This is an update on WBAI-related news, events, and people.
1. Brooklyn Tribute to Elombe Brath – Mon., June 16, 6:30 PM.
2. WBAI Update: Still Ours, but Donations Still Needed
3. Pacifica Update: Who’s Paying?
4. Celebration of Life of Producer J.D. Livingston – Sat., June 28, 1 PM
5. WBAI Rent Party / Resistance in Brooklyn's Annual Anti-July 4th Barbecue (held on Sat., July 5)
6. Settle the Central Park 5 Case Now!
7. Support CPRMetro.org (Community Progressive Radio – Online)
8. International African Arts Festival – July 3-6
9. Other Important Community News
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1. Elombe, ¡Presenté! Tribute – Mon., June 16 @ 6:30 PM
Pan-Africanist and scholar Elombe Brath joined the ancestors on May 19. A celebration of his life will be held on Soweto Day, Monday, June 16, starting at 6:30 p.m., at House of the Lord Church, 415 Atlantic Avenue near Nevins Street in downtown Brooklyn.
The December 12th Movement, which Elombe co-founded, organized this event.
2. WBAI Update: Still Ours, but Donations Still Needed
The extended Spring Fund Drive ends Sunday. The $50,000 monthly rent for the broadcast antenna remains a significant challenge, and while now brought current, it has been made so by deferring other necessary payments, such as rent for studio and office space and purchasing of premiums.
The General Manager will be on air on the morning of Thursday, June 19, to give a report and take your calls at (212) 209-2900. Listen for an announcement of the time, or visit www.wbai.org.
In the face of the Pacifica National Board’s request for a sustainable alternative to leasing away the station, the Local Station Board (LSB) majority first stalled discussion. Then, after we worked with other willing parties to meet the national demand, several majority members boycotted the May board meeting, denying the board quorum to do business. Days ago, they rejected a motion to even send the national board a compilation of existing plans. (Read the plans and share your thoughts at: http://www.wbai.org/articles.php?article=2000)
Justice & Unity continues to oppose any WBAI sale, swap, or lease. We have disagreements and dissatisfactions with the station, but believe it is important to preserve and rebuild this community resource:
- Become a member or renew membership by donating at least $25. Membership comes from donating $25 or volunteering at least three hours. You can donate by calling (until the pledge drive ends Sunday) 212-209-2950, or by using your credit/debit card online at give2wbai.org (and use the “Order Comments” box to express your concerns). Or send a check or money order to: Pacifica Foundation-WBAI Radio, General Post Office, P.O. Box 30540, New York, NY 10117-2112.
- Become a buddy of the station or of a favorite program at $10+ monthly: https://www.wbai.org/baibuddy.php
- Tell new folks about WBAI and tell former listeners that WBAI is on the way back.
3. Pacifica Update: Bilking the Listeners
Following the termination of the former Interim Executive Director, Summer Reese, in March, a lawsuit was started by her allies on the national board. (More here: http://www.savekpfa.org/pacifica-moving-forward-as-permanent-injunction-against-fired-exec-to-be-heard-on-tuesday )
The California judge hearing the case has ruled against them in every instance:
- Has twice rejected their demand that she be rehired;
- Granted the national board request that she move out of the national office (Reese had broken into the office after she was fired and with her mother and friends had set up camp there);
- Tentatively rejected their motion to strip the organization of its legal representation for defending itself against their lawsuit. (A hearing on this is scheduled for June 20.)
Reese’s allies on the national board are not only costing the foundation money in defending itself against their lawsuit, but also seem to have borrowed the foundation’s own email list to solicit money to fund their lawsuit against the foundation.
4. Celebrating J.D. Livingston
The life of late grassroots community warrior and longtime producer of Imhotep Gary Byrd’s “Global Black Experience” and “Global Beat Experience”, J. D. Livingston, will be celebrated at the Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., Harlem State Office Building, 163 West 125th Street at Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd., on Saturday, June 28, from 1PM to 5PM.
5. WBAI Rent Party / Resistance in Brooklyn's Annual Anti-July 4th Barbecue
SATURDAY, JULY 5, 2014 from 4 to 8 p.m.
At The Commons, 388 Atlantic Avenue (between Hoyt & Bond Sts.), Brooklyn.
There will be performances by spiritchild (of the Black Arts Movement) and others.
All proceeds from this event will go to help WBAI pay its rent to The Commons, a movement-building space.
Suggested sliding scale donation: $12-$20 (includes dinner; cash beer bar).
Children under 12 free.
No one turned away.
Join us to help the station, meet like-minded folks, and have a good time!
Sponsored by Resistance in Brooklyn (an anti-imperialist/anti-racist/anti-sexist collective), 718-399-8366, mmmsrnb@igc.org.
By train: Hoyt-Schermerhorn (A, C and G); Bergen Street (F); Atlantic-Pacific (B, M, Q, R, 2, 3, 4 and 5); Flatbush Avenue (LIRR). By bus: B63 and B65.
Endorsed by WBAI Justice and Unity Campaign, www.justiceunity.org, 212-591-2111
6. Demand Settlement of the Central Park Five Case Now!
How much is one year of your life worth? What makes up for being branded a violent sexual predator?
It’s past time that the Central Park Five case was settled.
Join the call for the city’s head attorney to settle the case now, as Bill de Blasio promised in his campaign for Mayor. Write to:
Mr. Zachary Carter
Corporation Counsel
NYC Law Department
100 Church Street
New York, NY 10007
Email through the Web: http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/maillaw.html
Sharonne Salaam, mother of one of the Central Park Five (Yusef Salaam), is organizing a walk/run/bike/drive/boat ride to Albany next year to urge a change in policies on behalf of falsely incarcerated people. The meeting to begin planning this event will be Sat., June 21, at 10 AM. For those who want to participate, email sharonnesalaam1@yahoo.com.
7. Support CPRMetro.org (Community Progressive Radio – Online)
CPRMetro (http://cprmetro.org), the online station programmed by WBAI exiles Bernard White and Don DeBar, has 24/7 offerings that fill in some of the major gaps in coverage that the “new” WBAI leaves, including a progressive weekday international newscast and community events.
They brought us the homegoing ceremonies of Amiri Baraka, Mayor Chowke Lumumba, and Elombe Brath. They were at the Left Forum and will be elsewhere as we need them, with your support: http://cprmetro.blogspot.com/
8. African Everything: 43 Years and Counting
From Thursday, July 3, to Sunday, July 6, the International African Arts Festival will be back at Commodore Barry Park, Navy Street between Flushing and Park Avenues in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. Enjoy an incredible selection of things African: people, music, food, performance, clothing, books, etc.
Reggae’s Third World kicks off this year’s festivities: http://iaafestival.org/ and Maulana Karenga’s annual symposium will be sure to inform and stimulate. The festival theme, Serudjta, means to repair and remake the world.
9. Other Community News
In addition to the WBAI friend Ruby Dee, Maya Angelou, Vincent Harding, and Little Jimi Scott, Sam Greenlee, author of the book and producer of the film “The Spook Who Sat By the Door,” has made his transition: http://trib.in/1mSceGz
Keep up with recent WBAI alumni Hugh Hamilton: http://on.fb.me/1pusRLr and Esther Armah: https://www.facebook.com/emotionaljustice
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