HMM strategic foundations
Hudson Mohawk Magazine is with an intentional design for success: our focus is to create as much production as possible by volunteers, rather than paid staff. The goal is to take care of as much work as possible on the producer level.
We are very intentional about creating a mutually beneficial relationship: HMM offers the value of a fully functioning platform for non-censored engagement. We have a very low bar to entry, honoring a welcoming space to those with no experience as well as seasoned producers. People give and contribute for a variety of reasons. Community connection, commitment to issues, changing the world, personal recognition, professional development, and more!
Steve Pierce whose expertise and passion around community radio was a major aspect of building HMM.
Here’s a powerpoint that offers an overview of HMM. And, check out this article by Harvard University’s NiemanLab, which reviews Hudson Mohawk Magazine as a model for grassroots volunteer-driven local radio production!
Diversity of voices
Hudson Mohawk Magazine features diverse voices of producers, featuring reporters of diverse races, economic strata, ages (from teenagers to octogenarians). At the core is a respect for autonomy, with many voices and perspectives coming together sharing key protocols for format and quality.
The power of HMM Voices!
Our Hudson Mohawk Magazine Coordinator Sina Basila Hickey is a model for the power of internships, tapping on the emerging talents of independent media producers and artists and offering a stepping stone for their developing careers.
Sanctuary Spring ’22 Intern Sarah Abraham, sharing her ongoing experiences as an intern, HMM producer and co-host, and social media producer. Sarah, who is majoring in Communications and minoring in Journalism at SUNY Albany, shares how she is developing her skills, resume and portfolio through her production with HMM.
History of HMM
Hudson Mohawk Magazine began in August, 2017. Dan Lyles and Elizabeth Press shared the early days of HMM radio, and why it is important, focusing on techniques and struggles necessary. Early visions rose up through intensive early meetings… check out our early live guidelines, first radio class, and more!
With a foundation in the history of community media, we have grown a system and structured weekly meetings focused on rigorous local journalism. Community media producers including Renee Feltz and Mike Burke offered early workshops that inspired us to move forward!
The importance of local news
Mark Dunlea has continued to work with HMM as an almost daily producer and weekly host. He reports on climate and policy issues and supplies our daily headlines. He has built his experience from five decades of organizing, including being a producer for WRPI, WBAI, Hudson Mohawk Independent Media Center, and Hudson Mohawk Magazine.
HMM as a social justice organizing tool
HMM offers a structured platform for organizing, with the format of 10-minute segments featuring diverse issues, events and organizations. The work we do is deeply valued by the community, and we are amazed by the accomplishment our volunteers producers do!
Aileen Javier notes: “Knowledge is power! HMM empowers our community to make decisions and create change, a ripple effect.” Organizers are sharing these interviews not only via radio but with social media, with information being heard around not only the region, but around the country and the world. We are making a difference!
Wille Terry, our roaming labor correspondent, will speak about how the radio has been a tool for labor organizing and community participation. HMM is not an organizing tool within itself — rather it is an organizing tool within the village that is composed of the base that the Sanctuary has built in support of diverse initiatives and community partners and organizing. HMM offers a mountain of resources, as media people within this village. HMM offers a portal to create contacts, participate in media events, and even create new events, such as the recurring MLK Day event. Willie Terry represents the power of not only a lifetime of labor organizing, but the people power of retirees to support the HMM project.
Active engagement by community organizations, including labor, and social justice movements, are critical to make the future of HMM bright.
EP has also been an HMM correspondent since the beginning and will speak about the evolution of the program and using it as a tool for social justice organizing. Segment producing work is a great way to stay connected to our community, especially in the midst of the pandemic. Using the interview structure to engage in bigger questions about what happens in our local government and community. Especially as commercial media coverage of local news diminishes, HMM’s journalism is key to building relationship with people — engaging in the activist community, how can we organize ourselves and keep a finger on the pulse of what is going on.
Check out EP’s coverage as an example, keeping the name of Edison Thevinin’s name alive.
Be the Media! — HMM weekly skillshares
Adapting the future of radio
One of our challenges as radio evolves…
