People Power

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.
Sit Still, Listen, and Accept Being a Target: What White Men Can Do in Times Like These
by Kevin Fong
Dec 02, 2014
From law enforcement officers to sports team owners, we're hearing plenty of stories of white men behaving badly. Even the most decent and principled ones have to exercise muscles of consciousness they haven’t needed to use before.
The Battle in Seattle, 15 Years On: How an Unsung Hero Kept the Movements United
by Jonathan Rosenblum
Dec 01, 2014
A lead organizer of the protests against the World Trade Organization in 1999 remembers Tyree Scott, a quiet presence in the labor movement who urged unity when it mattered most.
Police Violence Is Not Inevitable: Four Ways a California Police Chief Connected Cops With Communities
by Steve Early
Nov 28, 2014
“A critical look at any institution with as much power and authority invested in it as the police is probably a good thing.”
“I’m Scared to Be a Black Male Walking Down the Street”: Seattle Teens on Why They Skipped School for a #Ferguson March
by Kayla Schultz, Mary Hansen
Nov 26, 2014
“We all just left class. As soon as 11:00 came, we stood up and walked out of class. Together as one.”
#Ferguson Thanksgiving: A Former Slave Proposed the Holiday 55 Years Before Lincoln. Why His Version Matters Today
by Jedediah Purdy
Nov 26, 2014
“For some, racial inequality and fear are raw realities every day, and anything inspiring in American history rings false and remote. For others, the call to reflect on injustice feels like a personal accusation. But we are caught in this history together.”
Video: Vancouver Opera Violinist Plays 19th-Century Ballad for Protesters in Pipeline Fight
by Mary Hansen
Nov 21, 2014
The cities of Vancouver and Burnaby, as well as First Nations, have all sued the pipeline company Kinder Morgan, which wants to extend a pipeline through a mountain in British Columbia.
The Hunger Games Are Back: “Saw Mockingjay—Now I Want to Go Solve All the World's Problems”
by Christopher Zumski Finke
Nov 21, 2014
Check out #MyHungerGames—the latest installment of fan activism that gets young people talking about real-life inequality.
Want to See How Governments Are Making Real Progress? Look to the Cities Tackling Our Biggest Problems
by Sarah van Gelder
Nov 19, 2014
New energy is transforming our cities into hotbeds of democracy and progressive innovation.
Urban Comeback: How Cities Are Leading Us Into the Future
by Sarah van Gelder
Nov 18, 2014
At a time when nations are gridlocked and corrupted by special interests, cities are taking on poverty, social isolation, and the climate crisis.
These 14 Teenage Inventors Built a Glove That Translates Sign Language—and Other Tech Solutions
by Lindsey Weedston
Nov 11, 2014
What these kids came up with will leave you wondering what adults are even doing anymore.
Land, Co-ops, Compost: A Local Food Economy Emerges in Boston's Poorest Neighborhoods
by Penn Loh
Nov 07, 2014
From kitchens that buy and sell locally grown food, to a waste co-op that will return compost to the land, new enterprises are building an integrated food network. It's about local people keeping the wealth of their land at home.