Category: Activism

Activism Culture Watercooler

A woman illegally climbed the Statue of Liberty. Now her judge wants to do it, too.

sudshr47 February 23, 2019

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U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel Gorenstein might be a little too curious about the crime he’s overseeing. Gorenstein will preside over the case of Therese Okoumou, who climbed the Statue of Liberty on July 4, 2018 – only now Gorenstein basically wants to climb it as well.

According to NBC New York, Gorenstein wants “to better appreciate the risks or hazards created by defendant’s conduct.” He filed a court order requesting a ladder and access to the area where Okoumou was found.

Okoumou climbed the Statue on Independence Day after an Abolish ICE protest, but a U.S. Attorney deemed the climbing to be “dangerous and reckless” compared to constitutionally sanctioned peaceable protest. Read more…

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Activism Climate Change Culture Protest United Kingdom

The most glorious protest signs from UK kids skipping class for climate change

sudshr47 February 15, 2019

Thousands of school children in the UK are currently skipping class in favour of marching the streets in a call for world leaders to act on climate change. 
Inspired by Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg, who organised her own month-long strik…

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Activism DoorDash gig economy Instacart Tech

Instacart ends its shady tipping policy, thanks to internet backlash

sudshr47 February 7, 2019

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Internet outrage might feel tiresome sometimes, but it can also be a force for good. 

The grocery and food delivery company Instacart has changed the way it pays its gig-economy workers, according to BuzzFeed. Following the outrage and worker organizing that occurred after several reports detailed the company’s payment structure — in which it used tips, not company revenue, to cover base wages — Instacart CEO Apoorva Mehta told delivery workers in an email that the company would reverse its policy.

“Based on your feedback, today we’re launching new measures to more fairly and competitively compensate all our shoppers,” Mehta wrote. “Tips should always be separate from Instacart’s contribution to shopper compensation.” Read more…

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Activism Entertainment Jussie Smollett Jussie Smollett Attack

Jussie Smollett clears up the facts of what happened when he was attacked

sudshr47 February 3, 2019

Jussie Smollett doesn’t want there to be any more confusion about what happened to him on Tuesday.
The Empire star spoke openly about an attack that police believe to be a hate crime during his first performance since the incident. Smollett was repor…

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Activism Alyssa Milano Celebrities Equal Rights Amendment Social Good

Alyssa Milano’s next viral cause: women’s equality

sudshr47 February 2, 2019

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Ask Alyssa Milano what’s next for the Me Too movement, and she’ll say it’s the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment, a Constitutional amendment that would grant women legal equality.

The United States almost ratified the proposed amendment in 1982, but three more states needed to approve it. (Before an amendment becomes part of the Constitution, three-fourths of states must adopt it.) Now the ERA is back in the news — and so is Milano along with it.

The amendment is now one state away from ratification, and the liberal actress and advocate is pushing for one more legislature to approve it. The amendment recently failed in Virginia, but Milano has been joining forces with politicians and tweeting about the ERA.  Read more…

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2019 Activism Activist Books Social Good

17 books every activist should read in 2019

sudshr47 January 27, 2019

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Reading is one of the best solutions to a rainy day, cancelled plans, and maybe even the state of our world. Whether you’re an activist or just want to take a deep dive into an issue you’re passionate about — immigration, racial justice, gun control —a book is a great tool. 

The catalog of books coming out in 2019 is jam-packed with powerful writers and activists who are encouraging conversations in the hopes of creating a more inclusive, just society. Some, like Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai and Valerie Jarrett’s memoir, Finding My Voice, draw from direct experiences — at refugee camps, the White House, and other places around the world.  Read more…

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Activism Indigenous Indigenous Rights Maga Hat Social Good

How to handle tense protest moments in wake of MAGA teen confrontation

sudshr47 January 23, 2019

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The anti-abortion March for Life and the Indigenous Peoples March both took place on January 18, but all anyone remembers from either is a confrontation between a white, male teen and a Native American elder — and the viral videos that resulted. 

Footage shows a group of predominately white, male teenagers donning “Make America Great Again” hats and seemingly mocking 64-year-old Nathan Phillips, a Native American protester, former director of the Native Youth Alliance and veteran. Details about the incident continue to emerge, but it’s clear that the encounter and the resulting videos were polarizing on social media, with many pointing to the smile on one of the young people’s face, an expression that many have characterized as disrespectful. Read more…

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Activism Martin Luther King Jr. Social Good

Martin Luther King Jr. adviser on what it was like to hear him speak: ‘It was spellbinding’

sudshr47 January 21, 2019

For Clarence Jones, legal adviser to Martin Luther King Jr. and author of What would Martin Say?, hearing the civil rights leader speak was otherworldly. 
“I never heard anybody speak like that before. It was spellbinding. It was mesmerizing…

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