People
Radio host proud to share his Sikh culture on Edmonton's airwaves
Chad HuculakIn a radio scene dominated by Caucasian hosts, Raj Dhami is proud to say he secured a solo show on Edmonton’s Now Radio without resorting to becoming a gimmick or a stereotype.
“It’s not just huge for me, but that’s also huge for other kids in my culture, other visible minorities who want a chance to make it in radio,” says Dhami on being one of the few visible minorities working on an English-language radio station. “I’m happy to try and break those glass ceilings.”
It was hockey that set Dhami’s career in motion, growing up as an Edmonton Oilers fan in Kamloops, B.C. with aspirations of becoming a play-by-play broadcaster. After graduating from the British Columbia Institute of Technology in 2005 he bounced around working various industry jobs, eventually landing in Edmonton and eventually at Now Radio in 2011.
While he found success in the station’s creative department working in advertising, he never forgot his dream of being an on-air radio host. Five years ago he was given his shot, co-hosting an evening and weekend show with Juliette Nunes, eventually going solo in June of 2021.
“(Since) I first got my solo slot, there has been increased English-as-a-second-language listeners who are calling in, and I’m really patient with them when they talk, and I can fill in the blanks when they don’t know the right words,” says Dhami. “It’s very exciting bringing that kind of audience and my culture, the Sikh culture, to Now Radio.”
Working evenings means Dhami misses out on some family events, but for last year’s Diwali he shared the festivities with his listeners.
“I couldn’t make it out to the church festivals so I brought the celebration into the studio,” says Dhami, who provided samosas, chutney and other treats for his Now Radio coworkers. He also wore a kurta in the studio, which generated interest in the listeners who saw his social media posts and watched him via the studio’s live cam.
“It’s a traditional Indian gown … they were actually just curious because they’ve never seen anything like that before,” says Dhami. “I was happy to provide that kind of cultural experience for them. It was new to them.”
[Courtesy: Edmonton Journal]
March 07, 2022