KALW Public Media is the proud home to several audio storytelling training programs. Our flagship nine-and-a-half month intensive is open to anyone who wants to learn how to craft longform narrative journalism in audio. Here's a look at the Bay Area through their eyes and ears.
You can learn more about the 2026 Audio Academy cohort here.
Cara Nguyen: "I reported on this piece in hopes of answering the question: how do you explore history through song? I met Erika Oba, a musician who explores issues like climate change and the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WW2. Her work illuminates to me the possibilities of weaving together arts, activism, and intergenerational community building."
Arlen Levy: "If you want to take a peak into the spirituality of an AI resistor mixed up in a local mystery then listen to my story!"
Rachel Longan: "A few years ago, a friend of mine from Serbia brought me to Lark in the Morning to look for a mouth harp. I was swept away by all the amazing instruments. I wanted to take a deeper dive into the history of this instrument store, which is right here in my neighborhood."
Stafford Hemmer: "This portrait of Tito Soto pulls back the curtain on everything that goes into producing a weekly performance extravaganza at The Oasis, the landmark cabaret/nightclub in San Francisco. The exciting story features lights! Music! Go-go dancers! Drag! It will have you running home to style your wig, put on that make-up, don those 6-inch stilettos, and run back over to 11th and Folsom Streets every Saturday night."
Viviana Vivas: "Tattooing as a cultural practice has been performed for many years. It's important to recognize that all art, regardless of its form, is an active way of storytelling that also works to preserve the past."
Rae Kim: "You’ve probably seen Calixto Robles at a protest, skillfully and speedily screenprinting posters to hand out to the crowd. Tune in to hear the story of a true Mission legend in his own words — and some great whistling."
Anna Gabriella Casalme: "I knew immediately I had to learn more about this teenager who is so deeply passionate about elder stories and community histories. This profile on Kate is about her but it’s also about a lot of things: intergenerational friendship, volunteering, the contributions youth make to their communities, and the beauty of listening, really listening, to another person’s story. It’s a reminder that one of the greatest gifts we can give one another in such challenging times is our care and attention."
Jordan Karnes: "I love stories of people who defy the stereotypes of your typical sports archetype. You know the kind: super masculine, bro-y, maybe a bit of a bully, etc. Instead, you have this group of diverse nerds who have come together over a love of Cal football, but also over a love of what each of them uniquely brings to that community."