Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2024 - Elinor Levin, Iowa House of Representatives District 89

This year, Iowa is a swing state! Democrats have the probability of picking up three of the state’s four US Congressional seats, as well as the US Senate seat where there is an election. The Republican party has a supermajority in the Iowa House of Representatives by a single seat: if Democrats win at least 34 seats (they currently hold 33), they will break the Republican supermajority!

One of these Democrats is Elinor Levin (she/her), a queer millennial former teacher who is running for her third term in the Iowa House. Motivated to run for office by legislative attacks on queer people, Elinor is a fighter for numerous causes in the House. An environmentalist since the second grade, and a vegetarian since age 12, Elinor serves on the Environmental Protection committee and is the ranking member on the Natural Resources committee. Elinor supports healthcare for everyone, water/air/soil rights, sustainable energy, and the body autonomy rights of women.

Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2026 - Joz Sida, Mayor of Fontana, California

Joz has quite a few accomplishments over 15 years under her belt, including being the first Chapter Director of Sierra Club San Gorgonio (serving San Bernardino and Riverside Counties), where she advances environmental justice, climate action, and the protection of our public health and natural spaces; National Field Director, Progressive Turnout Project, overseeing voter engagement efforts in key battleground states; National Field Director, Corazón Latino, focusing on public health, environmental protection, and Latino community empowerment; State Director, Mi Familia Vota (Nevada), where she led civic engagement, voter registration, and immigration justice campaigns; and National Campaigner, MoveOn.org, where she championed bold policy change, rapid-response organizing, and digital advocacy.

Billy Offland's Pot of Gold

Committed to environmentalism, the climate crisis, and biodiversity, Billy Offland helped create the inspiring documentary “Pot of Gold.” The documentary highlights real challenges such as climate change, poverty, sustainability, and the connection between the environment’s wellbeing and humanity’s wellbeing. For even greater impact, the project was create in partnership with the influential organization Human Appeal. To learn more about Billy Offland and “Pot of Gold,” read on.

AI is Killing Our Environment

AI is an umbrella term for a group of technologies that processes information and can generate responses by mimicking human thinking. AI has been around since the 1950s, but the technology's capabilities were limited. Recent technological advancements relating to AI’s computing power and data have quickly made AI explode in popularity and use.

Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2025 - Latasha Palmer, Tacoma, WA City Council At-large position 6

One progressive candidate we are profiling is Latasha Palmer (she/her), is looking to make a difference in her community on the city council in her first-ever election. Latasha, a queer Black millennial woman, is running to expand the political power of labor unions, build a green local economy, protect LGBTQ+ rights, and uplift BIPOC leadership. At one point homeless, Latasha became the first person in her family’s history to graduate from college (Columbia University) and went on to work as a community organizer at the Hilltop Action Coalition and the Aya Community Land Trust. Devoted to the natural environment, this anime fan and devoted mother of three still finds peace in the great outdoors.

Christina Kwauk: Girls Hold the Answer to the Future of Climate Change

Christina Kwauk (she/her) has been on a lifelong journey of unfolding discovery. Beginning her work in education, her research led her to focus on the education of girls across the world as an area of expertise. While working at the Brookings Institution, a colleague asked her if there was any link between girls’ education and climate change. This question sparked a new course of study for Christina: how investing in girls’ education will aid the fight in climate change. Read on to learn more about Christina Kwauk!

Nanná Millano's Musical Environmental Wake Up Call

Brazilian singer-songwriter Nanná Millano has created an impactful wake up call with the release of her new single “Wild Fire”. In lieu of the recent LA fires and ongoing devastation of the Amazon Rainforest in her home country, Millano’s “Wild Fire” brings attention to the impact humans are having on the environment and calls for change. She takes it a step further by partnering her music video with IPAM (Amazon Environmental Research Institute) to support Amazon Rainforest awareness and protection efforts. To learn more about Nanná Millano and her latest single, read on.

Time for Peace: Wars Bring Environmental Devastation

Wars are incredibly destructive not only because of the death tolls they bring, but also their mass contributions to global warming. War is currently one of the biggest climate threats the world is facing.

But why is war so horrible for the environment?

Jamie Margolin, Intersectional Activist

As the current regime turns away from curbing climate change and towards embracing increased carbon emissions, Gen Z is doing what it can to pick up the slack. Jamie Margolin is only 23 years old, but she has been an activist for the past 8+ years. Coming of age in the Trump era, she witnessed the systematic dismantling of environmental regulations and free reign given to petroleum and gas companies to extract fossil fuels in the cheapest way possible. The existential threat of climate change inspired Jamie to co-found Zero Hour, an international youth climate justice movement which aims to empower youth to lead the environmental justice narrative, as those who stand to bear the brunt of climate change. This organization has been going strong since 2017. Read on to learn more about climate justice leader Jamie Margolin!

Audrey Denney - Feeding American Hunger

“Public service is for all of us.” These are the words of Audrey Denney (she/her), an agriculture teacher, consultant, international human rights volunteer and political activist. Raised from a young age with the belief in service to others, Audrey has spent her whole life advocating for those who need it — the hungry, the unhoused, immigrants, and farm laborers. And she has a thing or two to say about why the Democratic party keeps losing in rural America. Read on to learn more about Audrey Denney!

COVER - XO Sasha Bhasin

Like Praveena from XO Kitty, Sasha Bhasin is a strong fierce woman who knows what she wants. From a young age, she knew she wanted to be an actress and wasn’t going to take a no from her parents or anyone else. She has come a long way from dragging her mom to casting calls to being a love interest in one of the top Netflix shows! Just like we hope to see more of Praveena in season three of XO Kitty, I have full confidence that we will be seeing a lot more of Sasha Bhasin on our screens as she tackles every role she gets her hands on. It is important to note that Sasha is also a singer, recently coming out with a new song, and a passionate advocate for the environment and pugs! Please read on to learn more about the charming Sasha Bhasin.

Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2024 - Priya Sundareshan, Arizona State Senate District 18

This week we are profiling Priya Sundareshan (she/her), a woman of many talents. With a BS in chemical engineering from MIT and a JD from University of Arizona law school, and a MS in natural resource economics from University of Arizona, this millennial attorney and mother-of-two teaches natural resource law at the University of Arizona, was a lawyer for the Environmental Defense Fund, and is a voting rights advocate, focusing on voter protection efforts and engagement on redistricting within the Arizona Democratic Party. Priya is currently the only South Asian member of the Arizona Legislature, and the first South Asian elected to the Arizona Senate. She is passionate about protecting Arizona water for long-term use, addressing climate change through state policies, and making voting as easy as possible.

Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2024 - Rachel Ventura, Illinois Senate District 43

This week we kick off the 2024 election season with Rachel Ventura (she/her), who is a Democratic Socialist state senator from Illinois’ 43rd district, the part of the state in and around the city of Joliet. This single mother of twin daughters has degrees in Mathematics and Biology and has worked as an actuary and naturalist before joining a gaming company, Legendary Games. Rachel is passionate about taxing the rich, universal healthcare, campaign finance reform, and investing in the middle class.

How You Can Help Combat Deforestation With Simple Choices

If you’re reading this, you’re probably an eco-conscious citizen who cares about the planet and wants to make a positive impact. One pressing issue we face today is deforestation, which has devastating environmental consequences. The good news is that you can be part of the solution.

Articles, zIssue 52Cora GoldOctober 19, 2023deforestation, forest, forest fires, environmentalism, Sustainability, eco-friendlyComment

Did You Know That Oregon Is On Fire?

I know we don’t like to talk about climate change and how it is going to kill us all, but we need to start paying attention. I live in New York City where we are used to air pollution, but this past June was something else. We had orange skies of death and were told to avoid going outside at all costs, all because of fires in Canada. Canada! Miles and miles away! Yes, this was horrible and scary, but it got news coverage.

Alice Hasen: A Genre-Defying Musician with an Environmental Message by Aaron Brame

SWAC: Influencer, zIssue 50Jejune ContributorAugust 21, 2023music, music artist, environmental justice, Environmentally Conscious, environmentalism, clean water, violinComment

Mary Mattingly's Eco-Conscious Activism - Imagined Futures in Bloom

The innovative New York artist Mary Mattingly has emerged as a true beacon of environmental consciousness in the art world. With the recent debut of her piece Ebb of a Spring Tide at Socrates Sculpture Park in New York, Mattingly has carved a unique path that seamlessly blends art, activism, and our connection to water. As the world continues to evolve, Mattingly remains at the forefront of championing climate awareness. Her art serves as a reminder that creativity can be a force of change, transcending traditional boundaries and inspiring us to reimagine how we interact with our planet. Continue reading to learn more about Mary Mattingly.

Chris Jordan - Stories Through the Lens

More than ever, it is important to consider how human activity affects the environment. Chris Jordan is an activist who uses his powerful images that capture human activity to advocate for awareness. As an artist who immerses himself in his work, he demonstrates the power of photography by employing it to amplify emotion and change the negative connotation of the environmental crisis into one that advocates a positive attitude. Continue reading to learn more about Chris Jordan's artistic vision!