As all dedicated readers of the Cricky Chronicles know, both Kevin and I are consummate and avid public radio listeners--if you've recently stumbled upon our little blog and hadn't a clue about that, welcome to the insider loop! Our devotion stems from the fact that we are constantly and happily stupefied on a daily basis by the amazing quality of in-depth news and discussions broadcast on the airwaves and on the mighty Internets™ by publicly funded stations as they tackle challenging issues that barely register on the radar of mainstream media. And when these topics are taken up by the not-so Clear Channel News the coverage is often so shoddy, so sensationalist and/or so rife with vitriol that it becomes a highly impotent combination of the pointless and ignorant. You call that journalism? Ha!
In a prime example of the important work done by public radio stations, WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio began airing its 7-day long Project Milwaukee: Black and White series last Thursday, presenting stories, interviews and conversations about race relations in Miltown during the Morning Edition, Lake Effect and All Things Considered time slots. They even hosted a standing room only public forum last night at the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory--that's The Domes to you and me. Well, boy howdy, thank you! Let's give it up for WUWM, people!
Plenty of great pieces have been produced for this series and all are or soon will be available for your eager-to-learn ears here, but I'm gonna point ya to some that really stand out. Also, they have an artsy lean to 'em and that's somethin' we can all groove to, right? Right on.
First on my must-listen list is Recollections of Life in Bronzeville, a story that profiles 80 year old Sylvester Sims. In the piece, Sims talks about growing up in the Milwaukee's old 6th Ward--peeps in the know call it Bronzeville--and the discrimination he faced in general and as a young, budding African American artist in school. Despite these challenges, Sims has lived a long life as a gifted and accomplished painter/illustrator with a remarkable portfolio. Be sure to check out the slide show of his work on WUWM's Flickr photostream.
My next pick is Racial Divides in Music, a Lake Effect interview with Laura Snyder, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra (MSO) double bassist, and Bruce Cole, Development Librarian for the Jean Cujé Milwaukee Music Collection at Marquette University and player of the skins. Both share vivid memories and valuable insights into the racial schism that still sadly exists in the varied and vast music scene. Snyder and Cole have an easy conversational chemistry, making for a very interesting interview.
Coming in at #3 is Diversifying the Future of the Ad & Design World, an interview with our good bud Jonathan Gundlach--Whoot!-and his fellow OnRamper Temo Xopin that aired this morning. Cricky posted a profile of OnRamp last week on this here bloggity blog, giving y'all the scoop on the program that's doin' its damnedest to bring more minorities into the commercial creative industry.
And my final selection--drum roll, please--is by far the most honest and most engaging of all the pieces in the series: Segregation in Milwaukee's Visual Arts World. Featuring the fantastically outspoken Della Wells, founder of African-American Artists Beginning to Educate Americans About African-American Art (ABEA) and board member of the Museum of Wisconsin Art in West Bend, the enormously talented artist and muralist Reynaldo Hernandez, and Dr. Walter Sava, Executive Director of the Latino Historical Society of Wisconsin, this is one conversation you don't wanna miss, kids! To the predominantly white leaders of the large and medium arts institutions, organizations and foundations, you need to listen to this discussion--and I mean really listen--because this is the naked truth, people, bringing you the message that if you continue to operate in an ego-filled delusion that you hold all the cards you will find yourselves in a desolate land, left abandoned by minority artists and those of us who stand with them, and that will be a very, very cold place indeed.
Okay, so, some mighty good stuff on WUWM, eh? The only criticism I have to offer has to do with the choice of using the words "Black and White" in the title as the series clearly and rightly covers race-related issues across the spectrum, including Latinos, Asian Americans and Native Americans. Can it be that even the super smart folks of the shiny world of public radio haven't yet gotten the memo that using such definitive language excludes members of other races who have a vested interest and long history in this community and this nation? Go figure.
I don't wanna browbeat the good folks at the station too much over this 'cause I really do love and appreciate their work, but it was a poor decision and the negative consequences of choosing to use language that is not well thought-out, particularly in the name of an otherwise inclusive and worthy project, leaves many to wonder if they have a place at the table or if they should even bother to listen. The name of anything--whether it be a business, a product, a service, a blog, or a community project--is your first communication with the world and that moment of connection should not be wasted.
The best illustration of the negative perceptual impact this type of language choice can have comes in the words penned by author Richard Rodriguez in his book Days of Obligation: An Argument with My Mexican Father:
Point beautifully and powerfully made, sir.
'Nuf said? Okay then, I give ample kudos to WUWM! Thanks for all you do to keep our brains from turning to mush.
Related:
OnRamp to Diversity
Not Just Another Art Panel Discussion
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