Marisa Handler, author of Loyal to the Sky: Notes from an Activist, is a remarkable person. Born in South Africa, but living in San Francisco, she’s been actively involved in the global justice movement, the anti-war movement, and the movement for a just peace in Israel-Palestine. She’s written on issues related to her activism: grassroots politics, the effects of U.S. wars on Indo-Pakistani politics, Hindu-Muslim tensions within India, and indigenous resistance to oil exploitation in the Amazon. Her articles have appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, Earth Island Journal, Salon.com, Alternet, and Tikkun and Bitch magazines. Somewhere along the way she found time to record an album of her music ‘Dark Spoke’.

Marisa has just been interviewed by Celina De Leon, editor of Feministing.com, over at Wiretap Magazine:

I think there’s this concept of activists as these holier-than-thou people who stand in the streets yelling. That’s really not true. I think activism can be cliquey and exclusive, and that’s really a downfall. I think as activists, we really need to look at the kind of culture we’re creating and whether it’s open—whether people feel welcomed, because that’s the only way we’re going to build it.

It’s a matter of figuring out where you can take a stand, how you can take a stand, and how you can try to do good even when things begin to look a little murky. So, in that sense I want to inspire people who may be wondering how they can make a difference.

You can also find out more about Marisa, her book, and her music at her website www.marisahandler.com

Read the full interview

Marisa Handler’s Website

Marisa Handler’s MySpace

ADDITION
Marisa Handler’s publisher Berrett-Koehler have made an excerpt of Loyal to the Sky available online from their website.