Paul Burrows has been involved in social justice activism and solidarity work since his first days at the University of Manitoba. In 1987, at the age of nineteen, he went to Guatemala and El Salvador (at the height of the latter's civil war) to begin learning Spanish, as well as to inform himself about the history and politics of the region, and attempt to find work as a "witness for peace." A close Winnipeg friend of Paul's, Evan Fox-Decent, who was working in rural El Salvador at the time, was specifically targeted by the Salvadoran military for his solidarity work, and was hit and almost killed by a grenade. At least one of the Salvadoran campesinos standing next to Evan was killed in the explosion. The incident, and broader experience in Central America, had a profound and lasting impact, and Paul has been a committed anti-imperialist, internationalist, and social justice activist ever since.

Over the years, Paul has been involved in Central American (FMLN and Radio Venceremos) solidarity work, anti-Apartheid and anti-racism work (on the board of the now-defunct Manitoba Coalition of Organizations Against Apartheid, as well as in Students Against Apartheid), and has supported national liberation struggles throughout the world. Paul has been particularly inspired by, and supportive of, the resistance and liberation struggles of First Nations peoples in North America, the East Timorese against Indonesian occupation and genocide, as well as the Palestinian uprising against Israeli military rule and occupation. He has written about, participated on panels and workshops, and helped organize conferences and events, related to each of these struggles over the course of the last ten to twelve years.

In 1995, Paul helped co-found Winnipeg's Old Market Autonomous Zone (or A-Zone), a space for community activists and grassroots organizations to share facilities, and aid in efforts at networking and building a "culture of resistance." In 1996, he helped co-found Mondragón Bookstore & Coffee House, a worker-run political bookstore and organic and vegan restaurant, organized along non-hierarchical lines consistent with the "participatory economic" model developed by Michael Albert and Robin Hahnel. Between 1995 and 2001, most of Paul's work and activism centred around building and enhancing these two institutions, and making them a focal point of activism and radicalism in Winnipeg. In 2001, he helped form the Winnipeg chapter of the Canada-Palestine Support Network.

In 2002, Paul moved to Montreal with Shira, his OTL ("one true love," gush, gush), where he hopes to continue his involvement with both Palestine and First Nations support work, and try his hand at writing and journalism.

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