About Irene Florez

Irene Florez's avatar image

FLOREZ, IRENE is a producer at KPFA and a writer for Oakland Local. KPFA is the nation's longest operating listener-sponsored radio station and a flagship of the five-station Pacifica network. Oakland Local is an online community news site covering news in Oakland and surrounding areas. Oakland Local is the third most popular media site in Oakland and publishes in conjunction with the New York Times Bay Area Blog and the Bay Citizen. Florez’ responsibilities include labor coverage and Hispanic issues. She is a native of Bogota, Colombia and graduated with a degree in international relations and modern languages and literature from Mills College. Her first newspaper duty was in Corvallis, OR, where she worked as the online editor for the Crescent Crier. She enjoys farming and traveled along the coast of France, counter clock-wise from Nice to Quimper in 2004, touring and working on organic farms. She enjoys the basics: reading, hiking, dancing and exploring.

Stories

Digital media stories published elsewhere by Irene Florez:

  • Bees: The Threatened Link In Food Security [edit]
    Honey bees help pollinate 1 in every 3 bites that we eat… They are vital in our agricultural industry and essential for the survival of the almost 7 billion people who inhabit this planet. And, as the world’s population continues to grow, so does our reliance on honey bees. Unfortunately, most pollinating insects throughout the world are endangered today, including the honey bee.
  • Starline social club [edit]
    If you think Oakland could use a curated Casablanca-esque social club, you might soon see your dreams come true. Nestled between an overpass, an oil change shop and a single residency hotel, the former Starline supply store at 645 West Grand Ave., is becoming a tastemaker nexus under the management of three Oakland transplants and their artists network. Inspired by art murmur and the West Oakland art scene, Troy Bayless, Adam Hatch and Sam Strand envision a multi-use venue that integrates artist work spaces and a bar in the building’s first floor with a ballroom, a restaurant and residencies in the building’s second floor. Combined, they plan for an arts-based curated social club.
  • Alternatives to affordable, community acupuncture in Oakland [edit]
    With more people losing their jobs and fewer people spending like they did in the past, community acupuncture has become the new frontier for the alternative health industry. Across the United States, hundreds of community acupuncture clinics have sprung up in the last few years. According to Karen Grosskreutz, membership coordinator for the newly established POCA COOP, every week, six new clinics register as POCA members. Today, 170 clinics are registered, although Grosskreutz said she believes that the actual working number is closer to 300. In Oakland, six clinics offer the group setting, sliding scale acupuncture known for it’s reliance on hand, head and feet treatment points.
  • Occupy Oakland Debates the Question of Non-Violence [edit]
    The Occupy movement has changed the way Americans view political activism. And there’s a raging debate over what tactics should be used. On Thursday, December 15th, Oaklanders gathered at the First Unitarian Church of Oakland to discuss how best to Bring The Walls Down. Watch the resulting video on diversity of tactics and what Occupy needs to move forward.

Writing

Content on this site written by Irene Florez (includes contributory writing):

  • Projects

    • Godspeed – Motorcycle Repair
    • Godspeed is a biker’s paradise. There’s a motorcycle repair shop, bar/cafe and tattoo parlor all under one roof. Owner Dan Mather wanted to create the kind of place where he ...