A Call to action...

!DEMAND THAT KPFK 90.7FM - PACIFICA RADIO-LOS ANGELES RESTORE 'RADIO CHICANO/A' TO A FULL HOUR!

The following message has two main segments:

 1) An immediate call to action to restore the weekly Chicano/Mexicano/Indigenous radio program 'RadioChicano/a' (formerly 'Music Chicano/as May Consider')to it's original timelength of one-hour; segement #1 also includes details of how/why Chicano/a Radio was cut, as well as a look at the current trends at Pacifica Radio Los Angeles-KPFK & a recent programming decision by Pacifica National.

2) Segment two includes backround re: Chicano/a Radio's programmers; history/goals/vision & development of the program; a partial list of recent programs/individuals/causes & groups who have appeared/been addressed on the program, and some examples of 'Radio chicano/a's' commitment to la comunidad. This message is written by John Martinez, producer of 'Radio Chicano/a'.

*RADIO CHICANO/A NOW NEEDS YOU TO GET INVOLVED & SUPPORTNON-COMMERCIAL/PROGRESSIVE CHICANO/MEXICANO/INDIGENOUS POLITICS & ARTS. DEMAND THAT KPFK RESTORE CHICANO/A RADIO TO IT'S ORIGINAL LENGTH OF 1 HOUR BY CALLING/FAXING & WRITING THE FOLLOWING NUMBERS:

Program Director Kathy Lo 818-985-2711 ext.202/503 Fax:818-763-7526 
General Manager Mark Schubb 818-985-2711 ext.203/503 Fax:818-763-7526

Mail letters to: KPFK c/o: Prog. Dir. Kathy Lo &/or G.M. Mark Schubb
3729 Cahuenga Blvd. West, North Hollywood California 91604

SEGMENT ONE: THE CURRENT STRUGGLE

*Since March 1995 'Radio Chicano/a' (formerly 'Music Chicano/as May Consider') aired a one-hour weekly radio program Saturdays at 5pm, featuring progressive Chicano/Mexicano politics & arts---from our Indigenous roots to the urban-contemporary. (Before March'95 'Music Chicano/as May Consider' was a special 2-hour program that aired monthly. John Martinez, the program's producer has produced radio programs at KPFK since 1992).

*With no warning or evaluation process KPFK Management cut 'Radio Chicano/a' to thirty (30) minutes as of April 5th 1997.

*At a meeting in mid-March 1997, KPFK Program Director Kathy Lo prefaced her critique of 'Radio Chicano/a' by saying "I haven't heard that much of the program". She rationalized cutting the program to a half-hour as she questioned the relevancy of "that ancient stuff"---her description of the Indigenous history/issues presented on the program. KPFK Program Director Lo then stated the entire program's content (local-regional-international interviews/coverage of political events/ conferences/feature segments/the arts--in addition to the the weekly segments: Calendario Nativo/history; Mexico Update/news briefs; & the Community Calendar) could fit into a half-hour, and that 'Radio Chicano/a' played too much music from the group 'Rage Against The Machine' (see segment #2 for an actual list of content from recent programs).

 *Actually, other KPFK staff told me that the management stated to them that 'Radio Chicano/a' "had few listeners/was an inefficient use of radio time" & that Chicano/a Radio's format was geared to "too narrow an audience".

Feedback I've received from Chicanos/Mexicanos as well as gente de Centro y Sur America and the Caribbean have complimented the program for it's alternative/non-mainstream coverage of our gente.

*Cutting Chicano/a Radio to 30 minutes reduces our expression at this one source of electronic media, to far below tokenism. This reduction also comes at a time when management at both KPFK & the Pacifica National Radio Network has demonstrated an indifference to Chicano/Mexicano as well as bilingual & Spanish language programming:

*AT KPFK: In late March'97 veteran programmers Mario lazo/'Pajaro Latino' & Fernando Velasquez/'Clave Latina' (along with their radio collectives) were removed from the airwaves; 'Enfoque Latino' the only remaining non-commercial Spanish language Public Affairs program was cut from 90 minutes to 60 minutes. Again, all of this was done with no evaluations or discussion (earlier this year KPFK Program Director Kathy Lo terminated the station's Program Planning Committee because, in her words, the committee "wasn't meeting her needs").

*AT PACIFICA NATIONAL: Veteran radio programmer & Public Affairs Director Mario Murillo at Pacifica-New York's WBAI (as well as scholar & regular contributor to NACLA-The North American Congress on Latin America), Mario Murillo's nationally syndicated program on the politics & history of the continent 'Our Americas' was taken off the national satellite system of distribution by Pacifica' National Program Director. While it was on the satellite never aired 'Our America's' locally at KPFK. Listeners never got to decide whether a program that transcended national borders would be to their liking. Again this was due to the "vision" of KPFK Management, who doubted the relevancy of programming that deals with continental politics (for more on the struggle with 'Our Americas' see Alexander Cockburn's article 'Beat The Devil' in the May 5 1997 edition of 'The Nation'as well as June 9 Letters to the Editor).

*BACK AT KPFK: 'Radio Chicano/a' in April'97 tried to resolve the issue of restoring the program to it's original length of 1 hour "in-house" with a 2-page wriiten appeal that refuted the original critiques of KPFK Program Director Kathy Lo. DURING THE APPEAL MEETING THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR ASKED ME IF I WOULD CONSIDER DOING 'RADIO CHICANO/A' ALL IN ENGLISH. This is the same Program Director that advised radio news volunteer Ana Lilia Barraza to pronounce "Mexico" as "Mex-ee-ko" during the week's evening newscasts---inferring that any language other than standard English on Pacifica Radio Los Angeles is unaccepatable. During that appeal meeting I explained to KPFK's Program Director that Chicano/a Radio in all-English would not be an authentic expression of the Chicano/Mexicano People; that in addition to airing Calo, 'Radio Chicano/a' is interlingual radio---meaning that Spanish & English are aired with no translations [i.e.English over Spanish], to promote multilingualism. Program Director Lo also said that 'Radio Chicano/a' was cut to 30 minutes because, according to radio audience data "the program wasn't building an audience". This audience "data" KPFK uses is gathered by a group that neglects to poll Asian Americans [ironic to say the least, that Kathy Lo, herself Asian American would cite this "data" as authoritative]. Lastly, the methodology by this same radio audience sampling group is geared toward commercial media. The appeal meeting ended with Program Director Lo expressing her concern over 'Radio Chicano/a's' concept of "bilingualism". A week later I called the Program Director & was informed that the decision to cut Chicano/a Radio to 30 minutes would stand.

*'RADIO CHICANO/A' NOW NEEDS YOU TO GET INVOLVED & SUPPORT NON-COMMERCIAL/PROGRESSIVE CHICANO/MEXICANO/INDIGENOUS POLITICS & ARTS.

DEMAND THAT KPFK RESTORE CHICANO/A RADIO TO IT'S ORIGINAL LENGTH OF 1 HOUR BY CALLING/FAXING & WRITING KPFK'S MANAGEMENT AT THE FOLLOWING NUMBERS:

 *Program Director Kathy Lo 818-985-2711 ext.202/502 Fax: 818-763-7526

*General Manager Mark Schubb 818-985-2711 ext.203/503 Fax: 818-763-7526

 *Mail letters to: KPFK c/o Prog. Dir. Kathy Lo and/or G.M. Mark Schubb
3729 Cahuenga Blvd. West, North Hollywood California 91604

What response (if any) you'll get is anybody's guess. Community support/public pressure is the only means left now. 'Radio Chicano/a' is calling for the full restoration of the 60 minute slot, and that if the program is moved to another day/time, that the new time not be some [even more] marginalized time slot (e.g. late night/etc.). Also, 'Radio Chicano/a' calls for the restoration of the full hour without cutting other bilingual/Spanish language programming on KPFK.

*CONTACT 'RADIO CHICANO/A' ANYTIME WITH QUESTIONS/COMMENTS OR MORE INFORMATION BY CALLING JOHN MARTINEZ AT 818-985-2711 EXT.227 OR BY E-MAIL:

kpfknews@directnet.com OR TEZOZOMOC tezozomoc@std.teradyne.com

 

*!SPREAD THE WORD TO OTHER INDIVIDUALS/GROUPS/ORGANIZATIONS! CALL/FAX/WRITE AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE! KPFK'S RADIO SIGNAL IS 112,000 WATTS & COVERS MUCH OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA---FROM SAN DIEGO TO SANTA BARBARA, MAKING IT ONE OF THE STRONGEST RADIO SIGNALS ON THE CONTINENT. SAYING THAT THE CHICANO/MEXICANO/INDIGENOUS PEOPLES "DESERVE" A SPACE IN ELECTRONIC MEDIA IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.

WITH YOUR SUPPORT, ATERNATIVE/NON-MAINSTREAM CHICANO/MEXICANO/INDIGENOUS POLITICS & ARTS WILL HAVE (AT LEAST) 60 MINUTES WEEKLY FOR REAL EXPRESSION THRU ONE SOURCE OF ELECTRONIC MEDIA IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA---AN EXPRESSION THAT'S SPECIFIC & RELEVANT TO OUR PEOPLES AND ALL WHO APPRECIATE RADIO DIVERSITY.*

(Segment 2 with: background/details of 'Radio Chicano/a's' history/vision/goals & development, as well as the programmers themselves; a partial list of content of recent programs & a list of past individuals/issues/groups that have appeared/aired on 'Radio Chicano/a', and examples of the program's community commitment follows next)

JM.

SEGMENT TWO:

*BACKROUND OF 'RADIO CHICANO/A': Chicano/a-specific programming at KPFK has come & gone over the station's nearly 38-year history. From the late-Natividad Cisneros to Chicano filmaker Moctezuma Esparza, many Chicanos/Mexicanos have programmed & struggled to continue or expand their programming time. Chicano/a-specific programming at KPFK in the 1990's began in 1992 after John Martinez completed the (now-defunct) 15-month KPFK Apprentice Program, where volunteers were trained on the various aspects of community radio broadcasting. After producing numerous public affairs & arts programs from 1992 to 1994, I began to focus more on Chicano/Mexicano issues. In 1994 I began to produce 2-hour program specials entitled 'Music Chicano/as May Consider' that included current political struggles/poetry/interviews/performance art y musica. Early in 1995 KPFK Management agreed to allot one hour weekly on Saturdays 5PM to air Chicano/a politcs & arts.

On March 11 1995 'Radio Chicano/Music Chicanas May Consider' began broadcasting alternative/progressive arte y politica. As a result of my 5 years experience at Pacifica Radio-Los Angeles, I've been called "KPFK's most prolific producer". At KPFK I've worked in 1993 as Food Coordinator during the fundrives/1994 as Premiums Coordinator/1995 in Pacifica's National Archive, and as Training Coordinator in 1996. I've also developed in terms of distribution: a March'97 Pacifica National News report on the struggle at Colonia Maclovio Rojas in Tijuana, and co-producer of a 1-hour update on the Geronimo Pratt case that aired on "Democracy Now" Pacifica's daily political/public affairs program. Current KPFK G.M. Mark Schubb said once during a (now-extinct) Program Planning Committee meeting, that 'Radio Chicano/a' could "be distributed nationally". But today, with Chicano/a Radio cut to a half-hour, something's gone wrong. I've listed some of my accomplishments for those who are not familiar with the program or myself, in the case that your'e not sure whether or not to support 'Radio Chicano/a'. I'm a 40 year-old native Angelino/single parent/Chicano Activist who's trying to keep a space for the most progressive segment of the Chicano/Mexicano community. A major factor that wasn't mentioned by KPFK Management in regards to cutting 'Radio Chicano/a' is the factor of MONEY.

The program has a mediocre/poor record in terms of raising funds for this non-commercial station. But at the same time, KPFK as a whole has met & exceeded it's monetary/fundrive goals during the past several drives. So money by itself can't be a valid reason for cutting Chicano/a Radio. Except for Saturdays during KPFK Fundrives & once being suspended January 18th 1997 for airing controversial langauage from the New Year's Eve Zapatista Fundraiser 'Rojo Amanecer', Chicano/a Radio has consistently broadcast on a weekly basis to serve the Chicano/Mexicano community & all those who are interested in radio diversity.

'Radio Chicano/a's' goal has always been to do what no other major source of electronic media in Southern California does on regular basis: present non-mainstream Chicano/Mexicano expression on our history/political struggle, as well as our non-commercial cultural & artistic creativity.'Radio Chicano/a' has never been a "personality driven" program; rather, Chicano/a Radio on KPFK has been a space/ forum/ platform for la comunidad (activists/authors/scholars/artists/ poets/feminists/revolutionaries/etc.) to express their/our collective points of view. With the diversity that is the Chicano/Mexicano people, an "official-line" in terms of our reality is impossible, but consistent themes come thru that help give rise to a progressive vision.

'Radio Chicano/a's' programming vision has been in creative flux since the begining in 1994. Originally, as an anglicized Chicano from a middle-class suburb in the South Bay/Harbor area of Los Angeles, earlier programs were distinctly pocho. But now as a diverse Chicano/a Radio Collective has organically arisen around the program, Chicano/a meets Mexicano/a meets Indigeno/a meets Calo meets English meets Spanish...with no translations-- in the effort to promote a multilingual/transnational reality. Lenguas y conceptos Indigenas are now more common on the program as we fuse Indigenous raices, contemporary cultura Indigena, and a developing Mexicano/Chicano consciousness. "Progressive" in our context means providing information/history & cultural expression that serve the interests of the Chicano/Mexicano people. Those interests include greater self/group awareness, greater self/group appreciation, critical awareness of the root causes of problems in our living condition, and increased individual as well as collective consciousness that will assist our gente to improve that living condition, enabling us to interface/exchange more effectively with other groups. 'Radio Chicano/a's' vision includes identifying ourselves as an indigenous people---Chicanismo/a originated here in Aztlan/Turtle Island, in what is now called North America. Rather than a romantic/idealized illusion of Indigenismo/a, 'Radio Chicano/a' is coming to understand the profound implications (and responsibilities) that identifying as Indigenous implies.

?What greater tool for Chicanos/Mexicanos against the oppression of the Low-Intensity militarization of la frontera, Proposition 187 & U.S. "immigration reform" than the realization that we are as natural as the earth in our time & spaces...whether it be Aztlan, Anahuac or Chiapas?

Indigenous consciousness is a tool against cultural & political forces that try to make Chicanos/Mexicanos feel like strangers in our own land. This Indigenous/Chicano worldview goes beyond being a temporary reaction to the current wave of anglo-american Pathology; this worldview expresses a more authentic/genuine/real set of ideas/values & traditions that are historically ours. ?Nationalistic? It depends how you define nationalism.

Fusing recent Mexicano/Chicano experience with Indigenismo/a knowledge can create an organizational model that gives us a real political option to capitalism & the anglo-centric myth of "democracy". In terms of environmental relevancy in today's world, quoting Winona La Duke, "...traditional Indigenous peoples are a living example of sustainable development". The concept of mestizaje is euro-centric, over-rated & over-emphasized compared to our indigenous roots; and the mestizaje has no political vision for the future direction of our people. Also fundamental to 'Radio Chicano/a's' vision is gender-equity and respect for the different sexual orientations (see the partial list of programs/individuals who've appeared on the program below). It is 'Radio Chicano/a's' hope that in the future the program can come to authentically be known as 'Radio Xicano/a'.

*PROGRAM CONTENT/DEVELOPMENT:'Radio Chicano/a's' development since 1994 has been from a one-person production, to now, an eight (8) member volunteer collective that revolves in terms of: reading & voicing on-air material/research/radio production/outreach/promotion/contacts & content contribution. Initially the program's main body was public affairs/arts & culture from the local Chicano/a Community in Southern California. In the 2+ years as a regular weekly program, we have grown to include: "El Calendario Nativo"-Indigenous /Mexicano/Chicano history with our internet activist Tezozomoc, who scans the Net to update Chicano/a Radio on noticias/new struggles/events & issues listed on the internet---the most useful access to the electronic media we have; "Mexico Update"- alternative Mexicano newsbriefs in review from the Mexico City-based NGO Equipo Pueblo, usually read by CSUN Graduate Student Gerard Meraz; the Chicano/a Community Calendar, the ONLY extensive community calendar specifically for non-commercial/ non-mainstream/ progressive arts & politics related to the Chicano/ Mexicano/Indigenous Peoples. The Chicano/a Community Calendar has been read by Anjanette Gonzalez/Lorena Salazar/Ana Lilia Barraza & Inez Martinez. All of these mujeres also have recorded/produced for the program.

Over the 3 years total that Chicano/a Radio has developed at KPFK, we've gone from entirely local coverage, to regional/national & international program content. One example of our development in terms of contacts & content: since January 1 1994 'Radio Chicano/a' has gone from merely reporting on the Zapatista Revolution to airing entire interviews with actual Zapatistas themselves. Acknowledging that the program's vision/content is constantly in-flux & developing, we expect 'Radio Chicano/a' to continue to refine itself.

*RECENT PROGRAMS ON 'RADIO CHICANO/A': Again this message in Segment 2 is a call for the restoration of 'Radio Chicano/a's'' original 1-hour time slot. The following is a list of 'Radio Chicano/a' programs since the last KPFK Fundrive of February'97. The following programs include El Calendario Nativo/Mexico Update & the Chicano/a Community Calendar until April 5th when the decision to cut 'Radio Chicano/a' took effect. Please remember that KPFK's Program Director said she cut the program because of the lack of relevancy of "that ancient stuff" (i.e. indigenous issues) & because we "played too much Rage Against The Machine". The following list exposes the shallow/falseness of the Program Director's critique:

*February 15: Interviews with Ernesto Vigil/Crusade for Justice on FBI harrasssment of AIM & Chicano/a Movement; Javier Rodriguez of the 'Crack The CIA Coalition'; Cecilia Rodriguez U.S. Zapatista representative with an update on Chiapas; Peter Brown of the Chiapas Brigades building a secondary school in Oventic; Music by the Blues Experiment. 

*February 22: Interviews with Dr. Alma Garcia UCSC on the history/current relevancy of Chicana Feminists 1960's-90's; Viviana Trujillo of the 'Coalition to Amend 3-Strikes'; Mark Garcia-Martinez UCSB on racist media images against Chicanos/Mexicanos; Aerosol artist NUKE & performance artist Luis Juarez on Chicano artistic activism in Mexico & Los Angeles; House Music from underground d.j.'s.

*March 1: A political overview of the current situation in Mexico with Camilo Perez, Mexico's representative to the National Lawyers Guild re: human rights/Chiapas/a critque of Caspar Weinberger's new book 'The War Next Time' and a comparative look at the state of the Zapatista solidarity movement. Music by Tribu.

*March 8: International Womyn's Day with Rocky Rodriguez of the Teotihuacan Defense Committee; Winona La Duke on Indigenous vs. Industrial Societies; Delfina Romero of the Forever Free Women's Prison Project; Marta Gonzalez of Quetzal on the upcoming Encuentros Culturales Chiapanecos in August. Music from the Northern Cree Singers.

*March 15: Presentation by Chicana/Lesbiana writer Gloria Anzaldua; interview with Prof. Yvette Flores-Ortiz UCD/MALCS on the dynamics of domestic violence in the Chicano/Mexicano Community; Frank Berumen on Chiacano/Mexicano images in North American film; Zapatista rep. Cecilia Rodriguez on International Womyn's Day in Chiapas/update.

*March 22: Portions from the Cal State Univ. Dominguez Hills symposium on the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo with: Dr. Richard Griswold del Castillo/Tupac Enrique Acosta/Libertad Ayala & Armando Rendon. Issues included: history/relevancy of the treaty; human & civil rights; Chicano/Mexicanos as international actors.

*March 29: Update on Big Mountain/Traditional Dine resistors; Rocky Rodriguez Teotihuacan Defense Committee from U.N./Geneva; Dr. Armando Navarro of Impacto 2000 at the counter VCT demonstration at la frontera; La Colectiva Que Vivan Los Zapatistas' demonstration at La Placita Olvera; Travis Morales of La Resistencia in Tejas on the national campaign of non-compliance with the U.S. immigration reform.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

*****March 29th was the last full-hour of 'Radio Chicano/a'; with the cut in time, El calendario Nativo/Mexico Update & the Chicano/a Community Calendar were unable to air due to the time reduction.*****

*April 5: Extended in-depth entrevista con Zapatista Subcomandante Marcos, conducted in La Realidad Chiapas by Anna Hoyle of the Women's Committee of the National Commission for Democracy in Mexico.

*April 12: Chicano/Mexicano spoken word & music with Zach de la Rocha & Rudy Ramirez; Culture of Rage; Gloria Anzaldua; Tezozomoc with a dramatic read about genocide from Cabeza de Vaca's 'The Account'. Arte from the Indigenous encounter of the european invasion to Chicano/a urban-contemporary.

*April 19 & 26: 2-part program with Mexicana radical/former political prisoner & member of the Frente Zapatista de Liberacion Nacional, Gloria Elisa Benevides. Benevides spoke on Mexicano guerilla movements of the 60's & 70's as well as the interaction between radicals & Indigenas in Chiapas prior to the 1994 uprising. Music from Zach de la Rocha & Rudy Ramirez.

*May 3: A 'Radio Chicano/a' special program on the Indigenous Taino People of what is now referred to as the Caribbean; Chief Peter Guanikayu Torres on Taino history/Dr. Nilsa Olivero on Taino influence on contemporary Puertoriquenas; music by Edwin Colon y Su Taller Campesino.

*May 10: Presentations by Chicano attorney Luis Carillo on the hypocrisy of U.S. justice; Lydia Brazon of the Humanitarian Law Project on her recent human rights fact-finding trip to Chiapas municipality El Bosque/San Pedro; Mexican political analyst Dr. Jorge Bustamante on Clinton's recent visit to Mexico/the failed U.S. immigration/border policies; musica Tzetzal.

*May 17: Indigenous political implications in today's global context, with presentations at CSUN by Antonio Gonzalez & Alberto Saldamando of the International Indian Treaty Council; human rights/autonomy/ sovereignty self-determination & the international struggle of Indigenous Peoples in relation to nation states; musica Xicana by Vic Silva.

*May 24: Chicano/a spoken word & political analysis with poets Josefina Lopez & Maria Elena Fernandez; presentations by Prof. Ricardo Gonzales CSU San Marcos on the current state of the Chicano/a Movement; journalist Patricia Gonzales of Chronicle Features on Chicanisma's

*May 31: KPFK Spring/Summer'97 Fundrive and 'Radio Chicano/a's' host & producer John martinez feels a Brown-fever coming on.

*PARTIAL LIST OF PAST PARTICIPANTS ON 'RADIO CHICANO/A' SINCE MARCH'95:

 *Chicana Muralist Judy Baca
*Daniel Osuna of The Positive Revolution
*Fulbright Scholar Roberto Flores in Chiapas
*Sara Mendoza TDC
*Ruben Treviso VICS
*Antonio Burciaga
*Azepat/Roots of Greatness Cal.
*Maria Jimenez AFSC
*Poet Luis Alfaro
*Dr. Rudolfo Acuna
*Alurista
*Guillermo Gomez-Pena
*Sylvia Argueta ACLU
*Marita Reyes Poet
*Francisco Balderrama/Raymond Rodriguez
*Adriana Manjarrez/NCDM
*Roberto Rodriguez/journalist
*Denise Lugo/filmaker
*El Chunky/musico
*Dr. Juan Gomez-Quinones/historian
*Teresa Sanchez Mexico Info. Project
*Dr. Loco
*Richard Zalidivar The Wall/Las Memorias
*Elizabeth Martinez
*Prof. Carlos Ugalde
*Maria Elena Gaitan/cultural activist
*JABOM
*Arturo Santamaria-Gomez/Mexicano Sociologist
*Prof. Gil Gonzalez
*Ruben Martinez/writer
*Carmen Valadez/Grupo Factor X
*Dr. Irene Blea
*Carlos Heredia/Equipo Pueblo
*Fermin Herrera/Nahuat Scholar
*Aztlan Underground
*Tomas Benitez/Self-Help Graphics
*Chusma
*VIVA *Monica Palacios/performance artist
*Apachu Maize/activist
*Jerry Tello/National Compadres Network
*Consuelo Flores/poet
*Jose Montoya/poeta
*Javier Elorriaga/FZLN
*Roberto Martinez/AFSC
*Ana Castillo/writer
*Tijuana No!
*Rage Against The Machine
*Carlota Botey/Mexicana political activist
*Ruben Guevara/artist
*Antonio Gonzalez/Peace & Dignity
*Linda Gamboa/poet
*Ozomatli
*Dr.Samuel Schmidt/UTEP
*Jose Luis Perez-Canchola/human rights activist
*Dr. Octavio I. Romano-V./anthropologist
*Chicano Poets Society
*Ernesto Bustillos/Union del Barrio
*4 Winds Student Movement
*Teresa Mendoza/poet
*Mario Garcia/historian
*Salvador Reza Tonatierra
*EZLN Comandantes: David/Ana Maria/Hortensia/Ramona

 

****************AGAIN THIS IS ONLY A PARTIAL LIST********************** 

*EXAMPLES OF 'RADIO CHICANO/A'S' COMMITMENT TO LA COMUNIDAD: In the last 2 years Chicano/a activists & students have learned basic radio skills for free thru Chicano radio producer John Martinez & the KPFK News Department: Cheryl Diaz East Los Angeles Community College; Manuel Lopez Cal State Northridge; Jose Gonzalez CSUN and this summer Liliana Aguas from Lynwood High School are some of the students that have/will benefit from the opportunity to learn technical production skills. Most of these students have directly contributed to the content of the program. Some of these students have recieved college credit for their radio experience. Currently I'm proposing to KPFK Management that we agree to a contract with CSUN to allow students to get paid thru the Work Study Program from the Northridge campus. Tezozmoc, 'Radio Chicano/a's' internet activist teaches & performs Danza, researches indigenous languages & has helped organize poetry readings for our juventud. Both Tezozomoc & I have given presentations (Indigenous issues & the media, respectively) in the community & on campuses. Gerry Meraz who reads 'Mexico Update' teaches in Los Angeles public schools & is active in numerous progressive artistic/political events; Ana Lilia Barraza (UCB grad) also teaches, & works at One-Stop Immigration; Edgar Toledo, Manuel Lopez, Lorena Salazar & Anjanette Gonzalez-who contribute to Chicano/a Radio are either college students or activists involved in progressive causes/groups in Los Angeles. All of us in the 'Chicano/a Radio Collective' are worthy of your support. Lastly, the Chicano/a Community Calendar has been an example of service to La Comunidad as a tool for networking, giving much needed exposure to groups/causes/struggles/events that TOGETHER would not be found anywhere else.

*FUTURE REFERENCE/SUMMARY: 'Radio Chicano/a' had plans to air various special series before the program length was cut to a half-hour. Among them: a 4-part/4-hour look at the American War against Mexico/the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo & la frontera then & now...150 years after the 1848 war; also, we're planning a multi-part series on Indigenismo/a, Chicanismo/a & the Red Road. These & other issues shouldn't be further marginalized with only a half-hour per week. This is the same station that said "yes" to a 6-hour special on 25 years since the Chicano/a Moratorium, and the same station that said "yes" to an all-day special on the Zapatista struggle in Chiapas. We need your help to regain the full 1-hour time slot. KPFK Management is WRONG in saying there's no audience for Chicano/Mexicano/Indigenous programming.

Those of you who have read both Segments 1 & 2 now know more about the program & people who contribute to 'Radio Chicano/a' than KPFK's Management.

We need your help to pressure KPFK. Again, here's how.

 

KPFK'S MANAGEMENT AT THE FOLLOWING NUMBERS: 

*Program Director Kathy Lo 818-985-2711 ext.202 or 502 Fax: 818-763-7526 

*General Manager Mark Schubb 818-985-2711 ext.203/503 Fax: 818-763-7526 

*Mail letters to: KPFK c/o Prog. Dir. Kathy Lo &/or G.M. Mark Schubb
3729 Cahuenga Blvd. West, North Hollywood California 91604

 

***CONTACT JOHN MARTINEZ FOR FURHTER INFORMATION/QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AT:

818-985-2711 EXT.227

FAX: 818-985-3002

E-MAIL: kpfknews@directnet.com OR TEZOZOMOC: tezozomoc@std.teradyne.com***

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