Collection
KQED Perspectives
KQED Perspectives is a series of short first-person commentaries by Bay Area residents, broadcast on KQED Public Radio 88.5 FM since 1991.[1] Each commentary is a brief personal essay read on air by its author, and the series is also released as a podcast.[1][2]
Overview
Perspectives invites community members to submit essays on the life and issues of the San Francisco Bay Area.[1] As of 2026, commentaries air every weekday morning at 6:43 a.m. and 8:43 a.m., and on weekends at 6:37 a.m. and 8:37 a.m., and they can also be heard on the KQED app. Spencer Whitney is the Perspectives editor (2026).[1]
Cambodian diaspora voices recur in the series, among them essays by Som Phin and Selina Kaing on the refugee and assimilation experience. Som Phin's "Preserving the Culture" aired on September 16, 2026.[3]
Selected recordings
- Som Phin: Preserving the Culture (September 16, 2026)
- Selina Kaing: Birthday Candles (December 2, 2021)