• Audio Statement: Download or Stream to Media Player (mp3 format)
• Nomination Statement
• Candidate Questionnaire

Hello! I am Ernesto "Tico" Chacin. I am 35, and live in San Pablo, near Richmond. I work for a local, grassroots non-profit providing outdoor experiences to "at-risk" youth and their families. I have worked for non-profits for 5 years as an advocate, teacher and outdoor educator. I've had the privilege of interacting with thousands of young people and work to play a mindful, positive role in their lives. Working with young people, I've gained considerable skill in mediating disputes, and in honoring individual dignity and spreading respect.

I was born in Caracas, Venezuela, a bi-racial dual-citizen. My parents, both revolutionaries, were in the anti-imperialist guerrilla movement, and named me after "Che" Guevara. Following my first birthday, my parents' revolutionary activities got them both into serious trouble. My mother was arrested, tortured, and deported. My uncle brought me to the States because my father had gone underground, and my mother and I moved to L.A. where I grew up. Political action and a desire for justice and universal freedom have always played a central role in my life.

I am running for the Local Station Board because I love KPFA! I need to hear the truth and know what's going on behind closed doors, here and in the far corners of our global village. Truth is practically my religion. KPFA, the birthplace of community radio, stands apart in a world where lies are taught in school and dropped on innocents like bombs. Now more than ever, truth remains priceless. The Pacifica founders understood this. As pacifists, they built KPFA because diverse voices and access to different points of view are essential building blocks of peace. Now more than ever, information unshackled by commercial considerations is needed to preserve justice and freedom. Pacifica is meant to be the antidote to unilateral perspectives.

Despite its grave responsibility and its leadership role in independent media, KPFA is virtually on autopilot. Factions battle for "control" of the LSB, while KPFA's interim General Manager, it's 4th in 8 years, awaits a consensus that would permit a permanent General Manager to be hired, and allow her to return full time to her original, vital task of fundraising. The station operates without a Program Director. Attacks on staff and internal conflicts view have rendered the current LSB incapable of solving this potentially disastrous situation.

When I learned of the situation at KPFA, I joined the Coalition of Concerned Listeners for KPFA. Constructive steps and teamwork are desperately needed to empower KPFA's management, staff and volunteers, and I want to be part of the solution. We must ensure 94.1 FM remains synonymous with excellence, expands its audience, and embraces new technologies.

I am proud that my candidacy is personally endorsed by State Assemblymember Jackie Goldberg, Berkeley City Councilmember Darryl Moore and KPFA's official historian, Mathew Lasar. I am honored to be on a slate ratified by such heroes as Angela Davis and Kevin Danaher. See www.kpfalisteners.org for more information on our slate, platform, action plans, and endorsers.

1. Why do you want to be on the Local Station Board?

Since I moved to the Bay Area in 1998, KPFA has fueled my efforts to make a difference in the world, and has kept me connected to world events and local communities in times when I have had to focus almost exclusively on my work. KPFA validates my worldview and lets me know that I am not alone, that other people care as much as I do about the fate of humanity. I believe wholeheartedly in KPFA's mission, and feel blessed to live within its signal range. I want to ensure that KPFA remains a viable alternative to the commercial and corporate media for future generations. I want to held build consensus on the Local Station Board to help make the important decisions at the board level that will empower KPFA's management, staff and volunteers to continue producing top notch radio programming.

2. How do you envision the Local Station Board working with the Pacifica Foundation, KPFA and the community?

I envision a Local Station Board that makes decisions carefully balancing the needs and interests of KPFA's current listeners while looking towards the future and reaching out to potential listeners. The LSB should support and inspire station management, staff and volunteers. At each step of the way the LSB should serve to make sure that KPFA takes steps that are congruent with the mission of Pacifica. LSB members should reach out to listeners and be sensitive to their needs and concerns, and help build strong communities. The Board must carefully undertake financial oversight and maintain fiscal responsibility in directing station operations. The board should support and improve the performance of the station manager, but avoid overbearing and second guessing individual decisions. I believe the Board should have an uplifting influence with management and staff, and set an example by cooperating and collaborating selflessly to serve KPFA listeners.

3. How can the station better serve its listeners?

KPFA can better serve it's listeners by being more listener focused. KPFA must always actively seek listener feedback and be sensitive to listener opinions, carefully balancing them in modifications to existing programming and schedules. KPFA needs to understand and address the feelings of "former listeners" who have drifted away because they felt alienated or underserved by KPFA programming. KPFA needs mechanisms to understand the interests and needs of potential listeners, and craft outreach strategies to grow the listener base.

KPFA needs to utilize its standing in the community and alternative media to aggressively embrace the possibilities and audiences available through new technologies. Internet broadcasting, podcasts, live streams, online archiving and additional content are examples of how KPFA can offer listeners more information and go beyond the limitations of the 168 hour broadcast week. The KPFA apprenticeship programs do an excellent job of empowering new voices and training radio professionals. These programs should be expanded to train more young people, and to train people in the new technologies available to the alternative media.

KPFA needs to develop ways to more effectively utilize the KPFA Archives and unleash the wealth of recordings in an economically sustainable way.

4. Describe some actions you would take to increase the influence of the station in underrepresented communities and to increase the diversity of the listener audience?

I have experience in community outreach and promotion campaigns in underserved communities, both here in California and in Latin America. I would apply my experience working with young people, people of color, and immigrant communities in service on the LSB Outreach Committee.

I intend to work on the Outreach Committee to sponsor as many listener & community forums, throughout KPFA's signal coverage. As a listener I have always promoted KPFA programs to my friends, colleagues, and people I meet on the street. As a Local Station Board member I will support and promote the station and its programs in the community, as well as actively seek out feedback from listeners.

I believe that the mainstream media misinforms and entertains it's audiences into a state of complacency. I believe it is my duty as a citizen of the United States and human being to encourage and facilitate people's access to independent and non-commercial media to ensure the survival of humanity.

5. What source of funding, other than listener donations, do you feel KPFA should solicit?

I feel that it is important that KPFA use its established name and standing in the community to raise funds from listeners through more and different types of fundraising and community events. I feel that KPFA should more aggressively use and expand KPFA name recognition by raising funds through selling tasteful, sweatshop free, KPFA 94.1 Free Speech Radio logo gear and merchandise.

I believe that grants and foundation money should be pursued aggressively and VERY carefully. Grants should not be relied upon for basic budgetary needs and must not interfere with KPFA's independent, and listener supported and listener focused character.

6. Please state briefly the skills, experience, educational background, work history, organizational affiliations, areas of community service, and areas of interest and expertise that you would bring to the Pacifica network as a member of the Local Station Board.

I've lived and worked successfully and harmoniously with people from a wide range of backgrounds and points of view over the last 20 years. I've worked in rustic field settings and boardrooms, in different "kinds" of communities, as a farmer and teacher, salesperson and administrator. I am fully English/Spanish bilingual and am a professional interpreter and translator. I am comfortable working with urbane sophisticates, urban youth, and simple humble country folk. I have experience negotiating contracts, hiring and management, planning and program development. I have a wide range of business experience including making presentations, creating reports and promotional materials and conducting market research.

I have 5 years of experience helping young people resolve conflicts and facilitating positive communications and fostering fulfilling interactions. I love building bridges between people that think they have nothing in common, and helping groups find common ground. I have experience and talent for making management decisions balancing sustainability, efficiency and human realities.

My experience and understanding of finance and accounting began during my undergraduate study in business economics at UC Santa Cruz, and grew through 5 years as an entrepreneur and business manager in Panama. I've gained experience and understanding of how non-profit organizations work in line and leadership roles here in the Bay Area and can deal equally well with business realities and idealistic personalities.

7. Do you anticipate missing any Local Station Board meetings due to family or job related problems?

I do not foresee missing any meetings of the KPFA Local Station Board for family or job related problems.

8. On which Local Station Board Committees are you interested in actively serving?

I am interested in actively serving as a member of the Finance Committee, the Outreach Committee and Website Subcommittee, as well as the Technology Development Committee.