Next Thursday, I leave for Chicago to attend the Third Coast International Audio Festival.  I’ve always wanted to go to this gathering of audio connoisseurs, mad sound scientists, and auditory illusionists.  I realized a couple of years ago that my growth as a radio producer was equal to being stuck in quicksand.   I was left feeling like the more radio work I did, the less I was learning and the more I was sinking into inactive creativity with the stories I wanted to tell.

With that said,  I could never afford to attend the conference until now.  Lucky for me, The Association of Independents in Radio offered scholarships to minority producers.  The New Voices scholarship would allow me to attend the conference for free in exchange for a “statement outlining ideas for how the public radio system can provide more channels of opportunity for new talent trying to find a way into public media”.

I am sure I will have plenty to say.  I will be blogging from Third Coast, daily.  Feel free to leave your comments.

Here are a few momentitos that I look forward to experience in Chi-town:

1.  Meeting other New Voices recipients

2.  Eating a Jibarito (a sandwich that uses smashed plantains as bread slices)

3.  One on One audio clinics with star radio producers

4. Thrift store shopping

5.  Workshops on Pitching

6.  Cuban coffee from my favorite place

7.  Dancing to house music