How Coca-Cola Invented Christmas As We Know It When you see Santa today, all fat and jolly and rosy-cheeked, you’re…
In Hamtramck, a beautiful piece of history is saved
My latest at AlterNet. Hamtramck Stadium is one of the last still-standing Negro League baseball fields in the country. Built…
Scrooge the holiday shopping season
Why support holidays created by a credit card company and an online shopping giant? Scrooge the holiday bloodsuckers. Here’s how…
Books Are Playing a Role in Elevating and Transforming Chicago Communities
Open Books Chicago is inspiring. Read about it at AlterNet.
This Small City Is Showing How Supporting Artists Can Have a Big Impact
Dayton, Ohio, is cool. Yes, really. This little Midwestern city of 140,000 is overlooked by most of the USA—flyover country,…
5 Surprisingly Hip and Progressive Places in Trump Country
Personally, I love Dayton. Read my picks at AlterNet.
There’s More to High School Equivalency Than the GED
GED is a brand–not something you earn. So why do states use it, especially when revenue goes to a U.K.-based…
This Minneapolis Mayoral Candidate Wants To Disarm and Demilitarize Police
Raymond Dehn’s progressive policies on criminal justice, housing and more are resonating across the city. My latest at In These…
Detroit’s Garbage Incinerator
Smells like environmental racism. Here’s a bit that got cut for space from the final version, but which I think is…
How Youth Hostels Are a Cornerstone for Building a Local Peace Economy
Yes, youth hostels are still a thing, and they’re more important than ever to integrating travelers with local communities. My…
Beggin for Crumbs, from Amazon
Amazon says, “land, site preparation, tax credits/exemptions, relocation grants, workforce grants, utility incentives/grants, permitting, and fee reductions….The initial cost and ongoing…