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WXOX @ Folklife 2025 During the summer of 2025, the WXOX Next Wave Academy traveled to Washington D.C. to celebrate Youth and the Future of Culture at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall. They recorded the following interviews with participants, organizers, and attendees LIVE ON AIR at a pop-up radio studio located inside the Arts & Industries Building. Please enjoy these conversatoins as you make plans to attend the next Smithsonian Folklife Festival! THE 2025 FOLKLIFE INTERVIEWS Youth & The Future of Culture Andes MC Musician Interviewed by Max Cash & DJ SoTek Translator: Betto Arcos July 3, 2025 Alliance of Black Orchestrial Percussionists (ABOP) Interviewed by Lila Hayden & Jordan Gray July 6, 2025 Michelle Banks, Lead Curator 2025 Smithsonian Folklife Festival "Youth & The Future of Culture" Interviewed by Max Cash July 7, 2025 Corazón Y Amor Exhibit Curators Stephen Velasquez & Denise Sandoval National Museum of American History Smithsonian Institution Interviewed by Max Cash July 5, 2025 Eric Curry, Producer Deanwood Radio Youth Broadcast Program Interviewed by Jordan Gray July 7, 2025 David Fakunle, PhD Storyteller / Professor Johns Hopkins University Interviewed by Max Cash July 4, 2025 Commissioner Anna Gomez Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Interviewed by Max Cash & Lila Hayden July 3, 2025 Mayor Craig Greenberg Louisville, Kentucky Pre-Festival Discussion Interviewed by Max Cash, Jordan Gray, & Lila Hayden June 24, 2025 Di'Orr Greenwood Artist / Skateboarder / Nike Designer Interviewed by Max Cash July 6, 2025 Hālau I Ka Leo Ola O Nā Mamo Kea'au, Hawaii Interviewed by Max Cash & Jordan Gray July 6, 2025 Ionkwahronkha’onhátié We Are Becomming Fluent Taiawentón:ti’ & Karonhiióstha Interviewed by Max Cash July 7, 2025 Ted Jojola, University of New Mexico Paulette Moore, The Aunties' Dandelion Interviewed by Lila Hayden July 6, 2025 KariStar, Musician 2025 Festival Attendee Interviewed by Max Cash July 6, 2025 Francis Lightner, Intern Department of Advancement Center for Folkife & Cultural Heritage Interviewed by Max Cash July 7, 2025 Mariachi Tesoro de San Fernando Sergio and Aida Alonso Interviewed by DJ SoTek July 6, 2025 Eber Miranda & Andes MC Musicians Translated by Shawna Interviewed by Max Cash & DJ SoTek July 6, 2025 Sabrina Lynn Motley, Director 2025 Smithsonian Folklife Festival Youth and the Future of Culture Interviewed by Lila Hayden & Max Cash July 6, 2025 Myaamia Center Miami University Interviewed by Lila Hayden July 4, 2025 Sugey Ojeda Diaz, Photojournalist Radio TV Connection 2025 Festival Attendee Interviewed by Max Cash Translated by Betto Arcos July 5, 2025 Olathe Leadership Lowrider Bike Club Christopeher Orozco, Mentor / Photographer Interviewed by Max Cash July 4, 2025 Tara Prakash Maryland Youth Poet Laureate Interviewed by Lila Hayden & Jordan Gray July 5, 2025 Rainbow Mosho Artist / Visionary 2025 Festival Attendee Interviewed by Max Cash July 6, 2025 Stephen Reily Louisville Entrepreneur & Civic Leader Pre-Festival Discussion Interviewed by Max Cash June 2025 The Rodriguez Family Duke's Car Club, SAVA, & The California Auto Musuem Interviewed by Max Cash & DJ SoTek July 7, 2025 Daniel Sheehy, Ethnomusicologist Director Emeritas Smithsonian Folkways Recordings Interviewed by Lila Hayden July 7, 2025 Stax Music Academy Students Interviewed by Lila Hayden July 5, 2025 Stax Music Academy Instructors Interviewed by Lila Hayden July 5, 2025 Jillian Ward, Frelance Producer University of Georgia / WUGA / CNN News Interviewed by DJ SoTek & Max Cash Production Assistance from Jordan Gray & Lila Hayden July 6, 2025 Kerry Ward, Liason Specialist Library of Congress, Veterans History Project Interviewed by Max Cash & Sharon Scott July 3, 2025 WeLiveInDC Nora, Media Producer 2025 Festival Attendee Interviewed by Max Cash July 5, 2025 Youth Poet Laureates Evan Wang, Harmony Devoe, Emily Hsu, & Elani Spenser Interviewed by Jordan Gray, Max Cash, & Lila Hayden July 6, 2025 Young Filmmakers / Youth Voices Panelists Gillian Bui (Ghetto Film School), Jordan Gray (WXOX), & Rameshwar Bhatt Interviewed by Lila Hayden July 6, 2025 FESTIVAL FINALE Amalia Cordova, Emerging Media Curator w/ Interns Kristen, Jeffery, & Mimi Emerging Media Makers 2025 Smithsonian Folklife Festival "Youth & The Future of Culture" Interviewed by WXOX GM Sharon Scott July 7, 2025 MORE INTERVIEWS COMING SOON . . . 
The WXOX crew provided live coverage of the festival events for listeners worldwide on www.artxfm.com and through the free WXOX Apps. Back in Louisville, audiences were able to tune in through their radios on WXOX 97.1 FM and WXND 100.9 FM. Class of 2025 High School Graduates - Aaron Ziegler (DJ SoTek),) Lila Hayden (musician), Jordan Gray (documentarian), and Maxwell $ Selby (broadcaster) - were selected for their unique talents to represent WXOX in the nation's capitol. Station Co-Founders Sharon Scott (General Manager) and Sean Selby (Cheif Operator) provided backstage and technical assistance during the 2025 Festival. Connect with ARTxFM on social media:
WXOX FOLKLIFE CREW MAX $ SELBY WXOX Next Wave Director  Maxwell Cash Selby was born into the ART FM family and has been an integral part of the station's development since day one. Over the years he has played many roles from program coordinator to graphic designer to technical assistant. He has been a DJ and station promoter for WXOX 97.1 FM since he was a child and has recently cultivated a number of youth initiatives for student broadcasters nationwide including the Next Wave Teen Academy and the 2024 Grassroots Radio Conference Student Radio Summit. His published works include technical contributions to Radio World Magazine and Wiley’s For Dummies series. Outside of the studio, Max has served as Class President, Founder of his school’s Future Problem Solvers Team, Quick Recall Champion, and AP Scholar. He is a curator and an artmaker; a skateboarder and a squash player. Max loves a city full of music and is continuing his work in radio and pursuing a degree in Music Business at WTUL 91.5 FM at Tulane University. LILA HAYDEN Musician / Speech Champion 
Lila Hayden is an avid musician. Playing violin since age 5 and working her way through the completion of the Suzuki method pedagogy, she now performs with the Louisville Civic Orchestra, Louisville Academy of Music, and Trinity Presbyterian Church. In addition to playing classical music, she loves to learn about it as well-- serving on her school's academic team and co-hosting a classical music radio hour on WXOX 97.1 for over two years. Her other main passion, besides music, is public speaking. Last year, she placed top 15 in 4 national tournaments in Informative Speaking. In addition to speech, she has found interest in mock trial as the co-captain of her school’s team for two years. This past year, She won the 1st Place Attorney Award at the Yale Bulldog Invitational Tournament with a perfect score for the tournament. Overall, she loves learning about music and enjoys sharing it with others. Beginning in the Fall of 2025, Lila's journey in music, law, and communications continues in the halls of Dartmouth College. JORDAN GRAY Filmmaker / Documentarian  As an aspiring filmmaker and future Film & Television major from Kentucky, Jordan Gray is driven by a deep passion for storytelling that connects, uplifts, and inspires. At the heart of every project she creates, she is committed to making people feel seen, heard, and understood. Her most notable projects —the Scholastic Art Award-winning short film What is Success? and her documentary series The Cultural Diet —explore themes of identity, culture, and representation. These projects highlight Jordan's goal to blend social commentary and visual storytelling. Jordan approaches each project with a mix of creativity; business-minded strategy; and a deep sense of empathy, believing that film has the power to spark change, build community, and encourage compassion across cultures. Embarking upon her undergraduate studies at Howard University, Jordan is dedicated to telling stories that make a difference — one frame at a time. AARON ZIEGLER DJ SoTek  Aaron Ziegler (DJ SoTek) is a native of Louisville, Kentucky who enjoys mixing a wide range of music from Pop to Techno. He is known for his series of pop-up dance events that bring youth together in unique locations around the city. Discovering music, skateboarding, and graphic design are some of the hobbies he enjoys most when not DJing. He is a 2025 graduate from the DuPont Manual magnet school and is continuing his education at University of Cincinnati where he is studying graphic design and hosting a weekly program on Bearcast Radio. SHARON M. SCOTT WXOX Co-Founder & General Manager  Sharon Scott is the General Manager and Co-Founder of ART FM / WXOX 97.1 FM Louisville, a noncommercial radio station committed to providing artists and community members access to the airwaves for creative and experimental use. Built with her husband Sean and their son Max, WXOX currently has over 100 volunteer DJs bringing entertainment and new ideas to listeners all over the world. Scott is a regular contributor to Radio World Magazine reporting on LFPM topics. She also serves on the Board of the Association of Affiliates (AOA) representing over 200 Pacifica affiliated stations. Since the passage of the Local Community Radio Act and the global proliferation of listening online, Sharon Scott sees a bright future for creative broadcasting and a powerful force in community radio united. Her second book Low Power FM for Dummies was released by Wiley Press in 2023. SEAN SELBY WXOX Co-Founder & Chief Operator  At WXOX, Sean Selby brings together his passion for audio with his talent for carepntry. As Station Co-Founder and Chief Operator, Sean assembled the first transmitter for ART FM and has overseen the technical operations of the station ever since. He hand-built the ART FM studio and it was subsequently named one of top 25 most "Spectacular Radio Stations" on the planet according to Radio World magazine. In 2026 he introduced Blue Sky HiFi to the local community and now hosts free monthly listening events at the WXOX Studio. As Chief Operator of ART FM, Sean has an ear for detail and is dedicated to providing the best listening experience possible, even in the most challenging conditions -- including the Arts & Industries Building on the National Mall. BRIAN MANLEY WXOX DJ & Audio Editor  Brian Manley has been a DJ on Louisville's community low power FM station ARTxFM 97.1 FM WXOX-LP since they hit the internet with a 24 hour stream in 2013 and then received their FM license in 2016. He's been a community radio DJ since 1992. He has provided live coverage of events such as the Breonna Taylor protests and the U.S. Presidential elections for the Pacifica Radio Network. In addition to his work editing the WXOX Smithsonian Folkife inteviews, he has worked as an editior on national radio productions including This Ain't No Disco: This is CBGB. His radio programs Driftless Turmoil and Night Train Cocktail Lounge are produced live on WXOX each week and syndicated by community radio stations nationwide. |
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ABOUT THE WXOX NEXT WAVE: 
WXOX Next Wave Teen Academy. Class of 2024. Photograph by Aron Conaway ARTxFM's NEXT WAVE: TEEN RADIO ACADEMY is a radio learning adventure that provides Louisville area high school students with the skills they need to become professional broadcasters. At the Academy, student DJs get hands-on experience with the ART FM studio equipment and obtain the FCC training required for FM Broadcasting nationwide. To learn more, visit the Next Wave website or check out "A New Wave" by Luke Boggs, the recent feature about our Teen Radio program in On The Record Magazine, a publication by the DuPont Manual High School Journalism & Communications magnet program.   If you have any questions please e-mail nextwave@artxfm.com |
 ARTxFM P.O. Box 5103 Louisville, Kentucky 40255 USA |
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ARTxFM / WXOX 97.1 FM Louisville * P.O. Box 5103 * Louisville, Kentucky 40255
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