Astra Taylor
Astra Taylor is a documentary filmmaker, writer, and political organizer. She is the director, most recently, of “What Is Democracy?” and the author of “Democracy May Not Exist, but We’ll Miss It When It’s Gone.” Her previous work includes “The People’s Platform: Taking Back Power and Culture in the Digital Age,” winner of a 2015 American Book Award. She is co-founder of the Debt Collective.
Freedom Dreams: Black Women and the Student Debt Crisis
Co-published with The Intercept. In “Freedom Dreams,” narrated by Nina Turner, Black women talk about how student debt has impacted their lives and what cancellation would mean for their futures.
Reimagine Democracy
Co-published with The Progressive. In order to determine what a progressive agenda to repair and revitalize democracy should be, we need to understand what has gone awry.
The Right to Listen
Co-published with The New Yorker. As citizens of a democracy, we need to hear one another. Why can’t we?
Occupy Wall Street’s Legacy Runs Deeper Than You Think
Co-published with Teen Vogue. Former occupiers are working to transform the system from inside and out.
Out With the Old, In With the Young
Co-published with The New York Times. Our democracy today is dominated by the old, and young people are getting a bad deal.
It’s Time to Abolish Medical Debt
Co-published with The Guardian. Healthcare is a human right and medical debt is a moral abomination. That’s why we raised money to eradicate it.
Why It’s So Hard to Regulate Payday Lenders
Co-published with The New Yorker. Georgia has long struggled to rein in payday lenders, but even ambitious regulations can’t always stop the predatory practice.
Want Police Reform? Charge Rich People More for Speeding Tickets
Co-published with The Guardian. Municipal coffers are being filled by fining those who can least afford it. If fees were tied to wealth, that calculus would shift.
Hedge Funds With Schools Attached
Co-published with The Nation. Universities are becoming billion-dollar hedge funds, but students are beginning to fight back.
Why Do We Expose Ourselves?
Co-published with The Intercept. If we want to fight surveillance, we need a new way to understand privacy and pleasure.
Make College Free
Co-published with Vogue. Student debt in the US has become a national crisis. But there's only one way to eliminate it for good.
From Jail to Farm to Table
Co-published with The New Yorker. A project in Oakland hopes to do something remarkable: build a co-op agricultural network owned and run by the formerly incarcerated.