You’re invited: Feb 12 Breakfast with the Morning Show staff
Come meet Aimee Allison, Brian Edwards-Tiekert, Laura Prives, Aileen Alfandary and other invited special guests next Saturday, February 12 at 10am at the North Berkeley Senior Center (MLK Jr Way @ Hearst). Join us to show your support for KPFA’s workers and get the latest news, along with coffee and pastries.
Since the KPFA Morning Show was removed from the air, listeners have generously pledged over $60,000 to rehire the hosts via SaveKPFA’s PLEDGE TO RESTORE THE MORNING SHOW . Pacifica’s management has so far rejected that offer, just as it previously rejected the Sustainable Budget drafted by KPFA staff and backed by the local board and management. That budget cut Pacifica’s bureaucracy rather than damage vital programming.
Pacifica’s executive director Arlene Engelhardt rejected the $60K in pledges on January 20. Ever since, a group of listeners, including the chair of KPFA’s local board, Margy Wilkinson, has been trying to meet with Engelhardt to urge her to reconsider. On Friday, a 7-member listener delegation arrived at Pacifica’s offices for what they believed was a pre-scheduled meeting with the executive director about the pledges. They were told by Pacifica CFO LaVarn Williams that even though Engelhardt was in the office, she would not meet. Williams then repeatedly yelled at the listener group to leave Pacifica’s offices.
“Pacifica is ignoring the voices of the vast majority of its listeners,” said Wilkinson, noting the thousands of letters, petitions and phone calls to the network. After the Morning Show breakfast on Saturday 2/12, listeners are welcome to stay for KPFA’s local board meeting.