S3E20, Part 1: Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez on How He Got Into Journalism

Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez grew up in Cow Hollow, and he'd like you to know what that means. In this podcast, the prolific San Francisco journalist tells the story of how his parents met (it involves his mom and uncle hitchhiking from Los Angeles to San Francisco). He talks about the neighborhood where he grew up and all the misconceptions that surround it. An influential neighbor he had back then led him to become a writer for his middle school newspaper. Joe ends the podcast sharing stories from his time making documentary videos in high school, and how, in a roundabout way, that led him back to journalism at City College. We recorded this podcast on Zoom during quarantine in San Francisco in April 2020. Photography by Michelle Kilfeather