Paul Cienfuegos: Challenge Corporate Power! Save the World!

Paul Cienfuegos teaches that corporate rights and privileges are at the core of almost every environmental and social justice problem that we face. Corporate power grew immensely toward the end of the 19th century with the dismantling of legal restraints and the redefinition of corporations as "persons." As citizens, can we take back our power from these fictitious corporate "persons?"   Cienfuegos says, "Yes!"  And he tells of communities doing just that with the help of organizations such as Program on Corporations, Law and Democracy, and The Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund. CELDF is  presently helping a broad coalition called Envision Spokane to pass a Community Bill of Rights in November to create a healthy, sustainable, democratic Spokane.  (Last year CELDF helped draft a Rights of Nature into Ecuador's constitution!)  Paul Cienfuegos gives lectures and workshops in this growing movement, and was a featured speaker at this year's Village Building Convergence in Portland. He also runs an online bookstore: 100fires.com  which carries more than 7000 titles to help create a better world.  He plans on being back in the Northwest to conduct workshops and can be reached at 707-443-4483 or  paul@100fires.com .