FM Waves to Activism

Welcome to Our Course!

Throughout the quarter, students explore the power of community radio as a platform for advocacy, storytelling, and social change within Chicago's Latino communities. Through our community partnership with Lumpen Radio, students worked on a collaborative project, an audio series!

Centered on a diverse range of topics, this site highlights the creative work of students within the course, while also showcasing the power of radio in fostering advocacy, visibility, and social change.

Course Overview:

This course explored the powerful relationship between Latino migrant communities and community radio in Chicago, highlighting the role of community radio as a powerful local tool for social change. Latino migrant communities face pressing social issues such as immigration, labor rights, access to healthcare, food justice, housing, and education. Through this course, students were invited to look at how media, specifically community radio, is used as a tool for advocacy, visibility, and empowerment.

Students also discussed the power of orality - knowledge passed through speech, storytelling, and social interactions - is as critical as written knowledge. The goal was for students to gain a deeper understanding of how media, identity, and community all connect to foster social justice.

Photo Credits: Amanda Lautermilch

Learning Through Community Radio - Lumpen Radio

At the heart of the course was our partnership with Lumpen Radio, a community radio station, which gave students direct exposure to the creative and technical process that comes with a medium such as radio.

Throughout the quarter, students:

Developed story ideas based on a diverse range of issues affecting our Latino Communities in Chicago
Produced an Audio Series
- Wrote and scripted original radio segments
- Recorded and edited audio

These experiences allowed students to turn their knowledge and reflection into real-world media projects with community impact.

Key Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the course, students developed skills in:

Research and Critical Analysis - Investigated structural injustices affecting Latino communities.
Historical and Cultural Understanding - Examined how radio in the U.S. shapes storytelling, community, and identity.
Media Literacy and Communication - Analyzed radio programming, assessed its influence on identity and community engagement, and communicated its importance effectively in both oral and written forms.
Hands-on Radio Production Skills - Developed practical skills in producing radio content that reflects and serves Latino communities, including content creation, storytelling, and technical aspects of community radio.
Community Engagement and Advocacy - Worked with Lumpen to promote and advocate for equitable media representation and access for Latino populations.
Cultural Competence and Social Awareness - Enhanced their cultural awareness, explored how radio can address key social issues, and learned to foster inclusive dialogue that strengthens community ties.