The Bay The Pay Phone That Lets San Franciscans ‘Call a Republican'
Feb 23, 2026
Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman, a KQED reporter who covered the Matter Neuroscience payphone project, walks through a quirky social experiment. She describes vintage payphones wired to connect San Francisco and Abilene. Listeners hear how the phones were built, who answered, and a surprising cross-country conversation. The piece explores moments of connection that challenged stereotypes.
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Payphone Project Connected Strangers Coast To Coast
- Matter Neuroscience installed a red payphone in San Francisco and a blue one in Abilene, Texas to connect strangers across political divides.
- They rewired old payphones with SIM cards and recorded ~200 conversations over a month for the Party Line project.
Local San Franciscan Used Phone To Bridge Family Politics
- Maria Gonzalez, a lifelong San Franciscan, picked up the ringing payphone and spoke with a Democrat caller from Texas about family tensions over politics.
- Her conversation reminded her of trying to maintain relationships with relatives who support Trump.
Two 46-Year-Olds Found Surprising Common Ground
- A 46-year-old man in San Francisco and a 46-year-old stay-at-home mom in Abilene discovered shared common ground after awkward intros.
- They bonded over age, kids, AI development nearby, and mutual sense that the world feels chaotic.