Indigenous Radio Station for the Maya Mam Community in California: Radio B'alam - Voices Echoing Their Heritage
In the vibrant city of Oakland, California, a unique community-driven internet radio station has emerged as a vital lifeline for the Mam people. Known as Radio B'alam - Maya Voices, this station was founded by Crecencio Ramírez, a Mam immigrant who arrived in the U.S. as a teenager.
Radio B'alam serves as a critical platform for the Mam community, fostering identity preservation and community solidarity in the diaspora. It provides a space for the sharing of language, culture, and news, promoting indigenous languages, offering essential community information, and facilitating cultural expression.
The Mam community faces numerous challenges, including intergenerational trauma, discrimination, cultural and linguistic barriers, financial stress, and isolation. Recognising these struggles, Radio B'alam covers a wide range of topics, from medical care and legal rights to school systems, mental health, women's rights, and public benefits.
A representative from the Public Defender's Office participated in a programme on Radio B'alam, explaining the rights of the audience and how to protect themselves if stopped by police. This programme was well-received, garnering over 15,000 views.
Radio B'alam is the first community-driven internet radio in the U.S. dedicated to the Mam people, offering critical information in Mam about various topics, including COVID vaccines, testing, virtual education, and food distribution. The station also provides "Know Your Rights" training sessions, informing those at risk of ICE raids what to do if approached by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent.
The support of organisations like Cultural Survival has been instrumental in Radio B'alam becoming a trusted source of information and guidance for the Mam community. In 2024, Radio B'alam - Maya Voices received a grant from the Indigenous Community Media Fund of Cultural Survival, which provided opportunities to strengthen infrastructure and transmission systems and generated training opportunities in journalism, broadcasting, audio editing, technical skills, and more for indigenous community radio journalists worldwide.
Upon arrival in the U.S., many Mam immigrants are often labelled "Latinx," and their unique Indigenous identity is often overlooked. Oakland, California, is home to thousands of Mam people, one of the largest concentrations outside of Guatemala. The COVID pandemic increased feelings of isolation and uncertainty among the Mam community, exacerbating language barriers and lack of access to information and support services.
Radio B'alam has established a relationship with the Alameda County Public Defender's Office to address police discrimination against Mam immigrants. The first show aired in December 2020 and has since grown to reach over 76,000 people, not just in the Bay Area, but across the U.S. and even in Guatemala.
In 2024, the Fund awarded $480,000 in grants to 57 indigenous communication projects benefiting indigenous communities in 25 countries across America, Africa, and Asia. With its rapid response strategy, Radio B'alam - Maya Voices continues to play a crucial role in supporting the Mam people facing urgent threats, such as ICE raids, and in preserving their unique culture and identity.
[1] Note: The only related mention found in the current search results is a brief TikTok reference to Radio B'alam in Oakland without further historical or impact context.
- Amidst the challenges faced by the Mam community, including intergenerational trauma and cultural and linguistic barriers, Radio B'alam - Maya Voices has transformed into a home-and-garden for the indigenous group, providing a platform for sharing language, culture, news, and vital community information to promote identity preservation and foster solidarity.
- Looking beyond the city limits, Radio B'alam's lifestyle extends to those of the Mam community beyond Oakland, offering essential guidance on critical issues such as COVID vaccines, school systems, and legal rights, thereby serving as a vital lifeline for the diaspora.
