Melanie was also deeply passionate about shining a spotlight on the often unsung Women of Jazz. During March, Women's History Month, she made it her mission to ensure these incredible artists received the recognition they deserved. On International Women's Day, she orchestrated a full 24 hours of programming featuring only women both on the mic and the bandstand-a dedication that earned her notable recognition in 2016 from Harvard University for her work on The International Women's Day Radio Project: Bringing Women's Voices to the Airwaves.
It's this unwavering commitment and infectious enthusiasm that inspire us to take a closer look this month at what Melanie has been up to since her legendary KCSM days.
Here's Melanie in her own words:
Hard to believe, but I left KCSM 6-1/2 years ago! I was 70 and after 26 years as
Program Director, Operations Director, host of Jazz in the Afternoon, and the commute from hell, I was ready. For about a month, I was in heaven . . . relaxing, recuperating and destressing.
Then reality set in. Who was I? Where was I? And where were all my peeps? Suddenly I had lost my identity, my purpose and the talented colleagues, dedicated volunteers and loyal listeners who had become my family.
I had planned to come back to the station in some limited capacity after my
CalPERS 6 month mandated separation, but a funny thing happened . . . COVID! I don't recommend retiring during a pandemic!
For the next 2 years, I spent my life online: learning and practicing Qigong, singing with The Berkeley Broadway Singers and The Freight Singers, volunteering with Reading Partners, and taking various music classes with the likes of Marcus Shelby, Andrew Gilbert, Bryan Dyer, and Bonnie Weiss.
In 2023, as I ventured back into the world, I sang with the East Bay Harmony
Singers and The Berkeley Broadway Singers (my home for 24 years). But
something was missing. I still felt unfulfilled. Then, in the fall of 2023, I finally
succumbed to the ongoing pleas of a friend of mine who had been bugging me to take singing lessons. I knew I wasn't very good ... but I also knew I loved to sing. Well, it changed my life! I'm not necessarily a better singer, but my passion is back and now I know what I'm meant to do again.
Consequently, I joined the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Community: Choir under the direction of Terrance Kelly and started taking singing and musical theatre classes at Stagebridge in Oakland with the inimitable Scrumbly. I'm singing up a storm and having a blast . . . sharing the music, entertaining and making a difference in the world again, but in a different way.
So there IS life after retirement! And if it wasn't for the state of the country and the world, life would be good. I still miss radio, but I participate in various
International Women's Day Radio celebrations on KCSM, KPFA and WOMR
which brings me great joy and satisfaction. And I haven't given up hope that one day I'll be able to add my voice to the KCSM pledge drives and as an on-air fill-in announcer as planned.
In the meantime, I'll continue trying to make the world a better place by resisting, helping others and making my voice heard via calls and emails to my legislators, financial donations, street protests and of course singing . . . because in my mind, I believe music will bring us together and save the planet!
Melanie