Category Archives: 2025 Articles

by Lee Malis

In the 1970s there were hundreds of thousands of young homeless people living on the streets and around the countryside. There was a big “back to the country” movement, the Vietnam War was over and there was a bit of a mess in the US. Jimmy Carter was elected president in the hopes that he could bring us back together. His message was one of brotherhood and unity, equal rights for women and the disenfranchised, amnesty for the conscientious objectors. Amongst his many reforms was free education for the poor and homeless.  

Deadline for submitting application, Friday, April 25

Gainesville Veterans for Peace Chapter 14 is excited to announce our 11^th annual Peace Scholarship Program for the spring of 2025. Thanks to community support for our annual Winter Solstice Concert and other donations, VFP will be awarding three college scholarships of $1,500 each for high school seniors, college students or adults. Recipients must demonstrate commitment to one or more social justice activities which may include: peace and nonviolence, intersectional coalition building, Black Lives Matter, women’s reproductive freedom, environmental sustainability, economic justice, education and social change.

by Joe Courter

Well here we go. This paper’s print date was Jan. 20, which means as the presses were running, Donald Trump was being sworn in as president. So much wacko stuff in the news as I write this, and that unfortunately will be the tone of the next couple years at least. Don’t give up, get out and find community as you will … we will need each other and that starts with finding one another.

Alachua County-based David Vaina will share his new book, “On-Ramps to a New Civil Society,” an autonomist reimagining of labor, value, mutual aid, and revolution, at the Civic Media Center on Sunday, Feb. 23, at 2pm. 

By Amy Trask

Amy Trask is an activist, a mom and passionate public servant who ran for Florida House District 22.

This week, I met with over fifty legislators at the Capitol. With my briefcase tucked underneath my arm, my padfolio stuffed with copies of my bill, and my feet racing amidst a sea of other folks running to their next meetings, I was ready to answer the call, and the many questions about domestic violence.

The January/February issue of the Iguana is now available, and you can access it here! If you want to get your hands on a hard copy, check out our distro locations here.

2024 in review: Strikes and organizing score gains, but storm clouds loom
by Jenny Brown ~ Labor Notes ~ Dec. 18 ~ tinyurl.com/Iguana2132
Labor Notes reports both good and bad news from this past year. Workers gained ground including service workers in the private sector who saw a 6 percent real wage increase for the year, strikes were easier to maintain because of unemployment rates of around 4 percent, and several groups won significant raises. On the other hand, working conditions are “often abominable” and weak labor laws and safety enforcement are “on Trump’s chopping block.”