Arts & Culture

After reading George Orwell’s Down and Out in London and Paris, at 18, Andrew J. Gregor decided to spend a weekend sleeping on the street. What he remembers most vividly is the feel of the cold asphalt.  This...

Lisa Mezzacappa leans forward in her chair, her eyes shining with delight as she talks about her first few months running the Jazzschool. The Berkeley bassist, bandleader, composer and educator has spent the past quarter-century as the quintessential...

If income disparity in the U.S. were served as a sandwich, it would be sent back to the kitchen. Instead, creeping lethargy and other forces normalize the inequitable reality of life in 2026. No eyebrows rise when...

Sheila E. knows the power of silence. Recognized for her dynamic artistry and rigorous drumming, the Grammy-winning Bay Area-born musician in an interview in late May speaks words like a sprinter but never hesitates to pause, allowing...

For months, Kathleen Caldwell had been waking at 3am to check her bank balance. That’s when the nightly business deposit arrived and indicated if she’d be able to retain her home, health and greatest happiness as the...

The passage of time, 10 best-selling books and countless essays for The New York Times Magazine and other publications make it clear that Michael Pollan has no off button. Appearing March 10 at First Congregational Church of...

History has a way of pretending certain people didn’t exist. In a region that prides itself on progress, women who built institutions, changed laws, fought segregation, defended bodily autonomy and reshaped culture have largely vanished from the...