Why We're Here...

We believe music has the power to change the world -

​One person at a time.

Behind all we do at Ascent are the following core values. These five values inform everything we do, everything we are, everything we will become, and every decision we make - from the choices of programming and content we offer to our internal decision making processes.

Justice

Music that tells the truth. “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” (Maya Angelou.) Some of the most important social prophets and truth-tellers of our time come to us through the medium of song. The great songwriters of our day offer us lenses through which we can see with vivid clarity the pressing justice matters of our time. Ascent is deeply committed to music that confronts the injustices we face in our time, and music that advocates for the ongoing struggle for racial justice, equality, and freedom, as well as the ongoing struggle for the rights and equality of women, the LGBTQIA+ community and other historically marginalized and oppressed populations, so that  - in the words of Maya - we can “do better.”

Inclusion

Music that celebrates diversity. Inclusion is the act of recognizing, embracing and celebrating our inherent diversity. Here at Ascent, we are committed to playing diverse music, from diverse artists, for a diverse audience.  Our human diversity is truly beautiful, one of our greatest gifts and strengths - and should be celebrated and honored! As a free-form station, Ascent Radio is committed to playing a wide variety of artists and genres in an effort to hear from a beautiful array of voices on the most important topics of our time. In particular, Ascent is committed to elevating and amplifying the voices and stories of BIPOC artists, women, LGBTQIA+ artists, and other artists that have historically been oppressed, overlooked, under-appreciated, undervalued, or marginalized. 

Liberation

Music that demands change. "Nobody's free until everybody's free." (Fanny Lou Hamer) Liberation is collective. Everyone matters. Everybody deserves to be free. And until that day comes, we will need music that beckons us toward that reality. Toward a world that works for everyone, everywhere. Liberation is mind, body and soul - and music permeates us at every level. Music moves us. Sometimes it compels us to dance. Sometimes it compels us to lift our voices, to sing or cry out. Sometimes it compels our minds, as a part of our ongoing learning and transformation. And sometimes it compels us to march - to walk alongside others utilizing our agency in protest or social action. Better and brighter days are coming, and music is crucial in helping call that future reality into the now, and to keep us focused on in the pursuit of collective liberation.

Unity

Music that brings us together. “One love. One heart. Let’s get together and feel alright.” (Bob Marley) Our ascent is collective - we rise together. If ever there has been a time we have needed the constant reminder that we’re all in this together, it is now. We are one. One love. One life. One humanity. We are better together than we are alone. The call upon us for solidarity in our moment is urgent and critical. At Ascent, we are committed to music that echoes the desperate plea to come together, for unity with one another, in our time. The call for unity is not, of course, turning a blind eye to injustice. But rather, it is the urgent need for each of us to stand together in solidarity in our collective efforts to bring about a more just, inclusive and equitable world that works for everyone. Our unity is in elevating our shared humanity.

Peace

Music for a better future. “You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will live as one.” In 1971, John Lennon asked us to imagine peace: a world without conflict, without fighting - “nothing to kill or die for.” Lennon imagines a world where everyone is free, where greed and hunger are no more. This is the world we hope for - though we are not there yet. We have not reached the summit, we are on the ascent. Peacemaking is the hardest of work. It requires trust. Vulnerability. Sacrifice. Forgiveness. And yet, the great songwriters of our time inspire us by giving us glimpses of this world to come. “I’ll take you there,” sings Mavis in the Staple Singers classic. “I know a place, ain’t nobody cryin’, ain’t nobody worried, ain’t no smilin’ faces... lyin’ to the races…” In the tradition of Lennon and Mavis, Ascent aspires to give us these glimpses of the world that is to come, so that we might all do our own part to get there.

Join the Climb With Us!

We're on a mission: to inspire hope and change in the world through the power of song. 

To hear more about how it is we're going about this work, click here. 

And if you're all in and want to know how to partner with us, click here to learn how YOU can be a part of making Ascent Radio possible for everyone!