Amidst a National ACM conference, on Friday morning, July 14, 2017, came the horrifying news that our colleague and friend Erik Möllberg had died in a motorcycle accident in Indiana. Erik had just been with us at the conference to talk about the work he had been doing to build WELT, the low power community radio station in Fort Wayne, and to catch up with folks.
Those who knew Erik knew him as a mentor, friend, realist, story teller and connector. He was always bringing people together. Erik made a difference wherever he served. His commitment to empowering those who otherwise would have no platform - simply no voice - in the wilderness of today's electronic media has never faltered. He was the go-to guy when things at the state capital turned against the best interests of free speech and the people's' right of access to the powers of television and radio. Eric has always walked the walk and Fort Wayne, the State of Indiana, our nation - and the broader world owe Erik a debt of gratitude that will likely be understood in the months and years ahead when we will be reminded by his absence of what he has meant to us all.
Erik spent the last 33 years of his life working at Access Fort Wayne and championing public access. He was instrumental to the region when budget cuts threatened its existence, going to bat for the importance of community media by telling politicians why it was essential. And Erik's more recent building of 95.7 FM WELT a Community Run Radio Station based out of Access Fort Wayne. He had personally created something that people were eagerly responding to. In fact, the numbers generated by WELT vastly surpassed anything that Access Fort Wayne has done in years. He had tapped into the last frontier of community media that still matters to people. That station is yet another of Erik's ongoing gifts to Fort Wayne.
Written by Professor & Friend of Erik’s Frank R. Jamison, “The truth is that in one shocking instant we lost him. We miss him enormously and that will not soon fade. But our loss will validate anew the old adage that those departed continue to live on through their words and deeds. The legacy that Eric leaves is now and will always be immediate and powerful. He will continue to lead by his example.”
The Erik Mollberg Grassroots scholarship is a way to to help offset conference costs in hopes of encouraging ACM regional leadership, invite greater diversity of participation, enhance and expand your access experience, improve production skills and expand your knowledge of public, education, and government access organizations.
Scholarship Information
Scholarships granted are to help offset conference costs in hopes of encouraging ACM regional leadership, invite greater diversity of participation, enhance and expand your access experience, improve production skills and expand your knowledge of public, education, and government access organizations.
The scholarships are provided by the ACM Central States Region. The Region will grant each applicants selected full conference registration plus a stipend to help offset costs incured at attendance.
Who is Eligible
Assistance is limited to those current, paid individual members of the Alliance for Community Media who reside in the 4 Central States (OH, KY, IN, MI) or (b) you must be an active producer, board or staff member affiliated with an organizational member of the ACM (ask your access manager to see if your organization qualifies). You will be expected to submit a report of your experiences to the Grassroots Committee within two weeks after the conference.
How to Apply
Please provide the following information in a letter: Your name, mailing address, phone, fax. And the name, address of the ACM affiliated organization you belong to and a brief statement outlining:
(1) How will you benefit by your attendance at the Alliance For Community Media Central States Conference, Trade Show & Philo Festival of Media Arts Award Ceremony?
(2) What have you done to support PEG access in your community? For how long? Why do you think PEG access is important to your community?
(3) If selected, how would you use the knowledge gained to invite an even greater diversity of "voices" in your community?
4) Are you an individual member of the ACM? Is your affiliated access organization a member of the ACM? You must include acknowledgement from your access center documenting your involvement in local programming, this can be done by the Volunteer Coordinator or Executive Director with a signature.Email your letter to: [email protected]
When to Apply
To Be Announced.
Scholarship applications will be evaluated according to the following:
Applicants must be currently an ACM national member or a member in good standing of an ACM organizational member and live in one of the four states of the Central State Region. You must be active as a producer, community volunteer, board member or staff person working in access. ALL producers and volunteers are encouraged to apply.
Other Requirements:
Before receiving the scholarship, recipients must sign a waiver indemnifying ACM and the Central State Region from all liability arising out of attendance at the conference: not limited to incidents involving travel, lodging, transportation. Grants will be made at discretion of the Central States Region Board of Directors Scholarship Committee; decisions are final and not subject to appeal. ACM Central States Region reserves the right to revoke scholarships before conference dates. Please submit a report of your experiences to the Board within two weeks after conference.