You may know me as the persistent leader of the Free Lynne Stewart campaign. Raised by a union organizer, I first taught elementary school in Harlem, joining the United Federation of Teachers. But when the UFT colluded with management to support the racist Board of Education against Black communities’ demands for Community Control of schools, I founded the Teachers’ Freedom Party and became a leader in that fight.

Much of my 50+ years of political activism has focused on improving our public schools. My leadership facilitated appointments of NYC’s first Black and Puerto Rican principals. Doing this required confronting the NYPD Army of Occupation installed to maintain ideological control of schools. In the course of self- and community-defense, I was convicted and served time on Rikers Island, where I organized fellow prisoners in one of the first successful prison rebellions, winning important concessions.

One of my primary focuses is freeing U.S. political prisoners serving unconscionable sentences. Their sacrifices made possible the moderate civil-rights advances in the ’60s/ ’70s, but many of them languish, forgotten. I’m also active in the Green Party and in Uhuru, an organization dedicated to freedom for African descendants, as well as the Black is Back Coalition. With Betty Davis and Lynne Stewart, I co-founded the New Abolitionist Movement, working to eliminate miseducation in NYC.

For over 30 years, Lynne worked as a “People’s Lawyer,” defending social and political activists and causes. Following what was deemed a too-zealous representation of Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, she was jailed and disbarred. After organizing thousands in Lynne’s support, we won and brought her home in January 2014. Three years later, she would transition in arms of family and comrades. Even when physically difficult, Lynne attended board meetings and worked to serve as a change agent at WBAI. I will continue her legacy and use our experience to help save WBAI–so as to help save our communities and transform the system.

The current board majority has been underperforming:

• No budgets approved in years.

• No meetings in 2016 and infrequent meetings since then despite the financial crisis facing the station and network.

• General Manager evaluation blocked again in 2018.

• And no search committee for a permanent Program Director capable of and committed to developing and supporting more creative, progressive programming that reflects the struggles of diverse peoples, and developing new generations of broadcaster-activists.

Please vote for a board that will focus on its responsibilities and not on playing politics.

I urge you to support the entire Justice & Unity slate, endorsed by Michael Tarif Warren, Bernard White, Father Lawrence Lucas, the Free Mumia Coalition, Larry Hamm and the People’s Organization for Progress, NAKO, Akinlabi Mackall and S.E.E.D.S, and others. Please use the following rank order to maximize your vote (it is not a reflection of the personal value of any of us as candidates).

• Why do you want to be on the Local Station Board?

  I consider WBAI to be a precious entity and I'd like to promote it and make it stronger.

• How do you envision the Local Station Board working with the Pacifica Foundation, WBAI and the community?

  At the present time these four bodies are totally isolated and insulated. There is no two-way communication. Also, there is a feeling of powerlessness among some LSB members, and unless we begin changing some of the By-Laws and practices that prevent these three groups from having greater openness and being able to exchange ideas, we will be missing out on crucial opportunities to bring WBAI forward.

• How could the station better serve its listeners?

  A fundamental issue for WBAI is to maintain its mission and keep its promises to its supporters. There are listeners who donated many, many dollars and still have not received their promised premiums.

• Describe some actions you would take to increase the influence of the station in underrepresented communities and to increase the diversity of the listening audience?

  WBAI should do outreach to more Community Organizations and offer internships to young folks. We should also be in diverse communities to broadcast and conduct on-the-spot interviews from their celebrations, events, conferences, etc.

• What sources of funding, other than listener donations, do you feel WBAI should solicit?

  I think we should have an Annual WBAI Party to honor an outstanding progressive worker, artist, etc. It was done once many years ago. We should also have live auctions with a musical component.

• Please state briefly the skills, experience, educational background, work history, organizational affiliations, areas of community service, areas of interest and expertise that you would bring to the Pacifica network as a member of the Local Station Board.

  I have worked for many years as an organizer, educator, and progressive union chapter leader. I have very good organizing skills. I am now retired and can devote more time to WBAI. We desperately need help with strategic planning and fundraising. I am currently affiliated with a progressive organizational-development/capacity-building firm and can access some free technical assistance and tools to help WBAI.

• Do you anticipate missing any Local Station Board meetings due to family or job related problems or inadequate transportation?

  My attendance at LSB meetings has been very steady throughout my present term, and I do not anticipate any problems out of the ordinary that would prevent me from maintaining this high level of attendance.

• On which Local Station Board committees* are you interested in actively serving? If you are a current Local Station Board member, on which committees do you currently serve?

  I could serve on one or two LSB Committees: the Committee of Inclusion and / or the Program Director Search Committee.