Bay Area Book Festival Podcast

In an era of rising authoritarianism, media polarization, and attacks on voting rights, independent journalism plays a critical role in safeguarding democracy. This panel brings together two of the most incisive voices in political reporting—Zack Beauchamp and Ari Berman—to examine the challenges facing American democracy and the essential role of independent media in holding power to account. Zack Beauchamp, senior correspondent at Vox, covers threats to democracy in the US and abroad, right-wing populism, and the ideological battles shaping our political landscape. His work, funded by the Pulitzer Center, has taken him to Israel and Hungary to report on democratic decline. His book, The Reactionary Spirit, explores the global rise of reactionary politics. Ari Berman, national voting rights correspondent for Mother Jones and reporting fellow at Type Media Center, has spent years documenting voter suppression and the right-wing effort to undermine democratic representation. His latest book, Minority Rule, exposes the coordinated attacks on the will of the people and the ongoing fight to protect voting rights. Together, these journalists will discuss how independent media can counter disinformation, expose threats to democracy, and empower citizens to fight back. Moderated by Shereen Marisol Meraji, this conversation will explore the intersection of journalism, activism, and the urgent struggle for a more just and representative democracy. Join us for a vital discussion on the power of truth in an era of democratic crisis.

Making their literary entrance in insightful fiction debuts, the protagonists of this panel reckon with pasts that stretch beyond their own lifetimes. The Devil Three Times by Rickey Fayne spans eight generations of a Black family in West Tennessee, beginning with the story of Yetunde, who makes a deal with the Devil upon awakening aboard a slave ship en route to the United States. Yefim Shulman, a Ukrainian Jewish WWII veteran from Sasha Vasilyuk's Your Presence Is Mandatory, also hides a dangerous lifelong secret from his family, which is revealed in a confession letter to the KGB discovered after his death, leaving his family to deal with the repercussions and attempt to find grace in the course of their survival. Too Soon, another generational novel, is Betty Shamieh's snarky and heart-wrenching homage to Palestinian-American culture that analyzes the lasting impacts of arranged marriage on the lives of theatre director Arabella, her secret-hiding mother, and her matchmaking grandmother. How does our historical memory shape our political and emotional present? Sam Sax explores this question in Yr Dead, a queer, Jewish, diasporic coming of age story which unfolds in fragments of memory that flash in between the space of time when Ezra lights themself on fire and when Ezra dies, a poignant and lyrical look at their experiences that culminated in this final act of protest. Award-winning novelist Sylvia Brownrigg will moderate this evocative panel about generational stories, historical trauma, and the memories we leave behind.

Welcome to the Bay Area Book Festival Short Cuts. This is a podcast meant to showcase some of our featured authors of the 2025 festival. Meet Carolina Ixta, who was part of our our Family Day programming on May 31st. For more information, go to our website. baybookfest.org

Welcome to the Bay Area Book Festival Short Cuts. This is a podcast meant to introduce our audience to some of our featured authors of the festival, prior to the 2025 Festival. Meet two members of the Social Justice Children's Book Fair who have helped curate our Family Day programming on May 31st. For more information, go to our website. The full schedule is now live!!!! baybookfest.org

Welcome to the Bay Area Book Festival Short Cuts. This is a podcast meant to introduce our audience to some of our featured authors of the festival, prior to the 2025 Festival. Meet Wahab Algarmi, one of the festival speakers who you can see on June 1st in Downtown Berkeley. For more information, go to our website. The full schedule is now live!!!! baybookfest.org

Welcome to the Bay Area Book Festival Short Cuts. This is a podcast meant to introduce our audience to some of our featured authors of the festival, prior to the 2025 Festival. Meet Kinsale Drake, one of the festival speakers who you can see on June 1st in Downtown Berkeley. For more information, go to our website. The full schedule is now live!!!! baybookfest.org

Welcome to the Bay Area Book Festival Short Cuts. This is a podcast meant to introduce our audience to some of our featured authors of the festival, prior to the 2025 Festival. Meet Susan Lieu, one of the festival speakers who you can see on June 1st in Downtown Berkeley. For more information, go to our website. The full schedule will be live April 5.

Welcome to the Bay Area Book Festival Short Cuts. This is a podcast meant to introduce our audience to some of our featured authors of the festival, prior to the 2025 Festival. Meet micha cárdenas, one of the festival speakers who you can see on June 1st in Downtown Berkeley. For more information, go to our website. The full schedule will be live April 5.

Welcome to the Bay Area Book Festival Short Cuts. This is a podcast meant to introduce our audience to some of our featured authors of the festival, prior to the 2025 Festival. Meet Jon Hickey, one of the festival speakers who you can see on June 1st in Downtown Berkeley. For more information, go to our website. The full schedule will be live April 5.

Welcome to the Bay Area Book Festival Short Cuts. This is a podcast meant to introduce our audience to some of our featured authors of the festival, prior to the 2025 Festival. Meet Seema Yasmin, one of the festival speakers who you can see on May 31st at the Berkeley Public Library in Downtown Berkeley. For more information, go to our website. The full schedule will be live April 5.