GrassrootsKPFK: Aryana Gladney

Aryana Gladney of the Black Riders Liberation Party is running with GrassrootsKPFK for the LSB because, as a poor working mother and South Central LA community advocate of liberation for Black people and all people, I bring an important under-represented voice into governance of the station and network. As a young mother who has struggled to raise my son as a conscious African and provide him with a meaningful education and a better future, I know how important alternative voices and means of communication can be.

I want the LSB to get involved in outreach to listener members and attracting new listeners, particularly from poor communities that are facing survival issues. This will help build a stronger and broader base for the station, and help Pacifica fulfill its mission of identifying and helping resolve the causes of conflict. KPFK needs to air programming of greater interest and relevance to the community, especially the poor community whose needs are not being addressed by the system. I am someone who has a strong commitment to justice and social change, and knows the sacrifices that must be made to achieve it. I’m a member of the Black Riders Liberation Party, a group whose members put their lives on the line every day to struggle for peace among youth from different sets on the street, or confronting police abuse. I have faced political imprisonment by this repressive system because of my political views and emerged even stronger in my commitment.

The station should increase its joint activities with grassroots publications in LA’s diverse communities, and also sponsor more activities in those communities, as well as airing views from people in the ‘hood, including remote broadcasts. If the station had more meaningful programming about survival issues and coverage of how people in the communities are solving their problems, it would motivate more giving by listeners. The station could also do more joint fundraising activities and cultural events with grassroots community groups. This might also attract more financial support from cultural figures and artists popular with young people.

I have experience in grassroots community organizing, project coordination, and in conflict resolution, particularly with young people involved in street organizations. I have worked for a number of non-profit organizations, such as Peace Action. I have helped build Black-Brown unity, such as in fighting the Minute-klan and the Nazis, and worked in many grassroots coalitions around prison issues, police abuse, and political prisoners. Through the Black Riders, I have been involved in establishing many community-based survival programs, including the George son Freedom School summer after-school program, court watch, prison visitation and other similar projects. Those are the kinds of issues and efforts that the station needs to report to give people a sense of how we can deal with the current crisis of the economy, the environment and the political system. I support the GrassrootsKPFK principles and urge you to vote for the other members of the slate as well. Contact me by clicking here.

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Q & A

Why do you want to be on the Local Station Board (LSB)?

I want to be on the Board because of my involvement in the community I come from in South Central LA. If I am on the Board I feel I can have more influence in getting people from my community listening to and involved in the station, and being exposed to listening to more conscious radio that deals with issues happening in the community and social and political struggles.

How do you envision the LSB working with the Pacifica Foundation, staff and listener members?

I want the LSB to get involved in outreach to listener members and attracting new listeners, particularly from poor communities that are facing survival issues. This will help build a stronger and broader base for the station, provide important feedback and input to the staff, and help the Pacifica Foundation fulfill its mission of identifying and helping resolve the causes of conflict.

How can your station better serve the community? Please define community.

KPFK needs to air programming of greater interest and relevance to the community, especially as I said the poor community whose needs are not being addressed by the system. The community is people who live together or work together and share similar culture, conditions and circumstances.

Describe some actions you would take to increase the influence of the station in underrepresented communities and to increase the diversity of the listening audience.

The station could increase joint activities with grassroots publications in LA’s diverse communities, and also sponsor more activities in those communities, as well as airing views from people in the ‘hood, including remote broadcasts.

What sources of funding, other than listener donations, do you feel your station should solicit? Do you have any ideas with respect to improving the current funding mechanisms?

If the station had more meaningful programming about survival issues and coverage of how people in the communities are solving their problems, it would motivate more giving by listeners. The station could also do more joint fundraising activities and cultural events with grassroots community groups. This might also attract more financial support from cultural figures and artists popular with young people.

Please state briefly the skills, experience, educational background, work history, organizational affiliations, areas of community service, areas of interest and expertise that you would bring to the Pacifica network as a member of the Local Station Board.

My skills are in grassroots community organizing, project coordination, and in conflict resolution, particularly with young people involved in street organizations. I have worked for a number of non-profit organizations, such as Peace Action. I have helped build Black-Brown unity and worked in many grassroots coalitions around prison issues, police abuse, and political prisoners. I have faced political repression and maintained a steadfast commitment to justice.

On which Local Station Board committees are you interested in actively serving? If you are a current Local Station Board member, on which committees do you currently serve?

I am most interested in the Outreach Committee but am also willing to serve on others as necessary.

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