Sofia Zarran
Morning Edition ProducerSofia “Z” Zarran is the Morning Edition Producer at WLRN.
Z graduated from the University of Florida in the Summer of 2025 with her bachelor's degree in journalism. She studied journalism, linguistics and ESL. Her studies intersect in her overall passion for language and finding the best ways to use language to make a difference in our daily lives.
This passion earned her 4th place in the Hearst Audio competition in 2026. She also placed first in the Broadcast Education Awards for Student Radio Hard News Reporting 2026. Although she believes that sharing the stories of the people she meets is the true reward, these recognitions make her hopeful for the future and encourage her to continue telling the stories of those who are too often overlooked.
Whether it’s a school for at-risk boys, a free ESL class filled with immigrant students, or a silent reading party striving to bring people together, Z is there with a microphone and a curious ear. Although she’d prefer to have one-on-ones with her sources, Z is not unfamiliar with scouring through bills, agendas, presentations and hours of meeting tape. Her creativity helps her approach every story with the care and attention they deserve.
Z was an intern at WLRN over the summer, a deputy editor at WUFT during her senior year, and podcast producer for the Florida Political Review out of the Bob Graham Center at the University of Florida.
She is grateful and excited to be a part of the NPR station she listened to growing up. As a painter and musician in her free time, she is excited to bring her own creativity and color to every story she reports and produces. Her cat, King Boo, is excited to have more equipment to cover in cat hair.
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Miami-based transportation company Freebee has grown from a handful of electric vehicles on South Beach into one of the country’s fastest-growing private companies. The South Florida micro-transportation company has now merged with autonomous technology company Beep for a future of self-driving cars. -
Florida won’t be seeing a debate between its two gubernatorial candidates this election cycle, but in Little Havana a group of activists and performers are putting on a debate of their own. -
Miami-Dade County and City of Miami officials have called for an investigation into the safety of playgrounds following the death of a teenager two weeks ago at a City of Miami park in what appears to be a freak accident. -
That’s the question Jewish worshippers and religious leaders in West Miami have been wrestling with after Temple Beth Tov officially held its last service in 2020. -
Miami-Dade County has struck an almost million-dollar marketing deal with Rockstar Games — the company behind the next Grand Theft Auto video game. Many commissioners said they were not aware of the agreement before the budget meeting. -
Applications are now open through Sept. 21 to participate in the second consecutive year of the controversial hunt. The season will run from Dec. 5 to Dec. 28. -
A 14-year-old wildlife tracker from Spain travelled to South Florida to speak at the Frost Science Museum and the Miami Children's Museum about her book, “Things That Blow My Mind About Animals,” which she wrote when she was 11 years old and was recently translated into English. -
In a time of changing immigration policy, scammers are taking advantage of the confusion and fear. How the lawyers whose identities are being used to defraud immigrants are coping with the onslaught of AI scams. -
This year, thanks to a new Florida law, high school students can now satisfy both their arts and physical education credits if they're in marching band for two years. WLRN reporters went to Charles W. Flanagan High School in Pembroke Pines to watch students spend long summer days practicing to perform at a high level. -
Florida Atlantic University student files lawsuit against fraternity over dangerous hazing practicesA Florida Atlantic University student recently filed a lawsuit against a fraternity he says subjected him to dangerous and humiliating hazing practices that landed him in the hospital. -
Ahead of World Brain Day, WLRN's Sofia Zarran spoke with Dr. Marc Agronin of the Miami Jewish Health's MIND Institute about what access to memory care looks like in South Florida and why people should take care of their brain health early. -
One year after opening its doors, Roots Bookstore & Market in Liberty City has become more than just a place to buy books. WLRN's Sofia Zarran spoke with co-owner Philip Agnew about the store's mission, the impact it's had on the community, and what's next for Roots.
