Small Planet Institue

Getting Ready … for Obama!

2008-12-30T20:29:06Z

In this brief speech excerpt drawing on her new book Getting a Grip, Frances offers a new way of seeing that can empower us for the extraordinary opportunities of this era. It can help us resist the temptation of believing that a change in leadership alone can get at the root of our planetary crises. It challenges us to rethink democracy itself and our own power in it. In Getting a Grip she brings this message home using many examples of Living Democracy emerging.

“Food Fighter” Anna in The New York Times

2008-11-10T13:00:37Z

Anna writes:

It’s a funny feeling to wake up and, while perusing the homepage of The New York Times, stumble on what feels like your family—pics and profiles of some of the “food fighters” in the movement afoot for healthy, sustainable food for everyone. Among the people profiled (including Bryant and me) are my dear friends who started Maverick Farms in North Carolina. The crew of Maverick Farms have created one of the most special spots in the country, and the weekend I spent there on the Grub tour was one of the highlights of my whole book jaunt. After a delicious dinner made with freshly picked everything, a reading from passages in Grub, and a rousing tour de force by Molly on the old baby grand in the corner of the living room, we all nestled down to watch Garlic is as Good as Ten Mothers on a sheet hanging down the wall. I remember falling asleep full of wine, good conversation, and sore muscles from time down on the farm: a formula for a good night’s rest.

Other profiles include workers from the Coalition of Immokalee Workers who we’re excited to be bringing to New York City for our special end-of-the-year fundraiser on the 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights.

Also, Severine, the awesome force behind Greenhorns, has a great pic and the most impressive fridge.

Check them all out here.

Where Were You on November 4, 2008?

2008-11-08T20:55:47Z

That’s the title of my latest Huffington Post blog. As you see here, I’m smiling! And in the blog I share some of my reasons, as I reflect on the power of public joy to shape our nation. How often we dwell on moments of shared horror — Pearl Harbor or 9-11 — but what about moments of shared joy? Maybe they’re even more powerful.

For 20 years I’ve been witnessing and striving to tell the story of an historic shift in our very understanding of democracy. The prevailing one, I argue in Democracy’s Edge and Getting a Grip, just can’t get us there. It is profoundly mal-aligned with our nature. Reducing democracy to voting and shopping, it can’t tap our deep needs and capacities to be problem solvers ourselves. Essentially, humans aren’t couch potatoes and whiners! We are doers who thrive when we know our voices count.

This is what every effective community organizer knows. And now we’ll have one in the White House.

And please check out our other writings, where Anna and I tell the story of living democracy emerging. — Frances

How can we end world hunger? Frances explains, in The Progressive.

2008-09-01T21:21:23Z

In a new piece, “A Shortage of Democracy, Not Food”, Frances revisits her Diet for a Small Planet days and the revelation that the root of world hunger is not a lack of food but a lack of democracy. “Because no human being chooses hunger, hunger is proof that a person has been denied a voice in meeting survival needs. And, since a say in one’s future is the very essence of democracy, the existence of hunger belies democracy.” Read the article here.

Video profile of Frances from the James Beard—Humanitarian of the Year Award Ceremony

2008-07-01T20:36:15Z

Who is Frances Moore Lappé? What inspired her to write her bestselling book Diet for a Small Planet?

This video, featuring her daughter and food justice activist Anna Lappé, son Anthony Lappé and Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai, is a great introduction to Frankie’s life and work. Our very special thanks to David Bowen, Susan Ungaro, and Jorge Garcia-Spitz and Linton Media.