On August 3, 2019, I published a blog about how local civic life at the official level is reflecting national tensions. The heart of my blog (now Part 1 of Public Trust in Evanston, IL: National Cracks being Exposed in Chicago Suburb) is this paragraph: “On July 12, 2019, Evanston’s Mayor put a stake in […]
Real Democracy
In April 2017, the City of Evanston had local elections. By a very slim margin, we elected a white disaster capitalist as Mayor (with no previous elected experience). By a very wide margin, we elected a young Black advocate for participatory democracy and government transparency as City Clerk (with no previous elected experience). We elected […]
On Monday night, Dec. 10, 2018, the Evanston City Council voted 9-0 Monday night to honor the citizens’ referendum to save Harley Clarke by taking imminent demolition off the table. They did this by voting down an appeal of the Preservation Commission’s unanimous rejection of a certificate to demolish. Watching the proceedings via livestream TV, […]
Harley Clarke mansion as public lakefront asset: Preserve or demolish Posted October 14, 2018 How about a good old-fashioned grassroots community meeting? This is a proposal originally made on: — June 6, 2018: to Design Evanston, Evanston Lakehouse & Gardens (ELHG), Evanston Lighthouse Dunes (ELD). I believe that DE submitted my proposal as part […]
Count Me In — a new film on real democracy Money, Voting, and Participatory Budgeting — or what we’ve been missing for 200+ years Published October 11, 2016 This is a modified version of an announcement originally posted on Oct. 5, 2016 to U.S. food-and-farm networks. COMFOOD (North America – Tufts University) Food Policy Networks […]
A Resolution on Food, Farms, and Democracy Posted November 11, 2014 Presented at the Congress to Address the First Woman’s Rights Convention Chicago, IL: March 2014 Earlier this year, I was honored and excited to be included in the culmination of year-long event to update the document produced by the 1848 Women’s Rights Convention. The […]
Putting the DEMOCRACY into Food-and-Farm Democracy: A Food-and-Farm Bill for and by All Americans (posted to food-and-farm list-servs on Nov. 11, 2013) To: Jasia Steinmetz, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point COMFOOD list-serv cc: Frances Moore Lappe, Small Planet Institute Women, Food, and Agriculture Network (national organization based in Ames, Iowa) Food Policy Network (national forum based […]