Mario Espinoza-Kulick
Host of Central Coast VoicesMario Alberto Viveros Espinoza-Kulick, PhD, is co-host of Central Coast Voices, heard every Thursday afternoon on KCBX from 1:00-2:00 p.m. Mario is an advocate, community leader, health equity expert, poet, and author. He uses decolonial-inspired research with Latinx Immigrant and Indigenous communities to improve health on California’s Central Coast.
Dr. Espinoza-Kulick's work has been published in Oxford University Press, Psychological Services, Health Promotion Practice, New Directions for Evaluation, and regional news outlets like El Latino, Santa Maria Times, and the Santa Barbara Independent.
Mario is the Inaugural Ethnic Studies faculty at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo. He serves on the Board for Corazón del Pueblo: The Cultural and Creative Arts Center of the Santa Maria Valley as Secretary and Arts for the People Chair. He also volunteers as Board Member for Access Support Network, an organization serving HIV and HCV affected communities in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Monterey counties.
You can reach Mario at mario@kcbx.org.
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Join host Dr. Mario Espinoza-Kulick on Central Coast Voices for a conversation about Behind Barbed Wire Redux, a multimedia history of Japanese American incarceration during World War II and its lasting impact on the Central Coast. Guests Dr. Deon Nielsen Price, former internee Margaret Nakamura Cooper, and Dr. Brian Asher Alhadeff will share about the role of music and storytelling in preserving memory and highlight an upcoming performance at the Clark Center for the Performing Arts.Hear Central Coast Voices Thursdays from 1-2pm on KCBX -
Join host Dr. Mario Espinoza-Kulick for a conversation with leaders from End Kids Cancer, a San Luis Obispo–based organization working at the forefront of pediatric cancer research, family navigation, and prevention. Listen and participate live Thursdays from 1-2pm on KCBX
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Join host Dr. Mario Espinoza-Kulick for a conversation with Nakia Zavalla, Cultural Director for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. They will discuss how the new Santa Ynez Chumash Museum and Cultural Center celebrates Native history through storytelling, language revitalization, and cultural preservation. The museum’s exhibits offer visitors an immersive experience that connect the past, present, and future of the Chumash people.Hear the conversation Thursday from 1-2pm on KCBX or online at KCBX.org.
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Dr. Mario Espinoza-Kulick with Stacey Hunt, CEO of Ecologistics, about the upcoming 13th annual Central Coast Bioneers Conference, and how local residents can shape a resilient future.
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Join host Dr. Mario Espinoza-Kulick for a conversation with Anthony Overton, the CEO of Habitat for Humanity San Luis Obispo County, and Kristie Anderson-Steele, Director of Operations. Together, they will share how Habitat SLO expands affordable homeownership opportunities, supports seniors through its Aging in Place program, and strengthens communities through its ReStores.Listen and participate live Thursdays from 1-2pm on KCBX
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Join host, Dr. Mario Espinoza-Kulick, for a conversation with David Parro, Executive Director, and Ted Malpass, Mobile Health Clinic Manager at the SLO Noor Foundation.
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We talk with local leaders from Santa Maria, Cesar Vasquez, and Maestra Patricia Villalobos and explore how intersectionality, equity, and collective action fuel a more inclusive future.Thursday from 1-2pm on KCBX
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Host Dr. Mario Espinoza-Kulick welcomes guests Mona Olivas Tucker, Chair of the yak titʸu titʸu yak tiłhini Northern Chumash Tribe, and Becca Lucas Thomas, Executive Director of the ytt Northern Chumash Nonprofit. Together, they discuss California’s AB-52 legislation, the key distinctions between federally and non-federally recognized tribes, and how these differences shape local tribal processes. Learn more at:www.yttnorthernchumashtribe.com
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Jordan Chesnut, Executive Director of SLO County Arts, on the 2025 Arts and Culture Economic Impact Report. We look at how the creative economy works toward equity and embracing community resilience.
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Mario Espinoza-Kulick speaks with guests Skye McLennan, Executive Director of the Festival and filmmaker Gina Papabeis, producer of UNEARTH, info about her film.
