Imagining Community

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.

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.

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.

An extended version of the Chico News and Review Imagining Community column that was published on Friday, September 16, 2002. Featuring the column as read by Guillermo Mash. We conclude with a bonus feature from the audio portion of a Without a Roof vignette titled "Garberville 1st Impression: Debra knew everybody."

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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. Russell was most famous for being the winningest champion in United States major sports history. He won 11 NBA titles in 13-years, two NCAA basketball championships and an Olympic Gold Medal. He was also the first African American head coach of a major professional sports team in the modern era.

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.

As a lifelong Boston Celtics fan I'm keenly aware of Bill Russell's persona of respect, and justice for all! Bill Russell stood with Muhammad Ali, walked with MLK and rests among the giants of our times. He was a man who walked the walk with joyful sorrow, and sorrowful joy.

“Boston itself was a flea market of racism. It had all varieties, old and new. The city had corrupt, city hall-crony racists, brick-throwing, send-’em-back-to-Africa racists, and in the university areas phony radical-chic racists. . . . Other than that, I liked the city.”

― Bill Russell

The intent of this Part 1 segment it to introduce and reacquaint our listeners with the incalculable impacts Russell had in every space he occupied. We start with a radio edit of the official National Basketball Association "In Memoriam " video published on August 1st.

Bill Russell was an astounding story teller, with one hell of a life experience to share. The Civil Rights History Project, from the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American history and Culture, interviewed Bill Russell in May of 2013. The 3+ hour video interview is deeply insightful, raw and personal. Like the man himself. We end the part 1 segment with a 12-minute portion. We urge our listeners to stream the full The Civil Rights History Project interview with Bill Russell via tinyurl.com/RussellCivilRights.

Addison Winslow, raised, rooted and renting in Chico, converses with fellow urban renewal activists Nick Botek and Terry Burton at a coffee shop across the street from Collingwood Garden in Toledo, Ohio. As broadcast on the KZFR 90.1FM Ecotopia program, August 7, 2018.

00:00 - Show introduction with Ecotopia guest host Guillermo Mash.

02:27 - Interview lead-in - How urban agriculture is transforming Detroit , by "Fearless Farmer," Davita Davison for Ted Talks, 2018

15:27 -- Addison Winslow on location with Nick Botek and Terry A. Burton.

One of the most popular and engaging Imagining Community KZFR Studio #416 musical creations featuring the music and curations of Jesi Naomi. With live portions recorded on the North Fork of the Feather River in Belden, California and Big Chico Creek on the Campus of Chico State. Originally aired April 2021 during Imagining Community's year-long series on water.

As aired, February 3, 2002, on Guillermo Mash's final Public Affairs broadcast on KZFR 90.1FM. With colorful and insightful commentary on letters, editorials, guest comments and essays I penned for the CN&R, Chico Enterprise Record and the Humboldt Edge. With special call-in guest Alex Brown, Chico City Council member.

A Without a Roof special segment: The July, 13 2022 groundbreaking ceremony for Chico Housing Action Team's exciting new tiny home village. The show leads with three Without a Roof vignettes, circa 2013, of houseless human beings suffering mental illness on the streets of Chico, providing a context for the desperate need for emergency shelter projects such as Everhart Village. Includes the entire ceremony with attendee interviews by Guillermo Mash for KZFR 90.1 FM.

A tribute to the life and times of Chico Artist David Michael Sisk, aka "Sisko", who was Born on October 7th, 1945 and died March 21st, 2021 of a heart attack on the North Rim trail of Upper Bidwell Park in Chico, California.

The forum consisted of Sisko's wife Beth Sisk, local artist and dear friend Dylan Tellesen and Sisko's daughter Brae Sisk. After the forum a handful of attendees shared memories and words of inspiration on the impact Sisko had in their lives.

Recorded at the "Sisko Lives" art exhibit at the Museum of Northern California Art on Thursday, May 26, 2022.

The youtube video of the event can be viewed at >>> https://youtu.be/qv14ljaPa7U