Myriam Grajales-Hall

Manager
Spanish Broadcast and Media Services

UC Cooperative Extension

Myriam Grajales-Hall took a position at a Spanish radio station while studying Spanish, French and English in Southern California as an exchange student from Colombia.

"It was there I learned what a valuable service radio public affairs can be to the Latino community," Grajales-Hall said. "As the public affairs director, I could interview people with important information to share and put it on the air."

Grajales-Hall brought that concept with her to UC Cooperative Extension 25 years ago when she was hired to work on its own newly established Spanish radio service.  Now the manager of an expanded Spanish-language outreach program, Grajales-Hall supervises a staff of three who work together to produce a monthly release of Spanish-language radio clips with research-based information from UCCE advisors and specialists, plus Spanish-language mass media and social marketing campaigns, videos, curricula, online educational materials and other tools on topics including parenting, farmworker safety, diabetes and obesity.

"When I came to the U.S. to study, I could identify with difficulties of immigrants who wanted to find a better life here. But I had so many advantages they did not. I have profound respect for the hard work of immigrants and ethnic communities considering the hardships they often encounter," Grajales-Hall said. "I consider it a privilege to contribute, even in a small way, to help the Latino community to learn new things, to be better informed, and to enhance their lives with information about nutrition, farm safety and parenting."

Grajales-Hall said when she first came to study in the U.S., it was her dream to become an interpreter at the United Nations.

"But I am perfectly satisfied with my humble role within UC," she said.