Olivia Jacobs
BLOOMINGTON -- Garry Moore will present "Why Black History Month & DEI Matters" at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 17, at Laborers Local 362 Hall, 2012 Fox Creek Road in Bloomington.
The free event is sponsored by the Bloomington & Normal Trades & Labor Assembly, Not In Our Town Bloomington-Normal and the YWCA of McLean County. Moore will discuss the value of diversity, equity and inclusion programs as well as share historical information, rare books and personal stories from his 40 years of experience in radio and television, according to information shared by the event organizers.
Moore, a community advocate and former journalist for WEEK-TV, is currently the operations and programming director for WPNV 106.3 FM in Peoria. He is also a music teacher, cultural arts presenter, theater director and playwright. He spent 30 years anchoring and producing the longest running morning news show in Central Illinois broadcast history, News 25 Today.
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He has also served as union president for the Peoria Local of Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). Moore has a bachelor's degree in broadcast production and management and a master's degree in liberal arts from Bradley University.
Moore's book, titled "The Little Black Book of Journalists (Un)Afraid of Race", will be available for $20 at Monday's event in Bloomington.
Ahead of the event, The Pantagraph invited Moore to answer five questions about himself, the event and more.
1. Tell us a little about yourself.
I'm a Chicago native, the youngest of eight children who grew up in the '60s and '70s. I have a deeply personal love of history that stems from the fact that my parents were old enough to be my grandparents; their stories of life in the South and old Chicago intrigued me. I soaked up information, from them, my brothers, books, media, newspapers, and from the dynamic leaders of our times. It was a cultural wind that pushed me through college (at Bradley University), into broadcast journalism and the performing arts.
2. What can people expect Monday night at "Why Black History Month & DEI Matters"?
They can expect to be "edu-tained." I have jokes. I may play music. I'll share excerpts from my book, "The Little Black Book for Journalists (Un) Afraid of Race." I'll do some storytelling (in the African tradition). And I'll read from some rare books and articles that I've collected over the years. There will be audience participation and at some point, I may juggle.
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3. Why is this an important conversation to be having now and throughout the year? What drew your interest in discussing this with the community?
It's important now because DEI is under attack. Black history is also under attack. There are efforts to connote DEI with something deplorable, and as someone who has fought for DEI and believes (for the most part) it helps our society, I am moved to share what I know.
My first job was at a country-western radio station under the minority internship program. I was in television for more than 30 years, and during my tenure, there were times that the only other African Americans there were the janitor and receptionist.
I just finished a semester teaching Black music at Illinois State University, and out of 80 students of diverse backgrounds, few knew anything substantial about the struggles and/or achievements of African Americans. Without such knowledge, we are vulnerable to suffer from recycled ignorance (which continues to stifle every generation with false perceptions, misguided ethnic notions, and hard socio-economic consequences).
4. How do you use your talents as a musician and storyteller to build greater understanding?
That's an interesting question. I am a musician and storyteller ... and I AM trying to build greater understanding ... so I guess I'm just doing what I do. It is the means to reach that "greater understanding," but I'm glad to say that I don't see it as some sort of manufactured strategy. My performances are often eclectic, organic exercises that feed off of audience participation.
5. What is an important question you want answered or given more attention?
Hmmm...just one question? I have several: Why do people sometimes go against their own interests? What can we do to bring forth the BEST from ourselves? In this era of multiple platforms, how can we hear the most relevant voices? I'm a journalist, so I can go on...
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Contact Olivia Jacobs at 309-820-3352. Follow Olivia on Twitter: @olivia___jacobs
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