By Frank Patterson
How do you wake up in the morning? Many begin their day with Good Morning, Aurora, or, its Wednesday Spanish-language version, Buenos Dias, Aurora, the podcasts with hosts Curtis Spivey and Monica Vasquez, respectively.
Spivey, the show’s creator, describes the podcast as “the great American morning show.”
“It’s news, it’s opinion, it’s interviewing people. It’s something for everybody,” Spivey said. “It’s where all ideas and things can be discussed without people being put down.”
Good Morning, Aurora can be viewed live on Facebook from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Buenos Dias, Aurora, can be viewed live Wednesday in the same time slot. Both versions of the show are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Play, as audio podcasts.
Guests who have appeared on the show include Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain, Kane County States Attorney Jamie Mosser, Arella Swan of Downtown Aurora, and artist, Maureen Gasek.
“We’ve had a great number of guests,” Spivey said, “from senators to artists to members of law enforcement.”
Spivey’s interest in broadcasting goes back to his childhood. “I always wanted to be on the radio when I was a kid,” he said. He gives credit to legendary Chicago radio personality Herb Kent, the Cool Gent, as his inspiration. Kent had a remarkably-long career on the radio, heard over the airwaves 1944 to 2016, from age 16 to the day of his death, at 88.
Spivey expressed nostalgia for the Herb Kent broadcasts, when he listened to Kent with his family, prior his parents’ divorce.
“Kent expressed and highlighted the social condition by how he represented the news,” Spivey said. “That’s what I seek to do. He represented African Americans very well and I want to do the same thing.”
However, Spivey did not immediately pursue broadcasting, because he became busy with other things. He became a father, served in the Navy, and volunteered to many organizations and causes, including State representative Barbara Hernandez, AmeriCorps, and The Neighbor Project. He is employed by The Neighbor Project as outreach coordinator.
When the COVID pandemic descended upon the world, Spivey was working at an escape room near the Fox Valley Mall while working as a volunteer for representative Hernandez.
When businesses shut down, Spivey began to brainstorm on how he could carry on virtually. He conceived of an online show about the escape room, but such a show would have inherent problems, because it would reveal the secrets of escape to viewers.
Spivey realized he wasn’t the only one suffering from the shut-down. Many of his friends owned businesses that were undergoing the same stresses.
Seeking to help his friends, and himself, Spivey began to look at what he had in his favor. As a volunteer for representative Hernandez, he had what he felt was “the most pertinent information” at his disposal. Soon, he developed a podcast, in which he would report that information while plugging his friends’ businesses. The information Spivey would report upon included local news and community events, such as fundraisers and recycling events.
Gradually, the show developed from being audio alone to being the show it is today.
Monica Vasquez came to the show in late September 2021 when she saw the position for intern posted on Linkedin.
Vasquez was initially hesitant to apply, because she had no broadcasting background. However, the pandemic had brought her world to a halt and she needed something to do.
“I saw the posting last year. As an undergrad I was involved with organizations. With COVID, that all stopped. Everything was virtual. I got laid off from my job. When I saw this job post I was like, I love Aurora,” she said.
Originally from North Carolina, Vasquez came to Aurora to attend Aurora University. She recently was graduated with a master’s degree in business administration.
Vasquez began her role as the host of Buenos Dias Aurora at the beginning of this year.
“It’s the Spanish version of Good Morning Aurora,” she said.
She has brought in guests such as Christina Campos of the Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry, Mundo Financial, Las Playeritas, and party planner, Raquel Orta.
Vasquez doesn’t always have a guest. She discusses issues and articles that influence the Spanish community while interacting with viewers through Facebook.
Vasquez said working on the show has had a positive effect on her: “It has helped me to discover who I am as a person. And I appreciate that,” she said.
Vasquez enjoys working on the show and working with Spivey.
“It’s fun,” she said. “It’s always a fun time.”