Public Media For All’s 3rd Annual Day of Action & Education: From Ally to All-In
On November 10th, 2022, Public Media for All held its 3rd Annual Day of Action & Education. Industry leaders shared how they are taking an All-In approach to elevate racial diversity, equity, and inclusion within public media organizations, and in service to our communities.
Transcript of the webinar courtesy of Kelsey Page, who volunteered her time and expertise to make this resource more accessible. We appreciate her continued support.
[0:16] Voice of Ellis Haizlip:
Good evening. I'm Ellis Haizlip, and I welcome you to another Soul episode. One of the miracles of this universe that we deal with is the way it can use something as cold and gray and as impersonal as an electron, these electrons that fill your television screen, to bring you an experience as warm and as rich and as human as the program you're about to see.
[3:50] Aaron Turner:
Welcome. Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to our third annual Public Media for All Day of Action and Education. This year's theme is From Ally to All In. The purpose of this day – Each November since 2020, Public Media for All has held an annual day of action and education to engage stations on the importance of operationalizing rather than merely espousing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. We call this walking the walk. Why do we choose November? Because on November 7th, 1967, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Public Broadcasting Act into law, which states explicitly, “It is in the public interest to encourage the development of programming that involves creative risks and that addresses the needs of unserved and underserved audiences, particularly children and minorities.” Further stating that “this public service must be made available to all.”
Our theme this year highlights the imperative for stations to move beyond just supporting DEI efforts, but boldly moving to a space of being all in. As a diverse coalition of public media professionals, Public Media for All is changing the industry by raising awareness about the adverse effects and lack of racial diversity, equity and inclusion within stations, and trying to share solutions to address these challenges. DEI needs to be at every level and in every facet of public media. This is essential for ensuring meaningful service to all. We want to thank our sponsors today. Public Media Women in Leadership, NFCB, PRADO, PMJA, PRPD, and our webinar host, Greater Public. The last thing is we want to give you a few housekeeping items. We have a moderated Q&A that we will be monitoring throughout the program. Be sure to use the Q&A as well as the chat function if you want to connect directly to speakers, and to the best of our ability, we will make sure that we get those questions answered and leave space for our panelists to be able to address those as well. Next, I would like to introduce one of our founding members of Public Media for All, Sachi Kobayashi.
[6:26] Sachi Kobayashi:
Thanks, Aaron. So in order to track our impact, we've been periodically surveying our participating organizations. Our latest survey went out a few weeks ago and we're still compiling the results. We wanted to give you a special sneak peek. This will be very quick, but more info will be shared as soon as we have a few more stations and organizations reporting their data to us. Please feel free to submit questions in the Q&A box. I will respond to them after I run through this. And take pictures, take screenshots. We can also share out the recording of this later. So just to note that we work with public media organizations of all sizes, but in case you're wondering what average looks like, I have put some median numbers on this slide. And next slide, please. So really what makes all these organizations thread together, what they have most in common, is an early commitment to DEI. Even before joining Public Media for All, many had already recognized the imperative of this work and baked it into their guiding documents, their mission, their vision, their strategic plans. Next slide.
So joining Public Media for All, though, seems to be a catalyst for going deeper. The first action items that many organizations tackled were those related to repair and healing and creating a more equitable effort. I think the word that stands out for me here is “apologize.” And currently many public media for all organizations are working on building accountability structures into their operating systems. These are clear, transparent systems that the staff should be aware of that make it clear how they're enacting their values on an ongoing basis. And many Public Media for All organizations are also working to get better at tracking race data. This is essential because, as they say, you manage what you measure. And here is some real feedback from leaders of Public Media for All organizations about the impact of our work. My favorite is the last one here. “Many thanks for the energy care and empathy you have brought to this work. You've helped the industry make progress and we will continue to stay involved and support you. I think it's so essential that this is a group effort that's rooted in empathy.” And finally, here's how you can help. Whether or not your organization has joined public media for all, you can use these DEI action items. They are freely available to inspire everyone. Talk to your managers. Make sure you're incorporating this work into what you're doing. And even if your organization hasn't signed on with Public Media for All, you can pick one action item to enact. The majority of the organizations that have joined Public Media for All, for example, have ended unpaid internships. This is essential equity work. It's easy to do, and it's a great fundraising opportunity with your major gifts officers. And that is what I've got. I will pass it off.
[9:41] JC Polk:
So. Good morning. For those of us here on the West Coast, we want to say good morning to everyone. JC Polk with Public Media for All. One of the things that we are very excited about today is that we have brought together a cadre of outstanding presenters and participants. And so we did not want to delay in allowing you all to benefit from listening to them. And so I have the great, distinct pleasure and privilege to introduce our first presenter. One of the things we hope to do, as the timeline indicated, is to kind of take you on a journey. We want to acknowledge some of the things that have happened in public media in the way of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We also want to acknowledge some of the things that still exist and the reason why Public Media for All is aggressive in addressing certain things. And then we want to also challenge you to be able to make that commitment, as Aaron said in the beginning, to be all in. For many of you, I'm sure you all know Dr. Byron Green. He is currently serving as the director, senior director for IDEA with PRX. Today he joins us with an extensive background, not once, not twice, but three times over. He has graduated from NC State University, which is kind of cool, kind of bittersweet as well, because I'm actually from Carolina and a Tar Heel fan. So we're just bringing him in. Just, you know, we'll just claim Carolina for today. But as you all know, for those of you who’ve worked with him before, outstanding, impressive, inspirational, which is why we asked him to join today. Some of those other credentials would be, you know, he is published. He's a designer, designer of curriculums, of all things. He also is a coach which allows him to be empathetic. And ultimately, what he does on a regular basis is to provide those empathetic strategies to be able to inspire people and make sure people understand the importance of this work. So today we bring him to share him with you, to bring some words of wisdom, as well as to start off this journey of this continuum that we're all on, in the name of diversity, equity, and inclusion. So without any delay, Dr. Green. Dr. Green, we’ll call you to the floor and introduce you to the people. Thanks for joining us.
[11:52] Dr. Byron Green:
Thank you, JC. I don’t know anybody that can gas me up and deflate with this “Go Heels” nonsense at the same time. But I am incredibly grateful to you, JC, and for Public Media for All inviting me to engage in this conversation. You know, as we geared up for this event, it gave me the opportunity to really reflect on what I wanted to share. But also about the fight itself. For those of you that do not know, I am a Florida resident and I spend a good portion of my time not only there but in other spaces, advocating for Black and brown folk in addition to fighting and celebrating. Our LGBTQIA+ community. For me, both being a Black and queer individual, I think it was incredibly important for me to advocate for all of my own identities. This election cycle, the fight came in hot. While Black trans women were dying at an alarming rate, and to make that worse, being misgendered in their death, we had folks saying our calls for action and justice were about, quote unquote, “woke culture and grooming.” And what we really wanted was to make sure that people made it home alive. To enjoy the freedoms that every American is promised.
The calls to action that have occurred throughout history, that's not something new. The pursuit of equity has roared for years. Again, this is not something new. Even thinking about that video that you all shared at the opening, we've been in the trenches digging and fighting and making steps every single moment along the way, but the fight goes back. Looking back at 2020, what felt different was the COVID-19 pandemic slowed us down. It created a captive audience. And we were, for the most part, stuck at home. We were regulated, relegated to our phones, our streaming services and new hobbies. Shout out to anybody out there who tried to make bread for the first time. And in that time, we watched Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man that was just out running, be chased down, gunned down and murdered by a group of thugs. Breonna Taylor, a Black woman killed in her own apartment in a hail of gunfire by police with a no-knock warrant. And we watched George Floyd gasping for air as he died on the pavement at the hands of police. While many were enraged with the deaths of Ahmaud and Breonna, the murder of George Floyd forced many to question how this could happen, to watch a Black man die on camera with a knee on his neck from the people sworn to protect us, for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. The images were visceral and the audio was equally haunting. Three senseless deaths. And we watched on our phones in horror. See, the thing is that the pictures of systemic oppression and racism have been relegated to the history books, and more recently, the fringes of the internet that could be ignored simply by blocking hashtag BlackLivesMatter. This one was different. This time people heard the calls for justice, along with the calls to examine organizational responsibility in upholding systems designed to disenfranchise Black and brown voices. Systems that did not acknowledge the humanity that exists at the intersection of those voices and other identities that were held, be it LGBTQIA+, be it neurodivergent, immigrants, folk with different religions, folk that look, love, or live differently than the dominant culture.
Public media, even in its liberal or socially just posture, was not exempt from these calls for accountability. And we watched organizations that were called to account for the hurt and harm that they caused, and PRX, my organization, being among them. One of my favorite quotes by James Baldwin, that felt incredibly applicable, is, “Not everything that its face can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” We had to face this. So we began the journey. A journey with no endpoint and no ports. The journey that requires humility, requires honesty and a commitment every single day to be better than we were the day before. A journey that prioritizes progress over perfection. As many of you know, perfectionism is a characteristic of white supremacy culture, and we cannot build a better future with frameworks created to hold us in the past. At PRX, like many other organizations, our journey started with listening. Through anonymous surveys, through one on one interviews. And utilized frameworks that elevated voices that had been historically underrepresented. We built curriculum based on that feedback to move us closer to our goals. And we kept listening. And that's not just listening to the majority, but listening to the voices that have been historically disenfranchised.
At my first PMDMC, I had the chance to commune with some amazing professionals and physically participate in a space that welcomed people of the global majority. In that space. I expressed gratitude for the journey thus far. But that's the thing. Remember, this work doesn't stop. I'm grateful for the allies who have joined in the fight in some form or fashion. Listening, supporting, advocating for Black and brown folk, advocating for LGBTQIA+ individuals, those that are neurodivergent, folks without power and privilege. But that is just the beginning. At that convening, I called for accomplices and co-conspirators, people who engage in action that requires risk. To not simply engage in a way that feels passive, but in a way that requires that you get up and do the thing. That is the next stage of our journey. That is where we will evolve. That is where we will grow, where we will move from this entry level discussion to a more advanced understanding and mobilization. Where we learn when to step back, when to step up to the side, or when to step in front of, to shield those without power or privilege. Where we pass the mic or utilize our own platforms to amplify voices that may not have had the same access that we have had. I end this with another quote from James Baldwin. “I love America more than any other country in the world. And exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.” Baldwin encapsulated my feelings about America and public media so perfectly. That it is out of love for public media that drives our desire to see it grow, thrive, and be better than it was yesterday. And that is going to require knowledge. That is going to require action. And that is going to require that we not only celebrate getting our feet wet, doing the thing for the first time, stepping on the water's edge, but that we indeed go all in. Thank you.
[20:51] Aishah Rashied Hyman:
I'm sorry. I was making the comment in the chat. Let me get back to the program. Hi, I'm Aishah Rashied Hyman, and I have the honor of introducing Sally Kane. First, I just want to say thank you to Sally. You've been such a wonderful champion and supporter of Public Media for All behind the scenes and out in public. And it means so much to us and so much to this effort. So thank you. Sally Kane, chief executive officer of National Federation of Community Broadcasters. She's a successful, highly successful, non-profit executive with 20 years of experience in the field of community radio. She's a trained facilitator and an accomplished fundraiser and an impassioned public speaker. Anybody who's heard Sally speak before, you know that. And we get to see and experience that today. As NFCB CEO, Sally led the organization through a comprehensive restructure and built a team that moved the organization into a new chapter that includes impactful national advocacy, industry thought leadership, customized station services, and innovative initiatives that transform community media organizations. And without further ado, Sally Kane.
[22:09] Sally Kane:
Thank you, Aishah. Thank you for being here today and thanks to my colleagues at Public Media for All for the honor of this opportunity. I'm Sally Kane. I lead the National Federation of Community Broadcasters, or NFCB. I've been a supporter of Public Media for All since its inception and I’ve participated in their supporting organization’s monthly calls, as well as a small group call with others who work in the national scene in our industry. I've worked in public radio for 25 years, 15 at KVNF community radio in my hometown of Paonia, Colorado, and now going on 10 at the helm of NFCB. I've been asked to speak about barriers to progress in the realm of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and public media. I want to be transparent up front that I'm not an academic or a researcher. I'm a white woman who's lived in rural America my whole life. What I have to share with you today are observations, experiences, and feelings. I'm drawing on a deep well of personal and professional experience, but I want to speak candidly and from the heart with you today. So let's begin. What are some of the barriers to progress? I'd like to focus on three, though I'm sure there are others and that some of you might disagree with the ones I'm postulating. Organizational policy and strategy is very important in addressing barriers. I don't want to diminish this. But I'm approaching this conversation in broad strokes intentionally. My educational background is in sociology and public health, so it's likely that my lens today reflects that, too.
First, the nonprofit structure itself has embedded barriers. Second, white supremacy values permeate the dominant culture we live in. That creates both conscious and unconscious barriers. Third, basic wellness in the human community is under severe pressure, and that creates barriers that impact our efforts.
Let's consider the nonprofit structure we operate in, for starters. Governing a nonprofit requires a board. The board hires the leader. The leader builds a team. Sounds straightforward, but it can go awry in so many ways, and it often does, though we rarely talk about it except in whispered tones. You can't change an organization without shared commitment. Many colleagues trying to make DEI inspired change end up draining energy trying to simply establish a shared commitment and operationalize the strategies, goals, and tactics that move that commitment forward. The systems and norms we have put into place in most nonprofits place unrealistic amounts of responsibility and stress on leaders, and that undermines teams. Things like not being good at delegating, withholding information that can make people look weak, making impulsive decisions because you didn't ask for help to think things through, looking down on colleagues who ask for help. All of these things lead to mistrust and terrible team dynamics, and they happen at every level in nonprofits. The common phrases of wearing many hats and doing more with less, no matter what, are toxic, and they get in the way of this work. Beyond governance barriers, the public media funding model itself says that if you need more money, solve that with more donors and more underwriters. It's common knowledge we're leaving money on the table in this arena in our industry, and valiant efforts are underway to address that. But there is troubling intersectionality here when it comes to making DEI inspired changes. Communities of color, rural communities, and non affluent places all across this country, are then receiving marching orders to harvest more money from people they have not served well. It's a troubling proposition. Combine that with a loud imperative to grow the audience, and we face quite a conundrum.
Let's move on to barrier number two on my list, white supremacy values permeating the dominant culture we live in. The blatant white supremacy agenda is identifiable and abhorrent to all of you on this webinar, I would imagine. The cloudy lens of white privilege that many of us look through in approaching DEI inspired change is more insidious. Both are barriers. In last month's Public Media for All cohort call, we discussed an article by Anne Helen Petersen. One myth she takes on is the myth of self-reliance. Dr. Green already referred to perfectionism. That's another. It has little to do, self-reliance, with taking responsibility for yourself. This myth says that if you just follow the rules and work hard, you too can ride the wave of self-reliance to happiness, financial stability, and a perfect life. Best of all, you can do it with no help from anyone. As a rural white westerner, I'm marinated in this myth my whole life and did not even realize the white privilege that wrapped all around it. The myth ends up making everyone feel bad. Even the most affluent and privileged who can get close to it. Self-reliance is not only foreign to the ethos of most Indigenous people, for example, it is a total negation of their most sacred beliefs in the interconnectedness and interdependence of all things. There are many other embedded values that obscure lenses and cloud vision, personal values that are stated as facts, which a dominant paradigm can do, or as universal human values can perpetuate a white supremacy lens. And they do. In my experience, stepping all over another's personal values, whether consciously or unwittingly, is what trigger states are made of. Not emotions. Values. Emotions come later.
Ready for barrier number three? The human community is not doing well. We struggle with stress, sickness, despair, rage. One could argue that this is nothing new, and in some ways it isn't. Yet the complexity of our global climate, social and political meltdown today has brought this issue to the surface in a very potent way. Sprinkle a global pandemic into the mix, and it's a very toxic cocktail we are drinking. Things like burnout, political violence, gridlock, and a host of mental health issues are effects of toxic polarization in our society. And this impacts our industry and our lives every day. The Canadian physician Gabor Maté posits that a disease requires a cure, but a wound requires healing. Those are not the same things. The cruel legacy of the lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion in our society and our industry is not a disease that can be cured. It is a wound that requires healing. Reframing this as we move forward is key to sustaining any forward momentum and having authentic success. Proceeding as organizations as if a diversity statement or policy alone can cure what ails us inadvertently creates yet another barrier to transformational change.
On the other side of any barrier is longing. What are we longing for in this endeavor? Speaking for myself, I yearn for freedom from the tyranny and destruction of cruelty. Cruelty is the enemy of anything beneficial. Public media, by its very nature and legislative mandate, is supposed to be a beneficial service to the public. It is supposed to lift our spirits, help us expand our awareness, partner with us in navigating the complex world we live in. As President Johnson noted when he signed the Public Broadcasting Act into law, people yearn for more than a chicken in every pot. Basic food, clothing, and shelter needs are unarguably primary. But that does not mean there is no urgency or energy in our public media endeavor. Communication is as important to a human being as the air we breathe. And we're supposed to value that in public media. Value it. Celebrate it. Tend it. Honor it. Addressing barriers to progress, making public media a benefit to all, is not a side order that we treat as extra work. It is the entree. It makes everything else matter. It allows us to be whole as human beings, and it allows us to meet our mark as true public service media.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are concepts. They aren't a place or a thing. What they have in common is that each of them gives voice to a longing for full creative expression, compassion, and hope. The path we are on evokes vulnerability and requires strength of purpose. It is vulnerability and strength together that are what courage is made of. And we need courage so much right now. Moving from ally to all in means moving from bucket list to devotion. Each of us must acknowledge the barriers we face in this journey. Identify the longing that accompanies that and, with courageous hearts, devote ourselves to transforming reality for the benefit of not just ourselves, but generations to come. A public media system without a full cornucopia of the public represented at the center of it will never meet its intended mark. The imperative and power of this realization is clear. And Public Media for All has done us the favor of clearing some trail to move ourselves forward in a beautiful mix of tangible action and existential healing. Thank you for listening.
[33:42] Vanessa de la Torre:
Wow. See, Sally brought the fire today. Dr. Green has brought the fire today. We're going to carry that momentum into this next panel. My name is Vanessa de la Torre. I'm executive editor of the New England News Collaborative, a regional collaboration of nine public media stations in the Northeast. And I serve on the Public Media for All Organizing Committee. So we're going to get right to it. For this panel, we have an all-star lineup of four leaders in the public media system who bring so much knowledge and insight around being all in. We're going to start with Rima Dael, the general manager of NPR member station WSHU in Fairfield, Connecticut. Before SHU, she led development and major gifts for another public media station. And Rima is also an elected member of the NPR Board of Directors. And I have the privilege of sometimes getting breakfast with Rima, because we live in the same town in Connecticut. Thanks for being here Rima.
Rima Dael:
Thank you, Vanessa.
Vanessa de la Torre:
And Maxie Jackson is no stranger to us or to these conversations. He's been a leader at stations and organizations across the public media system for many years and was recently a chief content officer for New England Public Media before joining 88.9 Radio Milwaukee in September as its new executive director. So glad to see you Maxie. Excellent. Luis Patiño became the CEO of Austin PBS earlier this year. He has over 25 years of experience in media and, prior to this new CEO job, had been resident and general manager for the Univision Media Group in Los Angeles. Luis has served on many community boards and at one point was on the board of Austin PBS. Welcome.
[35:30] Luis Patiño:
Thank you for having me.
[35:31] Vanessa de la Torre:
Right. And finally Keisha Salmon, who was announced just seven weeks ago as the new executive director of AIR, the membership organization supporting independent audio storytellers and producers and engineers. Keisha is a known strategist and has said that diversifying AIR’s membership is one of her priorities. Congrats on this new job. Welcome, Keisha.
Keisha Salmon:
Thank you very much.
Vanessa de la Torre:
All right. We're going to stick with Keisha for this first question. We know that this work of racial equity does not fall on one person's shoulders. What are some of the ways you think allies can be all in and play an active role in advancing DEI work in public media in particular, not just paying lip service to this?
Keisha Salmon:
Thank you for this. I've thought about allyship for a long time now. So on Twitter yesterday, Shaun King wrote, “Perhaps the biggest, most impactful news of Election Day is that Democrats took complete control of the governments in Michigan, Maryland and Massachusetts. That means they now control the state house, the state Senate and the governorship. It's how deep change gets done.” When I read that, I immediately thought about public media and how similar that statement is to what's happening in the field. However, I didn't see the bright light for public media, as Shaun does for the Democrats. The way public media looks right now, a majority of white people are leading organizations, are in positions of power on boards, are major funders, or are part of a decision making executive team. That is complete control by folks who don't look like the community they primarily serve. That is not how deep change gets done. The onus has always been on the staff to be diverse and to engage in DEI training. But as recent exposures of certain organizations show, that you can keep bringing in people of color, but if you cannot retain them or make space for them in leadership roles, then the problem isn't really diversity, equity, or inclusion, it may just be belonging. And a sense of belonging starts from the top down, and some at the top need to step down. To me, public media leadership is not a lifetime appointment. It's not brave, sustaining a leadership role when your entire staff demands your exit. It's selfish and self-serving. It's time that allies make the sacrifices that Black women, including myself, had made in these organizations for years. If people of color, particularly Black women, are not safe in the workplace, then no one is. There's no more need for talk. We have enough case studies, data, real world examples to show that there is a legitimate problem. Allies, it's your turn to do something. Something that scares you. That's true bravery. But your words and your empathy into action. We need you to stand up and do something.
Vanessa de la Torre:
Thank you, Keisha. I saw you, Maxie, nodding your head. Do you want to add to what Keisha was saying? You're on mute.
[38:38] Maxie Jackson:
Had to be one of us to do that. No, I mean, I completely agree with not only what Keisha said, but Sally beforehand. I'm so honored to be a part of this gathering, and hello to all the folks saying hi in the chat. But at the end of the day, I think what Keisha said is so crucial. We've been here before. This is not new, that we struggle with issues of DEI. It's been well documented. It goes back to the seventies when CPB funded a study on our industry and realized back then that we were failing at what we were mandated to be. And the fact that we're even addressing this now is a testament to how we have just negated the responsibility of public service media, and championed the opportunity to just create nice public media clicks in communities all over the country. Now we're a highly successful system. Nobody can question that. But I think it's a short term highly successful. Right now, we are not in a position to meet the needs, wants, and aspirations of the next generation of public media potential consumers, those who represent multicultural, ethnic, and racial communities. We're not there yet. And so for us to get there, there's going to have to be a real coming to Jesus moment for us to really stand up straight and recognize that not only do we have to do the healing that Sally spoke of, but we've got to basically put in place systems, strategies, so that it is institutional, structural ways that we can resolve the matters that plague us at this moment. So I share Keisha's concern. I can't say I'm a pessimist. I think, as Baldwin said, you have to be an optimist to stay alive. But I'm sober about what we represent and dead set on being part of the catalyst for solution.
[40:41] Vanessa de la Torre:
Thank you, Maxie. And I want to go to Rima. Rima, you've been leading SHU for a few years. And I know you've thought a lot about how two stations could connect the dots between this, you know, internal DEI work and, you know, how to implement some of these best practices in public facing ways. Can you talk a bit about that?
Rima Dael:
So a lot of the work that I've been doing recently has been specifically connecting the dots between the programmatic content work that our newsrooms and our content teams, you know, in arts, culture, and music have done. And then how we talk about that work philanthropically and how we engage our communities and donors. As Maxie and Keisha have just articulated, you know, the failing of our public media system is that we have tended to program for our audiences instead of the whole community. So in recent years, you know, the past two years, we as public media have centered more historically marginalized communities and many communities we have underserved. However, that kind of work needs to be better articulated in how we talk about money and how we're funded. And so really, that's been the focus of me connecting the dots here at WSHU, also with Greater Public. A shout out to my colleagues at Rocky Mountain Public Radio who have worked with me on doing a panel discussion on this at PMDMC, and Genevieve Nelson, who has this great, cool title of Cultural Fundraiser. So she's the first person that I know in this system that has really identified the needs of how we have to change language. And so what am I talking about in terms of changing language? Often on our on-air pledge drive scripts, we say things like “for as little as $5 a month, you can become a sustainer and member of our station.” Right? The difficulty with that word, “as little as $5 a month,” it diminishes the ability for someone for whom $5 a month is an incredible deal. And so we want to take away that system that minimizes that $5 a month. So some of the language that we switched around is, give as much as you can. Give according to your budget needs. And that way it is a more inclusive way to talk about money that really upholds the mission values that we see in our programming. So that's the work I'm doing, and I will put in the chat also the link to the blog article from Greater Public that talks about this a little more. Thanks, Vanessa.
Vanessa de la Torre:
Thanks. Thanks, Rima. And one thing that you've talked about, as well in the past is like, centering and framing this conversation around assets versus deficits.
Rima Dael:
Yes. Yes. I mean, this is something that, both in journalism and in just nonprofit culture, we do really badly. We frame community problems and stigmatize the individuals in the communities by those problems. Right? So that's where implicit bias and deficit framing comes in. And really, we need to flip the script in talking about the problems in the communities that we're trying to solve and separate that from the people in the communities we're trying to serve. So we need to use an asset framing model in which we talk about people in communities that have problems as folks that have aspirations. So a classic example is that we, you know, and the nonprofits and journalists do this, that, you know, communities are trying to solve the issue of crime and drugs in low resource communities. So we're helping those kids who have those problems. The way to flip that in an asset framing way is that we are helping kids achieve their dreams to do X, Y, and Z, you know. So that could be helping kids achieve their dreams in high school graduation and furthering their careers towards getting a secondary education, or achieving career aspirations that they have. Asset framing is absolutely another tool that we can better lay the groundwork for not just equality, but inclusion in all of the work that we're doing across our stations.
Vanessa de la Torre:
Thank you, Rima. We're going to go to Luis here. Luis, when you were announced as the CEO of Austin PBS, you said in a statement, “I believe in the power of public media, which harnesses opportunities for more diversity, strategic thought, education, and community engagement.” And prior to Austin PBS, as we said, you spent time in commercial media as a leader at Univision. I’m wondering if there are certain takeaways or lessons from outside of public media that you think we could apply here to our work?
[46:27] Luis Patiño:
Sure. Sure. Thanks, Vanessa and Rima. I think we all really– I think somebody said, very intriguing, the idea of cultural philanthropy and cultural – what was it you said? your term? A cultural fundraiser.
[46:45] Rima Dael:
Cultural fundraiser. Yeah.
[46:47] Luis Patiño:
I would, you know, speaking to the importance of this being a strategic sort of initiative, or not initiative, but a strategy that comes from the top down. Maybe we should all be cultural fundraisers, right? And not just have one. But having come from the commercial side, I can tell you that, you know, my decision to leave Univision and come to the public media space was very intentional. It's something I had been researching for quite some time because I felt that there was a huge opportunity to really carry on some of the mission and purpose related work that we did at Univision, which was really a media organization that was born out of mission and purpose. So there was a lot of synergies with sort of the way we operated that media entity, and what I saw as a huge opportunity in the public media space to serve even more people. So I can tell you that it's been quite a learning experience for me, but it's been amazing. The people have– being able to meet folks that are on this panel and being able to try and make an immediate impact at an organization that probably needed some work to be done and needed to be heard.
I can tell you that one of the first things that I did at this organization in particular was to meet with everybody one on one and have those individual conversations so that I could really hear for myself what the context was around some of the issues and challenges that we were having. And we're not unlike many other public media organizations throughout the systems, whether it's NPR, PBS. I had heard about a lot of the challenges, and I think that we here suffer from what a lot of people tend to suffer from, which was we immediately looked for help outside of the organization. Right? So nothing against the amazing consultants that are out there, and subject matter experts. But, you know, I'm a big fan of solving things from within. And sometimes you're not even ready as an organization to talk to a consultant, because you don't even– you haven't even realized what your own internal issues are. So I think that we did a really good job of saying, you know what? Nobody's going to come here to help us. We need to help ourselves. And all of our DEI work is going to start with me, and it has to start with me. It has to start with the CEO, and a CEO that really understands that it's not just a project, it's not just an initiative. It has to really embody the entire organization, both internally, externally. Rima, you talked about it. It has to also embody the content that you're producing and making sure that it represents the entire community, not just your core constituents. Because I kept hearing that “oh, that's not our audience” or “that's not our core audience,” when everybody should be our audience and our content needs to be very reflective of those communities that we have to serve, that we're here to serve. So we've done a lot of work internally, and then we went out and hired somebody to help us have employee-led conversations. I don't think that this is work that needs to be led by the board. I really don't think that it's work that needs to be led by two or three people. It's work that has to happen by all employees. Right? I think, you know, for us, that has been what has really helped us to move forward, the fact that we have everybody working on it and it's not just a select few people and it's not external. It's internal.
[50:29] Vanessa de la Torre:
Absolutely. And, you know, I want to go to Maxie in picking up this thread from Luis. You know, it's not just one person's role. It's everyone's role in the public media organization. And Maxie, you've served in different roles in public media over the years, from stations to national organizations. And I'm wondering if you could pick up and add some insights to, how can we make sure that DEI isn't just a concept that we talk about in committees, but that we leverage to advance our work in public media?
[51:00] Maxie Jackson:
Yeah, that's a good question. I think it all begins with understanding that we don't know at all, and that we have to invest in community engagement. Real ascertainment work, the work of going out into communities that we have served well and those who we need to serve better, and really understanding exactly what their authentic needs, wants, and aspirations are. One of the things we're focused on at Radio Milwaukee is understanding the difference between equity and equality, recognizing that with equity, it's important that we understand where people are and serve them in a way that brings them what they need in terms of our services, not what we think they need. And it doesn't mean that we give everybody the same thing. There are some communities that need more. An example of that is, Radio Milwaukee's primary signal is a service that's really designed to appeal to a broad swath of Gen-X and millennials. But we also recognize that there's a need for our African American community to have an additional service that's really focused on what they need, and recognizing that Milwaukee grades out as one of the worst Black wellness environments in the United States, and that it wouldn't be enough for us to play music. We actually have to look at storytelling and even journalism in a new way that meets their needs, wants, and aspirations. Another thing that we're doing is looking at the work of Reverend Angel Kyoto Williams, who comes up with this concept called collective process. And what that really is all about is, each one of our individual staff members and our teams, looking at how they can create pathways and access points towards equitable participation and voice. What can we as individuals do? What can we as teams, what can we as a station do to create pathways and access towards equitable participation and voice? But all of that, as nice as it may sound, really begins with us getting out in the community and listening, and it really has to begin with that.
[53:14] Rima Dael:
And Vanessa, I just want to jump on something that Maxie just said as a reality check for all of us. So the lived experiences of Gen Z and the generation after Gen Z, which is the alpha generation, are so completely distinctly different than Gen Y, Gen X and the boomers. So Gen Z already lives in a global majority situation, that they're, you know, from 2020 on, kids in that generation of Gen Z, white people are in the minority. You know, and in the alpha generation below them, many more kids are mixed kids. So they come not just in blended families, you know, that are no longer the traditional family structure, but there are mixed races, ethnicities, and cultures. And that's a very different group of who we have seen in terms of serving minority communities, because they're global majorities. And so we also, those of us who are older, you know, that includes all of us on this call, have a lot to learn. And so I think it's really important as Maxie raised, having cultural humility to learn from younger generations and their lived experiences as mixed race individuals and folks of color is very different than anything that's come before us.
Vanessa de la Torre:
Absolutely. What I'm hearing, too, is just creating the sense of belonging for our audiences and who we're trying to reach and bringing them into, having them pay attention to us in public media. There's so many folks who don't know what we're doing. It's just not on their radar. And on the flip side, you know, there's that sense of belonging within our own teams. And Keisha, I know you're coming in new to AIR, and it's a membership organization. And I know you have ideas about how to create more of a sense of belonging amongst different types of folks who work in audio. And I’m wondering if you could tell us a little bit more about what your plans are. Because we're thinking about, you know, everyone who on this webinar, I know, has a mindset toward action, wanting to be all in. And so, you know, part of this question is, you know, what action steps, what areas can we focus on, in the next year, you know, to make sure that we're taking those steps toward action, and to results. And I know you have ideas just in your own realm of AIR.
Keisha Salmon:
I mean, the one main thing that I've been looking at, to be part of our strategy, is really to say out loud what we're not good at. And right now, we are 77%-- Our membership is– 77% identify as white. So we are not good at being a diverse facing organization. And that's where we need to start looking at why, and being honest with ourselves as to why. And so once we can get that answered, a lot of other things that we want to do that are great for the industry, that at least we think are great for the industry and the folks that we're serving, we'll be able to get that done properly. But first we have to say it out loud. Let everyone hear that we know we're not producing the type of community that we say we're producing, and then figure that out. Why? Where is that gap? And we're not there yet. I haven't found the reason why yet. I'm still, like you said, just short of a full month or two months. So we'll get there, because I'm asking a lot of questions. I'm challenging my team. They're ready to, like, really step up and acknowledge what our issues are.
Vanessa de la Torre:
Thank you, Keisha. And Luis, you're also still new to Austin PBS. And I'm wondering, you know, share more about your mindset going into a new organization and thinking about staffing, thinking about, you know, different folks who represent the teams and diversifying.
[57:29] Luis Patiño:
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And we've had to do a lot of that. I mean, we took a look at the whole structure of the makeup internally first, right? And we weren't diverse enough, and we still aren't, and we will continue to work on that. And I think that, you know, if we want to say that we want our content to be representative of the community we serve, well, then we have to look like the community that we serve, right? Starting at the executive level and down, starting also with the board. Right? I've even, you know, made it a really strong point to our board governance team as we look at new board members to make sure that we're looking at people of color, that we're looking at all, sort of, you know, the entire makeup of Austin and making sure that we're representative. Because we were not. And they agreed. And they know that. So I can tell you that just from a people process point of view, you know, we're making a lot of impact even early on in the first six months.
And then from a content point of view, I think that's where I'm super excited. Probably the majority of my time right now is being spent with content creators. And a lot of these content creators, again, are people of color, people that did not have an opportunity to really showcase their work, whether they were documentarians, whether they're working on docuseries, on music. I mean, we're really well-known for music here. We have that little brand called Austin City Limits that everybody knows about. But it's not as diverse as it probably can be. And there's no reason why we can't be known for other types of music, other types of music genres. So we're working on that as well. But I'm really excited about being sort of a hub, at least in this region, for content creators that didn't really have a place to go to, and a distribution platform. So that's one of the things that we're working on. We're working on a really cool documentary right now around a group called The Taco Mafia based out of Austin. This is going to be a docuseries that is going to be really, really cool. I'm super excited about it, and the team is super excited about it and it's an idea that they had. It wasn't a new idea, it’s an idea that they had, but they just needed somebody to listen to them and to sort of empower them to move forward on the project.
[59:45] Maxie Jackson:
Vanessa, can I chime in real quick?
Vanessa de la Torre:
Absolutely.
Maxie Jackson:
I want to challenge everyone who's involved in today's session, whether you're a presenter or not, to go back to your base where you work, and really challenge the revenue streams, the folks who are involved in all your revenue streams. I'm a firm believer, and I've held this belief for at least a decade or more, that if we don't start really understanding Black and brown philanthropy, if we don't understand the different membership value propositions that exist for younger demographics and people of color, if we don't really investigate deeply and learn the ways that we can make communities of color see the value in being supporters. I think a lot of this is hollow. Because I've been in too many shops, and I know how important who gives is to the work we do. And as altruistic as we want to want to think we can be and some of us want to be, that bottom line is crucial, and it's crucial to our sustainability, but it also holds us accountable. So if we can cultivate major donors of color, if we can cultivate membership of color, if we can look at foundations that advocate for issues in our communities that are resonant for people of color, I think a lot of movement would happen in our field. And so I challenge everyone to go out and do that work and challenge your development folk to really place emphasis on that.
[61:21] Rima Dael:
And I'd add to Maxie's call out, to also have the courage to turn down gifts that have racist ties to them. And, you know, I've made– a few of you know this story. I've made my director of development cry when I turned down a $50,000 gift that had strings attached to it that were not good for us. So it's a hard conversation to have, but one I'm happy to have with anyone who wants to have it.
Vanessa de la Torre:
Yeah. Someone put in the chat, “not all money is good money.”
Rima Dael:
Yes.
Vanessa de la Torre:
I totally agree with that. And, you know, we're starting to round out our half hour with the panel. And I know that folks here are craving, you know, these tips and advice. And I wonder if we could just kind of go around the panel, and if there's any advice for public organizations or individual folks who want to accelerate their DEI journey but are facing hurdles, facing challenges, just any advice to folks on this call right now who want to do the work, but they are struggling or are facing those challenges? Let’s start with you, Keisha. Yes.
Keisha Salmon:
I guess as a Black woman who's been dealing with DEI trauma, my first advice is not to ask a Black person how you can help. Figure it out on your own, and then allow us that time to heal while you're learning how to be better or to help your colleagues be better. That's my advice.
Vanessa de la Torre:
Well put. Luis.
[63:13] Luis Patiño:
I think one of the biggest things I learned early on when I arrived here is that you can't be a self-appointed ally. Allyship is earned. And I found that we had some self-appointed allies that didn't really understand that that is earned. And you have to do it through work, really difficult work, really difficult conversations, and it takes time to earn that. And so I would just say that, I think we've all said it, we have to do the work. It's not an initiative. It's not a project. It's an everyday thing. It's an all year thing. It is our superpower. Our ability to harness diversity, whether it's internally or externally, is really what's going to allow us to win as we look into the future.
[64:04] Rima Dael:
My advice would be twofold. First, for those of us folks of color who are in any kind of leadership position, whether, you know, front line, mid level, or at the top, we also have to do our own work to figure out how our own personal values align with where we are. You know, not all positions will perfectly align with where you want to be for the long haul. So you need to do that own critical work for yourself. And I think the most important floor that needs to be established at any organization before tackling DEI work is the belief that, everyone needs to buy into that racism and misogyny are real, and that biases exist. Because you can't do any of this DEI work if folks who are on the foundational end of leading change and positive impact in an organization don't believe that racism exists or don't believe that misogyny exists. And then it becomes just a fallacy of just trying to get work done and pushed forward when it's not rooted in reality at all.
[65:39] Maxie Jackson:
I can just wrap things up, I guess, from the panel. My advice is to my brothers and sisters of color, and that is, study and know what you're talking about so that you don't get fatigued when you're the one being asked questions about race, inequality, etc. I don't ever get tired of having those tough conversations with my white colleagues. If they're bold enough to ask, I'm going to be with the endurance enough to stand with them and help them resolve their understanding at least, and push them to be a part of the change. So, again, it's not our responsibility. And I agree with Keisha that our white allies need to work with their own groups to solve things, to find resolution, to look at sharing power. But at the same time, we need to be strong enough and have the endurance enough to be a part of the conversation when asked, and sometimes when not asked, to make it clear what is and what isn't from our perspective, because our voices have to be heard and it's important that we are heard.
[67:00] Vanessa de la Torre:
Thank you, Maxie. Thank you. To the panel. We're going to bring on Dr. Green. He wants to answer this question. And then we're going to segue to a moderated conversation with my colleague, Public Media for All’s Michelle. We're going to bring in audience questions. But first, Dr. Green wants to take a crack at this question.
[67:17] Dr. Byron Green:
Yeah, I just wanted to tag in. I think Keisha made a really solid point. Rima kind of tapped on it and Maxie also like tapped on it here. But I think I encourage people that if you're looking for a space to explore the things, that asking Black people to do emotional labor is not the move. However, executive coaches that specialize in DEI do exist. So reaching out to executive coaches for that space that is confidential, that I have seen a ton of success and moving away from this like ally paradigm to all in, is incredibly helpful and encourages people to ask the questions that they may not feel comfortable asking in public. And that's the the bridge to get them to that point, like Maxie said, to being able to ask other questions that are more informed in public and engaging a narrative outside of the coaching space where they may need some one on one, some very basic level understanding, that they may be afraid to ask, where do I start and how do I get to the thing before I ask this out in public and possibly embarrass myself?
[68:34] Vanessa de la Torre:
Thank you, Dr. Green. I’m going to toss it to Michelle.
Michelle Faust Raghavan
And hello, everyone.
[68:47] Dr. Byron Green:
You’re muted again, Michelle.
[68:55] Michelle Faust Raghavan:
Hello. I apologize. My computer is in a strange place today. I'm going to get to as many questions as we can possibly. There are many of them. So let's just try to keep the questions as to-the-point as possible. The first question that I want to ask to the panel, and it goes back to what Sally was talking about, about this vulnerability that we take on. How does that show up in a strategic plan, in content programming and community engagement activities? And I'm going to ask that to whoever wants to jump in on the panel, including Sally, if you'd like to speak on that yourself.
Sally Kane:
How does vulnerability show up in a strategic plan?
Michelle Faust Raghavan:
Yeah, particularly like the way that you were discussing it in your presentation.
Sally Kane:
So I've been thinking about this vulnerability piece because I've seen it come up in the chat, and for myself, the personal practice that I've taken on in this work is also to do things I'm not necessarily good at, to try to do them, which was way more terrifying than it probably should have been. But there comes the perfectionism brainwash. But I think that organizations can do the same, to not be fearful of doing things that you're not familiar with or you're not necessarily good at. And a lot of strategic plans are glorified bucket lists that look at things you're already doing, and then you add another goal and a couple objectives on top of that, and you're done. And I think that the way these things can show up in strategic plans is to state boldly something you're unsure of maybe, or afraid of, or it's risky. That's how those things show up. And to me, that's at the heart of the vulnerability piece. My community of faith that I participate in has a drumming circle once a month. I've been drawn to it. I never do it, because I'm terrified that I don't know how to drum. Well, you don't know how to drum. You can still go to a drumming circle. And so challenging yourself to do that, and organizations have their versions of that.
Michelle Faust Raghavan:
Just making space in case anyone else wants to jump in.
Rima Dael:
Yeah. Michelle, I think the most important piece, and all of us have touched into this, that needs to be said as part of the strategic planning written down: Folks of color are not responsible for educating their white allies and white colleagues in any system. Right? And that emotional work that our white colleagues and allies do is also personal and separate from what and how white colleagues and allies need to show up in the workplace. Like those are three very distinct things that need to be just better articulated. So that, one, we provide a safe space for folks of color in the workplace where they can show up authentically. We can normalize code switching in the workplace, but we also give space to our white colleagues and allies who want to be allies for them to do this work on a professional way, but then separate that out from their own personal work that they need to do. I hope that all makes sense.
[72:33] Maxie Jackson:
Rima, if I can build on that real quick, I support that notion and I love what Dr. Green said about there being professionals in this space. But what I also recognize is that there's been a miseducation of the Negro. There has definitely been a miseducation of our white brothers and sisters as well. And I look at my role as being someone who can assist them in at least knowing where to look, what to read, how to define things. And I don't get tired of that work. And so when I made my statement about, study and have the endurance, it comes from a space of, I need to help them see themselves so that they can work on themselves so that we're all better off. I'm reminded of Chris Rock's comedy piece, where he said something to the effect of, you know, racism isn't going to get better because Black people get better. It's going to get better because white people get better. And so, you know, that's how I look at it.
[73:37] Michelle Faust Raghavan:
We have another question that I think was very connected to this one, and that is, what concrete calls to action or change management techniques can we take to successfully convert people who are silent allies, the quieter allies, people want to be alive but don't know how to get started, into actionable, systemic change advocates?
Rima Dael:
Read Minal’s book, the Equity book. And that's a shout out to Minal. And what I will say, as a woman of color who leads an organization, I have so much more to learn. Right? I have so much more to learn from my colleagues. I have so much more to learn for people who actually do this as important work professionally, which is different than my own expertise. So I'm going to put in the equity book link into the chat right there. But I learned from you know Minal and learned from her colleagues at Brevity and Wit for a lot of this, and that's my number one tip.
[74:53] Maxie Jackson:
Yeah. I love Minal’s work and I've had the benefit of experiencing her in action a few times. I also think it's important for us to– It's important for us to be comfortable pushing folks to be uncomfortable. And that includes ourselves, obviously, but I think it's really important that we be comfortable pushing people to extend beyond their own comfort zone, and that includes the people who work for us. And so sometimes I think it's vital for us to, if we're talking about someone who's a bit quiet or doesn't know how to do it, to make sure that they're not doing something that's performative, but actually is grounded in work that will have a tangible difference, make a tangible difference and have function. So that may not be the best answer, but I just think, you know, focusing people on work that actually has real, tangible benefit versus performative is part of the equation, too.
[76:00] Sally Kane:
I was going to totally agree with everything that's been said. And on this issue of call to action, I think we do ourselves a disservice to think of call to action as the large megaphone going out to the amorphous crowd, because call to action is also in the moment. A call to action can be to be able to say to a colleague, that was not helpful for me when you just spoke that. That is also a call to action and that needs to happen every day.
Keisha Salmon:
I'm always troubled when I hear that question because we're all in this together. So why is my white colleague not able to just answer that question or see what is needed? Because I see it. I see every moment I walk through the space. So why is that question still on the table? And that goes back to like, if you don't know the answer to that, you are not an ally yet. You're still part of the problem. And so there's a lot more work before you even get to what you can do to change anything.
Michelle Faust Raghavan:
Thank you so much. So another– we have many other questions to get to, but the one that I want to get to next is, if we can point to examples of stations that have made transparent, specific, and measurable goals. Here it says “hiring BIPOC-led firms and firms led by historically marginalized groups.” But maybe we could also talk about retention, any other things that have really been goals that have actually really worked well in the system.
Is the silence a key to [inaudible]?
[77:49] Maxie Jackson:
I can give you– I can give you a story of an effort that was extremely well intentioned and executed to perfection until the last minute when the organization said, we need to be safe about this. And a consultant came in and told them that if you do this multiethnic, racial, and cultural piece and do it the way that you said, and replace a certain bigtime morning show with it, you'll lose millions of dollars. And so they decided to bring a whole editorial team in that made it a safer proposition. I can tell you stories of missed opportunities, but I think I struggle and I think all of us struggle in finding great examples right now of organizations that are winning this battle. We're all sort of struggling to just stay above water. And I don't know how many of us are thriving.
[78:51] Michelle Faust Raghavan:
I think that that's a really important way to answer the question, Maxie, because there have been myriads of things that have been tried. But often there is that conversation of like, we know what we need to do, but we're scared of what we're going to lose. And that is what keeps us from moving forward. And Dr. Green, I see you shaking your head emphatically, so I'd like to hear your voice.
[79:17] Dr. Byron Green:
No. I'm cosigning. I’m just cosigning. I am in awe of the people that are speaking, but I just wanted to cosign on that piece.
[79:28] Michelle Faust Raghavan:
And specifically to Rima, you spoke about asset framing. I think you and I have spoken a little bit about asset framing a couple of years back.
Rima Dael:
Yep.
Michelle Faust Raghavan:
Can you talk a little bit more about stations that maybe have implemented some of this work? I mentioned in the chat for the person who asked this question, that Solutions Journalism Network is coming up with some sort of work for journalists on asset framing. But going back to Trabian Shorters as a framing for nonprofits, if you could talk about that.
Rima Dael:
So, asset framing, even before Trabian Shorters made this popularized for education and nonprofit systems as a framing, has been around specifically around international development and community development work. So, you know, way back in grad school, one of the first case studies I looked at around asset framing, and this is in the early 2000s, was when Harlem was working with Chase Manhattan Bank to bring a, not just any bodega, but an actual name brand grocery store on 125th Street in Harlem. And that's really where asset framing took, kind of, root in a lot of this work. But asset framing is really important. And it goes back to what Maxie was talking about, about who funds us. Right? And we need to be able to get funding from our communities of color to better support the work, to center the voices and stories of our broader communities. And, you know, Decolonizing Wealth just should be required reading for all of us in public media, just because it, more eloquently than I ever could, really talks about the importance of where our money comes from and how we need to shift talking about our communities based on their aspirations and desires instead of just the community problems that exist.
Michelle Faust Raghavan:
Thank you. Luis, we haven't heard from you as much in this Q&A part, so I want to give you the last word about any of the things that you'd like to say that we've discussed.
[81:50] Luis Patiño:
Yeah, I'm, you know, always learning. I think this has been fascinating, even for me. But, you know, I sort of go back to a little bit of I think Maxie touched on it and others. But really, when you think about it, even if you think about the strategic planning part of all of this, we are better through diversity. You know, I will repeat that. Like, our future, our future, whether it's fundraising, whether it's content development, whether it's board development, whether it's executives, employees, you name it. And almost every single one of our cities. Diversity is the path forward. If we don't get that right, we will cease to exist as a nonprofit. Any nonprofits you talk to, all of our fellow colleagues, whether it's the ballet, the symphony, the opera, they all have the exact same problem. They do not know how to be intentional about their outreach to our communities of color. So we need to figure it out. We need to figure it out from a fundraising point of view. We need to do a better job with the executives, with more CEOs and general managers that look like us. Our board of directors need to look like us and our funding needs to look like us, or else we're all going to be trouble.
[83:05] Michelle Faust Raghavan:
Thank you so much. This has been–
[83:07] Maxie Jackson:
Can I just add to what Luis said real quick?
[83:09] Michelle Faust Raghavan:
Very briefly.
[83:11] Maxie Jackson:
Foundations are turning us down if we don't have the right board composition. So this has become very real. And I'm glad I'm glad we're being held accountable.
[83:23] Michelle Faust Raghavan:
Okay. And now I'm passing to Vanessa because we do need to move on in the show. Thank you.
Vanessa de la Torre:
Thank you. And on behalf of Public Media for All, we want to thank our speakers again for sharing their hard earned knowledge and lessons with us about what it means to be all in, and taking intentional steps toward progress. We all heard a lot during the racial reckoning in 2020. The folks throughout the system came together and said, we need change. It's been two years, and we all know, our work is not done. When we call for public media to represent the racial and cultural diversity of our country, it's because we believe in fulfilling our public media mission. It's right there in the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967. You heard at the start of this webinar that it's in the public interest, that our programming addresses the needs of unserved and underserved audiences, especially children and minorities in this law. Diversity and excellence are intertwined. They're directly connected. And this is crucial to understand because when we talk about the future of public media, like Luis Patiño just said, diversity is at the center in every facet of public media, from programming to the composition of staff and boards to growing our membership base. We need diversity to be at the forefront of new ideas, perspectives and opportunities. As executive editor of the New England News Collaborative, I know our journalism is strongest when we diversify our news sources and our coverage, and tell more accurate, nuanced stories that ring true with the communities we're trying to serve. This is where actions speak louder than words. We need to create measurable goals and hold ourselves accountable to them. We've got to work together, every single one of us, with that public media mission in mind to push for progress. Up next, we have the presentation of the Public Media for our Development Award. And before we get to that, please take a moment to give us feedback on this day of action by using the form that will appear on your screen when the event ends, or by emailing us at contact@publicmediaforall.com.
This year we had such a strong group of nominations for the development award. So we'd like to officially recognize a runner up. Jill Clements is the assistant director of corporate support at Illinois Public Media and the runner up for this year's award. Jill has done tremendous work to engage with new communities in central Illinois and to change internal culture at IPM. Thank you for your leadership, Jill. And now last year's winner, Angie Carr at Nine PBS, will present the second annual Public Media for All Development Award.
Angie Carr:
Hello and welcome. My name is Angie Carr and I'm the Vice President and Chief Impact Officer at Nine PBS. I'm also the 2021 Public Media for All Development Professional Awardee. Equity is a core value at Nine PBS. We want to ensure that all of our community members, including our Black and brown community members, have the opportunity to thrive and be celebrated. This work, working in equity, while very tireless and thankless, it's needed. And I want each and every one of you to continue to press on, because no one else is able to do those work like public media. No one else is able to bring the power and the partnerships that public media can. So as we all march on in the years to come, know that this work is not going to happen overnight, but we need it, and our community needs it, our members need it, our donors need it, and our viewers need it. So please join me in welcoming someone else who has worked tirelessly to ensure that her community has the opportunity to thrive. Our 2022 Public Media winner is being nominated today because she has admirably led her station and is leading the IDEA initiative, including hiring more minorities, partnering with organizations that center minorities, sponsoring anti-racism and resources for staff, facilitating public dialogue about race and equity beyond our most white listeners and supporters, creating a fund designated to hire more contractors, freelancers, and temporary workers of color, high level training on anti-racism and [inaudible] for all managers and has been acknowledging systematic racism through her community. Jeanene Thompson is the 2022 Public Media for All Development Professional, and I want to congratulate her and tell her that I am so honored to work alongside her and to join all of you in making change.
Jeanene Thompson:
Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you for those wonderful words from Angie. Thank you. To the nominating committee. I am Jeanene Thompson and I work at WUNC in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Been here at the station five years, but been in the public media system for 18. So it's my honor to receive this award. And I have a few words I want to say. I'll make it brief. I know we're running close on time, but I'd like to thank everybody that has been a part of this. It's taken a team. I couldn't do it by myself. I was the chair of our committee, the IDEA committee, inclusion, diversity, equity and accountability. And we started this journey, like many of you, back in 2020, and there's still much more work to be done. So I am very pleased to accept this award. And one of the key things I think that was critical is that we came together and we realized that the station needed to do more and we wanted to make that change happen. And we did that by a letter. The six Black employees at the station crafted a letter, and then we got support from the rest of the staff members, and that led to the formation of our committee, and that is now a standing committee within the organization. And we've had some great success so far.
I would say that, this is something that I would recommend for everybody, is to take the information that you've learned today and think about how you could implement it at your organization. And one of the key things I think that was really pertinent that helped me to kind of make a lot of things happen is that we do have true allies here. Our interim GM, Nora Casper, and my boss, the underwriting manager, Bob Kastl, realized the effort that I was going to be taking by being the chair of the committee. So what they did was they actually lowered my underwriting goal. My goal had been 500,000 for the year for last fiscal year, and they lowered it down to 450. But I was able to achieve a $470,000 in revenue. So the challenge is, I kept doing my day to day job. I led the committee, I made changes at the station. But they made the sacrifice and allowed me the time to focus on it. But as many of you have heard today, this is something that is not one person's job. This should be everybody's job. So that's what I would encourage for everybody, is to think about it and just remember our mission. Thank you so much. I'm being brief because I know we're running close on time, so thank you so much.
Michelle Faust Raghavan:
Thank you all for being here. Congratulations, Jeanene. Great to see you again. On behalf of all of the Public Media for All managing committee, I just wanted to thank you for being here. Please go to our website, Public Media for All, and join us online. You can learn so much more about what we're doing and we look forward to seeing you next year.
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