The cameras start rolling, everyone is silent, every breath can be heard and it’s clear that everyone in the room is nervous. Santy Hernandez is sat on the middle of a table, while three teenagers are looking at her expecting her to talk. In front of her there’s a TV, which shows what the cameras capture. Finally, Javier Vicuña gives the thumbs up for Santy to start talking. She takes a deep breath to try and calm her nerves then smiles at the camera and says, “Welcome back to Tay Radio Marin. I am your host Santy Hernandez, joined by my co-hosts.” As she lets the new interns introduce themselves, she looks down at her paper with all the written questions. Throughout the show, her biggest goal is to make the studio a safe space where everyone can share their thoughts and opinions, even if there are differences.
Santy is twenty-four years old, born in Guatemala in a small town called Chivarreto. She was raised by her grandmother until the age of seven where she then moved to the United States. She has resided in Marin County ever since. When coming to the U.S. she describes her childhood as “not the easiest” due to being indigenous. Her first language is Quiché, that meant that when coming to the U.S she had to learn both English and Spanish. She describes her school experience as “one of the most frustrating things up until high school.” She felt like there was always a really big language barrier and that she “was always at the bottom of the class, never really a top student.” This challenge made her feel less than her peers. But over the years, she’s come to realize that “knowing Spanish and English has made [her] really smart.” Due to the challenges she faced growing up, she became very shy. But one thing that always stood out to her was the art of media, as she has always felt as if it was the only time when she could truly be herself.
Santy started as an intern for Tay Radio Marin–a weekly show where young individuals learn media skills, and are able to discuss topics that they are passionate about–where she learned to be proud of her culture and background, after a while she became a Tay Radio host. Full disclosure: I have been an intern here myself. When talking about what she does in Tay Radio, Santiy says, “I get to teach what I’ve been learning for the past five years, which for me is the most fulfilling part of Tay Radio.” Apart from this, Santy is the lead graphic designer for the Multicultural Center of Marin and the social media coordinator, which allows her to explore different programs.
She also helps the facilitators of Presente with their youth by being involved in outreach, chaperoning, and documenting experiments through photos and film. Presente is a leadership internship where they do different trips and workshops, their main goal being helping transitional youth with support. Some of the kids she helps are those who are on probation. Santy then gives some ways in which she interacts with those kids. “I’ve been able to have conversations with them and say, what’s going on? And bring out a possibility to them to say you can turn your life around.”
She and her group also take the youth to outings and show them “a different side of life from the decisions they have made.” Santy feels like being able to work with youth who need the most help is the most valuable thing for her. She believes that “they are very bright, but unfortunately due to circumstances at home, they have taken the wrong path.” She also states that being able to talk with them has been a real highlight for her life as she has always wanted to be there for someone who is having a hard time.
Javier Vicuña, who has been working alongside Santy for five years, believes in her passion for helping others, especially those from underserved communities in Marin. He believes that her goal has always stayed consistent throughout her career. When asked about Santy, he says, “Santy is truly passionate about helping others in need.” Javier spends a lot of time working with her and noticing her efforts to create a welcoming environment. “She always makes sure to hold a safe space for our interns,” he says. Javier comments that not only is Santy really good at keeping the interns comfortable, she also serves as a great friend to them, but still manages to maintain a professional balance. Javier says that she does this by “keeping things real about her life experiences with them while holding a professional attitude.”
Finally, the clock marks 5:00 p.m. and Santy knows it’s time to say her final words and finish the video. After the cameras stop recording, Javier enters the studio to take a picture of everyone. Students start to stand up, and some stay for a little while to ask questions, but in the end everyone leaves. After another successful night, Santy is finally able to rest for a while, knowing that she has once again helped teenagers get their voice and thoughts across.
