From the Executive Director
Thank you! Powerful stories can change the world. Women’s suffrage. Abolition. Civil rights. Each began with stories that planted the seeds of powerful ideas and inspired millions with new possibilities
Economy
Making Small Towns and Rural Areas Part of the Solution
Progressive candidates can't write off rural communities if they want to advance their causes. In fact, many of their causes will resonate.
When Cops Evicted These Moms, the Housing Conversation Changed
Just after 5 a.m. on Jan. 14, about 30 deputies from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office arrived at 2928 Magnolia St. in West Oakland. They came armed with rifles and
10 Things You Should Know About Socialism
What do we mean when we talk about “socialism”? Here are ten things about its theory, practice, and potential that you need to know.
This Trans-Owned Co-op Builds Community and Economic Stability
The trans and undocumented Latinas who started the Mirror Beauty Cooperative want it to be a model for equal pay and worker-ownership.
The Time for Postponing Climate Action Is Over
We are entering humanity’s defining decade, and 2020 is when we have to make the hard decisions.
What the U.S. Economy Can Learn From the Nordic Model
The U.S. economic system contributes to ongoing crises of addiction and mental health. The Scandinavians figured out the solutions decades ago.
White Supremacy Is the Root of Violence Against Jews
Two recent attacks against the Jewish community in the New York City area have come at the hands of people of color, specifically Black Americans. Trained as we are to
Beyond Compensation for Reparations
Every innovation our world has experienced began with imagination. In today’s society, we suffer from imagination deficiency when it comes to considering the humanity of all people, regardless of their
How to Start a Union When You Don’t Have the Right
The growers have the money but . . . the farmworkers have the time. —Cesar Chavez From 1962 to 1993, more than 2,200 people—all ages, all walks of life, and
Who Owns Your Grocery Store?
“Who owns your grocery store?” It’s the question emblazoned on the back of a van that has ferried me across 34 states to visit 128 consumer-owned grocery stores (food co-ops)
How We Shut Down the World Trade Organization
On November 30, 1999, a huge gathering of environmentalists, labor unions, and human rights activists gathered at the World Trade Organization’s meeting in Seattle to protest the WTO’s “free trade”
How to Shop Sustainably
By now, the word is out: fashion, particularly “fast fashion,” is killing our planet. Low-cost, cheaply made clothes that are designed to be worn briefly until styles change are terrible
Building a New Textile Economy
The worldwide textile industry’s enormous impact on human health, climate, and the environment is often overlooked in discussions of sustainability. Rebecca Burgess, a weaver and natural dyer, started her search
Bridges Only Work When Both Sides Cross Them
A new walkway connects two post-apartheid neighborhoods, but economic and racial equality are still out of reach.
The Lies We’re Told About Appalachia
The old exploitative images are indelible: out of work, White, needy. They obscure the region’s diversity and long tradition of activism.
The Phantom Promise: How Appalachia Was Sold on Prisons as an Economic Lifeline
As the coal industry declines, rural communities are seeking new economic stability—but prisons may not be the answer.
Resisting GMOs and Preserving Indigenous Culture in Rural Mexico
Thanks to a union of land cooperatives, people in Puebla have food sovereignty and education in Nahuatl instead of mega-projects and a Walmart.
The Key to Saving Family Farms Is in the Soil
Farmers adopting regenerative agricultural practices across the Midwest are restoring the health of the soil and of their rural economies.
While Supreme Court Waffles, Cities Stand Up for LGBT Workers’ Rights
No ruling, even from the highest court in the land, will invalidate state and city-level protections.
Converting Businesses to Cooperatives Just Got Easier
A coming wave of Baby Boomer retirements threatens the survival of many small businesses. This initiative is making employee-ownership a more viable option.
California Just Legalized Public Banks. Will the Rest of the Nation Follow Suit?
The new law promises to take taxpayer money back from Wall Street and reinvest it in communities.
“No Winners on a Dead Earth”: Why We Need a Climate Leader in 2020
The climate crisis is our common cause, and we’ll need to elect a president that is willing to take it on.
With a World “On Fire,” We Need More Than Inspiration
Naomi Klein’s new book “On Fire: The (Burning) Case for a Green New Deal” is essential reading, but does it go far enough in confronting the grim realities we truly face?
How to Get Out of the Debt Trap When Banks Won’t Help
In many rural areas, a lack of banking options has led to an increase in predatory lending. In eastern Kentucky, a new nonprofit is fighting back.
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