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We are an independent non-profit creating progressive solutions through public interest advocacy and justice journalism.

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Champions of Reform & Advocates of the People

In These Cities, Car-Free Streets Are Here To Stay
During the COVID-19 pandemic, cities around the world closed down streets to cars and opened them up for people. Over two years later, some of these experiments were so popular that they are here to stay.

Maine Is a Leader in New England When It Comes to Preparing for Climate Change
Connecticut’s progress toward meeting its climate goals has lagged, and the state is not on track to meet its emission reduction goals, the report said. They cited a lack of accountability and enforceability of the emissions obligations set by the state’s Global Warming Solutions Act as one reason why.

Interview: The 4-Day Week Works Everywhere
If you believe that what we are doing today is the pinnacle of human achievement, you will never be able to improve. But if you think there must be a better way, then we should reconsider.

Views From COP27: How the Climate Conference Could Confront Colonialism by Centering Indigenous Rights
A different future will not be possible without reverence, respect, reciprocity, and responsibility towards the Earth, and, on this issue, Indigenous Peoples have a lot to share.

Indigenous Languages Make Inroads Into Public Schools
When we speak Yurok, we are saying that we are still here. Speaking our language is a form of resisting all things that have been done to our people.

Workers, Can You Stand It?
Working people in Connecticut and all over the US have struggled to get laws passed that protect them on the job, but the reality is that these laws, as important as they are, do not protect workers nearly as much as having a union.

What the Midterm Elections Mean for the Climate — So Far
The midterm elections on Tuesday brought good news for climate voters, at least compared to expectations.

Single-Issue Voting: The Danger That Lies Beneath
For most, one single issue will not completely upend or improve one’s life. But it is in the culmination of solving for the many issues and problems that affect communities and individual lives that we can see real progress. A focus on one issue, therefore, can take away from other equally important issues.

The Labor of Doulas
The historic role doulas have played in the care of Black birthing people is finally being recognized, mainstreamed and compensated as a viable option for the successful care of pregnant people, especially Black women, to help curb the tide of Black maternal death.

It’s Taking More Time To Cast a Ballot In US Elections – And Even Longer for Black and Hispanic Voters
Where you are and who you are significantly affect how long it will take you to vote. As well as demanding more time and commitment, long waits can discourage future voting.

Young Immigrants Are Looking to Social Media to Engage in Politics and Elections – Even if They Are Not Eligible to Vote
Online sites and apps are key for young immigrants to engage in politics, follow news in their local communities and countries of origin, organize protests, and encourage others to vote – even when they are not eligible to vote because of their immigration status.

In Socialist Cuba, Freedoms We Can Only Dream Of
The great thing in this world is not so much where you stand, as in what direction you are moving. By that standard, while some consider Cuba to be “backwards” compared to the US, it is worth asking which society was – and is – moving in the right direction.

Rates of Women Voter Registrations Are Surging—Particularly Where Reproductive Rights Are Threatened
The Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade in June confirmed what many Americans already knew—that the highly polarizing issue of abortion would continue to divide people personally and politically. But the decision also had a less predictable outcome: Women have been registering to vote at very high rates in several conservative states where abortion access is either limited or practically nonexistent.

The Supreme Court Is Back In Session, With New Controversial Cases That Stand to Change Many Americans’ Lives
The outcomes of this term’s cases will deeply influence American lives and values, especially for college applicants, LGBTQ citizens and people with strong religious beliefs.

What, To the Young Black American, Is “Democracy”?
When making calls-to-action, or waxing poetic about the threats we are currently facing as a country and within our local communities and corners of the world, I can’t help but think about the innate disappointment that Black people have been left with by the promise of American “democracy.”

What Makes People Vote? What Data and Experts Say
Aside from whatever political or social issue captures or creates the zeitgeist in a given time period, are there keystone characteristics behind why people vote? Are there core human traits that are ever present or underlying motivations that goad people to action? And what are the external factors that bear the greatest and deepest influence? In short, what makes people vote?

Through Youth Climate Councils, the Next Generation Aims to Drive Local Efforts to Combat the Climate Crisis
It is not just giving youth a seat at the table; it’s about youth being active participants with the adults in the conversation and the action that comes after that conversation.

Somebody Actually Started A New Credit Union. Here’s How They Did It.
The model explicitly combines deposits from inside the community with deposits brought in from outside the community that might otherwise be deposited in bigger banks like those on Wall Street.

In Hard Times, Co-ops Can Help Hold Communities Together
Worker cooperatives and consumer cooperatives are two of the most powerful tools to stabilize the economies of urban neighborhoods and small towns. They wait only for the participation and support of local governments and local investors

School for the Money or the Joy?
There is almost no discussion about what students actually want to learn. The debate offers the illusion of choice when success is defined so narrowly — yes, choose between these two options, but they both lead to the same place.

We Are The Ones We’ve Been Waiting For: Connecticut’s Climate Leadership
On August 16th, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was signed into law, committing $369 billion to mitigate climate change and advance the country’s transition to clean energy. As the most significant Federal climate initiative in history, the passage of the IRA should be celebrated, but we cannot exult for too long. We witnessed the […]

The Mar-a-Lago Raid: You Don’t Have a Dog In This Fight. Not Really.
This dog fight is between center-right Democrats and far-right Republicans and more about political grandstanding than protecting democracy.

Take Notice: August is an Important Month For Democracy
The heat of August is not limited to climate alone but to the significant events that have taken place at this time of year in our democracy’s history.

She Did That For Us
Nichelle Nichols was Uhura for over fifty years, on television, in movies, and at conventions, even though she didn’t want to be.

Integrity Wins: Esposito Restored as MCC President
On August 12, 2022, the office of Madsen, Prestley & Parenteau, LLCAs announced, “As part of an agreement to resolve the claims filed by Dr. Nicole Esposito, the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (“CSCU”) is reinstating Dr. Esposito to her position as Chief Executive Officer of Manchester Community College effective August 22, 2022. Through the […]

How Promise Programs Offer a Path to College Affordability and Aim to Reshape Communities
The beauty of promise programs is that you don’t have to leave. Colleges are supposed to be partners, but oftentimes they drain the talent out of the community.

Rapid Climate Change Requires Local Action, Too
Executive action, including state-wide shutdowns and other emergency measures are the norm for extreme cold weather conditions; the same actions are needed to address dangerous heat waves

Staying With the Same Teacher Benefits Students, Research Says
There’s great potential to reorganize our existing set of adults who contribute to education systems in a way that would increase the amount of sustained interactions.

Connecticut Primaries: Prime Time for Multigenerational Family Civic Engagement
Voting is not only a right for adults but a learning opportunity for youth. When children are able to accompany their parents to the polls, it leaves an imprint; a lasting impression of purpose and each child’s ability to be part of and engage in this democracy.

No One Can Be Above the Law, Even the President
President Trump may be the latest (and perhaps most egregious) example of executive malfeasance, but he is hardly the only president to behave unethically, if not outright break the law.

The Democratic Party Really Isn’t Very Democratic
It is both ironic and deeply troubling that the Democratic Party poses a major threat to the future of democratic elections.

Supporting Students: What’s Next For Mental Health
Not all stakeholders are on board with expanding support in schools, which some say could burden educators and encroach on parent rights. When the superintendent in a small Connecticut town recently proposed opening a mental health clinic at a high school, for example, the school board rejected the plan.

Medical Professionals Need to Treat Black Women Better
Over the course of a 24 hour hospital stay, Karmen received some of the worst medical care I’ve ever seen. I know, because I was FaceTiming with her most of the time.
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Home of Connecticut’s Racial & Ethnic Impact Statements
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