Introduction

When we heard that the second U.S. Social Forum was expected to drawthousands of progressive activists from across the country to Detroitfor days of workshops, skill sharing, and movement building, we knewwe had to go. One important goal of our trip was to bring back voicesof people from across the country who are struggling with the exactsame issues as our communities in Maryland.

And then there was alsothe larger question of the future of the progressive movement - withpolitical polarization mounting higher every day, and critics fromboth sides decrying a lack of unity among progressives, could thisgathering achieve its goals of building strength and re-energizingpeople to keep fighting injustice?

Over the course of four days we interviewed people from all over thecountry who are engaged in diverse struggles – everything frombuilding up the confidence of young women to fighting for human rightsfor immigrants in Arizona, from using hip hop as a form of protest totouring the country with Palestinian children, Iraqi citizens, andAmerican veterans, and much more.

Take a listen and see what you think about the state of progressiveaction in America, and hopefully some of the incredible energy andhope that participants there expressed to us will make its way fromDetroit to your community.