Monday, November 11, 2019: Excavating Uruguayan Lesbian Herstory

courtesy Carolina de Robertis

Kate Raphael speaks with novelist Carolina de Robertis about her stunning new book, Cantoras, a story based on the real experiences of Uruguyan lesbians making a place for themselves and each other amidst the secrets and terror of the military dictatorship. The New York Times calls the book "brazenly hopeful ... a revolutionary fable, ideal for this moment." Carolina and I met over empanadas at Oakland's Cafe Santana; so you'll also learn the difference between Platense empanadas (those from the Rio de la Plata region of Argentina and Uruguay) and those from Chile, Peru and the Philippines.

Event: Meet the Authors, 20th Anniversary of NANOWRIMO at the SF Main Library, Wed, Nov 13 at 6 PM. Carolina will participate with a panel of writers to talk about their writing process and what it is like to write 50,000 words in a month.

Note from Kate Raphael:
This will likely be the last time I will host Women's Magazine. Tune in to find out about what I'll be doing instead! Thanks to all of you for all your support over these many years, and I hope you will continue to be avid listeners and supporters of Women's Magazine. (Keep in touch with Kate at www.kateraphael.com. Click on contact and sign up for Kate's newsletter.)

Click here to listen to the entire show. 59:50 min

Also on today's show:
Solo Moms Building Community

Monday, October 2, 2017: Reem Assil's journey from community organizer to community-based entrepreneur

Craft is the topic on this week's Women's Magazine - "Pushing on when life seems too grim to bear." -Kate Raphael

In the first half hour, Kate Raphael speaks with Reem Assil, who was a community organizer for ten years before deciding that her true passion is food.  Reem started Reem's California, an Arab street corner bakery in Oakland's Fruitvale district, with the help of several community initiatives including the Women's Initiative for Self-Employment, La Cocina and ICA Fund Good Jobs.

Listen now or Get MP3. 26:28

Join us for an hour of warmth and humor with women who are making a difference through culture.

Click here to listen to entire show. 59:50 min


Also on today's show:
Michelle Cox, J.L. Doucette and Kate Raphael on place-based mysteries

Monday, July 31, 2017: She Writes Mystery Tour

This Monday, July 31, on Women's Magazine Kate Raphael will be speaking with JL Newton, author of Oink! A Food For Thought Mystery, Jennifer Dwight, author of the literary suspense novel The Tolling of Mercedes Bell, and Amy S. Peele, author of Cut! a Medical Mystery.  We talk about what's so appealing about murder and mayhem, and how crime fiction lends itself to exploration of social justice. These are some smart, funny and articulate women, so don't miss it.

Click here to listen to the entire show. 59:50 min

All four of us are donating copies of our books to KPFA for this special fund drive show so you can get all four of our novels - including advance copies of my not-yet-released Murder Under the Fig Tree - as thank you gifts for your pledge to KPFA of $120 or more during the 1-2 pm hour on Monday. The books retail for $16.95 so it's a great deal, and helps to keep KPFA and Women's Magazine on the air. The premium will be available throughout the drive, which ends August 4.

Tune in at 94.1 FM in Northern California or online anywhere at www.kpfa.org. To pledge any amount call 1-800-439-5732 or donate securely at www.kpfa.org/donate.

Today's conversation is a preview of the She Writes Mystery Tour that kicks off this Friday evening, August 4, at Barnes & Noble in Emeryville, where we'll be joined by Michelle Cox, author of the popular historical mysteries A Girl Like You and A Ring of Truth, and JL Doucette, author of the Wyoming-inspired suspense novel, Last Seen. If you're in the Bay Area or Orange County/San Diego, hope you can make it to one of these events:

Fri, August 4, 7:00 pm
Barnes and Noble, 5604 Bay St, Emeryville, CA 94608

Sat, August 5, 7:00 pm
Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd, Corte Madera, CA 94925

Mon, August 7, 7:00 pm
Dog Eared Books, 489 Castro St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Tues, August 8, 7:00 pm
Books Inc., 855 El Camino Real, Suite 74, Palo Alto, CA 94301

Friday, Aug 11, 7:00 pm
Barnes & Noble, 26751 Aliso Creek Rd., Aliso Viejo, CA 92656

Sat, August 12, 2:00 pm (note different time)
Barnes & Noble, 1040 North El Camino Real, Encinitas, CA 92024

July 7, 2014: Idle No More's Refinery Tour

Idle No More

“OUR PEOPLE AND OUR MOTHER EARTH CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO BE ECONOMIC HOSTAGES IN THE RACE TO INDUSTRIALISE OUR HOMELANDS.

IT’S TIME FOR OUR PEOPLE TO RISE UP AND TAKE BACK OUR ROLE AS CARETAKERS AND STEWARDS OF THE LAND.”

— Eriel Deranger

Athabasca Chipewyan First Nations

Imagine your own community beyond fossil fuels.

Today we speak with Pennie Opal Plant and Paula Szoboda of the Native American-led environmental movement Idle No More, about the Connect the Dots healing walks, which wrap up this weekend.  The walks have connected local struggles and climate justice organizations around the East Bay, focusing on oil and gas refining industry sites. It's time to transition to a fossil free future and stop the potentially explosive Bakken crude oil trains.

Idle No More is an affinity group in the SF Bay Area and further. It was started by women and focuses on safer alternatives to fuel, food sovereignty, and a future we want to create. The healing walks end this week on July 12th. The walk starts at Long Tree Park in Rodeo, CA at 8 AM. For more information go to: http://www.sunflower-alliance.org/connect-the-dots/ or call 510-619-8279.

Get MP3 or listen now: 24:48 min.

Click here for the entire show. 59:50 min.

Also on today's show:
Eleanor Roosevelt's lesbian lover

April 28, 2014: Eating Cultures

Asian American Women Artist Association (AAWAA) and Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center (APICC) join forces to present the multidisciplinary art exhibition Eating Cultures, for the United States of Asian America Festival.

Featuring over thirty emerging and established Asian Pacific American artists from around the country, Eating Cultures is a deliciously provocative multi-disciplinary arts exhibition of artworks inspired by Asian American food and foodways. Using food as a lens, artist share stories of global migration, adaptation, entrepreneurship, and the central importance of food in Asian communities around the world.

Kate Raphael talks to queer artists Sigi Arnejo, Kay Cuajunco and Genevieve Erin O'Brien about their contributions to the show, their exploration of identity and the meaning of food in their Asian cultures.




or Get MP3 (18:17)

Also on today's show:

Chinese Canadian gossip reporter Elaine Lui discusses her memoir, LISTEN TO THE SQUAWKING CHICKEN.

Women-directed and gender-themed films at this year's San Francisco International Film Festival

Click to hear entire show.

April 22, 2013: Earth Day on Women's Magazine: Ecofeminism, Animal Rights and Factory Farming

Katie Cantral of Factory Farming Awareness Coalition

Did you know that factory farming has polluted over 35,000 miles of rivers in the US?

In this segment, Sharon Sobotta interviews Katie Cantral, Executive Director of the Factory Farming Awareness Coalition. 99% of animal products come from factory farms. Ten billion animals are raised every year in the US on factory farms. This method of raising animals is cruel to the animals, bad for the environment and a huge source of labor injustices. Katie says it takes 2000 gallons of water to raise a pound of beef and 35 gallons of water to raise a pound of vegetables. Chemicals used in the production of milk have been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer in women. Katie gives us an enlightened and empowering way to make a difference on all aspects of this important cause.

Listen now or Get MP3. 35:09 min. 

Interviews with Ecofeminist Foremothers Marti Kheel and Wangari Maathai

In the next segment, we hear past interviews with two ecofeminist foremothers who have since died: Lisa Dettmer speaks with Marti Kheel, founder of Feminists for Animal Rights and author of Nature's Ethics.

Marti Kheel

Preeti Shekar sits down with Wangari Maathai, Nobel Laureate, founder of Green Belt Movement and author of Unbowed and Replenishing the Earth.

Wangari Maathai

Plus poetry by Kathryn Kirkpatrick. Click here to listen to poem by Kathryn Kirkpatrick or Get MP3. 1:23 min.

Listen now or Get MP3 for the interview with Wangari Maathai. 10:48 min.

The Marti Kheel interview can be heard here. Audio 28:48 min.

To listen to entire show click here. 59:38 min.