Nana Camille Yarbrough

I discovered WBAI one day in the early 1970s, when I turned on the radio to get the news before starting my writing day, and there was WBAI. I soon became hooked on a kind of programming I had never heard before, hosted by fascinating people. Most of all, they were sharing in-depth information – political, social, and cultural programming – for which I had no description.

There was nothing else on the air like it – the programming and the hosts were so daring. I thought, “This is what communication in America is supposed to be about.” In many ways, WBAI has saved my life – and, I believe, saved America as “America.”

On WBAI, you did not have to melt into a melting pot – everyone could be who and what they were. Everyone was there on WBAI, and it was great. Every once in a while they would argue and that was fine. That is what families do, and then they go on to do great things.

From that first day until today, I have loved and supported that WBAI. The hosts, the producers who hold onto and support the dream of what WBAI was created to do. I salute them, and I will support them and that dream forever.

I am a poet, singer, and songwriter – I describe myself as an American griot. I have had a very successful career as a performer and have taught black history. I have also often appeared on the radio, and have even served as a guest host for such radio personalities as Bob Law and Imhotep Gary Byrd, so I have a good feel for the medium and its power.

However, at this time I feel that power is being taken away from local stations, and that the character and relationship of WBAI to the community is being changed – locally supported programming has been altered. Recently, when it was announced on “Wake Up Call” that changes were coming and that we might lose WBAI as the supporting community knew and loved it, the community rallied and showed their support with an outpouring of donations even though we had just had a fundraiser. That support should have told the national office that we did not want the changes that are starting to be put in place.

Program Director Bernard White, General Manager Anthony Riddle, and producer Ayo Harrington were removed without due process, and we hear that Black and Latino managers and producers elsewhere in the Pacifica network are experiencing the same fate. This “whiting out” and “quieting down” is not constructive, and shows no respect for the WBAI community. I want to be on the Local Station Board so I can help restore justice and truth to WBAI.

Please vote for me and everyone else on the Justice and Unity slate:

Lynne Stewart

Nia Bediako
Russell Dale
Sister Betty Dopson
Wellington Echegaray
Nana Camille Yarbrough

Myriam Decime

John Brinkley
Berta Silva

Sharonne Salaam

Carlos Canales

Terrence Podolsky