Monday Draft Questions (6/1) - Angie Lai

1.  In the article, "'Programas Sin Vergüenza (Shameless Programs)': Mapping Chicanas in Community Radio in the 1970s", de la Torre talks about how songs that "carried patriarchal messages disguised by beautiful melodies" were vetted "for sexist or misogynist content and labeled…  as unfavorable for airing" (185). Additionally, "These misogynist songs were replaced by socially conscious music of the era" which "created a musical repertoire with Chicana feminist underpinnings, making KDNAs airwaves a model for how to ensure that community radio reflected a Chicana political consciousness" (185). Why is it important to be critical of the messages in the art we consume? Do you take these considerations into account when choosing what to listen to? Does a particular song or artist come to mind?

2. Why is having a radio station like KDNA important? In addition to amplifying Latino voices and experiences, what does this radio station mean in terms of accessibility?

3. In the article, "Why COVID-19 is hitting Washington Latinos especially hard", the authors provide several examples of the public health impacts of the criminalization of undocumented immigrants. They say "Latino small business owners also feel the financial pressure to stay open… since undocumented immigrants do not qualify for the federal aid available to others", and some undocumented immigrants are afraid to seek medical care in fear of that impacting their citizenship. What has the criminalization of undocumented immigrants done besides incite fear? How does the way we treat and view undocumented immigrants create more harm? 

4. In the article, "Undocumented workers fend for themselves with little COVID-19 help", Minerva Alavez, a Renton resident, is quoted as saying, “We’ve always tried and make it on our own…But now it’s getting really bad, and we really do feel like we need help.” Immigrants fill some of the most labor-intensive jobs, often with very little pay, so where does the narrative of "poor people are lazy" come from? How have immigrants been demonized as job-stealers when in reality, they try "to get by without seeking help"?