Special Coverage: WireTap

Do You Have a Minute to Save Progressive Politics?

Greg Bloom, In These Times. October 19, 2006.
With low wages, long hours, and constant uphill battles, the canvassing industry is burning out progressive youth, and progressive organizations are fighting attempts to change the system.

A Different Breed of Tutor

Adam McKibbin, WireTap. October 13, 2006.
The volunteer tutors of 826LA's writing center -- and 826's branches across the country -- offer more than help with homework: They give kids a chance to fulfill their dreams.

Post-9/11 America is a Tough Place for Young Desis

Children's PressLine. October 12, 2006.
In the last five years, Arab, South Asian and Muslim immigrants have faced an American government and population more likely to hate them for their skin color. Three young organizers discuss how life in America has changed since the 9/11 attacks.

Worst. Congress. Ever.

Scott Thill, WireTap. October 10, 2006.
Your representatives in Washington have worked less than any Congress in almost 60 years. But what's even worse is that on those rare times they do work, they work to pass laws that screw us all over.

Exploring Christopher Columbus Day

Elias Lawless, WireTap. October 9, 2006.
Opinion: How might a federal holiday relate to U.S. support for Guatemala`s bid at the U.N. Security Council?

Freaky Fridays

Sex Goddess, WireTap. October 6, 2006.
Bi-weekly sex and relationships column for organizers, activists, change makers, closet progressives and for the young at heart.

YouTube's Newest Friends

Larisa Mann, WireTap. October 5, 2006.
Big media giants and YouTube are signing contracts. What does that mean for indie artists and free speech?

The Greening of Campus Life

Joel Makower, Grist.org. October 3, 2006.
At colleges and universities across the country, students and administrators alike have enthusiastically embraced the idea of sustainability.

Why Student Media Matters

Aaron Sussman, WireTap. October 1, 2006.
As the mainstream media -- and even alternative media -- become more corporate and consolidated, hundreds of campus publications are reporting the truth about student life and training news leaders of the future.

Fundamentalist Camp Trains God's Little Army

Evan Derkacz, AlterNet. September 28, 2006.
The directors of the new documentary 'Jesus Camp' discuss the good, the bad, and the disharmony in the evangelical community.

How Progressives Can Win in the Long Run

Iara Peng, WireTap. September 27, 2006.
Right-wing groups spend ten times more on youth leadership development than progressives do. If we want to win, we need to start investing in the next generation of leaders.

Students Helping Students to Fix New Orleans Schools

Tom Sturm, WireTap. September 26, 2006.
In the painfully long recovery from Hurricane Katrina, kids in the Gulf Coast have realized just how crappy their schools are, and have begun organizing, fundraising and grading their schools in order to make a change.

Taking Latinos from the Streets to the Polls

Paloma Esquivel, The Nation. September 25, 2006.
Young, U.S.-born Latinos who took to the streets in massive numbers to push for immigrant rights are hoping to become a potent political force in this year's midterm elections and beyond.

Freaky Fridays

Sex Goddess, WireTap. September 22, 2006.
WireTap's bi-weekly sex and relationships column for organizers, activists, change makers, closet progressives and for the young at heart.

Campus Journalism's Corporate Cousin

Ryan Werder, Campus Progress. September 21, 2006.
Florida State's campus newspaper was just bought by America's largest publishing company. Is your campus next?

As Pissed as Ever, Young Voters Get Organized

Scott Thill, WireTap. September 20, 2006.
The League of Young Voters -- born in 2003 as the League of Pissed Off Voters -- is mobilizing young people across the country to make a difference in the midterm elections and a neighborhood near you.

Rapping in Aymara

Benjamin Dangl, Upside Down World. September 20, 2006.
In Bolivia, hip-hop music and culture are becoming key parts of a larger liberation struggle.

Putting the "Izz" Back into Journalism

Gary Moskowitz, WireTap. September 19, 2006.
Pulitzer Prize-nominated author Myra MacPherson says journalism needs a good kick in the pants.

Bigger Than Hip-Hop

Glen Ford, In These Times. September 19, 2006.
Hip-hop is arguably the most potent musical force in the country today, and African-American activists are working to shape it into a political movement as well.

Therapy for Revolutionaries

Jennifer Liss, WireTap. September 15, 2006.
A new documentary explores a Brazilian therapy that combines anarchist politics with the search for mental and physical liberation.

The Best of Campus Activism

The Editors, Mother Jones. September 14, 2006.
2006 was a bold year for student groups working for change -- here's a list of the best and brightest raising hell on campus.

A Sweatshop Behind Bars

Chris Levister, New America Media. September 13, 2006.
The nation's prison industry now employs more people than any Fortune 500 corporation except General Motors. Is prison labor rehab or corporate slavery?

Five Signs That You've Come of Age Since 9/11

The Editors, WireTap. September 11, 2006.
Do you wonder whom to trust, but feel you should make a difference? Do you worry about your privacy, but keep your headscarf on? Our survey of recent media about young Americans will remind you that you're not alone.

A Feminist Home on the Web

Gary Moskowitz, Pop and Politics. September 11, 2006.
Feministing, the popular blog site, aims to reignite the women's movement. But are we really witnessing a new wave of feminism? And can a blog -- no matter how fiery -- move meatspace toward gender equality?

What's a Diploma Worth, Anyway?

Tamara Draut, TomPaine.com. September 9, 2006.
Young people are enrolling in college in record numbers, working longer hours and trying to save for retirement. But in this grim economic situation, a degree doesn't guarantee a good life.

Freaky Fridays

Sex Goddess, WireTap. September 8, 2006.
WireTap's bi-weekly sex and relationships column for organizers, activists, change makers, closet progressives and for the young at heart.

The New Wartime Body

Izzy "Socket" Klatzker, Clamor. September 6, 2006.
When amputee vets return from Iraq, they may get the latest technology available for replacement limbs, but they rarely get the job training or physical and emotional support they need to rejoin civilian life.

A Completely Different College Ranking Guide

The Editors, Washington Monthly. September 4, 2006.
Contrary to the U.S. News & World Report list, these colleges not only teach young people well, but their faculties and students alike are working to create a better world.

Students Seek Alternatives as Textbook Prices Mount

Shreema Mehta, The NewStandard. August 30, 2006.
A recent study finds that the college textbook industry is driving up costs and restricting cheaper options and suggests alternatives students can use to save money.

New Orleans, One Year Later

Jordan Flaherty, WireTap. August 29, 2006.
A New Orleans resident says that a year after Hurricane Katrina tore through the Gulf Coast, not much has changed.

Siren Song of the Counter Culture

Adam McKibbin, WireTap. August 25, 2006.
Interview: Punk rock band Rise Against's frontman Tim McIlrath talks about the importance of preaching to audiences on the opposite side of ones political views.

Student Debt Crisis: Are There Any Solutions?

Talia Berman, WireTap. August 23, 2006.
A look at what's behind the ever-increasing cost of college and potential solutions offered by activists and government.

Blogging From Beirut

Jamal Ghosn, WireTap. August 22, 2006.
Personal Voice: A young Lebanese blogger shares his day-to-day experience of living in a war zone.

Terrorism: A False Sense of Insecurity?

Gary Moskowitz, WireTap. August 21, 2006.
How drowning in bathtubs and allergic reactions to peanuts help deconstruct our fear.

Freaky Fridays

Sex Goddess, WireTap. August 18, 2006.
WireTap's bi-weekly sex and relationships column for organizers, activists, change makers, closet progressives and for the young at heart.

Lt. Watada's Courageous Dissent

Jeanine Plant, WireTap. August 17, 2006.
As 28-year-old Lt. Watada faces a court hearing today, his refusal to deploy has revived a critique of the Bush administration's war crimes in Iraq.

Turning Outrage Into Power

Malik Cooper, WireTap. August 16, 2006.
Opinion: Harnessing its growing strength in numbers, the National Hip Hop Political Convention is beginning to change the face of American politics.

10 Reasons to Oppose Plans for More Prisons

Vanessa Huang, Rose Braz, New America Media. August 15, 2006.
Opinion: Young community organizers argue that California officials' version of prison reform is counterproductive.

When Bombs Are Directed at Me

Elijah Barrett, WireTap. August 14, 2006.
Personal Voice: An American student in London describes his reactions to the bomb plot and government policies that surround it.

Roots, Rock, Reggae

Jamilah King, WireTap. August 10, 2006.
The Rootz Underground plants its seeds as one of Jamaica's best and underrated Reggae bands.

Rethinking New Orleans Schools

Jordan Flaherty, WireTap. August 9, 2006.
As post-Katrina New Orleans becomes a battleground over private vs. public schools, students organize to be a part of the debate.

What Does an Anti-War Movement Look Like Today?

Celina R. De Leon, WireTap. August 7, 2006.
Mass national protests didn't sway the Bush administration, so young organizers have focused on local counter-recruitment campaigns.

Freaky Fridays

Sex Goddess, WireTap. August 4, 2006.
WireTap's bi-weekly sex and relationships column for organizers, activists, change makers, closet progressives and for the young at heart.

Feminists vs. Genocide

Wren Abbott, Ms. Magazine. August 3, 2006.
Success Story: student activists spur Darfur divestment at University of California.

Soundtrack to the Movement

Jamilah King, WireTap. August 2, 2006.
A look at how one of the nation's most innovative record labels is changing music and young people that make it.

Guatemalan Youth Rewrite History

Elias Lawless, WireTap. July 31, 2006.
From illegal street art to publicly shouting down military leaders, young activists in Guatemala are awakening the country's consciousness to its unspoken genocide.

Readers Speak: The Results of WireTap Survey Are In

Kristina Rizga, WireTap. July 27, 2006.
We thank hundreds of readers who took the time to share their appreciation and suggestions for our new website.

Now That My Friend is Dead

Christine Ferrer, New America Media. July 26, 2006.
Personal Voice: The death of a high school classmate brings up confounding questions for Christine about what her friend was fighting for.

The Real Tragedy of Student Debt

Myshele Goldberg, WireTap. July 24, 2006.
A young, working-class woman shares the story of her subtle slide into unbearable debt.

The New Female Nerd and the 'Gender Gap'

Sophie Theis, YO! Youth Outlook. July 22, 2006.
Personal Voice: The new gender gap is all about attitude, says one teen.

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