Radio Curious visits with Orell Massey, a black sheriff's deputy in rural Mendocino County, Ca, who shares his experiences as a black sheriff in a mostly white community.
Barry Vogel, Attorney and Counselor, is the Host and Producer of Radio Curious. Christina Aanestad is the Assistant Producer.
Radio Curious continues our series on racism in Mendocino County, California. Our guest is Mendocino County Deputy Sheriff Orell Massey who, for the past 20 years has been the only black law enforcement officer in the county's history. A native of South Carolina, Deputy Massey was a 21 year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps assigned to the Foreign Service Embassy detail before he moved to Mendocino County. When I asked Sheriff Massey to be a guest on this program and share his experience as a black Deputy Sheriff, he asked:  âAre the people of Mendocino County ready to hear what I have to say?â  Â
In Part One of our conversation, Deputy Massey describes some peopleâs reaction to him while he is in on duty. Â In Part Two, recorded on February 1, 2015, in the Radio Curious studios, Deputy Massey gives his personal response when asked, âwhat is it like to be the only black Deputy Sheriff ever in the history of Mendocino County?â Later he shares stories about his off duty life, his goals and aspirations. Â The book Deputy Massey recommends is âCode Talker:Â The First and Only Memoir By One of the Original Navajo Code Talkers of World War Two,â by Chester Nez and Judith Schiess Avila.
Radio Curious is a half-hour, weekly, long-form interview program, now in it's 25th year. We interview people on a curiously wide variety of topics about life and ideas. Our website is www.radiocurious.org. If your station airs Radio Curious please let us know curious@radiocurious.org, we will add you to our list of syndicate stations. We also welcome questions, feedback and program ideas. Radio Curious 280 N. Oak St. Ukiah, Ca 95482. (707) 462-6541.
Â
Part Two Racism in a Rural California Sheriff's Department