Citizen Better

Community organizer KJ Kearney learns about the link between food and the freedoms this country promised for all. Food has always been political—It provides a place to gather, share ideas, to express our identities, and take care of each other’s basic needs. KJ visits restaurants like A Peace of Soul and or Gillie’s to see how they’re preserving Black history and culture with every plate.

Everybody needs a place to belong. But it's especially challenging to feel at home in the midst of an affordable housing crisis. But just as Black soldiers in the 70's created the DAP to build Dignity and Pride while locked out of equal housing opportunity, community organizers today show us how community solidarity can be a first step to making housing attainable.

When a disabled fan was not allowed to board a flight to see Beyoncé's Renaissance Tour with his wheelchair, the Beyhive sprung into action to get him to a new tour date. But was online organizing enough to make change?

Climate change impacts our natural environment, but it's also a racial justice issue. Communities of color in the US and globally are impacted first and worst by flooding, heat, and pollution. That's why environmental justice advocates from these communities in South Carolina are working toward solutions—from monitoring the water in their neighborhoods to lobbying their local legislators.

Mutual aid requires many skills: organization, tracking inventory, cleaning and maintaining supplies, and most of all building relationships. But what if you could practice all those skills—by collecting sneakers? KJ visits Harlem's Closet sneaker shop in Columbia, SC, and the Rock Hill Community Fridge to learn how two business owners are using their hobbies to practice community care.