Name:

Ahjamu Makalani

Expertise:

Endorsements:

Statement:

My name is Ahjamu Makalani, I’m vice chair for the California Democratic Party Progressive Caucus, and 1st vice chair for San Bernardino Central Committee, a member of Progressive Democrats of Los Angeles, Black Racial Congress and member of the Committee of Correspondence. I’m running for KPFK local station board, James Madison once said,

“A popular Government without popular information or the means of acquiring it is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy or perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own Governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives.”

I believe this dictum lucidly makes known the significance of a well informed populous. How we come to know and interpret our milieu derives from the information communicated through our institutions of communication. These institutions, may they be print, audio and visual, are vastly under the control of a diminutive sector of the American populous. Their outlooks on domestic and international affairs are inculcated into our thought processes thus become our perception of reality. We, the rowdy masses, must have a media that counters the current mainstream corporate dominated media, my candidacy for KPFK local station board is about carrying on what I.F Stone said,

“To afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted”.

As a delegate I will work diligently to ensure that KPFK lives up to its philosophical mission and provides news that will inform, educate and engage the public to think about the essence of community and to involve them in the public civic discourse.
Furthermore, I will continue to work to make KPFK reflective of the great diversity and ethic and racial composition of Southern California population and provide news and information that speaks to issues that are communities specific and in a linguistic format they can understand. Carter G. Woodson wrote in his, Book Mis- Education of the Negro,

"When you control a man’s thinking you do not have to worry about his action. You do not tell him not to stand here or go yonder. He will find his proper place and will stay in it. You do not need to send him to the back door. He will go without being told. In fact, if there is no door, he will cut one for his special benefit”.

As a delegate, I will ensure that information disseminated from KPFK will be informative and thought provoking, will not condition one to react and will be free of derogatory language and speech that will appeal to the prurient interest and that incites hate for a given community and people.