Please allow us to introduce ourselves …

Welcome to the ribbon-cutting for the beginning of a new era in KSQD/ KSQT, a community radio station for the Monterey bay area … I’m here with the pod, I’m here with a whole pod of squids out here at Window on the Bay in Monterey.

They’re making a ruckus.

I want to start by recognizing that we are on the unceded land of the original people in this community. They include the Esselen, the Rumsen, Salinan, the Uypi, the Ohlone, the Amah Mutsun, many others. These are the voices of the people who brought this place to us and what we want to be is the way of transmitting voices, all the voices of this community, from all across the community. We’re hoping we can be welcomed into this community and that we can deserve to be in this community.

I think we bring the gift of beauty.
I think we bring the gift of music.
I think we bring the gift of ideas
and I think we bring the gift of gab.

We’re not bringing it as much as we’re coming here to find it.
And we need to find it in the hearts of the people who matter.
The squid is wrapping its arms around this treasure.
It cannot allow it to be unheard of.
It cannot allow it to be unfelt.
We want to find ourselves in the middle of life.
And to reach and to grasp and to find more life.
So many communities so many voices
The beauty of Salinas where Steinbeck walked.
Carmel Valley and Carmel by the Sea
and Seaside.
From Mt Toro to Sand City
The beauty of Jacks Peak
The persistence of the river which carved this valley.
So many communities so many voices
Watsonville, Prunedale, San Juan Bautista, Castroville
Marina, Pajaro, Aromas,
And even to Greenfield and to King City
And to Soledad where I teach in prison.
They’ll be able hear this radio station
And that is just a great gift
so it has to be a station of healing
It has to be a station of community

It has to bring us together.
I want to make a promise:
For myself, and I think for the whole community of people who are trying to bring this station forward.
We want to listen to what’s here.
We want to share this resource with as many voices as we can,
to make this community safe and to steward a restorative and loving
Community Radio station.
Thank you so much to everyone who is listening.
And please tune in, and dial in, and phone in
and let us know that you want to be part of this
because we want you to be part of this.

Tim Fitzmaurice (Member: Board of Directors)

Window on the Bay in Monterey on June 21, 2023