Making Contact

Many retirees enjoy the rest and relaxation that eluded them during their working years. But for some, retirement means opportunities to affect change in their communities. We profile three elders who became activists in the second half of their lives.

With the UN’s climate negotiations faltering, indigenous and other grassroots community groups are re-strategizing. We’ll hear voices from the streets of Cancun, and a look at where the world might turn for answers to a perilous problem.

If you’ve ever stepped into a nail salon, you know the smell of a chemical cocktail that hits you like an invisible wall. While consumers may tolerate it during a short visit, the nail salon workers find themselves stewing in a toxic bubble for years. On this edition, we take a look at the health impacts of chemical exposure, the shoddy regulation of cosmetics, and the movement towards greener nail salons.

The 1973 Roe versus Wade decision was hailed as a victory by many advocates of a woman’s right to choose. But decades later, many young people still lack the resources to make informed choices about sex – choices that could affect the rest of their lives. On this edition, we bring you a discussion about sex education in schools, federal funding for sex-ed and how advocacy groups and parents are making their voices heard on the issue.

While the Korean War ended in 1953 with a temporary armistice, a formal peace treaty was never signed. The United States is still technically at war with North Korea, and tensions between the two countries remain high. Many view North Korea as a strange and rogue country that threatens U.S. security. But others argue that North Korea’s actions have legitimate basis and that historical context is critical to understanding the issues. On this edition, we look at Korea’s past conflicts and current tensions to understand how to avoid another war in the peninsula.

For many people in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community, the struggle to legalize gay marriage across the U.S. remains the priority political battle. But others in the LGBT community disagree. They question whether gay marriage should be the central issue of their movement.

The earthquake in Haiti. The BP oil spill. A crumbling US economy and educational system. And domestic workers in New York receive a historic bill of rights. We look back at some stories we brought you in 2010, and look ahead to 2011.

We look at how people are meeting each others' needs, without charity, or even exchanging a dollar.

From courtroom battles to government regulation, we take a look at how citizen groups around the world are holding oil companies accountable for environmental contamination and human rights abuses.

So-called ‘quality of life’ policing may temporarily decrease crime, but it has harsh consequences for innocent people caught up in the frenzy of arrests. If it’s illegal to be on a city’s sidewalks, parks and plazas, where else can people go?