In Activists Speak Out, a group of fifteen American activists speak candidly about how and why they struggle for change. Their causes and strategies vary - in the areas of civil rights, gay and lesbian rights, the environment, women's issues, health, youth, education, labor, freedom of expression and the arts. But the lessons learned resonate across geographic and ideological boundaries. Whether working as grass-roots organizers or corporate insiders, in cities or in rural areas, the through-line of their observations is constant: Change is slow, and may take shape in unexpected ways. Small victories count. And, whatever the initial motivation to become engaged in the struggle for change - anger, compassion, frustration - the very process of engagement is itself transformative. You cross that line, and nothing is ever the same.