Editors and mentors support the process, while the voice stays with the people telling the story.
Our History
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1993
Opening in Berkeley
Youth Radio opens in Berkeley, CA to amplify youth voices through journalism and audio storytelling, during a period of limited representation.
Late 1990's
Youth voices on air
Youth-produced reporting and commentary brought perspectives rarely heard in mainstream media — grounded in lived experience and community.
2000's
Awards
Youth produced journalism earns major awards validating youth led reporting at a national level : Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award (2000), Peabody Award (2001), Edward R. Murrow Award (2001).
2001-2004
National recognition
Youth Radio’s work reaches audiences far beyond the Bay Area, with youth-produced stories airing on national public radio and other major outlets.
2000's-2010's
Partnerships
Partnerships with media organizations helped distribute youth stories widely, connecting local voices to national and global conversations.
2010-2014
Digital-first shift
As media changed, so did Youth Radio — expanding beyond broadcast to become a digital first newsroom led by young creators.
2014-2023
Building skills that last
Youth Radio continued training young people as journalists, creators, and media professionals — supporting voices that carried their skills into the wider world.
2024
A pause
After decades of impact, Youth Radio paused operations. The work stopped — but the need for youth voices did not.
2026
We're back
Youth Radio is back — carrying forward its legacy while building new pathways for young people to create, publish, and be heard in today’s media landscape.
Youth Radio shaped you.
Shape what's next.
Your support makes space for the next generation to tell their stories, build careers and change culture.
