Alexandria Shaner
Originally from the USA, Alexandria has lived most of her life in the Caribbean, as well as in Egypt and Central America. A sailor, writer, organizer, and street medic, she lives & travels aboard a 100-year old wooden sailboat. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia, Harvard Business School HBX, and was a Visiting Scholar at الجامعة الأمريكية بالقاهرة (AUC Egypt, Tahrir). She has worked in education and community organizing for over 20 years, and is currently active with Extinction Rebellion, Caracol: Degrowth Ecosocialist Caucus of DSA, Jewish Voice for Peace, and the Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network. [Author Page & Staff Picks]
Arash Kolahi
Arash is a left economist, social theorist & consultant. He has over 15 years of experience in economic & financial analysis, consulting & research. His primary areas of interest include economic theory, computer science, behavioral economics, human nature, psychology & sociology. Arash has consulted numerous enterprises on workplace culture, organizational decision-making, incentive structures, data analytics, risk management, customer experience, sustainability, diversity, equity & inclusion. [Author Page & Staff Picks]
Bridget Meehan
Bridget is a writer and activist based in Ireland. She is a co-founder of the Northern Mutual bank campaign and a member of Collaboration for Change (CfC), a grassroots activists’ network promoting collective activism across Ireland. Bridget believes non-reformist projects like CfC can be the foundation for the participatory society of the future. As an advocate for a participatory society, she is a member of Real Utopia, an organisation dedicated to advancing participatory society. Bridget also writes fiction under the pseudonym JJ Green. Her debut novel The Last Good Summer, was published in February 2023 and her second novel, Someone To Blame is due out in October 2024. [Author Page & Staff Picks]
Cooper Sperling
Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Cooper is currently living in Brooklyn, New York. He attends The New School where he majors in Integrated Design at Parsons School of Design and Philosophy. He is one of the co-founders of Student Faculty Solidarity (SFS) which organizes and advocates on behalf of part-time faculty. SFS works with ACT-UAW Local 7902: The union of academic workers at NYU & The New School: NYU Adjuncts and New School part-time faculty, student workers, & healthcare workers. He is also a member of Real Utopia: Foundation for a Participatory Society. [Author Page & Staff Picks]
Fintan Bradshaw
Fintan is a long time Participatory Society advocate from Ireland. He has a B.A. in Theology and Philosophy and an M.A. in Globalisation. He has a background in various activist struggles, including local political and anti-war organising, activist support, Julian Assange solidarity and climate justice. When not parenting, tending to strawberry beds, harvesting leafy greens, eating, playing music and supporting Everton FC, he is active as a member of Real Utopia and the Participatory Economy Project, as well as various other activist endeavours. In his spare time he does not like writing bios. [Author Page & Staff Picks]
Gregory Wilpert
Gregory is a German-American sociologist, journalist, and activist who has covered Venezuela extensively for a wide variety of publications. He holds a Ph.D. in sociology (Brandeis University, 1994) and is author of the book, Changing Venezuela by Taking Power: The History and Policies of the Chávez Government (Verso Books, 2007). He is co-founder of the website Venezuelanalysis.com, was director of the teleSUR English website, and host and managing editor for The Real News Network. Currently he works as deputy editor at the Institute for New Economic Thinking. [Author Page & Staff Picks]
Matic Primc
Matic is a Slovenian activist and organizer. He is part of the municipalist assembly movement Iniciativa Mestni Zbor (Initiative for city-wide assembly) working on direct democracy as well as environmental issues. He is also part of Real Utopia: Foundation for a Participatory Society. He is an advocate for and expert in participatory budgeting, which he has been promoting since 2013. Matic has also worked with cooperatives, striving to democratize their internal processes. Currently he is employed in Organizacija za participatorno družbo (Organization for participatory society) as president and project leader. [Author Page & Staff Picks]
Roy Zhao
Roy is a researcher, scientist, and activist originally hailing from the south side of Chicago. He is passionate about education and has been involved in community education initiatives for low-income, immigrant, and incarcerated populations for many years. Other interests of his include anti-imperialist liberation movements and multipolar trends in geopolitics. He holds a Ph.D. in computational biology with a research background in data science, bioinformatics, population genetics, and ecology. He has taught at the University of Chicago, the University of California, Irvine, and the California state prison system. [Author Page & Staff Picks]
STAFF PICKS
Outside of our work for ZNetwork, we are interested in, shaped, inspired, and entertained by diverse content.
We curate Staff Picks to share some of this with you and to connect as fellow humans.
Join us here to play, laugh, celebrate, cry, and wonder.
Z STAFF EMERITUS
Michael Albert
Michael is the co-founder of ZNet (with Lydia Sargent) and is the co-creator of Participatory Economics (with Robin Hahnel). A tireless activist since the 1960s, he organized protests in Boston against the Vietnam War while a student at MIT, and has since never ceased working towards a better world. He is also the co-founder of South End Press, Z Magazine, Z Media Institute, & the School for Social and Cultural Change. He is the author of more than 20 books and countless essays. His most recent book is entitled, No Bosses: A New Economy for a Better World (Zero Books). Michael currently hosts the weekly podcast entitled Revolution Z, is on the advisory board of Meta: Centre for Post Capitalist Civilization, a member of Real Utopia: Foundation for a Participatory Society, and is a ZFriend. [Author Page & Staff Picks]
Michael has been dubbed an official ‘OG’ of the Left – watch Michael find out what that means on This is Revolution.
MEMORIAL
Lydia Sargent
Lydia Sargent (January 10, 1942 – 27 September, 2020) was a mother of three, a feminist, a playwright, publisher, director, actor, and activist. She cofounded Z Magazine, South End Press, and Z Media Institute. She was a member of the Newbury Street Theater in Boston and drew significant acclaim for her plays, Working, I Read About My Death in Vogue Magazine (1985), and others. She produced, directed, and acted in many plays with the Woods Hole Theater Company. Lydia was the author of Women and Revolution, Playbook, and many journalistic works and essays. She engaged in countless other projects as an anti-war activist, civil disobedience organizer, and teacher. She is remembered as an inspiring example of bravery in overcoming personal circumstance, and of loving always firstly to pursue better for all. [Author Page]
45 YEARS OF WORKING FOR SOCIAL CHANGE
The ZNetwork Staff would like to recognize and thank everyone who has worked on and contributed to South End Press, Z Magazine, ZNet, & ZMI over the decades.
Today’s ZNetwork.org was born from a legacy built by an incredible community of people committed to social change.
Thank you.