradicated native coyotes from the city. But around 20 years ago, they returned and are now a part of daily life. For some residents, they’re a source of wonder, while others view them as a nuisance and a danger to pets and children. 

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On this month’s edition of The Bay’s news roundup, we talk about a proposed 10-year ban on state AI regulations that the House of Representatives passed as part of President Trump’s budget bill. Plus, Oakland’s MACRO program – a non-emergency alternative to police – releases new data, and the Bay Area’s very own Ruby Ibarra wins NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest.

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More than four years after the Taliban took control of Kabul, thousands of Afghan families are still waiting for the U.S. to fulfill promises it made to take them in for helping the American war effort.

Now, the U.S. is moving to deport thousands of Afghans who have recently arrived here, after the Trump administration announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status for people from Afghanistan.

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In 2023, Rise East, a collective of East Oakland nonprofits, received a $50 million grant a from national philanthropic organization. But there was a catch: The money could only be unlocked if Rise East could raise more $50 million more from local donors.

On Thursday, Rise East announced that they had done it. And East Oaklanders have already begun dreaming about what to do with this money to help reimagine their communities.

This episode originally aired on Oct. 11, 2024.

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Rise East Unlocks $100 Million to Reimagine East Oakland

Live From East Oakland: Can $100 Million Revitalize Oakland’s Black Community?

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My Wildest Story is a national live storytelling and comedic trauma-bonding event series from the pop-up comedy collective Fools Circle. Earlier this month, some of the Bay Area’s favorite comedians and storytellers gathered at KQED for this showcase of crazy and jaw-dropping personal experiences that could only happen here.

This episode contains explicit language.

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Watch the full event

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