My Week in Review

I've been planning to write a blog entry about my week with KBOO.  Now that it is almost over, I don't think I can do it justice.  MLK Day I got to sit at the KBOO table at the Skanner Breakfast next to an old friend Liz Perry and her husband Armando.  I don't think I've ever heard Ron Wyden speak in person before.  He was more energetic than I'd expected. 

The key note speaker Robin Morris Collin had a great message about what Environmental Justice means.  I heard people refer to her speech later in the day on the radio as I drove over to the Keep Alive the Dream celebration which was so crowded I never managed to find where the remote broadcast was coming from (but I did find some delicious pecan pie).  I drove home listening as Liz and her husband Armando hosted the end of the event.

Wednesday night I got to hear the impressively intelligent Bob McChesney and John Nichols speak at the station and was motivated to contact Senator Merkley to thank him for opposing the reappointment of Ben Bernanke as chair of the Federal Reserve.  They reminded me that while there are a few community radio stations around like WORT in Madison with similar missions to ours, we are rare and special. 

Haiti was in the news this week.  Democracy Now! provided me the with a political perspective on the tragedy beyond what I hear from other media sources.  Air America announced it is going bankrupt and the Supreme Court overturned cases allowing limits on corporate election campaigns, highlighting how difficult (and important) it can be to promote social justice in the face of a system that fosters and depends on greed (something Professor Collin talked about in her speech.)

I stayed in and missed Dr. J's event at the Whisky Bar Friday night, but hopefully there will be more in the future.  Saturday morning, I got up early to help at Membership Central during Music From the True Vine.  I found out that Delicious Donuts around the corner really are delicious, worked with some great volunteers who were eager to answer phones and got to enjoy the celebration as we made our goal.  Saturday night driving my son around, An Evening with Afrotainment kept me company..

I heard Liz again, this time with her daughter Cristina on Mujeres Bravas as I made soup today.  The way they switch between Spanish and English, I can follow along.  I'm here at the station now, printing and copying agendas for tomorrow night's board meeting.  Paula told me about the pizza in the fridge.  Tin Man Alley and The Movement kept me mellow as I finish up here.   There were lots of other shows and DJs I heard on the radio this week.

And now the week is just about done.  I hope I can carry with me some of the passion and commitment the holiday in honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. reminds me of each year.