Issue One

The first transatlantic radio signal ever received hit an antenna attached to a kite attached to a wire attached to a tower on top of Signal Hill, St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada on December 12th, 1901. It said “S” in Morse Code (“dot dot dot”).

We’re named after all the places in the world called Signal Hill. There are eighteen that we know of.

Editors’ Note

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February 2025

Issue One

The Editors

Editors’ Note

Jackson Roach

Dispatch Fishing the Sky

A day at The People’s Kite Festival

Neena Pathak

Essay Desperado

The darkness in me honors the darkness in you

Conor Gillies

Profile Pie Down Here

Robin D. G. Kelley’s oral histories

Hannah Sassoon

Feature A Porous Place

Sheep and war on the Causse du Larzac

Ian Lewis

Old Tape Red House, Blue House

A history of The Sunset

Annie Rosenthal

Feature Caterpillar Roadshow

The butterfly body keeps the score

Cheryl Rivera

Feature My Movement Summer

Escalation and persistence

Hannah Kingsley-Ma

Call-In On the Family Group Chat

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Signal Hill

The Plea A Very Special and Real Offer

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Credits

Illustrations by Molly Hastings

Fishing the Sky

Jackson Roach

Every spring since 2020, people from all over LA have come to a windy downtown park to make and fly kites at The Community & Unity People's Kite Festival.

Fishing The Sky

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Fishing the Sky Transcript

Signal Hill Transcripts_ Template + Drafts - Fishing the Sky - ready to check.csv

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Notes

Jackson Roach is a freelance radio producer, and co-editor-in-chief of Signal Hill. They live in Chicago. This story was reported, produced, and sound designed by Jackson. It was edited by Omar Etman, with help from Annie Rosenthal, Lio Wong, Liza Yeager, and the Issue One cohort. Music in this story is from the Signal Hill music library, which (so far) includes original work by Clara E. Brill, J. Mamana, Ethan Philbrick and Jackson Roach. Special thanks to Sue Bell Yank and Caroline Kanner at Clockshop, and to Stevie Choi.

Desperado

Neena Pathak

Neena Pathak conquers her senses at hot yoga. Kind of.

Desperado

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Desperado Transcript

Signal Hill Transcripts_ Template + Drafts - Desperado - ready to check.csv

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Notes

Neena Pathak is a writer and audio maker based in Los Angeles. This story was written and produced by Neena, and edited by Lio Wong and Jackson Roach. Sound design and additional production by Jackson Roach. Additional editorial support from Omar Etman, Annie Rosenthal, Liza Yeager, and the Issue One cohort. Alex Laughlin, Lasha Madan, Salimah Mohamed, Saidu Tejan-Thomas Jr., and Schuyler Swenson played the five yoga teachers. Yoga consultation by Utkarsh Sanjanwala. Sanskrit consult by Vijaya Chitre. Music in this story is from the Signal Hill music library, which (so far) includes original work by Clara E. Brill, J. Mamana, Ethan Philbrick and Jackson Roach. “Desperado” is originally by The Eagles, but the cover version discussed in this story is by The Langley Schools Music Project. Special thanks to Stella Tan, Joanna Leigh Simon, Jase Miles-Perez, Julia Furlan, Priya Mehendale, Nick Shapiro, and the Green Box artist residency.

Pie Down Here

Conor Gillies

Robin D. G. Kelley listens back to the oral histories that became his groundbreaking book Hammer and Hoe.

Pie Down Here

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Pie Down Here Transcript

Signal Hill Transcripts_ Template + Drafts - Pie Down Here - ready to check.csv

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Notes

Conor Gillies is the audio editor at Jacobin, where he makes shows such as Long Reads and People's History. This story was produced by Conor, and edited by Liza Yeager and Omar Etman. Additional editorial support from Jackson Roach, Annie Rosenthal, Lio Wong, and the Issue One cohort. Music in this story is by Nathan Bowles, except for the song “Long-Haired Preachers” by Harry McClintock, courtesy of Smithsonian Folkways. Special thanks to Jacobin Radio, where a longer series based on this story is forthcoming.

A Porous Place

Hannah Sassoon

Hannah Sassoon went to southern France to work on a sheep farm. Then she learned about the military camp.

A Porous Place

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A Porous Place

A Porous Place.pdf

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Notes

Hannah Sassoon is a writer living in New York. Hannah reported and wrote this story. It was edited by Jackson Roach, Liza Yeager, and Annie Rosenthal, with help from Omar Etman and Lio Wong. Sound design and additional production by Jackson Roach. Additional editorial support from the Issue One cohort. Fact checking by Alan Dean. Music in this story is from the Signal Hill music library, which (so far) includes original work by Clara E. Brill, J. Mamana, Ethan Philbrick and Jackson Roach. Special thanks to Amelia Schonbek, Bernard Parsy, Ginette Parsy, Léa Parsy, Christiane Burguière, Michèle Vincent, Alex Marizon, and Léon Maillé.

Red House, Blue House

Ian Lewis

An amateur documentarian, a neighborhood historian, and the story no one tells about San Francisco’s Sunset District.

Red House, Blue House

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Red House, Blue House Transcript

Signal Hill Transcripts_ Template + Drafts - Red House Blue House - ready to check.csv

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Notes

Ian Lewis is a filmmaker and radio producer living in Marfa, Texas. Ian wrote, directed, and produced this story, which also features the voices of Rob Weiner and Adrienne Humblet. It was edited by Jackson Roach and Lio Wong, with sound design and additional production by Jackson Roach. Additional editorial support from Annie Rosenthal, Liza Yeager, Omar Etman, and the Issue One cohort. Music in this story is from the Signal Hill music library, which (so far) includes original work by Clara E. Brill, J. Mamana, Ethan Philbrick and Jackson Roach. Special thanks to Graham Stevenson.

Caterpillar Roadshow

Annie Rosenthal

Annie’s mom, an esteemed entomologist, knows a lot about bugs. Her ten-year-old Japanese pen pal might know more.

Caterpillar Roadshow

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Caterpillar Roadshow

Caterpillar Roadshow.pdf

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Notes

Annie Rosenthal is an editor at Signal Hill and the Virginia Spencer Davis fellow at High Country News. Annie reported and produced this story, with additional production from Liza Yeager and Jackson Roach, and sound design by Liza Yeager. It was edited by Liza Yeager and Jackson Roach, with help from Lio Wong, Omar Etman, and the Issue One cohort. Fact checking by Alan Dean. Music in this story is from Blue Dot Sessions, with additional music from the Signal Hill music library, which (so far) includes original work by Clara E. Brill, J. Mamana, Ethan Philbrick and Jackson Roach. Special thanks to Carlos Morales, Marfa Public Radio, John Lill, Jo Nagai, Saeko Nagai, Hayato Nagai, Tomoki Nagai, Martha Weiss, Josh Rosenthal, Isabel Rosenthal, and Harrison Smith.

My Movement Summer

Cheryl Rivera

Over four sticky months, Cheryl Rivera went to protests, and meetings, and hung out with her friends. She brought a microphone with her. Produced in collaboration with Lux Magazine.

My Movement Summer

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My Movement Summer Transcript

Signal Hill Transcripts_ Template + Drafts - My Movement Summer - ready to check (5).csv

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Notes

Cheryl Rivera is an editor at Lux Magazine and culture worker organizing in Brooklyn. Cheryl reported and wrote this story. It was edited by Omar Etman, Liza Yeager and Jackson Roach. It was produced and sound designed by Jackson Roach, with help from Omar Etman. Additional editorial support from Annie Rosenthal, Lio Wong, and the Issue One cohort. Music in this story is from the Signal Hill music library, which (so far) includes original work by Clara E. Brill, J. Mamana, Ethan Philbrick and Jackson Roach. Special thanks to all of Cheryl’s comrades.

On the Family Group Chat

Hannah Kingsley-Ma

We return to the goo goo ga ga psychobabble of our first selves.

On the Family Group Chat

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On the Family Group Chat

On the Family Group Chat.pdf

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Notes

Hannah Kingsley-Ma is a writer and audio producer living in Brooklyn. This story was reported and written by Hannah. It was edited by Liza Yeager and Lio Wong, with help from Jackson Roach. It was produced and sound designed by Liza Yeager, with help from Jackson Roach. Additional editorial support from Annie Rosenthal, Omar Etman, and the Issue One Cohort. Music in this story is from the Signal Hill music library, which (so far) includes original work by Clara E. Brill, J. Mamana, and Ethan Philbrick. Additional music in this story is from Blue Dot Sessions. Special thanks to Hannah’s friends and family.

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A Very Special and Real Offer

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Credits

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SPECIAL THANKS

Suzanne Benz

Lisa Borst

Travis Bubenik

Elena Saavedra Buckley

Eliza Dexter Cohen

Maya Goldberg-Safir

Brandi Howell

Caroline Kanner

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