WBAI STRUGGLE THIS WEEK: Fri. July 26 – Thurs. Aug. 1

Below:

• WBAI Layoffs Coming Soon
• Tues., July 30 – 7 PM – Coalition To Save WBAI  – Meeting Of Working Committees
• Save BAI: Secure Your Voting Rights Now
• Other Community Announcements

IMPORTANT: Please sign (and forward to your friends) our petition to stop the mass layoffs at WBAI: www.change.org/petitions/pacifica-national-board-stop-mass-layoffs-at-wbai

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WBAI LAYOFFS COMING SOON

WBAI Radio is in its most severe crisis ever. After years of cutting back programming by/for communities of color and working class people, as well as purging dissenting programmers, listener revenue is collapsing, fund drives are ballooning, debts are mounting, and all paid staff have received layoff notices. Union members expect a 75% cut, including all paid staff from Wake Up Call, Talkback, Five O’clock Shadow, Caldwell Chronicle, The Jordan Journal, and the Evening and Sunday News.  

 

On Friday, August 2, Pacifica's Interim Executive Director Summer Reese will resume negotiations with SAG-AFTRA, the union of paid staff, as the contract requires, but some question the level of sincerity involved. No layoffs are to occur before then.

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Tues., July 30 – 7PM

COALITION TO SAVE WBAI – MEETING OF WORKING COMMITTEES

60 Wall St. (east of William St.) – Atrium

Trains: 2,3,4,5 to Wall St.

Three working committees have been formed for the Coalition to Save WBAI that has now had 3 community meetings (in Harlem, Newark, and Queens): Outreach/Education, Direct Action and Legal/Research. These will be having meetings in the large space in this building atrium. Please attend and plug in your ideas and energy.

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SAVE BAI: SECURE YOUR VOTING RIGHTS NOW

The Local Station Board (LSB) has the power to evaluate the General Manager and Program Director and recommend the firing of either, as well as select the finalists for these positions when they are open. The LSB should also approve the station’s budget and monitor its spending. Almost 3 months ago, they were given the charge of making a 2-3 year plan for the station. Their primary solution? Gut the paid staff.

The LSB is NOT a ceremonial body: As the local board goes, so does our station. Only listeners whose memberships are current will be able to vote in the coming board elections, so secure your voting rights now!

If you’ve donated a total of at least $25 since last September, you’re already eligible. If you haven’t, please contribute today:

• Use your debit or credit card, or get an invoice by calling 516-620-3602
• Pay online with debit or credit card at: give2wbai.org
• Send a check or money order to WBAI, Church Street Station, PO Box 7032, New York, NY 10008.

We suggest adding two cents – either on your check/money order or as enclosed coins, along with a note of protest against the layoffs.

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OTHER COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Fri., July 26

Fruitvale Station

• This film by Ryan Coogler about the 2009 New Year’s Day killing of Oscar Grant, opens nationwide on Friday, July 26. Johannes Meserle, the transit cop who claims he thought he was reaching for his stun gun was sentenced to 2 years, served less, and is on parole. In NYC, screenings continue at the Angelika and Lincoln Center and opens at Magic Johnson, BAM Harvey and elsewhere. More at: http://www.fruitvalefilm.com/

 

Fri., July 26, 3-7PM & Sat. July 27, 12N-7:30PM

3^rd NYC Climate Justice Youth Summit: Frontline Resistance

Industry City, 220 36^th St @3^rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11232. Trains: R,N,D to 36^th St.

• Engaging youth from 12-24 in protecting our communities during climate change. Information, internships, food, The Welfare Poets, and more. Keynote: NYC Councilperson Melissa Mark Viverito. Hosted by UPROSE, The Point, El Puente and others. FREE. Details at www.uproseyouthsummit.blogspot.com

 

Sat., July 27, 2 PM

Film: Long Distance Revolutionary: A Journey with Mumia Abu-Jamal (2-hour documentary)
CEMOTAP, 135-05 Rockaway Blvd. (bet. 135th St. & Van Wyck Expwy), South Ozone Park 718-322-8454
Directions: A train to Rockaway Blvd.; then Q7 bus to 135th St.; or E to Sutphin Blvd./Archer Ave.; then Q9 bus to Lincoln St./Rockaway Blvd.

 

Sat., July 27, 6:30PM

60^th Anniversary of the Beginning of the Cuban Revolution

SEIU 1199, 310 West 43^rd Street – just west of 8^th Ave, Manhattan. Trains: A,C,E to 42^nd Street – Port Authority; 1,2,3 to 42^nd Street – Times Square.

• Speakers: Oscar Leon – Dep. Cuban UN Ambass., Rafael Cancel Miranda, Ramsey Clark, Rosemari Mealy, Leslie Cagan. Performers: Neri Olivares, The Bolivarian Brigade, DJ Mellow G. Admission: $10, includes food at 6:30PM, but no one turned away for inability to pay. More at http://unacuba.org/wordpress/  (917) 887-8710

 

Sun., July 28 – 2PM

15^th Annual Dr. John Henrick Clarke Tribute: Failure Is NOT An Option

Boys & Girls HS, 1700 Fulton St., Brooklyn, NY 11213

Trains: A,C to Utica Ave.

• Imhotep Gary Byrd, Regent Adelaide Sanford, Newark Councilman Ras Baraka, Nana Camille Yarbrough, Sis. Betty Dopson, Atty. Malik Zulu Shabazz, Lisa Noble, and others. FREE. Info: bit.ly/1349Gwc (347) 907-0629

 

Thurs., Aug. 1, 4-7PM

National Rally for Lynne Stewart

Foley Square, downtown Manhattan: Framed by intersection of Worth St. & Centre St.

Trains: 4,5 to Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall; A,C,E,1,2,3 to Chambers St.

• Lynne Stewart is imprisoned in Texas suffering from Stage 4, metastasized cancer but treatment has been halted because she is too weak to receive it. In spite of the recommendations of her Texas warden and the Regional Office Director, and full compliance with the required screening by the Federal Probation Office in New York, compassionate release has been denied by the Bureau of Prisons.

• More at www.lynnestewart.org or (917) 603-6160Call Pres. Barack Obama (202) 456-1414; Atty Gen'l Eric Holder (202) 514-2001; Bureau of Federal Prisons Dir. Charles Samuels (202) 307-3250. Tell them to reverse the denial and send Lynne home!    

 

Sat., Aug. 3 – 12 Noon

People’s Org. for Progress’ Justice for Trayvon Martin March and Rally

Broad & Market Streets, Newark, NJ

• When an unarmed 17-year old is stalked and killed simply for being the wrong kind of person, someone must be held to account.

 

Every Day:

Dr. Mutulu Shakur has not received adequate medical treatment and rehabilitation 3 months after his stroke. www.mutulushakur.com

• Call / fax the Warden to demand decent medical treatment, physical therapy and rehab, and that as long as he is held captive he be at a place near to his family, and that his visits, emails, mail and calls be without restriction. Phone: 760-530-5000, fax: 760-530-5102

 

Mumia Abu Jamal's appeal re: the lack of notice to him or his attorneys of his re-sentencing from death row to life imprisonment was denied.

• There's now a petition to the Department of Justice to release Mumia. Sign it at http://www.change.org/petitions/release-mumia-abu-jamal

George Zimmerman was found not guilty of either murder or manslaughter in the killing of 17-year old Trayvon Martin. Those who say that his actions were unrelated to race are, at best, in denial.

• Sign the NAACP petition to have Zimmerman charged with a violation of Trayvon's right to exist: http://bit.ly/12yJkCa