Journalist Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez (S3E20)

Photography by Michelle Kilfeather

Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez grew up in Cow Hollow, and he'd like you to know what that means.

In Part 1, the prolific San Francisco journalist tells the story of how his parents met (it involves his mom and uncle hitchhiking from Los Angeles to San Francisco). He talks about the neighborhood where he grew up and all the misconceptions that surround it. An influential neighbor he had back then led him to become a writer for his middle school newspaper.

Joe ends Part 1 sharing stories from his time making documentary videos in high school, and how, in a roundabout way, that led him back to journalism at City College.

Joe dove head-first into a career in journalism in his hometown of San Francisco.

In Part 2, the young veteran reporter takes us through the later days of his time in City College's journalism program. After a brief stint at SF State, Joe got hired to write for the SF Bay Guardian, and rode it out until that weekly folded. He soon found work as a reporter and opinion columnist at the Examiner, a job he held until just last month. These days, he's a producer/reporter for KQED News.

We recorded this podcast on Zoom during quarantine in San Francisco in April 2020.