Before Barack Obama became President of the U.S., he was a community organizer in Chicago. Obama generated a renewed interest in activism which inspired Stephen Smith to write a guidebook for young people interested in affecting change. The book is called Stoking the Fire of Democracy: Our Generation’s Introduction to Grassroots Organizing. Alison Cuddy spoke with Smith who said: “I am an organizer because first I was a loser.”

Music Button: Chris Joss, “Shella V.” from the CD You’ve Been Spiked, (ESL)