R.I.P. Ed Charla
Ed Charla
June 6, 1956 - July 31, 2006
Ed Charla was a founder and current board member of Valley Free Radio. He was also a co-host of the VFR program Bread & Roses. 
To know Ed, is to understand that celebrating his life and the impact he had on all who knew him is a more fitting way of remembering Ed compared with mourning his passing. Ed was a lover of justice and equality, a lover of debate, a lover of humor, a lover of music, a lover of a good martini and if you knew him well, you know that he was a good old fashion lover to many.
Ed is loved and will be missed by many of us at Valley Free Radio for his strength of character, wisdom, fair mindedness and his unconditional friendship.
Ed had broad and varied interests in the arts, politics, music, history, and, of course, radio, and his connections to people and organizations ranged through and beyond these interests.
Ed was born in Bronx, NY to a large traditional Italian family. Growing up in a multi-racial neighborhood, Ed liked to recall his youth as a time of growing up as a street-smart kid who learned about life in the so-called school of hard knocks. At an early age he gravitated towards clubbing and music DJ’ing, while at the same time his strident convictions around social and economic justice were being solidified based on his early exposure to racial and economic inequities.
Ed found his way to various parts of New England and eventually landed in western Massachusetts. While working as a waiter at various local establishments during the late 80’s and early 90’s, Ed established a reputation as an organizer and host of regularly occurring party’s that were considered to be creative, over the top and at times respectfully decadent. But his fun loving reputation paled in comparison to his proven commitment as an astute white ally who confronted racism at every level and as a staunch advocate for the rights of the working-class. Over the years Ed has worked as a union and community organizer, co-founded a number of grass-roots community groups, and served as a board member for several well-respected social justice organizations.
The world is a better place because Ed Charla shared it with us. Ed would want his passing to only inspire us all to uphold his tireless convictions.
(written by Tim Scott)
Additional notices Ed’s passing also appeared in the local press and can be found here.
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