As a Justice & Unity board member (www.justiceunity.org), I will use my expertise to help develop, implement and measure success of work processes to improve the station’s functioning – from paper-clip purchasing to more ethical employment practices of the most “humane” organization, except when it comes to its own folks.
myriam@justiceunity.org, 212-591-2111
I’m eagerly running for the WBAI Local Station Board with the Justice and Unity Campaign (www.justiceunity.org) to help sort out the issues at WBAI and communicate to listeners the information behind the conflicts about the station’s direction, so they are kept in the loop with facts and status regarding the WBAI that we all love and support. I will use my expertise in improving work processes to help define, develop, implement, and measure the success of those processes. This could improve many facets of the station, from paper-clip purchasing to more ethical hiring and firing practices by the most “humane” organization – except when it comes to its own folks.
I came to the U.S. as a young child from Haiti and grew up in Westchester, N.Y. Immigrant children master two worlds and reap the benefits from both. We gain a broader life experience to help us better understand, analyze, adapt, resolve, respond, and effectively make changes to maximize our choices and access the system. My engineering background and 25 years of experience in various corporations mean that I have a very logical, analytical, and critical thinking approach to things. I want to bring this to WBAI.
If, as alleged, the main reason for the 2009 management change instigated by the LSB majority was financial mismanagement, especially not paying rent on time, then why was Bernard White fired (without any due process), given that the Program Director is not responsible for finances or bill-paying? And a year later, the replacement management – lauded by that same majority for its supposed financial acumen – had itself developed quite a track record: rent had been in arrears for up to three months; installment payments arranged by listeners had been uncollected for nine months, costing the station some $100,000; and tens of thousands in checks had been allowed to go stale after sitting in a P.O. box for months.
There ain’t nothing wrong with change. We progressives are fighting for it daily. Pacifica, don’t trivialize our outcry against injustice and nonsense by reducing it to fear of change. Cutting the morning show – which frames our day with the news, locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally, so that when Amy comes on with more of a news magazine program, followed by the rest of the wonderful lineup of the WBAI day, we are well informed and can go into the details more relaxed – was a total misstep.
Many people are working hard to save WBAI. We must work together.
Please vote for the Justice and Unity slate – endorsed by Pam Africa, Fred Ho, Fredrica Bey of WISOMMM, the International Support Haiti Network, and the May 1st Coalition for Workers and Immigrants Rights, among others – in this order, to maximize your votes:
1. Bernard White
2. Suzanne Adely
3. John Brinkley
4. Father Lawrence Lucas
5. Ray Laforest
6. Wellington Echegaray
7. Sharonne Salaam
8. Linda Bergnes
9. Myriam Decime
10. Carlos Canales
11. Sarah Klepner
12. Henry Hagins
13. Eugene Hamond
myriam@justiceunity.org, 212-591-2111
1. Why do you want to be on the Local Station Board (LSB)?
I’ve been an active listener, and I’m at the point where I would like to take a more active role in ensuring that this treasure of a radio station remains strong and vital for generations to come.
2. How do you envision the Local Station Board working with the Pacifica Foundation, WBAI staff and listener members?
The LSB is a liaison between the community, the staff, and the national organization. When functioning, the LSB is in a two-way conversation and information exchange with fact-finding capabilities, and is privy to on air, off air, business, and overall operations in a way that allows it to identify issues and recommend ways of improving and facilitating processes to aid and help better meet the needs of these three partners.
3. How could the station better serve the community? Please define community.
The station does a great job of providing information. It could do a better job of outlining ways to organize and mobilize its very progressive listenership.
4. 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?
Go to the venues of the people who need, want, and will recognize the station’s value as soon as they hear it. I would go to local churches, parks, organizations, schools, and other venues to promote and share WBAI premiums and information. Local social events could focus on WBAI and what you can learn, do, and accomplish by listening to and participating in WBAI.
5. What sources of funding, other than listener donations, do you feel WBAI should solicit? Do you have any ideas with respect to improving the current funding mechanisms?
Have a WBAI online store that all could obtain premiums for donations. We should increase the building fund and obtain grants to support our efforts. We could also tap into our listener skills, goods, and services more.
6. 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 came to the U.S. as a young child and have pretty much lived and studied in Westchester and the Tri-State area. I have 25 years of work experience in various corporations as a chemical engineer. I focus on improving work processes to standardize, formalize, and increase efficiency, and to define roles, responsibilities, tasks, handoffs, decision flow, results, and measurements to continuously improve performance. I have always worked in the community and joined groups to provide better educational success to the community and to define and promote ways for individuals to access the system and hold it accountable so that people can have a voice and thrive.
7. 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’d be interested in serving on the Finance Committee. WBAI is in such a financial crisis. I want to learn and understand the details to better share info with listeners and to figure out the specifics to make WBAI whole again.
8. If you are currently on the Board and wish to be re-elected please describe your 3 year experience on the LSB. What did you accomplish? What were the obstacles you faced? Do you envision any change in the next three years if you are re-elected?
Not applicable.
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