Beneath the stage of San Francisco’s Castro Theater, a thrumming sea of twenty-somethings and older adults alike eagerly awaited the arrival of musician Geordie Greep and his band.

This past Friday, The Berkeley Pulse got in touch with our child side. Pulse leadership curated our first K-12 creative expression workshop at Stiles Hall, lifting up the voices of Berkeley’s youth through improv, poetry and rap. After a busy week at the top public institution, a dozen UC Berkeley students volunteered to facilitate the workshop, showing up in a big way to support the youth. The youth taught us a lot.

On Sept. 9, several UC Berkeley students filled the ASUC’s senate meeting in support of Lupe Gallegos-Diaz, director of Chicanx Student Development (CLSD), the Latinx Student Resource Center (LSRC), and lecturer. She was abruptly placed on administrative leave on Aug. 27.

The Living Legends co-founder’s path from Berkeley sidewalks to children’s books and Hip Hop Fairyland offers young creators a demanding lesson: independence is infrastructure that drives change.

Superb Productions kicks off the semester with a high energy concert on Sproul Plaza, revitalizing Berkeley’s history of activism through live music. 

There are only so many times you can say, "I'm so cooked," before something inside you changes. It can start after midterms, after your fifth lunch at Local X, or even after spending just a little too much time with your friend in DG or ADPI. . .

BERKELEY, Calif — This past May I was invited to a memorial service for a woman I never knew, and I’m so glad I went.

OAKLAND, Calif — Cali Joy thinks in constellations.

One artist leads to a DJ. One DJ leads to an organizer. One organizer leads to a food program, a muralist, a parent, an elder, a youth event, a camera, a flyer, a stage. In Cali’s world, nobody is simplified to their profession. A rapper can also be a storyteller. A dentist can also be a community worker. A mother can also be an artist. A show, therefore, can also be a way of keeping memory alive.

That is how she talks about Sunspot Jonz and Friends, the June 27 hip-hop event presented through Cali Joy Productions and centered on Sunspot Jonz, the Bay Area artist and Living Legends co-founder. The night brought together artists and community members from across Oakland’s creative ecosystem.

OAKLAND, Calif — Last weekend at the Lama Shack, Cali Joy Productions and Infinite Chi curated a creative community in Oakland, featuring artists such as Sunspot Jonz, Equipto, Z-Man, DJ Mike, Naru Kwina, DJ BeatsMe and others in a backyard setting for educators, creators, and community organizers.

Anti-tobacco campaigns seem to be one of the most effective health campaigns we’ve seen in our country. What then, causes a progressive city like Berkeley to have a resurgence of smoking? And of all things, why are its students one of the largest statistics?

Photo Essay by Javier Mazorra

We should be consistent with UC Berkeley’s history of pioneering cultural innovations. This means standing up for what we believe. If we don’t use our agency, we will lose our agency.

While campus erupts in debate over the legacies of those long dead, the response to powerful, living figures–those of who are actively shaping policy and people’s lives–feels quieter. And that raises an uncomfortable question: Why is it easier to protest history than power?

Because the most meaningful activism is not just loud. It is informed.

Are you currently planning your summer at UC Berkeley? In case you missed the Summer Opportunities Fair, here’s what you need to know!