Author: Public Allies

By Rachel Zanoni My high school was rather queer. It was a small private school, where the dominant sexualities at play seemed to be straight (of course), bisexual, and pansexual. We were Tumblr-taught and as inclusive as our identity-focused education allowed. The first time I had heard of asexual was in a classroom discussion during Read More

By Clay Horton My hands are shaking as usual as I grip onto the cold bathroom sink; water drips down my face, mixing with tears as I whisper to myself. I suffocate on the cotton candy scented soap that I’ve covered myself in. Clouds of doubt and self-hate swirl around me as I try to Read More

By Aiden Aizumi Pride is love. It is lifting each other up, standing together, crying together, celebrating together. Pride is a revolution. It is showing the beauty in our differences, letting our intersections shine. Pride is anger. It is the collective pain we feel when trans women of color are taken too soon. It is Read More

The following is the transcript of an interview conducted by Public Allies Milwaukee with AmeriCorps member Ni’Sea Thurman-Wamubu, who is serving this year with Public Allies at the Victory Garden Initiative (VGI). Public Allies Milwaukee: Congrats on your Seeds of Liberation Gallery opening. The gallery is an inspiring creative project! Tell us the why of Read More

Communication strategies are an essential piece of Public Allies’ professional development training. How you speak—and are spoken to—in the workplace can have a major impact on your own mental health and how others perceive you. Email is no exception. As straight-forward as it may seem, learning to send effective email can improve your daily experience Read More

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Throughout the pandemic, AAPI communities have been subjected to increased hate and harassment. According to Stop AAPI Hate, hate crimes have increased by 1900%, with many cases involving elders. Together we can end this. Here are four ways to get started: 1. Keep Learning Use the countless books, Read More

Do you still throw around words like “crazy” or “psycho?” Despite being common (crazy is in the top 2,000 words used by Americans), terms like this actually reinforce stigma around those with mental illness. The Impact of Ableist Language Ableist language has several negative impacts: It draws on unconscious biases. Who decides what is and Read More

On this Earth Day, we celebrate our Public Allies AmeriCorps members and partner organizations working daily for sustainability and environmental justice. Aiti Rai and Jayson Hughes (Connecticut) partner with KNOX to build greener, stronger, healthier and more beautiful neighborhoods in Hartford. “I believe that everyone should have access to healthy food,” says Aiti. “My passion Read More

Let’s be clear: Justice would be George Floyd still alive. Justice would be the end of racism. The end of anti-Blackness that permeates every aspect of American life. The end of the police brutality that has become all too commonplace and a piercing testament of white supremacy. We applaud today’s verdict, and we continue to Read More

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a perfect time to practice and model consent in your everyday actions. What is Consent? An explicit agreement to be physically intimate with someone. What isn’t Consent? An agreement made by someone who is underage, intoxicated, or pressured. What Does Consent Look Like? Asking permission Double-checking Stopping upon request Read More