Where Monarchs Take Refuge
The vital role of California state parks in saving an iconic species.
Kathleen Ok-Soo Richards
Freelance Editor and Journalist
The True Cost of the Military in Hawaiʻi
I edited this analysis of the economic, environmental, strategic, and social impacts of the U.S. military presence in Hawaiʻi, published by the Institute for Policy Studies. (May 26, 2026)
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Redwoods Rising Trains Next Generation to Heal the Forest
Apprentice program opens doors to careers in natural resources.
Healing the Forests, Building the Restoration Economy
Forest restoration projects are bringing jobs and opportunity to California's North Coast.
Redwoods and Fog
Meet the researchers exploring this delicate relationship—and how climate change is disrupting the balance.
How Redwood Rides Helps Close the Nature Gap
League program connects underrepresented communities with redwood parks.
Hunger on the North Coast
Geography, poverty, and housing costs contribute to food insecurity in Humboldt County.
Creem Queen
Jaan Uhelszki’s hard rock life.
*This story won a first place award in the online category, Personality Profile, Music Personalities, in the Los Angeles Press Club’s 16th Annual National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards.
*This story won a first place award in the online category, Personality Profile, Music Personalities, in the Los Angeles Press Club’s 16th Annual National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards.
Anti-Asian Violence in America Is Rooted in US Empire
If we are to stop anti-Asian hatred in the United States, we must recognize how US foreign policy perpetuates it.
The Forces Driving Gentrification in Oakland
The East Bay has seen a widening gap between rich and poor and the displacement of people who are low-income and of color. But it doesn't have to be this way.
Can Cannabis Be Considered a Psychedelic?
With all the attention being paid to the potential therapeutic uses for psychedelic drugs, where does cannabis fit in?
The Advocate
Jon Eldan runs the only nonprofit dedicated to helping exonerees throughout the country — out of his Lower Rockridge home.
Hiking With Dad
A Daughter Helps Her Father Explore the Accessibility of the East Bay Parks
Children’s Hospital’s Uncertain Future
Three years ago, Children’s Hospital Oakland merged with UC San Francisco and received $50 million from Marc Benioff. Yet now it’s facing major budget cuts.
How Nature Heals
Doctors and experts also say there are too many barriers for communities of color to access parks.
How Does Discrimination Affect People’s Health?
A UC Berkeley professor is studying the dynamics of how African-American women are affected by racism—and why socioeconomic status matters to health.
Why Black Families Are Choosing Homeschooling
An increasing number of African-American families say traditional schools have failed them.
A Not-Always-Rosie Road
Betty Reid Soskin earned fame as “the nation’s oldest park ranger,” but her contributions to America’s national parks run much deeper.
Why 30 North Korean Defectors Were in San Francisco
On the evening of July 20, about 200 people packed inside Full Gospel San Francisco English Ministry church in the Western Addition to hear 30 North Korean defectors share what a press release promised would be “stories of persecution, death, and escape from the gulag state.”
Classes You Can Take As an Adult to Liven Up Your Brain and Care About the World Again
Graduating from college can be unexpectedly depressing. From the time you’re born, you’re on a mission to learn, learn, learn, and then suddenly you’re flung out into the world with no class schedule or textbook and no teacher to ask questions. The constant wheel of hard learning stops turning, and you’re free to be a dumb American.
The Hidden Reason Behind Seattle's Skyrocketing Housing Costs
Do You Realize How Much It Costs to Build a Single Parking Space?
How to Swim in a Lake If You Are Afraid of Open Water
Advice from Someone Who Is Afraid of Slimy Things.
Is Marijuana Addictive?
A Look at the scientific research.
Hey, You Know Those Fragrances Stores Use to Lure You Inside?
No One Seems to Know What They’re Made Of or How They Affect Your Health. Have a Nice Day.
Hunting With a Rat
What happens when the leader of one of Oakland’s most notorious motorcycle clubs tries to convince a squeamish reporter to shoot a wild boar.
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