On the Air and in the Community: Radio Sin Fronteras Builds Connection and Access

By Doyal D'Angelo Bolin

Radio Sin Fronteras (RSF), a Spanish-language community radio station operated by Campesinos Sin Fronteras, reaches over 12,000 listeners each week in Southwestern Arizona, Southern California, Sonora, and Baja California. From public health and immigration updates to music requests and youth-led discussions, the station is a central line of communication for the region's Latino and migrant communities.

"We don't just broadcast information, we build relationships," Jose Gallardo, a team member at the station, said. "People call in, they recognize our voices, they ask questions. We're part of their lives." 

RSF emerged from a clear need. For over two decades, Campesinos Sin Fronteras has supported low-income and migrant families through programs in health education, housing, workforce development, and more. But reaching thousands of people with critical information presented a challenge when many community members lacked internet access, time, or transportation. The answer was radio.

Liliana Cruz, project manager at Campesinos who also contributes to station content, understands the medium's enduring impact. "Many of our listeners are middle-aged adults, farmworkers, parents, and community elders," Cruz said. "They rely on the radio because it's familiar, it's accessible, and it speaks their language, literally and culturally."

Through collaborations with local health departments, law enforcement, and the Mexican Consulate, RSF produces content designed to be both relevant and relatable. Topics range from mental health and COVID-19 vaccine updates to dust storm safety and pesticide exposure.

With support from the Burton Family Foundation, RSF has been able to repair key broadcast infrastructure, develop new youth-led programming, and sustain health education initiatives and projects. This funding helps keep the station on the air, especially in a region where internet access is limited, and culturally relevant media is scarce.

In Arizona, agricultural workers face high exposure to heat stress, pesticides, and respiratory hazards, yet often lack access to culturally appropriate health education. A 2024 CDC report noted that heat-related deaths among outdoor workers are significantly underreported, and Latino workers are disproportionately affected.

With the radio's reach, RSF shares trusted, bilingual guidance on occupational health, air quality, and emergency preparedness, all tailored to farmworker communities. During extreme heat seasons and dust storms, the station plays a key role in keeping families informed and safe.

RSF’s Programming Approach

One of the station's most distinctive features is its use of audio storytelling. In addition to PSA’s and interviews, RSF creates radio novelas, dramatized stories that mirror real-life struggles and community experiences.

"These novelas make hard topics easier to understand," Cruz said. "Whether we're talking about domestic violence or substance abuse, listeners relate because the stories feel like their own."

The station also includes youth voices, often tapping into Campesinos' leadership and peer educator programs. Students are invited to record messages, co-host segments, or suggest topics they want to hear more about.

"It's empowering for them," Gallardo said. "They learn how to communicate clearly, they feel heard, and their families are proud to tune in."

This inclusiveness and range of topics covered has established the station as a special presence in the community.

Emma Torres, Campesinos' executive director, observes the station's impact with quiet confidence. "We don't always have to do traditional outreach anymore," Torres said. "When people show up for our housing services or health programs, they almost always say the same thing: 'I heard about it on the radio.'"

The station has become a vital entry point into the organization's other wraparound services—housing support, parenting classes, immigration clinics, and more. Connection and follow-through define RSF's mission.

"Our waitlists stay full, and our classes are never empty," Torres said. "That's how we know the radio is doing its job."

Challenges and Future Growth

As a non-commercial station, RSF doesn't operate with traditional ad revenue. Instead, it runs on grants, donations, and support from partners who believe in its mission. Equipment repairs, especially for the station's aging antenna, are costly. And the team remains small, often balancing radio duties with other program responsibilities.

"Some days it's all hands on deck," Gallardo said. "But even when we're stretched thin, we keep showing up because the community counts on us."

Recent grants have helped stabilize RSF's operations and support plans to expand programming, improve production quality, and develop more targeted content, especially around youth and environmental health.

Looking ahead, the station hopes to grow its reach even further across Yuma County, including into areas like Somerton, Tacna, and the Gadsden border region. New collaborations are also in development with small businesses and environmental agencies to promote economic sustainability and public health.

For Gallardo, who began working with Campesinos as a young professional, the station embodies everything the organization stands for.

"It's not just a program, it's a voice for people who don't always get one," Gallardo said. "And it's a reminder that even in the smallest places, there's power in being heard."

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You can learn more about Campesinos Sin Fronteras and Radio Sin Fronteras here.

Photos courtesy of Campesinos Sin Fronteras.