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Voice of the farmworker: How Spanish-language radio cultivated community in Yakima Valley

caption: Radio Cadena founders and volunteers in front of the transmitter shack overlooking the Yakima Valley. From bottom, left to right: Roberto Alvizo, Martha Valadez, Bernice Zuniga, Dan Roble, Ezequiel Ramirez, Bee Gee Ochoa, Rosa Ramón, Mario Z. Alvarez, and Estella Del Villar.
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Radio Cadena founders and volunteers in front of the transmitter shack overlooking the Yakima Valley. From bottom, left to right: Roberto Alvizo, Martha Valadez, Bernice Zuniga, Dan Roble, Ezequiel Ramirez, Bee Gee Ochoa, Rosa Ramón, Mario Z. Alvarez, and Estella Del Villar.
Photo courtesy of Rosa Ramón

In the public radio world, we talk a lot about our mission to engage and serve all communities. But historically, we haven’t done a great job of that.

Since NPR's start in 1971, most of our programming has been English-language.

That coverage gap hasn't gone unnoticed.

In 1976, in an abandoned fire station on First Hill in Seattle, a group of Chicano and Chicana organizers came together to create a Spanish-language community radio station called Radio Cadena, which translates to "chain" or "link" in English.

Back in the 1970s or 1980s, if you were looking for a Spanish-language broadcast to give you the latest information about Chicano activism — or the farmworker labor movement — you'd tune into Radio Cadena.

The station became appointment radio for Spanish-language news, music, and community events. The station became known for its open-door policy, and for hiring employees without a formal background in radio.

Monica De La Torre chronicled the rise of Radio Cadena in her new book, "Feminista Frequencies: Community Building through Radio in the Yakima Valley."

Soundside host Libby Denkman talked to De La Torre about the groundbreaking Spanish-language programming Radio Cadena produced, and the women behind the station.

And if you want to talk a listen to Radio KDNA, but you're not in the Yakima Valley, you can stream the station online at kdna.org.

caption: KDNA staffer Celia Prieto.
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KDNA staffer Celia Prieto.
Photo courtesy of Rosa Ramón
caption: KDNA founders Rosa Ramón (far left) and Dan Roble (left).
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KDNA founders Rosa Ramón (far left) and Dan Roble (left).
Photo courtesy of Rosa Ramón
caption: KDNA staff (left to right): Bernice Zuniga, Celia Prieto, and Rosa Ramón with volunteers Ricardo García and Ninfa Gutiérrez.
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KDNA staff (left to right): Bernice Zuniga, Celia Prieto, and Rosa Ramón with volunteers Ricardo García and Ninfa Gutiérrez.
Photo courtesy of Rosa Ramón
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