Newark, NJ - In recent years, wildfires have become one of the biggest threats to public safety in New Jersey. Since 2019, an average of 1,500 wildfires have scorched 7,000 acres of forests in the Garden State each year, endangering citizens and their homes, forcing several evacuations, and polluting the air, making it an even greater health hazard.

Newark, NJ - The arrest of Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka grounded the current discussion on “citizenship and rights” after federal officers arrested him outside Delaney Hall on Friday, May 9th, only to be freed within hours that same day. Baraka was arrested and detained by ICE for allegedly trespassing at Delaney Hall in Newark.

Frelinghuysen, NJ – Located within Frelinghuysen Township in rural Warren County, the tiny unincorporated community of Marksboro may have fewer than 200 residents, but it also has something that very few other New Jersey towns have — a local, independent flour mill. At River Valley Community Grains, based at Marksboro Mills, miller Larry Mahmarian and his partners are fulfilling their mission to encourage regenerative, restorative agricultural practices while bringing together farmers, bakers, and the community in a working space that benefits both their participating farmers and the public.

Newark, NJ - It was well known, prior to 2020, that police protection did not extend to certain segments of the population, specifically Black men, women and children. However, the response to the uprisings of 2020 by the governmental structures of civil society, were exposed as not only violent, but in direct opposition to the demands of the community.  

Too Black and Rasul A. Mowatt’s book, Laundering Black Rage, The Washing of Black Death, People, Property, and Profits explain the response of the state, through a process they have coined as “laundering.”

Newark, NJ – In especially challenging times where reactionary forces have been empowered to roll back much of Rev. Dr. Martin King Jr’s work in civil rights and economic justice, 15-year-old Montclair NAACP Youth Council President Ife Joseph moved through the inaugural MLK People’s Convention for Social Justice & Resistance at Essex County College on April 26, undaunted and steadfastly optimistic.

Newark, NJ - May 1st will see citizens across the United States participating in over a thousand protests and rallies led by May Day Strong, a coalition of nearly 200 grassroots and civic organizations nationwide, many of which were behind the National Hands Off campaign on April 5th. The goal of these protests is to unite the public in addressing and preventing what organizers have described as a “billionaire takeover” of the American government.

Newark, NJ - New Jersey is heading into one of the most consequential elections in its recent history. In November, voters will choose a new governor and reshape the state Legislature. But for many residents, especially in communities of color, immigrant neighborhoods, and working-class towns, politics is often . The Million Voter Project (MVP) New Jersey aims to change that.

Frelinghuysen, NJ – When most people hear the term “food processor,” they picture a small kitchen appliance, but within the food system, a processor is a critical and often unseen link between the producer and the consumer. In the United States, 83 percent of agricultural production lies in the hardworking hands of family farmers and ranchers, but corporate control of the production chain results in those farmers receiving an average of only 15 cents on the retail dollar for their products. Off-farm expenses, i.e., processing, manufacturing, distribution, and wholesale and retail marketing, mean that back on the farm, producers are left without much to put in the coffers or reinvest in their next season’s work. 

Newark, NJ – The Trump administration’s recent executive order proposing the termination of the U.S. Department of Education (DoEd) has reignited debates on the role of federal oversight in education. While proponents argue that eliminating the DoEd would return power to states, critics warn of severe disruptions to funding, policy implementation, and equity in education. In New Jersey, where federal funding supplements state aid, the effects of Trump’s action could be profound.