Juneteenth: Important Historical Details
After much discussion, Congress passed legislation to establish Juneteenth as a national holiday. President Joe Biden signed the bill on June 17, 2021.
This KBCS audio excerpt explores important details about Juneteenth and what happened on June 19, 1865.
KBCS’s Kevin Henry speaks with Kwami Abdul-Bey a Co-convener of the Arkansas Peace and Justice Memorial Movement and a Trustee of the Arkansas Historical Association.
Behind the Lens at the Nation’s Capitol: January 6 2021
Since 2015, local photographer, Nate Gowdy has been working on a personal project to document the Trump era’s political campaigns and culture. On January 6, 2021, he was in Washington DC to document the atmosphere around the Congressional confirmation of electoral votes for Rolling Stone. The day was interrupted by a mob attack on the country’s capitol building. Gowdy shared his experiences with KBCS’s Yuko Kodama within a week after the event.
A Message From Our GM – Dana Buckingham
With just a little over a month remaining in this fiscal year we are spending a lot of time these days on budgeting priorities for the next fiscal year while balancing the books on this fiscal year. This marks the second consecutive year of ending the fiscal year with a balanced budget without the need for additional college support.
Fiscal solvency is critical to our survival as an independent nonprofit community radio station. Even during the years with a robust national economy, raising all the funding that we need to operate KBCS in the black takes a lot of coordinated effort, dogged determination, and sacrifices. Our fundraising efforts become even more difficult when faced with economic uncertainties brought on by rising inflation, a volatile stock market, and national midterm election in a heavily polarized and volatile political environment.
I don’t have crystal ball to predict how these unsettling economic and political uncertainties will impact our fundraising over the next fiscal year, but it is my job to plan for the worst-case scenario and hope for the best. What I do know is that there is a great deal of community support for our long democratic tradition of providing community-based programing that extends across all social, political, and economic demographics. I also know that our listeners and supporters across the Puget Sound region and online around the world, understand how nonprofit radio works.
During the uncertain economic times that lie ahead we need those who can afford to give a little more to step forward to help offset those who may not be able to donate at the same giving level as they normally do.
For our part, you can count on us to trim our expenses to live within our means and find new ways to run a leaner and more efficient operation without sacrificing the unique character and quality of our community-based programming. Our goal is to do more with less through the implementation of advanced broadcast technologies that we invested in last year thanks to a generous infrastructure grant through the American Recovery Act plan.
We will also focus our efforts in the new fiscal year on adding even more diversity to our community-based programming by actively recruiting new community volunteers to produce and host original and creative programming that informs, educates, and entertains as we celebrate our Golden Anniversary in 2023 of fifty years of broadcasting here in our beautiful corner of the world.
Thank you for your continued support of Community Radio KBCS.
Dana Lee Buckingham
General Manager and Proud Sustaining Contributor to Community Radio KBCS
KBCS Bids a Fond Farewell to Larry Lewin
For over three decades, KBCS DJ, Larry Lewin, chronicled a history of recorded folk music. Each week was a fresh page. Now the book is complete. On May 28th, Larry will step aside from Our Saturday Tradition, the Saturday morning folk music program he has hosted since 1988.
“Larry is exactly as you hear him, genuine, humble, warm—devoted to the music and the craft. He never misses an opportunity to learn and grow or to contribute toward the greater good. It’s difficult to imagine KBCS without his gentle, steadfast presence.” – Patrick Whalen, KBCS Program Director
A native New Jersey, Larry moved to Seattle in his 20s and embarked on a long career as a Boeing engineer, where he was involved in developing state-of-the-art fighter jets.
Drawn to KBCS by his long time interest in folk music he soon earned a slot on air. KBCS listeners have spent many a Saturday morning with Larry, his forthright and enthusiastic presence a reliable touchstone.
“It is bittersweet to see Larry move on. His work over the last 30-plus years provided us all with solace, comfort and enjoyment. He epitomizes the best of the Seattle folk scene and the values of Northwest Folklife. Thank you, Larry!” – Benjamin Hunter; musician, Creative Cultural Advocate, Artistic Director of Northwest Folklife.
Behind the scenes, Larry devoted countless hours to preparation, dutifully listening to every new release, taking careful notes, and scouring the vast KBCS folk CD library for songs living deep in his memory. There is a hand-written playlist for every show, filed carefully within an ever-growing set of three ring binders.
“Larry’s dedication is unsurpassed, especially when entering the brave new world of producing remote radio during the pandemic. With over three decades of hosting folk shows on KBCS, he is a trove of knowledge of all kinds of folk music. But putting together a good show takes so much more than just knowledge alone; it’s Larry’s taste in carefully choosing selections that made his shows filled with ‘sweet sounds.’” Thank you, Larry, for all your years of bringing us great music!” – Jean Geiger, KBCS Folksounds host/producer
Please join us in celebrating Larry Lewin.
Notes of appreciation may be sent to dj@kbcs.fm or KBCS, ATTN Larry Lewin, 3000 Landerholm Circle SE, Bellevue WA 98007
Traumatic Effects of the Buffalo Mass Shooting
KBCS reporter, Kevin P. Henry interviewed two, local, Black mental health counselors. They discuss how Black communities and communities of color can be emotionally impacted and traumatized in hearing about these racially motivated incidents. Find out how this may play out among friendships and co-workers, and some suggestions on how to help. (more…)
KBCS Welcomes New Intern – Zoe Embler
You might say public radio is in the Embler blood, once upon a time, Zoe’s father Robert Embler was a host and producer for Tennessee stations WDXN 54FM and WAMB 1160AM/98.7FM. Zoe listened to local NPR affiliate station WPLN 90.3FM at least once a day throughout her childhood and still tries to tune in when she can via the magic of online streaming.
The Green Book Exhibit
The Washington State Historical Society hosts the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibit of the Negro Motorist Green Book Exhibit in partnership with the Black Historical Society of Washington State
The Black Historical Society of Washington State and Washington State Historical Museum hosts an Author Talk and Book Signing with Candacy Taylor, Leading Green Book Scholar and Cultural Documentarian accompanied by the African American Writers Alliance on May 19, 6-8 pm.
The interview announced an event to come at Wa Na Wari centered around the Green Book in Washington State. You can for that on their site for information on upcoming events.
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women 3 – A Story of a Missing Mother
Carolyn DeFord is an enrolled Puyallup member and is from Nisqually and Cowlitz descendants. Her mother, Leona Lee Clare Kinsey has been missing for over 20 years. DeFord shares what she’s come away with from this tragedy with KBCS’s Yuko Kodama (more…)
Muslimahs Against Abuse Center
MAAC or Muslimahs Against Abuse Center is an organization dedicated to assisting victims of gender based violence. Listen in on how this group can fill in spaces for those in need in our community.
Other leaders to assist people who are going through domestic abuse are Somali Family Safety Task Force in Seattle’s Rainier Valley and Mother Africa in Kent.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, you can call, chat and text the National Domestic Violence Hotline 800.799.SAFE (7233).
Producer: Firdous Khezrian (Special thanks to the South Seattle Emerald for inspiration for this story)
Photo: courtesy of Rahma Rashid
Bellevue College Earth Week: Conversations about the Climate Crisis
Bellevue College is hosting a series of Earth Week events. One of them takes place this Saturday at (10 am to 12:30 pm).
Bellevue College retired faculty member, Kent Short will discuss how climate change impacts local outdoor enthusiasts. Then, Bellevue College Emerita Wendy Pickering will facilitate a discussion on how to talk constructively about climate change with our friends and loved ones.
Bellevue College hosts Earth Week: Below are events that students and the public can register for.
