This fall, longtime media activist Pete Tridish will serve as a Social Justice Practitioner-in-Residence as part of the Five College Public Policy Initiative. During his stay from Sept. 23 through Oct. 5, Tridish will participate in several public events across the Five College campuses and throughout the wider Pioneer Valley.
Tridish was a member of the founding collective of Radio Mutiny, 91.3 FM Pirate Radio in Philadelphia, and a founder of the social justice media advocacy organization, the Prometheus Radio Project. He has helped to build dozens of radio stations around the United States, including Florence-based Valley Free Radio. By serving as a leader in major lawsuits, helping to rewrite federal regulations and working to pass federal laws re-allocating the radio spectrum, Tridish has been instrumental in creating opportunities for thousands of new stations.
He has organized numerous demonstrations and stunts, from a pirate march on the Federal Communications Commission to a Hula Hoop blockade of the National Association of Broadcasters. Tridish has taught radio trainings in 20 countries on five continents.
In addition to the public events listed below, Tridish will speak at classes and participate in some informal workshops during his residency. For a full list of Tridish’s events that are open to the public, click here.
- Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 4 p.m.
A Radio Voice for the Voiceless (lecture)
Campus Center 903, UMass
- Monday, Sept. 30 at 5:30 p.m.
Media Justice Network Community Meeting (keynote speech)
Free Press, 40 Main St. #301, Florence MA
- Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 5 p.m.
Law Breakers to Lawmakers: How Pirate Radio Activists Changed the Laws to Open up the Airwaves (lecture)
Media Education Foundation Community Room, 60 Masonic St., Northampton MA
- Thursday, Oct. 3 at 3:30 p.m.
Radio Barnraisings: How we Gather a Community to Build a New Radio Station in Three Days (media activism workshop)
WGBY Partyka Room, 44 Hampden St., Springfield, MA
The Five College Public Policy Initiative aims to enhance collaboration among Five College faculty and students who are interested in curricula, research and outreach related to public policy. The residency program was made possible by a generous grant from Five Colleges, Incorporated.
CPPA is the hub of interdisciplinary public policy research, teaching and engagement at UMass Amherst.