'To the End' Filmmaker Rachel Lears Exposes Courageous Activism

'To the End' Filmmaker Rachel Lears Exposes Courageous Activism

Filmed over four years of hope and crisis, "To the End" captures the emergence of a new generation of leaders and the movement behind the most sweeping climate change legislation in U.S. history. 

The award-winning film follows Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), activist Varshini Prakash, climate policy writer Rhiana Gunn-Wright, and political strategist Alexandra Rojas as they grapple with new challenges of leadership and power and work together to defend their generation's right to a future. From street protests to the halls of Congress, these four exceptional young leaders fight to shift the narrative around climate, revealing the crisis as an opportunity to build a better society.

Navajo Filmmaker Creates 'Powerlands' as Act of Resistance

Navajo Filmmaker Creates 'Powerlands' as Act of Resistance

Editor’s note: “Powerlands” will screen as part of the One Earth Film Fest on Tuesday, March 7, at 6:30 p.m. CST, both virtually and in person at two locations: Pilot Project Brewing in Chicago and Oak Park Public Library in Oak Park. Get tickets for all options here.

Ivey-Camille Manybeads Tso is a young Navajo filmmaker who investigates the displacement of Indigenous people and the devastation of the environment caused by the same chemical companies exploiting the land where she was born. Her award-winning documentary, “Powerlands,,” chronicles the eerily similar struggles of Indigenous communities across Colombia, the Philippines, Mexico, and Standing Rock.  Despite being worlds apart, these communities face the same battles against the same big energy companies, like Peabody, BHP and Glencore. 

'Falconer' Filmmaker Interview with Annie Kaempfer

'Falconer' Filmmaker Interview with Annie Kaempfer

"The Falconer" is a story of hope and second chances: for injured birds of prey, for an abandoned plot of land, for a group of teenagers who have dropped out of high school, and for Rodney Stotts, a licensed raptor specialist from Southeast Washington, D.C.

Stott says his passion for falconry stems from the fact that it helps to keep the local raptor population healthy while crossing racial, socioeconomic and ethnic barriers. He makes a powerful connection between endangered species and local youth who must navigate survival in a stressed community. His organization "Rodney's Raptors" creates interactive and educational programming, allowing adults and children of all ages to experience the excitement of holding a live bird of prey while educating them on the vital role birds play in the ecosystem. 

COP27: Digging in the Sand at Sharm El-Sheikh

COP27: Digging in the Sand at Sharm El-Sheikh

Representatives from nearly 200 countries will attend the “Conference of the Parties,” or COP27, November 6-18, in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. This is the 27th time since 1992 that world nations have gathered to collaborate on global action to fight climate change. Our window for action is shrinking. We really need everyone—elected leaders, corporations, community organizations and individuals—to commit to doing the most we can, as quickly as we can. COP27 is an important symbol of that collaboration.

Sharm El-Sheikh is a beautiful resort town in a country with a dubious grasp on human rights, a fitting mix of hope and despair. Can something productive come out of this conference?

Chicago Area Youth Will Attend COP27 in Egypt

Chicago Area Youth Will Attend COP27 in Egypt

On November 5, five students from the Chicago area youth-driven advocacy group It’s Our Future (IOF) will fly to Egypt to take part in COP27, the UN Climate Change Conference in Sharm El-Sheikh. It's Our Future, a program developed by Seven Generations Ahead and supported by One Earth Collective along with other partners, connects youth climate activists and empowers them to advocate for climate solutions in their schools and communities, and for a healthy livable future for all.

If you, like me, don’t know much about how a young person gets to go on a trip like this, you’re in luck, because I had the great pleasure of discussing these matters with two students who will be going—Tori Evans and Emmet Ebels-Duggan.

Film & Food Showcase this Friday; Son of Black Panther Fred Hampton to Appear on Panel

Film & Food Showcase this Friday; Son of Black Panther Fred Hampton to Appear on Panel

If you live, work, worship or attend school in Chicago’s Austin and West Side communities, you’re invited to a special, free Food & Film Showcase this Friday evening, Oct. 7, at By The Hand Club for Kids, 415 N. Laramie, in Chicago. A fascinating panel discussion will feature community activists including Fred Hampton Jr., son of Black Panthers Chairman Fred Hampton. And even if you’re not local, good food fans everywhere are welcome to watch the films and live discussion virtually.