This summer at New Tactics I'm doing a project to get to know human rights advocates, particularly in the twin cities area, a little bit better. It's not always an easy job, and the diversity of individuals that devote their time to struggling for human rights is incredible; the diversity of how they do that is no less impressive. We want to know, what makes them tick? How did they get here? How do they do their work, and what makes them keep at it? I have been conducting interviews with activists in the twin cities area, and now we want to share their insights with you. So listen in, and get to know your human rights community, they've got a lot to offer.

In 2006, a group of Israeli and Jordanian youth filmed and produced the movie SOUR: Skateboarding for Peace in the Middle East. This autonomous group of youth put their skateboarding talent to use in their attempt to create dialogue among youth of different cultures who all had one thing in common: their passion for skateboarding. With the slogan, "Doing the things you love, with the people you are not supposed to like," these youth undermine the contemporary political atmosphere between Israel and its neighboring Arab states, and put forth a different description about the possibilities of peace in the region. 

Exemplifying the simple strategy of doing what you love and what you are good at for the causes you support, these youth have arguably made a much greater impace on the global extreme sports community than any political discussion has. Not only have they produced this initiative on their own, they have done so with remarkable artistic quality as the film received remarkable attention and positive reviews from numerous film festivals, both in the USA and abroad.

Al Giordano says the most threatening thing to the ruling elite is people working together across race, religion, and class. But the Left, he says, is one of the most segregated places in America. While segregation used to be enforced by law, it is now consumer culture, through market segmentation and advertising niches, that separates people. The key to the success of the Obama campaign, and how an underdog won the US presidency, can be summarized in two words: community organizing. It showed the tremendous power that comes from bridging the divides, from getting the latinos, blacks, whites and mulatos to work together.

Photo: Philippe Duhamel

Janelle Treibitz is a proud puppetista, organizer and waitress who also likes to hone her training skills on the side. In this interview, she shares her passion for puppets, wholesome bread and liberation. 

Q. Please tell me, Janelle Treibitz, how did you come to puppets?

J. T.: I have always cared about social justice issues and people. I attribute some of it to judaism and the way I was raised as a Jew, to my synagogue and to my parents teaching me to question, and make opinions for myself.