Watch John Oliver Explain How Absurd the US Standardized Testing System Is
John Oliver does a damn good job of explaining how ridiculous our standardized testing system is.
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Democracy
After Years of Living as Squatters, These Filipino Neighbors Fought for Nice, New Homes in Their Community—And Won
When the Manila government proposed relocating squatter families out of the city, residents came together and asked for housing in their own neighborhood.
Baltimoreans Celebrate Charging of Officers—But Say It’s Just First Step
“It’s not ‘game over,’ it’s ‘game on.’ Now, we can actually start to see things happening.”
Which of These 4 Radical, Badass Women Will Be on the $20 Bill? The Results Are In
Americans voted on Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, and two other contenders to replace Andrew Jackson.
Armenia’s Genocide Began 100 Years Ago Today. Here’s How the World Remembered It
If you could see my Facebook feed right now, you would understand how much this day means to Armenians like me.
Monica Lewinsky Was the Internet’s First Shaming Victim. Here’s How She Overcame It
“Shame cannot survive empathy,” Lewinsky reminds us. The growing trend of online public shaming can only be curbed by compassion.
“The Internet Is My Lifeline”: Hip-Hop Artist Jasiri X on the FCC’s Net Neutrality Vote
The political artist from Pittsburgh speaks about the importance of the Internet and social media in making the voices of low-income people of color heard.
Is the Maker Movement About Hacking Society—Or Just Hardware?
At feminist hackerspaces, members are less interested in digital trespassing than in developing a safe community for experimenting, creating, and collaborating.
What a Real-Life Rosie the Riveter Taught This Feminist Geek
Before meeting Geraldine, I’d assumed that most of the women from the 1940s were unaware of how capable they were. I was wrong.
Musicians From Egypt to Rwanda Are Blending Musical Traditions and Building Unity to Protect the Nile River Basin
The Nile Project is made up of musicians from different countries, musical genres, and traditions. Their purpose? To promote cooperation and cultural understanding as the diverse peoples of the Nile face threats from water scarcity and climate change.
Anti-Austerity Party Sweeps Greek Elections—What US Progressives Can Learn
There are plenty of lessons to be taken from Syriza’s victory and the rise to power of Spain's Podemos party, but striving to speak to people rather than politics might be chief among them.
“Selma”: A Beautifully Shot Film Shows How Change Really Happens
Neither a “great man” history of Martin Luther King Jr., nor a tale of forgotten underdogs, Selma is about skilled activists building a movement.
400,000 Harry Potter Fans—and J.K. Rowling—Just Won a Deal to Get Child Labor Out of Chocolate
Harry Potter stood up for his world's most vulnerable people. Now, legions of real-world kids are too—by demanding Fair Trade certification for products sold in their hero's name.
10 Ways Human Rights and Democracy Won in 2014 (Yeah, You Heard That Right)
Let’s be honest: It was a brutal year for human rights. But we still have victories worth celebrating.
I Can’t Breathe Until Everyone Can Breathe
The late Maya Angelou said: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” When it comes to injustices, we’re all part of the problem—and the solution.
Black Lives Matter Protest Shuts Down Mall of America on December’s Biggest Shopping Day
This weekend, thousands converged on one of the world's biggest malls, chanting "Black people cannot breathe while you have a shopping spree." Check out our play-by-play.
12 Hashtags That Changed the World in 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.
The Battle in Seattle, 15 Years On: How an Unsung Hero Kept the Movements United
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.
This Food Stand Celebrates Palestinian Culture. When It Received a Death Threat, Students Stood Up
Conflict Kitchen serves up food from countries in conflict with the United States—and its customers think it's worth defending.
These 14 Teenage Inventors Built a Glove That Translates Sign Language—and Other Tech Solutions
What these kids came up with will leave you wondering what adults are even doing anymore.
6 Ways Americans Voted Against Corporate Power in the Most Expensive Midterm Elections Ever
So the national elections didn’t go so well. But across the country—from California to North Dakota—citizens made decisions that will give you reason to hope.
Next Week Oregon, Alaska, and D.C. Vote on Recreational Pot—And It’s About More Than Just Getting High
If those three measures pass, more states will be added to the list of places where healing from the drug war can begin, places where people will no longer face jail time because of a little nugget in their pockets.
Before the Zombie Apocalypse—These 4 Trade Deals Were Ravaging the World!
Forget ghouls and goblins. From deregulating Wall Street to shredding environmental and labor protections—these policy monsters are way scarier.
The Trollslayers: 3 Women Who Took on the Internet’s Misogynistic Underbelly—And Came Out Swinging
For years, these two mothers and a Cambridge professor have been bullied, threatened, and publicly humiliated by cyber-legions of trolls. Each of their stories offers a lesson for beating them.
Why You Need to Know About a Gross Thing Called #GamerGate—And the Women Who Fight It
We can learn a lot about the future of culture wars from a “movement” of video game players angry about efforts to make gaming more welcoming for women.
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