Talk of the Bay from KSQD

Omar Dieguez and Adela welcome Bobby Marchessault, Watsonville educator and Vice President of the Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers Committee on Political Education. The discussed important work being done in the PVUSD and some of the biggest issues facing schools today: transparency and accountability, as well as recent cuts to mental health services, counselors, and special education programs. An important conversation about the future of public education in the Pajaro Valley.

Omar Dieguez speaks with Mark Weller for an update on the campaign to eliminate the use of toxic pesticides near schools and communities on the central coast. Nine months after Omar’s hunger strike to raise awareness about this community health issue, what progress has been made, and what remains to be done?    

Omar Dieguez and Adela Naranjo sit down with Watsonville Film Festival (WFF) Executive Director Consuelo Alba and filmmaker Brenda Avila-Hanna to discuss the profound impact of storytelling, community healing, and art as resistance. The conversation highlights how the festival grew from a passionate, grassroots volunteer effort in 2012 into a vital year-round nonprofit ecosystem that centers underrepresented Latino, indigenous, and LGBTQ+ voices. From discussing the deep emotional truths of local documentaries like Libertad to celebrating major cultural milestones like screening the Sundance award-winning American Pachuco alongside a live performance by Pajaro Valley High School students, the episode beautifully illustrates how WFF fosters equity by providing an affordable, accessible red-carpet experience where the entire community can see themselves reflected on the big screen. KSQD’s Talk of the Bay: From the Streets, every Monday at 5pm!