I know nothing about this topic, but a few articles have me wondering about the influence Latin American immigrants, especially Mexicans, might be having - and will have to a larger degree in the future - on community and labor organizing. Last week, I read this article in the Black Agenda report on the efforts to stop gentrification in Harlem and noticed the prominent roles being played by hispanic immigrants (as well as African Americans and Asian immigrants).

Ever wonder what Obama actually did as a community activist? Whether he succeeded in actually helping people in Chicago? How an outsider without Chicago ties ended up a political insider? Why he left organizing for law school? Why so much of his language in the primaries was that of "bottom up" and "movements"? About all that Alinsky stuff? ...

John Judis: Creation Myth--What Barack Obama won't tell you about his community organizing past

and from 07, a long, but thorough account of those days: The Agitator--Barack Obama's unlikely political education

Al Gore gave a talk at the recent TED Conference. It’s an updated and abbreviated version of his climate change slide show, with both alarming new data on the increasing speed of climate change and some heartening information on the growing public awareness that we need to act and soon.  Read more…