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53-638: Since its inception, Global Exchange has enlisted thousands of members and supporters, by educating the U.S. public about what it thinks are the root causes of injustice and the impacts of U.S. government policies and corporate practices. The group builds people-to-people ties, engages grassroots education for action, and links social and environmental movements through public education, speaking tours, experiential travel called Reality Tours and activism. In 1988, Medea Benjamin , Kevin Danaher , Kirsten Moller, and Kathie Klarreich founded Global Exchange. The formation of

106-470: A Green Party candidate challenging incumbent US Senator from California , Dianne Feinstein . She advocated a living wage , universal healthcare and delaying genetically engineered foods . During the campaign, Benjamin and her Republican rival Tom Campbell participated in joint events, including a joint press conference, touting their opposition to Feinstein (but also disagreeing with each other on many issues). Benjamin garnered 99,716 votes, 74%, in

159-722: A Green Festival Expo in Seattle, Washington. Global Exchange was part of a coalition of groups that charged US retailers, including Gap , with illegally underpaying workers in their sweatshops in Saipan . In 2011, Global Exchange released a book called, The Rights of Nature: The Case for a Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth (2011), with articles by Maude Barlow , Pablo Solón Romero , Vandana Shiva , Nnimmo Bassey and others. Global Exchange defined its goals to include increasing public awareness of injustice. They promote change within

212-511: A daily protest at the hotel where President-elect Barack Obama was staying, and then visited Gaza to see the immediate effects of the bombing. She brought humanitarian aid and helped put together six other delegations to Gaza. She was one of the lead organizers of the Gaza Freedom March , where 1,350 people from dozens of countries came together in Cairo to try to march to Gaza. Benjamin criticized

265-581: A delegation of prisoners' family members to Guantanamo Naval Base prison camp in Cuba, demanding its closing. In 2007 as well, she continued to protest weekly outside the Justice Department concerning water boarding and indefinite detention, and called for the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. She was arrested many times for protests in Congressional hearings. On October 31, 2009, Benjamin led

318-426: A group of Code Pink protestors at a protest aimed at military families queued up for a White House Halloween Party hosted by President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama . The event raised controversy when a Reuters News photo showing the protesters (dressed as wounded soldiers), including one identified as Benjamin, were described as "taunting" the children. In 2009, Benjamin began her efforts to bring attention to

371-565: A major speech by President Barack Obama regarding United States policy in the War on Terror at the National Defense University on May 23, 2013. After Benjamin was removed for her actions, President Obama then went off script. "The voice of that woman is worth paying attention to," he said. "Obviously I do not agree with much of what she said. And obviously she wasn't listening to me and much of what I said. But these are tough issues. And

424-617: A member of the International Socialist Organization , responded: Medea Benjamin ... and many other liberal and progressive leaders tell us that a Kerry regime "would be less dangerous" than Bush ... But, even if Kerry is "less dangerous", he will be more capable of wreaking havoc on Iraq, Palestine, Venezuela, abortion, gay rights, civil rights and unions if we sacrifice our political movement to getting behind him ... any movement that ever aims to win, must learn to stand up for itself precisely when it

477-553: A new green economy/clean energy framework. GELT was based in Highland Park, a low-income community in Detroit . Dozens of full-time volunteers worked side-by-side with Highland Park community members to put energy efficiency and LEED for Neighborhood Development guidelines into practice, demonstrating what the transition to and opportunities in a clean energy economy looks like. Global Exchange offers Reality Tours to various countries of

530-757: A profit-oriented global economy, to what it calls ‘people-oriented local economies’ which, supposedly, respect the rights of workers and nature. The Community Rights Program assists communities confronted by corporate projects to assert their right to make decisions, which the group says should be to that place ‘the rights of residents above the legal rights of corporations’. The Economic Activism for Palestine Project focuses on corporate accountability for human rights and international law violations in Palestine . The program, with an anti- Zionist focus, targets corporations that are directly involved in Israeli settlement activity in

583-606: A public fast in Islamabad in sympathy with alleged drone victims. In 2012, she authored Drone Warfare: Killing by Remote Control , published by OR Books , and toured the country speaking out against drone warfare. As part of Code Pink's mission, Benjamin helped organize many International Women's Day Marches and Mother's Day Calls for Peace, the latter to bring back the original intent of Mother's Day as women mobilizing against war. These included bringing women from war torn countries such as Iraq , Palestine and Afghanistan to

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636-540: A quote from Benjamin was published by the New York Times , which implied that she was calling for the arrest of those who destroyed property during the protests. Benjamin later clarified that, while she did not approve of the tactics of destroying property, she did not want the arrest of those responsible. Benjamin has been criticized by some Greens for her support for "Anybody But Bush" in 2004. Explaining why she supported this movement, she said that "maybe it's time for

689-556: A speech on United States counterterrorism strategy given by John Brennan at the Woodrow Wilson Center , to ask about civilians casualties of US drone strikes in Pakistan , Somalia , and Yemen . In October 2012, she organized a 34-person delegation to Pakistan to protest U.S. drone warfare. While in Pakistan she allegedly met with drone victims, family members, lawyers, academics, women's groups, and Pakistani leaders, as well as

742-674: Is darkest. Benjamin writes in The Huffington Post that the U.S. needs to end military interventionism and that the "U.S. military should close all foreign military bases and use our soldiers to protect us here at home." Benjamin also writes in The Huffington Post that the United States never had any "justification for invading Iraq", that there is no "justification for continuing the war in Afghanistan", and that in Pakistan,

795-747: Is to expose the impact of the FIRE economy campaign contributions and to provide factual examples of its belief that a political campaign dependency upon corporate campaign contributions and subsequent corporate lobbying can lead to the prioritization of corporate interests over the needs of the We are the 99% . The ultimate goal of the campaign is to increase accountability through campaign finance reform . The Green Economy Leadership Training (GELT) Program ran from 2010 to 2012 to implement green economy solutions (home weatherization, establishing urban gardens, etc.) while training individuals in how to build, work and live in

848-536: The 1999 Seattle WTO protests . In 2000, she helped a campaign to pressure Starbucks to carry fair trade coffee in all their cafes. In October 2000, Starbucks introduced whole bean Fair Trade Certified coffee at more than 2,300 stores. For 2001, Benjamin focused on California's energy crisis , assisting low-income ratepayers and small businesses. She headed a coalition of consumer , environmental , union and business leaders working for clean and affordable power under public control. In September 2003, Benjamin

901-509: The Bush administration (Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld ; President George W. Bush ; Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice ); Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki , and others. Benjamin engaged in protest actions at the 2004 Democratic National Convention and the 2004 Republican National Convention . On December 4, 2007, she was arrested by plainclothes police in Lahore , Pakistan , detained by

954-649: The Cobb-LaMarche ticket. Benjamin has been married twice. Her second marriage is to activist Kevin Danaher . She has two daughters, Maya Danaher and Arlen Gomez, who respectively serve as treasurer and secretary of the Benjamin Fund, an organization for which she serves as president. Benjamin lives in Washington, D.C. , and in San Francisco. Green economy Too Many Requests If you report this error to

1007-563: The Greater Los Angeles Auto Show illegally disrupted a press stage where General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner was speaking and tried to get him to sign a pledge making GM the most fuel-efficient car company by 2010. Wagoner refused to sign, saying that he promised just that in his keynote speech. The World Trade Organization has claimed that a number of websites such as the Global Exchange, etc., "contain accusations against

1060-629: The Greek mythological character Medea . Samuel Moyn wrote that Benjamin "liked how the name sounded, and she had heard a feminist interpretation of the Greek tragedy suggesting that Medea had never killed her children and was only blamed for it by patriarchal traditions ". She also joined the Students for a Democratic Society . Later she dropped out of school and hitchhiked through Europe and Africa, teaching English classes to earn money. She later returned to

1113-742: The Green Party nominee in the 2000 United States Senate election in California , running under the name Medea Susan Benjamin. Susan Benjamin was born September 10, 1952, daughter of Alvin and Rose Benjamin. She grew up in Freeport, New York , on Long Island , and is of Jewish descent. Her father, Alvin Benjamin (1920-2012), was a wealthy real estate developer, president of The Benjamin Companies. During her first year at Tufts University , she renamed herself after

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1166-614: The ISI for eight hours, and deported after protesting the house arrest of lawyers (including Aitzaz Ahsan ). In 2009, Benjamin joined the steering committee for the Gaza Freedom March . In February 2012, Benjamin was arrested and deported for illegal entry to Bahrain and her participation in an illegal protest. During 2005–2010, she worked to oppose United States threats of a possible impending war with Iran, including lobbying Congress, taking peace delegations to Iran, and bringing Iranian youth to Congress. Benjamin repeatedly interrupted

1219-733: The International Labor Rights Forum to pressure The Hershey Company to go fair trade and end child labor in the Theobroma cacao fields. The campaign is called Raise the Bar, Hershey. The Mexico Program confronts the rising violence and unrest. The program is described as developing dialogue and effective advocacy toward bilateral military policies, gun trafficking, drug policy, and democratic reform. The Elect Democracy campaign challenges corporate money in US politics. The campaign's strategy

1272-541: The Republican National Convention with a sign that read "Build bridges not walls". She joined other activists on the 2024 Gaza freedom flotilla . During the 1990s, Benjamin focused on countering what she believed was un fair trade as promoted by the World Trade Organization . She participated in an anti-sweatshop movement , initiating campaigns against Nike and clothing companies such as

1325-543: The U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan . The delegation made international headlines when they joined a caravan to Waziristan organized by prominent political leader and former Pakistani cricket captain Imran Khan , a staunch opponent of American involvement in Pakistan. (See CNN video, The New York Times , The Washington Post , Al Jazeera , the BBC , and over 100 major news outlet, 09/28 – October 14, 2012). She also organized

1378-934: The Venezuelan Embassy in Washington . Benjamin said the group had the permission of the Maduro government to stay in the embassy. In 2010, she received the Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Prize from the Fellowship of Reconciliation . In 2012, she won the Marjorie Kellogg National Peacemaker Award and the Thomas Merton Center Peace Award . Also in 2012, she was awarded the US Peace Prize "in recognition of her creative leadership on

1431-748: The GAP. In 1999, Benjamin helped expose the problem of indentured servitude among garment workers in the United States territory of Saipan (the Marianas Islands), which led to a billion-dollar lawsuit against 17 United States retailers. In 1999, she produced the documentary Sweating for a T-Shirt about the sweatshop industry. During the World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle in December 1999, Benjamin's organization, Global Exchange , helped organize

1484-522: The Green Party primary, and 326,828 votes, 3.08% of the general election total ballots. Since then she has remained active in the Green Party and has also supported efforts by the Progressive Democrats of America. In 2015, the Green Party created a shadow cabinet , naming Benjamin as the shadow Secretary of State. From 2002 to 2009, Benjamin engaged in numerous protests involving members of

1537-704: The Occupation Watch Center in Baghdad (IOWC) to monitor the United States military, and the war's effect on civilian populations. Through this center, she brought U.S. military family members to see the conditions under which enlisted personnel served, and to speak out against the war, in Congress and at the United Nations , in 2003. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Liberty Tree . In 2000, Benjamin ran as

1590-590: The San Francisco-based Global Exchange , which advocates fair trade alternatives to what she describes as corporate globalization. In 2002, with Jodie Evans and others, she co-founded the feminist anti-war group Code Pink: Women for Peace , which advocated for an end to the Iraq War , the prevention of future wars, and social justice . Benjamin has been involved with the anti-war organization United for Peace and Justice . She later created

1643-503: The U.S. to speak about their experiences. Between 2003 and 2010, Benjamin helped organized anti-war mass mobilizations in Washington, D.C., New York City and San Francisco. Benjamin organized the campaign Bring Our War Dollars Home, which fought to divert money from the Pentagon into social programs at home. During the 1999 anti-globalization movement protests against the WTO in Seattle ,

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1696-558: The United States invaded Iraq in 2003 , she created the Occupation Watch Center in Baghdad to monitor the United States military and the war's effect on civilian populations. Through this center she brought Iraqi women to the United States to speak about the occupation, organized delegations of U.S. military family members to see the conditions of their children serving in Iraq, and documented United States abuses, including at Abu Ghraib prison before

1749-660: The United States "drone attacks are only fueling the violence and creating more Osama bin Ladens ". Regarding the killing of bin Laden , she says "Let us not sink into a false sense of triumphalism in the wake of Bin Laden's passing." On March 3, 2014, Benjamin was arrested in Egypt . She had flown there en route to participating in a women's conference in the Palestinian territory of Gaza . Upon her arrival at Cairo International Airport , Benjamin

1802-828: The United States and received master's degrees in public health from Columbia University and in economics from The New School . Benjamin worked for ten years as an economist and nutritionist in Latin America and Africa for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization , the World Health Organization , the Swedish International Development Agency , and the Institute for Food and Development Policy . In 1988, with her husband, Kevin Danaher , and Kirsten Moller, Benjamin co-founded

1855-503: The United States by offering reality tours for American tourists in Venezuela . Medea Benjamin Medea Benjamin (born Susan Benjamin on September 10, 1952) is an American political activist who, along with Jodie Evans and others, co-founded Code Pink . She also co-founded, along with her husband Kevin Danaher , the fair trade advocacy group Global Exchange . Benjamin was

1908-676: The United States government for passing legislation to send Israel $ 3 billion in aid, lobbied Congress and sailed on the U.S. Flotilla to Gaza in November 2011. Days after Israel launched its Pillar of Defense operation targeting sites in Gaza during November 2012, Benjamin led a delegation to deliver medical supplies to the Shifa hospital and the Palestinian Red Crescent in Gaza. She also helped to organize an annual gathering in Washington, D.C., with

1961-560: The WTO which are based on incorrect information or downright falsehoods." The conservative think tank Capital Research Center has labeled Global Exchange as a "far-left activist group", citing its continuing promotion of tours to Communist-ruled Cuba, and thinks they were responsible for "violent demonstrations" at the World Trade Organization meetings in Seattle in 1999. It also says that Global Exchange appears to be spearheading former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez 's public relations efforts in

2014-464: The conference. Benjamin responded saying she was "uncomfortable" with many of the attendees but learned a lot and had nothing to apologize for. Peter Camejo claims that, at the 2004 Green Party of the United States national convention, a supermajority of members had voted for endorsing the Nader -Camejo ticket, but a conspiracy involving Benjamin caused a slight majority of delegates to instead endorse

2067-452: The effects of drone warfare , participating in demonstrations at United States bases where drones are piloted and at headquarters of drone manufacturers. On April 28, 2012, in Washington, D.C., she was responsible for organizing the first International Drone Summit with lawyers, scientists, academics, and activists to kick off an international campaign to rein in the use of drones in the U.S. and abroad. On April 30, 2012, Benjamin interrupted

2120-699: The embassy did not help Benjamin. In January 2019, in a Democracy Now! interview, Benjamin said she was against "US intervention in Venezuela" which had the potential to "create a civil war leading to tremendous violence". In April and May 2019 Benjamin was part of an "Embassy Protection Collective" formed by groups that include CodePink, Answer Coalition (led by Brian Becker), Poor Peoples Army (led by Cheri Honkala), People's Power Assembly (led by Sharon Black), Revolutionary Alliance (led by Al R Suarez) and Popular Resistance (led by Kevin Zeese/Dr. Flowers) which occupied

2173-684: The front lines of the antiwar movement." In 2014, she received the Gandhi Peace Award from Promoting Enduring Peace "to honor her for her unyielding advocacy for social justice of more than 30 years". In 2003, the Los Angeles Times described her as "one of the high profile leaders" of the peace movement. In 2014, Benjamin attended the second annual New Horizon conference in Tehran , which hosted several fascists and Holocaust deniers. The Anti-Defamation League criticized Benjamin for attending

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2226-613: The labor and environmental practices of United States multinationals in China. The ensuring Human Rights Principles for US Businesses in China have been endorsed by major companies such as Cisco , Intel , Reebok , Levi Strauss and Mattel . In 2006, Benjamin organized humanitarian aid for war refugees in Lebanon and spoke out against Israeli bombing. In 2008 during the Operation Cast Lead Israeli invasion of Gaza , she organized

2279-439: The objective of exposing the "negative influence" of the United States lobby group American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). In January 2018, it was announced that activists from 20 American groups, including Code Pink, were banned from entering Israel because of their support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. The Algemeiner reported in April 2014 that Benjamin's charitable foundation, which

2332-427: The occupied West Bank . They offer a "Economic Activism for Palestine" residency program, participates have included Dalit Baum. The Fair Trade Program promotes fair trade to end child and forced labor in the cocoa industry , as well as educate consumers to purchase fair trade chocolate. Its corporate campaigns targeted among others Starbucks and M&M's . In 2012 Global Exchange joined with Green America and

2385-504: The organization was rooted in the increasing interdependence of national economies and the subsequent need to build political alliances across national boundaries to promote the group's ideas about economic, social and political rights. Along with Rainforest Action Network and the Ruckus Society , Global Exchange played a central role in organizing the 1999 Seattle WTO protests against the World Trade Organization (WTO) summit in Seattle in 1999. For many years Global Exchange produced

2438-401: The people who voted for Bush in 2000, the people who didn't vote at all in 2000, and yes, people like myself who voted for Ralph Nader in 2000, to admit our mistakes. I'll say mine — I had no idea that George Bush would be such a disastrous president. Had I known then what I know now, and had I lived in a swing state, I would have voted for Gore instead of Ralph Nader. Todd Chretien,

2491-416: The scandal involving it broke in the United States media. She also organized medical aid delegations to Iraq to civilians harmed by the United States military. She testified in Congress and the United Nations against the Iraq War . In 2005, she was involved in the Hammering Halliburton campaign which was concerned with the abuses of United States military contractors such as Halliburton , the goal of which

2544-424: The suggestion that we can gloss over them is wrong." Benjamin responded by telling The Daily Beast , "If he had indeed made significant policy changes, I wasn't going to say anything. I would have preferred that option, but given that he didn't make those kind of changes I was looking for, I was glad to be given the opportunity to speak out." On July 21, 2016, Benjamin heckled Donald Trump 's acceptance speech at

2597-647: The world with the stated aim of educating the visitor regarding the realities of living in different cultures through using local, independent guides and supporting the local economy. Global Exchange Reality Tours organizes trips to over 30 countries in Latin America , Africa , Asia and the Middle East . Reality Tours offers experiential educational tours, connecting people to issues, issues to movements, and movements to social change social change . As part of their campaign to reduce oil consumption, on November 29, 2006, two protesters from Global Exchange and Rainforest Action Network , Mike Hudema and Matt Leonard, at

2650-429: Was detained by airport police and held overnight, during which time she said she was assaulted by police officers, resulting in a broken arm and a dislocated shoulder. She was later deported to Turkey. Questions arose regarding the role of the United States Embassy in her detention, as embassy spokesman Mofid Deak said that Benjamin left the country following assistance from the embassy, while Code Pink's Alli McCracken said

2703-404: Was in Cancún , Mexico challenging the policies of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and in November, she was in Miami protesting the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) while trying to bring attention to global peace and economic justice movements. After several fact-finding visits to China, Benjamin co-sponsored with the International Labor Rights Fund an initiative to improve

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2756-433: Was to expose the awarding of corrupt no-bid contracts to corporations with close ties to the Bush administration . Along with this, Benjamin also exposed Blackwater Worldwide 's illegal activities, including protests at the headquarters of the International Association of War Contractors. She was arrested outside the home of Blackwater's CEO. In opposition to indefinite detention in Guantanamo , in 2007, Benjamin organized

2809-478: Was worth $ 12 million, had shareholdings in Caterpillar , a company targeted by the BDS movement, as well as the oil company Chevron and the tobacco conglomerate Phillip Morris . In November 2023, Benjamin conducted an ambush interview with US Senator Marco Rubio , and asked him if he would "call for a ceasefire in Gaza." Rubio responded "No I will not. On the contrary, … I want Israel to destroy every element of Hamas they can get their hands on." After

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