People Power

Vermonters Lobby for Public Bank—And Win Millions for Local Investment Instead
by Alexis Goldstein
Jan 07, 2015
Advocates didn’t get the public bank they wanted. But the compromise they reached in the end was still a rare and significant win over Wall Street banks.
Laid-Off Baltimore Workers Beat Disney in Court—And Ask All the Right Questions About Urban Development
by Christina Arrison
Jan 06, 2015
By some estimates, the city of Baltimore has sunk more than $1.5 billion into its Inner Harbor. Workers and residents want their share too.
Owning Together Is the New Sharing
by Nathan Schneider
Dec 30, 2014
Companies and startups are aspiring toward an economy, and an Internet, that is more fully ours with the use of cooperatives, "commons-based peer production," and cryptocurrencies.
How a Low-Tech Seed Bank in Greece Preserves Thousands of Heritage Crops
by Jeffrey Andreoni
Dec 29, 2014
Members of the Greek seed bank Peliti say that keeping their wares in production—instead of in refrigerators—improves the health of the plants they’re working to save.
10 Ways Human Rights and Democracy Won in 2014 (Yeah, You Heard That Right)
by Sarah van Gelder
Dec 29, 2014
Let’s be honest: It was a brutal year for human rights. But we still have victories worth celebrating.
Creeped Out by "Baby, It's Cold Outside"? Try This Feminist Version
Dec 24, 2014
In the original song, she wants to go home, he says no, and then he spikes her drink. Blogger Dara Laine replaces the uncomfortable Christmas refrain with the female-friendly "Baby, It's Consent Inside."
12 Hashtags That Changed the World in 2014
by Lindsey Weedston
Dec 19, 2014
Slacktivism? Not so much. From #BlackLivesMatter to #BringBackOurGirls, this year's best hashtags around issues of social justice brought fresh voices into some of our most important conversations.
UN Climate Negotiators Drop the Ball in Lima—Now It’s Up to the Grassroots to Pick It Up
by Jim Shultz
Dec 11, 2014
Negotiators have stopped trying to win a binding international agreement on carbon emissions. Now it’s up to the people to push our governments to action.
The New Economy Comes of Age: 7 Steps Toward Shared Prosperity
by Fran Korten
Dec 10, 2014
Democratic ownership, localized food production, and a shift to renewables are key principles in this growing movement to re-envision our economy.
Graphic: Convince Your Relatives to Ditch Amazon and Go Local This Holiday Season
by Mary Hansen
Dec 09, 2014
If you close the Amazon app, get off the couch, and shop at independent shops this holiday season, you could be helping rebuild your local economy.
An Insurance Policy for Climate Change? How Seed Banks Are Protecting the Future of Food
by Richard Schiffman
Dec 09, 2014
“While not every traditional variety tastes great or looks great, its genetics may be invaluable 50 or 100 years from now when the climate is different.”
Video: Remembering Nelson Mandela and His Reconciliation Process—Which Is Needed Now More Than Ever
by Kayla Schultz
Dec 05, 2014
A singing flash mob honors the passing of Nelson Mandela, who died one year ago this week and helped establish South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation process after apartheid.
An Indigenous View on #BlackLivesMatter
by Leanne Simpson
Dec 05, 2014
I was reminded over and over this week that black and indigenous communities of struggle are deeply connected through our experiences with colonialism, oppression, and white supremacy.
Why I Want to Burn Everything Down Right Now—And Why I’m Not Going To
by James Edwards
Dec 04, 2014
What I learned from James Baldwin’s writing about race, in a moment of great anger.
Meet the Lobstermen Arrested for Blocking a Coal Freighter—and the DA Who Kept Them Out of Jail
by Natasha Donovan
Dec 02, 2014
Last spring, these men were in a small white lobster boat anchored to block the path of an oncoming freighter hauling 40,000 tons of coal. They didn't expect the district attorney to support them.