Reflections from past and present Termite members
“It is with deep sorrow I say goodbye to my longtime friend, colleague and collaborator Gretjen Clausing. Over the many years of struggle, change and growth we have shared great joy in fighting for freedom of creative expression through community media. We’ve been so fortunate in the greater cultural collective to have walked with such a powerful spirit. Her work lives on.” – Deb Rudman
“Gretjen always brought incredible joy and openness to her support for the media community. I remember Gretjen hosting Termite TV at the Prince Music Theater in 1999 to launch the Living Documentary tour. As we drove off in a 30 year-old modified school bus, squealing from a loose fan belt, she waved, sending us on our media adventure, gracing us with her brilliant smile. It would not have been possible without you Gretjen!” – Mike Kuetemeyer
“It’s been an honor to work alongside Gretjen all these years and to see how her kindness and fiery spirit have impacted so, so, so many people in ways that are now becoming even more visible. I always admired how easily she connected the dots between fields, movements and policy work, and did so while staying grounded, approachable and forward thinking. She clearly was the thread that wove together the community media landscape here in Philly” – Laura Deutch
“A world without Gretjen is hard to imagine. Her joy and positive spirit, plus unwavering belief in the power of community media was always an inspiration.”
-Dorothea Braemer
“I met Gretjen at the very beginning of my journey as a media artist. I have so many amazing memories —organizing Termite TV screenings at Scribe, attending board member meetings for PIFVA, taking a bus to NYC in 2002 to visit the Manhattan Neighborhood Network to see what public access could look like in Philly, and working on the steering committee for the 2005 NAMAC Conference in Philly. But what I remember most is her warmth, humility, generosity, and sense of joy. She was a mentor, friend, and the greatest cheerleader! I am so grateful for the time we shared. Thank you, Gretjen, for everything.” – Anula Shetty
“I first met Gretjen in the late ’80s when she joined the Neighborhood Film Project. She had boundless energy, a contagious giggle, and a fantastic collection of vintage cameras. When Jim and I married, Gretjen and my mother-in-law, Emily, tackled the messy job of arranging our wedding flowers, ending up covered in petals and leaves. Later, gussied up for the event, Emily joked that Gretjen ‘cleaned up nicely.’ To me, it was classic Gretjen —getting down and dirty for the behind-the-scenes work and then showing up with joy and flair at the celebration. It’s hard to name a Philadelphia community media organization that didn’t benefit from Gretjen’s time, whether as staff, volunteer, director or board member. She was passionate about helping others make and share media, and also created her own work through Big Tea Party, on radio and more. She used to joke that she was destined for the industry because she grew up in Media, PA. One of the last times I saw Gretjen in production mode was at her parents’ place in Vermont for the 2024 total solar eclipse. She had gathered a few of us who didn’t know each other very well, but she prepared special eclipse cocktails to instantly break the ice. Over the 2 hour eclipse, I vividly remember her running around the lawn to monitor several time-lapse cameras while also sharing her homemade “phases-of-totality”cookies and giggles. It was quintessential Gretjen—geeking out over the shoot while joyfully bringing everyone together.” – Meryl Perlson
“It is with a heavy heart that I say goodbye to an incredibly impactful woman, Gretjen Clausing. there are many memories ive yet to revisit and unpack during this time but im holding on to these sunny ones lately. i remember her laughter and vibrant energy but most of all i am holding her immense love for community media. PhillyCAM and by extension, me, would not be where we are without her.” – Gabe Castro
Gretjen’s impact and influence on public-serving, community-based media, is as outsized as her bright smile. Her loss is a huge blow to Philadelphia, to independent media around the country, and especially to the outstanding team who, through PhillyCAM, dedicated their lives to co-creating with Gretjen this vision of a vibrant media institution produced by and for the people. – Aggie Ebrahimi Bazaz
