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The Finest

The Finest

By: KPBS Public Media
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 San Diego earns its title as America’s Finest City through the people, art and movements redefining the region’s cultural identity. The Finest is a podcast that highlights the emerging voices and dynamic forces reshaping community and expression. Through personal stories and critical perspectives, each episode brings forward the artists, advocates and ideas driving change and pushing boundaries in the region’s cultural landscape. New episodes premiere Thursdays.KPBS Public Media Art Cooking Entertainment & Performing Arts Food & Wine Literary History & Criticism Music Political Science Politics & Government Social Sciences World
Episodes
  • 3 friends return to graffiti decades after a police sting shattered their world

    3 friends return to graffiti decades after a police sting shattered their world
    Jul 10 2025
    Isauro "Junior" Inocencio, Ron Recaido and Romali Licudan grew up as second-generation Filipino Americans in Southeast San Diego during the 1990s. As violence intensified in their community, they found inspiration in comics, hip-hop and murals. They formed a crew to create large-scale, permission-granted graffiti on a neighborhood wall. Their goal was to express themselves and offer something positive to those around them. But national policing efforts blurred the line between art and crime, and the group came under surveillance. Though only one of them was arrested, all three were affected by the fallout.Years later, they return to the same wall — not to rewrite the past, but to reconnect, repaint and reflect on the power of claiming space through art."In graffiti, the basis of it is putting your name up. But a lot of people don't realize that graffiti can also be used — or it should be used — as a message board, to inspire," Romali said. "And it's also like, we can show the younger generation what they could do with graffiti and what they can do with their art."We first learned about this story from our colleague, KPBS reporter Kori Suzuki. Check out his original reporting here.Guests:Isauro "Junior" InocencioRon RecaidoRomali LicudanThe crew’s influences:“X-Men”“Robotech”NWAA Tribe Called QuestDe La SoulMentioned in this episode:Microsoft Word | A word processing program by Microsoft that replaced the typewriter, used to draft everything from essays to lettersThe Gulf War | A 1990–1991 conflict after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, marking a major U.S.-led military operation in the Middle EastParkour | A movement style focused on jumping, climbing and flipping through obstacles, often practiced in urban spacesGrommet | A slang term for a young or inexperienced kid, commonly used in surf and skate culture to describe up-and-coming ridersCIF Championships | High school sports championships governed by the California Interscholastic Federation, representing a pinnacle of athletic achievement for student athletes in the stateCyrus from “The Warriors” | A charismatic gang leader from the 1979 cult classic film, known for his iconic line “Can you dig it?” and for sparking a citywide gang truce in the film’s plotIcarus | A figure from Greek mythology whose wings melted when he flew too close to the sun, often used as a metaphor for overambition or hubris“Star Wars” trap | A reference to the iconic line “It’s a trap!” from “Return of the Jedi,” famously shouted by Admiral Ackbar, often used to signal a sudden ambush or betrayal“The Dukes of Hazzard” | A 1980s American TV show centered on two Southern cousins known for car chases, stunts and the General Lee — a Dodge ChargerCal Arts | Short for California Institute of the Arts, a renowned private arts school in Valencia, Calif., known for producing top talent in animation, visual arts and performance“The Art of Living Consciously” | A 1997 self-help book by psychologist Nathaniel Branden that explores how self-awareness and mindfulness contribute to personal growth and authenticityTagalog | One of the major languages of the Philippines, often spoken at home and passed down through generationsIlocano | A major Filipino ethnolinguistic group and languageAmpalaya | A bitter melon common in Filipino cooking and herbal medicineKamatis | The Tagalog word for tomato, a staple in Filipino dishesCalamansi | A small, sour citrus fruit used in Filipino marinades, dipping sauces and drinksSources:Skyline‑Paradise Hills Community Plan (City of San Diego Planning Department – City of San Diego)The Philippine-American War, 1899–1902 (U.S. Department of State)The Congressional Gold Medal Tribute to Filipino WWII Veterans (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)July 4, 1946: The Philippines Gained Independence from the United States (The National WWII Museum)Agreement amending the Military Bases Agreement of 14 March 1947 (U.S. Supreme Court E-Library)Navy to Stop Recruiting Filipino Nationals (Los Angeles Times, 1992)In Paradise Hills, a legendary art wall lives again (Kori Suzuki, KPBS, 2025)What Is Redlining? How Residential Segregation Shaped U.S. Cities (Jameelah Nasheed, Teen Vogue, 2021)Modern-Day Impacts of Historical Redlining on Schools (Giving Compass, 2022)Race and the War on Drugs (National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 2022)Despite the Recent Increase, Crime in San Diego Is Still Well Below Its 1990s Peak (Jesse Marx, Voice of San Diego, 2021)Low Crime Rates Reported In San Diego (KPBS, 2011)43 Years of Crime in the San Diego Region: 1980 Through 2022 (SANDAG, 2023)Gang Prevention: An Overview of Research and Programs (U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs, 2010)Gang Involvement as a Means to Satisfy Basic Needs (New York University’s Applied Psychology Online Publication of Undergraduate Studies, 2016)"The Roots of Rap: 16 Bars on the 4 Pillars of Hip Hop" (Carole Boston ...
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    37 mins
  • A Kumeyaay comic book rewrites California's history and inspires a hopeful future

    A Kumeyaay comic book rewrites California's history and inspires a hopeful future
    Jul 3 2025
    The Kumeyaay have long told stories through rock art, vivid images carved into stone that preserved culture, memory and meaning. Today, that tradition continues in a new comic book created by Kumeyaay educators and historians to challenge the erasure of Indigenous history in California classrooms. Co-written by SDSU professor Ethan Banegas, a member of the Barona Band of Mission Indians, the book brings Kumeyaay life — from ancestral knowledge to colonization and resistance — into a format designed for students and teachers. Blending community memory, academic research and lived experience, the comic is both a resource and a tool of reclamation. It replaces silence with story, and invisibility with truth.
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    32 mins
  • Chasing 100 birds in 1 day in America's Birdiest County: Inside the birding boom

    Chasing 100 birds in 1 day in America's Birdiest County: Inside the birding boom
    Jun 26 2025
    San Diego is one of the most biodiverse birding regions in North America, with more than 500 recorded species — and its annual Bird Festival draws crowds from around the country. One of its most popular (and ambitious) events is the "100 or More" challenge: a daylong sprint to identify at least 100 different birds. In this episode, producer Anthony Wallace follows the action across scenic lakes, rugged foothills, city reservoirs and coastal wetlands to see how this classic hobby has taken on new energy. Along the way, we meet passionate birders — both seasoned listers and recent enthusiasts — learn many mind-blowing bird facts and explore how birds inspire everything from healing to obsession to joy.
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    41 mins

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