Exploring how culture shapes our lives through stories, conversations, and everyday experiences.
Many Voices, One Table
Lena Torrey is a Digital Media student at San Joaquin Delta College and will be helping with graphic design, social media, and a variety of creative projects behind the scenes. As Tradition Café continues to grow, I’m proud to have her join us on this journey. One of my favorite things about Tradition Café is …
What does it mean to find home thousands of miles from where you were born? In this episode of Tradition Café, Ana Chavier Caamaño sits down with Nigerian-born Afrofusion artist NKAN to explore the journey that brought her from Lagos, Nigeria, to Oakland, California—and how music, community, and unexpected acts of kindness transformed a new place into home. …
What does it mean to build community through culture? In this episode of Tradition Café, Ana sits down with Jennifer Radakovich, Executive Director of Rhythmix Cultural Works, to talk about the role of the arts in connection, belonging, and cultural exchange. Jennifer shares how Rhythmix creates space for music, dance, performance, education, and community-centered arts experiences that bring …
What does Black art mean to Oakland—and why does community matter so deeply in the creative process? In this episode of Tradition Café, I sit down with Art of the African Diaspora curators Eric Murphy and Yolanda Cotton Turner to talk about Oakland culture, Black art, memory, healing, and the power of bringing artists and communities together. We discuss the …
A painting of someone pulling the moon out of orbit might sound like fantasy—until you hear the artist explain the symbols, the technique, and the lived history behind it. In this episode of Tradition Café, I’m joined by George Bernard III, a Bay Area portrait artist whose work draws from African diaspora identity, spiritual traditions, and …
If you’ve ever felt split between worlds and cultures, searched for your place, or built your identity on that delicate seesaw balance of your heritage and you birth country, then you’ll identify with this story. I was born and raised in South Dakota by Dominican parents (yup, you read that right), growing up between languages, …
In the much awaited part two of our OwlSnake interview, we explore two-spirit balance, the difference between soul and spirit, and a grounded understanding of divine counterparts over trend-driven “twin flames.” Music becomes medicine as OwlSnake builds and plays a frame drum, sharing tools, ceremony, and a call to remember who we are. • soul …
When the veil thins and the fires burn low, Tradition Café celebrates Halloween’s roots and stories — marking the turn of the season, not the end of the journey. As Samhain marks the turning of the year — the closing of one season and the quiet beginning of another — Tradition Café pauses to close …
Solitary, witty, and steeped in Celtic tradition — Cecilia keeps her magic private, her humor sharp, and her Scottish ancestors’ horse-thieving ways alive in story. She finally joins the podcast, and it’s unforgettable. Thank you for listening to Tradition Café. Visit www.traditioncafe.com for blog posts, news, and links, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for …
Some episodes feel extra special because they’re not just about a guest — they’re about a friend. That’s exactly how it feels with Violeta, who I’ve had the joy of working with (and laughing with) for almost ten years. If you know us, you know two things: we can make each other laugh about pretty …
