FM Waves to Activism

This course was made possible through the collaboration of faculty and our community partner, with each playing an essential role in supporting student learning, creative production, and community-centered storytelling throughout the quarter. Through the support of HumanitiesX and our partnership with Lumpen Radio, students were able to engage in hands-on media production while exploring pressing social justice issues affecting Latino communities in Chicago.

Meet the Team

Dr. Yoalli Rodriguez Aguilera is an Assistant Professor of Latin American and Latino Studies at DePaul. Throughout the quarter, she guided students in learning more about the intersections of the Latine experience, primarily focusing on how social justice has been understood within the Latine community. They fostered a welcoming space for students, enabling dialogue and collaborative learning to occur.

Stephanie Manriquez is the Director of Lumpen Radio, where she serves as the lead producer for the community radio station. She is an award-winning writer, radio producer, journalist, and teaching artist based in Chicago. Her knowledge on guided students throughout the creative process, allowing them to learn from her experiences firsthand. She helped create a classroom where creativity and advocacy were the core goals.

Luz Perez is a fourth-year student at DePaul University, majoring in Psychology (BA) with a minor in Latin American and Latino Studies. As the HumanitiesX Student Fellow for this course, Luz supported students throughout the quarter by assisting in the audio story process. She worked closely with Dr. Yoalli and Stephanie, aiming to establish a course center focused on advocacy and community.

August Abitang is a Lumpen Radio producer who, throughout the quarter, provided students with support in the editing of their audio pieces. His presentation on audio editing techniques and how to utilize editing applications prepared students for the editing process that would take place as the weeks went by. His presence in the classroom allowed students to ask questions as the projects progressed.

Charly Garcia is a Lumpen Radio producer who provided students with useful tips to keep in mind when they began the recording process of their audio pieces. Charly shared with them how to use recording devices, such as a voice recorder, a microphone, or even a phone, which prepared students before starting the whole process.

HumanitiesX at DePaul University

HumanitiesX is an initiative at DePaul University that supports innovative, community-centered humanities courses addressing today's most pressing social challenges. The HumanitiesX Team provided the framework, resources, and support that made this course and its community partnership possible. Their commitment to experiential learning allows students to engage directly with real-world issues through creative and collaborative work.

HumanitiesX Leadership Team:

Lisa Dush (Faculty Director)
Amanda Lautermilch (Coordinator)
Taylor Sellers-Varela (Student Assistant)