Category Archives: Section

Mothers Strike!

Historically, traditional economists have excluded the value of household economy work from economic calculations insisting that the household economy doesn’t constitute labor and can’t be quantified. However, if we consider the tasks themselves involved in “housework,” as Riane Eisler does, … Continue reading

Posted in Human Rights, Labor/Economics | Leave a comment

Comfort Food

ITALIAN BEAN SOUP In about 3 quarts of water, cook about 1 cup of rice, or diallini or salad macs (I use whole wheat macaroni) and 1 medium diced potato (skin left on.) Add the sauce (the sauce refers to … Continue reading

Posted in Food, Women | Leave a comment

Revisiting Women’s History Month

In late February, at the cusp of Women’s History Month, Stephen Colbert interviewed women’s studies author, Stephanie Coontz. In typical Colbert fashion, he cajoles Coontz as she discusses, A Strange Stirring, her new book about Betty Friedan’s, Feminine Mystique. Colbert … Continue reading

Posted in Community Forum, Women | Leave a comment

Ex-Cop Lisa Staples Back in Court on Second DUI

On Monday, March 14, 2011, former Champaign police detective Lisa Staples returned to court for a second DUI. She nearly killed two 17-year-old girls on December 19, 2010 when she struck their car at high speeds. According to four additional … Continue reading

Posted in News | Leave a comment

Letter from Madison, February 27, 2011

This Sunday Zach Poppel and I traveled to Madison to support the occupation of the Wisconsin Capitol. I want to share some of my experiences. As we left for Madison, we knew we might not be able to get into … Continue reading

Posted in Community Forum, Labor/Economics | Leave a comment

Is it Fear of Uprisings or Altruistic Punishment?

As the uprisings are spreading around the world and in the United States, there are many who feel fear, reticence, and intense skittishness about what is transpiring. Yet, this anxiety, rather than surprising, is well-cultivated by the contemporary hegemonic forces … Continue reading

Posted in Human Rights, International | Leave a comment

Chicago Renaissance Woman Margaret Burroughs Dies at 93

Magnificent black women the poets and singers have been remiss have sung too few poems and songs of you And the image makers have not recorded your beauty. On November 21, 2010, long-time Chicago artist and activist Margaret Burroughs died … Continue reading

Posted in Arts | Leave a comment

Spirit of the Dance

Listen to Guinea Drumming Imagine six weeks without running or potable water, a common language, or toilet paper… where rats commonly nibble on children at night… where no one else believes your god exits… where your shower is a bucket … Continue reading

Posted in Arts, International | Leave a comment

CU In Solidarity With the People of Egypt

Posted in Human Rights, International | Leave a comment

The School for Designing a Society is in Session!

Established in 1991 in Champaign-Urbana, the School for Designing a Society is an ongoing social experiment by teachers, performers, artists, students, activists, and others in making temporary living environments where the question “What would I consider a desirable society?” is … Continue reading

Posted in Education, UC-IMC | Leave a comment

SOLHOT Saving Yourself First

Here in the local community, I am a part of a phenomenal group called Saving Our Lives Hear Our Truths (SOLHOT). SOLHOT is a space organized for and by Black women and girls. Within SOLHOT, female student volunteers from the … Continue reading

Posted in African Americans, Voices of Color | Leave a comment

Technology and African-American History

As the Urbana-Champaign Big Broadband (UC2B) $30 million high-speed Internet infrastructure is constructed throughout Champaign-Urbana, we must come together as a community to find ways to use this technology to support all sectors of our local population. eBlackChampaign-Urbana is a … Continue reading

Posted in Technology | Leave a comment

UC2B and the Digital Divide in Champaign-Urbana

In recent years, there has been a lot of talk about universal access to and affordability of high-speed internet services. In the 2009 stimulus package, $7.2 billion was allocated for broadband development and employment in underserved (rural) and underserved (generally … Continue reading

Posted in Technology | Leave a comment

Home Street Home

Listen to Alex and Sammy talk about homelessness here CONSIDER THIS: As I write this article, I can look out my balcony and see a number of homeless people asking for food and money on Green Street in Champaign. People … Continue reading

Posted in Homelessness, Human Rights | Leave a comment

Racial Microaggressions and its Impact on Campus Climate at the University of Illinois

On November 4, 2008, the first person of color was elected President of the United States of America and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. It is true that President Obama did break down some racial barriers, However, many … Continue reading

Posted in African Americans, Human Rights, Indigenous, Latino/a, Voices of Color, Women | Leave a comment

A Response From Civil Society

Our vision at Illinois People’s Action (IPA) is to live in a state where our shared core values of justice, empowerment and family become the norm. To bring this vision into reality, we engage in faith-based community organizing and leadership … Continue reading

Posted in African Americans, Human Rights | Leave a comment

A Letter to a Black Girl

To Whom It May Concern (and those who may think it doesn’t): So, when exactly did it start? As I sit and ponder on when I can recall my first moment of  interaction with sexuality, I realize I can’t do … Continue reading

Posted in African Americans, Human Rights, Voices of Color, Women | Leave a comment

Bigger is Better! Help WRFU Erect Epic Radio Tower

It happened one weekend in November five years ago. Some 200 people swarmed the Independent Media Center. By the end, when the clouds gathered over Urbana, a radio station was born. The volunteers had traveled from across the country to … Continue reading

Posted in Media | Leave a comment

In Search of Coretta Scott King

They say that behind every great man lies a great woman. This popular phrase holds true in the case of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King. As Martin led marches and protests during the Civil Rights Movement, Coretta … Continue reading

Posted in African Americans, Human Rights, Voices of Color | Leave a comment

Open Invitation to the Follow-up Meeting of the eBlack C-U Campus-Community Symposium

The eBlack CU Symposium was a great success, with over 180 people attending or all part of the event. The full record of the Symposium is available online for anyone to access at: http://eblackcu.net/portal/symposium. We need to do more to … Continue reading

Posted in African Americans, Technology | Leave a comment