Mic Check 1..2..1..2 / Can you hear me now?
Hey Family. Many of you know that I did a five year stint on a local public radio station connected to my alma mater - Morgan State University. I hosted a gospel music show called the Gospel Grace Early Morning Show. At different times there were various hosts and during the last 18 months or so I was the only host of the show. I loved being on the air and really enjoyed talking to so many people every Sunday morning from 5AM - 8AM. (or was it 9AM?)Â
Anyway during my last year on the air, the station positioned myself and a good sisterfriend of mine named Rev. Myisha Cherry to host a new religious public affairs program called Faith In Action. With our show we purposed to “build the bridge between belief and service.” At Myisha’s suggestion, I started this blog to serve as the online version of the show. When she suggested this, I had no idea what a blog was, but I liked the idea of conversing with our Sunday morning listeners during the week. As it turned out, Faith In Action lasted only a little more than 1 year because of managerial shifts. I, along with many others, were scrapped from the station as well, but the blog continued and eventually grew to this level because I had no other creative outlet. So thank Rev. Myisha Cherry and a certain public radio station for the Faith in Action Online Blog as you know it today.
Ok Heber - why the history lesson? Good question.
It appears that some things really do come right back on around again. I am pleased to let you know that I am back on the radio in Baltimore! I was first invited to be a co-host on 1010AM’s Pause for the Cause Radio Show. The host of the show, Deacon K, had me on first as a guest and eventually extended the invitation to me to join them on the air on a regular basis. I graciously accepted the offer. Then, soon after Baltimore’s Jena 6 experience I received a call from Sen. Larry Young - host of the Larry Young Morning Show on 1010AM (talk radio). He wanted myself and Minister Farajii Muhammad to join him for the last hour of his show on Friday mornings (9AM - 10AM). I’ve been back on the air for about a month now and have really enjoyed myself and appreciate the opportunity. Talk Radio really is exciting and demands that I think fast and read everything that comes across my face. It is also an amazing platform to educate, inspire, and mobilize people on important issues. For example, the first time I was on the Pause for the Cause Radio Show about a month and a half ago, I challenged men to mentor young males in our community. As a result, men picked up the phone, got to me offline and this SaturdayI’m joining 4 other brothers in starting mentoring sessions at the Charles Hickey School (a Department of Juvenile Services facility for incarcerated young men). That’s the power of Talk Radio - especially in the Black community.
 So here’s the run down of when I’m on the air in Baltimore. I invite you to tune in and listen. (Hopefully, the station will have online streaming soon so that those outside of the Baltimore area can take a listen as well.)
I’m on the Larry Young Morning Show / 1010AM every Friday morning from 9AM - 10AMwith the Coach and Minister Farajii Muhammad.
I’m on the Pause for the Cause Radio Show every other Thursday from 1:30PM - 2:30PM. The next time I will be on the show is Thursday, November 8, 2007.Â
ALL GLORY TO GOD FOR THIS - ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE MY GOD AND THE COMMUNITY!
November 2nd, 2007 at 8:11 am
Good for you. Keep pumping the positive as Bob Marley would say. I don’t live in Baltimore anymore, so I hope the station does get the online streaming asap. I’m able to listen to WOL in Washington DC online. Your blog Faith In Action has helped me stay in tune with what is going on in Baltimore, thank you for that. I would like to share with you and others a thought from a comrade of mine about National Black Out Day.
HARD TRUTH
by Min. J. Kojo Livingston
http://www.destinyone.org
Okay, it’s probably just me.
So someone please explain to me the benefit of including Black businesses in the Nov. 2 national boycott announced by certain leaders.
Since no one I know was in on the process of making this decision and it has not been explained in the e-mails I’ve received, I can’t, in principle, unite with this aspect of the effort.
Black people have already been boycotting our own businesses since integration started, do they really need to be punished more…and on a PAYDAY?
Unless there is some higher explanation that I have missed, this is another example of re-active, immature thinking that does not take into account the effects of an action on our own people. One e-mail said the boycott was for 3 days. Most of our businesses can’t handle that much desertion and don’t deserve it.
I would like to propose to our people that we stop with the knee-jerk behavior and begin to think through strategies like people who are responsible for their collective destiny.
This would be a great time to ‘express collective outrage’ while building the economy of our own community. It would also be a great dress rehearsal for the day after Thanksgiving, when Black people ball our money up and throw it at white-owned companies. We’ve got to think more responsibly and more long term in the things we mobilize our masses to do. We’ve got to get the most of each effort.
I’m probably the only one who thinks there should be some clear objectives, demands or policy targets for the boycott also. Or a follow up strategy. Or a way of determining the effectiveness of the action.
As for me, unless offered some rational explanation, I will only purchase from Black-owned (not operated-owned), businesses on Black Out Day(s). After that I will continue to reduce my spending with other groups.
All Respect,
All Love
Brother Kojo