I had the privilege of talking to Nemo Siqueiros about their radio program “Finding me”. This program is the first queer radio program in our area and has been running since its debut at the FM Pride last year, with co-host Darcy Corbitt. The program is undergoing a brief hiatus, while it seeks a new co-host, but old episodes can be viewed at http://kpppfm.com/finding-me/.
High Plains Reader: What is “Finding Me”?
Nemo Siqueiros: “Finding Me” helps to continue the mission of KPPP-LP 88.1 FM and boost the voices of the unheard, especially queer and trans people who lack meaningful representation in media.
In that way, it is also a journey of discovery in understanding sexuality & gender from an intersectional viewpoint that includes the complexities of race, sex, and abilities, and focuses on the issues of the queer/lgbtq community as a whole.
I want those who listen to love and understand themselves, their friends in the community, and raise awareness of intersectional issues that may not be so obvious, including allies.
HPR: What made you decide you wanted to get into radio?
NS: My parents are trained community organizers and they have focused much of their lives on social justice issues, media justice being one of the most important of our time. To me, understanding how media functions is crucial.
Often, media is not in the hands of the public. The stories told can often be misinterpreted, warped or rewritten in an undesirable way. I wanted to bring the intersectionality of who I am, my college studies in anthropology and art, and my personal experience as an autistic Mexican to the radio.
It’s also a family affair. My mother has worked in publishing, television and broadcasting. My uncle Raul Gomez is co-owner of the HPR, and my mother was a former editor at HPR. Prior to working in radio I published cartoons in HPR and designed logos such as the Taco Bros logo.
HPR: What have been some of your meaningful or favorite moments during this program?
NS: “Finding Me” as a title for my show, because my name is Nemo and I like creating clever marketing slogans. My favorite moments are in the making of this program, working with amazing queer people like Darcy and the many others who have contributed to the show; and the representation, visibility, and acceptance we are providing in media for queer and trans people.
Also, back when I focused primarily on marketing, art, and social media content for the station, I created the slogan “Adding Local Color to Your Airwaves.” The “Local Color” not only captures that meaning of the radio station’s mission, but if you google it you can see that it also captures all the different communities in the Fargo-Moorhead region.
HPR: What would you say for people who want to be involved with something like this?
NS: Well, it just so happens that my co-host Darcy will be taking on a new job and I’m currently looking for other queer and trans folks who want to co-host and join the program as contributors, producers, etc. There are also many other things people can do, allies and lgbt/queer folk alike!
- We need volunteers & interns! We do training so that you can learn to use the free open-source programs utilized at the station, so that you can also create your own stories that you want told, whether it’s with us or on your own.
- You can donate to the radio station as a whole at kpppfm.com/donate. When you donate, you can also put in the message line “Finding Me,” to directly donate to the operating costs of the show itself; and your donation is tax deductible. Which brings me to my last point…
- If you’re a local business interested in our work as a non-profit lgbt-friendly and multicultural radio station, you can sponsor KPPP-LP 88.1 FM or specifically “Finding Me” by checking out kpppfm.com/underwriting-opportunities. You can support local queer/trans programming in non-commercial media and sponsorships are completely tax deductible, so your business or organization can write off the donation at the end of the year.
- You can get on-air mentions (up to 30 seconds) about your business on the radio as many times as you like, depending on your donation; Just like PBS or NPR with their common phrases of “This program/station is sponsored by viewers/listens like you. Thank you.”
HPR: How can people contact you for the show?
NS: If you have any questions, feel free to contact me about my work directly at [email protected] or email the station managers [email protected] or [email protected]. You can also leave a message with your number at the message line at 701-566-0917 and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
[Editor’s note: Faye Seidler is North Dakota Safe Zone Project Spokeswoman]
