You'll hear a new voice soon when you tune into WKAR-FM's weekend news programming.
Melorie Begay is joining WKAR News as weekend host and general assignment reporter.
She'll take over from Michelle Jokisch Polo, who will be doing more reporting on mid-Michigan's Latinx community along with continuing to host WKAR's Spanish language podcast ¿Qué Onda Michigan?
WKAR's Sophia Saliby spoke with Begay and Jokisch Polo about the new changes.
Interview Highlights
On the kind of topics Michelle aims to cover with her expanded ability to report
I'm most excited about looking into the efforts that Latino folks have done to unionize in the last, you know, 20, 30 years ... And I'm also really, really excited to look into or to follow more closely, you know, the call from undocumented immigrants for driver's licenses in Michigan. I know it's been an effort for folks that have been trying to get driver's licenses in the hands of immigrants for over five years.
On the kind of stories Melorie is excited to cover in mid-Michigan
I think I'm most excited to tell stories about the environment. I'm not necessarily a beat reporter, but I think that that is a topic that I think has always been really important to me. And just, I think I'd like to dig a little bit more into that and see what that means to people and to families and just anybody who lives in mid-Michigan.
Interview Transcript
Sophia Saliby: You'll hear a new voice soon when you tune into Weekend Edition or All Things Considered on Saturdays and Sundays. Melorie Begay is joining us from KLCC in Eugene, Oregon to be our weekend host.
She'll take over from Michelle Jokisch Polo who will be doing more reporting on mid-Michigan's Latinx community along with continuing to host our Spanish language podcast ¿Qué Onda Michigan?
Melorie's position is temporary, lasting nine months, and is funded by CARES Act dollars. I'm here with both Melorie and Michelle. Thank you all for joining me.
Michelle Jokisch Polo: Excited to be here.
Melorie Begay: Thanks for having me.
Saliby: Melorie, you went to college for a little bit in Michigan, right? Why did you decide to come back?
Begay: Yeah, I think I've always missed Michigan a little bit. And my sister has lived here for a little over 10 years, so I've visited her a lot and had the opportunity to explore the state and meet a lot of cool people. And it was just enough to say, why not stay?
Saliby: And can you talk about some of the reporting you're most proud of?
Begay: I did a story about an organization in Lane County (Oregon) that helps Latinx families sort of build a sense of community. They run different organic community gardens. So, I wanted to follow a family that uses these gardens. And so, I had the opportunity to be invited into one of their homes, and for me, it was just a really eye-opening experience. Because, you know, they're complete strangers. They don't really know me, other than that I'm a reporter, and they welcomed me into their home.
And I think it was at that moment that I realized just how big of a responsibility it is to be a reporter because this is a family that's allowing me into their personal home, you know? I'm hanging out with them while they're having dinner and them trusting that I am going to tell a story in a way that feels like they're being represented appropriately or how they want to be represented. So, that's a story that I think about a lot.
Saliby: Michelle, now that you'll have more time to report, what kinds of issues do you plan to look into when it comes to the Latinx community here in the Capital Region?
Jokisch Polo: I really like this question because I think there's so many different things happening in the Capital Region, but I'm most excited about looking into the efforts that Latino folks have done to unionize in the last, you know, 20, 30 years.
There's like, a big history of organizing around unions, and a lot of Latino people have been a major contributors, had major roles in doing that, and many of them are in leadership positions in unions in mid-Michigan. And I would really like to dive more into that and showcase the work, the efforts, how much time it took to unionize in some cases.
And I'm also really, really excited to look into or to follow more closely, you know, the call from undocumented immigrants for driver's licenses in Michigan. I know it's been an effort for folks that have been trying to get driver's licenses in the hands of immigrants for over five years. And, you know, with every new legislative, I don't know, year or so, there is the possibility that something like that will get passed, and, folks have a lot of, there's a lot of drive and energy behind the efforts this year, and I'm excited to follow along with that.
Saliby: Melorie, what kinds of stories are you excited to get into here in mid-Michigan?
Begay: I think I'm most excited to tell stories about the environment. I'm not necessarily a beat reporter, but I think that that is a topic that I think has always been really important to me. And just, I think I'd like to dig a little bit more into that and see what that means to people and to families and just anybody who lives in mid-Michigan.
Saliby: I'll ask this question to both of you in the little time we have left here. We just did a series on All Things Considered about summer trips in Michigan. Is there anywhere you're excited to visit as we get into the warmer months? So, I'll start with Michelle.
Jokisch Polo: You know, I love camping. It isn't something I grew up doing. So, you know, I got into it as an adult, and I really enjoy it. So, this summer, I am really excited to maybe go to Beaver Island up north. I've never been there, and I've heard it's beautiful. So, that's somewhere I'm hopefully going to be able to do this summer and just be outside. It's something that really brings me peace, just being outside and being in nature.
Saliby: And Melorie?
Begay: Yeah, I'm really excited to get to visit the U.P. I've been there, I've only been there once, but I'm really excited to get to go there again and I'm really excited to visit Mackinac Island. And I think there's a lot of other cool places in Michigan that I'm going to get to visit, so I'm just really excited to get out there this summer.
Saliby: You can hear Melorie Begay host Weekend Edition and All Things Considered on Saturdays and Sundays. ¿Qué Onda Michigan?, hosted by Michelle Jokisch Polo, is available Friday afternoons at wkar.org and wherever you get your podcasts. Thank you, Michelle, for being here.
Jokisch Polo: You are very welcome.
Saliby: And thank you, Melorie for being a part of the team.
Begay: Thanks for having me.
This conversation has been edited for clarity and conciseness.
