SHOW: Celebrating NBA Dreams, and SWANA Cultures

·27 min·2 clips

A Vallejo native describes crying when his agent told him the Warriors organization signed him.

The episode opens with an emotional hook: Chance McMillan describing the moment his agent told him he was signed by the Warriors organization, leaving him speechless and on the verge of tears. Reporter Demetrius Johnson then sets the scene at a Santa Cruz Warriors G League game, explaining the league's role as a developmental pipeline to the NBA. The narrative delves into Chance's background in Vallejo, highlighting his early obsession with basketball, symbolized by a tattoo that maps his life and city. His mother, Judy, recounts stories of his childhood passion, like breaking hoops at age four. The story traces his path through AAU basketball, academic struggles in high school that required intervention from his mother and Coach Dwayne Jones, and his eventual college career at Grand Canyon University and Texas Tech. Johnson attends another Santa Cruz game, where Chance scores 19 points in a loss, and interviews the head coach about his progress. Chance reflects on his purpose to inspire others from Vallejo. The episode then shifts to a segment on SWANA (Southwest Asian and North African) Heritage Month. Host Hana Ababa introduces henna artist Renda Dhabit, a Palestinian American San Franciscan. Renda describes how a 1994 Cairo wedding during the Gulf War, where henna played a central role, inspired her career. She explains henna's ancient origins, its medicinal and cooling properties, and her decision to open a storefront in the Bay Area 30 years ago to make the art accessible beyond cultural communities. In a demonstration, she applies henna to the host's arm, discussing the intimacy of the art, concerns about cultural appropriation, and her role as an educator. The segment concludes with details about her upcoming workshop at the San Francisco Public Library.

As heard by us

A Vallejo basketball hopeful and a San Francisco henna pioneer share a compact Bay Area portrait.

CrossCurrents follows Chance McMillan through his first season with the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden State's developmental affiliate, then turns to a San Francisco pioneer who helped bring henna art to the Bay Area 30 years ago.

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Why you'd press play

You get a Vallejo-to-Warriors basketball story alongside a Bay Area visit with a San Francisco henna pioneer.

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