BOUNCE: Golden State Valkyries Season Tip-Off Party

Join the team from KALW's sports podcast BOUNCE for a preseason fan fest at our studio events space in downtown San Francisco.
First we witnessed an historic first season during which the Golden State Valkyries transformed from a franchise into a phenomenon. Then we waited through a fraught off-season, when the players and owners negotiated a collective bargaining agreement more properly valuing women athletes. And now we're just days away from a season in which the team is looking to do more than just make the playoffs. They're looking to make some noise.
BOUNCE host Erin Lim will be joined by executive producer Ben Trefny, along with the founder of the women's basketball Substack Rough Notes Maya Goldberg-Safir, and KALW sports reporter Jordan Karnes. They'll welcome the audience into the conversation from the get-go to talk about the new contracts, the European and Unrivaled seasons, the new Valks, just what the heck happened on WNBA Draft Day, and what we can expect in the upcoming season.
We'll also have slices and salads from our sponsor, Joyride Pizza, and there may just be some other goodies to give away.
Be part of the most best pregame party in the Bay, on Wednesday May 6th at 7 pm with the team from BOUNCE.

This Month's Guests

Maya Goldberg-Safir makes stories about women’s basketball and splits her time between Chicago and Oakland, where she was born and raised. She spent 12 years at the Third Coast International Audio Festival in Chicago and is the creator of , a newsletter breaking traditional rules of sportswriting and chronicling women’s basketball throughout its evolutions.

Jordan Karnes is a fellow of KALW's 2025-2026 Audio Academy cohort. They are the author of It Hasn’t Stopped Being California Here (Carville Annex Press) and More Silver Than Gold (Finishing Line Press). Their work has appeared in the Believer Magazine, New Life Quarterly, and at the Prelinger Library’s Place Talks lecture series. They are the Chair of the Literary Arts Department at Oakland School for the Arts where they teach poetry, journalism, and creative nonfiction to middle and high school students

This Month's Hosts:

Erin Lim is Bay Area born-and-raised. She has called San Francisco home for two decades and has worked in various communication roles around The Bay. Erin started her career in local radio, then moved into newsrooms and cable TV productions, and then landed in PR/marketing. During her years in PR (hotel and film), she founded the award-winning culture podcast Bitch Talk and is producing a documentary called The Nomadic Family Project. Both creative projects continue to inspire her. Recently, Erin graduated from KALW’s Audio Academy and is the host of KALW’s BOUNCE, a podcast about the first season of the Golden State Valkyries.

Ben Trefny, BOUNCE executive producer, has been part of the KALW family since 2004. As Executive News Editor and then News Director, he helped our news department win numerous regional and national awards for long- and short-form journalism. He also helped create numerous training programs — for teenagers, incarcerated people, and early-career journalists — and have taught hundreds of audio producers. He served as interim Executive Director for nearly two years.

His work is currently focused on creating original live events, programming, and building partnerships with like-minded organizations. He oversees KALW’s community space at 220 Montgomery Street in downtown San Francisco where he organizes town hall conversations, film screenings, literature readings, concerts, and fundraisers. He also curates the 111 Minna Street stage for Downtown First Thursdays.

There is a $10 - $20 sliding scale suggested donation for this event. Nobody will be turned away for lack of funds.

Please become a KALW member today and receive your first drink on us at all 220 Montgomery events.

📍 220 Montgomery St., San Francisco, 2 blocks from BART/MUNI🚪 Reception doors open at 6:00🗣️ Program begins at 7:00🆓 The event is free with an RSVP — and you are welcome to donate what you want

Please note:

• The event space is just to the left of the main entrance to the Mills Building at 220 Montgomery Street
• We recommend taking BART/MUNI, exiting at Montgomery, and walking two blocks north
• Ride-shares can drop off and pick up directly in front of the venue
• If you drive, there are several garages within two blocks of the event location; free street parking is available across from the venue at 7:00 pm

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