When International Women's Day programming started on Radio Milwaukee almost a decade ago, 88Nine looked and sounded very different. I was the only full-time female radio host working among a group of male DJs. So when I had the idea to lead the programming March 8 and host it for 12 hours, I knew it wasn’t a small ask. But I also knew it was an important one.
Could I have played music myself for 12 hours? You know it! But, from the very beginning, I knew uplifting everyone's voice and sharing the airwaves on that day was the way to go. It’s a VERY female concept. :)
I still remember Nate Imig was the first enthusiastic DJ to cosign this idea with a hearty “EFF YEAH.” So we went for it. With me as the main host, we had a rotating shift of co-hosts sharing their musical choices and very personal stories, some of which had never been heard on 88Nine before.
Flash forward a decade, and our International Women's Day programming this past Saturday felt and looked very different. I’m proud to say that the majority of 88Nine DJs are female, so I no longer had to be that consistent voice on the air. From Erin and Carolann every weekday to our weekend hosts, we’re lucky to have so many strong and powerful voices!
- Doris Wessels went international again this year, highlighting women of Canada.
- Erin shared some of her favorite live concert memories, and we played music from those bands.
- There was a set from our events coordinator Maribel Guarin about being an introvert.
- Director of development Jay Burseth gave us a high-powered punk rock set.
- Carolann’s set was influenced by a new genre of music: “Songs to listen to while laying on the floor.”
- Traffic manager Natasha Dunn brought an educational aspect as she shared the work and music of South Africa’s Miriam Makeba.
- Our special guest Mary Joy Hickey, executive director of Girls Rock MKE, played nothing but Milwaukee-made jams.
The “most feels of the day” award goes to HYFIN’s Element Everest-Blanks, for her three-song set of musical memories dedicated to her mom who passed away last year. This is the first time she’s spoken like this about her mom on-air, and I’m honored she trusted me with this special dedication.
Of course, there was a female-focused Kids’ Disco; listeners came through with an all-lady Let’s Hear It request show; our powerful trio of Mallorey Wallace, Kat Froelich and Britt Gottschalk served up their own vibes and stories during their Saturday shifts; and Kenny Perez finished it off by dedicating In the Mix to a pair of female producers.
Sharing the whole day in audio format would be amazing, but I decided to highlight one hour from International Women’s Day featuring sets from Maribel, Element and Natasha. Please enjoy it using the player at the top of the page, and start thinking of songs we can play next year!
