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Tag: Radio Campesina

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  • Cesar Chavez Foundation > Radio Campesina
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Carrying the Legacy Forward: A New Generation of Radio Campesina 

September 9, 2025, by CCF

In an evolving media and political landscape, one thing remains constant: Chavez Media’s commitment to providing accurate information, empowering the community, and supporting informed decision-making.  

Beginning with Radio Campesina, the flagship program of Chavez Media, has had a long and enduring history of uniting the community by providing trusted information. Founder Cesar Chavez recognized that farm workers needed a dependable source of information they could count on throughout their day. By blending timely news with meaningful entertainment, he helped build connection, resilience, and a sense of belonging within the community. Radio Campesina, known as “La estación que no se vence en la lucha” (“The station that never gives up in the struggle”), has garnered millions of listeners. Today, Chavez Media continues to serve as a powerful medium for sharing information across communities and inspiring engaging conversations.   

Through innovative partnerships, the Chavez Foundation has created a space to bring in young talent dedicated to empowering and educating underserved communities. Recently, through a grant by the Pivot Foundation, Chavez Media hired its newest talent, Ernesto “Lego” Legorreta Rodríguez, with an effort to engage younger audiences and usher in a new era of diverse voices, particularly in underserved cities like Phoenix, AZ. Rodríguez brings over a decade of expertise, having worked as an editor for Mexicali’s largest newspaper, La Voz de la Frontera.   

By engaging directly with Phoenix’s nearly 50% Latino population, Rodríguez has built a deep understanding of local concerns – dispelling misinformation, encouraging civic engagement, and highlighting often-overlooked stories. His work helps replace fear with knowledge by merging traditional journalism with digital tools. Rodríguez reaches audiences across La Campesina’s platforms. Through the Know Your Rights (Conoce tus Derechos) campaign, he delivers clear, accessible guidance on topics like immigration, earning trust as a familiar figure across La Campesina’s community.  

For more than 40 years, La Campesina’s legacy lives on through a new generation carrying its mission forward. As digital natives, Gen Z brings a fresh perspective that expands the station’s reach and creates space for honest conversations about complex but necessary topics. Rodríguez’s unique perspective has helped bridge generations while remaining true to La Campesina’s core mission: to inform and uplift. By building a space where culture is reflected and unique voices are valued, this new approach, piloted in Phoenix, AZ, sets the stage for Chavez Media’s continued expansion into communities facing similar challenges.   

Chavez Media reaches millions across multiple touchpoints, engaging a multigenerational and multicultural audience through dynamic radio, digital platforms, and live events. Operating across Arizona, California, Nevada, and Georgia, Chavez Media continues to foster a deep sense of community for Latinos and working families. At the heart of this work is Rodríguez, who is helping lead a new era, one shaped by younger audiences committed to combating misinformation and amplifying a new generation of voices.   

Watch El Malcriado on YouTube Monday through Friday from Radio Campesina – hit play and join the conversation!

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Radio Campesina: The Voice of the Community

July 1, 2025, by CCF

For more than 40 years, Radio Campesina has been the voice of the community—delivering trusted news, empowering stories, and hope on the airwaves.  

Radio Campesina has long been an anchor in the community, delivering trusted information and sparking vital conversations over the airwaves. Founded by Cesar Chavez in 1983, Radio Campesina was created to unite Latinos and working families, giving farmworkers a platform where their voices could be heard. That legacy lives on today through Chavez Media, which owns and operates nine radio stations across Arizona, California, Nevada, and Georgia and continues to inform, uplift, and entertain millions of listeners each month—staying true to its mission of inspiring and empowering communities. 

Chavez Media has long welcomed influential voice, from rising musical talents to cultural icons like Los Tigres del Norte, and even hosted an interview with former President Biden. Each guest adds to the spirit of connection, reminding our listeners that their dreams are within reach and their life goals are achievable and attainable. At the heart of Chavez Media’s mission is a deep commitment to listening to and serving the community. 

An enduring community advocate is Roberto De La Rosa, Chavez Foundation Board Member and Executive Director of the Organization for the Legal Advancement of Raza (O.L.A. Raza). A UC Hastings Law graduate, Roberto has supported the community since the earliest days of Radio Campesina, working alongside Cesar Chavez. Today, he continues that legacy by providing immigrant rights education and resources during weekly call-in segments. As a founder of O.L.A., he works tirelessly to provide guidance, educational resources, and essential services that help immigrants, underserved students, and low-income families navigate the legal system. 

The Chavez Media team also remains socially engaged in creating spaces where the community eagerly comes together. Through initiatives like Cuadrilla de la Semana, Rodeo Nights, and Jaripeo Bailes, they connect with the people they serve while providing essential resources. For decades, they have helped their listeners navigate through issues that affect the Latino community, including immigration reform, voter rights, and educational barriers. By offering expert advice, listeners have a trusted source to rely on. 

As the community has faced evolving challenges, Chavez Media has remained a steady and trusted presence. Content Producer Osvaldo recalls the intensity of the 2024 election season, when key ballot measures greatly impacted the Latino community. One caller, overwhelmed and in tears, asked, “What are we going to do? How are they going to help us?” Osvaldo remembers how “that sense of belonging that people have with the radio station [isn’t] seen with other media outlets.” It’s a powerful reminder of the responsibility the team holds and the lasting importance of their work. 

Through changing times, platforms, and issues, Chavez Media continues to fulfill its mission: to uplift and inspire. From the beginning, the dedication has remained and continues to be rooted in responding to the needs of the people. 

Press Inquiries:

Suzy Silvestre

Director of Strategic Communications

ssilvestre@chavezfoundation.org

 

Marc Grossman

Spokesperson

mgrossman@chavezfoundation.org

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