DISCLAIMER: Opinions and facts alleged in the Candidate Statements belong to the author of the statement only and should not be assumed to be true or to reflect the editorial stance or policy of the Pacifica Foundation or the opinions of its management, Pacifica National Board, station staff.or other listener members.
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Contact Samsarah Morgan
Listener Candidate for the KPFA Local Station Board
Statement
I am a mother and grandmother and resident of Oakland for 24 years. I love this city and have always grieved the reality of the chronic misgovernance of Oakland and how this consistently threatens to render this city an unsafe and unappealing place to raise children.
I am a holistic health provider and a community midwife. I am focused on serving in any way that creates not only the possibility of financial prosperity for the citizens of Oakland but emotional, spiritual, and psychological prosperity as well. Healthy and happy adults results in a greater possibility for safety and the flowering of well being for children.
I am a skilled mediator and counselor a gift which has stood me in good stead in many environments.
I have since last year, been deeply involved with the Occupy Movement in Oakland and in that capacity have been the founder of two committees, and sit on 3 others. I am one of the founders of Occupy Oakland Children's Village, the area for children and families that existed as part of the Oakland encampment. Occupy Oakland was the first of our national encampments that had a program or space for families to come and find out about the movement and into which children had as safe a space that could be provided in the face of the illegal and criminal policies and decisions of our government.
I would like to assist KPFA in anyway possible. I am aware that the organization has long standing challenges which have plagued it over recent years. And although I have certainly heard bits and pieces of the various facts and opinions about this to have largely remained out of the fray. This, I feel is an asset of my candidacy. My focus will be in what best serves the community served by their public radio station. My work in the natural birth community as well as the Occupy movement has well educated me in how very important is the free and unedited flow of information to the people is. It is a tragedy for that flow to be hindered by infighting of any kind.
My focus and desire is also to educate and welcome people of color, women and younger people and provide mentorship for KPFA membership and service in the future.
I would like to do what I can to reach out to those who are tempted to check out of what is perceived by them to be mainstream processes altogether and prevent the loss of the energy of such individuals.
Bottom line I look forward to bringing a fresh new set of eyes to KPFA, and strong desire for community service as well as a commitment to sow the seeds for continued community engagement into the future.
I thank you for reading this letter and considering me for service.
Answers to Candidate Questionnaire
1. In what ways is your station moving in a positive direction, that you would want to continue or perhaps improve?
  I would like to investigate possible avenues to reach out to communities of color, women and children. With the intention of having them feel a sens of ownership in their local public radio station - far too many youth don't even know that KPFA exists! That has to change!
2. In what ways is your station moving in a negative direction, that you would want to stop or change? What changes would you work for?
  Its been my experience that most of the community conversations re KPFA - center on internal conflicts - many are simply shut down and want the noise to stop.

I would like the first reaction of the community to talk of KPFA to be a smile rather than a frown!
3. What key experience, connections, skills or traits would you bring to the Local Station Board to advance the station’s mission?
  I am a skilled meditation and facilitator - I am am excellent and out going communicator, with a proven facility to build bridges between people. I am fiercely devoted to the children and families of the Bay Area, and seek to advocate for them and their interest in all of the areas of public service in which I am involved.
4. What ideas do you have for helping the station and the Pacifica Foundation meet the financial challenges currently being faced?
  I look forwrad to being more closely involved with the running of KPFA, I feel that this will give me the information I need to answer this question fully.

Over all, i will say that its time to start looking out side the box in the area of financing- the days of going hat in hand to corporations has to end. The public needs to be encouraged to have more agency with public media - and to support it in allways and with all manner of equity...
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