Collobarative & Hands-On! A Volunteer's Perspective IV

Meet Zoë Chapital, Our Summer Volunteer at KSVY! Zoë Chapital spent her summer with us at KSVY Sonoma 91.3 FM, bringing her passion for radio and storytelling from the bustling streets of New York City to the heart of Sonoma Valley. A recent graduate with a Bachelor of English from Fordham University, Zoë’s fascination with radio began during her college job as a van driver, where WNYC kept her connected and informed. This summer, she channeled that passion into learning the ins and outs of radio production, working alongside our dedicated team to produce live shows and explore the world of local broadcasting. Below is her reflection on her time with KSVY—a unique perspective from someone discovering the magic behind community radio.

My mom would listen to NPR relentlessly when I was a child; Terri Gross narrated my childhood car rides. I was convinced talk radio gave me a headache as I sat in the back of her white Volkswagen Jetta and would ask, maybe demand, that she and my dad turn off the back speakers so I could blissfully listen to "Unwritten" by Natasha Beddingfield and "Umbrella" by Rihanna and Jay-Z. I'd stare longingly out the car window, envisioning myself in a music video, living a fabricated reality, tormented by the woes of the lyrics that filled my head.

Something shifted as I aged, perhaps evidently, considering this blog is about my time as a volunteer/intern with KSVY. I was suddenly bemused by the radio as I drove a 14-seater Ford van through New York City (and sometimes the state) working my college job. My main task was to navigate from one college campus to the other, sometimes at 7 am, rush hour, or 11 pm. I began by creating playlists of van-appropriate music and played those to death, but I am no music head; I'm a pretty categorically lazy and sometimes impatient music listener. WNYC, the New York public radio station, effectively saved me from falling face down into the steering wheel from boredom.

As a Californian, I felt connected to New York through the radio, a city I often thought I had no place in, so when I returned to Sonoma this past summer after graduating, I knew I had to get involved with KSVY.

KSVY is a big piece of Sonoma Valley's heart – it fosters earnest creativity and collaboration by the local community. Witnessing this community of hard workers, volunteers, donors, listeners, and more was a massive highlight of my summer.

During the Tuesday night market with the Tuesday Night Guys @ 5, I got to know and learn from Kate Bruno and Jason Ghiselin, the hosts, and Ronny Joe Grooms, the producer. Every Tuesday, I would show up at 4:00 and work with Kate and Ronny to set up the tents, tables, chairs, and sound and radio equipment. The route movements to set up the sound and radio equipment became comforting and quite familiar. Working with equipment that I'd never worked with inspires me to continue my efforts toward working in the capacity of radio and media prosecution and creation.

As an intern, I also had the opportunity to observe the roles everyone else played in creating the live show. Kate and Jason balance each other well in energy and tone, wrapping their guests into a hug of interest every time they sit down and adjust the mic to their mouth. Ronny Joe is enigmatic in his controlled chaos, disappearing and reappearing with guests and collecting knowledge about the night's wine, band, and nonprofit. Each of my radio comrades taught me loads of hands-on experience in interviewing, connecting, and creating a show that exists, in many ways, to shine light upon collective creations.

I also attended several civic meetings in the valley, took notes, and wrote a short write-ups. I have a newfound appreciation for local civic councils and the time many of these folks donate in hopes of supprting their community members. Another side projct (and a highlight of my summer) was when I helped with filming the Small is Beautiful film and panel disucssion. I don’t quite think I’m a part of hte AV club yet, but maybe soon.

These experiences have given me invaluable hands-on experience in media journalism that is less accessible in a bigger city. KSVY gave me a pathway to connect to the valley and my interest in radio with hands-on experience. As I move back to New York, I carry all that everyone has taught me…starting with the radio seed my mom planted, of course. Cheers to the valley and KSVY; stay groovy.