More about the Organization or the President, Founder, and Editor... (biography)

Macrocosm USA, Inc., founded in 1989, has been a nonprofit (501 3-c), tax-exempt, educational clearinghouse for progressives since 1992. Its purpose is to compile and edit materials into utilitarian formats such as handbooks, databases, a databank, and newsletters. The organization maintains a database of over 6,000 organizations, periodicals, publishers and businesses, media contacts, and other resource guides.

Macrocosm USA strives to present solutions and holistic approaches to urgent social and environmental problems and provide materials to aid in understanding the social and environmental sciences. As an electronic networking hub, it will endeavor to become a vital international network of people, projects, and organizations. A strong core of activities will center around its publishing, database, and computer networking. A small staff and interns will be necessary to ensure the continuation of its efforts: a directory/reader, computer network (MacroNet), periodic reports, online support, and supplemental updates. Tax-deductible contributions and memberships are are welcome. Macrocosm USA has relied on no grant monies. It seeks to work with individuals and organizations who desire to reduce duplication and merge efforts. Perhaps by reducing redundancy we may, with many hands, make light work - as well as save time and money in the face of dwindling resources.

A Personal Letter From the Editor, President, and Founder of Macrocosm USA:

Our database, from which our directory was formed, was used by Jerry Brown's campaign staff in 1992. Please read this first hand account about this historical moment written by Gregory Wright. Brown Campaign computer staff members told us that they deem us, Macrocosm USA, highly instrumental for Jerry winning in Colorado, Maine, Vermont, and Connecticut. Ultimately, they say, the Democratic Party had to realize, after Jerry's wins, that environmental grassroots coalitions were powerful allies. Hence, Gore, after the success of EARTH IN THE BALANCE, was appointed Clinton's running mate. Several boxes of our handbooks were shipped to the Clinton-Gore Transition Team following the election. As a result, we received the Gore blurb we use on our home page. There is perhaps no way to estimate what good it has done. Like most progressive work the rewards are little and the result rarely calculable.

Grassroots activism can be powerful. It must be provided the tools to grow. Small, large, and diverse forces must come together to create a new agenda, one based on clear, cooperative and wholistic approaches that recognize interdependence. Above all, people need to know how and where to get involved. Furthermore, we need to create new role models for future generations.

The Macrocosm USA directory is the only book of its kind. We kept our prices low so more people would buy them and students would find them affordable. We also have a database available on and off the Internet. I am available at the following email address brockway@macronet.org for questions concerning addresses. I would like to continue to improve upon this work. The circumstances of the last 15 years years have made this very difficult work.

I am a private individual who has spent my entire savings and took loans in order to do this project. We established nonprofit status. School interns, friends and volunteers did some of the work. Grants and the sale of the book were to eventually get us out of the red. But then, two months after the book was printed an arsonist burned us - twice. The first fire was attempted murder. Investigations, insurance problems, contractor problems, family and health problems, all interrupted the marketing of our book. We had to go into hiding for a period of time.

We operated a BBS (MacroNet) for the Macrocosm database and forums for related issues (it was in redesign phase, going from TBBS to Excalibur). At first we were led to believe Excalibur would develop a database module by June 1994. It proved to be too complicated and expensive for us to continue with the TBBS system. Because of financial cut-backs and serious health problems with our SYSOP (gang-inflicted brain injury), The MacroNet BBS was halted. At this time the Internet appears to have matured enough to handle the work we propose to do. We have successfully mounted the database online so it may be used for searches and keyword queries.

There are many magazines that regularly use our book as a reference and reader. I recently discovered that some believe it is their best-kept secret. Ms. Magazine, The Nation, Lies of Our Times and Utne Reader, Co-op America, use and/or recommend our handbook, as do many others. Please read reviews. Ben Cohen (Ben & Jerry's), named as one of the most influential baby-boomers by Life Magazine, is a long-time member and has bought several copies of our handbook foor use in his nonprofit foundation.


The editor and founder, Sandi Brockway [left], being arrested in below freezing1 temperatures with unknown participant [right] at the Nevada Nuclear Test Site, February, 1990, with a group of approximately 100 individuals from All Saint Episcopal Church in Pasadena.


BIOGRAPHY & OTHER BACKGROUND DETAILS

Ms. Brockway holds a B.A. in the Social Sciences and is a long time activist, artist and free-lance writer. Among other things, she protested the Vietnam War, did volunteer work for Welfare Rights Organization and taught nutrition classes to children at the Eureka Projects back in the 70's. She thanks her high school Art teacher, Paul Diffley III; her college History teacher, Verne Smith; an Art History teacher, Sir Leonard DeGrassi; and extends posthumous thanks to Dr. Carl Sauer for inspiring, through his teaching, two of her most remarkable Geography teachers. She thanks also, Chuck Whitaker, the Physics and Philosophy major at Berkeley, who gave her a dictionary and a copy of Emerson's Essays, and, in 1973, with minor success, explained her first viewing of a holograph at Berkeley University.

During the 80's, she committed civil disobedience at Diablo Nuclear Power Plant, in favor of renewable and less toxic forms of energy; Livermore Labs, in support of conversion from nuclear weapons research to peace time endeavors; Concord Naval Weapons Station, in protest of arms shipments to Central America that have resulted in the killing of thousands of innocent peasants and further destabilized the region; and Vandenberg, in order to convince others that unbridled military expenditures only further violates human rights, in this case - the test launch of the MX missile which targeted Kwajelien, a small island in the Pacific whose inhabitants have been relocated and contaminated by past experiments. The education that these liberating experiences provided were invaluable and epiphanous.

During the early eighties, she, Henry Tewksbury and Fred Bazlen, with the assistance of other members of Moonstone Alliance, an affiliate of Abalone Alliance, produced a monthly newspaper called Appeal To Reason of San Luis Obispo County in an attempt to alert the public about nuclear, chemical and human rights issues. It is then that she first was inspired to do what was then referred to as World Concern Directory. After a long hiatus as an antiques and second hand store owner, sensing the time was ripe, she started plans to compile and edit the Macrocosm handbook in July, 1989. She thanks an associate and long-time friend, Lorraine Schulmeister, for her support and inspiration.

Other special thanks for their encouragement, support, and continued vision to:

Franz Nahrada, founder of G.I.V.E.
and Dr. George Regas, former rector of All Saints Episcopal Church whose spiritual passion gave me courage to continue


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Tuesday, May 03, 2005 00:54:19