Posts Tagged youth activism

By Katherine Cross • 10 years ago

The Kids Were Always Alright: Breaking the Spell of Ageless Ageism

The belief that the world is bad and getting worse is one of the most venerable motifs of human civilization, appearing as far back as our record of written language exists. There are even Egyptian hieroglyphs suggesting that our next stop on this handbasket trip is Hell. Consider some of the guiding myths of our age that have been with us since time immemorial: even if you are not Christian, something about the myth of Eden and the Fall stays with you, guiding that pessimistic sense that we’ve declined ever more precipitously from a state of grace. Although the Fall myth is about a collapse from a very ancient grace that is firmly in the past, I’d argue the very idea ...

The belief that the world is bad and getting worse is one of the most venerable motifs of human civilization, appearing as far back as our record of written language exists. There are even Egyptian hieroglyphs suggesting ...

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By Katherine Cross • 10 years ago

Our Dangerous Ideology: Insurgent Literature on Activism

We, especially those of us in feminist movements, seem to relive the wracking debates of our movement’s past lives, and as people of colour in particular we seem condemned at times to a Groundhog Day of vexatious, soul-wrenching debates about our role in not just activism, but life itself. Are we selling out if we [insert anything slightly fun or remunerative here]? What does it mean to be authentically [insert ethnicity/race here]? The radical wing of activism presents one with equal dilemmas about living one’s values. “Be the change you want to see in the world,” and a dozen other tiresome clichés that have been reincarnated as inspirational Facebook memes. But all these swarms of corkscrewing questions pale before the ...

We, especially those of us in feminist movements, seem to relive the wracking debates of our movement’s past lives, and as people of colour in particular we seem condemned at times to a Groundhog Day of vexatious, ...
By Sesali B. • 10 years ago

Wednesday Weigh-In: How do you talk to kids about reproductive choice?

Last Wednesday, while many of us were celebrating the 41st anniversary of the historic Roe v Wade decision, the DC streets, buses, and metros were swarming with abortion opponents who gathered here for their annual March for Life. Whenever im unlucky enough to be surrounded by a bunch of anti-choicers, a few things always stand out. Last week was no different. The first thing i noticed was that I didn’t see a single person of color who ​was an identifiable attendee. No surprise there that white folks have decided to place judgement and condemnation on a procedure that poor communities of color are more likely to need. The second thing was that there were so many ...

Last Wednesday, while many of us were celebrating the 41st anniversary of the historic Roe v Wade decision, the DC streets, buses, and metros were swarming with abortion opponents who gathered ...
By Courtney • 11 years ago

Building character in overlooked places

One of my favorite parts of being on the road, speaking about my various books, is the chance to interact with local organizers, artists, and activists, and get even just a lil’ taste of the issues in various parts of the country. A couple of weeks ago I had the chance to go to Salt Lake City, a place you’re probably more likely to associate with Mormons and mountains than radical activism. Think again.

I visited the Mestizo Arts & Activism Collective at their home base in a cool, local coffee spot. They describe themselves like this:

We are an inter-generational group of students of diverse academic and ethnic backgrounds concerned about the community we live in. Our goal is ...

One of my favorite parts of being on the road, speaking about my various books, is the chance to interact with local organizers, artists, and activists, and get even just a lil’ taste of the issues ...
By Vanessa • 13 years ago

What We Missed

The mother of the child whose face was used unknowingly in the anti-choice billboard in downtown Manhattan is suing the anti-choice group for making her child the poster girl for a “a racist, controversial advertising campaign” that is “defamatory, unauthorized, and offensive.”

A local politician in upstate New York finds another reason to attack Planned Parenthood — for being about the gays.

Campus Progress and Colorlines are teaming up for the 2011 National Keynote Contest, where a young person who has something to say about racial justice will be given the opportunity to speak to over 1,000 people at the Campus Progress National Conference in DC this summer. So ...

The mother of the child whose face was used unknowingly in the anti-choice billboard in downtown Manhattan is suing the anti-choice group for making her child the poster girl for a “a racist, ...