Hi,

Boy oh boy, did I have a whole wall of words for your inbox! But then I thought, wait, who needs so many words when there are actions to take? For example, an action that’s easy to do right now is to check in with yourself and your friends and family. Everyone okay? Taking a moment to check is like sending and receiving a round of hugs. 🫂 And now, because it’s been a long, rough day, here’s a short, but meaningful list.

1. Stay safe 
2. Listen to music
3. Move your body
4. Build and love your community
5. Protect Public Media NOW! ☎️
   
   

That’s it! Just rinse and repeat as you see fit, but I do have a tip for knocking out this entire list in one weekend with this simple formula: 

Numbers 1+2+3+4 = KCRW Summer Nights! 

RSVP for our free, all-ages parties to de-stress, dance, and make friends with good people in your community. This weekend is happening with the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro and a lot of frisky grunion fish! Don’t miss it. 🐟 🐠

#5 I highlighted because if you care about a FREE PRESS and ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION for all in this country, call your senator. Here’s KCRW Prez Jennifer Ferro to tell you more about it. 📞😳

Okay, thank you, bye!  

Connie Alvarez
Your KCRW Insider

P.S. Chinatown Summer Nights, originally scheduled for June 14th, has a new date. See you there.  

Pati Jinich Sees the Pan-American Highway as a Metaphor

Pati Jinich, from the powerfully moving La Frontera show, which explored people and communities on both sides of the US/Mexico border, is now taking to the Pan American Highway for her latest series, Pati Jinich Explores Panamericana. Along the way, she seeks to understand the differences, celebrate the connections, and see all the various versions of what home is in the Americas. In a Good Food interview with Evan Kleiman, Jinich reveals how unexpected dishes — like burritos from the northern-most point of North America and salmon Reindeer sausage tacos in Hollywood Cove — become entry points into stories of migration, land, and belonging.

Boring Car? Paint It!

Kenny Scharf is on a mission to make traffic more fun. With Karbombz, the LA-born pop artist transforms everyday cars into cartoonish joyrides — no money exchanged, just spray paint, grins, and signed waivers. He’s tagged over 300 vehicles worldwide, painting dent-hiding creatures with faces that say “grrrr” or “wheee!” Inspired by LA’s wild car culture and fueled by his anti-elitist art ethos, Scharf’s project blends punky play with public accessibility.

The "Legal Eagle" Lands with the Mad Brand

Feel like you’re falling behind with all the things happening in the world right now? ICYMI, get caught up with legal eagle Jessica Levinson and Press Play host, Madeleine Brand, on Supreme Court cases concerning employment discrimination, the liability of gun manufacturers, and tax exemptions for religious organizations. President Trump also unveiled a new travel ban better equipped to survive legal scrutiny. Get in the know with this 11-minute brief.

Breaking Up is Hard to Do

Trump and Musk spar over a “big, beautiful” bill to raise the debt ceiling, while criticism mounts over a new U.S.- and Israel-backed aid group in Gaza. Meanwhile, a Missouri town grapples with the real-world impact of sweeping policy decisions. The LRC crew unpacks the friction behind the headlines. Plus, tune in this Friday when they share views regarding the LA protests and I.C.E. raids, and the Trump v. Newsome power struggle.

LA Radio Club Reporting Incubator – Application Deadline

Calling all aspiring reporters! Throughout 2025, LA Radio Club will be working with SoCal-based reporters to make short-form (~5 minutes) audio & print stories with a hyper-local focus. Each reporter goes through a seasonal incubator to produce, record, and edit a full story. Deadline to submit is Friday, June 20th. Follow your dreams!