Urban Unrest

01 February 2006 | Community, Programming | Ernesto Aguilar

Although I question some points, this is well worth consideration. One of the gentlemen from NBUF Houston read this during Connect the Dots, 2/1.

To: Duane Bradley, General Manager

Ernesto Aguilar, Program Manager

Susan Young, Chair LSB

From: Local Organizing Committee– Millions More Movement Ministry of Information and Technology

Date: February 1, 2006

Re: Fund Drive in Black History Month

Greetings:

There is a very deep concern in our community that KPFT radio is once again showing disrespect for the Black community by holding a three week fund drive during Black History Month. The month of February is specifically targeted to highlight current events, noteworthy people of African heritage and historical landmarks for our people in a manner that occurs at no other time of the year. It is the one opportunity that we have for positive media attention on the achievements of Black people in this country and around the world. Yet the station that promotes itself as the voice of the people and under represented communities has YET AGAIN, limited the ability of its programmers to produce and air programming that speaks to the purpose of Black History Month.

Donations made during this month in the name of various organizations and private individuals will speak in protest of this fund drive. We will “pay the price to have our voices heard”. The timing of this fund drive is a contradiction to the Mission statement of Pacifica Radio as it is very obvious that the money took precedence over the importance of educating the public through the promotion of Black history and Black present facts. Why does KPFT overlook current activists, those currently making history and the centuries old legacy of Afrikan accomplishments to heavily promote a very limited number of Black historical figures ? Who was consulted from the African/African American community relative to the scheduling of the fund drive during Black history month?

As an organization which views the need for self-determination as a key component of the Millions More Movement and recognizes the need for Black History month we regard the decision to hold the fund drive during the majority of the month of February and lack of community influence in determining the month’s programming as unacceptable.

We, the Local Organizing Committee, (LOC) would like to propose:

1. the utilization of the Month of March to replace the opportunities for programming displaced by the fund drive and

2. implementation of a plan of action for next year to insure that this does not happen again. We take this very seriously and hope that you will too.

3. As you look for ways to increase your market share and listenership within the Black community you may want to take a serious look at how you interact with the community and why you are slow to make inroads. This is a matter of respect and acknowledgment of a people who are too frequently marginalized and made to adjust when all too often it is the outside interests that should be more willing to learn the norms and cultural attributes of a community it is supposed to serve.

4. a meeting with station management and the governing board representatives to discuss this matter further and put an action plan in place for better interaction within our community.

MOBILIZING PEOPLE, MAXIMIZING POWER , THE POWER OF ONE

Abdul Lateef Salley, Millions More Movement Houston Local Organizing Committee

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