How San Francisco's first gay-positive church weathered the AIDs crisis

SHOW: San Francisco's Legacy of Queer Community Care

Today, we explore a series that captures San Francisco at the height of the AIDS epidemic. It's a conversation with the host of “When We All Get To Heaven.” Then, we visit the Bay Area’s first women’s sports bar- Rikki’s. Plus, a poem about found family.

How San Francisco's first gay-positive church weathered the AIDs crisis

Pride Month is a time to celebrate accomplishments of LGBTQ+ individuals, and commemorate the ongoing fight for the whole community to gain equality and justice. It’s also a time to remember and honor those we’ve lost. That includes the millions [https://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/media_asset/UNAIDS_FactSheet_en.pdf]of people that have died of AIDS-related illness. That’s the aim of the Peabody award winning documentary project, ‘When We All Get To Heaven.’ With archival tape it tells the story of one of the first gay-positive churches, the Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco during the height of the AIDS crisis in the 80s and 90s.  The 10 episode series brings to life a community facing personal, social, and political trials, including the deaths of hundreds of its members. It premiered in October 2025. And KALWs Crosscurrents host Hana Baba spoke with the host and co-creator of the series Lynne Gerber.

BOUNCE Ep. 3: Rikki's - The Bay Area's First Women's Sports Bar

In June 2025, San Francisco welcomed its first women's sports bar: Rikki’s! In honor of Rikki’s first anniversary, here’s the story of how it came to be, from the host of Bounce, KALW’s Erin Lim.

Bay Poets: 'everyday I become egg' by poet Lorenz Mazon Dumuk

Now, a poem about becoming ourselves, with the help of our chosen family. This is San Jose Poet, Lorenz Mazon Dumuk reading his poem, “Everyday I become an Egg.”

SHOW: Celebrating Caribbean Heritage Month

Today, we take dancing to a deeper level with Afro-Cuban folklore. Experiencing dance as spiritual practice. And, we head over to Oakland's first Haitian restaurant for some hearty, braised goodness.