Emphasis on the "we" in this speech aired by Democracy Now, the Green Party's convention's keynote address delivered by Gar Alperovitz, a professor of political economy at the University of Maryland. He is co-founder of the Democracy Collaborative. Alperovitz is the author of, "America Beyond Capitalism: Reclaiming Our Wealth, Our Liberty, and Our Democracy." In his remarks, Alperovitz stressed the importance of third-party politics to challenge a corporate-run society. "Systems in history are defined above all by who controls the wealth," Alperovitz says. "The top 400 people own more wealth now than the bottom 185 million Americans taken together. That is a medieval structure."

What will it take to build the future we want? In September 2011, over 50 leaders from around the world convened at Ecotrust in Portland to share stories of challenges and hope for building a resilient future.

 Filled with grace and eloquence, Sobonfu possesses a charm & modesty that enables her to touch her audience deeply. Her message about the importance of spirit, community and ritual in our lives rings with an intuitive power and truth that Alice Walker has said "can help us put together so many things that our modern western world has broken." She if from the coutntry of Burkino Faso in Africa.

Meet Richmond, CA's Tania Pulido, one of the Earth Island Institute's 2011 Brower Youth Award Winners! Tania is nourishing, employing, and educating her community through urban agriculture. Her award speech is here.

Alex Epstein co-founded New York 2 New Orleans Coalition, an network of New York City high school students mobilizing around the parallel struggles of New Orleans and their own communities. When he moved to Philadelphia for college, Alex helped co-found The Philadelphia Urban Creators (PUC) — an outfit of young community organizers trying to build relationships with Philadelphia communities to help them develop sustainably, and equitably, from the ground up. He accepts the Brower Youth Award.

The Brower Youth Awards recognize people ages 13 to 22 living in North America who have shown outstanding leadership on a project or campaign with positive environmental and social impact.

Tania Pulido runs a community garden that's more than just a place to grow food. The Berryland garden in the Iron Triangle neighborhood of Richmond, CA, is also a space where local youth can take summer apprenticeships and learn about issues like climate change and environmental racism. Here is a video about her work in her community, a food desert.  Tania is deeply involved in issues impacting the health of her community, including a campaign against the local Chevron oil refinery. She accepts the Brower Youth Award.

The Brower Youth Awards recognize people ages 13 to 22 living in North America who have shown outstanding leadership on a project or campaign with positive environmental and social impact.  

Creating the mindset to create real and lasting change working with Mothers, Children and Youth in disadvantaged communities to create real change through empowerment and the knowledge that each of us is important, that each of us count. Warren Te Brugge is the founder of the Foundation, My Arms Wide Open which supports rural villages in his native South Africa. Warren is a consultant and the principal of Manzimvula, a certified B-Corp. 

Lily continues with her story of community building this segment addressing micro-loans and jobs again proving the transformative power of art to impoverished and war-torn communities around the world. 

Ms. Yeh continues with her story of using the transformative power of art to impoverished and war-torn communities around the world to foster community empowerment, improve the physical environment, promote economic development and preserve indigenous art and culture.

Lily Yeh is an internationally celebrated artist works to bring the transformative power of art to impoverished and war-torn communities around the world to foster community empowerment, improve the physical environment, promote economic development and preserve indigenous art and culture. Part 2 ad Part 3 on YouTube.

Click on the image to order her book from Amazon. com.