(Part of content creation for Institute of Local Self Reliance, a local think tank focused on advocating for community power, energy and broadband democracy and corporate accountability). When you’re an island, literally, and want better options for your Internet access, you have to get creative. In the case of Rock Island Communications on the San Juan Islands, the choice was clear: establish your own ISP.

Lozano is a longtime community activist in Chicago, and for many in her church, Rev. Lozano is a maternal figure. Along with her leadership in the church, she also heads Centro Sin Fronteras/Familia Latina Unida (Center without Borders/United Latino Family).

(Originally published in March 2017 in Portland Tribune and Lake Oswego Review). More than 300 people gather in between bursts of rain, hail to support 'love and justice for all,' converging with Pro Trump rally. The controversial rally, which took place in a sleepy small town, raised outraged by being staged just south of the hyper-progressive capital of Portland. 

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s convention speech, with an ominous call to “vote your conscience” and a missing endorsement of Trump, sent shock waves through the Washington delegation and chipped away at the already tenuous hope for resolution within the party. 

Puerto Rico could default on billions of dollars in payments to bondholders on Friday if the Senate does not act this week on a bill allowing the U.S. territory to restructure its massive debt.

Jose López sits comfortably in his wicker chair as a February blizzard rages on outside, the wall behind him a collage of Puerto Rican literature and artifacts. When it comes to his homeland of Puerto Rico, López has clear ambitions. He wants his countrymen to decide for themselves what their economic future should be, instead of being saddled with an uncontrollable debt they didn’t solely create.

New York state stakeholders and education experts hope a new federal education law will allow states to make assessments of progress at public schools more effective and personal. And they hope it won’t lead to any backsliding in state efforts to improve lower-performing or struggling schools.

The consistently growing population of Hispanics in Illinois, paired with an unprecedented number of eligible voters, have local activists involved in Hispanic outreach looking for ways to engage this voting bloc.