Gina Hotta, an Asian American radio journalist, died on September 28 of a heart attack. Gina (shown far right in the photo) was a leader in the community—the executive producer of Apex Express, an Asian American radio show that aired on the Berkeley-based station KPFA 94.1 FM.
I only met Gina once, during my days at UC Berkeley—but she’s someone who will remain anchored in my memory. I visited her at KPFA with a friend, Maya, who hosted a segment on APEX. Gina took us out to dinner, asked us about our backgrounds and work in the community. She had that Bay Area, 60s-era vibe—someone who I knew had been committed to the cause since very early on. I’ve spoken to many who are shocked and so saddened by Gina’s passing. Gina was everywhere and known to so many. She constantly produced radio shows and documented the stories of our community.
She was, and remains, an inspiration.
