KBBF, the first bilingual radio station in the US, marked its 50th anniversary in Sonoma County, CA with music, dancing, and traditional Latin American refreshments. The public radio station, which began broadcasting in 1973, has volunteers who operate and staff it, drawing on their deep ties to the community to deliver news, music, and culture in Spanish and three indigenous Mexican languages – Mixteco, Triqui, and Chatino.
At the celebration, KBBF board of directors’ president Alicia Sanchez recognized the crowd’s role in reaching the station’s milestone. KBBF’s program director and volunteer Edgar Avila highlighted the significance of community radio, emphasizing that it is a platform for everyone, not just those with professional radio experience. He also mentioned the lack of corporate influence, with the studio and technology being community-owned.
Despite occasional financial difficulties, KBBF’s board of directors, comprised entirely of individuals of Latin American and indigenous Native American descent, have managed to keep the station going through their commitment to the community.
Long-standing volunteers continue to contribute to KBBF’s programming with shows covering topics like labor, housing rights and immigration law for Sonoma County’s migrant farmworker community.
