Write Up The Coast – Step-In! Stories
Write Up The Coast – Step-In! Stories brings community voices to life — recorded live in the moment. At its heart is the mobile Step-In! booth, a small traveling space where people pause amid the noise of daily life to share a thought, a memory, or a feeling.
Beyond the booth, Step-In! also meets people where they are — on the street, at events, or in quiet one-on-one conversations — capturing the same spirit of openness and spontaneity wherever it happens.
Season 1: Write Up The Coast — curated conversations and reflections that explore the meaning of community through storytelling.
Season 2: Step-In! — spontaneous recordings from public spaces and personal exchanges that reveal real voices, real moments, and real connection.
Created and hosted by Mark Sanford Gross, Step-In! invites us all to pause, listen, and remember: every story matters.
Episodes
17 episodes
What You Need to Know Now: A Health Care Update with Vanessa Ignacio
A straightforward conversation with Vanessa Ignacio, founder of Ignacio Health Services here on the Mendonoma Coast. In this no-frills episode, we talk honestly about the urgency of understanding your health-care options for 20...
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38:23
Write Up The Coast Writers — Episode 1: The Thank-You That Lingers
This premiere episode of Write Up The Coast Writers begins with a simple idea: what happens when people pause—just for a moment—and follow the nudge to say something from the heart?Fifteen voices from around the world responded to...
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34:45
Step-In! at Surf Market (Gualala, CA.)
Date: October 27, 2025 Recorded live at Surf Market in Gualala, this Step-In! episode captures spontaneous stories from shoppers and passers-by at the meeting point of Sonoma and Mendocino Counties.
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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24:59
Step-In! at Catharine Clark Gallery (San Francisco, CA)
Date: October 11, 2025 Recorded live at the Catharine Clark Gallery in San Francisco, this premiere Step-In! episode captures the project’s debut — visitors stepping forward to share spontaneous reflections surrounded by...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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28:10
Step In! at The Record (Point Arena, CA)
Date: October 22, 2025Recorded live inside The Record in Point Arena, this Step-In! episode invites locals to pause between aisles and share their stories, blending everyday moments with honest reflection.Thank you to...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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27:18
Step-In! at "No Kings Rally" (Gualala, CA)
Date: October 18, 2025 Recorded live at the No Kings Rally in Gualala, this Step-In! episode gathers voices from the crowd — neighbors, riders, and wanderers pausing amid celebration to speak from the heart.
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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15:19
Season 1, Episode 11 — “In Conversation: Paul Lisicky”
Recorded live at The Sea Ranch Lodge, this special episode features acclaimed writer Paul Lisicky in conversation with host Mark Sanford Gross. Against the breathtaking backdrop of where redwoods meet the ocean, Paul reflects on ...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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54:14
Season 1, Episode 10 — “The Irish Newsboys: A Night at Chief Sullivan’s”
Recorded live amid the music and laughter of Chief Sullivan’s Irish Bar in San Francisco, this episode captures an unforgettable evening with The Irish Newsboys. Host Mark Sanford Gross joins the band for a spirited conversation woven throu...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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36:42
Season 1, Episode 9 — “Peggy’s Place: AI and Storytelling
In this special crossover episode, Write Up The Coast joins forces with KGUA-FM’s benchmark program, “Peggy’s Place,” hosted by the First Lady of Native Radio, Peggy Berryhill. Together, Peggy and Mark Sanford Gross talk about the evolving ...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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53:04
Season 1, Episode 8 — “In Discussion: Tara Duggan, San Francisco Chronicle
Join Write Up The Coast host Mark Sanford Gross and San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Tara Duggan for an unscripted conversation that flows from the page to real life. Part of the “In Discussion” series, this episode explores ho...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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56:52
Season 1, Episode 7 — “The Writers Episode, Part 1”
The Writers Episode series opens a new chapter in the Write Up The Coast project — a space where everyday people write, share, and connect through spontaneous creativity. Hosted by Mark Sanford Gross with guest co-host Cris Vail, this first...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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1:08:32
Season 1, Episode 6 — “A Better Place: A Conversation in the Forest”
Planning for “what happens to us and where we go” can be one of the greatest gifts we leave our loved ones — yet many of us avoid the conversation. In this gentle, reflective episode, Mark Sanford Gross visits Better Place Forests in Point ...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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38:42
Season 1, Episode 5 — “For Freedoms: Where Do We Go From Here?”
Inspired by the artist-led organization For Freedoms and its national campaign on civic imagination, this episode explores how art sparks conversation and connection across distance. Hosted by Mark Sanford Gross, it links The Corcoran Schoo...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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1:17:01
Season 1, Episode 4 — “A Tribute to Dorothy Allison”
Recorded live during the November Write Now! gathering at The Sea Ranch Lodge, this special episode honors the late Dorothy Allison — author of Bastard Out of Carolina — whose words continue to inspire truth and courage in storytel...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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57:57
Season 1, Episode 3 — “All I Did Was Say Hi?”
Ever had a simple “Hey, did you hear about…” turn into something you didn’t expect? This episode captures those unpredictable moments — spontaneous conversations on the Mendonoma Coast where a casual greeting can open a door to reflection, humo...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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17:30
Season 1, Episode 2 — “What Matters Most?”
When Write Up The Coast stepped out into the streets, the question was simple — What matters most? The answers, gathered in real time from friends, neighbors, and passers-by, reveal the heart of the Mendonoma Coast: honest...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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34:47
Season 1, Episode 1 — “Marking Time” with Peggy Berryhill
Season 1, Episode 1 — “Marking Time” with Peggy Berryhill A heartfelt reunion between two coastal storytellers — reconnecting on air to reflect on community, creativity, and the journey from KGUA Writers to Write Up The Coast. ...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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48:57
