Lee Wade

Creator, Host, and Producer, WYSO 91.3 FM

Lee Wade is an audio journalist and trans advocate from Dayton. He is also a Kettering Foundation 2026 Dayton Democracy Fellow. Wade is the creator, host, and producer of Translucent, a podcast and radio program on WYSO 91.3 FM that centers transgender and nonbinary voices through community-based conversations designed to foster learning, connection, and accountability. Wade has contributed to WYSO Youth Radio and reported on science, technology, and health news across the Dayton region. In 2025, Wade received a Public Media Journalists Association “Opening Doors” Fellowship to support and amplify his work. He holds a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary arts and creative practice from Antioch College, where he developed a multidisciplinary approach to storytelling and media production. His work emphasizes careful listening, dialogue, and the importance of creating space for voices that are often missing from public conversations. As a Black trans man from Dayton, Wade uses journalism and audio media as tools for advocacy, relationship building, and inclusive democracy. Through his reporting and community-based programming, he explores how storytelling can strengthen civic life, build understanding across differences, and help communities engage more fully in democratic life.