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Sad Francisco

Toshio Meronek

Booking Overview

This is a far-left political interview show focused on San Francisco, queer and trans politics, technology criticism, gentrification, and activist movements, typically featuring journalists, academics, authors, and organizers with direct subject-matter experience. Credible pitches would include queer and trans scholars or activists, anti-gentrification researchers, movement veterans, local-politics journalists, and critics of Silicon Valley and surveillance technology; booking difficulty is low because guests are generally accessible experts rather than mainstream celebrities.

Metrics

Episodes: 170

Frequency: Weekly

Rating: 4.8/5.0

Estimated listeners: 1,000 - 10,000

Listener location: USA

YouTube: 1.1k subscribers

Instagram: 20.0k followers

Contact Information

Publicly listed emails

sadfrancisco@riseup.net

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Host

Toshio Meronek - Writer, editor, and commentator focused on San Francisco politics, queer and trans issues, technology, and the far left.

Booking Intelligence

Booking Requirements

low
Typical Credentials:  
Subject-matter expertise grounded in academic research, published books or journalism, queer and trans activism, community organizing, or direct experience with San Francisco politics and social movements.
Required Achievements:  
Published books or significant journalism, Academic research or teaching appointments, Leadership or long-term participation in activist and community organizations, Recognized expertise in San Francisco politics, housing, technology, or queer and trans issues

Recent Guest Discussions

Kate Raphael - The History And Split Of ACT UP San Francisco, Movement Conflict, Organizing Strategy, And Sustaining Activist Groups.

Dean Ouellette - The History And Split Of ACT UP San Francisco, Movement Conflict, Organizing Strategy, And Sustaining Activist Groups.

Jeremy Mack - San Francisco Billionaire Politics, Daniel Lurie’s Political Network, Right-wing Lobbying, And The Influence Of Wealthy Technology Figures.

Manissa Maharawal - San Francisco Gentrification, Housing Unaffordability, Displacement, Technology-company Influence, And Tenant Resistance.

Eddie Kim - Technofascist Ideology, Silicon Valley Power, Generative Artificial Intelligence, Technology Journalism, And Surveillance Companies.

Recent Topics

Politics, Activism, Queer Politics, Gentrification, Technology Criticism

Episodes

Here's the recent few episodes on
Sad Francisco
:

The Oakland People's Arms Embargo with Dina

October 05, 2026

Dina from the Oakland People's Arms Embargo makes an easy case for why the US has to stop supplying Israel with F-16 bomber parts (and other weapons of mass destruction) via hubs like the Oakland Airport, while corporations like FedEx profit off genocide. Trung co-hosts. Oakland People's Arms Embargo | IG Sign the Petition Palestinian Youth Movement How South African Solidarity Encampments Worked with Left in the Bay Refugee Landlords with Trung Nguyen Support the show and get merch on Pat...

Changing the Meaning of Gender with Susan Stryker

September 28, 2026

Trans historian Susan Stryker has been on the podcast to speak on the Compton's cafeteria riot and her documentary about the riot, Screaming Queens, and in March, she came on to speak about the third edition of Transgender History.  Susan's newest book Changing Gender is about gender, but also deals with considerations on how to live an ethical life in 2026; her acid trips in Joshua Tree and the history of the Zionist Mormon settlers who gave the tree its name; the jazz musician Ornette Colem...

Why movements split: ACT UP San Francisco with Dean Ouellette, Deeg & Kate Raphael

September 17, 2026

What leads movement groups to dissolve? Three members of ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) San Francisco talk about the group's split following the Big Pharma-pilled 6th International AIDS Conference in 1990.  You'll get a history of the local chapter of ACT UP, which was the most notorious organization to come out of the time when HIV was a death sentence, but beyond ACT UP, I'm interested in how movements keep going, how to deal with drama in groups, and when to refocus your energy. ...

Publicly listed emails

sadfrancisco@riseup.net

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