Monthly Archives: June 2024

Tales From Two Cities By Two Phenomenal Story Tellers

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Our guests are two highly acclaimed story tellers offering new books for summer reading or anytime of the year reading, bringing big city life to their plots. In the first segment is Curtis Chin, co-founder of the Asian American Writers’ Workshop, filmmaker, and author. He talks about his highly intersectional memoir Everything I Learned I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant, published by Little Brown and Company. In the second segment (minute 34:04) is George Pelecanos, author, screenwriter, essayist, television writer/producer, who bring a dog’s perspetive in his novella BUSTER: A Dog, published by Akashic Books.

Music credits: Chimora, “Africano Americano,” Sounds of Africa – album; Sly5th Ave, “Pour it Up,” Composite EP; Black Disco, “Night Express,” Night Express – album. That’s a wrap for African American Music Appreciation Month!

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/ChinPelecanos6-25-24.mp3

A Shakedown of the Metropolitan Water District’s Priorities

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My guests for the full hour are two water activists who’ve been monitoring consequential infrastructure decisions over the decades: Sierra Club Water Committee Chair and Vice Chair of Environmental and Social Justice Charming Evelyn; and Conner Everts, Executive Director of the Southern California Watershed Alliance and facilitator of the Environmental Water Caucus. They attend innumerable water board meetings so that you and I don’t have to! Today’s focus is on some Metropolitan Water District board of directors’ maneuvering to oust the forward thinking general manager Adel Hagekhalil. Charming ad Conner connect the dots between this power struggle and the Newsom administration’s top priority – the $20+ billion Delta Tunnel project. Actually we learn it’s more like $38 billion, not counting the much anticipated cost over-runs.

Music credits: Chimora, “Africano Americano,” Sounds of Africa – album; Bill Beach, “Aqua De Beber,” Letting Go – album.

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/EvelynEverts6-18-24.mp3

“Spirit Possession” Comes To OCCCA AND More Lanes Won’t Save Us

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Today our first guests are Thomas Fynn and Tom Lamb, collaborating photographers bring “Spirit Possession a Celebration of Ghanaian Faces, African Culture and Heritage.” This exhibition continues through June 29th at OCCCA. Juneteenth commemorations are scheduled at this venue as well as at the Laguna Beach Cultural Art Center.

In the second segment (minute 30:17) we hear from Susan Handy U.C. Davis professor of environmental science who researches the relationships between transportation and land use to talk about how freeway expansions don’t work. An extended portion of her interview is available on this same day.

Music credits: Chimora, “Africano Americano,” Sounds of Africa – album; Hyskuul Band Gh Enoch Owuraku; Kamasi Washington, “Change of the Guard,” The Epic – album. 

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/FynnLambHandyPod6-11-24.mp3

The extended portion – we wrap up on topics opened in the broadcast: I-405 expansion, tollroads, comprehensive planning, and Caltrain. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/HandyExt6-11-24.mp3

Our Neighbors and Families Forward AND A Special 2024 Commencement Exercise

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Returning to the show are both guests. Madelynn Hirneise, CEO of Families Forward, speaks about her organization’s current efforts – before the holidays, well before chestnuts start roasting on the winter open fire. Housing is top of mind. She invites prospective volunteers to call 949-552-272 7 or check out: https://www.families-forward.org/volunteer-opportunities/.

In the second segment (minute 39:27), “AAL” resumes the annual tradition of having a graduating senior from the KUCI staff take stock of their UCI years; Kalisee Ajlouny takes the Class of 2024 out this year, the class that took a lot of public health and political lumps. Hit it Maestro Elgar!

Music credits: Chimora, “Africano Americano,” Sounds of Africa – album; A. Ray Fuller, “Work To Do,” The Weeper – album; Blue Claw Philharmonic, “Pomp & Circumstance,” Hip Hop Remix.

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/HirneiseAjlouni6-4-24.mp3