Story By Mair Allen
Art by Genessis Lopez & Anh Tran
KRSM
There’s nothing like driving down Lake Street on a hot summer day, windows rolled down, while the radio plays a deep-cut Anne Peebles track.
Then, instead of a commercial break, you hear the voice of a local artist, like Ricardo Levins Morales talking about organizing and solidarity, or Junauda Petrus reflecting on the curve of James Baldwin’s lips. These are some of the offerings from KRSM, a radio station that reflects the stories, songs, and hopes of Southside Minneapolis’ diverse communities.
“Media is important,” says Andrea Pierre, KRSM’s station manager. “We see how narrative is something that can really reflect in policy, reflects how people view you, and biases about Minneapolis.” That’s why the station is so important — it connects people through programming that centers the complexities of real stories. It’s powered by volunteers who recognize this need and dedicate their time to help with everything from producing public service announcements to hanging posters.
After a 7-year process to secure an FCC license and build the station, KRSM hit the air in 2017 at 98.9 FM. Andrea got involved with the station as a volunteer.
Now, working as station manager, she’s the only full-time employee. “I don't think that would happen anywhere else but KRSM,” she says “Because the vibe is about having the heart and the passion, and wanting to really connect with people on air. To tell a different story.”
“Even though it's low-power, it's actually very powerful to have this concentrated programming that's specifically dealing with equity,” says Yonci Jameson, KRSM’s youth media specialist. The focus on equity drives KRSM — a social enterprise of Pillsbury United Communities — to keep the barriers to participation as low as possible. If someone wants to get on air, the process is simple: After filling out a form on the station website, prospective hosts meet with Andrea to talk about how their show will lift the voices of community members who don’t often get their perspectives shared. This core value has led to a schedule that includes programming in six languages, Indigenous news broadcasts, and youth led shows.
Through that youth programming, Yonci has seen the effects of a self-directed public platform. At a party for this season’s interns, students talked about plans to work in college radio, start podcasts, and join the Minnesota Youth Council, a group that champions youth power in the legislature and beyond.
The station’s tagline, “Radio for All”, isn’t just a catchphrase — it’s a perspective that makes KRSM more than a resource for storytelling.
It’s an activation point for engagement. “All the different ways that these people contribute to our community, whether it's through art, or music, activism, politics, it's very much the pulse of Minneapolis,” says Andrea. “If you name any show, I can tell you at least three great things that somebody is doing.”
