Caryn Moczynski: authentic, amplified and living out loud

The radio star

Caryn's love for music took root early, sparked by a simple gift from her father—a transistor radio with an ear-piece and a 9-volt battery. 

It tuned into local station WOKY, known then for its eclectic mix of genres. From the moment she started listening, she was hooked.

A lifelong Wisconsinite, Caryn spent her earliest years in the Bay View neighborhood—"before it was cool," she joked. Back then, it was a community of older homes and long-established families, which Caryn fondly recalls as a great place to grow up. 

Raised by loving Catholic parents who regularly attended church, Caryn describes her upbringing as grounded and full of care.

The family later moved to Oak Creek, where Caryn spent most of her childhood. In the 1970s and 80s, it was a quiet, rural town with strong farming roots. 

For a curious and adventurous kid like Caryn, it was the perfect backdrop—filled with creeks, woods, and endless opportunities for tomboy-style exploration.

Music was a constant in the household. Caryn is grateful to have grown up in a family of music lovers, where the stereo was always on and discovering new records was often a shared family outing. 

Birthday and Christmas money frequently went toward new albums, and in classic little-sister fashion, Caryn was known to "borrow" her older brother’s records—sometimes permanently.

As she grew, so did her musical taste. Caryn counts herself lucky to have come of age during a time when groundbreaking women like Patti Smith, Heart, Olivia Newton-John, and Carole King were making waves in music. 

“There was so much going on for women in music,” she reflected.

Still, she noticed something missing—female voices were rarely heard on the radio, and almost never back-to-back. Despite the rise of women in the industry, the airwaves remained dominated by male artists, a contrast that stuck with her even then. 

A whole new world

Caryn’s time at UW-Milwaukee was a turning point—where her world truly began to open up. 

Though she was engaged to a man at the time, the college experience exposed her to new people, perspectives, and possibilities she hadn’t previously imagined.

Surrounded by a diverse mix of students from all over the world, Caryn’s social circle expanded rapidly. It was during this period that she began meeting queer people.

“As someone who hadn’t yet discovered my own queer identity, I found them to be super cool, kind, and interesting," said Caryn.

One day, while attending a student fair at the union, Caryn noticed a table filled with flyers promoting what was essentially the LGBTQ student group. So, she picked up a brochure.

“I had no idea there was a community in Milwaukee where you could meet others, build real connections, and be yourself—safely and openly.”

She felt an undeniable pull to the table, circling past it several times before finally stopping to engage.

Caryn admits she was probably still in a bit of denial at that point in her life, but that moment was pivotal. 

That student group—just a few people sitting behind a table with information—became a doorway to a new understanding: life didn’t have to follow a script of marriage, children, and a white picket fence. 

"I had never seen anything like that before,” she said. “I was surrounded by groovy, authentic people living openly—it was a catalyst, and I’m forever grateful to them.”

Looking back, Caryn reflects that she had long seen herself simply as a feminist with tomboy tendencies. 

It wasn’t until college, with its mix of new experiences and inspiring individuals, that her eyes truly opened. Seeing bold, unapologetic queer women living on their own terms gave her the clarity she needed to begin embracing her own truth.

“There are other bars like this...”

Caryn’s deeper dive into Milwaukee’s queer community began with a spontaneous night out with one of her best friends, Mike, a closeted gay man at the time.

“It started like a classic Milwaukee night,” she recalled. “We were at Conejito’s drinking margaritas and wanted to go dancing.”

That’s when Mike suggested heading to La Cage, a well-known gay bar. Caryn was all in. What she found there was an energetic, welcoming crowd—fun, kind, vibrant people who made her feel instantly at home.

After a night of dancing and connection, Mike turned to her and said, “You know, there are other bars like this…”

From that moment, Caryn made it a point to support as many queer spaces as she could. She frequented legendary spots like La Cage, Fannies, Nitengales, Kathy’s Nut Hut, The Alternative, M&M Club, This Is It, Jet’s Place, Woody's, Club 219, and more.

At the time, bars were the heart of queer culture—a place to meet, celebrate, and build community.

“Everything happened in bars,” Caryn said. “The gays knew where it was at and knew how to support each other.”

There were always benefits and events, always someone showing up for someone else. It was a tight-knit scene that offered safety, joy, music, and dancing—and Caryn was all in. 

Giving back and being part of that energy became a big part of her life.

Her connection to the community deepened after attending her first pride festival, MAPfest (Milwaukee AIDS Project Fest) in Walker's Point. 

The energy, the solidarity, and the presence of women living out loud stirred something in her. Pride was gaining momentum, and Caryn found herself itching for change—ready to shake up her own life.

Travel only fueled that fire. Trips to places like California and Florida gave her a glimpse into what queer life looked like outside the Midwest. In Florida, she’d pick up small magazines that listed queer-friendly beaches and events. In California, she found vibrant, visible queer communities.

“What I saw,” she said, “was just people living their lives. It took seeing others living openly and joyfully for me to realize—this is the time.”

That visibility, that freedom, gave her the courage to step into her own truth and start living authentically.

Coming out: "scorched earth" style

A few years into college, Caryn met her first girlfriend, and the two moved in together.

When it came time to come out, Caryn did it in true rock 'n' roll fashion—by simply showing up places with her girlfriend, no grand announcements or warnings.

“Who knew there could be a show that says, ‘Hey, let’s play 90 minutes of back-to-back women in music, and let’s cover every genre while we’re at it,’” Caryn said. 

“That just wasn’t something I realized existed until I saw it up close.”

What Caryn loves most is the authenticity. Every DJ at WMSE is essentially their own producer—on-air personality, curator, storyteller. 

And that connection to the audience? It’s real. She cherishes the calls from listeners requesting songs, and she plays them whenever she can—“99.9% of the time,” she says. 

With the show streaming online, her reach now extends well beyond Milwaukee—she’s even had listeners from Australia tune in and call to make requests.

The community around the station is just as special. It’s a diverse, passionate group of people—DJs, producers, listeners—who all deeply value music and its power to connect and heal. There’s a shared sense of mission: to uplift local artists, celebrate creativity, and keep the heart of the community beating with sound. 

“Music is so healing,” Caryn said. “And we need that now more than ever.”

Through her work in radio, Caryn’s path has led her to meet some of her musical heroes—queer icons who helped shape her journey. 

She got to meet Melissa Etheridge, whom she described as “really cool and really groovy,” and share a laid-back lunch with Amy Ray of The Indigo Girls. 

“We just hung out and talked about stuff,” Caryn said. 

While she had interviewed Amy several times on-air, this was different—this was a moment of connection, of recognition, of kinship. 

“It was so cool,” Caryn said. “To sit with this icon, this queer elder, who’s on our side and truly gets it—it meant the world.”

Caryn describes the past few decades as absolutely pivotal for women in music—laying the groundwork for the vibrant, boundary-pushing artists we see thriving today. 

The evolution has been nothing short of electric, leading to a powerful blend of legacy acts and rising stars sharing the spotlight. 

“It’s amazing,” Caryn said, “to live in a time where you can see legends like Heart and Joan Jett still rocking the stage, while new trailblazers like Chappell Roan are lighting it up in their own unapologetic way.”

Caryn jokes (but also means it) that Joan Jett will die onstage, fully committed to her craft, never slowing down. And she sees in Chappell Roan a fiery new voice that refuses to dim her light.

“She’s out here disrupting, saying she won’t tone it down for anyone, no matter what the political climate is. That’s powerful.”

She also celebrates global icons like Lady Gaga, who have used their stardom as a platform for advocacy and inclusion.

International acts are part of this new wave too. Caryn points to Florence and the Machine as a shining example of queer-inclusive artistry that resonates across borders. 

“Every time they come to the U.S., they sell out,” she said. “A Florence concert is like a spiritual experience—soaring, emotional, absolutely affirming. Florence herself is a radiant soul and brilliant human being.”

For Caryn, this moment in music feels rich with possibility. 

“We’re in a time of abundance,” she said. “There’s so much great music being made—especially by queer artists who are stepping forward, being bold, and finding their audience."

"It’s inspiring to witness and even more thrilling to be a part of it.”

Caryn today

Caryn is happily married, and she and her wife Danae have been together for 28 years—longer than some of the young queer folks she mentors have even been alive.

“Longevity in queer relationships matters,” she says. “Especially now, when queer marriage is being questioned again, people need to see that it’s not only possible, but beautiful—even in this climate.”

She laughs that she was “born in the 1900s,” and finds it both funny and profound to now be in a position where younger generations are looking to her as an example.

Their love story began, fittingly, at an Indigo Girls concert in Milwaukee. Caryn was there with someone else at the time, but when she spotted Danae, she took notice and soon, a new relationship was blossoming.

She mused, “Does it get more cliché than meeting your future wife at an Indigo Girls show?”

Still, it was the start of something lasting and extraordinary.

They currently live in West Allis with their six rescue pugs and continue to pour their energy into causes they care about.

One of those causes is Courage MKE, an LGBTQ youth support organization. Caryn and Danae were hands-on in helping with the original Courage House and later contributed to renovating the organization’s new apartment units.

“It’s powerful to witness a community come together to support queer youth and give them safety,” Caryn said. “I’d never seen something like that on such a scale before.”

Her life goal is simple and sincere: to be a good citizen and do good in the world.

Their passion for pugs runs deep—so much so that they’ve become known as “the pug ladies,” a bit like the pug version of crazy cat ladies. 

Danae, an artist, contributes her design skills to support various rescues, helping raise funds through t-shirts and merch. The pugs they take in often come from rough backgrounds, but Caryn and Danae are committed to giving them love and care.

“There’s a whole legion of lesbians in animal rescue,” Caryn said with a grin. “We show up, and we get it done.”

When asked to list her top five most influential artists, Caryn doesn’t hesitate: Joan Jett, The Indigo Girls, Madonna, Florence and the Machine, and Patti Smith. She tacked on Melissa Etheridge for good measure, joking, “You can probably guess my age based on that list.”

Caryn also has her own musical chops and brings a rock n’ roll energy to the stage when she performs.

She’s often invited to jam with local musicians, including her friend Gabriel Sanchez from The Prince Experience. 

Though she’s been asked to join bands countless times, she says the timing hasn’t been quite right. For now, she enjoys the occasional set, playing crowd-pleasers like 4 Non Blondes, Melissa Etheridge, The Indigo Girls, and even Annie’s Song by John Denver.

“It’s mostly rock with a folk twist,” she said. 

“And even if I’m the only lesbian in the bar, music is a great connector and brings everyone together.”

As a DJ at WMSE, Caryn relishes the creative freedom.

“Each DJ gets to be their own producer,” she said. “You choose what your show looks and sounds like.”