Poet and environmentalist Wendell Berry is joined by journalist Bill McKibben in a conversation about writing and civil disobedience. Both men follow in the footsteps of Henry David Thoreau, using the power of the word and acts of civil disobedience to defend fragile ecosystems and preserve threatened communities from degradation. PEN-New England honors Wendell Berry with its Howard Zinn “People Speak” Award.
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History
The Health of Democracy: Voter Suppression and Disenfranchisement
How can citizens respond when the ideals of democracy come into conflict with the policies of government?
Health
Renewing Democracy: Deadly Spin
In 2009, Wendell Potter testified before Congress, giving powerful specifics of industry practices to “dump the sick” to increase shareholder value.
Civil Rights
FREEDOM LOST, FREEDOM WON: American History Through a Black Family’s Story
The American story is often packaged as a linear climb toward a “more perfect union”. But for many Black families, history feels less like a ladder and more like a pendulum—swinging between hard‑won breakthroughs and the inevitable backlashes that follow. Join Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and commentator Eugene Robinson for an exploration of this rhythmic history.