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Guillermo Mash with Imagining Community presenting the concluding episode in our Imagining Community three part series on the life and times of Bill Russell (1934 - 2022). The episode centers around Bill Russell's upbringing and how his family shaped who he was as a person, forming the springboard for a conversation with Cory Himp Hunt, Chico local musician, poet and KZFR 90.1FM Peace and Social Justice host, as we dig deep into my upbringing and the deeply personal missteps, travails and misgivings with racism and bigotry.
The voice of Bill Russell is from the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. It is an excerpt from a 3-hour interview in 2013 with Bill Russell and Taylor Branch. Bill Russell is an NBA Legend, Presidential Medal of Freedom reciepient and a civil rights Icon. Taylor Branch is an American author and historian who wrote a Pulitzer Prize winning trilogy chronicling the life of Martin Luther King Jr. and much of the history of the American civil rights movement. All of our audio clips featuring Bill Russell were from this archive.
We end the episode landing on what people of all races, Caucasians in particular, can do to change the atmosphere of racism by telling personal stories of racism transgressions and how their views changed, for the better, because of it.
We close with an audio clip by Toni Morrison who lays bare the bereft nature of Racism and what "white people" need to do about it. Morrison was one of the most celebrated authors in the world. In addition to writing plays, and children's books, her novels have earned her countless prestigious awards including the Pulitzer Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama. Morrison was a leading voice in the civil rights movement.
29 Sept 2022
46: Remembering Carey Wilson 1954 - 2022
The planet lost one of it's finest artistic reflections on Tuesday, September 27th with the death of Carey Wilson. It was always a joy spending time with my friend Carey Wilson. With his gentle smile and carefree laugh, augmenting well crafted words.
Remembering Carey Wilson features the music, poetry and spoken word of a man who will always be my favorite Chico Culture Vulture. With the musical and witty genius of Jeffy Bee as he recalls some of his favorite memories with Carey when he was the drummer in Jeffy's band Biggs Roller. Jeffy also performs Tractor, an original song inspired by Carey's love of tractors. Listeners are also treated to two Biggs Roller songs featuring Carey Wilson on drums.
With Guillermo Mash reading a dozen of the Facebook posts loving on Carey since his death on Tuesday, September 27th. The show concludes with a phone conversation with Carey, Guillermo Mash, Rob Davidson, Carey's Creative Writing professor when he was in the graduate program at Chico State. It's a real treat to hear Carey read a dozen of his poems at the beginning of the ending segment.
The bulk of the Remembering Carey Wilson episode was culled from two Imagining Community shows Carey contributed to -- In Concert with Water from September, 2021 and the Carey Wilson Appreciation Show from June of 2022.
19 Sept 2022
45: Bill Russell (part 2 of 3)
Hello, Guillermo Mash welcoming you to part 2 of a special Imagining Community series on the legendary life and times of Bill Russell. As aired on the KZFR 90.1FM Peace and Social Justice Show. Listen to Part 1 on the Imagining Community podcast available on your favorite podcasting platform.
William Felton Russell, Feb-12-1934 to Jul-31-2022, had his #6 Boston Celtics jersey permanently retired across the entire NBA on Aug-11-2022. A first in the 76-year history of the league. For the 2022-2023 NBA basketball season every player in the league will wear a commemorative patch for Russell and every NBA arena will have the Boston Celtic's shamrock with Russell's #6 at center court.
His endurable basketball accomplishments tended to overshadow his humble civil and human rights advocacy that culminated with him being honored with a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011.
Todays segment features highlights from the last two hours of Bill Russell's 3-hour interview in May of 2013 for the Civil Rights history project. It covers a lot of ground, just as the life of this extraordinary man did.
Our Imagining Community Series concludes on October 7th as Cory Himp Hunt interviews me about the series, where I'll share my personal experience with racism. It will be a raw and unfiltered view of what I saw, what I did and what I regret about the racism and intolerance that permeated my childhood and early adult life. Including the last time I used the N-word. It's vital to me that this series moves forward the message and actions of Russell locally, and helps raise awareness and action for equal treatment and respect for all.
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