The United States and the world face an enormous crisis. It’s an economic crisis for sure, with all that means in lack of jobs, lack of housing, lack of health care, and lack of education. But it’s equally a crisis shaped by endless war, by environmental injustice, and by discrimination. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. reminded us so many times, the enemy is the “giant triplet of racism, extreme materialism, and militarism.”

King’s words still ring true. We’ve learned that the best movements are those that speak to all of those urgent needs, and that fight against racism, poverty, and war. The Rebuild the Dream coalition recognizes that King’s vision remains unfulfilled, and is starting to pull together, through the new Contract for the American Dream, a new movement-in-the-making to challenge power, to reach out to new allies, and to build bridges instead of walls.

IPS is working hard to generate ideas and policies around many of the core 10 pieces of the contract, and we’re collaborating with a broad coalition of citizen groups on many of them.

Stopping the wars is central to our work. Ending corporate tax dodging, taxing Wall Street speculation, and ensuring the top 2 percent pay their fair share are also key elements of our policy initiatives as is a new program for green Main Street jobs as the centerpiece of a new economy. All this is part of the Contract for the American Dream.

As Dr. King also taught us, changing the world and changing history requires powerful people’s movements. We’re enthusiastic co-creators of this one.