The Bay

On Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that California’s economy will ‘reopen’ by June 15, as long as there’s enough vaccine supply for everyone 16 and older and COVID-19 hospitalizations across the state remain low.

This doesn’t mean all precautions — like the state’s mask mandate — will get scrapped. But it is a big step towards businesses and public spaces operating like they were before the pandemic.

So what’s it going to take to stay on track for “reopening” by June 15?

Guest: April Dembosky, KQED health correspondent

Episode transcript here: https://bit.ly/3t8oNnW

Subscribe to The Bay to hear more local Bay Area stories like this one. New episodes are released Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 3 a.m. Find The Bay on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, NPR One or via Alexa.

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After months of local and national attacks against people in the AAPI community, Oakland Chinatown has rallied together to support their elders and businesses.

But the community is divided — and a generational gap exposed — over whether they want more policing to be part of the solution or not.

Guest: Julie Chang, KQED reporter

Episode transcript here: https://bit.ly/3dHToSN

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California’s Employment Development Department (or EDD) is responsible for paying out the state’s unemployment insurance. Ever since the pandemic began, the agency has struggled to close its huge backlog of claims. The system is even more frustrating for people who struggle with technology and language access, and advocates say these issues are still a big problem today. 

Guest: Mary Franklin Harvin, KQED reporter and producer for The California Report

Claiming unemployment in California? Here's what to know about EDD and pandemic federal benefits.

Episode transcript here: https://bit.ly/3sStzWH

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Californians ages 50 and older are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. They have two weeks to book appointments before the state opens up eligibility to people ages 16 and older on starting April 15.

But booking an appointment is easier said than done; many people have already been struggling to find them; sometimes there’s a lack of supply, technology issues, and the process can be confusing. Today, we’ll give you some strategies for finding an appointment when you're eligible.

Guest: Carly Severn, KQED senior engagement editor

Visit KQED's vaccine guide:

Episode transcript here: https://bit.ly/3md4t2b

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Earlier this month, leaders at Mills College announced that the school, which has been in the Bay Area for 169 years, will no longer be awarding degrees starting in 2023.

This news came as a shock to many students, faculty, and alumni, who know Mills as a unique place for women and LGBTQ people who care about the arts and about social justice.

Today, we’ll learn about the history and legacy of Mills College and its impact on the Bay Area.

Guest: Chloe Veltman, KQED arts and culture reporter

Episode transcript here: https://bit.ly/3cGlgaN

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Throughout this pandemic, disabled people and seniors have been at risk of getting sick and dying from COVID-19. And all this time, advocates and community organizers have been pushing to make sure that people in power listen to their concerns.

Their activism has pushed the state to shift its policies several times — including this latest eligibility phase, which doesn't force people with disabilities to bring documentation in order to get vaccinated. But the struggle to make our entire COVID-19 response equitable for disabled people and seniors is far from over.

Guest: Jessica Lehman, executive director of Senior and Disability Action

Episode transcript here: https://bit.ly/31uh6fI

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Oakland and Marin County are the latest California jurisdictions to announce plans to launch guaranteed income pilot programs. The idea is to give money to hundreds of low-income residents of color, every month, with no strings attached.

The two projects have their similarities and differences. But in general, supporters that the results will build a bigger case for even bigger guaranteed income projects in the future.

Guest: Guy Marzorati, KQED politics reporter and producer for the Political Breakdown podcast

Episode transcript here: https://bit.ly/3ff7n4P

More Resources:

• San Francisco Launches 'Guaranteed Income' Pilot Program for Struggling Artists

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The killing of 8 people in Georgia, 6 of whom were women of Asian descent, has led to marches and rallies in the Bay Area in support of the AAPI community. It’s also prompted many people to share experiences they’ve had with racism and sexism.

But as organizer and advocate Hyejin Shim says, it’s also important to be specific about who was targeted in the Atlanta shooting. Because when we do that, we can also pave the way for solutions that protect those who are most vulnerable to racist and sexist violence.

Guest: Hyejin Shim, member of Survived and Punished and Korean American Coalition to End Domestic Abuse

More Resources: Asian Women’s Shelter, Red Canary Song

Episode transcript here: https://bit.ly/3faVxsp

Subscribe to The Bay to hear more local Bay Area stories like this one. New episodes are released Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 3 a.m. Find The Bay on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, NPR One or via Alexa.

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This past year, a group of organizations have been keeping count of reports of anti-Asian hate incidents across the country. Nearly 3,800 reports have been submitted since the Stop AAPI Hate reporting center was launched, and nearly 45 percent of those were reported in California. The attack on Asian businesses in Atlanta that killed eight, including six Asian women, is just the latest chapter of anti-Asian racism in America. And behind the numbers are people and stories.

Guest: Russell Jeung, Chair of the Asian American Studies Department at San Francisco State and Co-Founder of the Stop AAPI Hate reporting center

This episode originally published on March 27, 2020. Episode transcript here: http://bit.ly/3rfrDFU

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Over the last year there has been a lot of heartbreak caused by the pandemic. There have also been moments of joy and communities coming together to help each other out. KQED’s Bay Curious podcast honors how lives have changed here in the Bay Area with its one-year anniversary show.

Subscribe to Bay Curious here.

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