KPFA - Cover to Cover Open Book

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the second Wednesday of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third & fifth Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – July 3, 2019 appeared first on KPFA.

Reyna Cowan highlights Frameline, the Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans Film Festival. She speaks with director and writer Mike Doyle about his first feature Sell By which is showing this evening at the Castro Theatre. The post Frame to Frame – June 26, 2019: Frameline Film Festival, “Sell By” appeared first on KPFA.

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the second Wednesday of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third & fifth Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – June 19, 2019 appeared first on KPFA.

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the second Wednesday of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third & fifth Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – June 12, 2019 appeared first on KPFA.

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the second Wednesday of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third & fifth Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – June 5, 2019 appeared first on KPFA.

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the second Wednesday of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third & fifth Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – May 29, 2019 appeared first on KPFA.

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the second Wednesday of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third & fifth Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – May 1, 2019 appeared first on KPFA.

Reyna Cowan interviews Berkeley-based directors: John Haptas and Kris Samuelson about their new documentary essay, Life Overtakes Me. The film looks at refugee children in Sweden who have become afflicted into Resignation Syndrome, withdrawing from the world into a coma-like state for months, or even years. The families of these children have been subjected to severe trauma in their home countries, followed by the anxiety of a lengthy asylum process and an uncertain future. The post Frame to Frame – April 24, 2019: Life Overtakes Me appeared first on KPFA.

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the second Wednesday of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third & fifth Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – April 17, 2019 appeared first on KPFA.

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the second Wednesday of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third & fifth Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – April 10, 2019 appeared first on KPFA.

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the second Wednesday of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third & fifth Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – April 3, 2019 appeared first on KPFA.

Reyna Cowan remembers former Bay Area experimental filmmaker and feminist activist Barbara Hammer (1939-2019). The show features an interview with Hammer in 1992 on the release of her first feature-length experimental documentary, Nitrate Kisses The post Frame to Frame – March 27, 2019: Barbara Hammer (1939-2019) appeared first on KPFA.

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the second Wednesday of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third & fifth Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – March 20, 2019 appeared first on KPFA.

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the second Wednesday of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third & fifth Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – March 13, 2019 appeared first on KPFA.

This week on Open Book/Literary Dialogs With Nina Serrano, Alice Walker is the featured poet. This is Part One excerpted from a longer conversation recorded on Oct 18, 2019. Parts 2 & 3  are coming up in later episodes. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – February 13, 2019 appeared first on KPFA.

Another session with that pair of pals, Serrano and Foley. Who said that Vaudeville was dead? Not on their show. They have many a new trick up their old sleeves and many a word to say. Valentine’s Day will not be forgotten. Nor will the amazing political developments that fly this way and that way in the battlefield called Pelosi and Trump. This show may well ask, Whatever happened to the United States of America? Didn’t there used to be a country with a name like that? Nina writes, Dear Canine Companion Dear canine companion Always greeting me in dog song Dancing a jubilation Dog of loyalty and courage Always the leader Curling up on a blanket Burying yourself in its folds Never backing down in a confrontation Barking up a storm Protecting us from unseen enemies A vigilant presence Smooth and sleek Racing ahead to sniff The next tree stump or pole Pulling on the leash Because I was too slow Dear dog true to your breed Following your honed instincts Rolling over in the grass Covering your poop Licking your sleek shining fur Barking up a storm To keep us safe and accompanied You will be missed Always remembered And always loved * Women’s March 2019 I am left behind The women of the world march forward without me I am ditched on the curb making way for piercing barriers breaking taboos of burdensome shackles Creating a zigzag and roundabout road to the future * Hummingbirds What is desired longed for

Jovelyn Richards talks to author Jo Giese about the lessons Jo learned from her mother Babe as written in Giese’s memoir, “Never Sit If You Can Dance”. Jo Giese is an awarding-winning radio journalist, author, teacher, community activist and former TV reporter.   The post Cover to Cover Open Book: Jovelyn’s Bistro appeared first on KPFA.

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the second Wednesday of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third & fifth Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – January 23, 2019 appeared first on KPFA.

Joya Cory teaches classes and workshops in Full Spectrum Improvisation for theatre and life. The idea is to unlock your larger self, accessing the daring, unfettered, self-of-all-possibilities. She is also the author of “Two Worlds at the Same Time,” which looks at her techniques and theories behind the techniques. She is interviewed by Jovelyn Richards. The post Jovelyn’s Bistro – January 16, 2019:Joya Cory appeared first on KPFA.

Judy Wells reads from her new exciting poetic work including the poem that is the preface to the book that chronicles the incidents that link Judy Wells to her ancestors. This includes her distant cousin Emily Dickinson! If you like laughter, don’t miss this episode where laughter mixes with the painful historic memory that lingers through the generations. To see a video of this interview go to ninaserrano.com.  Click on the blog. Enjoy!   The post DEAR PHEBE: The Dickinson Sisters Go West. appeared first on KPFA.

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the second Wednesday of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third & fifth Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – January 2, 2019 appeared first on KPFA.

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the second Wednesday of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third & fifth Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – December 26, 2018 appeared first on KPFA.

Aidaa Peerzada talks about the groundbreaking play she’s written, One Googol and One, which runs through December 22 2018 at Brava Theater Center. She discusses her inspiration, re-writing history for marginalized communities. One Googol and One: is a play about historical injustices and how each of our stories from the past shapes our modern identities. Set in different times and places, the production takes on various mediums of dialogue through contemporary verse (spoken word), classical verse, and naturalistic dialogue. Hosted by Jovelyn Richards   The post Jovelyn’s Bistro – December 19, 2018: Aidaa Peerzada, One Googol and One appeared first on KPFA.

Reyna Cowan examines the 1968 film, The Battle Front for the Liberation of Japan – Summer in Sanrizuka directed by Shinsuke Ogawa and the Ogawa Pro filmmaking collective. Interviewing Miryam Sas, a Professor of Comparative Literature and Film & Media at the University of California, Berkeley, she looks at the revolutionary film that follows farmers and student activists fight against the forced eviction from their lands to build a new international airport in Narita, near Tokyo. The film is part of Pacifica Film Archives Global Cinema series. (Open Book page: Still photo from “The Battle Front for the Liberation of Japan.” The post Frame to Frame – November 28, 2018: Battle Front for the Liberation of Japan – Summer in Sanrizuka appeared first on KPFA.

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the first two Wednesdays of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – November 21, 2018 appeared first on KPFA.

In today’s Open Book segment Nina Serrano interviews a mother and daughter writing team, Dena and Becky Taylor about their unique work, “Tell Me The Number Before Infinity.” The book is the story of raising a disabled child with cerebral palsy from the perspectives of the parent, Dena, and the child, Becky. Both authors are also poets and read their work, chronicling this coming of age process. Becky is today an equal rights activist who was a trailblazer for mainstreaming in the schools. Dena works as a writer and editor. Nina Serrano also shares her poems put to experimental original music by Wave. Literary Dialogs with Nina Serrano Featuring Dena and Becky Taylor   The post Cover to Cover Open Book – November 14, 2018 appeared first on KPFA.

Still in the City, Part Two. Host Jovelyn Richards continues her conversation about the anthology, “Still in The City:Creating Peace  Of Mind In The Mist Of Urban Chaos” with contributor JD Doyle, concerning the understanding of his spiritual awakening to the power of cultural diversity through meditation. JD Doyle is a teacher at the East Bay Meditation Center and co-founder of the LGBTQ meditation talks     The post Jovelyn’s Bistro – Oct 31, 2018: Still in the City, Part Two appeared first on KPFA.

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the first two Wednesdays of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – October 24, 2018 appeared first on KPFA.

Editor Angela Dews and contributor Eve Decker discuss the making of Still in the City, Creating Peace Of Mind In The Mist Of Urban Chaos, a collection of stories about the practice of urban Buddhism and how to find mindfulness in urban life. When a New York City subway becomes a mobile temple, when Los Angeles traffic becomes a vehicle for awakening, when a Fifth Avenue sidewalk offers a spiritual path through craving, generosity, and sorrow. Hosted by Jovelyn Richards. The post Jovelyn’s Bistro – October 17, 2018: Still in the City appeared first on KPFA.

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the first two Wednesdays of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – October 10, 2018 appeared first on KPFA.

Nina Serrano interviews Johanna Ely, the 6th poet laureate of Benicia, California. Johanna Ely’s lyrical poems cast a feminist light on the romantic tales of early Califonia and the legends of Benicia. Enjoy her poetry and their poetic exchange. ninaserrano.com The post Open Book / Poet 2 Poet – September 12, 2018 appeared first on KPFA.

Cynthia Lim discusses her memoir, “Wherever You Are,” due for release September 1st, with hostvJovelyn Richards. Cynthia Lim discusses how she redefined love, marriage and personal identify in the face of one catastrophic event that changed her life, The post Jovelyn’s Bistro – Aug 29, 2018: Cynthia Lim appeared first on KPFA.

Frame to Frame: Reyna Cowan is in discussion with Oscar®-nominated and Sundance award-winning filmmaker Arthur Dong about the new film Crazy Rich Asians directed by Jon Chu. We discuss what it says about Asian American representation. Dong directed Hollywood Chinese, the seminal documentary chronicling the Chinese in American feature films. Arthur recently published his first book Forbidden City, USA: Chinatown Nightclubs, 1936-1970 based on his film on the same topic. He is currently working on his next book A Hollywood Chinese Album, a pictorial companion to Hollywood Chinese. ARTHUR DONG BIO:  Oscar®-nominated and triple Sundance award-winning filmmaker Arthur Dong directed Hollywood Chinese, the seminal documentary chronicling the Chinese in American feature films. His latest film The Killing Fields of Dr. Haing S. Ngor profiled the only Asian male to have won an actor Oscar®. Arthur recently published his first book Forbidden City, USA: Chinatown Nightclubs, 1936-1970 (American Book Award, 2015), based on his film on the same topic. He is currently working on his next book A Hollywood Chinese Album, a pictorial companion to Hollywood Chinese.   The post Frame to Frame – August 22, 2018: Arthur Dong, “Crazy Rich Asians” & Asian representation in films appeared first on KPFA.

Host Jovelyn Richards speaks to an actor, stand up comedian and Jazz vocalist about how they incorporate activism into their art.   The post Jovelyn’s Bistro – August 15, 2018: Activism and Art appeared first on KPFA.

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the first two Wednesdays of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – August 8, 2018 appeared first on KPFA.

Actor and Playwright Jeanne Sakata speaks to KPFA host Jovelyn Richards about the Supreme Court decision of Gordon Hirabayashi v. United States, where a Japanese-American college student lost the battle against the only country he’d ever known, a country that decided national security trumped his inalienable rights. It took over 40 years for his criminal conviction to be overturned and in 2012, he was awarded a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama. The post Jovelyn’s Bistro – July 18, 2018: Jeanne Sakata appeared first on KPFA.

Poet Nina Serrano interviews the outstanding translator Arturo Mantecon about his English translations of the work of Mexican Poet, Mario Santiago Papasquiaro “Poetry Comes Out of My Mouth.” The post Cover to Cover Open Book – July 11, 2018 appeared first on KPFA.

Frame to Frame: Reyna Cowan interviews academy award winning filmmaker Debra Granik about her stunning new fiction film Leave No Trace. As well as director, Tim Wardle about his compelling and provocative documentary, Three Identical Strangers. The post Frame to Frame – June 27, 2018: Debra Granik & Tim Wardle appeared first on KPFA.

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the first two Wednesdays of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – June 20, 2018 appeared first on KPFA.

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the first two Wednesdays of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – June 13, 2018 appeared first on KPFA.

​Samson Koletkar the world’s only Indian Jewish Standup Comedian speaks with host Jovelyn Richards on the inner worlds of his journey as both the host of Oakland Comedy Club and his take on comedy. The post Jovelyn’s Bistro – May 30, 2018: Samson Koletkar appeared first on KPFA.

Special One-Hour Program. Part Two: A first Wednesday means another edition of the Nina-Jack Show (May Day/M’aider). But don’t be too distressed. It will be another fun filled, emotionally charged pot of poetry at the rainbow’s end (94.1 FM). Nina and Jack give free rein to the horses of Imagination but retain their right to grumble and criticize. Are you in the Trump Dumps? Try Foley and Serrano as The Green Hornet and Kato, recently resurrected in the dailyDick Tracy comic strip: The post Cover to Cover Open Book – May 2, 2018: Jack Foley & Nina Serrano appeared first on KPFA.

Frame to Frame. Since her debut feature, La Cienaga (2001), Argentinian director Lucrecia Martel has made evocative films with a compelling point of view. Reyna Cowan interviews the director about her latest feature, Zama which is based on an 1956 novel by Antonio Di Benedetto and looks at issues of colonialism. The interview is translated by Angela Zawadzki. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – April 25, 2018. Frame to Frame: Lucrecia Martel appeared first on KPFA.

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the first two Wednesdays of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – April 18, 2018 appeared first on KPFA.

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the first two Wednesdays of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – April 11, 2018 appeared first on KPFA.

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the first two Wednesdays of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – March 28, 2018 appeared first on KPFA.

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the first two Wednesdays of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – March 21, 2018 appeared first on KPFA.

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the first two Wednesdays of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – March 14, 2018 appeared first on KPFA.

Weekly interviews with poets, performance artists, film-makers, novelists and storytellers. Hosted by Nina Serrano the first two Wednesdays of the month; Jovelyn Richards the third Wednesday; and Reyna Cowan the fourth Wednesday. The post Cover to Cover Open Book – February 14, 2018 appeared first on KPFA.

Part Two: Radio’s interwoven pair—Foley and Serrano, like guitar and piano, like Piedmontese and Siciliano, like tenor and soprano, like Paris and Milano—having survived Trump’s SOTU, are back, unimpaired, to offer their unique blend of whatchamacallit: poetry, music, commentary, what have you.   This is Nina’s first poem:   I began writing in 1968 at age 36, when I wrote a video drama with Roque Dalton for Cuban TV. Dalton (1935-killed in 1975) was an exiled Salvadoran writer living in Havana. My concern for his safety inspired my first poem in 1969, as he prepared to join the Salvadoran revolutionaries to liberate his country from the military dictatorship. At the time of the poem’s publication in an alternative SF newspaper, Express, I could only use his initials in the title and refer to El Salvador as “unknown terrain.”   TO ROQUE DALTON BEFORE LEAVING TO FIGHT IN EL SALVADOR (Havana, 1969)   Mass media I adore you. With a whisper in the microphone I touch the mass belly against mine like on a rush hour bus but with no sweat and no embarrassment. “Don’t die,” I whispered, in person. Only the air and revolutionary slogans hung between us. “When I die I’ll wear a big smile.” And with his finger painted a clown’s smile on his Indian face “Don’t die!” the whisper beneath the call to battle. My love of man in conflict with my love for this man.   Women die too. They let go their tight grip on breath and sigh, and sigh to die. They say that Tania died before Che. I saw her die in a Hollywood movie. Her blood floated in the river. I stand in the street in Havana. There are puddles here but few consumer goods to float in them. Here the blood is stirred by the sacrifice of smiles to armed struggle. A phrase and an act. They leave one day and they are dead. “Death to the known order. Birth to the unknown.” Blood. Blood. Blood. The warmth of it between the thighs soothes the channel the baby fights and tears.   I stand by a puddle in Havana a woman full of blood not yet spilled. Can I spill blood by my own volition? Now it flows from me by a call of the moon; The moon … a woman mopping her balcony spills water from her bucket on my hair, my breasts and into the puddle. The question is answered.   And this is Jack’s tribute to the late John Oliver Simon, written immediately after Simon’s announcemen...