Dacio Quintana

Warmest greetings to all WBAI community supporters and members! ¡Mis más cordiales saludos a todos!

WBAI is a precious resource, and it is our responsibility to make it stronger. We need to reach deeply, not superficially, into the tristate area’s diverse communities. Despite the Pacifica National Board’s backward reversal of the requirement to add an hour of Spanish-language news and information programming each weekday for the millions of non-English-speaking Latinos who need and deserve progressive radio, WBAI’s management has not only the prerogative, but also, due to area demographics and increasing attacks on migrant communities, the obligation to do this.

As a young man seeking opportunities for advancement, I immigrated to the US from Peru. I worked in a factory, drove a cab, and served in the US Army before securing a master’s degree and teaching in the NYC public schools for 32 years.

My formation as a progressive is due in part to political programming on WBAI and answering activists’ calls to action.

Like many of you, I have organized around social justice issues, ranging from school reform, workers’ rights, ending violence against women and children, antiwar activism, and freeing political prisoners to solidarity work with Puerto Rico and Latin America. As a Chapter Leader in my school and member of the New Action Caucus (a progressive wing of the teachers’ union), I fought for bilingual education, smaller class size, and better teacher training. As an organizer with the Puerto Rican Socialist Party, I worked for the independence of Puerto Rico. I fought to rescue the inhabited island of Vieques from the US Navy’s bombing practice and currently serve with The Friends of Puerto Rico Initiative (at the UN). I also volunteer with Strategies for Social Change, a national capacity-building organization.

I have been a WBAI listener/member for 20+ years and have witnessed mismanagement and unproductive dissension, which have weakened WBAI. It is particularly frustrating that the Indy Caucus canceled so many board meetings in the last two years, thwarting the work that needs to be done to maintain and improve WBAI. I believe WBAI can become an even brighter beacon of progressive political thought and activism. We need to:

• develop a strong, diversified fundraising plan, utilizing some of the thoughtful proposals developed by Justice and Unity and others.

• invest in long-term strategic planning.

• plan short term to create an equitable partnership with Manhattan Neighborhood Network.

• increase programming that will spark the interest and activism of our youth and the many diverse communities in our area.

I urge you to vote for all the Justice & Unity candidates–endorsed by Bernard White, Michael Tarif Warren, Father Lawrence Lucas, and the Free Mumia Coalition, among others. Please use the following rank order to maximize the value of 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.