2025 has been a BIG year, let's take a moment to reflect on our favorite stories and articles from the year.

A helpful database by Fractured Atlas with active artist grants, awards, fellowships, open calls, and residencies from across the world–collected into one place for easy access. ### This post is for subscribers only Become a member to get access to all content Subscribe now

An incredible organization and volunteer grassroots movement that's been on a mission since 1980 to protest war and poverty through nonviolent social acts of cooking and sharing vegetarian food with hungry people across Earth. Volunteers are active throughout the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. For over 30 years the movement has worked to end hunger and has supported actions to stop the globalization of the economy, restrictions to the movements of people, end exploitation and the destruction of the earth and its beings. If you're love cooking and want to give back to your community, Food Not Bombs is a great group to get involved with! ### This post is for subscribers only Become a member to get access to all content Subscribe now

Shop local with this US directory of 40,000+ family farms, farmers markets, events, restaurants, and grocery stores that carry farmer-grown specialty products. ### This post is for subscribers only Become a member to get access to all content Subscribe now

An anonymous phone carrier, founded by Nicholas Merrill, that's committed to protecting your personal privacy. All you need is a zip code to sign up. This is a great alternative for anyone who doesn’t like the idea of big companies having endless data on them–data that will often be sold to advertisers or data brokers, the latter of which may then sell that data on to ICE (Immigration & Customs Enforcement) and other federal agencies. ### This post is for subscribers only Become a member to get access to all content Subscribe now

A community-powered directory of mental health professionals, coaches, and healers providing liberatory, anti-oppressive, and justice-oriented care for anyone that's been harmed, dismissed, or pathologized by traditional healthcare systems. Find a therapist or healer who sees your full humanity, someone who affirms your identity and lived experience, and understands that healing is deeply _political_ , _personal_ , and _powerful_. ### This post is for subscribers only Become a member to get access to all content Subscribe now

The largest directory of Black Farmers that connects you to traditional and non-traditional growers–ranging from row crop farmers, ranchers, vegetable and fruit producers to beekeepers, fisherfolk, foragers, vintners & more–throughout the US, Canada, Caribbean, and Central America. ### This post is for subscribers only Become a member to get access to all content Subscribe now

A network for US solidarity economies with tools, resources, events, funding opportunities, a directory/map, and much more that help us accelerate the transition into a new economy that prioritizes people, communities, and ecosystems. ### This post is for subscribers only Become a member to get access to all content Subscribe now

A helpful guide by Food Not Bombs (FNB) for anyone wanting to feed their neighbors/localized community. * * * ### This post is for subscribers only Become a member to get access to all content Subscribe now

A French-owned alternative music streaming platform to Spotify that's on a mission to build more fair and sustainable payment models for independent artists. It is currently one of the highest paying platforms for artists, paying 5x more than other streaming platforms. ### This post is for subscribers only Become a member to get access to all content Subscribe now

An affordable US phone service provider, founded by Andrew Yang, that charges a maximum of $50/month for unlimited data and is currently the only service provider that pays users back for not using data. ### This post is for subscribers only Become a member to get access to all content Subscribe now

An online marketplace created to support and uplift Black-owned and other underrepresented brands, especially in response to the US's rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives by major retailers. It offers a curated selection of everyday products, encouraging consumers to shop intentionally and support diverse entrepreneurs. ### This post is for subscribers only Become a member to get access to all content Subscribe now

A shopping directory connecting conscious consumers with progressive, value-aligned small businesses—including women-owned, BIPOC-owned, queer-owned, military spouse or veteran-led. ### This post is for subscribers only Become a member to get access to all content Subscribe now

A US-based activist and nonprofit group helping visual artists build sustainable economic relationships with (non-profit) art institutions and introduce systems for artists to self-organize and collectively bring about more equitable distribution within the contemporary art industry. They've even created an artist fee calculator and certification program for institutions committed to fair pay that has helped artists receive over $21 million in fees. ### This post is for subscribers only Become a member to get access to all content Subscribe now

A nonprofit serving freelancers across the U.S. by providing education, advocacy, and access to tools and benefits _(such as healthcare plans)_ for independent workers regardless of industry or income level. ### This post is for subscribers only Become a member to get access to all content Subscribe now

Welcome to Dispatch #31! This week we want to celebrate mothers, women, caretakers, and anyone in the informal economy - the silent laborers whose work is just as valuable and important as those who traditionally work. Though often overlooked, they can be extremely powerful politically when united together, so let’s talk about it! This week we cover the power of sex boycotts, the story of housewives organizing in the Great Depression, feminism in Syria, an anonymous artist collective combating sexism and racism in the art world, and more! And, in case you missed it, don't forget to– * **Shop our merch**! * **Watch & Share our first YouTube video**! Help us drum up some hype for the algorithm gods by **liking and****subscribing**! ****👋 Are you new here?**** Sign up to get free newsletters sent to your inbox every other Sunday. 🤓****Are you a free reader?**** If you like what we've been sharing on the Conscious Citizens, consider uplifting us–even if just for a bit! To keep all our work free, we need mutual support from a group of like-minded people __(like you!)__ to help us out! You can become a paid member for as little as $2 USD/mo __($24/year).__ __Since 95% of our subscribers are free readers, every contribution, no matter how small, makes a difference.__ * * * ### Easy Actions to Take #### ⏱~3min | Demand concrete action from your representative against Israel for their repeated violations of the ceasefire ****Why:**** Israel has violated the “ceasefire” 497 times in Gaza and killed hundreds, yet no action has been taken to stop them. We must not let the so-called ceasefire be an excuse to fall silent. Continue to pressure governments for real concrete action against Israel to force them to stop their onslaught! __Organized by Humanti Project__ #### ⏱~3min | Help an Egyptian student facing indefinite suspension and deportation for peacefully protesting genocide at Kings College London ****Why:**** Usama Ghanem is a 2nd year international student, and an active member of the Kings College London (KCL) protest and activism community, has been repeatedly targeted and penalised by KCL for his protest for the Palestinian cause. After being suspended for attending a pro-Palestine rally, he is now facing deportation back to Egypt where he is at risk of state-violence. __Organized by Newscord__ #### ⏱~3min | (US Only) Tell Your Senators: Support the War Powers Resolution on Venezuela (S. Res. 90)! ****Why:**** The Trump administration continues to provoke war with Venezuela and attack “drug boats” with no approval or oversight. A newly introduced resolution would seek to reign in this power and force the President to seek congressional approval before any military action against Venezuela. __Organized by 5Calls__ #### ⏱~3min | (Canada Only) Stop Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act, as it will criminalize dissent! ****Why:**** A new bill introduced in Canada, with the support of both the Liberal and Conservative parties, is aimed at banning protest near certain “protected buildings” regardless of what is occurring in the building itself. The language is broad enough to broadly criminalize peaceful protest and gives the police more power to crack down. __Organized by International Civil Liberties Group__ * * * ### Little (Movement) Wins 🪧 ****Italian workers launch another general strike in protest of austerity measures and complicity with the Gaza genocide**** 🪧 ****Belgium workers are leading a strike in protest of a ridiculous austerity budget and increased NATO militarism, causing nationwide economic disruptions**** 🪧 ****Ongoing Student-led Protests in Serbia are destabilizing right-wing president Aleksandar Vučić’s rule**** 🪧 ****200 New Yorkers shut down an ICE raid before it even began, creating more challenges for Trump’s immigration crackdown**** 🪧 ****Recently unionized Starbucks workers are gearing up for the most historic strike the global coffee giant has ever seen**** * * * ****Are you looking for ways to use your artistic skills to build a better future, but aren't sure how to start?**** Join Art Coop, The New Economy Coalition, and Economics for Emancipation for a free 3-day workshop called E.A.T. (Economics. Arts. Transformation) to explore the intersections of capitalism, solidarity economy, and show you practical ways you can use your creativity as a tool for building liberatory movements. ****Day 1, Dec 14: Commodity Art & Capitalism **** __with Elisa Wong & Ray Wei of ____The Conscious Citizens__ ****Day 2, Dec 15: Command Art & Patronage **** __with F. Javier Torres-Campos of__ __Liberation Partners Co-op__ ****Day 3, Dec 16: Communal Art & Solidarity Economy**** __with Camila Tapia of__ __Transverse Cooperative__ 🗓 Dec 14, 15, & 16 @ 4pm US Eastern Time on Zoom RSVP Now * * * ## How Sex Becomes a Tool of Resistance Activist History The idea of using sex as a political tool is not new; it actually goes back to ancient times. In Aristophanes' 411 BCE play "Lysistrata," Athenian women withhold sex from their husbands to force an end to the Peloponnesian War. But this tactic from a fictional play has been deployed in real-world conflicts around the world, and with great effect. In Colombia, women in Pereira organized a sex strike in 2006 to demand an end to gang violence, reducing murder rates by 25% by 2010. In another Colombian town in 2016, women refused to have sex with their partners until a road was repaired - it got fixed. Similar stories are found in Kenya, the Philippines, United States, and Italy. Perhaps the most impactful modern sex strike took place in Liberia which helped bring about the end of a devastating civil war that had killed over 250,000 people and displaced 1 in 3 Liberians between 1989 - 2003. Women were a key target during the civil war, often the victim of gender-based violence and rape used as a “tool of war.” At the same time, women were instrumental to keep the country (and their families) running during the fighting. In a push for peace, the Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace formed, organized by Leymah Gbowee, Crystal Roh Gawding, and Comfort Freeman, and united thousands of Muslim and Christian women across social classes in 2003. Among their many tactics was calling for a mass sex strike. She told Huffington Post in 2012: > “…when someone dares to bring [sex] to the attention of the public, it has two results. People start saying, ‘who’s this person doing this?’ and they start asking why the person is using sex to highlight an issue. And it gets men thinking... They start talking to their colleagues and beer buddies, saying ‘this war is wrong'.” Their work forced (then) President Charles Taylor to the negotiation table, eventually leading to his resignation and the end to the civil war. Leymah Gbowee's leadership in mobilizing women to push men toward peace was so significant that she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011. The movement demonstrated that collective action by women, even in societies with severe restrictions, can fundamentally alter the course of violent conflict. #### 📗 Learn More * How Women Ended Liberia’s Civil War: Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace by the Nonviolence Project * The history of sex strikes by the BBC * Colombian women use sex strike to demand gangster disarmament by Global Nonviolent Action Database * * * ****💝 Like our newsletter so far?**** Treat us to a coffee and some encouraging words so we can keep up the good work! * * * ## Jineology The Conscious Citizens Dictionary **Jineology** _(Kurdish: Jineolojî)_ is a form of feminism and of gender equality advocated by Abdullah Öcalan, the leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party _(PKK)_ and the broader Kurdistan Communities Union _(KCK)_ umbrella. Core the Jineology is the belief that patriarchy was the first form of oppression in ancient times, turning the woman into a “housewife”, and laying the groundwork for capitalist structures today. Öcalan said that "a country can't be free unless the women are free", and that “the need to reverse the role of man is of revolutionary importance.” Jineology is a component of Democratic Confederalism, a philosophy underpinning the governance of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria _(also known as Rojava)_. * * * ## How Militant Caretakers Redefined Resistance Connecting the Dots In conversations about politics and activism, there is a lot of discussion around the organization of the _working class_. That’s certainly important, but what about people who don’t “work” in the traditional sense? There are millions, billions even, of stay-at-home moms (and dads), house-wives (and husbands), and family caretakers whose labor is just as valuable and their radicalization is just as important. In capitalism, we are conditioned to view caretakers as the silent laborers, often unseen, and a _passive part_ of society because they do not generate profit. However, its _these workers_ who make up _the informal economy_ that are the engine that keeps society running when hard times strike. The “tradwife” aesthetic is increasingly popular online, offering a glossy vision of the perfect passive housewife making baked goods and folding laundry. But the real “tradwife” is anything but passive. We see this during the Great Depression in the United States. **From the late 1920s through the 1940s, there was a remarkable surge of activism by working-class American housewives.** In Eleanor Roosevelt's 1933 book, _It's Up to the Women_ , she argued that mothers _(we would also include**any** informal economy worker here)_, through self-sacrifice and creativity, would save their families from the worst ravages of the Great Depression. There is abundant evidence to show that poor wives and mothers not only approached their traditional responsibilities with heightened urgency, they also _organized for more_. From strikes to boycotts to lobbying, so-called “tradwives” were anything but traditional, they organized militantly and with great results. Feminist historian Annelise Orleck shares a fascinating history of this time in American history that is often left out of the story. We’ve created a handy study guide to help you navigate the document, summarize key points, and make it easier to read/understand! These militant housewives in the 1930s understood the critical role they played in society, and in keeping the capitalist machine running, and leveraged the power they had with creativity and solidarity with others in a similar position. It’s a similar thought-process that we _all_ need to embody as we figure out how to resist in our unique positions. **We all play a part in society and that gives us power - how can we use it?** Read Me Now! * * * ****Take a Minute to Uplift Us!**** We believe if more people understood how our common struggles are connected and knew how to channel that knowledge into practice, we could more effectively build alternative systems centered around care and sustainability. If you can take 1-minute to share the Conscious Citizens with someone, we'd seriously appreciate it! • Shout out @TheConsciousCitizens on your social media channels • Share our Instagram posts, forward this issue to someone • Influence someone to become a paid member ****We need all the help we can get to keep this project free for everyone regardless of income.**** * * * ****"Well behaved women seldom make history.”**** -Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, __American Historian & Professor__ * * * ### Conscious Creatives: The Guerrilla Girls The Guerrilla Girls are an anonymous collective of feminist artists combating sexism and racism within the art world by combining humor, bold graphics, and stark statistics into digestible material such as posters, billboards, campaigns, lectures, and public interventions. Members maintain their anonymity and keep the focus on issues by wearing gorilla masks and using pseudonyms of deceased female artists like Frida Kahlo and Harriet Tubman. The group emerged in 1985 from a picket against the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in NYC and has since tracked the representation of women artists and artists of color in museums and galleries by publicly exposing the discrimination that institutions try to keep hidden, such as the corrupt networks between museum boards, collectors, and galleries, and calling out board members who profit from their positions, mass incarceration, and the war machine. Despite their confrontational tactics, their wit and data-driven approach has gained widespread public attention, leading to commissions from the very institutions they criticized, accepted on the condition that they could continue their critiques without compromise, allowing their message about gender and ethnic bias to reach global audiences. The Guerrilla Girls, which just celebrated their 40th anniversary this year, are a great testament of how we can all safely, strategically, tactically, creatively, and meaningfully fight back against issues we care about in low-cost ways and still make a large cultural impact. Visit The Guerrilla Girls Website 🛒 Buy Their Book, "The Art of Behaving Badly" 📱 Follow The Guerrilla Girls on Instagram * * * ### Resources & Tools Please share these links with **anyone** that might find them helpful: * 📓 **The Offline Community Organizing Manual** | A practical guide to help you stay connected to your community, share resources, and sustain our movements without relying on corporate platforms and vulnerable technology that can fail us at any time. It covers offline communication, mutual aid mapping, skill directories, safe meeting strategies, and maintaining resilient community infrastructure. * 📓 **A Quick Start Guide for Running for Office in the US** | A brief guide is a framework for some of the questions you need to consider and provides resources to help you run your race more efficiently and effectively along the way. They’ve even included a handy glossary of common terms you might hear and what they mean. * 💝******Mutual Aid Finder** | An interactive US map showcasing a growing collection of mutual aid groups across the country that you can get involved with. * 🛍******Ethical Brand Directories** | If you're shopping for the holiday season, find alternative brands to support that have good working conditions, fair pay, give-back initiatives, use high-quality materials, natural and low-waste products. **Want to contribute to our directory? Tell us about a resource you think more people need to know about.** By harnessing community knowledge, we can build a digital home for the knowledge and resources needed to build systems rooted in care and sustainability. Submit a Resource Explore More on our Directory * * * 🎙️ Thanks for reading our work! ****Write a**** _****comment online****_****to let us know what you think about this issue! SERIOUSLY, we would love to hear from you.**** If you're new here, don't forget to sign up to get free newsletters sent to your inbox every other Sunday. Till next time, do your best and take it one day at a time. Care for yourself and the people around you. Believe that the world can be better than it is now. Never give up. And remember, you're not alone. We __always__ have each other. Onward to the World We Deserve, Elisa & Ray * * * ### Don't Forget: 🙏 **Our work is** 100% reader-supported. You can _invest in us for cheap_. NOW, our memberships are helping us fund this project's baseline operating costs. 👕 **Support our mission with style** in some Conscious Citizens merch! Shop Now! 📣 **Shout out The Conscious Citizens** on your social media platforms and help us get connected with more like-minded people! **💌 Forward this to a friend** and tell them to subscribe _(hint:__it's here_ _)_. 🎥 **Stay in our orbit!** Follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and subscribe to our YouTube channel. ☕️ **If you like our newsletter** , treat us to a coffee and some encouraging words to keep us going! * * * ### Have a Good Week! * * *

An alternative social media platform to Instagram, Facebook, and X that combines all the apps into one friendly user-experience designed to serve people instead of profit. ### This post is for subscribers only Become a member to get access to all content Subscribe now

A practical guide by Shadowbanned Magazine to help you stay connected to your community, share resources, and sustain our movements without relying on corporate platforms and vulnerable technology that can fail us at any time. It covers offline communication, mutual aid mapping, skill directories, safe meeting strategies, and maintaining resilient community infrastructure. Though digital tools are great, they are also monitored, monetized, and fragile. Offline organizing helps us build resilience when digital systems fail or become unsafe. Without reliable communications, people scatter, panic, feel isolated, and become susceptible to mis/disinformation. By creating physical networks of communication, care, and documentation, we protect what matters most: EACH OTHER. ### This post is for subscribers only Become a member to get access to all content Subscribe now

A database of corporations that do business with corrections and immigration detention in the U.S. Great for organizers and activists looking to more strategically target and challenge those who profit from the U.S. carceral crisis. ### This post is for subscribers only Become a member to get access to all content Subscribe now

An interactive global map and database documenting collective movements by game workers striving to improve their working conditions. The Game Worker Solidarity Project's goal is to improve the documentation of the industry's history of resistance, hoping to support and inspire more organizing in the games industry. ### This post is for subscribers only Become a member to get access to all content Subscribe now

Art & Activism is evolving in the world of AI, but is needed now more than ever.

This guide from the non-profit Civitech is a walk through of the basics of a political campaign. You may be a first-time candidate considering running for office or helping someone launch a campaign. You might have run for office before but need a refresher on the basics. This brief guide is a framework for some of the questions you need to consider and provides resources to help you run your race more efficiently and effectively along the way. They’ve even included a handy glossary of common terms you might hear and what they mean. 💬 ****Created by**** : Civitech Learn more about Civitech's work HERE ### This post is for subscribers only Become a member to get access to all content Subscribe now

This interactive world map shows measures and sanctions taken since October 7, 2023 by states, parliaments, courts, businesses, civil society groups and organizations in response to the ongoing genocide and Nakba in Palestine. Most of these actions follow tireless mobilization and efforts by activists, Palestinians and their allies across the globe who continue to mobilize to free Palestine. 💬 ****Created by**** : Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy If you find this work valuable and have the means, consider supporting the organization HERE. ### This post is for subscribers only Become a member to get access to all content Subscribe now

The Left can win if we hold firm to our convictions. When we pull our punches, our enemies are the ones who win.

A community-powered map and directory connecting New Yorkers to essential resources across all five boroughs. ### What You'll Find Here * Food pantries, community fridges, and food distros * Shelter and housing services * Medical care, mental health, and safety resources * Legal services, immigration support, and more ### This post is for subscribers only Become a member to get access to all content Subscribe now