Sheila Alldredge
January 22, 2008
Lillie Reed
January 24, 2008
A radio personality who conveys a message over the airwaves has to wonder when he speaks does the community actually listen?
Fortunately for live radio show host Al Carter Jr., someone is always listening.
“I appreciate that people actually listen to what I have to say sometimes and what my guests have to say on my show,” he said.
Carter, a New Orleans native, is a seven-year vet at KTIB AM Radio in Thibodaux. He recently received the Media of Year Award presented by outgoing Gov. Blanco’s office for his positive coverage of and concerns for disabled people across the region.
Lighthouse for the Blind Director Carol Lirette nominated Carter because “he is a solid member of the community. Al does a lot for the community and he promotes services for people with disabilities,” she said.
“He believes that we should all work together.”
Lighthouse for the Blind is a non-profit organization in Houma geared toward helping blind and disabled people find employment.
Nominating someone for a Governor’s Award is not necessarily an easy task. There are a lot of forms to fill out.
And like any other competition, there are no guarantees.
The nominator has to believe that the nominee best represents the criteria for the award.
Assistant Director for the Governor’s Office of Disability Affairs Mark Ford said, “We look for the individual or organization that shows leadership and helps to raise awareness about disabilities in the community without wanting something in return.”
Few were as surprised as Carter himself that he was nominated for the award.
After all, his training is in law enforcement and teaching, not tackling concerns of the community’s disabled.
Carter’s education lies in public and media relations. His employment rested with law enforcement until he came to KTIB.
He is a former police chief for Nicholls State University in Thibodaux and Delgado Community College in New Orleans.
A couple of years ago, he earned a master’s degree in education and began teaching at the Lafourche Parish Juvenile Justice Center.
Carter said he did not know how much his live radiocast had impacted the disabled community until he was nominated.
“I appreciate the gesture, but honestly I wasn’t trying to win an award. I was just doing what I thought was the right thing,” Carter said.
A quick look at the archives of Carter’s past shows and one quickly realizes how much time he spends speaking with community organizations that focus on adult and child disabilities and illnesses.
He interviews public officials daily, but his real passion is communicating with area youth and social groups about things they do to make the community better.
“I have a variety of guests on my show, but I always try to focus on the positive aspects of the community, so I spend a lot of time with the social organizations trying to get the word out about what we can do to make our community better,” he said.
Just this year, Carter has walked in the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Walk-a-thon and helped raise money for Bayou Area Habitat for Humanity and the Krewe of Hercules’ Make-a-Wish fundraiser.
Members from the NSU Disability Awareness group came on-air to inform viewers about their upcoming fundraiser for a new autism school in the Tri-parish area.
“My children are healthy and I thank God every day that they are. But I do realize that there are people in the world who are not as healthy as my kids. This is my way of giving back to them,” Carter explained.
He believes that God should bless all Americans, and Americans should remember to always bless God.
“Whatever situation you are in, you have got to live your life to the fullest and remember that you only have one shot at this life,” Carter said. “And, for those of us who do not have visual disabilities, we need to look out for the ones that do.”
He instills his views about disability awareness in his two sons, Alfred Carter IV and Andrew Carter, and his daughter, Rachel Carter. He and wife Pearlette Carter are raising them to be positive leaders in the community.
“Most of the time, my children go with me to events because I want them to see how important it is to give back to the community and be good citizens,” he said.
His sons want to play professionally in the NFL.
Carter tells them, “Don’t get to the point in your life that you think you are so fantastic that you cannot help someone else out.”
Carter wasn’t the only Thibodaux resident to receive a Governor’s Award.
Robert Landry from West Thibodaux Middle School was awarded the Youth of the Year Award for his impact and inspiration to other disabled children.
KTIB AM Radio personality Al Carter Jr. was recently awarded the Media of the Year Award by outgoing Gov. Kathleen Blanco’s office. He was nominated by Lighthouse for the Blind Director Carol Lirette. * Photo by SOPHIA RUFFIN
