The last year has been depressing for Thomas L. Friedman as a journalist and as a person. He saw a spontaneous uprising of civic activism propelled by a single idea: I am my neighbor's keeper. The people of Minneapolis and St. Paul in Minnesota deserve the Nobel Peace Prize.
Innocent Mabusela is the chief executive of Jozi My Jozi, a non-profit organisation that works to restore pride in Johannesburg's inner city. The organisation's mission is to inspire hope and restore pride through targeted interventions. It counts about 140 partners across corporates, civil society and education institutions.
Andrea Gibson, poet laureate of Colorado and one of America's best contemporary poets, died on Monday at age 49. Gibson and their wife Megan Falley are the subjects of a documentary, "Come See Me in the Good Light," which won the Festival Favorite Award at the Sundance Film Festival and is now nominated for best documentary feature at the Oscars. …
The Foilies are an annual project by the Electronic Frontier Foundation and MuckRock to recognize the agencies, officials and contractors that thwart the public's right to know. This year's "awards" are given during Sunshine Week (March 15-21) Vancouver residents must pay twice for public records.
More than 900 people have signed an open letter to the owners of the website internationalwomensday.com. Belinda Jane Batt, a coach who works with mothers, and Mo Kanjilal, founder of a training company focused on diversity, equity and inclusion, wrote the letter. They believe the website has been exploiting a social movement for financial gain without addressing the structural issues …
"Wishful Thinking" and "The Saviors" were screened at the SXSW Film & TV Festival. Both films are good, but not as good as the others. "Wishfulness Thinking" is a sci-fi rom-com about a couple who discover their relationship's power. "Saviors" has a frustrating habit of derailing its best intentions.
Denisse Montoya is a volunteer working with Illinois Joining Forces, the Jesse Brown VA and Merging Vets and Players organization to help veterans. Montoya served in the Air Force as a security forces specialist and is now the development and program coordinator for Illinois Joiner Forces. She also helped Chicago City Council adopt Women Veteran’s Day as an official city …