Neroli Devaney (College Nine ’19, sociology)

Neroli Devaney (College Nine ’19, sociology) developed a passion for community radio at a young age. As a child, she would frequently co-host with her dad on his show Fogou, which aired on Humboldt State University’s radio station, KHSU. One of the first things Devaney did at UC Santa Cruz was attend an open house at KZSC. She remained involved with KZSC all four years as a UCSC student. She received her degree in sociology. At KZSC, she organized numerous live events, programmed weekly shows, and served as the hip hop director from 2017-18. She founded a weekly radio show called Queen Beats, which aired women and gender queer artists in hip hop every Tuesday, 10 p.m. to midnight. Queen Beats still airs on KZSC today!

After her UCSC graduation, she returned to her hometown of Arcata and got involved with Playhouse Arts, the city’s local arts agency. She brought Humboldt Hot Air to life through her KZSC experience, Playhouse Arts, and the support of local mentors. Humboldt Hot Air is an internet radio station broadcasting from the Creamery District in Arcata. Devaney has worked hard as the Founder and Station Manager to achieve her dream of getting Humboldt Hot Air on the dial. In 2024, the FCC approved their license to broadcast as KHHA-LP 94.7 FM.

Humboldt Hot Air boasts over 60 volunteer DJs, an expansive selection of talk and music programming, collaborations with dozens of local organizations, and impressive community support. The radio station quickly grew into an essential grassroots hub for different corners of the community to come together to share ideas, art, and music. She is grateful for her UCSC education and KZSC experience; it opened the doors for her to achieve success in a career she is passionate about. She invites her fellow Banana Slugs to tune in and follow along on the journey at humboldthotair.org.