Where Were You on November 4, 2008?

Posted Sat November 8, 2008

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 other our other writings, where Anna and tell the story of living democracy emerging—Frances

“Food Fighter” Anna in The New York Times

Posted Fri October 10, 2008

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.

“Getting a Grip” now in Korean

Posted Wed October 1, 2008

Frances Moore Lappé’s latest book Getting a Grip: Clarity, Creativity and Courage in a World Gone Mad is just out in Korean. Barbara Kingslover says that Getting a Grip is “like a new pair of glasses. Suddenly the world is more comprehensible, even more beautiful.” As she did in her first book Diet for a Small Planet, Lappé flouts conventional wisdom and affirms readers’ basic sanity — their intuition that it’s possible to stop grasping at straws and to grasp instead the real roots of today’s crises, from hunger to climate change and terrorism. In March, it will be released in German, and in Spanish soon after. Learn more about Getting a Grip here.

NEW Frances Moore Lappé profile on VoA

Posted Wed September 17, 2008

A new profile on Frances has just been posted on Voice of America. The piece, titled “American Activist Promotes Democracy Worldwide,” can be read — or downloaded as an audio file — here.

Frances was also interviewed for a Summer 2008 VOA, article, “Social Activist Says Democracy is Key to Solving Global Problems.” This too can be read or heard as audio, by clicking here.

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

Posted Mon September 1, 2008

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.

Huffington Post: Frances Moore Lappé on Obama’s DNC speech

Posted Wed August 27, 2008

Click here to Frances’s open letter to the historic presidential nominee, in which she calls on him to make the most of his speech — and his presidency.

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

Posted Tue July 1, 2008

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.