Global Exchange, founded by Medea Benjamin, Kevin Danaher, and Kirsten Moller, has been a leader in human rights, social and economic justice, and environmental sustainability work since 1988. Over the last 30+ years, we have won victories big and small on behalf of workers, small farmers, the environment, and vulnerable communities around the world.
2022
In 2022, Global Exchange went to Brazil for the month of October with our election observation journalist team – co-led by our partners at Peninsula 360 Press – for the Brazil elections that ended with Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s win – giving hope that democracy is alive in Latin America’s largest nation.
2021
In 2021, Global Exchange brought together dozens of organizations, frontline organizations, and movement leaders from Mexico, Central America, and the U.S. to organize strategic, urgent, and humanitarian actions to protect the rights of migrants and refugees.
2020
In 2020, Global Exchange teamed up with Code Pink and the Americas Program to issue a call for a New Good Neighbor Policy. The aim is to transform our relationship with our neighbors to the south, replacing the imperialist “Monroe Doctrine” style interventionism with mutual respect and dignity. More than a hundred national organizations and now thousands of individuals have signed on to this call for our next president to replace the threats, manipulation, boycotts, and military interventions that have characterized U.S. dominance in the hemisphere, with bold new approaches that make respect for sovereignty, dignity, and human rights the guidestars of relations with our nearest neighbors. And to end the embargo against Cuba once and for all.
2019
In 2019, Global Exchange launched “Voices for Global Justice” a webcast series to bring together movement leaders, experts and organizers to discuss vital issues of our time and how ordinary people can get involved. We’re giving the mic to people with a vision for a future that includes justice, human rights and dignity for all.
2018
In defense of democracy, our values and our future in 2018 Global Exchange launched Town Hall Summer – a campaign to unify diverse struggles and build community power. We held a series of grassroots community events and actions from July through October in pivotal locations across the country and online to undertake education, engagement and get out the vote efforts.
2017
In response to the cruel new executive orders that empower immigration agents to deport people, Global Exchange organized a powerful direct action along the U.S./Mexico border: A Caravan Against Fear. The Caravan was a 3-week journey that engaged mass education of conditions along the border and supported local communities organizing for immigrant rights in California, Texas and Arizona.
2016
Global Exchange organizes the historic Caravan for Peace, Life and Justice. The Caravan traveled from Honduras to New York City for the United Nations Special Session on global drug policy (UNGASS) – making visible a growing wave of popular discontent with the drug war, while spreading a coherent message about alternative drug policies that would measure success in terms of health, human rights and harm reduction.
2014
Global Exchange is part of the national conversation to normalize relations when President Obama took historic action towards Cuba. Soon after the two presidents met, Global Exchange help found RESPECT, an organization concerned with “ensuring travel to Cuba respects the people, culture and natural environment of the island.” To date 65 organization and 35 movement leaders have signed on and are working together.
2013
Global Exchange’s Elect Democracy campaign takes on the hired hands that call shot in DC: big money, lobbyists.
2012
Global Exchange helps Mexican victims of the drug war speak truth to power on the Caravan for Peace with Justice and Dignity, traveling through 29 U.S. cities, examining the drug war and gun violence on both sides of the border.
2011
Global Exchange joins Mexican poet and activist Javier Sicilia, winner of Global Exchange’s 2011 People’s Choice Human Rights Award, in a burgeoning peace movement in Mexico.
2010
Global Exchange launches an innovative grassroots community development project in Detroit, MI. The Green Economy Leadership Training program, trains young people how to work and live in a new green economy framework.
2009
Global Exchange joins with communities around the world to demand Chevron – and the entire dirty oil industry – end its egregious exploitation of people and the planet for profit.
2008
Global Exchange, in partnership with Co-Op America (now Green America) opens a Green Festival in Seattle. The Green Festival introduces over 100,000 people each year to the thriving local and green economy.
2007
Global Exchange mobilizes tens-of-thousands of kids to give Fair Trade chocolate back to their neighbors on Halloween and educates over a quarter of a million households about Fair Trade in a single night!
2004
Global Exchange takes on the Auto Industry – challenging Ford Motor Company to break American’s addiction to oil and build zero-emission, fuel-efficient vehicles.
2002
Global Exchange’s Medea Benjamin co-founds CODEPINK, a network of women dedicated to ending the war, and holds a 4-month vigil for peace outside the White House.
2000
Global Exchange launches our Fair Trade coffee campaign, successfully convincing both Starbuck and Proctor & Gamble to offer Fair Trade.
1999
Global Exchange joins with social movements around the world to protests corporate globalization at the Seattle World Trade Organization ministerial meeting.
1996
Global Exchange re-brands Nike as “the sweatshop shoe company,” calling international attention to workers’ conditions.
1995
Global Exchange opens a Peace House in Mexico to challenge militarization, repression and impunity.
1993
Global Exchange joins activists worldwide to oppose the unjust and oppressive policies of World Bank and IMF and co-founded 50 years is Enough.
1992
Global Exchange helps build a Fair Trade movement in the U.S., co-founding the National Fair Trade Federation.
1990
Global Exchange launches our No Blood for Oil campaign to end the war in Iraq, rallying millions to march for peace under banners that made the link between U.S. oil addition and war.
1988
Global Exchange was founded with the aim of educating and organizing people at home while building people-to-people ties of solidarity with global allies