LSB candidate questionnaire
Wellington Echegaray (long-time Ecuadoran labor and solidarity activist)
Wellington Echegaray
Contact me at: wellington@justiceunity.org, 212-591-2111
1. Why do you wish to serve on the Local Station Board?
I would be very proud to be a member of the Local Station Board of WBAI, because WBAI responds to the political, social, and cultural needs of the people. I am especially proud to run for the board as part of the Justice and Unity slate, because all of us share a strong commitment to keep WBAI focused on covering those issues and making sure all the oppressed communities have their own voice. Pacifica Radio provides comprehensive coverage of many struggles against capitalism and in favor of democracy in places like Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Nicaragua, as well as throughout the rest of the world. It is the only radio station that takes a strong stand on human rights, immigrants’ rights, health care, housing, police misconduct, and social and economic inequities. As a Latino living in the New York City area, I would like to contribute by reaching out to help bring more Latino voices onto the air, and to increase involvement of the Latino community with the station. I ask you to vote for all 8 of our candidates – you can find the list and more information at www.justiceunity.org.
2. What skills, qualifications and experience would you bring to the board?
Over the years, I have had the opportunity to organize around various social and political issues. I’m a peaceful person, a good listener and organizer, and love working cooperatively in groups. I’m active in the community, and in my 30 years of serving the community, I have learned how to listen to people’s needs, organize short- and long-term goals, and empower our community. In particular, my experience as chair of the Centro de Educación de Trabajadores (Workers’ Education Center, CET), which serves many types of people, has given me very good skills in working with diverse groups of people in a respectful way. In addition, my experience as an immigrant from Latin America, a worker and a union member has given me a strong perspective on the issues and needs facing the many people in our area who are in those categories. For many years, I have taught Spanish as a second language, as well as electricity and math. Since 1982, I've worked as an electrician for various contractors and have been a member of IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers), Local 3.
3. What can be done to improve the dynamics and effectiveness of the Local Station Board?
If I’m elected, I will be positive and help to coordinate in the most democratic way. Being able to listen to everybody, I will encourage my fellow board members to stick to the point, so that the Board can accomplish more.
4. What LSB committees would you like to join? What Pacifica National Board committees?
I would especially like to join the Membership, Outreach, and Fundraising Committee at WBAI. I would like to wait until I have more experience on the Local Station Board before choosing a Pacifica National Board Committee to serve on.
5. Would you be interested in serving on the Pacifica National Board, and why?
At present, I would like to focus on the Local Station Board. This will give me an opportunity to familiarize myself with the work of the Pacifica National Board before deciding whether I would like to serve on it.
6. How do you view the dynamics between the Pacifica network and local station autonomy?
I think that we should have a relationship of mutual respect with the Pacifica network. We should be willing to work harmoniously with them, but at the same time keep our local autonomy.
7. How should the Pacifica Foundation find a wider audience?
There are many ways that Pacifica can find a wider audience, particularly by doing different forms of outreach in all communities. Specifically, I would like to work on building the audience within the Latino community, and with building Latino involvement with the station.
8. What can be done to preserve and share the treasures of the Pacifica Archives?
This is a problem that mainly requires money, since the archives which are on tape need to be preserved. There should be continued fundraising for digitizing the archives, and we should be promoting the material in the archives as much as possible.
9. Do you have any ideas for new approaches to fundraising for Pacifica?
In working with the Membership, Outreach and Fundraising Committee, I hope to be inspired to help come up with new ideas for fundraising. I understand that many people at the station and on the board are working very hard on new fundraising ideas, and I am very willing to help develop new fundraising ideas.
10. How do you view Pacifica’s potential in providing internet content?
Pacifica should be exploring every way it can to increase all the services it provides on the Internet. This is the way we will be able to build a national and even an international audience.
11. What technologies should the Pacifica Foundation consider for the future?
We should consider all new technologies for broadcasting WBAI to as many people as possible, but we should use sound judgment and think very carefully about the best new technologies for us.
12. What can be done to improve our signal strength?
I believe that the signal strength of WBAI is very good. Of course, anything we can to do improve it will be a plus. Of course, this is something for experts, but if my background as an electrician is helpful in working on this area, I will be glad to contribute.
13. Should the station consider relocating the studio to other facilities? Where and Why?
I think the station is paying too much rent on Wall Street. We should look for a new home for the studio, preferably in a community that can appreciate what WBAI does for its listeners. Justice & Unity is ready to work on a capital campaign, and I will be very happy to be involved in the search for a new home. We should especially be looking to buy a new studio space.
14. How can our station better serve under-represented communities?
The station can serve underrepresented communities better by reaching out to them and going to them to ask their opinions about what issues concern them. There should be town hall meetings in different areas, and station representatives should attend community meetings and events and try to get articles in newspapers aimed at particular populations. These are activities that I would like to participate in as a board member.
15. How can our station better serve the many linguistic communities of the signal area?
There are many different ways the station can serve different linguistic communities. We have a good start with strong programming in Spanish with Informativo Pacífica and La Voz Latina, which the station can build on. This is also something to think about in the use of the Internet, where there could be programs broadcast in many languages. WBAI could also use its side channels for programming in other languages, and with new technologies the station could find even more ways to give everyone a voice.
16. What do you see as our station’s strong and weak points?
The strongest point of the station is its strong coverage of the people’s many struggles and its strong stand on the human rights of all people. Its weak point is that there is too much conflict within and around the station, and on the board. If I’m elected, as a good listener and as someone who can work well with groups I will try to help resolve some of these conflicts.
17. Have you ever been party to, or provided support for, a lawsuit involving Pacifica or its
employees? When and Why?
I have never been involved in any lawsuit involving Pacifica or Pacifica employees.
18. How do you think the election process for Local Station Board can be improved?
As a newcomer to the elections process, I would like to see how it works before making suggestions to improve it.
19. What are your hobbies, interests, and other organizational affiliations?
My hobby is doing political work. I also like to play chess and soccer, and I love to dance. I’ve been involved for a long time with the Centro de Educación de Trabajadores (Workers’ Education Center, CET), of which I’m now chair, for over 30 years. I’m currently a member of the Cuban Solidarity Committee of New York, which holds activities supporting the Cuban revolution and demonstrations against the U.S. blockade of Cuba. We also support many different struggles and conferences about working-class issues. I also help with the Circle Alberto Lovera of New York, a solidarity organization for the Bolivarian revolution and President Chavez in Venezuela.