Feeling pretty mentally fried at the moment – so forgive me if this is not super concise or coherent – but I wanted to share some general musings on what is currently happening in Portland. I’ve been a little hesitant to post firsthand accounts in the past months because protesters are being targeted by surveillance, and because I remain unsure whether centering my own … [Read more...] about Letter from Rose, niece of a local resident living in Portland, Oregon
Voices of the Valley
The Voices of the Valley category includes work by members of the Lehigh Valley community.
You can access Voices of the Valley essays that were published in the Alliance’s Sustainable Lehigh Valley booklet (listed by year published) or via the alphabetic list of authors, which also includes items published online and in Left Turn.
You can also search for individual essays (& other content) by category or tag.
A Free People Strike to Let Our People Go
by Beth Taylor, Karen Ali, and Aaron Appel Turn on the news. Listen to the radio. Check your social media. Without a doubt, you will find numerous Covid-19 stories – from the infection spikes across the country to the debate about opening schools this fall. But amidst all of this, there is stunning silence on one fact: COVID-19 is worsening in prisons and it is because of … [Read more...] about A Free People Strike to Let Our People Go
The Bonus Army Protest
by Gary Olson July 28 will mark almost the 90th anniversary of one of most controversial protests in U.S. history and yet it remains virtually unknown to most Americans. On that day, in 1932, 500 U.S. army infantrymen with loaded rifles, fixed bayonets and gas grenades containing a vomit inducing ingredient, 200 cavalries, a machine gun squadron, 800 police and 6 M1917 army … [Read more...] about The Bonus Army Protest
Violence, looting, destruction of property
Today, many newspeople & elected officials are complaining about looting & destruction of property. Why have they been silent about ongoing oppression and racist, structural violence? Did they forget what we learned as children: that one of the foundational acts of this country was the ‘Boston Tea Party’, an often-glorified case of property destruction used to … [Read more...] about Violence, looting, destruction of property
Covid & Capitalism
Neither of these articles has any shocking revelations, but both are worth reading for the way they fill in some gaps in the mainstream narrative. “No. It’s Capitalism, Stupid.”, by Gary OlsonCovid-19 Profiteers Are Making a Killing, by Amber Colon-Nuñez … [Read more...] about Covid & Capitalism
‘Garden’, by Matt Bednarsky
This is a reminder that the arts are powerful ways to communicate, to raise awareness of contemporary issues. Local singer-songwriter Matt Bednarsky recently wrote a song titled "Garden", about losing touch with our roots and surroundings. "Where I’m currently living, there’s a factory that’s nearly always working away. Constantly and consistently humming, clanking, and … [Read more...] about ‘Garden’, by Matt Bednarsky
Advocating for Change in the Criminal Justice System
This semester, I have done extensive research into the criminal justice system and believe that how the US handles crime and punishment is fundamentally flawed. I am calling for campuses to hold a criminal justice week that will make students more aware of these issues and will involve people of different fields in the conversation. This is too important to leave to … [Read more...] about Advocating for Change in the Criminal Justice System
Decolonizing America for a Sustainable Future
by Maison Allen What if Europeans never settled in North America? Would the land in this country have remained unharmed? Would the environment be in better condition than it is today? Unlike colonists, the Native people did not treat the Earth as a consumable good. While there is no way to answer these questions, taking a look at the way Indigenous people lived … [Read more...] about Decolonizing America for a Sustainable Future
How Are Our Problems Connected?
As my semester at Moravian College and my internship with Alliance come to an end, I’ve been ask to write a piece that weaves my semester’s work together. In the past few months, I’ve been able to write pieces that focus on colonialism in America, sexual assault, gun control, racism today, and what we teach about Columbus. What do all of these pieces have to do with … [Read more...] about How Are Our Problems Connected?
Guns: don’t ban, regulate!
On February 14, 2018, another school was terrorized by gun violence. In Parkland Florida, 17 victims were killed at the hands of a malicious shooter who rampaged through Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. While this is a tragedy, it is also, frankly, nothing out of the ordinary. It isn’t the most recent shooting in American and it’s just one in a long list of mass shootings. … [Read more...] about Guns: don’t ban, regulate!