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S3: Ep 11 : Jared Blumenfeld Secretary of the Protection of the Environment for the State of California
Jared Blumenfeld is the Secretary of Environmental Protection for the State of California. From protecting air and water quality to regulating pesticides and toxic substances, Jared has had a direct and positive impact on all of our lives here in the Golden State. Thanks to his efforts, not only does SF have the strongest recycling and composting program in the country, but we have also banned plastic bags and styrofoam and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent.
Blumenfeld is somewhat of an environmental warrior, having led international campaigns like the U.N.’s World Environmental Day in 2005, or the habitat protection program for the International Fund for Animal Welfare. He knows that environmental inequality is the most pressing issue facing the Bay Area today, so we at Beyond the Fog Radio were thrilled to be able to talk to him about his plans to help our city while learning about his fascinating career.
For more information about Jared Blumenfeld, please visit: https://calepa.ca.gov/about/bios/blumenfeld/
Meet Jared Blumenfeld!
S3: Ep 10 : Cora Jean’s Old Skool Cafe and Teresa Goines
Teresa Goines is Founder and Executive Director of Old Skool Cafe, a non-profit youth restaurant located in San Francisco’s Bayview District. Once a probation officer in juvenile prison, Teresa realized that locking up kids only perpetuated their troubles. She wanted to give them direction, income, community and purpose. With the help of volunteer chefs and builders, Old Skool Cafe went from a small pop-up in Teresa’s home to a beautiful 1920’s style supper club in an old refurbished church. With velvet curtains and booths to chandeliers and
international soul food, Old Skool Cafe is now a home for both challenged youth and lovers of Soul food alike.
The kids run everything including cooking, cleaning, waiting, and entertainment. The program trains, employs and teaches them leadership and management skills, all the while giving them a new kind of home. Goines’ vision brought Old Skool Cafe to life, but the kids keep it alive. We are very proud to feature her as our guest this week on Beyond the Fog Radio.
For more information about Teresa and Old Skool Cafe, please visit:
https://www.oldskoolcafe.org/
Meet Teresa Goines!
S3: Ep 9: On The Waterfront with Simon Snellgrove and Wayne Perry
Simon Snellgrove is Founder and Principal of Pacific Waterfront Partners, a development company dedicated to restoring the city’s Waterfront. Since San Francisco is such a difficult city to build in, this native Australian has shown immense resilience in facilitating a seamless transition between the old and new parts of the Embarcadero and Piers, all the while maintaining historical accuracy in his clean and tasteful restoration.
Wayne Perry is an East Bay native and CEO and Chairman of Cornerstone Concilium. Originally started in 1986 to help churches with infrastructure, Perry’s company now provides infrastructure programs with all kinds of technical and engineering solutions in the US and Asia. Even more, he is currently building a non-profit to train people from underserved communities in engineering, technology, and all aspects of infrastructure.
Our guests this week are honest, kind and hard-working men. With seagulls flying over our heads on a sunny day in March, we interviewed them about their companies, careers, and recent projects on the Waterfront.
For more information about Simon and Wayne, please visit:
https://www.pacificwaterfront.com/
https://cornerstoneconcilium.com/
Meet Simon Snellgrove and Wayne Perry!
S3: Ep 8: Oz Erickson transforming neighborhoods
Oz Erickson is the Founder and Chairman of the Emerald Fund, a San Francisco-based real estate development company dedicated to transforming entire neighborhoods. Since 1979, Erickson and his company have turned abandoned warehouses into liveable communities and commercial office buildings into residential homes, totaling over 8 thousand housing units.
Oz also sits on several non-profit boards, allowing him to approach his work from a humanitarian point of view. He understands deeply what it takes to build something in our city, and cannot imagine doing anything else in life. Though his humility and honesty have gotten him far, Erickson’s true success lies in his keen creative vision– where one sees a pile of rubble, Oz sees a thriving community. We hope you enjoy our interview with him.
For more information about Oz Erickson and the Emerald Fund, please visit: https://www.emeraldfund.com/
Meet Oz Erickson!
S3: Ep 7: Charmine Curtis and Developing Affordable housing
Charmaine Curtis is one of the first female African American developers in the San Francisco Bay Area. She’s creative, driven and socially-conscious, developing affordable and below market housing to build up and better her community. From multi-family homes to urban infill projects, Curtis has overseen or participated in the development of more than seven thousand housing units.
We at Beyond the Fog Radio find Charmaine to be charming, warm and thoughtful. She describes looking at development like a puzzle, finding the best possible way to maximize opportunity for middle and lower class residents while creating lively and welcoming community spaces. We have much respect for Charmaine and her work, and we hope you enjoy learning from her as much as we did.
For more information about Charmaine Curtis, please visit:
https://www.curtis-development.com/charmaine-curtis
Meet Charmaine Curtis!
S3: Ep 6: Developing BayView Hunters Point with Michael Baines and Cathy Davis
Michael Baines is a developer and contractor for low-income housing and founded his own company, BGI Group Inc. Even more, his company is the largest employer of formerly incarcerated people in the Bay Area. Cathy Davis is the Executive Director of Bayview Hunters Point Multipurpose Senior Services, a nonprofit that provides services to disadvantaged seniors in San Francisco. She likewise runs the Dr. George W. Davis Senior Center, founded by
S3: Ep 5: Pete Sittnick and the Waterbar
With over 25 years of experience in the Bay Area’s restaurant business, Pete Sittnick has opened, operated, and supervised more than 20 restaurants in the Bay Area and beyond. From designing innovative Italian eateries to teaching hospitality at USF, Sittnick’s knack for hospitality management has helped create some of the city’s most frequented restaurants.
Most notable are his sister restaurants Waterbar and Epic Steak. One for seafood (Waterbar) and one for meat (Epic Steak, )these restaurants helped transform the city’s Waterfront after the removal of the Embarcadero Freeway. Sharing the same vision as the locals in opening up the Waterfront, Sittnick was determined to make the restaurants look and feel like the rest of the city. Today it is adored by locals and visitors alike, with Sittnick still working hard to support and connect the San Francisco community.
We loved interviewing Pete at the Waterbar this February and hope you enjoy it, too!
For more information of Pete and Water Bar, please visit: https://www.waterbarsf.com/pete-sittnick
Meet Pete Sittnick!
S3: Ep 4: Art Agnos Former Mayor Of San Francisco
Politician, social worker, and champion of liberalism in San Francisco, former Mayor Art Agnos has left a lasting mark on our city’s offices and landscape. Through his 1988-1992 term, he worked to break up nepotism in the Fire and Police Departments, paving the way for our city’s second African American Police Chief and female Fire Chief.
S3: Ep 3: Sal Garcia the Ferrari Doctor and the Mission
The Ferrari Doctor, the Mayor of Potrero, the proud owner of Waterfront Automobili— Sal Garcia is a living landmark of San Francisco’s rich local communities. His story is one of immigration— from El Salvador to SF’s sunny Mission District, Garcia spent his formative years learning to master the English language and connecting with locals in his neighborhood. He graduated with Mission High with honors, and later USF with degrees in Business and Military Science. After a successful career as Lieutenant Colonel in the Medical Service Corp of the US Army, his love of Ferrari automobiles and all things mechanical inspired him to own and operate his own repair and restoration facility, Waterfront Automobili. Garcia’s success there has earned him the nickname “the Ferrari Doctor,” both in the Bay Area and beyond.
Since childhood, Garcia has had a passion for being a community man. Through his work at Waterfront Automobili and his involvement with SF communities like the SFPD, SFFD, legal specialists, builders, friends and family, Garcia has helped make San Francisco feel like a home to all. In fact, his presence in the city is so strong, his success over the years has grown purely from word of mouth! The friends and organizations that Garcia has grown up with all share a mutual respect for what they each give to their beautiful city of San Francisco. We therefore felt it fitting to include him in our community here at BTFR.
Meet Sal Garcia!
S3: Ep 2: Elizabeth Soberanes and Carnaval in The Mission
On a sunny February afternoon in Mission Dolores Park, Jae and I interviewed lifelong Latin dancer, arts educator, producer, and choreographer Elizabeth Soberanes. She’s been an active performer and resident in San Francisco’s Mission District for over 40 years, starting with a BA in Dance Ethnology from SFSU. Elizabeth is a champion of Latin dance styles including Afro-Haitian, Brazilian, Cuban, Capoeira, Hip Hop and Jazz. In 2009, Elizabeth founded Latin Dance Grooves (LDG) to share her love of Latin dance to her community in a welcoming environment. This later evolved into a performance ensemble that has performed at numerous occasions, including SF Pride Festival Latin Stage, Bay Area Cuban Festival, SF Carnvale, and more. Today LDG boasts some of the most popular Latin dance and fitness classes in the Bay Area.
Elizabeth is also well-known for her participation in Canaval, SF’s annual celebration of Latin and South American culture. This parade features dance, art, decorated floats, music and food, a scene where someone as cheerful as Elizabeth can always be found. Her work with LDG has helped bring so much life to Carnaval, as it’s helped her students participate in the festival for many years. Elizabeth believes that dance is a healing force for physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being for the individual and the community. Who better to tell us about the meaning of San Francisco’s Carnival than her?
For more information about Elizabeth Soberanes, please visit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/aforum/18045924320/in/photostream
Meet Elizabeth Soberanes!
S3: Ep 1: Martin Luther McCoy and Jeanne Anyanwu McCoy
Welcome to Season 3 of BTFR! We are honored to start off with musician, actor & SF native Martin Luther McCoy and his artist & activist wife Jeanne Anyanwu McCoy. This talented and stylish 1970’s “Soul Train'' couple play an extensive role in the Bay Area’s art and activism communities.
Martin Luther was fundamental in the 1990’s Bay Area neo-soul scene and is a recent member of the SFJAZZ Collective. He is widely known for his work with hip hop collective the Roots and is likewise acclaimed for his role as “Jo-Jo” in Julie Taymor’s 2007 film Across the Universe. Jeanne Anyanwu McCoy is impressive in her own right. She is an entrepreneur, businesswoman, and community leader. Jeanne is devoted to collaborating on art projects with African American artists in the Bay Area and nationwide, including a new art and community-focused production company called “A Little x” which she co-founded with her husband. Through their company, Jeanne and Martin collaborate with clients such as SFJAZZ and the Museum of African Diaspora (MoAd), where Martin will be performing live on February 26th!
For more information about Martin Luther and his upcoming performance, please visit:
https://www.moadsf.org/event/sfjazz-and-moad-co-present-a-black-history-month-celebration-concert-with-martin-luther-mccoy
Meet Martin Luther and Jeanne Anyanwu McCoy!
S2: Ep 12: R- Re- Release Chef Naizar Mubarak Florio
Beyond The Fog Radio Season 3 launches NEXT WEEK! We couldn't be more excited to share more amazing stories from the Bay Area — and this will be our biggest season yet! To tide over our loyal listeners (and ourselves) for the next seven days, we have one more episode to revisit: our conversation with Naizar Mubarak, Executive Chef at Florio Restaurant in San Francisco (Season 2 Episode 12).
Mubarak began his culinary career at age 19 in his home country of Sri Lanka. He moved to the Bay Area in 2006, and has since left his mark on restaurants like Marzano, Garibaldi’s, Bocanova, and the Duck Club. Mubarak puts his own spin on his mother's recipes and native cuisine; at Florio, he mixes French and Italian dishes with Sri Lankan spices to create an eclectic, innovative, and oh-so-delicious menu.
Join Susan, Michaela, and Jae as they look back at their interview with Naizar Mubarak — and we'll see you next week to kick off Beyond The Fog Radio Season 3!
S2: Ep 15 R: - Re Release Margo Hall Artistic Director of the Lorraine Hansberry Theater
Welcome back to Beyond The Fog Radio! We're almost ready to launch Season 3 — can you believe it? Before the new season begins, however, the team is looking back at some of our favorite episodes from the first two seasons. This week, we're revisiting our interview with award-winning artist and educator Margo Hall, the new Artistic Director of the Lorraine Hansbury Theater in San Francisco (Season 2 Episode 15).
Margo Hall has been active in the Bay Area theatre scene for over 30 years. She is a founding member of the multicultural Campo Santo theater company, which collaborates with local artists to put on new works for Bay Area audiences. She teaches at both UC Berkeley and Chabot College to support and mentor young actors and playwrights who are discovering their voice. With so many accomplishments and awards to her name, it's safe to say that Margo Hall has left an unmistakable mark on the Bay Area — not just in theatre, but in community.
Join Susan and Michaela in revisiting their conversation with the amazing Margo Hall!
(For more information about Margo Hall, please visit www.margohall.com .)
S2: Ep 11R: Re- Release -Mr. Gregory Cole Founder Touch of Class Choir
Season 2 Episode 11 R: Gregory Cole- Re- Release
Welcome back to Beyond The Fog Radio! Recording for Season 3 is still underway, but in the meantime, our team is looking back at some of our favorite episodes from our first two seasons. This week, we're rediscovering Touch of Class Choir (Season 2 Episode 11) and the man behind its magic — Mr. Gregory Cole!
Mr. Cole has taught music and made a difference for Bay Area children for over 40 years, to the point where we can’t list all of his accomplishments here in the episode description! His greatest endeavor, however, began in 1984 at Sala & Phillip Burton Academic High School, where he founded Touch of Class Choir (TOCC). In the midst of three underserved neighborhoods in San Francisco, Mr. Cole teaches his students a wide range of music from religious to jazz and R&B, and along with tremendous talent, this versatility has led TOCC on tours across the entire world.
Along with music, Mr. Cole teaches his students about important life skills and the power of personal achievement, motivating them in so many different ways. Former TOCC students look to him as a father figure, and we couldn’t think of a kinder person to have such a beloved status. Join Susan, Michaela, and Jae in revisiting their interview with Mr. Gregory Cole!
(For more information about Mr. Gregory Cole, please visit: http://touchofclasschoir.org/gregory-cole-director/ .)
Ep 18 R: Re–Release–Nina Clima and the Gang & North Beach
"Welcome back to Beyond The Fog Radio! Recording for Season 3 is underway, but in the meantime, our team wanted to take a look back at some of our favorite episodes from both Season 1 and Season 2. This week, we're rediscovering our episode on San Francisco's North Beach (Season 1 Episode 18). Our esteemed guests are three 80-years-young North Beach residents who are just as lively as the neighborhood itself!
Nina Clima, Charles Farruggia, and Don Di Basilio grew up together in North Beach and remain dedicated to their community. San Francisco's "Little Italy," North Beach is home to charming Victorian homes and family-owned shops and restaurants that keep older Italian traditions alive and well. Many prominent figures of the Beat Generation helped make famous North Beach institutions like the Saloon and City Lights Booksellers, and Francis Ford Coppola’s production company American Zoetrope has its home in the Sentinel Building at the neighborhood's edge. Nina, Charles, and Don went VERY in-depth about North Beach and its history, and we had such a wonderful time chatting with these equally wonderful people.
Meet Nina Clima and the Gang!"
Ep 11R: Re- Released David Lei & Chinatown
"Welcome to Beyond The Fog Radio! Recording for Season 3 is underway, but in the meantime, our team wanted to take a look back at some of our favorite episodes from both Season 1 and Season 2. This week, our spotlight is on the culturally and historically rich community of Chinatown — and who better to tell us about this amazing neighborhood than the equally amazing David Lei?
In April of 2021, the Beyond The Fog Radio team had the honor to speak to Mr. Lei, a retired social worker and businessman who currently works with various nonprofit organizations to promote community-building, youth education, and the arts. He is an active participant within the Chinese Performing Arts Foundation, the Asian Art Museum, the Chinese-American Community Fund, Chung Ngai Dance Troupe, the Academy of Chinese Performing Arts, the World Arts West San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival, the Bancroft Library, and the Center for Asian American Media — and a tried-and-true San Franciscan and wonderful human being.
Meet David Lei!"
S2: Ep 23: Shelley Lindgren & A16
Season 2 Episode 23: Shelley Lindgren and A16
Shelley Lindgren is a Bay Area-based wine sommelier and a restaurateur. She co-founded restaurant and wine spot A16 in 2004, focusing on the food and wine of Southern Italy. Shelley trained under two of San Francisco’s most well known Chefs and Restaurateurs Hubert Keller and Maurice Rouas, owners of the top SF French restaurant Fleur de Lys. This training inspired her passion for wine and fine dining, and after receiving her professional wine Sommelier degree, Shelley opened A16 in hopes of introducing unknown Italian wines to the Western United States. The specificity of the food and wine she serves coupled with impeccable culinary skill has since awarded her restaurant numerous honors, including the San Francisco Bay Area Rising Star Restaurateur Award. She’s even recently partnered with Kitty Oestilen to create Tansy, an Italian-inspired wine made here in California.
Shelley is humble and kind, She loves to do whatever she can to make one’s dining experience memorable. To her, nothing could be better than enjoying a delicious meal with a glass of fine wine in your hand.
For more information on Shelley Lindgren and A16, please visit: https://www.wineandspiritsmagazine.com/feature-story/restaurant-poll-interviews/rp20-shelley-lindgren-a16
Meet Shelley Lindgren!
S2: Ep 22: Urban Jazz Dance Company with Antoine Hunter
Season 2 Episode 22: Antoine Hunter
Mr. Antoine Hunter, also known as Purple Fire Crow, is an award winning Deaf, Disable, African, Indigenous producer, choreographer, Founder and Artistic Director of the Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival, as well as the Founder and Artistic Director of the Urban Jazz Dance Company. Antoine studied dance at The California Institute of the Arts and the Paul Taylor Dance School in New York City. Deafness allows Antoine to experience music somatically, thus connecting him more deeply with the visual form of communication that dance offers. In doing so, he uniquely cultivates a universal language through which he expresses his experience with exceptional artistry. As such, not only has he performed with some of the Bay Area’s most well-known dance companies, but has also received many awards for his work. His career has also taken him overseas, from Cuba and Rome to Peru and London. He is currently faculty at the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts, the Shawl Anderson Youth in Arts, and Dance -A- Vision.
Antoine is a secure, balanced human being who harnesses the energy of music in unique and refreshing ways. His intuition for dance has made him the bridge through which visual communication flows among all communities. Upon meeting Antoine, we knew we were in the company of someone very special. We hope you enjoy our interview with him.
For more information about Antoine Hunter, please visit: https://www.realurbanjazzdance.com/mr-antoine-hunter.html
Meet Mr. Antoine Hunter!
S2: Ep 21: Our Holiday Special !!
Beyond the Fog Radio Holiday Special: a message Hosts Susan, Jae and Michaela,
t would not be the Holidays if we did not take the time to thank our listeners, our team and everyone who helps us each week with producing this podcast. We began this amazing journey in September 2020 when the world was still dormant from the Pandemic lockdown. Many places were closed, a vaccine had not been released yet and people were working and attending school from home. My friend Jae Yee called me to ask how my tour company and blog Beyond the Fog was coming along. After telling him it was asleep until further notice, Jae had the brilliant idea of starting this podcast. He said: “San Francisco is changing so fast, let’s do a podcast about the History of our city!” Being an artist myself, I wanted to focus on the History of Art and Culture of the San Francisco Bay Area.The plans were set in motion, and Jae invited his friend Michaela Joy O’ Shea to be the photographer. She quickly became the third co-host, and voila! We have a podcast. Michaela’s husband Tim O’Shea composed our theme music, Jae is our sound engineer, and I am the producer. Arlyss Hays is our copywriter, Connor Chang is our sound editor, and Tim Johnson designed our website. Over a year later, our small team of six are still having a blast.
Most of all, we would like to thank our listeners. Without you, we would not have a podcast at all. So from all of us at Beyond the Fog Radio, THANK YOU for listening. We are so humbled and grateful.
Happy Happy Happy Holidays!
— The Beyond the Fog Radio Team
S2: Ep 20: Robert Moses & Robert Moses Kin
Season 2 Episode 20: Robert Moses
Robert Moses is the Founder, Artistic Director and Choreographer of the internationally acclaimed dance company Robert Moses’ Kin. Since 1995 Robert Moses’ Kin has told complex stories about human nature through contemporary dance, focusing on expanding the expressiveness of the human body and speaking often from his African American heritage.The company’s dynamic works are distinct from other dance companies in that they blend still photos, videos, music and live voices to creatively amplify each piece’s message. Robert Moses collaborates with numerous prominent dancers, musicians and composers. He also works with poets, sculptors, authors and designers, creating totally new performances that move audiences in unexpected ways.
Robert Moses’ Kin has toured all over the world with its home base in our very own San Francisco. The company has received numerous awards as well, including seven Bay Area Isadora Duncan Awards. In 2005 Robert Moses was named Choreographer in Residence and Artistic Director of the Committee on Black Performing Arts at Stanford University. He was also on the dance faculty at Stanford University from 1995 to 2016.
Robert’s imagination has no limits; for him, daily life is a chance to make something extraordinary happen. We are excited to share our interview with him this week on Beyond the Fog Radio.
For more information about Robert Moses and Robert Moses’ Kin, please visit: https://www.robertmoseskin.org/
Meet Robert Moses!