A Manifesto On Diversity In Public Media
[Commentary] Stories have power and resonance and change the way we think and feel, and there is a hidden cabal that uses stories to shape us. They may not be specifically organized with evil intent, but they are, as Philip K. Dick might call them, an Adjustment Team; people whose job it is to set the world on the course they see fit.
The world is moving faster than the Adjustment Teams can do their work. Social media is rewriting all the rules, and time will be healed, but only if we join the fight. As media makers we are vital in that process, because we can tell the story, bring the context, and become the sound that chronicles the fury. The word "public" is our strongest asset. It means while other media outlets' focus is financial, ours is sacred. It's a calling; the purpose is to make this country a better place for all of its people. If we do away with the concept of a default human and embrace our humanity in all the forms it manifests, we can make this country what our forefathers dreamed but never actually achieved. We have the airwaves, an abundance of talented, smart people and a mission. All we need now is the will power to be who we were always meant to become.
[Al Letson is a poet, playwright, comic book writer, storyteller and public radio host]
A Manifesto On Diversity In Public Media