Soundscapes of Labor and Belonging: Mexican Custodians’ Radio Listening Practices at a Southern California University¹ 

This paper examines how Mexican immigrant custodians at a public California university claim space, make themselves visible, and assert their dignity through their music and sound. A Latino Cultural Citizenship framework is utilized to connect listening practices to a wider socio-cultural context. As one of the fastest growing media formats in the U.S., Spanish-language radio can be heard as both a symbol of a changing America and a contested site of cultural exchange where Latinos negotiate an audible presence. Through in-depth interviews and ethnographic data collection, respondents addressed how listening to Spanish-language radio impacted their work life and their sense of belonging in their local communities. Workers gave testimonies on navigating the “sonic color line” at work and home that policed their bodies and sounds.