By Ann Ereline
Festival of Nations’ sponsor Slavic Community Center of NW and Slavic Family Radio, which reaches tens of thousands of Slavic-languages speakers in our area, put DMA on the air recently to promote not only the festival but also the May 11 job fair. By all accounts the part-English, part-Russian chat went well.
Slavic Family Radio personality Andrey Nekrasov interviewed Kem and Natalia Marks in the all-out effort to get the word out to Slavic speakers and hopefully encourage Slavic entertainers and vendors to join the festival on Sept. 17.
Thanks to translator Natalia, who was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, DMA’s message was a hit. “She did a fantastic job,” said Andrey of both the translating and fielding questions.
Although Natalia (if you haven’t guessed already, Kem’s wife) needed coaxing to get on the radio and translate, she shed the jitters with ease. As the interview progressed, Kem admits, she seamlessly slid into the role of primary interviewee. It was her radio debut.
“It’s a good thing for me that she did so well,” Kem said afterward. “Otherwise DMA might be looking to fill my VISTA position.” Kem had his own jitters: Would she get even with him for getting her on radio?
Slavic Community Center of NW is one of three confirmed media sponsors for the Festival of Nations, scheduled for Saturday, September 17 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Division Center parking lot located at the southwest corner of Southeast Division Street and 122nd Avenue.
