If you attended our Bazaar in Amherst, MA on June 2-3, your attention might have been caught by the marimba music, live translated broadcasts from Guatemala, or kids making colorful kites. It was all part of our "Simul-Fiesta," an effort to raise funds for a new transmitter at a radio station in Sumpango, Guatemala, that had been raided several weeks earlier. When Sumpango residents decided to hold a festive fundraiser to replace their transmitter, we decided to mirror it.
Through a live phone connection with Sumpango residents, Bazaar attendees had the chance to ask questions of the people in Sumpango and hear first-hand about community radio’s importance. Although complicated by a rainstorm, our fiesta was an overall success. We raised $945 towards a new transmitter for the Sumpango station.
