Melanie Senn
Freelance ReporterMelanie Senn was born in Camden, New Jersey (the resting place of Walt Whitman), but was raised in California. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Latin American Literature from UCSB, and after living a couple years in Mexico, Argentina, and Chile, got her master’s degree in English. She had a 25-year teaching career, including 17 years at Cal Poly where she taught essay writing and argument. Now she dedicates her time to writing and audio storytelling, and hanging out with her with her two sons and their dad, musician Derek Senn.
Melanie hikes, surfs, and reads as much as she can get away with. She’s always preferred radio to television — especially public radio — and began contributing stories at KCBX in 2022 as a newsroom volunteer, where she was soon brought on as a freelancer for the station.
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Cal Poly lecturer Caleb Nichols has been a musician for more than 20 years and has just released a new album. KCBX’s Melanie Senn talked with Nichols about how healing past trauma and immersing themself in literature inspired a new prolific artistic period. -
Una persona puede hacer muchos intentos para salir de un matrimonio abusivo, especialmente si tiene hijos. Pero a veces la necesidad de proteger a los niños hace que la salida sea aún más necesaria. En el último episodio de esta serie de tres partes, la reportera de KCBX, Melanie Senn, habla con una sobreviviente local sobre lo que le costó salir finalmente. -
La violencia de pareja incluye conductas destinadas a controlar, asustar, manipular o dañar físicamente a la pareja y, a veces, el abuso es sexual. En la segunda parte de una serie de tres partes sobre la violencia doméstica en el condado de San Luis Obispo, la reportera de KCBX Melanie Senn habló con defensores sobre las barreras adicionales que enfrentan los sobrevivientes indocumentados y lo difícil que puede ser salir. -
La violencia doméstica puede ser invisible, a menudo ocurre a puerta cerrada y puede ser un proceso largo para salir. En este primer episodio de una serie de tres partes sobre la violencia doméstica en el condado de San Luis Obispo, la reportera de KCBX Melanie Senn habló con las autoridades y un sobreviviente local. -
It can take a lot of time for a person to leave an abusive marriage, especially when children are involved. But sometimes the need to protect the children makes leaving even more necessary. In the last episode of this three-part series, KCBX’s Melanie Senn speaks with a local survivor about what it took for her to finally get out.
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Intimate partner violence includes behaviors that are meant to control, frighten, manipulate, or physically hurt a partner — and sometimes the abuse is sexual. In this second episode of a three-part series about domestic violence in San Luis Obispo County, KCBX reporter Melanie Senn spoke with advocates about the extra barriers undocumented survivors face and how difficult it can be to leave.
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Domestic Violence can be invisible since it often happens behind closed doors, and it can take a long time for a survivor to leave. In this first episode of a three-part series about domestic violence in San Luis Obispo County, KCBX reporter Melanie Senn spoke with law enforcement and a local survivor.
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Some people vote in hopes of making their voices heard. Others are ineligible to vote, because of age, citizenship and other reasons. But there are ways non-voters can participate in the political process, from activism to protesting to community organizing. -
The city of Salinas is funding more public art through budgeting and local partnerships. New murals are coming to three underpass tunnels of Highway 101, which bisects the city. -
Wu Man, a member of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silkroad Ensemble, is a virtuoso of the traditional Chinese string instrument, the pipa. Melanie Senn spoke with Wu Man about the roots of her artistry and her upcoming performances at the Ojai Music Festival this month.
