Krystal Pino: Radio Personality and Then Some

By Elandra Fernandez

If you can think about unique attributes being packed into a radio host, Krystal Pino would be the perfect depiction of that.

After communicating with Pino, it is apparent that she is extremely diverse. When asked how she would describe herself, Pino eagerly responded stating, “I am a very driven person, which also makes me very competitive. I am extremely loyal, I work hard because seeing the plan in your head come to life makes all the extra hours, loss of sleep, and stressful moments so worth it.”

Her interest in radio was illuminated when she read an article about Angie Martinez in a Seventeen magazine at the age of 14, and from that moment Pino knew that a career in radio was something that suited her.

When Pino started her radio career, she worked at 94.3 Kilo in Colorado Springs. Her mom and grandma impacted her the most at the start of her career merely by supporting her when things didn’t seem as promising as she’d like. Now, Krystal Pino hosts her own show called “The Morning Groove with Krystal Pino” at 106.3 the Groove-Tucson's Old School in Tucson, Arizona.

The question was asked “What is one thing about radio that keeps you wanting to do it for a living, Pino said, “The People. There is no better feeling than knowing that you can impact someone with your words, and you have the ability to improve their quality of life in an instant.”

Krystal Pino wears many hats even outside of radio, she does stand-up comedy and a full-time mom. She also has a strong desire to be in politics whether it is locally or nationally.

Krystal Pino has been in the broadcasting world for 16 years and worked in almost every format such as Top 40, Hot AC, AC, Rock, Hip-Hop, Country, and old school. Over time, Pino learned a lot by adapting to each one of the formats which made her step out of her comfort zone.

The advice she would give to people wanting to work in this particular field is, “know your worth. Do not ever compromise your standards for a job. But at the same time, never say NO to an amazing part-time opportunity; it can open many doors.”

Krystal Pino is all for women empowerment. Her ideal working environment is to be surrounded by empowered, intelligent women-whose main focus is to uplift each other and the brand.

“Ladies, when you encounter another woman in this industry, embrace her. We need to remain allies and continue to lift each other up. Empowered women, empower women,” Pino said.

Trust Your Process

By: Chelsea Nettai

Life can often times seem like a huge whirlwind of changes and new responsibilities. It’s as if everything you never thought would happen to you comes at the weirdest timing but those challenges are the ones that we often need the most.

Let me take you back to a month and some change ago.

I was a graduating Senior at the School of Journalism and Graphic Communication on the beautiful campus of Florida A&M University. I was doing my thing the best way I knew how to. I was involved in leadership roles, multiple organizations, I had my beloved radio shows and a spot as the host for FAMU NOW on Sirius XM. I was even working multiple jobs at one point to make sure I could afford the hefty price tag that comes with being someone who dared to get an education in 2017.

It wasn’t an easy or simple experience and I thought I had it down to a science. No one was going to stop my grind, but it would be nothing compared to the challenges I would face as soon as I crossed the stage in the fall of 2017. On graduation day I received an email for what I thought would be amazing job offer. The salary was great for an entry level and it wasn’t too far of a drive from my hometown of Miami, FL. "Wow, a company actually wants to hire me and appreciates my skillset, this is all way too good to be true", is what I thought to myself. Little did I know...I was right.

After interviewing a couple days after graduation, I was hired on the spot at a company that was very well trained in giving embellished job descriptions. I even started the week after graduation despite half of my life still being located in Tallahassee. What I thought I knew was going to be nothing close to what I would actually be doing. My first day on the job was a wake up call. Needless to say, I absolutely hated it and refused to get stuck there. I had never felt so miserable in my life, not even a break up felt that heartbreaking.

I could not believe that this company left out a multitude of nitty gritty details about what the job description really entailed. I felt like I had been set up for failure and immediately began looking for my way out. After my first day my family wanted to know every detail of how everything went with the new job. It pained me to tell them that I felt hoaxed and was deeply disappointed by my experience.

Now I know what you’re thinking, "why didn’t you ask more questions in your interview or do more research?". I thought I did. I thought I dug deep enough into the company to understand at least the basic layers but everything that glitters is not really gold. I had been so grateful to get an opportunity for a real career and did not want to lose that enthusiasm but I never felt a feeling so strong screaming "get out".

College taught me an endless amounts of things. One of them being that your intuition never lies and you must listen. So I reached out to my mentors, parents and family for advice. Each of them had interesting viewpoints that led me to the same direction, "do what you have to do for you" was the bottom line. My motivation skyrocketed to a million miles per hour, I was determined to find a better and more suitable opportunity for myself. 

In the meantime, I had to remain professional in the role I was currently in until something better presented itself. So I pulled out the handy dandy "fake it till you make it" attitude. I was still determined to give them my 110%, after all I am the one who signed the contract. I remained positive no matter what because I knew what I put in was exactly what I was going to get out of it. I was even able to meet some really amazing individuals along the way. I worked the hell out of this job until I received an email about a week later for a company I had been pushing to become a part of.

I went in for an interview with a fresh mindset. I questioned every single part of what my role would be and exactly what I would be doing because I now know how this game was supposed to be played. I was also adamant about what I could bring to the table for them. I later found out that I was being offered the job at a company who’s values aligned with mine. Lessons were turning into blessings.

Now lets fast forward back to real time… I tell you all of this openly and freely with no shame because I needed these experiences to propel myself forward and I know there is someone else out there who may be going through something similar or someone who can use my experience as a lesson for themselves. Never question your path or your greatness. There will be dark days, but once the sun shines it will be bright enough to help you appreciate those stormy days. Everything is a process and nothing worth having will come easy. You must believe in your process and never question it because everything you’ve wished and prayed for can be yours if you have true faith in it.

I am no where close to my dream goals yet but I am so grateful and happy to be where I am now because I know I am exactly where I am supposed to be. I’m excited and strapped in for the ride of my life. I know the road is long and filled with crazy twists and turns but it is beautiful no matter what. You must trust yourself and you must trust your process.
 

Passion Over Profit

Written By: Maya Harris

I love being an on-air personality. Whether it's behind a mic or in front of a camera, I enjoy the freedom and confidence it provides me. I have the opportunity meet people from all over and hear so many different stories and learn a great deal. I get to sit down after a long day and just let it all out. Talk about therapeutic.

So last night, I was in my Über on my way to studio to host "Come Correct," one of my two weekly shows on Trauma Radio, when my driver asked me if I was still in college.

*Sidebar the studio where I host my shows is located on a college campus*

When I told him I was a recent graduate but my show is aired on campus he got all excited. 

"Oh you're a radio personality?! That's so cool! You must make so much money!"

Woah, slow down my man. Yes, I am a radio personality and yes it's cool AF. HOWEVER I don't make ANY money doing this. I'm part of this station because I love it. I love who I work with. I love being able to inspire others. Yes, I eventually see myself working in the industry so this is the perfect opportunity to get hands on experience in a radio station environment but no bills flood my bank account from this.

His comment made me really think about the difficult choice of passion over profit.

As a creative, I find myself having to compete to have my voice heard and my face seen in the over-populated and microwave society that we live in. With everyone selling something, making something or writing about something how on earth am I supposed to get recognized and make it?

Honestly, while it's good to have a goal of "making it," and "making it" looks different for everyone, just do it because it's satisfying. Do it because you wish not only to utilize the love and commitment you have for your craft, but share it and to inspire others.

Start or continue to speak things into existence. Words hold a lot of weight and if you tell God, Buddha, Mama Universe or whatever you believe in, what you want she/he/it will eventually open up the door for you!

I'm not happy with my current work situation, but I am relieved that I have an outlet like radio at the end of the day. Creating content, interviewing guests and planning for the future of my shows makes a shitty 9-5 a little more manageable. 

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”

— Maya Angelou

Know Your Tribe, Know Your Vibe

I know you’ve had this feeling before, the one when you’re surrounded by people, a few or many, who just don’t get you.  Maybe you can’t quite pinpoint it, maybe you think it’s you, but either way, you don’t feel comfortable in that time and place and it’s giving you anxiety and an uneasy feeling in your belly.  I’ve been there many times my friend, and a lot of those times I just dealt with it. I’ve chalked it up to me being the weirdo, maybe I’m the socially awkward one, or perhaps I was in a ‘‘mood’.  Well, those things could all very well be true, but it doesn’t change the fact that I was getting a bad vibe and I trusted that sucker with my life!

I believe there is energy in everything, good and bad, it’s all around us.  There’s energy in the universe, at our jobs, on the highway when we’re stuck in traffic with a bunch of other people who are also surrounded by energy.  Our spouses have a certain energy about them, our pets, friends, kids, even our homes, cars; yes, maybe I really am the weirdo, telling you that I think inanimate objects have energy, but so be it!  I’m not talking about spirits or ghosts or anything of that nature. Nor am I denying their presence around us either, but that’s just an entirely different animal, if you will. Energy, it’s the feeling you get when you meet someone for the first time and when you part ways, you either feel good and say something like ‘I like them!  I look forward to getting to know them better!’  or ‘Ugh, I’m not a fan, I hope I don’t run into her again. (Could totally be a him, just throwing personal pronouns around!)

I think most of the time my life is surrounded by good energy and good vibes, I try really hard to make it that way!  However, as you’re well aware, there are a lot of situations you have zero control over.  This is where the bad vibes can sneak on in and mess with your juju.  Another thing, sometimes you’re just going about your life, and in walks a new situation, let’s say you fully embrace it (just for fun!) and bam(!), it’s just not your bag, baby.  

I can tell you about a time that sticks out in my mind and maybe you can relate.  I was working for a country station in Providence, RI about 5 years ago.  A lot of times I’d get asked to volunteer at charity events, and if I was available, I’d usually say yes.  This one event I agreed to do sounded really nice!  It was in Newport, RI (if you’re not familiar, Newport is a very wealthy, popular summer town, with mansions and beaches).  I knew a couple of people who would be there and they told me it would be a really fun time.  Sure, sign me right up!  Well, I got there and as soon as I walked in the door, number 1, I was severely underdressed (isn’t that the worst?!), so I immediately felt like hiding in a hole, and number 2, super duper bad vibe the second I walked in.  Ahh, I had just walked into a really upscale well-to-do event.  Oopsie.  I didn’t fit in and every person in the room let me know with their eyes and body language.  These people were dressed in brands of clothing I’d only seen in movies, and I was walking in thinking Express was high end.  Yikes.  I also wore clogs to this event, please be gentle, this was clearly a not-so-great day for me.  (Seriously Loren, clogs, why would you wear those even to take out the garbage?)  Anywho, so I did manage to see one person I knew there, who is so nice and kind by the way, and I couldn’t understand why she was a part of this jerk fest.

During my time volunteering, I was ordered around and treated pretty poorly, like I was a servant of some kind.  I had no idea how to react to that behavior (not so great with conflict over here), so I just sucked it up.  I put on a fake smile and tried to grin and bear it.  At one point during the event, I noticed a group of women, grown women, discernibly staring, pointing and laughing at me.  I’d never felt so stupid and worthless in my life.  I am pretty sure they were making fun of my shoes, which I now sort of understand why, but still, it was mean!! I held my breath, promised myself it would be over soon and waited until I got safely to my car to cry.  THEY WERE NOT MY TRIBE.  

When I am faced with an incident like that, I try to remind myself of the good people and good vibes I’m typically surrounded by and attempt to mentally go there, even if I can’t physically go at that moment.  It makes me feel incredibly grateful that am usually surrounded by good!  This brings me to another situation similar in nature, but not nearly as bad.  Again it was a radio related event that I was a part of, and as soon as I arrived, I could feel it.  These are not my people and this is not my vibe.  The people weren’t mean this time, thankfully, but they weren’t nice or welcoming either, they just acted like I didn’t exist.  Ok, well whatevs I guess.  I tried to accept it, but it was hard, I wanted to be included too.  It was blatantly obvious I was not considered their equal, like even as a human being, never mind on a professional level!  I don’t play that way, in my eyes, we’re all equal.  Human to human, I don’t care what you do, what you look like, what color you are, you bleed red just like me and we both put our pants on the same way, we’re equal.  Not one person is better than anyone else and I refuse to subscribe to that method of thinking.  

So back to the event, it was a multi day radio thing and each day, I got the same unwelcoming,off-putting vibe from the same people.  At one point, I was trying to make conversation and was met with the back of someone’s head, like this person could not even bring themselves to look me in the eye when speaking to me.  I kept saying to myself, deep breaths, this is almost over, and when it is, you don’t have to do it again, hooray!  It also further substantiated how I already felt about treating everyone equal.  I was now more determined than ever to treat everyone with kindness, not only because I was so upset at how unkind people were being to me, but also because I was trying to make up for what they were lacking towards others!  

Thankfully I am now far removed from that negative vibe situation, but I think about it and other situations like it sometimes.  I try to remind myself that those people are not my tribe and that’s not my vibe.  I will probably find myself in a similar situation at some point again, and you will too.  Approach it the same way you do with situations and people you are comfortable with, by staying true to yourself and simply being you.  You’ll discover your tribe and your vibe soon enough, and the cool thing is, there’s good vibes everywhere and way more people that belong in your tribe than those that don’t!  The universe is pretty good at aligning that stuff for us!  It’s like when someone meets their soulmate and they say ‘when you know, you know…’ well, when you find your “people” and the vibe that flows best with you, trust me, you’ll just know.

A Glimpse Into Interning At A Listener Supported Radio Station

Throughout my undergraduate career, I've worked and interned in three branches of radio- college, commercial, and listener supported.

All of my experiences have taught me valuable lessons, made me a stronger radio host, create content I'm proud of, and built strong relationships.

Out of all those branches, I benefited the most from interning at a listener supported station. For those who don't know there is a major difference between working in commercial radio and listener supported radio. The major aspects are money, content, and space.

Here's some examples of what makes a listener supported station different:

At a listener supported station, there is no money coming from corporations, music labels, or any type of businesses. The funding comes from its audience. That means the station has to raise $60,000 each fund drive four times a year.

You know the on air sign that lights up when there is a live show in progress? At WBAI, we had to make sure the door was closed and looked out for red Christmas lights.

There is no promotions department nor a station van. There's merchandise. A canvas bag, bumper sticker, flash drive, and water bottle with the station logo. Update: A station tee shirt.

Let's talk about the content. What Top 40 station has shows dedicated to the current state of politics, art, science, health, news, public affairs, etc.? These are discussions that need to take place, things we need to know, and content worth our attention. 

My term there taught me that having a microphone in my hand and a social media platform is NOT enough. Neither is knowing what's happening in pop culture. I have to start the conversation on what's taking place in my community and culture, because that's what my listeners care about. It is my duty to discuss gentrification, police brutality, the representation of black and brown actors in television and film, mental health in the black and brown communities, and more. Shout out to everyone I interviewed and worked with on The Corner. We made history!

I love the community at WBAI. The station manager, hosts, and directors mentored me. We would have deep conversations about radio, politics, college, life, whatever made me think, and challenged/liberated my mind. They even invited me to speak on their shows.

Most of the interns I worked with are family to me. We plan yearly hangouts and have an active group chat. I thank WBAI for bringing us together.

One of the greatest things about WBAI is as a former intern I am always welcomed to come back to volunteer and visit. While I was interning at two media companies this season I sent an email to the station manager asking him to teach me the business aspect of radio. There I learned valuable tools I should have learned when I was an intern.

Honestly, it feels like home. I worked for two other campus radio stations and interned at a commercial cluster station and nothing can top the atmosphere at an independent radio station.

The interns and I would joke that I would be the manager of that station.

Only time will tell.

My Post-Grad Adventures and Lessons

Today is my last day at my internship: Atlantic Pictures (AP). It’s bittersweet. For all who don’t know AP is a film production company located in Manhattan (Ever heard of VH1’s The Breaks? That’s us!). We’re right across the street from the building where IHeartRadio broadcasts. I was meant to intern here. I remember when I interned for WBAI 99.5 FM in Summer 2016, I would take the subway to the building and wait for The Breakfast Club to leave the station so I would see them, get a picture, or even ask for advice. A lot can happen in a year.

I recently graduated in May with a BA in Digital Media Production and a minor in Journalism. Even though it has been seven months, my post grad adventure has been exciting and also difficult. I spent most of summer applying for jobs and internships within the radio and television industries. I’ve had interviews and did not get hired nor a reply back. In August I secured two internships: An event production company in Harlem (that internship ended the week before) and AP. I was so glad and hungry to work in NYC. When I got hired I promised myself this would be my last season of interning. I have a ton of experience in radio, television, and public relations before these two internships I should be able to get an entry level position at any media company. 

What sparked me to reapply for jobs was when our founder Meag got hired at IHeartRadio in Miami at the end of October..?  She simply found the email address to someone who works there and stated in that email that she recently applied for the Board-Operator opening and have experience board operating a nationally syndicated morning show, and wanted to know the status of her application.

After that I applied to several stations in NYC and reached out to my friends who work, worked, and formerly interned or even had an interview at the stations I applied for. I would shoot them a text like this “Hey it's Cedes. I hope all is well. I recently applied for street team opening at Cumulus Broadcasting. Do you have an email address from anyone in the Promotions Department? I really don't want my application to get stuck in the dark hole.

Let me tell you how God works. I applied for an entry level position at one radio station my formerly interned and worked for. I reached out to my friend from college. We majored in the same field, worked at the campus radio station, and she knows how passionate I am about radio. She gave me an email to someone who worked in the department and also put in a good word for me! I sent the lady an email including my cover letter and resume and she forwarded it to a hire up in HR. My interview was scheduled two weeks later.

I couldn't even get an internship at this station when I was in college but I got a job interview. LOOK AT GOD.

Fast forward, the HR told me he would hire me once I get my driver’s license. Since then I rushed to take my 5 hr pre-licensing course, renewed my permit, and invested in weekly driving lessons. I'm hoping there isn’t a blizzard among us so I can continue to practice driving. Crazy thing is...obtaining my license has been a 10+ journey. I have been driving on and off since I was 16, I have a car, I’ve had numerous instructors, but I never got my license. I was not ready but now I am. I have motivation to.

For those who want to work in the media industry, I have tips:

1. Never stop applying for jobs. It can be tedious, upsetting, nerve wracking, etc.  but you can’t give up. Make a goal to apply to jobs 1-2 times a week. While applying update your resume and cover letter. Fix what needs to be corrected. Those two items are key and can always be improved.
2. Pull a Meag Taylor and get an email address from someone who works in the company you are applying for. It is not enough to apply. You have to take the extra initiative. Ask your friend to put in a good word for you if they work/worked for that company. Don’t forget to follow up!
3. If you can’t get a job---Intern. I got my internship at AP from a friend who was just wrapping her term at AP. I told her my situation and she helped me land my internship. In this industry you have to be active and pursue anything you can get your hands on.
4. Attend weekly networking events/mixers. One month after interning I decided to go out at least once a week and network. Remember this industry is not what you know it’s who you know. At these mixers I’ve met BET Breaks’ host Jamila Mustafa, Media Mogul Extraordinaire Valeisha Butterfield Jones, WEEN’s Avery Watson, as well as people who work in the media industry through friends. I’ve received the best advice especially from Valeisha! She put everything in perspective and lit a fire in me!
5. See if anybody you admire does talk forums as well. I recently attended Kela Walker’s discussion with Charlamagne Tha God at the Creative Collective NYC, Devi Brown’s Crystal Bliss book launch, Tashima Jones’ & Ash Cash’s discussion with Sway Calloway, plus more events. To hear their experiences in the radio industry fed my soul (During this journey, you are going to need all the motivation you can get). Always remember he or she was once waiting for an opportunity and got it. The same can happen for you. *Step out of your comfort zone and talk to whoever you admire. You never know what it can lead to.*
6. If you haven't already, get your driver's license. Most jobs require you to have one.