Lata Murti
Host of Central Coast VoicesDr. Lata Murti is co-host of Central Coast Voices, heard every Thursday afternoon on KCBX from 1:00-2:00 p.m. After receiving her Ph.D. in American Studies & Ethnicity from the University of Southern California in 2010, Lata has dedicated herself to education, particularly in the areas of diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging.
Since 2011, she has been a professor of sociology teaching both online and hybrid undergraduate classes to adult learners at University of Massachusetts Global (formerly Brandman University). In addition, she became the tutorial faculty for UMass Global’s Diversity Certificate and Competency courses beginning in Fall 2021.
Dr. Murti also writes and edits, with her work having appeared in a variety of forums, including SPARK—the online magazine of the National Center for Institutional Diversity—The Santa Maria Times, as well as books from Universal Publishers and Complexity Publishing, Inc. Her research on the intersectional experiences of juvenile school educators has been published as a chapter in a 2021 book from Springer Press titled Gender, Race, and Class in the Lives of Today’s Teachers-Educators at Intersections, which she co-edited with Dr. Glenda M. Flores.
Outside of teaching and writing, Dr. Murti has been deemed a community activist for her work with organizations such as the Santa Maria Branch of the American Association of University Women and the Santa Maria-Lompoc Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, in addition to her online workshops on cultural humility hosted by organizations throughout California.
When Lata is not teaching, volunteering, or writing, she enjoys spending time with her family, which includes her husband, her two kids, and her parents.
Lata's email: lata@kcbx.org
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Join host Lata Murti and guests in recognizing the 57th anniversary of Loving v. Virginia–the U.S. Supreme Court case that led to the legalization of interracial marriage–as well as the first anniversary of Multiracial Heritage Week (June 7-14, 2023). In the second of this two-part series on multiracial identity on California’s Central Coast, Kaito Lopez, a 2020 graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo who is now a Botanist with the U.S. Forest Service, and Kalyan Balaven, Head of School at Dunn School in Los Olivos, talk to Lata about their experiences being multiracial not only on California’s Central Coast but also in other regions of the U.S. and the world. Although we cannot take your calls live during this pre-recorded show, you are invited to listen, learn and send your questions to voices@kcbx.org. Listen to Central Coast Voices every Thursday from 1-2pm on KCBX. -
Join host Lata Murti and guests in recognizing both occasions in a two-part series on multiracial identity on California’s Central Coast.
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Join this week's host Lata Murti as she speaks to guests Andrew Boyd-Goodrich, Executive Director of Camp Ocean Pines; Rick Craig, Camp Ocean Pines’ Conferences and Retreats Director; and Erin Moses-Wierman, Camp Ocean Pines’ Senior Programs Director. They will discuss the camps, workshops, outdoor education programs, and facilities that are not only fulfilling but also expanding Camp Ocean Pines’ mission “to foster enjoyment and appreciation of the natural world among people of all ages.” Listen to Central Coast Voices every Thursday from 1-2pm on KCBX and join the conversation with your questions at 805-781-3875, or at voices@kcbx.org.
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May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and the organization Asian American & Pacific Islanders of San Luis Obispo County, or AAPI SLO, is ready to celebrate! Join Lata Murti and her guests from AAPI SLO, co-founders Mia Shin and Kaela Lee, as they discuss this year’s third annual AAPI SLO Festival as well as the Asian American and Pacific Islander community of California’s Central Coast. Although we cannot take your calls live during this pre-recorded show, you are invited to listen, learn and send your questions to voices@kcbx.org. Listen to Central Coast Voices every Thursday live from 1-2pm on KCBX.
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Join host Dr. Lata Murti for a conversation with Dr. Erica Ruvalcaba-Heredia, the Executive Director of Corazón Latino. We'll explore how this local organization champions the values of integrity, service, excellence, solidarity, and empathy to promote a healthy life and family wellbeing. Tune in and learn about their mission to educate, provide emotional wellness, share resources, promote civic engagement, and empower the Latinx community on the Central Coast.Listen live Thursday from 1-2pm
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Join host Lata Murti as she speaks to friends and members of R.A.C.E. Matters SLO screening films that spotlight the experiences of BIPOC (Black and Indigenous People and People of Color) at the 2024 San Luis Obispo International Film Festival. They will discuss these films, including the documentary WRESTLED AWAY--featuring wrestling champion and local resident Lee Kemp--as well as a series of five shorts portraying the varied meanings of space in BIPOC lives. Listen to Central Coast Voices every Thursday live from 1-2pm on KCBX and join the conversation with your questions at 805-871-3875.Air Date: 04-25-24
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Join host Lata Murti as she speaks with guests working to move Hope Village Santa Maria forward, Sylvia Barnard, Executive Director with Good Samaritan Shelter in Santa Maria, and Edwin Weaver, Executive Director with Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley. They will discuss the proposed Hope Village in Santa Maria Valley, an interim supportive housing community specifically for people experiencing homelessness in the Santa Maria Valley.You are invited to listen, learn, and participate in the conversation, between 1-2 pm. Call in and be part of the discussion at (805) 549-8855.Broadcast date: 3/28/24 Central Coast Voices is sponsored by ACTION for Healthy Communities in collaboration with KCBX.
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Today in recognition of Women’s History Month, guests will talk about this celebration and the work of organizations who are making sure that all women, including women of color, are being recognized while listening to youths' concerns about gender, the economy, and gender equity on California’s Central Coast. Join host Lata Murti as she speaks with guests Rita Casaverde, Executive Director of Diversity Coalition of San Luis Obispo (SLO) County and co-lead organizer of the County’s Women of Color Network, Joy Pedersen, Dean of Students at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Chair of Coalition Building for Diversity Coalition of SLO County, and co-lead organizer of the County’s Women of Color Network, and Rachell Frazian, Youth Services Librarian and Bookmobile Manager at Lompoc Public Library.You are invited to listen, learn, and participate in the conversation, between 1-2 pm. Call in and be part of the discussion at (805) 549-8855.Broadcast date: 2/22/24Central Coast Voices is sponsored by ACTION for Healthy Communities in collaboration with KCBX.
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Join host Lata Murti as she speaks with guests Rob Himoto, President of the Santa Maria Valley Railroad, and Shelley Klein, Curator of the Santa Maria Valley Historical Society. They will discuss the history of the Central Coast, its development, and current efforts to preserve this rich past.You are invited to listen, learn, and participate in the conversation, between 1-2 pm. Call in and be part of the discussion at (805) 549-8855.Broadcast date: 1/25/24Central Coast Voices is sponsored by ACTION for Healthy Communities in collaboration with KCBX.
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Join host Lata Murti as she speaks with guests from Meals that Connect, Brandee Puett, Resource Manager, and volunteers, Ty Griffin and Laura Kirschner. They will discuss the impact of Meals That Connect on seniors and the community, and how individuals can get involved, volunteer, or donate.You are invited to listen, learn and participate in the conversation, between 1-2 pm. Call in and be part of the discussion at (805) 549-8855.Broadcast date: 11/15/23Central Coast Voices is sponsored by ACTION for Healthy Communities in collaboration with KCBX.
