The Unexpected Gifts of Photographing Mandela, Tutu, and the Dalai Lama
Photographer Jane Feldman on earning the trust of beloved world leaders—and capturing their laughter.
Activism
YES! Media’s coverage of activism centers on the ways that grassroots mobilization and activism work to change the political zeitgeist around the most pressing social issues we are facing.
Restless Nation: The Real Meaning of Iran’s Elections
Will the people of Iran get the reforms they asked for in electing the moderate Hassan Rouhani? The answer depends partly on them, and partly on the United States.
Voices from Turkey’s #OccupyGEZI Movement
Filmmaker Deniz Tarsus brings you into the occupation of Istanbul’s Gezi Park in this new short film.
“Renegade Gardener” Plots World Domination Through Home-Grown Veggies
Ron Finley speaks to YES! about why “gardening is gangsta” and how he's getting city youth back in the dirt.
“Stand Your Ground Isn’t What Put the Bullet in Trayvon”: Voices from Florida’s Occupied Capitol
Daniel Agnew, Melanie Andrade, and Jabari Mickles are members of a group that occupied Florida’s capitol building after the Zimmerman acquittal.
Florida Occupation Digs in after Meeting with Governor Scott Turns Sour
The association says it will bring in retired members in an effort to defuse tensions between young occupiers and capitol police.
Dar Williams: Why the Music of Protest Is Still Worth Defending
We can’t change the world if we can’t even sing together—a star folk singer on what happens if political music dies.
Day Four: Youth-Led Occupation of Florida Capitol Still Growing
For the last three nights, a growing group has camped out in the Florida Capitol building, demanding the governor address their concerns about the Zimmerman acquittal.
Clown Costume or Power Suit? How to Think about the Theatrics of Taking Action
Larry Bogad is an author and cofounder of the Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army. In this video, he explains how civil rights leaders made their work look good, and how we can use the same principals today.
Peaceful Revolution? Gandhi’s Four Paths to Get There
The Indian leader saw nonviolence as an active and powerful thing—not just the absence of war.
How a Detroit Conference Is Shaping the Future of Feminism
For a few short days at the Allied Media Conference, change makers immerse themselves in the world they’d like to live in.
Why the Revival of US Labor Might Start with Nonunion Workers
The AFL-CIO’s community affiliate, Working America, is expanding its work online and off.
Don’t Wait for the Revolution—Live It
When pranksters and creative organizers create temporary utopias, the experience leaves us wanting more—and ready to work hard to get it.
Click Here to Kick Glenn Beck Off the Air: Web Activism’s Big Wins—and What to Do Next
It was online campaigning that got Lou Dobbs and Glenn Beck's shows canceled. But the real power of Internet activism is what happens after we step away from the screen.
How Bike Friendly Cities Beat the Opposition and Became the New Normal
Now that all the debate about whether bike lanes are OK seems to be (mostly) over, cities around the country are enjoying their benefits.
Climate Change Is Happening but We Can Meet the Challenge
It can be hard for youth to deal with the overwhelming effects of climate change. But, by taking action, we can erode the hold that oil, fracking, and coal has on people and the environment.
What’s Love Got to Do with the Apocalypse? We Asked This Group of Young Leaders
On life, leadership, and the future in an age of catastrophic change.
Occupied Istanbul: Scenes from the Front Lines
Thousands of people are sleeping in a public park to protest the actions of the Turkish government. Check out this photo essay for a view of daily life, music, and politics inside Turkey’s homegrown occupation.
Better than Cyber Utopia: How the Internet Helped Us Create the Sharing Economy
Back in the ’90s, people thought the Internet was going to open up a zone of perfect cyber-freedom. It didn’t work out that way. But the Internet’s real significance may be found elsewhere: in a growing sector of the economy based around peer-to-peer sharing networks.
Pussy Riot’s “Punk Prayer” Reminds Us to Cherish Freedom of Spirit—Not Just Speech
What we still have to learn from the world’s favorite riot grrrls.
Melodeego: The Hippest Bike-Powered Band in Town
Melodeego has been making music for the environment for years. Their songs include protests of the Keystone XL pipeline and other topics inspired by the anti-climate change movement.
Get Apocalyptic: Why Radical is the New Normal
Feeling anxious about life in a broken economy on a strained planet? Turn despair into action.
For a Future that Won’t Destroy Life on Earth, Look to the Global Indigenous Uprising
Idle No More is the latest incarnation of an age-old movement for life that doesn't depend on infinite extraction and growth. Now, armed with Twitter and Facebook, once-isolated groups from Canada to South America are exchanging resources and support like never before.
Marriage Equality for Minnesota? You Betcha!
In just six months, the “Land of Lakes” went from debating a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, to legalizing it this week. One proud resident on celebrating change in one of our more politically quirky states.
“Modified Social Benches”: An Experiment in Outdoor Socializing
An installation of creatively shaped benches in Belgium pushes the edge of urban sit-ability.
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